Monday, January 31, 2011

Thrift Haul: The Great Thrift Adventure


[A portion of the treasure found. Art, "Fawlty Towers" VHS set, and much more.]

We thrifted, we conquered. My craft-night partners in crime Mike and Cheryl accompanied me on a wild thrift adventure this weekend.

[My Brother’s Keeper thrift store exterior and St. Vincent De Paul thrift store interior]

We pillaged several thrift stores hard until we collapsed; spent. (If that sounds a lot like Thrift Love Making, that’s because it was. Oh, it was.)

[My friend Cheryl. We fell in love with this dreamy vintage couch.]

This was the first weekend I did thrift-related work until I literally collapsed from exhaustion.

[Colossal E.T. Loot! It was incredible, more than I could properly photograph in one day.]

Each new thrift spot to explore was an unspoiled land, and we were conquistadors surrounded by seductive vintage bounty.

[Huge menu, quality food, and engaging conversation with friendly locals. Sublime.]

We couldn’t resist the siren’s call of (at least) seven thrift stores, each one packed with seemingly infinite booty.


[Boat Art. Underneath it, a National Geographic map of the Pacific Islands.]

To go with our weekend theme of exploration, I unearthed this prim and alluring vintage boat string art. I’m entranced by unique boat art, so I happily paid the steep $10 for this piece.

[Yellow Cup Set]

These sunny yellow tea cups and creamer will be the canvas for some owl artwork. Does anyone have suggestions for painting on glazed ceramics? The cute little owls cost 25 cents all will go in my antique store booth.

[Vintage Cross Stitched Pansy Art]

This Groovy “Love” cross stitched art is also destined for my antique store booth. I love how it’s already appropriately framed.

Even as a child I never succumbed to E.T’s “charm”. I’ll always think he looks like a blue-eyed pile of crap! Yet, this bag is a shining example of exquisite graphic design. I had to have it (if at least to resell it).

[Boat Art is docked in its new home. Flanked by beckoning, exotic ladies (Japanese Dolls)]

It was an exhausting but rewarding weekend of thrift store looting and plundering, but next weekend I’ll return to leisure flea market and yard sale perusing to protect my sanity!

* * *

Linked to: [Thrift Share Monday] [The Penny Worthy Project] [Flea Market Finds].

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22 comments:

  1. Miss LouJanuary 31, 2011 at 9:14 AM

    I loved ET, and i cant wait to see the owls on the cup set, ET got me thinking that I would love to find some memorabilia related to Alf...

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  2. UnknownJanuary 31, 2011 at 9:33 AM

    Amazing!! Looks like you had a lot of fun to me! :D

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  3. CharlieJanuary 31, 2011 at 10:06 AM

    Just came across your blog and thanks for the great info. I just moved to the DC area from Dallas and was wondering if you had any tips for this area. I miss Texas thrifts so much and haven't found any luck here. Thanks.

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  4. Linda @ A La CarteJanuary 31, 2011 at 10:41 AM

    Wow meaga thrifting is exhausting and yet so fulfilling. Looks like it was worth your while. Good scores!

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  5. VanessaJanuary 31, 2011 at 11:13 AM

    Miss Lou: I enjoy a lot of elements of the E.T. movie, but I hate the alien character design!

    Marcia and Linda: Too much fun, I think I'm still dizzy.

    Charlie: Sorry, my thrift experience is limited to Florida. I LOVE your website! I hope you find some amazing thrift haunts in your new home and I look forward to reading your perspective.

    Try this post on finding thrift stores, it might help you: http://bit.ly/fpMEif

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  6. CarolineJanuary 31, 2011 at 11:30 AM

    Wow, you did amazingly well - brilliant finds! I particularly like the the boat string art - I clearly remember some friends of my parents having one way back when and being fascinated by it as a child.

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  7. A La ModernJanuary 31, 2011 at 11:43 AM

    Sounds like you had a lot of fun thrifting - I wish they had a "Huge" thrift store near us, haha. I've seen the boat string art piece a few times and was wondering what the deal is with those things. It seems like a 70s thing, but I don't remember seeing any of them from when I was a kid.

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  8. Charlie HeckJanuary 31, 2011 at 11:53 AM

    Thanks Van!!

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  9. VanessaJanuary 31, 2011 at 1:08 PM

    Charlie: You're welcome! I'll ask around and see if anyone I know or anyone n the Facebook page can lend some tips.

    A La Modern: In a couple of my thrifted sets of craft books, there's detailed instructions on how to make them. It seems to be a fairly common craft of the time. I love uncovering different types. Some use blue velvet, some have waves painted unto the fabric, other feature seagulls. The one I found this weekend was so clean and undamaged, I couldn't resist this shining example of boat-craftiness.

    My mom remembers them from her childhood. I was born in the '80s so I've only seen them in 70s craft books and thrift stores.

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  10. the cape on the cornerJanuary 31, 2011 at 2:41 PM

    oh my gosh, ET stuff! love it!

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  11. Jackie JardineJanuary 31, 2011 at 3:07 PM

    OMG...thrift karma in action! Van, I too went on a thrift adventure and spotted that same ET plush with the elongated neck/rotating head. I was going to get him, but he had a stain and I wasn't sure I'd be able to clean him thoroughly. Weird!

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  12. nadine paduartJanuary 31, 2011 at 4:38 PM

    the yellow cup set is heaven

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  13. BethJanuary 31, 2011 at 5:39 PM

    LOVE that sailboat string art! Looks like you guys had a lot of fun. That St. Vincent thrift store looks amazing!

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  14. AnonymousJanuary 31, 2011 at 6:36 PM

    I wish I still had my ET doll, i loved him

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  15. JaniceJanuary 31, 2011 at 8:59 PM

    How fun!! Love the yellow cups!

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  16. TYRainesJanuary 31, 2011 at 10:13 PM

    What a haul! You did good....

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  17. catpercherJanuary 31, 2011 at 11:14 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  18. catpercherJanuary 31, 2011 at 11:15 PM

    Hi! Love the string art- probably the best one I've seen. I decided to post because I think I might have a solution to your painting on ceramics quandary: http://www.dickblick.com/products/pebeo-porcelaine-150/
    I just got a DickBlick art catalog and have been greedily pouring over it. It says you can apply the paint to any heat-stable surface, including ceramics, and fire in a home oven at 300 degrees. And it comes in marker form! Sounds like it might work! Keep up the thrifting!
    -Catherine www.atomicinspired.blogspot.com

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  19. QuiltpiecerJanuary 31, 2011 at 11:47 PM

    Awesome finds! What fun you had with your thrifting friends ... thanks for sharing the adventure!

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  20. KatieFebruary 1, 2011 at 2:42 AM

    Oh I absolutely adore the boat string art! I hope you keep it! :)

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  21. AnonymousFebruary 1, 2011 at 1:08 PM

    Seven thrift stores with friends sounds like a fun way to work.

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  22. The Vintage CabinFebruary 1, 2011 at 9:31 PM

    That sounds like an amazing thrift run and that couch is fantastic! Love that string art boat, too. :)

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