April Finds: Thrift Stores, Free Boxes, Barters, etc.

1. Metal Measuring Cups & Spoons - I've been wanting to switch over to metal measuring items for awhile.  My plastic ones keep breaking and the numbers always rub off.  I found these for 2 dollars along with a metal apple slicer for 99 cents. (I've broken so many plastic ones). $3.

2. Mini Cow - Remember the cow I found last month?  Well, when we saw this baby cow at New Seasons, we had to get it. $2.

3. Beer Stein - Willis bought this stein for himself because it had his favorite thing on it: images of deer in forests, "a 10 point buck in a sweet alpine meadow," to be exact. $?.

4. Spice Rack - I found this rack in a free box.  We don't need a spice rack but I thought it would look amazing with baby plants and animals.  I was right. FREE.

5. Plant pots - Dito broke one of my plant pots while barking at an outside creature.  My sister gave me a bunch of jade starts.  I bought more pots at Goodwill.  I keep my eye on free ones on craigslist but rarely have luck.  Goodwill is not always a bargain. $8.

6. Columbia Sportswear Jacket - I got a bunch of really nice clothes in a free box a couple of weeks ago.  This jacket for Willis and a couple sweaters and shirts for me.  FREE.

7. Hops & Homebrew - We have amazing friends.  Nick & Courtney traded us some hops (2 bags) and homebrews (like 18 or so) for our old kitchen table and chairs.  We also walked away with some knives and clothes.  FREE.

8. Tall Mirror - I wanted a mirror for our spare room, I like to play dress up in there.  It will also be nice for our guests to have.  Bought this at Goodwill. $5.









Currently listening to:
Desaparecido - Greater Omaha

Thrift Store Finds: March

March offered some great thrift store finds for our household.

Table:  It all started when my mom was in town visiting and we took a trip to the Salvation Army.  At the time, we had no idea there was a 50% off sale.  I noticed a table and 4 chairs for $80.  I really liked them, but would never be able to convince myself that it was worth it.  While we were browsing, my mom overheard that everything was 50% off.  We went to the front of the store and confirmed that everything was on sale, and my mentality quickly changed.  I quickly sent a picture to Willis to see what he thought (I love smart phones).  He responded, "Sure."  The table replaced Willis' Ikea table and two chairs we had in the small "nook" area in the kitchen.

Chairs:  I placed the chairs around the house to add more seating throughout.  If we have guests over, we can just drag them into the kitchen.  I plan to eventually reupholster them.

 

Arklow Pottery:  That same day, from a distance, my mom spotted some Arklow Pottery.  We couldn't believe it!  Almost a full set for 50% off!?  We'll take it!  My mom worked in the pottery, so it was easy for her to spot the distinct characteristics of the pitcher and sugar bowl.  Arklow is our hometown in Ireland and the pottery was a large industry providing jobs for many generations, almost everyone has a pottery story to tell.  I remember tourists always stopping to ask for directions to the pottery, located near the beach on the South Quay, or finding pieces all over the beach.  It closed in 1999. 

Jars:  I love having all sorts of jars in the kitchen.  They are so practical.  Bulk foods, water glasses, coffee, canning, yogurt, freezer storage, leftovers, spices, etc.  I found 8 jars with these awesome lids for 50 cents each that are perfect for the spices that we use the most: garlic, chili, paprika, chili flakes, pickling spices, dill, cinnamon, and curry.

The Cow:  We purchased this lamp from Target with a gift card Willis received for the holidays.  At first, I was hesitant because of the price.  But, I really liked the idea of having extra shelving for plants in our living room and the dark wood and yellow shade would fit perfectly.  The problem was the lower shelf.  I didn't want to put plants on it in case the dogs (mainly Bandit) got bored one day and destroyed it.  I tried a variety of items: books, bird house, empty vase, etc.  But nothing looked right.  I really wanted a porcelain dog, similar to this.  Instead, I stumbled upon this cow for $2.00.  It's perfect!

Light:  Remember the orange lamp that Willis couldn't stop thinking about?  Well, I found a matching sconce for $3.  I've yet to affix it to the wall, but plan on it going next to the bed in the guest room.  I'm also keeping my eye out for a good shade.

Currently listening to:
Freelance Whales - Generator 1st Floor

paintings on the walls

Ever since we moved into our new home, we've been talking about painting.  In the recent months I've been acting on those thoughts.  In my past life, I've painted my walls: purple and green, both were on the discount shelves at the local hardware store.  Needless to say, I've never had the trouble of trying to pick that perfect color just by taping up paint swatches or painting smaller sections with paint samples.  It's kind of a headache.  I want a dark and light brown for our kitchen, that matches the green cabinets, a mid-gray for our bedroom, and a brown/tan for our guest room.  I keep coming home with different samples and am disappointed most every time.  Since I have so many little jars of paint now, I've decided to start on some other house projects.

The Shoe Rack:  we rescued a shoe rack from an old housemate who was going to toss it about 2 years ago.  However, that shoe rack sucked - our shoes were never big enough and they always fell through.  I found an old kitchen cabinet in our garage, left by the previous owner.  After a little sanding and some fresh paint, it makes a perfect place to put our shoes.

The Bedside Table:  My bedside table is Bandit's dog crate, with a piece of wood placed on top of it.  Willis' side of the bed has a tiny cabinet with the alarm clock placed on top.  Besides the clock, there's not much room to put anything else, so books and things are placed on the floor.  It's also hard for me to see the time in the morning with out sitting up and leaning over Willis.  So I've decided to take this chair and turn it into the bedside table.  We got this chair from the same ex-roommate as the shoe rack.  It was left behind on the front porch after she moved out.  It has some water damage, but nothing a little sanding and paint won't fix.  I plan to paint it brown and gray.

The Gossip Chair:  This isn't a paint project, but still...I've been looking for an old fashioned telephone chair for awhile.  I was driving past Reviva! a few weeks ago and saw this one sitting outside.  It was perfect.  The seat cover was a worn and dirty white vinyl.  I searched thrift stores and reuse stores for the perfect fabric, but found nothing.  I ended up getting some fabric from Fabric Depot.  Although, I was looking for a mustard color, the only patterned canvas/furniture fabric they had was either orange, bright yellow, or green.  I went with the orange.


I've also painted the shelves in the bathroom and a little box that we keep all of our maps and zines in.  Painting other objects has really helped me narrow down my paint decisions.