Thrift Thursday (Monday Edition...)

The thrifting Gods have finally started to answer my prayers....well, not really, but you know what I mean. After what seemed like months of random junk at the shops around the city, I've finally started to stumble across some rather neat pieces....all of which have called out "take me home."

Case in point. These pieces - 

I really lucked out this past week when I hit-up Value Village. Lately I've been pretty unimpressed, but struck gold when I stumbled across two Pottery Barn books for $1.99 each...the dust jackets are a bit ripped, but the books themselves are in great shape! They're a few years old, but they've got some neat ideas....and we're talking about Pottery Barn....they're all about creating 'classic looking' spaces...so they're still pretty current.


Also, a snazzy Christmas tree for my office for the grand total of $.49 (with Michael's tag still attached....I'd rather pay the $.49 than the original $10.49 CDN retail) and two glass vases; perfect for more Christmas decorations! Can I get a 'whoop whoop?' No, not even a 'whoop'....hmm....

The next couple of weeks are only going to get busier and busier with the Christmas rush, which means less time to wander around and treasure hunt (I'll be too busy burning Christmas cookies). That said, I can't wait to hit the shops up in January & February when I'll hopefully be able to snag some deals on random Christmas stuff and unwanted Christmas presents. Last year I snagged a new 30PC set of Gluckstein glass balls for $2.99 and a bag of mercury glass ornaments (with tags still on them) for $1.99!

Let's make a day of it! Shops...lunch....Dan randomness....fun!


How 'bout it?

D-

Thrift Thursday!

Best thrift Thursday ever.

Well, almost.

I really didn't find much, but I had a lot of fun wandering around. Instead of only having an hour or two to run around after work I had the whole afternoon to peruse the city for treasures! As such, I made a point to venture off of my usual beaten track to see what else I could find.

I hit up a couple of furniture stores with the hope that I would stumble across my dream coffee table (it's out there!)...but no cigar. Instead, I had an old man follow me up and down three flights of stairs. Yes. Yes, I plan to grab that dresser and run out of the store with it....

And while I didn't come away with a coffee table, I had loads of fun and I did find one project piece (which I'm going to keep secret for the time being....but it will find a home in my new living room. I'm exciting enough about it that I've already ripped it apart and have it primed and drying on my deck!

Also, I stumbled across something really fun!

Get a load of this bad boy that came home with me - 

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca

So you're thinking, "it's a candle....wooo...."

But this my friends is not just any candle! This is the Voluspa candle that I've coveted for ages but have been too cheap to buy. At $22.00 CDN, it's not exactly a 'bargain' piece; but it's so worth it...especially when you get a load of the scent delicious 'Truffle White Cocoa' scent. It smells like, ten times....no twenty times better than any other cocoa scented candle out there. For a few brief seconds I even contemplated licking it....(not really...okay really).

I was browsing through a Value Village when I noticed the familiar tin out of the corner of my eye. Usually I don't stop to check out candles at thrift stores but with the extra time, I figured why not... right away I knew that I was onto something when I spotted this guy!

Still sealed and unused, my coveted candle came home with me for....wait for it....

Wait for it...

The princely sum of....

$1.99. 

That's right. One dollar, ninety-nine cents.

Bahahahah!

Best. Deal. Ever.

D-


PS.
Both Chapters & Indigo stores have a huuuuuuuuuuge selection of Voluspa scents! Go! Now!

Thrift Thursday.

Over the past couple of weeks, I really haven't had much time to treasure hunt - but luckily, everything that's been kind of up in the air is slowly starting to settle into place again. Well, not really, but that's another story, for another time. 

Anyways, as luck would have it, I finally had a chance to hit up a couple of shops the other day and I struck the mother load! This spring the shops were ripe for the picking, but over the past couple of months, I've come up short on my quest for coolness. However, with fall comes a fresh mix of pieces. Pieces calling out to me to take them home...

First up, I've been on the hunt for a mix of Christmas cookie cutters since last Christmas. I'd previously been gifted a few pieces, perfect for making my gingerbread aliens and gingerbread celebrities (stay tuned), but I wanted to expand the mix to include the usual trees, sleighs and reindeer. As luck would have it I stumbled across a set of 12 and grabbed them from the merchandiser as she was putting them on display. $1.99 for the set = sold!

Next up, I've got a fun mix to share with you! I found this nifty horse ornament for under a dollar under a pile at Goodwill. Unfortunately, the cashier didn't wrap this poor guy up well enough and one of his ears ended up chipped. I'm thinking that with a bit of putty to repair / rebuild his ear and multiple coats of matte white spray paint he'll look spiffy on one of my bookshelves. Toss in a couple of pieces of milk glass found for .99 each, and two awesome prints for $1.99 each and I'm a happy camper.

And what is the book you ask? Get this - I found Martha Stewart's Housekeeping Handbook, brand new, still wrapped in the plastic for $4.99 at Value Village. I've been eyeing up this $50.00 retail book for ages now.....it's deals like that that have this guy busting a sweet move down the aisles of the store.

I've got some awesome plans for these pieces over the next couple of weeks. I've got a mate that's a professional framer and I'm thinking that I might see if he can come up with a cool matting / frame combo for the prints. I'm considering hanging them in my dining room....perhaps creating a bit of a theme when put together with my snazzy school map.

As for the milk glass vases, I'm all over the idea of using them extensively when decorating this holiday season. I've got a couple of ideas up my sleeve....the wheels are turning....I just need to see if the ideas stack up before sharing them with you guys (and looking goofy in the process)!

A successful haul? I'd say so! Now to put these pieces to work!

D-

Thrift Thursday (Long weekend edition).

I'm almost certain that the organizers of the Amazing Race Challenge that Mister & I participated in this past weekend knew that I love me a sweet, sweet bargain. When we opened our challenge booklet for our second day, I was ecstatic to learn that we had a challenge at a thrift store in Somerset, MB. 

Having never been to (let alone heard of) Somerset, I wasn't sure what to expect  but was excited none the less. When we found the store, I was pleasantly surprised to find an awesome mix of vintage and kitsch! So as my team worked as fast as they could to complete our official game challenge, I took on the challenge of working as fast as I could to pick-out which pieces I wanted to bring home with me! 

With only five minutes to spare I found some sweet pieces!

Check 'em out!

In less than five minutes I'd uncovered and purchased a year's worth of Martha, some amazing milk glass (that has suddenly become way too overpriced in the city) and the cutest tiered cake platter. Not bad huh?

I still can't get over the fact that I uncovered this sweet set of vases for $1.50! I've seen similar pieces go for over $25.00 each on Etsy and in some of the different vintage shops around the city. They'll look awesome on my dining room table filled with whatever greenery of cheap grocery store flowers I can find.

How often do I use tiered glass cake plates? Not that often. That said, this one was only a dollar, plus I'm digging it's funky gold tones. Perhaps the purchasing of it is just a sign that I need to be making more cakes....hmm.

I'd picked up some yellow Mums last week and threw them in one of the vases this evening. Simple but so much fun! I've got some fun ideas for how I'm going to use these vases during the holiday season (yes....holidays as is in Christmas...).

So how much damage did I do in five minutes? $4.50. That's it! With deals like that, how could I not bring these pieces home? 

Thank you small-town Manitoba!

D-

Thrift Thursday.

I'm really excited to share this week's Thrift Thursday find with you! No, seriously. You have no idea. I turned into a total girl when I found what I'm about to show you. I shrieked, eked and later swore like a banshee (but more about that later on).

I've been living with one of those ugly glass-front TV stands for a couple of years now and have wanted to kick it up a notch. It's FINALLY time to ditch the last of the college furniture so to speak. While the $3.00 Goodwill TV stand had served its purpose, I wasn't really keen on the fiberboard construction, glass door, lack of DVD storage and overall ugliness. It was time to go.

But what to replace it with?

I was running some errands the other night (isn't that how it always starts?) when I stopped off at a Salvation Army to dump off some clothes. I figured that since I was there I may as well make the rounds (but of course). After checking out the lackluster mix of housewares I wandered over to the furniture department where I found this bad boy -

How great is this vintage buffet?!?

They'd just but this beauty on the floor and there were a couple of other interested parties, but I was like "you're comin' home with me big boy.." and proceeded to run up to the front of the store to pay for it. Seriously. I tore through that store...there may have been people looking at me. But I didn't care - I wasn't about to lose out on this awesome piece!

It was only after paying for buffet that I realized that I had to somehow get it home in my two-door Alero. That's right, caught in the moment, I bought a giant piece of furniture without thinking about the logistics involved in getting it from one end of the city to the other...

(that sounds like something I would do...)

It took 45 minutes to maneuver the piece into the car, resulting in me having the driver's seat pushed as close to the steering wheel as possible, one of the buffet's legs hitting the back of my neck and the longest ride home ever.

Once home, it took another 45 minutes (for reals) to maneuver the piece out of my backseat, followed by two flights of stairs and my thumb jambed in a door before this beauty found itself at home in my living room.

Who said thrifting was easy?

That said, when you find a piece like this for the princely sum of $15.00 how can you not bring it home (jammed thumb and all)?!

The only question left to ask is what colour do I finish this beauty in? My ever practical choices of A) black or B) white? Or do I go all out and add a bit of colour into my living room? Bright yellow? Orange?

Stay tuned to see the outcome!

D-

PS. Next time I venture out I'll make sure I have a tape measure with me....

Mr. Mitchell takes a drive.

I have a confession to make. I did something bad after work.

As I was driving to the gym I veered off onto a side street and ended up at one of my favourite thrift stores. This might not sound like a big deal, but I'd secretly made a bit of a pact with myself last night to avoid thrifting of a couple of weeks so that I could focus on a couple of big projects that I've been putting off.

Yeah, that idea didn't last long. And for that, I'm glad, because I found some fun stuff!

I know that it's nowhere near Thrift Thursday, but I figured that I'd share anyways.

Exhibit A -

The shop was filled to the trim with everything and anything....and to top it off all housewares were 50% off! Yet, I had to do a bit of digging before finding anything that I could deem as being 'Dan Worthy'....but once I started to really look I found some cool pieces.

First up I found this nifty cigarette tin for a whopping $1.50 - it has a cool pattern and will look neat on my nightstand or perhaps on my desk holding paperclips. Next came a set of four Chinese finger bowls. I've always had a thing for tiny bowls of this nature, but have never seen a set with more than a couple of pieces, and at .75 for the lot I couldn't turn them down. I'm thinking that they'll look cool as votive holders, or I might put them to use in the kitchen when I'm baking. And last but not least a 16 PC cup and saucer set originally from Stokes. $4.50 = coming home with Dan. I've got mugs and stemware galore, but figured that it was finally time to invest in some cups. Tea party time?

Aren't these finger bowls cool? I have no idea what they say, for all I know they could say "your Mom wears army boots" but I love them none the less.

 The tin, as cute as it was, was looking pretty tarnished and I figured that it might be worth a bit of time and effort to see if I could give it a bit of sparkle and shine.

I'm not one to promote stuff....I do enough of that at work, but I found an awesome silver polish that's totally worth trying. I love ol' skool silverware, but have resisted the urge to buy it because of the fact that I'm too lazy to polish it. That and most of the cleaners that I've tried have given me a wicked high (and not a good one at that....). However, this stuff is amazing!

It's a pink-y coloured paste and it doesn't have a 'cleaner' smell to it. That and It didn't cause my hands to get all red and itchy. It was easy enough to use, and in no time flat, my tin was looking like this - 

 I decided that I liked a bit of the patina and worn finish and that it added a bit to the tin so I left it (that and I have no attention span and didn't feel like scrubbing anymore)....not too bad hey? Bring on the thrift store silverware and old cutlery! (As if I need any more collections...)

So there you have it. One day into my 'no thifting' plan and I've already fallen by the wayside. Then again, I did find some neat pieces....so I think it was worth it. What's that saying....something like "it's good to be bad"....?

And while I'm at it, I should show you what I stumbled across this past Friday evening.

Exhibit B - 

Grand total $5.50. Thank you Salvation Army on Empress Street.

Now! Time to get some other projects figured out!

Staging! Closet organizing! Painting! Reupholstering! Now! (Or maybe tomorrow...)

What have your best finds been as of late?
D-

Thrift Thursday.

I'm so excited to share my latest find with you! Seriously. You have no idea. 

You see, it all started a couple of years ago when I first moved into my place and was starting to fill it with furniture. At the time I was still trying to figure out my style and ended up passing up a few pieces because I wasn't sure if they were 'me'. 

One of those pieces was a beautiful arm chair that I'd found on clearance at a furniture store - I loved it, and it would have been an investment piece, but I just wasn't ready to fork over the coin....and I've been kicking myself since then.

That is, until I came across this beauty on Monday evening - 

I was wandering around Goodwill when I stumbled across this piece and right away I was like "you're coming home with me." But then a funny thing happened. I didn't buy it. Seriously. After pining over a chair like this for so long I left the store without it. I decided that I didn't want to fork over $25.00. How goofy does that sound?

Coming home, I ended up falling asleep thinking about the chair. Seriously. I kept asking myself why I hadn't purchased it. Sure it needed a bit of work, but it's a piece that would look amazing with a bit of loving.

As luck would have it, I had a chance to zip back to Goodwill over my lunch break on Tuesday and there she was still waiting for me (for some reason most of my furniture is female...hmm). A bit of work was required to get her into my car, but for the princely sum of $25.00 she was mine!

Like my nightstand before her, this beauty is in need of a makeover. She's rocked the gray legs and stained upholstery for long enough - it's time for her 'She's All That' moment...minus Rachel Lee Cook.

Here's what I'm thinking of using as a jump off for this beauty -  

http://pinterest.com

Of course I'm in love with this Jonathan Adler piece, but seriously, it's going to be awhile before I can throw down $1250.00 for an actual Adler. But, with a bit of work, some sexy new upholstery, a box of French nailhead trim, multiple coats of paint & some lacquer I think that I'll be able to bring this ol' girl into this decade. She might even be able to swing that dreamy jock for the prom...

So a few packs of these....

http://www.diyupholsterysupply.com

A couple yards of this - 

http://thelittlelilacgoose.co.uk

And I'll be on my way!


Wish me luck (I'm going to need it with with all of those nails) and stay tuned!


D-

Thrift Thursday.

So after work today I hit up Value Village with the hope of stumbling across a treasure begging out to come home with me. However, the pickings were slim. Really slim. That and what was on offer was scary.

Really scary.

I didn't buy anything, hell, I didn't even see anything that I remotely liked. However as I was driving home, it dawned on me that perhaps it was time to share some of tricks of the trade with you. Perhaps you're a seasoned thrifter like myself. Or, perhaps you've been reading my ramblings and are feeling inspired to do some investigating but don't know where to start, or what to look for.

Therefore, I present to you -

Dan's ultimate thrifting tips:

• If it's your first time hitting up a thrift shop, scope out the shop - pick up pieces of interest and review selling prices. Examine how product is setup. Is the shop neat and organized, or is it a hodgepodge of merchandise? Who's shopping there? If it's like my favourite Value Village store it's filled to the brim with university students. If it's like my favourite Goodwill shop, it's a bit quieter and the shoppers are usually seniors.

• I'm always game to scope out a lot of the smaller thrift shops around the city. There are a lot of little church and hospital run shops on side streets that have some amazing deals....and the cutest volunteers working at them. Some of my favourite finds have come from little hole in the wall shops.

• The more often you visit, the more likely you are to hunt down that coveted treasure. I try to hit up a few of my favourite shops on a near weekly basis. As well, the more often I go, the pickier I get - if an item is still there after a few visits and I've been eyeing it up, then chances are that I'll go for it!

• While I love hitting up shops with friends, but I find that I thrift best when I'm alone. I'm one of those guys that likes to wander up and down the aisles, over and over - making sure that I've checked everything out at least twice. That said, if you're like me and you're looking for straight-up vintage and high-end glassware / accessories and you take along your friend who's looking for 70s folk art, then you'll do great together.

• I always hit up the aisles of my favourite shops in the same order. When I'm checking out Goodwill I always go straight for the furniture, at my Value Village I head directly to the books. There are a few pieces that I'm always on the hunt for - certain pieces, certain types of books, authors, et cetera.

• As soon as you see something that's of interest to you - grab it! When it comes to thrifting, there's no time to hum and haw about whether or not you're interested in a piece. After I've finished wandering around, and before I head up to the front of the store, I'll review everything that I've collected. More often than not, half of what I've found will end-up back on the shelf.

• Look beyond the sparse decor of the store, the random smells, scary people, dusty pieces, and general wear & tear. Some of my favourite pieces started out looking less than stellar. For me it's all about the potential. Think beyond the initial look of a piece....wood can be stained or painted, chairs can be recovered. The opportunities are endless!

• Know the retail value of the pieces that you're interested in. There are a few thrift stores that I visit on a regular basis that are notorious for up-charging pieces that are marked with familiar brand names. Ikea at Value Village? I think that I'll wait for Winnipeg's store to open. Vases? I'll check out the dollar store or wait for a good church tag sale. 

• After a few months of hunting and collecting - edit! The last thing that I wanna become is a hoarder. I routinely go through my collections and edit out pieces that I'm no longer fond of - usually they end up back where I found them. I mean why not?  My crap is someone else's treasure.

• Be safe! I generally skip upholstered and fabric pieces. Who knows what the previous owners may have done on that couch you're eyeing up? Also bedbugs are being to turn up more and more often in used upholstered pieces. If there is an upholstered piece of interest, look into how much it will have to have it reupholstered (it's less expensive to do that you'd think).

• And lastly, have fun! Open your mind and it's amazing what you'll uncover!

And there you have it. My secrets (well some of them....I can't give them all away). Now! If only the people of Winnipeg would start donating some decent pieces to have fave shops....I want to find actually come home with some pieces!

D-

PS. If you're the lady that put that nasty doll with the straw hat into your shopping cart and you're reading this....burn that scary demon doll. It's horrific. That is all.