Quick Fix!!

A friend stepped into my living room the other day and said, “Why do you have so many mirrors?” Well, it is weird that mirrors cost so much in a retail store because I find them for super cheap all the time. I usually need to cute-them- up a bit, but the result is always satisfactory so I grab them when I find them. Hence, my quick fix for this week:

Little gold framed mirror I found for a buck!

Little blue framed mirror I put in my kitchen!

A shot of delicate blue paint snazzed-up my frame and looks great with my ‘bird of happiness’ and favorite tea mug!

DIY: Feather Headbands

Wow, it has been more than 2 weeks since my last post. Time to find some joy in my life. Feathers are joyful. Feathers on your head are even more joyful. I have seen these headbands all over the place over the last couple of years and have been coveting them. But I am broke and cannot afford one. So, I have searched the web high and low and I would like to share the best tutorial I have found with you…my friends.

These are the headbands I want:

Our friends over at Crafter.org have tons of great how tos. A young woman going by the name of “Pink as a Peach” posted a lovely little tutorial on how to make these head accessories. Now I will follow her lead and make my own!

Click here for the tutorial:

By the way: It helps to watch the movie Tombstone while making your headband. The “ladies of the night”  have a tendency to wear the gaudiest feather hats!

Friday’s Friend Find

There are quite a few deals to be had in the northern area of downtown Wilmington, NC. One such deal was snatched up by my friend, Brenden, in 2006. After stealing this house he had a daunting task ahead. Fortunately, he had tons of talent to turn it around.

Before

After

Here is what Brenden had to say about his experience:

I knew I could to turn the look and feel of my home into something you would see in my native Southern California.  After a total renovation on the inside, and the draining of my bank account, I had hardly any money left for the outside.  Craigslist, yard sales, Habitat for Humanity and curbside give aways helped me, and my shoe string budget, put a new face on my home. I used four colors of paint from Lowes Hardware and am still thinking about adding some yellow shutters.  The wicker furniture I picked up from Habitat and Craigslist for close to nothing and spray painted them. The tall grasses I got from a friend who was re-landscaping his lawn and some came from Habitat. The front door also came from Habitat while the address number and door knob I purchased on-line for a fraction of the cost for what they were asking in the stores. The flower boxes were purchased from Big Lots for about 6 bucks each and the terracotta pots, bird house and metal wind catcher was given to me by my brother, who was moving. The brick border for the flower bed was from the fireplace of a historic cottage that had fallen down. With permission from the owners and a few truck loads of brick-hauling I had some great quality bricks for free!  The palms were a gift from my mother and a reminder of my childhood home. I am still on a budget, so I add whenever I have a few bucks. Ever a work in progress is the gravel driveway that will eventually thin out to become a pathway to my back yard where I hope to build a fence of wood posts and square wire with climbing jasmine and other drought resistant plants.

Featured Etsy Account: Corrieberry Pie

Young mother and create-r, Corrie, is the proprietor of one of the cutest Etsy shops I have had the pleasure of coming across. Her jewelry and accessories are not just beautiful, but I would go so far as to say, inspiring (which I need right now). I especially like her Vintage Garden Necklace and Portrait Necklace. The fact that she uses “found” items is right up my alley! And her prices are reasonable.

Corrie also has a blog under the same name: Corrieberry Pie

It’s all about choices

I have been struggling for inspiration recently. Between two deaths in my family, the departure of my best friend  and the loss of my camera I have let my blogging be last priority. Depression sets in. But thanks to a South Carolina truck stop I have seen a glimmer of light at the end of a long dark tunnel (Melodramatic). It has reminded me that “It’s all about choices”. With that in mind I have decided to make choices and set some goals. I choose to keep on keeping on. Here are my goals for this week:

1. Take inventory of all vintage items
2. Clean, measure and photograph items (after borrowing sister’s camera)
3. Google and research items
4. Prep my mailing area
5. Develop system for item pricing and postage pricing
6. Post items in my Thrift Circus Etsy store

I expect you to hold me accountable. Wish me luck!

Under $10 Tuesday

Here are some more of those under $10 deals that I found at Old Time Pottery. I just love all of the colors. They make for a bright and happy kitchen. And not one is for over ten bucks!!

Online Thrifting

The economy is dragging everyone down. Retail therapy for me is a 49 cent coffee cup at a rummage sale. But if you are looking for coupons to actual stores…this is the site for you. Frugal Bon Vivant has tons of coupons and deal alerts all squished together on this one blog. Everything from free to almost free to small discounts. Basically, they guide us through the shopping world while helping us take advantage of the discounts to be had. I found everything from free RedBox DVD rental codes to free quarts of paint from Glidden. Woopee! Oh, but remember that you are at risk for TONS of junk mail by snail mail or email if you give these people all your information. I have a “spam email address” that I use only for online offers.

Have fun!!

Thrift Art Find

 

I found this big piece of artwork in the mission and paid just a few bucks for it. Even if I did not like the picture I feel like I lucked up with the frame. But I do like the picture. It is signed Luke Doheny, but I cannot find anything about him on the internet. I gently wiped it down with some Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day hand soap and it now hangs in my dining room.

Aunt Pat

My family lost our beautiful Aunt Pat last night.  She was one of the kindest people I have ever met. We will miss our PattyCake.

Weird things I like…

You know the company that came up with the brownie pan for people who love the edges. They now have this lasagna pan and I want it. I like to make lasagna. It makes me feel all italian-y.

PS I lost my camera at a Halloween party (or it was stolen, who knows) so it will be a little while until I will be able to post original pictures of my DIYs or Before and Afters.