Countdown to Mistletoe.....Day 23....Thrift Store Goddess!

THRIFT STORES are a girl's best friend!  In fact, there are days when I'm walking back to my car, with bargains in hand thinking.... I hit the mother load and today I AM the Thrift Store Goddess! (There is a certain strut that one has when this happens!)

What do I look for?  Rarely am I looking for one certain thing.  And really....you don't usually find it if you go JUST for that one item.  However, there are a few items that I look for every time I go.....

• silverware (silver or plated)
• cool picture frames
• paintings on canvas
• fabric
• unique and unusual furniture pieces (Gotta look for my girl at The Forgotten Pearl!)

Silverware.....Love to create jewelry using these pieces!  The more unique the better!  I once slipped in to the Habitat for Humanity store and bought 4 sterling forks for 10 cents a piece.....(yep....a strut worthy day!) and couldn't get them into my basket quick enough.

Cool picture frames and paintings on canvas.....Most of the time, it's the older frames that grab my attention.  They don't have to be perfect, in fact if they have a flaw or two, I look at it as 'character' and in the basket it goes! 

With the paintings on canvas, I have to share this story......I look for the colors just as much as I do the subject in the painting.  I recycle them too by applying a few stickers and paint of my own.  A-n-y-w-a-y....I found this really cool painting of a pear.  Yep, I'm guessing it was supposed to be a pear on a table, but cool colors.  I thought that Cindy might want this for her shop and for the 99 cent price tag, I'm sure she will!

I get to the register to pay and the cashier starts scanning my items, making note of each item and then she picked up the canvas (about 16x20) and she stopped.  She flipped it over a few times and had this bewildered look on her face......she finally spoke......"Do you know this is an original?"  "An original what I asked?"  Was I missing something here?  Is this a rare find that they've marked at 99 cents?

She spoke as if excited beyond words....."You can always tell when it's an original because of the canvas it's painted on vs a copy of a painting."  I couldn't bare to tell her that I've purchased many 'originals' from their store and painted over them!  My response, "Well, the next time Antique Road Show comes to town, I'll have to take this over and see what the value is!"  (OK, I was being a smarty pants, but it just tickled me).

I gave the painting to Cindy and I'm sure she'll do something lovely with it for her shop!  That 99 cents made my day!

Anything unique or unusual.....I recently found these cool little boxes and brand new muslin bags at my local DAV Thrift Store.  One can NEVER have enough bags!

I've wanted to try this painting technique and these were the perfect items to try it on....

This treasure is perfect for a little boy to store his Hot Wheels cars in!

I personally love the white on white or ivory on white look!

Are you scratching your head wondering how in the world does she paint those perfect circles on there?

I'm certain you have this tool on hand!

Yep - a toilet paper or paper towel roll.  I used a scrap piece of cardboard to put the paint on and then it's just a matter of dipping it in the paint and putting it on the box, bag or whatever items you choose.  If fabric is your item of choice, I do recommend running a quick iron over it to seal the paint (and it makes it soft to the touch too).

It will be hard, but I'll need to avoid the thrift stores today because I cannot take on any new projects right now!  My problem is I get these cool items and neat ideas to go along with them and want to jump in right away!  Oh my LuLu!

Bottom line...don't be afraid to think outside of the box and whatever you do....Have Fun.  You Thrift Store Goddess you!