What is it with bloggers and alliteration? It’s like we can’t help ourselves. I just let it happen now…no use fighting it.
Anyway, I’ve had some fabulous thrift store finds lately, and since I love hearing about what other people find secondhand (seriously, do tell!), I thought I’d share with you.
First is this super sweet little original oil painting. If you recall, I love oil paintings with hefty frames. The painting itself is an 8×10, so with the frame it’s quite a bit more substantial. If you squint, can you see the price tag? It was just $3! Can’t beat that with a stick.
I would totally have paid that much for the frame alone! It’s a great gray-wood finish that I’m really digging lately. And did I mention that it’s an original? Love that.
At the same thrift store, I also found this original painting (why yes, I was silently screaming with joy inside my head). Ken wasn’t digging this one as much because of it’s floral nature, but I think I like it a tad better than the first because of the teal-y green colors.
Again, that frame. Worth way more than the $2 I paid for it (at least in my professional opinion). This is just a tiny painting–probably 5×7–and I did throw the idea out to Ken that I could perhaps paint a seascape that tiny if we do get sick of the flowers. You know, to add to our “collection.”
There was a third $3 oil painting at the same thrift store, but I used some discretion…it was an interesting painting of a thatched roof house and some dutch people in 1800-era costumes. I’ve had enough dutch costumes for one lifetime, I think; more on that later (if I ever work up enough courage to share THOSE photos)…
And then I found something at the Goodwill that made my heart burst into song and put a weird/sneaky grin on my face as I approached it stealthily. No, that giant green ball is not a weird decor decision for me. It’s an ice cream maker–the kind you literally throw around while doing other fun things like camping. This is the second unused one I’ve found at the Goodwill; the first one I passed on and mourned its loss for months. This one was just $4.99.
I also got a brassy little sailboat at the Goodwill for $1.99. It’s going green around the edges and has a little sticker residue, so I’m off to Google how to polish brass to bring back its luster.
I thrift a lot–I think I normally hit 3+ stores a week–but probably 90% of the time I walk out empty-handed. So if you’re the type of person who “never finds anything at the thrift store,” keep an open mind! It’s like a treasure hunt…and lately, I’ve found lotsa treasure.
Have you found thrifted gems lately? Share your story in the comments! I love a good deal!
Planting Sequoias 