treasure finds: thrift score

I have been on a mission to find a table for one of the walls of our living room, something I can put a record player (& records), books, a plant and large print on.  I have been checking big name stores, local shops & craigslist for something that just feels like 'the one, but no luck. 

Last week while out running a few errands I drove pass the mother ship of thrift shops.  Seriously this place is huge, so huge it has a cafe in it. What?  I was surprised at how empty the store was and one of the employees told me that the entire store was 50% off the next day -well well- I like saving, but I like being in an empty store more.  I took my precious time browsing and hit the jackpot with all these goodies for $39!

Since we had previously collected so many things over the years, I promised my husband that I will be more thoughtful on my thrifting adventures and I know we can use everything.  Okay maybe everything. I won't lie, I have no idea what I need a light up telephone sign for- but really? How could I not.  

Treasure Breakdown:

side table 15

lamp 5

blanket 5 (which i turned in to a rug)

light up sign 5

hanging fruit basket 3

black wire basket 2

drawer 3 (perfect for supplies in my studio)

jar 1

Oh and if you're wondering, I still haven't found the table I'm looking for!

treasure finds

Last year I loved participating in Thrifting Thursday posts and there were others doing it too (some with link ups) which made for a motivation to find new things.  However, I dont want to limit my Thursdays to just thrifting finds and instead I want to show off treasures.  From local boutiques, thrift shops, estate sales, road trips- anything.  I will share them here with you, along with where I found them.

They are all treasures and every Thursday they will find a home here.

at noun (portland, oregon)

at zupans market (portland, oregon)

at big Y swap meet (grants pass, oregon)

on closing day of the downtown bookstore (grants pass, oregon)

Please feel free to leave a link with any treasures you have found lately, I would love to visit!

crafts & notions

there's a spot in my heart for vintage craft supplies

Thrifting Thursday

Thrift Shops - Yard Sales - Antique Stores

{aka my therapy}

Sometimes I leave empty handed and that's ok- I like to get out of the house and just look at things.  My favorite places are the antique shops.  They usually have old music playing and are full of memories, something about it makes me very happy.  I'm also a huge fan of yard sales, only because I like to haggle prices and I'm a nosey person so seeing other peoples homes -how they decorate, what kind of junk they have..etc- helps with that.  What about you, whats your therapy?

Thrifting 101: 5 tips for thrifting vintage

Hi, I’m Liz. I blog over at The Blue Eyed Owl, about all things vintage, handmade and my life as mom, wife and indie business owner. I work out of my home studio, run an online vintage and handmade shop, and participate in various local shows and markets.

I am also a self proclaimed thrifting expert. Digging through other people's old junk, or as I call it, treasure hunting, is my favorite activity. I hit my local thrifts regularly looking for unique vintage treasures for my shop and home. I'm constantly asked how the heck I find such great stuff. Here are my top 5 tips for thrifting vintage.

1. Go where the old folks are.

Skip that nice clean Goodwill near that new master planned community and head for the retirement homes! It's pretty simple, older people have older things. A lot of them don't understand why us young folks want all their old junk either, so they happily donate to their local thrift thinking it's worthless.

2. Check condition.

This is especially true for vintage clothing. Inspect seams, look for stains, make sure all the parts are there, and test it out. Take this advice with a grain of salt though, sometimes the best pieces are rusty and chippy.

3. Use that smart phone.

Diamond in the rough or just rough? Do some research right there in the store to determine the history of a vintage piece. You can find out when a piece was made and how much it's worth in just a few minutes with good ol' Google.

4. Find that secret spot.

There are a couple of local thrifts that are my secret spots. They are always chock full of vintage so I know there aren't any other vintage hunters that frequent them. When you find these spots visit them often. Enjoy your gold mine before someone else discovers it. I would tell you mine, but then I'd have to kill you ;)

5. Look EVERYWHERE.

When I visit a thrift I search in every section. Sizes are always mixed up, sheets are with the skirts, seasonal items are buried under tools, etc. Some of my greatest finds have been in the wrong place so dig, dig, dig. I once found an antique hat form buried in a pile of baskets...true story!

The Blue Eyed Owl

blog // shop