Dollar Days

Who says a dollar can't get you anything these days?  Last week I bought each of these for a just one dollar on Goodwill's dollar day.  Can't beat that!

I see a lot of these tables on my thrifting adventures and usually pass them by, but this one was in great shape and had lots of cool details so I thought I'd give it a try.

I even styled it for my craigslist photo...I couldn't help myself

This wicker table doesn't look like much now, but once it gets a coat of black paint it will look brand new with a hollywood regency vibe.

This ottoman is a nice size but the fabric could use some sprucing up.

Parker doesn't seem to mind, this is his favorite new place to chill.

I'm hoping to sell all of these on craigslist, but I wouldn't mind too much if I had to keep the ottoman.  I could always make a simple slipcover for it for a quick fix.  I've been having good luck on my thrifting days lately, so I'll try to share some of my other finds throughout the week.  Happy Monday everyone! 

Goodwill Finds

Have I mentioned how much I love Goodwill? I know I probably have a million times, but here are the latest reasons why...

It was 50% off day on Saturday and I found a few really great things. I was over the moon when I found this ceramic bird lamp. It was marked $17.99, so I only paid $9 for it! It didn't have a shade, but I already had this one at home (a previous $1 Goodwill find) and I think it's the perfect size. I think these little birds will go live on my bamboo dresser once it gets refinished. The oil painting was $1.50, it's probably going to go in my guest bath with my other waterscape oil painting. In fact, I think I'm going to start collecting these and "wallpaper" my bathroom walls with them.

I also found this framed map drawing for $5.

It was going to go on my living room gallery wall, but it looks kind of nice above my bedroom chair. What do you think?

I found a few other things but didn't have a chance to photograph them yet. They include another lamp (I seriously have a problem), some milk glass cups, and some great sparkly vintage jewelry. I love Goodwill!

Hmm...

What should I do with my latest goodwill finds?

I think they used to be lampshades, but I'm not sure. All I know is that I love the pattern (I can never pass up circles) and for $2 I figured I could spray paint them and find an interesting use for them.

Even Cooper thinks they have potential, but I'm pretty sure he was just waiting for me to turn my head so he could lift his leg on them.

I'm thinking I want to use them outside somewhere, maybe as planters, or use them as candleholders on my patio table. Any ideas?

Don't hate me because I live so close to old people & their cool stuff

I found this amazing mercury glass lamp for $7 the other day while doing my weekly goodwill rounds. Sure it needs a new shade, and I had promised myself that I was only going to buy lamps in pairs from now on, but I just couldn't help myself. Can you blame me?

I also scored a cool mirror for $5 but I need to paint the frame black before it goes up. I'm hoping to get to that project this weekend so I can share photos next week. I love goodwill!

Major Score

I scored an amazing bag full of vintage earrings, rhinestones, and pearls for $8 at Goodwill over the weekend...

I've been in the mood to make some fun necklaces and accessories thanks to these fab pieces from J. Crew & Anthropologie...

I want this. Bad.

{anthropologie}

{j. crew}

I've never really made jewelry before but I'm excited to get started because it's something that I've wanted to do for a while. I'll be sure to share with you what I make with all of my new goodies!

Estate Tales

I hit a few estate sales over the weekend without much luck but I did manage to score this bar cart for a SMOKIN' deal:

Let's just say that it cost less than a trip to Starbucks so I simply could not pass it by, even though I have no place to put it at the moment. For now, it's going in my walk-in closet and I'm going to style it up with jewelry, purses, picture frames, etc, but I can always pull it out if I need to for entertaining. Bar carts seem to be quite the hot ticket these days....

I forgot to mention that I actually already have a bar cart that I use in my living room as an end table (in a silver finish) otherwise I would try to use it in there in some way.

I also found this bell jar at Goodwill, I may look for some sort cake stand to use as a base:

(my post-Christmas entry vignette)

btw- does anyone know what the best way is to shine up brass?

*via domino

Score!

You may have noticed that I have a thing for lamps. I LOVE lamps (& chairs), and I undoubtedly have too many of both. It's not that I go out looking for them, they just seem to find me. The thrift stores and estate sales in my area are full of excellent quality vintage items at very reasonable prices and it's hard to say no to such great deals. Since I have collected so many lamps throughout the years, many of them 'singles', I have made a new rule that I can only buy lamps in pairs unless I have a specific spot where I only need one. I liked the eclectic, mismatched look for a while, but now I'm looking for more symmetry (and this will significantly narrow down my purchasing options). Sometimes I feel like I'm stealing from the nice elderly folks that put on the garage/estate sales because they price their items so low. I mean really, why even sell something if you're only asking 10 cents for it? What are you going to do with 10 cents?

Here are some of my major scores from the last couple of weeks...

I bought these lamps last night at GW for $6 each!

They didn't come with shades (not that I'm complaining), so I'm thinking of something like this:

I think they'll be perfect for my bedroom!

I found these lamps a couple of weeks ago for my back hall, again for only $6 each. I haven't decided what I'm doing with the shades yet because I'm looking for a new console table for this spot:

The glass candelabra was another score at only $2!

And now for the chair that is causing much controversy in my house at the moment:

This chair was FREE! It was sitting outside across the street from an estate sale so I scooped it up and somehow managed to fit it into the back seat of my car. It swivels and rocks, the only problem is that it has a somewhat large tear where the back hits the seat of the chair. I was thinking I could just tape it up with black electrical tape and cover it with a pillow...is that tacky? I know it is a little bit, but I'm cheap:) My husband says he would really like the chair if we reupholstered it, but hates it the way it is and doesn't want it in the house. Why did I have to marry the one guy in America who cares how his wife (who is an interior designer) decorates the house??? Not that I don't want to reupholster it, there are just a million other projects ahead of that one. Wouldn't it look great with the wood painted glossy white?

Any thoughts on the chair dilemma?

Goodwill finds

I didn't have too much luck at the Goodwill 50% off sale last weekend, but I did make two purchases... 

I'm not sure where I'll put this collage, but there's something about it I like and for $6, you can't go wrong.  I love finding original art at thrift stores, it is inexpensive and you're not going to see the same thing hanging in your neighbor's house which is a plus.  I have a gallery wall in my entry that is made up of half vintage & half etsy finds.  Since I don't spend a lot of money on the art, I don't feel guilty about switching it out when I feel the need to change it up.  In fact, I'm already planning to spruce it up a little...

all from Goodwill...

a sweet watercolor painting of a fall forest

an oil painting of the sea

a lovely peacock drawn with colored pencils

vintage map

 the little yorkie is in honor of these shaggy brothers who rule the house:

Goodwill Finds

I'm a big fan of Goodwill, especially of their 50% off sales every other Saturday.  I live right next to Sun City, which is a large retirement community here in Phoenix.  Since the population is  slightly vintage, they usually have some pretty cool things that they are getting rid of.  I love trolling estate sales through their neighborhoods and consequently, our local Goodwill is full of unique vintage items.  These are some interesting things that I spotted last weekend that I should have bought, but didn't:

Yellow ceramic lamp bases, only $5 each!

There were 4 of these chairs for $4 each!  I thought they would have looked cool with a different fabric on the seat, I was seriously considering them for my dining table.  Too bad my husband hated them.

I don't think I mentioned that I have a small etsy shop where I sell some of my vintage finds.  You can check it out here.