It didn't take me long to decide where I was headed: The local thrift stores, of course! I really don't visit thrift stores often, maybe once a month....and one in particular I hadn't frequented since last June when the rest of the fam was on a camping trip. But if I'm out and about and have a few minutes to kill, thrift stores always call my name.
Sometimes I walk through a thrift store and see absolutely nothing. On these occasions, I don't stay long. I've thrifted long enough to know, for me, what's worth stopping for. I tend to walk slowly, letting my eye travel from item to item, but I certainly feel no pressure to pick something up or purchase unless my heart starts to do that thumpity-thump thing.
And usually my heart does that thumpity-thump thing because I spot something I've been watching for.
Saturday turned out to be one of those thumpity-thump days for me, and I am so happy with the items I found.
Like this beautiful set of blue and white dishes.
This little bead-board cabinet, which I refinished a couple years ago, held our homeschool books last year, but since we reorganized our school room this fall, it's been sitting in a corner of the dining room fairly empty. I was still trying to figure out what to do with it.
Problem solved.
I've always been a lover of blue and white dishes ~ such a classic pattern and combination ~ and I decided if I ever came across a thrift store set for a decent price, I'd go for it if I could.
Which I did :-)
I came home from a meeting at church the other night and my eight-year-old daughter had helped herself to a blue and white dinner plate for daddy to serve up her pasta and broccoli. I think she's in love, too.
My next find was almost too good to be true, a pair of ceramic (ironstone?) vase-like lamps.
I've tried about three different lamp styles beside the bed in our master bedroom and haven't really been pleased with the results. I needed something shiny and smooth to offset the grainy texture in the wood bed, the muted colors in the artwork, the neutral colors in the wall and nightstands. I also hoped to find lamps high enough to balance our headboard and high ceilings.
When I walked into this second-hand store and caught sight of these lamps, I knew they were exactly what I'd been looking for. And the price, based on what similar lamps go for today, was unbeatable. My heart started thumpity-thumping so hard because you simply don't find these types of lamps in my town. Ever.
The shades, however, looked absolutely enormous and outdated, and I figured I'd trade them out eventually. However, once I got home and placed the lamps (with shades) beside our bed, I wasn't so sure anymore. They actually look fine. I may embellish them a bit, but I think the size seems okay. What do you think?
And last but not least, I scored an obnoxious purple tray that I immediately spray-painted gold and which is now on display in our front entry sporting a pretty vase, a framed picture, and an authentic pine cone from my sweet sister's Clarkston, WA, yard.
Have you noticed gold is making a comeback? It's been fun splashing a few punches of it around our home this fall.
And these, my friends, are just three reasons why I am a thrifter through and through. It is always hit or miss when you go, but when you hit, you just want to giggle all the way home.
Which is even more fun to do with a little eight-year-old girl.
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