One of the reasons that I wish there was no Nevada in the way...

Seriously, if I hadn't reigned myself in & if I had a car that could have held furniture I would have come home with buckets more this small haul. California has the best thrifting!

And you can't beat the price...
Vintage ornaments: $0.50
Milk Glass Set: $1 for both
Blanket: $1
Doilies: $0.40 for both
Vintage dress: $2
Pretty deer: $0.50
GRAND TOTAL: $5.40

Woot to the woot!

P.S. And here's how they've found homes in our house:

The doilies are for making a collar sorta kinda like this one & the vintage ornaments are for the tree or possibly a wreath like this.

Thrifted Turquoise Cowboy Boots

Yes, it's true, at the thrift store yesterday I found these lovelies.

And, yes, I wore them to church today.

And, yes, I love them so much that I'm this close to sleeping in them tonight.

Thrift Store Prizes I Passed Up

Yesterday while the kids were at "preschool" with Esther so I had a lunch date with Scott, wrote at Borders, & visited the local thrift store.

After browsing, I seriously considered getting this lovely...

And I kind of regret not getting it because it's all sorts of groovy.

However, I did not seriously consider getting this one...

Because it's just scary & we already have one slightly possessed fluffy cat in our house.

Why thrifting is hard...

Because I am neither expecting nor a size 6 shoe.

If I was either or even better both I'd own these right now.

I still might....

DIY: Kids Keds Refurbished

1) I taped off the rubber edges (keep it tight on the line tucking it under with your nail if you can):

2) I decided RIT dye in "Pearl Grey" dissolved it in 2 cups of HOT water & used a rag to dab it on the shoes:

3) I let them sit wrapped in plastic for a couple hours, then rinsed them along with a shirt I "pot dyed" (a lesson for another time):

4) I washed & dried the shirt & shoes. The next morning I pulled out the bleach pen to clean up the rubber on the shoes & the shoe laces (this should be done before the dying I just spaced it & did it after):

5) I used a pirate stencil we had to do the toe & a little design on one side of the shirt- using black fabric paint & a rag:

The finish products:

At our local thrift store I always find cute girls shoes but none for Berto.

On a resent trip, I found these cute little Ked-like sneakers (in the girls section). They were yellow-y white but were in good condition.

I decided Rob needed them, but with a little snaz "a la Berto-Bear".

It was a fun easy project & Rob loved them both (of course that doesn't mean he's posing for a picture in any sort of cute way).

P.S. Let me know if you have any questions. I'm back to answering in the comments section or shoot me an email.

The Courtis-Watters Illustrated Dicitonary

Oh man, you can't beat 50 cents at the local Thrift Store. Plus Syd is in love with this book (she's had a thing lately for big books that have pictures in it).

The illustrations are just great. There is just something about the 2 different types of "chest" pictures that makes me giggle & I sort of want that 1950's nursery.

Thankful she can't read it yet. It's woefully out of date (obviously since it's from 1951).

I mean check out the occupations page. Apparently women are cashier's, dressmakers, or a secretary (oh, or a model for the artist).

And I love that an elevator operator is an occupation.

Then there is the perpetuation of stereotypes: the judges has glasses & a mustache, the chef is chubby, the reporter is smoking, & the miner, soldier, pilot, woodsman, & cowboy are all the same "chiseled-jaw-manly-man" guy.

Thank you 1951 dictionary for a good laugh & for entertaining Syd for an hour+.

Coupons are best when they are for things I really want...

1) I have a beastly hard time finding boots. I don't think I've ever found a pair that I've loved. Until today... thanks to our local thrift store & the $8, with a 30% off coupon, I had in my pocket.

2) Then I broke down & bought that doormat I wanted. Thank you Bed Bath & Beyond for carrying it & for having a $5 off when you spend $15 or more coupon.

Bright Rocking Chairs

I love ROCKING CHAIRS. Love them. I've been looking for them whenever I go thrift shopping. A couple trips ago I managed to find a child size & an adult size for $12 for the pair.

I want to do something like this idea:

Finding a rocking chair for every family member & painting them lovely bright colors. So cute & fun!

One man's trash is another man's treasure...

Our local thrift store had a 50% off all clothing & accessories sale. Man, that place was jam packed crazy town (& the crazies were out in force).

I'm not sure what I was thinking seeing as I'm just barely feeling human after being sick for days, but Es & I went anyway & even found a couple things.

This one was my "treasure" find...

Come on... that's rad! Not only llamas but "PERU!" emblazoned on the ear flaps. My dad (who served his LDS mission in Peru & Columbia) would be proud.

Want to see other treasures I've found in the past while thrift shopping? Look here, here, here, & here.

What are some treasures you've found while thrifting?

P.S. Here's a picture of the kids I posted on Twitter. What? You don't follow me on Twitter? Then you'll miss such THRILLING updates as "my nose is clogged" or "Skinny jeans. Yea or Nay?"

A reminder of happy things when I'm feeling sick...

Fall. Have I mentioned how much I love fall? It's lovely. And wanting a keffiyeh & finding one for $2.

And thrift stores. I love them too. Last trip I brought home a rosy lipped gnome & a pair of cute Keds.

And I also love fish eye lens. Scott found one of his in an old box. It's doesn't fit my camera but that doesn't stop me from holding it up to the camera & experimenting.

What makes you happy?

Found: Treasure at the DI

So, I went over to DI thrift store to see if I could find a plain white sheet for my halloween costume. They didn't have a white sheet (they did have 70's flower designs, stripes, & snoopy sheets, but no white ones)

Instead I came home with this... (picture in my hand is me wearing it as a kiddo)

Can you believe it?!?

That's the same Halloween costume as my favorite Rainbow Brite one growing up. It's made from this McCall's pattern in the 80's (pattern on the left, adorable baby Liv on the right)

Since Saturday, I've searched everywhere for the pattern but they are sold out everywhere.

Seriously though, what are the chances of finding one just like it? I happily paid the $5 for it & tried to explain to the cashier why I was so excited. He just nodded with a blank look on his face. But I'm in heaven!

I'm thinking I'm going to have my dad help me restore it for the ol' Syd-o. It was a happy day!

So, what are your favorite childhood Halloween costumes?

Goosebumps & Gnomes

Another nice lil' hybrid of my favorites... Goosebumps & Gnomes!
(found at another local thrift store- gosh, I dig those places- treasures galore!)

Deseret Industries Shoes

Esther & I headed out to our local Deseret Industries (or DI) yesterday. DI is a non-profit thrift store out here in Utah. If you have the time & patience they are a treasure trove of lovely things.

Yesterday I found about 50 pairs of shoes that I love & these were the two I settled on...

I am digging the bright orange Chineese Mary Jane cloth shoes & I originally found only one of these cute vintage peach pumps but eventually found the other pair.

Hip-hip for thrift stores!

A Used Baby Coat

When I was a sophomore at BYU I was searching our local thrift store & ran across an adorable 80's lil' boys coat. I remember it distinctly as being one of the times that I thought I wanted to have babies someday. I bought, it not sure why, & saved it.
While cleaning out Syd-o's closet yesterday I found it & put it on Rob. He looked just like the lil' guy I vaguely imagined all those years ago- adorable.

As I was taking pictures of him I realized he kind of looked like the lil' gnome on our doorstep & I realized that I can't imagine my life without these babies of mine.

My favorite thrift shop shirt...

So, I found this shirt years, & years ago and I still adore it! I mean "Merkley Badger"? That's the coolest name ever- You can't make this stuff up! Next baby I have will be named Merkley Badger Carter. Oh, & Rob is cute!

Things I'm LOVIN' today....

My UCLA sweat shirt: I bought this at a thrift store years ago & I get compliments on it all the time! Pre-worn in & I LOVE IT!

My i-pod: I got this i-pod for my graduation in 2005 & I've revived listening to it- & I now listen to it ALL the time- audiobooks & music (probably why the headphones, i-tunes gift card, & audible gift card are all on my Christmas list)

P.S. I also like grocery shopping & leaving the kids at home with daddy! Ah, it's better than a spa sometimes!