Hey all! Happy Thursday!
By now you’ve probably figured out that I LOVE thrifting. Whether it’s the prices, the fact that buying used is SO much better than buying new, or just the thrill of the hunt, It’s one of my favorite hobbies. 🙂
So, each Thursday, I’m going to show you my haul for the week, as well as the interesting things I find – but for various reasons choose to leave behind.
This week was a bit of alright!
This Week’s Thrift Scores
Clothing wise, you’re looking at a beaded & sequined top, a pretty blue frock (perfect for my upcoming cruise I think!), and a lovely angora & wool blend sweater. Oh…and a pretty swell scarf. I couldn’t resist it when I looked closely at the print.
In the same shop as the doxie scarf, I noticed this:
That’s right! Those three books were totally FREE!
I scored one vintage cookbook that I can’t wait to try some of the 1950s recipes from…
…and a two volume dictionary that will be part of a fun craft idea I have!
Here’s the price breakdown:
- Black sparkly top: $1
- Blue Dress: $1
- Pink Sweater: $1
- Scarf & Sewing Patterns (purchased together): $1
- Books: FREEEEE!
I’m quite happy. 🙂
The Ones That Got Away
While I love this week’s scores, there were a few other items I found that I really wish I had a place for in my life.
Let us look upon them fondly now.
I LOVE THIS CHAIR. I love the pattern and I love the style. Sadly, I have absolutely NO place for it in my home. Oh…and that sign? It’s a 50% off sign. And since the original price was $5, it is now $2.50. I may just buy it and keep it in the back seat of my car until I have a bigger place. 🙁
If this keyboard were compatible with my Mac at work, I would totally have it plugged in right now. Not out of necessity, but because I think it looks incredibly cool for some reason. Hopefully it will find a good home with someone who needs it.
If I had any affiliation whatsoever with The Sunshine State, this hostess set would be in my apartment right now. I love those flamingoes! And do you see it comes with salt and pepper shakers too???
Just kidding. This scares me.
What are your favorite thrifty finds from this week?
Not fair, but happy for you! The Houston GWs are so over-priced. Last time I looked, faded t-shirts were $4.
Oh my … I used to buy Gourmet magazine when I lived at home eons ago. What a find. Such great finds.
I really liked that you showed us what you left behind! I love your blog and have read every entry since the start and I really liked the changes you made for 2016.
Hugs from Sweden
Ha my gorgeous 6 year old daughter found a lovely dress that was way too big for her and asked me to buy it as I could just “sew it up good to fit me mum” the sales lady told her how lovely she will look in it and she proudly said ÿep and my mummy will sew it up like magic and make it fit”. Yep she knows how it works 🙂
I wish my goodwill had prices like these. You are so lucky.
http://buildinglifelongreaders.blogspot.com
MJ, Our Goodwill and Salvation Army stores are high priced too. Especially, Goodwill. It’s nice to know my location of Texas isn’t the only one who has this pricing issue.
My Fav is the pink top because of the collar and the chair which I bet every says cos it’s so darn cool.
I also noticed the patterns. I’d love to know if you do much sewing from scratch. I love sifting through the pattern bins at op-shops.
I’ve got a lot of vintage patterns from the 60’s and 70’s most in your size (since I’m no longer your size) email me if you are interested…. free to you!
I went to this thrift store run by some sweet church ladies. My haul today: 2 JP Coats metal zippers at .29 cents each. Patterns – Osage County Quilt Factory, quick quilter’s clothes .39 cents, three Simplicity patters .49 cents each, Butterick pattern to make dog stuff .59 cents. A package of self-adhesive flannel .39 cents. Handmade leather purse $3.99, light brown 2b Bebe brand for $3.99. A Levi’s backpack for $4.99. A Fossil wallet for $2.89!!! I squealed inside when I found it. I also found a book I’ve been wanting to read called Mad Madge about the life of Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle, the first woman to live by her pen. Since I’m an author I can’t wait to read it. Price $1.89.
I’m a long time thrifter and I love it. (As if y’all couldn’t tell!)
I’m recycling cardboard boxes and mail catalogs to make mixed media art journals. This is new something new so I’m not sure how it will turn out. I follow Jennibellie on YouTube and she has a video on how to create one out of cereal boxes.
Love your blog and posts Jillian! You are an inspiration.
A brand new Coldwater Creek cardigan, black & grey damask jeans, brown cords and and a very long pinstripe suit jacket which I can’t wait to style this Spring.
How are these things so cheap?! I love thrifting, but the items are never ever ever that cheap. Perhaps because I’m in the DC area, where everything is way more expensive?
This one was from a Church Rummage sale. A handmade dresden plate quilt I believe is from the 1930 and made from feed sacks. The fabric is very thick and the flowery fabric is typical of feed sacks. It needs to be quilted but it is a great find. How much you ask? $1.00. Yes one dollar. Yippee.
Wow, I love that you see value in thrift patterns. Our local thrift store sells them for 25 cents each and it is such a great score when you an find some that can be made up.
You really have great prices at your thrift stores. Love your refashions.
I live in aiken sc , where do you go shopping at in Columbia?
Try His House, Stepping Stones, and the Goodwill Clearance center if you’re looking for uber-cheap!
Wow, I now see how much more my thrift shops are here (Tampa, FL).
I collect Flamingo items I would have scooped the serving set up, in a heartbeat. Wish our thrift stores sold things as cheaply as yours does. I will say you sure inspire me,
Vickey
Awwwww wish I lived closer to you. My mom has a flamingo collection that we forced upon her and that set would be awesome!
Most of my wardrobe is thrifted, and is far better quality than what I used to buy at Target. My only criteria is that it must be machine washable (outside of my winter coat). I haven’t gotten into refashioning (yet), mostly because I’m afraid of ending up with a stack “to do” next to my sewing machine with no time to do it. I have gotten braver on my combinations after following this blog.
My finds this week were some black chambray fabric to use on a tote project, some sturdy curtain lace on a bolt that I will use to make Girl Scout dip bags, a leopard-print sheet that matches pillowcases I already have to make more pillowcases, some corrugated plastic signs that will be used to make posters for Girl Scout cookie sales. No clothing this week! BTW, love your posts.
I went thrifting yesterday too.I love getting complimented on what I’m wearing and saying I spent 75¢
I envy the wonderful resale shops you have in your area. I live in southeast Michigan and our selections are really poor. We have hat Goodwill and Salvation Army, but you can rarely find a men’s t-shirt for a $1.00 in them. And the couple of independent shops don’t have much of a selection.
I haunt our Goodwill and Salvation Army stores and occasionally score …. like the brand new pair of jeans in my size that actually fit! Got them home and look up the brand as I had never heard of it, found out I had a $100 pair of jeans and paid only $6.00 for them!!! Now that was a red letter day.
I live near Washington, DC, so thrift stores are expensive. Most of them have dressing rooms, so I can at least make sure things fit before I buy them. I’ve gained weight and outgrown most of my work (office) clothes. I had no luck in JCPenney, Macy’s, or other department stores – anything that actually fit was made of thin, cheap fabric.
So I went to Value Village and got nearly a whole new wardrobe – jeans, black and gray pants, two corduroy pants, 6 turtlenecks, 10 button-up blouses, a teal sweater, a “Keep Calm and Kill Zombies” t-shirt, a t-shirt printed with a pirate costume, a couple of skirts, and a couple of mugs. I’m sure I’ve forgotten some things. I think the only adjustments I’ll have to make will be to hem a pair of pants.
A friend is having a clothing swap and brunch this month, so I’ll clean out my closet and take things that don’t fit or that I just don’t wear.
I didn’t find anything worth refashioning, tho :-/
Love your finds! Will you show us what you will be doing with the dictionary?
My favourite things to thrift is material. It can be so expensive and when I find some cheap fabric I grab it up. Also get the chair!!! lol
get the chair! 🙂 I love this new series that you are doing.
Love the haul, but please go back and get that amazing chair. I’m a furnitureholic and am currently scoping fabric to totally redo my couches. That chair was wonderful, especially at 2.50.
1$ I am Dutch…. Here even in thrift stores clothing is about 4$ for just a sweater or blouse. Dresses cost about 7$. Sometimes it is cheaper to buy new in stores. I definitely have to plan a trip to the USA. ….. or maybe not…. I’ll be broke in a day. At the moment I am changing a 80 tunic sweater thingy that looks absolutely horrid with a huge turtle neck, half wide sleeves and an sort of broad band just below my bum… It has the most crazy triangle pattern that will probably look a lot better when I change the turtleneck into a high waistband, loose the sleeves and most of the bottom and turn what is left in a pencilskirt.
Hooray. I just returned from a camping trip (it is summer in Australia) to find you are posting everyday for the whole of 2016. I am looking forward to your creations and lucky finds. I love op shopping, there are eight opportunity shops in our local shopping strip. This year I bought most of my Christmas presents from op shops. I am part of a large family, including great nieces and nephews, and was able to give everyone a small present without breaking the bank. I wish you all the best with your venture! Go well.
I meant to say- every now and again I go to the name brand website and figure out what my thift store find is “worth”. This helps me figure out if the $7.99 pants are really worth it or not. Generally, if it is in my hard-to-find size, it’s worth it.
I’m also wondering how you learn what brands are hot. I just scan for styles/colors/fabrics I like, but I don’t know how to figure out if something’s an amazing score price-wise. Any tips? I’m fine continuing as I am, but am kind of curious to edumacate myself a bit too.
Frankly, I take time every now and again to try on a bunch of things without pressuring myself to buy anything. When I find things that fit, I keep an eye out for that brand in the future. It isn’t always name brands, but I know that Calvin Klein blazers accommodate my generous bust, J Crew and Banana Republic pants accommodate my (lack of) hips, and their shirts have longer sleeves. I avoid anything from WalMart or Target unless they are like-new and very low priced. If I find anything in washable wool or silk, I give it a try. Some trips I come back with nothing, some trips majorly overhaul my wardrobe. Sometimes I sell the “near misses” to a consignment store- they are generally happy to accept brand names.
WHERE do you find frocks for $1???
I could prolly score things for that price if I visited The Bins again, but I don’t like taking my kids there. Some day I’ll go a on a solo date there.
I adore thrifting. I spend way more money than you do because Portland, OR thrift stores are *spe-e-endy!*
I love that flamingo set. I’ve got a flamingo kitchen. I bought a silk Florida map scarf today at my thrift store. My coastal Christmas tree is still up in my front room!
Jillian, I am sooooooo happy you are back!
You brighten my day and I love your creativity!
God Bless
Gorgeous pic of you at your sewing machine on the top right side!
Suzanne Mellor
I would definitely go back for the chair.
My parents also had the two volume Gourmet cookbook set, only my dad dared use them. My small town has 1 vintage shop (called such so they can charge more), 1 thrift shop (occasional finds if you go every week), and a new store that doesn’t seem to have a size over 7/8. Last week at the thrift shop had a buy one get one 1/2 off sale and I got two cute snowman placemats. My favorite find was a 25 cent piece of fabric I made into napkins (b/c I’m a freak about using too many disposable products)
I bought a red (wool?) vest with horses on it…and a faux fur collar which I removed. In the wrong hands it could make me look 20 years older but I can rock it.
Went to St Vinnes today. Got a Landsend cashmere sweater for $2.50 that I will add to my 50 others(at least haha). A fun striped velour top that reminds me of my dad. My hubby asked if I was going to re-fashionista it. 🙂 Which I am. Several pairs of earrings for 95 cents.
Great post! I loved seeing all your busy, and I too am marveling at your prices, and I loved seeing the things you left behind. Do you ever buy gifts when you thrift?
Great question!! Jillian??
LOVE your daily posts. I agree with many others that I go into the Goodwill stores in California and they are considerably more expensive. I have no idea how you find your clothes for $1.00. Are there special Goodwill centers different from their normal stores?
Might there be a thrift shop in the greater Cola area that I have not happened upon??? Where was this, please?
I go to the His House Stores, Stepping Stones, the Goodwill Clearance Center, and Goodwills on markdown days. 🙂
Oh my gosh! That chair!!! We had wallpaper just like that in our family room in the early 70’s!!!
That Gourmet cookbook was on my parents’ shelves. Looks pretty classy! Must have been hard to pass up those flamingo utensils!
So happy to see you blogging regularly again! I enjoy your refashions and your style.
Please let us know what you do with that dictionary! I’ve got a few 1967 encyclopedia brittanica that I want to do SOMETHING with and need inspiration.
I cannot believe the high quality and low prices at your thrift stores. My local Goodwills are horrible and high priced. Most of their stock is what I cut up for rags and they charge a lot. I travel out of town to see my sister and her Goodwills are much, much better and more reasonably priced, but nothing like your stores. Be grateful!!!!
Enjoying having you back on a regular basis. Thanks so much!!
Buy the chair! What a find!
Here in Australia it’s nearly impossible to find op shops (as we call them here) with anything for those fab prices!
I love to knit, so I trawl the sweaters to reclaim wool, & this past weekend I scored a 100% silk sweater! Did I mention that I’m a silk junkie? Also, a lovely sparkly one for a fancy scarf, & a cashmere blend for a friend who’s a cashmere junkie
I’m amazed at the prices you pay at your Thrift Shop! You can’t find ANYTHING here for $1.00!
Man! I can’t wait to go thrifting in the US. I am in Sydney and sadly the thrift shops are way more expensive than that!
I found a black/lwhite color blocked Michael Kors skirt ato Goodwill for $7.99. Yes!!!
I actually picked up some $1 items this week at Goodwill, they have a bin in mine (I’m near Chicago) for out of season clothes, so they were both sleeveless, one was a pretty white eyelet top, and the other was a silk Mandarin collar vest. And both were to big, BUT, thanks to your blog, I remember that I can take those puppies in a little bit at the sides and they will be perfect!
It would be lovely if you could make a list of your favorite thrift stores. I usually cannot find prices this low so any favorite places to try would be great!
I love the keyboard it would be perfect for my classroom how much was it?
It was $5. 🙂 If you live in Columbia, it’s probably still there at Stepping Stones. 🙂
That chair…THAT CHAIR!! I’m really bad about grabbing stuff that’s super cool, but i don’t have room for. So off it goes to the back of my car until I have a spot…which drives my family completely bonkers….
Great haul!
A perfect replacement purse (like many of us, I’m purse – picky), a 60’s mod spacy watch, and an ocarina!
OMG. If I walked into my local thrift store and the books were free there is no telling how many I’d leave with. The sad part about that to me is those books are so unloved they can’t GIVE them away. Look how many they had!!!
I agree wholeheartedly! I have tons of books, and thrifted a bunch for my kids for Christmas. I found an almost complete set of old hardback classics for fifty cents each, along with others, and the credit card system jammed, so after about 10 minutes, they told me to have a Merry Christmas, the books (almost $13 worth!) were on them! I think I almost fainted, it was such a windfall in my opinion! lol
That last thing you did not pick up … You’re comments were dead-on! I laughed out loud, and had a touch of PTSD/flashback from childhood! Ha!
Same here!
Doxie scarf, OMG, I want one!!!!! I have doxie earring and a doxie necklace …… and two sweet doxies to keep me warm at night!
Where are you and can I get a list of thrift stores! I LOVE to thrift and you seem to get AMAZING deals!
Get the chair! All the chairs on my outdoor porches are from thrift stores – – and I painted them! Anything in your home you can toss to make room for the chair?
I want/need that doxie scarf! It’s so very very cute, in fact stinking cute! I could do so much with those books too. Lots of ink, paint, sketching and stamping, oh yummy Karen xx
PLEASE go back and buy that chair! It is amazing! What type of place sells clothing for $1? I’m always so proud of my $10 finds, but $1 can’t be beaten!
Just found you on Pinterest and I was impressed with your refashioning clothes. When I was younger (southern and poor) my grandmother, momma and I would go to thrift stores on certain days of the week, for the discounts, then we would shop and they would refashion the clothes for me. When I got older, I became embarrassed and bought my clothes from expensive stores. Now, older with children of my own, I’m back to thrifting for me.
An amazing soft cotton duvet cover for my queen bed for $1.99!
I just found a Michael Kors faux fur coat for $2.50 today.
Wow – your thrift store prices are fantastic! Love that blue dress. And did I hear the word “cruise”??? I trust we will hear more about that in the fullness of time 🙂
I just stopped at my thrift store this afternoon. I got 4 nice tops to wear under sweaters. I have lots of camis but I often need something a little nicer:) I would have snapped up arm loads of those books:}
I think that is the first of your Thrifty finds I’ve seen – but I’m new to your site …
When all else finds, I find patterns, lots and lots of patterns.
Once I saw an amazing mid century modern chair and I didn’t buy it, my house is too full of furniture, but I darn sure could have resold that one.
I got a sweater for my Yorkie that someone apparently thought was a weird human hat! $.99!!
Ack! I love those Florida flamingoes! I grew up in FL 🙂 My favorite find this week was 6 yards of vintage gold denim for a dollar!!
This week it was finding 3 of the 4 gooseberry patterned pyrex with a stand that doesn’t go with for very cheep. I then later found the forth bowl to complete the set!
I wanted to find a doxie themed book for a dear friend because I am making her a book-phone docking station for her bday. No luck, but I did find Marley & Me in hardback. It’ll do. Also found Amelie on DVD in immaculate condition. 🙂 The docking station link is below.
http://www.littleloveliesbyallison.com/2012/06/tutorial-diy-book-iphone-dock.html
I’m coming all the way from Australia with an empty suitcase just to fill it with thrifts from your Goodwill store. Ours are no way that cheap.
I am amazed at the extremely low prices at your thrift store. Here in California that beaded top would be around $10, the dress about the same. The sweater would run around $5 and the scarf perhaps $2. I go to lots of thrift shops and it’s the same everywhere. You are one lucky girl!!
My favorite thrift store in town (also CA) sells scarves at $4 a pop! I didn’t mind that so much the day I scored an authentic Hèrmes, though…
I love to go to thrift shops. I have an obsession with purses, especially a certain brand. If it’s clean and in decent shape, and the price is right it comes home.
I love thrift stores and my finds! My husband doesn’t like them quite as much because my craft room is becoming a storage room of boxes full of old clothes, fabric, and lace… A few weeks ago I found a pedal tractor for my nephew and I scored it for just $8! I’d post a pic but am not sure how.
I got a jacket that I turned into a snow suit for my dog.
http://chquilt.com/2016/01/07/sports-not-happy/
My mother made curtains for our family room using that fabric!
OH MAN!!! That chair is AWESOME. I would have found something at home I didn’t need anymore just to get that chair. ESPECIALLY for $2.50!
I am so happy to have found your blog…I’m a third generation thrift store diva. I love the hunt, the find, the stolen time alone away from my children – hey I love them, but every gal needs her time. I’m now passing on my thrift store love to my 9yo daughter who snagged this week’s great find. It was not at the thrift store, but OMG what a great job she did. She wanted a faux fur coat and we hadn’t been able to find one she loved until….browsing thru the clearance racks this mini diva of mine brings a gorgeous off white faux fur jacket and says can I have it? First response? No we can’t afford it, after all we are at the mall (gasp). Then she shows me…the discounted red tag proudly displays 99¢. Yes, that’s right, 99¢…it was a proud, almost tearful, moment. She gets it.
I got a huge scarf/wrap covered in sea turtles.It’s perfect for living on the coast!
Have a friend that would kill for the doxie scarf! Great finds!
I love the chair please tell you got it! The figurines at the end is from the 70s collectable.
I love your posts!! You make me laugh with your funny comments! You are so talented and clever!
My favorite things to score at thrift stores are vintage cookbooks and vintage patterns. Those old cookbooks have the best recipes!
You should have grabbed the keyboard, I saw some cute jewelry on Pinterest that was made with typewriter keys.
Yesterday, when I went to get dressed at the gym, I realized I did not have a belt for my jeans. My jeans (a recent GW purchase) were literally falling off me. Thank goodness for the nearest GW. I purchased a beautiful 100% leather belt for $3.00! Would have been at least 25 at the mall.
The Big Key keyboards are for visually impaired students. The one you saw is for children to use until they learn to keyboard. You probably figured out that you can’t touch type with Big Keys! They now make very colorful keyboards with keys being in bright colors!
Oh, I’ve got a good one for you! $1, and I haven’t stopped laughing since I found it. A rooster apron with feather fringe.