Do you remember back at the new year when I posted about wanting to learn to thrift? Well I'm working on it. It's not coming easy, but I finally came into some luck!
Yesterday I found the best thrift shop in Tucson. I finally understand what all you thrifty thrifters are talking about. I've been reading for years about bloggers finding these awesome shops and picking up these cool vintage things for next to nothing. I found that shop! It's called
1st Rate 2nd Hand Thrift Shop. Have any of my Tucson readers been there?
The best part was, I got to go into this shop alone! My mom waited in the car with my sleeping children while I looked around for as long as I wanted.
I went with the intention of finding a low shelf for Sofia's home school stuff but nothing.
I did find a box labeled Vintage and Cool Stuff.
And the grand prize, which I bought for a whopping $2, is this peacock tapestry. I plan to make myself a purse and put this on the side. So beautiful!
Thrifting, I'm hooked. Be honest, how many of you are hooked on thrifting?
I've never been a good thriftier and although I have friends who swear by it, I could never find anything good. But my friend told me lately that there's a great new second hand clothing place that opened up and she will show me how to find things in it; also, I just read "Made From Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Hand-Made Life" by Jenna Woginrich and she totally inspired me to hit up the local antique places. I'll let you know if I find anything great. :)
ReplyDeleteI read Jenna's book a few years ago, I love her blog too. She totally made me want to go out and get old stuff! I tried for a while but couldn't find anything decent. Good luck and please let me kno what you find!
DeleteLove the peacocks, can't wait to see your new purse :)
ReplyDeleteThrifting and me are sometimes a good match and sometimes not, as you discovered it really depends on where you are. There is nothing like spending an afternoon thrifting though, love it!
I like that this is an independent thrift shop too. We have chain thrift shops of course and in my opinion they are full of junk.
DeleteI might incorporate the scraps from your apron into my purse. That fabric is just too beautiful to be left in scrap box. :)
Great finds! If you are ever in the Northeast, I will take you to all my favorite shops, where I often find the best finds!
ReplyDeleteI would love that. I imagine that they have amazing stuff in those store. The west just has plastic trash.
DeleteLol, I like the vintage and cool finds box. Stuff that is so cool, it tells you it is cool!
ReplyDeleteI haven't ventured into the thrift store shopping yet as we are trying to get rid of stuff, but I am always jealous of good finds I read about. Love the patch.
The policy that I made for myself is to not go shopping unless I am in need of something. I really don't want to the clutter the house either. I always say to myself when I find something I like, "Does this sing to me?" "Can I envision myself using it in 5 years?" If not then I put it right back even if it looks cool. I also think, does it have a place to go in my house?
ReplyDeleteThe box was too silly, that's why I had to share it will you all. The even funnier part was that it was filled with wash cloths, nothing cool or vintage!
I love thrifting too. But, I find that with small kids, it's really hard to do! My biggest tips for being a really good thrifter are to go often--inventory turns over quickly at the good stores so it pays to make regular visits--but this is hard to do with small kids in tow or when my kid-free time is so limited. Also, I find that you have to keep a very open mind and pick stuff up when you see it if it speaks to you, even if you don't necessarily need it right then. Several months ago I saw the coolest candelabra things that I thought I could hang in my pergola over my outdoor dining table...practicality and frugality got the best of me and I didn't buy them and I still regret it! I will probably never see anything that cool again...Sigh. I also tend to only shop when I need something, but this strategy is not really effective when it comes to thrifting--I have been wanting to buy a 2nd hand dresser for our baby's room for months, but despite many trips to my favorite thrift shops and lots of searching online his clothes are still in bins under the changing table and I'm beginning to think I might have to buy one new. The other thing to keep in mind, especially these days, is that just because it's in a thrift shop doesn't mean it's a smokin' deal--I have seen prices rise consistently over the last few years at thrift stores because thrifting is all of a sudden the cool thing to do!
ReplyDeleteLove thrifting. LOVE IT. I also like flea markets! The old junkie kind!!
ReplyDeleteI'm from NM and they have awesome flea markets there. Or used to. I'm going back in May and will go to the Santa Fe flea market. Best one I've ever been too. I will do a post about it for sure!
Delete