A really lot of pictures...

A lot of people tell me they don't have the patience to shop thrift stores.
I then give them a skeptical face.
You do, if you do it right.
OK, ok...right is subjective, and of course by right what I really mean is MY way.
This is how I thrift...
I just scan.
Yup. I walk the aisiles I'm interested in (womens clothes, shoes, purses, books, toys, home) I let my eyes scan the racks or shelves and if something wants to come home with me or have me take a second look, it catches my eye. Yea, sometimes I pull something out of the crammed to the max rack and go "Um..no". Sometimes it is not my size, this is slightly more disappointing because a lot of times its REALLY cute, but a size 0 or extra tiny is not gonna work on these curves, or its unfortunately too big..a size 22 I'm not. Sometimes it's too grimey or broken. But usually, it works. Particularly with books. The book shelves can no doubt be flooring for someone...especially a book lover like myself, however since I usually have little people in tow and need to keep moving fairly briskly I have trained myself to rapidly scan the shelves and only stop when something grabs my attention: An interesting title, a pretty cover, or something I've heard talked about.
That's what I do and it usually works for me.
Sure there are some days when there just isnt' much of anything for ME in a store, and that's ok. I have also learned not to buy something just to make the trip in "worth it". If it's not gonna work, its not gonna work. That's life.

Anyway...PICTURES!!
Some of these are new finds...I will indicate by saying (new) (clever I know..and I believe I mentioned I am a HUGE fan of the parentheses?)
Older stuff (older) (I am a genius!)

Woo hoo!
Buckle up, hold on tight, and away we go...

Boots. ( I don't know why some pictures are big and some are little..I have a feeling it may be my fault though...)
I know pointy toes aren't for everyone. But I happen to like them. These are genuine leather. Nine West. And $2.20. Yep.
Oh, the jeans are thrifted too...Old Navy Sweetheart Fit size 6 short (ALWAYS on the look out for these, they are my favorite "everyday" jean and less than $3 a pair..I had 2, but one just ripped the other day...ah well they had a long and well used life)

Oh..wait...(new, the boots. old, the jeans...both Value World)

These baskets were a find where I bought them just to buy them because they were so cheap without a real plan in mind, but it worked out in the end because they now house my stationary supplies. :)
And for .20 a piece how can you go wrong? They also had a previous gig as a plasticware holder at one or two of the kid's birthday parties. .40 well spent in  my opinion.
(old Value World)

I can't rotate it. I have mad photo/computer skills, clearly.

This was actually a "pricier" buy. And probably more for me than for K my 6 year old. Whatever. I like American Girls, ok?

It is a packet of paper dolls, recipes, fun history activities, etc. It's for homeschool. In theory.

$2.92, but I STRONGLY believe I had a half off coupon the day I bought this.

(Oh you dont' know about half off coupons at thrift stores?? WHAT?!! Value World fairly regularly sends out 1/2 off coupons. And that is 1/2 off EVERYTHING you buy the day you use it, not one of those pick one item to get the deal on..ahem JOANNS)

(old Value World)

 

The bowl.

It is a nice, hardwood, hand carved bowl. It's a little dinged up and scraped in a few places, but I just really loved it. It spoke to me. I had thought I might craft it up somehow, or sand it and restain it...instead I kinda like it's previous life look and it holds my elephant ostrich egg...(that my friends is another story for another day) Oh, and if memory serves (and it usually does being mostly idetic) it was less than $1

(old Value World)

 

Dick and Jane book.

Old Skool...capital.

It's a newer printing of the classic Dick and Jane stories. With an emerging reader in the house I thought it would be a good one to have on hand..and .40...yup

(new Value World)

 

I know it's not a very good picture of the dress, but I like to think the cuteness of the girl makes up for it!

Cute dress with smocking on the front. A true little girl dress, not like the crap they sell for girls this age nowdays (yep, I'm ONLY 30)

Here is another not so great view of the dress (the kid's still cute though!) With a sweater I made her, out of stash yarn, and buttons....yup..we poor...just kidding...we are, but I think it's pretty cute on my blue eyed girl regardless!
The dress was like $1.50 ish..the sweater, basically free (Some of the yarn I was given, the green was leftover from another project so doesn't count in my cost analysis...I can do that.)
(old Value World...and my yarn stash ;-) )

Nancy Drew books. .50 a piece. I have a confession............................................
I have never read Nancy Drew.
So, I bought these for me. K can read them when she gets old enough.
Hardcover books for 2 quarters, come on now!
(new Value World)

Hooked on Phonics for P (Go ahead, I know your head is saying 'Hooked on Phonics worked for me!') $1.21, for P's homeschool since he is only 3.5 and doesn't get a "real" curriculum yet.
(new and Value World)

Thomas Sheets.
To be made into "yarn"
To be made into a rug for P.
Someday people, someday...
.30
(old, value world)

Those faux stenciled words to put on your walls. They're like $15 at Target... mine were .80...yep...less than a dolla...
Someday they will actually be applied to the wall too! Really. Someday. Soon. Today?
(old, value world)

This is another thing I bought with the intentions of upcycling. It was .40 and a fairly nice piece of wood...I mean ANY wood for .40 come on! Then...well, it grew on me..and now I sort of REALLY love it. And it goes on my collage wall. Well I think it does, and really what is home decorating other than reflecting what YOU like? Well, that's what it should be at least in my opinion. :)
And here it is on my collage wall..or gallery wall, or whatever the cool thing to call random collections of junk hanging on walls is these days...

Yes, that is a spider web on the curtain rod. Don't judge.
(old, Value World)

Skinny jeans. Yes they are leopard print. My bff was rocking some the other day. (Her's weren't leopard print..though I bet she wishes they were..she used to have a leopard print living room, complete with leopard print chair shaped like a high heel...true story) So then I clearly needed to try some. And for $2.20...I mean you can't get a better try a trend out price. The jury is still out on them. Mom and Sis say that I am neither too fat nor too old to sport them. Hubby says "They're weird skinny jeans" Helpful isn't he?
(new, Value World)

I even get my stuffing at thrift stores. Sealed bag, .40...I get a lot of stuff for forty cents eh? Anyway, always a useful find. And yes, I did take a picture of my fiberfil...:-p
(old, value world)


Also, see my plaid couch? Free. From a lovely friend of mine. It's super comfy and the colors match my living room. So a total score..and a shout out to KM, thanks for hooking me up!

And, sometimes a girl really does have to splurge..and pay ::gasp:: real prices for things that are too fabulous to pass up...like these shoes for my sister's wedding...

$35 at Penny's....and WELL worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY
(I have a bit of a shoe..problem...)

And sometimes I let my hubby dress me..

Total look...::gulp::$107...
It's not a good picture of the dress, but whatever...dress, jewlery, nail polish, and hair styling...totaling more than our hotel room for that night...sometimes a girl has to be expensive...
(and my wonderful mom did buy the dress, jewlery, and lingerie..so really I only spent $20 ish on hair and nail polish)

 

 

 

Here it is! My Salvation Army! (Well the 1/4 of it I could get in the shot while keeping hold of a...boisterous 3.5 year old with the other hand...
We went a couple weekends ago...and I did not do as well though I had more time, because I also had Thing 1, Thing 2 and husband in tow. Go ahead you can laugh, it was a ridiculous idea.
I did end up with a couple things that are waiting to be made into outfits and photographed. I also passed on a couple of fab items...
Like these shoes...

They were a size 6, which is what I wear, brand new, no scuffs on the soles...and cheap...and cute!!!
Sadly, my feet were a tad too wide, so I had to leave them behind (I'm sorry shoes, I hope you are having a grand time on a stylish lady with narrower feet!)

The other was a mid thigh, black leather, jacket...it was so cute, and it fit, and...it was $20...which isn't bad, for what it was...and I had it in the cart all the way until waiting in line to check out and that's when my budget talked me into ditching it. My wardrobe is still crying over his, but budgie won out that time. I shall think about the coat fondly and picture it with my outfits for quite some time yet. I hope you too find a good home dear leather jacket...perhaps with the Chinese Laundry shoes?