RECENT THRIFTED FINDS

I'm still here, just trying to make it through the last three days of school.  The finish line is in sight.

Three more days of waking up early, packing lunches, helping with homework and early bedtimes. 

Then we can officially call it summer! 

I have been trying to wrap up design projects, run errands, get things organized and enjoy the last few days of peach and quiet before all heck break loose around here. 

I had to get my thrifting fix too. 

Taking three kids thrifting over the summer is definitely not on my "to do list". 

I found  a few gems over the last couple of weeks.

Like this $5.00 lamp from St. Vincent DePaul.

I already had the shade on hand in my arsenal of thrift store shades.

We have plenty of overhead lighting in the mudroom.  So I never thought of adding a lamp in here. 

At night, I prefer the ambiance of lamp lighting.

This lamp is the perfect amount of light in the evenings.  

Bonus - it helps hide the dirt in the mudroom! 

I also picked up this blue and gold metal tray at Goodwill for $2.00.  

It had me at blue and gold.

I was especially taken with the detail on the  handles.  

I picked up a few blue and white jars at St. Vincent DePaul also.

I love the little ginger jar. They varied in price from $3-$8. 

I added them to the mantle for a little more of a Springy look.

I bought this chair silhouette print a while back for $5.

You already know about my obsession with chairs.

I added it to the small gallery wall in the dining room.

I have plenty more to share with you and I hope to be able to blog a little more this summer.

I recently partnered with Staples to do a fun little Pantry Makeover.

Looking forward to showing you very soon.

Have you kicked off Summer yet?

BAR CART IN THE BEDROOM

Sorry I fell of the grid again.  I always appreciate when readers email me to make sure I'm okay.  

Just had a case of "too much on my plate".  

We went to Mexico last week for Spring Break.  

Going away for a week and trying to wrap up all the loose ends before leaving makes me a little crazy!

We are home again and back in our routines.  

A grand time was had by all.  I'll share some pictures later this week.  

Now, onto the bar cart in the bedroom.....

 I found this little gem in a thrift shop a few months ago.  It was $7.50.

I snagged it right up.

It's quite imperfect, which is perfect for me. 

I moved it around the house for a while trying to find the best spot for it. 

Turns out the best spot for the bar car happens to be my eleven year old daughter's room.

Oh, and I got this fabulous lamp last week at Goodwill for $3.00. Already had the shade. 

I went in to drop off the leftovers from my tag sale (more on that later too).

When I am within a half mile of a thrift store, I can't help but pop it. 

So clearly it makes sense that I would drop off a ton of stuff I don't need and

then buy more stuff I don't need.  I've got problems, people. 

Clearly this bar cart is not stocked with liquor and glassware. 

 Just a few essentials for a little tween girl - 

a bible,  a devotional, pretty flowers, books, souvenirs, and a picture of friends. 

The perfect spot for an imperfect piece. 

For now, anyway.  Who knows where it will end up.

Did I mention I have problems?

So tell me.  Could you, would you, put a bar cart in your child's room?

HAVE A SEAT

No really, just pick a seat.  

There are plenty to choose from. 

I mentioned in this post that I counted the chairs in our home and came up with 37.  

Now, just to clarify, that does included dining chairs and two child size chairs. 

Here is a look at the "chair situation" in our home. 

We have owned this chair for a long time. 

It was originally dark brown wicker and I painted it with BM Kingsport Gray.

I ordred these two swivel/gliders a couple of years ago. 

They are a bit hit with the kids, since they are similar to a merry-go-round.

Still loving these bentwoods that I recovered recently. 

Here is a shot which includes quite a few chairs. 

I picked up the two floral chairs at a consignment shop. 

They work perfectly in "The Nook".

I have four of these vintage school chairs sprinkled around the house. 

One now resides in the foyer. 

My ghost chair was a steal from Craigslist. 

There is a whole lot of chairs going on in here. 

We have the yard sale wingbacks I had reupholstered, 

the wicker and chrome chairs I found on Craiglist 

and the rattan and chrome chairs I got from an estate sale. 

Mixed together, they make one big happy chair family.

The black Eames chair I found at an outdoor antique show is still residing in the office.

These two beauties, which also came from an estate sale are currently living in the basement. 

I love these chairs, but I still don't have a place for them.  Might have to get rid of them soon.

Moving upstairs, the boys have two red tolix-like chairs in their room. 

They came from Kroger, of all places. 

Another vintage school chair fits right in at my daughter's desk.

This chair was another thrift store find that I painted and had reupholstered. 

Lastly, this thrift store find makeover in our master bedroom.

Full disclosure, there are a few more chairs living in chair/lamp purgatory the basement 

and four more on the third floor. 

I also have quite a few barstools, lamps, frames and art that I need to let go of. 

I'm thinking of having a tag sale soon. 

Not to be confused with a yard/garage sale.  

I've done that before and the last time, I vowed never to do it again. 

If you are local and would be interested in coming to the tag sale, send me an email here.

Date and time TBD. 

Thank you so much for being loyal readers and I hope you have a fabulous weekend.

For some reason, my husband has decided he really wants to take the kids to the circus this weekend. 

I volunteered to stay home and get our taxes together.  The lesser of two evils, in my opinion.

THRIFTED FINDS & A LITTLE SETBACK

Sorry for the silence last week.  

I had to have an appedectomy on Monday evening. 

Strangely, I was feeling completely fine on Sunday evening at 5:00pm and by 6:30pm, 

I was in horrible pain.

After consulting Web MD, I determined I, most likely, had appendicitis. 

I waited it out at home Sunday night (I know, not my smartest move) 

and went to the ER first thing Monday morning.

The doctors confirmed my suspicions and sent me to surgery that evening.

After spending the night in the hospital and pretty much all week on the couch, 

I am happy to report that I am on the mend - just one small organ lighter.

Whew, enough of that medical mumbo jumbo.  Let's change the subject.

Over the past several months, I have had some good luck thrifting. 

Didn't necessarily need any of these fabulous items, but remember people, it's the thrill of the hunt!

1. giant roll of rope - $3

2. green ceramic scolloped bowl - $3

3. brass flower dish - $4

4. blue & white ceramic vase - $3

5. green glass vase - $4

6. glass & brass trinket box - $3

7. metal "THINK" sign - $8

8. blue & white ceramic tray - $5

9. wood & twine hoops - $2

TOTAL SPENT:  $34

Not too bad, considering I would have spent at least 3 times this much if the items were brand new.

Later this week, I'll show you where the items landed.

Hope your Monday is treating you well!

FIXING MISTAKES

Remember when I went on a little thrifting adventure, 

all in the name of research, of course, for my thrifting tips post?

I almost came home empty handed. 

At the last second, I spied a hideous metal shelf in the parking lot.

This hideous metal shelf......

I gave it a good wipe down and then temporarily placed it here....

I knew the scale was off, but I liked how it made the space feel cozy.

I got a little antsy a few weeks ago when it rained for days on end and I fixed this mistake.

First I spray painted the shelves a glossy white.

And then I moved it to the opposite wall.

I added a little plant to the corner.

And dug some art out of the attic to hang over it.

This is my very favorite spot in the house to curl up and relax now 

and I love that I can just reach over and grab a book.

This is where the barn door will eventually go.  Yep, I'm still dragging my feet on that one.

Ahhh, much better.

I have a love/hate relationship with that love seat.  

I love that it is so unbelievably comfortable, but I hate those big awkward arms and those loose pillows.

One of these days, it will mysteriously disappear

(probably when the kids are at school and my husband is out of town).

I know how much they like surprises!

So what kind of decorating mistakes have you fixed lately?

AROUND HERE

I have been busy shuffling kids back and forth, hosting sleepovers, getting caught in the middle of water gun fights, doing crazy amounts of laundry and trying to squeeze in a little work.  

This working from home gig, while school is out, is proving to be more difficult than I imagined.

I plan to do the best I can while focusing on soaking up this time with my children.

I have managed to get a few things done around here.

I switched out the lamp in "The Nook" for this new vintage thrift store lamp I found last week.

I actually got a pair of these.  You know I love a good pair!

I finished up a new gallery wall going up the stairs.  

My phone is still in the shop and my I-phone just doesn't do this project justice.  

As soon as I get my camera back, I'll show you the whole thing.

I also added this rug to our house. 

I am in love with it.  Even my six year old said "This  rug is beautiful!.

He then proceeded to do cartwheels on it with his dirty feet.

We like to break things in right away around here. 

I'll show you where the rug ended up soon.  

I thought I could manage 4-6 weeks without my camera, but it sure makes blogging difficult. 

Hurry up Canon!

THRIFTING TIPS

 Since I promised on post on thrifting last week, I had to do a a little research and go thrifting.  

I first hit up my favorite thrift store, St. Vincent DePaul in on Anderson Road in Crescent Springs, KY (for you locals).

There is a separate room full of furniture, lamps and art and I always head there first. 

No lamps that interested me on this trip, but still a pretty decent selection.

They always have a on of art and I have found quite a few things here in the past, but not today.

I normally scour the shelves for original art or great frames that I can re-use.  

This painting has been here for a while (go figure).  How hilarious would it be if I bought it and stuck it on the mantel.  I'm sure our guests would ask if it was one of our parents.  

Nope, picked it up at the thrift store because I thought it was cool. 

I'll have to check the price next time. It might be worth it, just to see the look on their faces. 

 No good furniture finds to speak of on this trip either. 

I usually then make my way to the glassware, knickknacks and metalware.

I did come across these glass decanters and thought they would make great vases, 

but I did't buy any.

I am kicking myself for not buying any of these.  the largest one was only $5.

These would make good planters or would look great with a few of them grouped together on a shelf.  

Now here's where it gets scary.  Some of you "new furniture only" shoppers 

might want to cover your eyes.  

I was feeling a little defeated since I didn't find anything.

However, as I made my way to my car, I decided to venture over here....

They obviously keep the "good stuff" out here.  

I normally avoid this area like the plague, but since I was doing some research, I dove right in.

Peeking out from behind all the fabulous finds out here (insert sarcasm), I found this little gem.

The hint of brass sparked my interest so I took a closer look. 

I lugged this beauty inside to inquire about the price.  

The nice woman behind the counter took one look at it and said, how about $3?  

SOLD to the crazy lady snapping I-phone pictures all over the thrift store.

As soon as I got home, I took it inside, gave a good wipe down and found a spot for it. 

The scale is a little off with the large frames above it, but the depth is perfect for this spot.

I plan to paint the shelves a glossy off white and leave the brass as it is.

Would you guess it was a $3 shelf had I not told you?

Here are my THRIFTING TIPS:

1.  Shop often 

(you never know what you might find)

2.  Shop on Monday and Tuesday 

(people tend to purge over the weekend and drop off their treasures on Saturday and Monday)

3.  Shop without expectations

(don't set out hoping to find the perfect size dining room table 

with just the right finish - you'll be disappointed every time)

4.  Don't be afraid to dig around 

(the good stuff is sometimes hidden behind the junk)

5.  Don't be afraid to negotiate

 (most often, the prices are firm, but it never hurts to ask)

6.  Be creative 

(items can often be repurposed, painted or repaired for a whole new look)

7.  Pick it up right away if you want it 

(I've had to learn this lesson the hard way)

8.  Be on the lookout for valuables 

(Occasionally, you will find something very valuable placed on the same shelf with all the other 

knick-knacks, priced low.  However, most often, the valuable items are locked up behind the counter)

9.  Shop thrift stores in affluent neighborhoods 

(wealthy people give away good stuff)

10.  Donate an item each time you buy an item 

(I am constantly bringing new items into our home,   and donating older items - it's refreshing!)

As I wrote this post, I was looking around my house and noticing that most 

all the items I love in my home have either come from a thrift store or an antique store. 

There is certainly something about the hunt that appeals to me, 

but I also love to surround myself with unique objects that tell a story. 

This weekend, I plan go around the house snapping pictures

of all my treasures and do a little photo collage. 

I'll share it with you next week. 

Also, here is a list of local thrift stores that I frequent.

Goodwill - Newport, KY 

Goodwill - Beechmont, OH

Goodwill - Hyde Park, OH

St. Vincent DePaul - Crescent Springs, KY

St. Vincent DePaul - Newport, KY

St. Vincent DPaul - Dayton, KY

St. Vincent DePaul - Mount Washington, OH

St. Vincent DePaul - Cincinnati, OH (off Mitchell Ave.)

I also pop into local "junk" stores now and then and hit up antique stores when I can.

What used to be a hobby for me has now turned into a business.  

I love that I get to hunt for treasures for other people's homes now too. 

I understand that thrifting is not for everyone. 

But tell me, if you have never set foot in a thrift store, did I convince you to do so?