thrifty style at 73

barnes & noble

These two double page photos from two different magazines

SO reflect my taste in home style...

a corner table

stack of magazines

journal

fine-tipped, four color pen

rainy afternoon

corner table

rainy afternoon

endless inspiration & no-cost pleasure

I had a sip or two of my husband's iced drink

and lost myself in a stack of deorating magazines.

It had been so long since we'd been there that I had a lot of catching up to do!

he's found his niche!

He's definitely on a roll!

Creating all of these tables from scraps of wood

and pieces of discarded furniture,

my husband has found a niche!

All three sold within hours of being listed on a few local

facebook garage sale pages!

He's already begun fashioning a fourth!

a project and a painting

My husband is constructing a sofa table out of

miscellaneous boards & orphaned table legs he's been storing in the shed.

We'll probably paint it - maybe stain the top.

I'm pretty excited to see the end product.

Then there's this. A large painting on stretched canvas frame.

I've had it for quite awhile and just realized yesterday that it would fit

into a frame I've had for a long time.

I like everything about it--but especially the colors.
I'd love to have an entire room papered in these colors; this design!

At some point, I may post both of these items for sale

on a couple of local facebook sites--

but first I plan to enjoy them a bit myself.

for profit

While taking in a couple of garage sales last weekend,

I found these two gems--fine enough to keep myself,

but with a hunch I could re-sell them rather quickly.

I was correct!

The satisfactory profit helps with a few upcoming graduation

and bridal shower gifts.

(I especially like the picture. Isn't it sweet?)

confused. very confused

Wearing its first coat of paint already....

I really WAS going to get back on the wagon* this week.

Then, I read "Let's Celebrate the Art of Clutter".
Now I'm confused. Very confused.
Consider this quote:

In accumulating, we honor the art of the potter, sitting at a wheel;

we appreciate the art of the writer, sitting at a desk;

we cherish the art of the painter, standing in front of an easel.

From "Let's Celebrate the Art of Clutter"

Pottery, books and paintings definitely occupy a large part of my "clutter".
Who am I to not honor, appreciate and cherish the art that surrounds me?
If the topic of downsizing, decluttering and simplifying interests you,
you may enjoy the read AND join me in my confusion.

I'll be interested to hear what YOU think about Dominique Browning's musings.

*See my prior two posts for enlightenment about the "wagon".

you would buy too if it happened to you

We were just going for a ride through the country.

Passing through a small town, we soon realized

we'd run into town-wide garage sales.

Weather was threatening and it was nearing the noon hour.
People were eager to sell, it seemed....

We made an offer on this little table, and it was accepted.

It's going to be a sweetheart after it's painted!

(I plan to get back on the wagon next week.
See previous post if you wonder what I mean.)

falling off the wagon

I know I'm downsizing. And I really HAVE been staying clear of thrift stores and garage sales.

Until today.

Driving through a small neighboring town on my way to visit my parents,

I stopped at a garage sale in the parking lot of the local Senior Center.

I am a sucker for prints and paintings.

That's all I'm going to say.

Items weren't priced. Payment was on a donation basis.

I don't like those arrangements and generally walk away, but this time I didn't.
I couldn't resist the sweet, muted turquoise and yellow colors.

what's gone?

What's gone?

Well, in addition to the odds and ends on the table above

(and a few more I hauled out when I flipped the sign to say "free"),

this piece that we remodeled to serve as a kitchen island or work space,

the half-round sofa table my husband fashioned from a free furniture piece,

and four of these chairs with plenty of life left in them!

The furniture pieces were sold via local facebook sales sites.

I'm making progress.

Slowly,

but surely!

new favorite

A quick look around our house may explain why

The French Tangerine is a new favorite blog of mine.
Click on it to go check it out for yourself!

I couldn't begin to match its sophisticated content,

but that doesn't keep me from admiring what I see there.

Meanwhile I continue to enjoy the tangerine (and turquoise)

I've gathered from my favorite thrift stores in the past.

(Yes, you read that right - "the past"!

I've radically curtailed my excursions until I can edit

my current collections...)

with admiration

...with admiration for all who are downsizing so successfully!

As I said on my facebook page:

Too many pillows here! All of them "speak" of another time and place...

Living well in the present means letting go of MANY things!

My challenge is compounded by the fact that I'm too lazy to have a garage sale

AND too lazy to gather it all together to give away.

It's not so much the larger, furniture pieces as the little miscellaneous stuff

I've accumulated since moving the last time over 12 years ago.

I'm open to suggestions.

simple, thrifty and refreshing - a great combination

Not all Thrifty Style here involves thrifted "treasures". Thrifty Style includes simplicity at many levels--including food.

Now sometimes it is simpler to go out to eat, but that's not exactly thrifty. However, our evening snack tonight is both Simple AND Thrifty. It's one of my favorite combinations - pineapple, oranges and bananas.

When I shop, I notice what's on sale in the produce department and try to incorporate it into meals. This week, it was fresh pineapple! Soon I hope to be enjoying another favorite combination - green grapes, cantaloupe and pineapple.

Do you have a favorite fruit combination?