Thrift Score!

[Lexophile]

I persuaded my dad to bid on an old signmaker's portfolio at an estate sale years ago when nobody else wanted it. He didn't want it either, but I did, so he bid $5 and won it. I was thrilled. It was really old and functioned as a sample of work containing prints of old signs. I wanted to frame some of them and hang them in my room.

The dog got to them first. I was heartbroken but kept them anyway because I couldn't bear to throw them out. An antique dealer and friend of the family looked at the chewed up pages while visiting later in the year and said that, had the dog not tried to snack on them, the intact portfolio would have been worth about $400.

[redsfan]

I just got a vintage purse with tags still attached for $5.  It was originally priced $20.  Thing is, the price tag is from a store that closed before I was born, and I'm not exactly young.  I'm thrilled!

[Bijou]

I got a drafting table that will go from normal height to higher.  It also goes to an angle and can be adjusted to be flat like a table.  It looks home made to me.  I have no idea where on earth I will put it and was already having buyer's remorse on the way home...we pick it up tomorrow so maybe the devastating need for it will resurface.  I hesitated to get it in the first place, but my husband insisted.     I think he just wants me to have more junk than he has so when I  complain that he's a pack rat, he can turn the tables on me...no pun intended.  I have too dang much furniture as it is, but I really want to start doing some art when this place is straightened out from some work we had done.   

Update...after spending too much distressing time trying to figure out where I would put that table and knowing there really was no where to put it, and that the other regular craft tables I already have will better serve my purpose, I decided this was not a good idea.  The thrift store supports an organization that teaches living skills to disabled young adults and no way could I or would I want to ask for a refund because I changed my mind.  I called a place that is an art studio for artist with disabilities (mostly developmentally disabled and they do the most beautiful work).  I asked them if we could donate it to them.  They would like to try using it, so we didn't even bring it home.  We just delivered it directly to them.  I am happy it went to a good home.  What a relief!  I feel a sense of lightness. 
Darn those thrift stores.  They get me every time. 

[RegionMom]

At a Friday yard sale, found a vintage 1950's houndstooth patterned swing coat, for eight US dollars. 
the size number is NOT what I would wear, I started to just put my arm in because the coat was so cool and I just wanted to feel it, but the whole thing fit!  (Yeah for weight loss!)
the original owners daughter had been wearing it, but it was too big for her. 

http://www.amazon.com/Tulle-Herrington-Houndstooth-Peacoat-Jacket/dp/B005NBSZWG

Not quite like this, as mine goes to just below knee length, and with two rows of larger buttons, and black velvet lines on the wrist and collar. 

Dry clean only, will cost more to care for it than I paid for it!



That purchase, plus many t-shirts and camis for only 25 or 50 cents for me and DD, and I was glad for the "mad money" I stash in the van for emergency yard sales!
 

[CakeBeret]

I've been trying to build my professional wardrobe bit by bit at the thrift store.

My current finds; paid 50 cents each:

Wool pleated skirt, ~$80 at Macy's
Gap khakis in long length (I have such a hard time finding long length pants!) ~$50 at Gap
Gorgeous pintucked dress blouse, ~$50 at Macy's
A couple other work-appropriate blouses

[EveLGenius]

I just discovered a new thrift store in Aurora, IL, called New Uses.  It's a fascinating place, a "high-end" thrift store, if you can imagine such a thing.  For example, they don't sell single glasses; they shrink-wrap matched sets of four or six, and sell the set.  They don't sell single plates, but shrink-wrap and sell the entire dining set.

The truly amazing thing is their prices. The manager says they try to sell for 40% or less of the price of the item new.  So we picked up a curio cabinet for DD for $35.  Then DH fell in love with an espresso machine.  It was $90, which was a little more than I expected, but it was absolutely new and unused in the box, with the instructions and all parts.  When we got home, DH looked it up online- it normally sells for $400.

We'll be going back to that store!

[mbbored]

Even better than a thrift score, a freecycle score! Yesterday I got from Freecycle two gallons of paint in the same shade that I've been wanting to paint my living room. The paint hasn't been used at all: the woman said she changed her mind.

[glinda]

At Value Village - a full length, black trench coat with a zip out wool lining for $13.99.  I have a friend who dry cleans so that is free.

I was so happy when I found it. I've needed a new dress coat for ages.

The label says made in Poland and with the liner in, it weighs a ton. That should keep me warm when it hits -40 here.

[Thipu1]

Not really 'thrift' but we we made a great find yesterday. 

A reputable street vendor (yes, there are such people) must have bought out someone else's stock.  this weekend he started offering nicely framed prints and such. 

In a small way, we collect steamship memorabilia.  One of the things the vendor was offering was a large, beautifully matted and framed souvenir silk handkerchief from the second Bremen (1897-1923).  It wasn't particularly cheap but we've seen similar unframed items going for almost the same price at antique shows. 

We found it interesting because the Bremen was one of the ships contacted to assist when the Titanic was sinking.  The Captain decided not to respond. 

Now, the only problem is to find a place for it on the wall.

[Jones]

My adult life can be measured by one black purse after another. I generally get them a little big, so I can fit a few extras in there with my wallet (notebook, pens, bills, coupon carrier, a diaper, bandaids, makeup...); they have pockets on the outside and a long handle.

Last week I noticed my most recent black bag (which I have had since I was pregnant with Boo Bear) was detaching from its strap. I went to the thrift shop and there was a variety of the predictable, large black purses; Mary Poppins purse, I call them. Then I found a brown leather bag, dusty but apparently never used. Instead of being short and wide, it is tall and rectangular. It fits all my little extras and has an interior pocket for cell phones; much more preferrable, to me, than the outer pocket that so many bags have these days.

$3. Brown is a change but I'm getting used to it.

[Twik]

I remember one time working the church rummage sale. People always gave a lot more than got sold, so people would come late hoping for (even better) bargains.

We had a lovely, very well kept fur coat, which most people no longer want. But a new immigrant man came in, wanting something nice for his wife, who had no winter clothes yet. She tried it on, and it fit perfectly. We sold it to them for 5 dollars. She practically danced out.

(Whatever you think of the ethics of fur, in this case better someone use it than it end up in a landfill.)

[KimberlyM]

Saturday I bought my 3.5 y.o. 4 pairs of jeans and 2 pairs of sweat pants (plus a sweater for me, cuz I had to have it!) all for $17!

[Amara]

Stopped by three thrift stores over the weekend and came home with one dud and several good buys:

Dud: a trimline phone in dark teal, perfect for my bedroom--if it had worked. *sigh* Four dollars down the tubes.

Scores: a medium-weight terrycloth men's bathrobe, huge on me, in very good condition for $2.50 on sale; two cheese graters, one small, one medium; and several other things I can't remember at the moment so obviously they are in their new places and doing well ( ).

[heartmug]

A cheerleader costume/outift for $2.50.  It was a perfect size for niece, but stuck in with the adult clothing.  (Someone might have been hiding it.)  Called sister and she is thrilled.  Has an official NFL tag in it too.

[Bandu]

At the thrift store yesterday, a Jones New York 100-percent merino wool sweater, light enough to wear down here in Texas, perfect condition. $1. WHOOO!