Thrift Store Finds

One of my favorite things to do is go to antique malls, estate sales, and especially thrift stores.  Looking around my house, I noticed that  the majority of my knick knacks have come from estate sales and thrift stores!  What I like about shopping at these places is finding unique, one of a kind accessories for cheap!  I have even seen things at the thrift store that I saw a couple weeks later at the antique mall with the price marked way up!  I don't get to go as much as I used to.  Unfortunately my kids don't appreciate these places like I do! But whenever I can get a sitter, I usually try to make it to some of my favorite shopping spots!  Here are a few things that I have bought recently.

I bought this pretty plate at the Salvation Army a couple of weeks ago.  I have it in the living room on the coffee table on top of a book.   The shape is very unique and I like the Asian feel it has to it.  I also like the black background that is not very common.  This is not something that I will find at my local Target, and I am probably not going to see it in anybody else's home!  I only paid $2.99 for it!  I am always on the lookout for plates to place on the coffee table or side tables.

I bought this on that same trip to the Salvation Army.  I have it sitting on the back of the toilet.  It is a great place to put hair rubber bands.  I really like the colors, and again I am not going to find this anywhere else!  The best part is I only paid $1.99 for it!

The greatest thing I bought on that trip to the Salvation Army was this Foo Dog!  It was only $4.59!!  I have a love for Chinoiserie so finding this made my week!! I know I was skipping out of the store with this.  I have to admit that hubby gets all the credit for finding this one!  After searching the shelves and picking up a few things I walked away without ever seeing this beautiful green foo dog.  A few minutes later hubby brought it over to me.  I couldn't believe I missed it!!  I excitedly looked for the price sticker and couldn't find one!  At the Salvation Army if there is not a price on something, they can't sell it to you!  Well, I wasn't going to walk away without this guy.  I made hubby go ask the manager and he said that he ususally doesn't do this, but he would sell it to us for $5.99.  There was a sale that day so we got it for $4.59.  These are usually pretty expensive and sell in shops that I don't usually go in.

Here he is sitting in the living room on the side table with other previous thrift store finds.

Here is a pencil/chalk drawing that hubby surprised me with!  He bought it at the Salvation Army for $6.99.  I like his strange, in a good way, taste in art.  It brings an interesting mix to our home.  He has always been really into art and has created lots of neat drawings, sketches, and paintings.  So when it comes to art, I definitely like what he picks out!

Here it is hanging in our living room above another painting that hubby surprised me with, also from the Salvation Army.  I added the picture light to it.  Don't forget to look at the artwork at the thrift stores!  You can find interesting pieces for cheap prices!

Here is a little jewelry box I found at an estate sale.  It was only $2.  I love the colors!  My daughter M wanted me to point out the beautiful picture that she painted in the background!  It is an abstract painting done with water colors and markers.  Ha!  I thought it was so beautiful that I framed it and hung it up. Beautiful, meaningful and free!  That's my favorite kind of artwork! 

So do you have a favorite thrift store?  If you don't, find one and try to go every week.  Things are always changing!  You will have so much fun!