10 Things to Always Buy at the Thrift Store

You are probably thinking, does she know something I don’t know? (That is if you live in Canada). Alas, no, the thrift stores have not reopened yet (thanks COVID-19) but when they do and they will…you will probably be so excited like me that you will go nuts and just buy things for the sake of buying things because you miss it so much.

DON’T do it, instead, look for these 10 things that you should ALWAYS buy at the thrift store.

Frames.  Almost all of the frames in my house come from thrift stores, unless they were gifted to me. Some are used as intended. You can use them for other purposes, like displaying jewelry, paint them and use as chalkboards, magnet boards or bulletin boards. Here is a lovely example from liagriffith

DIY Antiqued Frame Jewelry Display

Books.  I buy books to read, books to decorate with, and even books that are falling apart.  The pages and spines can be used for other projects such as these bookmarks from the spines of thrift store books by craftsalamode

10 lovely things to do with old vintage books: unique DIY ideas

Furniture. I cannot resist old dressers that are solid wood, especially when they are $15.00 or less, and you shouldn’t either. They just don’t make solid wood, dovetailed furniture like they use to. I’m also a sucker for kids furniture like this adorable child’s table. Showing the before and after. It dates back to the 1960’s and I brought it right into the 2000’s with a little elbow grease (ok sanding, painting and staining)

IMG_3764IMG_3796Baskets.  They are abundant in thrift stores. I look for old picnic baskets. They are easy to paint and distress and have many uses besides going on a picnic. I use one of my many (yes many) to hold blankets and throws. Here is a link to a post on how to paint a picnic basket, just in case you come across one. She is one of my favorite diy bloggers. Confessionsofaserialdiyer

Picnic basket updated with paint and a transfer

Wood Trays.  These are usually pretty inexpensive (under $5.00) and can make quite an impact to your decor. Use them in your kitchen, living room, bathroom (for makeup or towels) use one to serve cold drinks on a hot day. The last one I found, I painted it navy blue and used one of my chalk couture stencils (link to my designer site if you are interested in finding out more or purchasing products) to make it country farmhouse chic. fullsizeoutput_1015

Tool Caddy. I don’t think I’ve ever passed up a little wood or metal tool caddy. I usually paint them and either put a vinyl stencil or use a chalk couture transfer. They are also quite versatile in what you can use them for. I have one holding coffee pods, another holding CD’s and another sitting waiting for a makeover.  The one below I gave as a gift to a friend. You can check that post out here.

IMG_3664

Quilts: I prefer to find older vintage quilts and it doesn’t really matter what condition they are in.  If they are not usable to display at the end of the bed, they can be turned into other types of home decor, like pillows, pot holders, christmas stockings or framed in an old vintage window. I love this one by sadieseasongoods.

repurposing a tattered vintage quilt for my spring mantel, crafts, fireplaces mantels, mantels, repurposing upcycling, seasonal holiday decor

Cast Iron.  It is not always easy to come by and there are some things you should watch out for, like where it is made. If it says made in USA buy it!! The top vintage cast iron skillet makers to watch for are Griswold, Wagner and Lodge. Most people don’t like to use cast iron as they say the food sticks. It’s all in the way you season it. Check out an article on that here.  Aren’t these interesting?2017-05-15 11.29.15Art & knick knacks: You know what they say, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. The same can be said for art and I don’t just mean paintings. You can find some really interesting, unique, quirky or one of a kind things at thrift stores. Don’t overlook the art and nick nack sections, your next piece of home decor could be waiting for you. Even if the piece isn’t exactly to your liking, just remember it can always be diy’d. Check this out, love it or hate it, it’s an example of what you can do.

 

My $2 Thrift Store Repaint

Find some decorative pieces and put them under glass, instant glam and looks high end. That what the interiorfrugalista did and they look fantastic.

DIY Cloche Glass Dome

Salt and Pepper Shakers. Yes you read that right. Salt and pepper shakers are cheap – usually under $1.00. They can be turned into ornaments, necklaces, place card holders and more.  Here is a makeover by Ducttapeanddenim that I particularly love. It even shows a video tutorial on how to make one.

Salt-shaker-necklace-and-statement-necklace-with-chambray-shirt-DuctTapeAndDenim.com_-600x1000

Thrift store finds are A Wandaful Thing!

You can  follow me at all these lovely places:

Twitter @awandafulthing,  https://www.facebook.com/awandafulthing

https://www.pinterest.com/awandafulthing/

 https://www.instagram.com/awandafulthing/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/WTtrinketsandtreasures/

https://www.chalkcouture.com/awandafulthing

https://www.facebook.com/groups/It’s A Wandaful Thing Chalk Couture Independent Designer

Thanks for stopping by. Until next time.

Day 12 – 12 Days of Christmas Pinterest Inspired

A Wandaful Thing 12 Days of Christmas – Day 12

Today brings me to the conclusion of my 12 Days of Christmas Pinterest Inspired posts.  I hope you have been following along to see all the interesting things I’ve created based on what has been inspiring me on Pinterest this holiday season.

Today I bring to you an easy to make Christmas garland made entirely of items purchased from the Dollar Tree. I enjoy making things that look great but are still relatively inexpensive to make.

 

I purchased a flashing Christmas bulb necklace, some burlap that was layered with white lace, some plaid ribbon, and white acrylic paint, all from the Dollar Tree.  I was fortunate the day I was making this to have a dear friend visiting and she soon found herself helping out in the craft room. We painted the bulbs with the white acrylic paint (three coats) and while that was drying we removed the lace from the burlap.  The burlap, the ribbon and the lace were all cut into 7 inch strips (approximately).  When the bulbs were dry and put back on the necklace we started to layer the burlap, the ribbon and the lace. It still seemed to be missing something so I added a few randomly placed pieces of jute twine.

It started off being hung on my craft room peg board, then it went on the tree (if I make about 5 more they would cover the tree), then it made it’s way above the Christmas tree and is now hanging off the blinds (first picture at the top of the post).

I found my inspiration for this here.

That concludes my 12 Days of Christmas Pinterest Inspired posts for this year (2019).  I’ve enjoyed them and I hope you have too.

So what do you think, was my version a pass or a fail??

Are you inspired now to go search Pinterest for fun, easy ideas to make?

If you missed any of the days here is a recap, day by day.

Day 1 – 12 Days of Christmas 2019

Day 2 – 12 Days of Christmas 2019

Day 3 – 12 Days of Christmas 2019

Day 4 – 12 Days of Christmas 2019

Day 5 – 12 Days of Christmas 2019

Day 6 – 12 Days of Christmas 2019

Day 7 – 12 Days of Christmas 2019

Day 8 – 12 Days of Christmas 2019

Day 9 – 12 Days of Christmas 2019

Day 10 – 12 Days of Christmas 2019

Day 11 – 12 Days of Christmas 2019

You can  follow me at all these lovely places:

Twitter @awandafulthing,  https://www.facebook.com/awandafulthing

https://www.pinterest.com/awandafulthing/

 https://www.instagram.com/awandafulthing/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/WTtrinketsandtreasures/

Thanks for stopping by….until next time.