Giveaway: Win a Custom Plushie from Larry and Boo's Emporium

One item I always give for Christmas is plushies! Sometimes I make them, sometimes I buy them, but they always end up wrapped and under my tree. So I was excited when my friend Fenna offered to giveaway a custom plushie from her shop Larry and Boo's Emporium to one Thrift Core reader.

Here are Fenna's entry rules:

You may have one custom animal from Larry and Boo's Emporium. Please choose from the types of animals posted. We will discuss colors, patterns and fabric choices to make sure you get the perfect animal! (Note, we cannot guarantee the type of fabric you see on the website, because each animal we make is one-of-a-kind, and we don't usually repeat the same fabric for the same animal.)

How to Win: Pick a number between 1 and 100.  Leave that number in the comments on this post along with an e-mail address so I can contact you. The winner will be the person who chooses closest to the number in Fenna's head without going over. 

For Additional Entries (leave a separate comment for each action):

• Follow Thrift Core (Blog)
• Follow Thrift Core on Facebook
• Follow Thrift Core on Twitter
• Stumble this blog post
• Tweet about this Giveaway

Winning Announcement: The contest winner will be announced Tuesday December 6, 2011 on the Thrift Core Facebook page.

Sponsor Thrift Core: The holiday season is a great time to be a Thrift Core Sponsor. Simply contact me if you'd like to sponsor Thrift Core or host a giveaway. 

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Thrift Haul: Let's Go Window Shopping in Okinawa, Japan...

Right now I'm visiting my friend JR in Okinawa, Japan. I won't have a conventional Thrift Haul post today, but I thought I'd give you a vicarious peek at the window shopping I've been indulging in here. Somehow I've managed to resist buying tons of kawaii stuff, but the temptation is everywhere...

The first things to temp me were these cute frying pans. Quite silly since you can't see the bottom...and the bottom will become burned with normal use. But I still want the whale one. And the mushroom one. Hell, all of them!

Bento boxes! I'm holding out until I get to a 100-yen store to buy some bento box goodness for me and my friends.

Yes, I had no shame in standing in the grocery store and taking pictures of cute kid's lunch boxes. I love 'em.

As you know, I have a collection of these cute Japanese bowls so I resisted...but I don't have a screaming cat one yet. Surely everyone needs a screaming cat bowl?

Or perhaps you'd prefer these fall-themed owl bowls? I've seen lots of bunnies, cats, and fish on Japanese bowls, but never owls!

This carry-on and one big empty bag were all I packed for two weeks in Japan. Just so I'd have room to bring back enough goodies for everyone! I love packing light and living out of a suitcase. Actually, I kind of feel like I overpacked! (By the way, the Link doll peeking out of the bag is a gift for the friend I'm visiting.) I'll report on the Japanese flea markets and thrift stores I've explored soon!

What did you find this weekend?

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

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Thrift Jobs: Maiden Voyage's Vintage-Inspired Clothing Line

Designers Tyson and Klara Smith thrift for inspiration. Their witty line of old-fashioned leather goods and tees, Maiden Voyage Clothing Co., is infused with vintage flair. I had to get the scoop on their inspirations, managing a clothing line, and of course, get a peek at their favorite thrifted finds!

1. Hi Tyson and Klara! Can you tell us a little bit about Maiden Voyage Clothing?
 
MVCC is a creative outlet of whimsical tees and old-fashioned leather goods.The brand is inspired by old stories, legends and folklore with a dash of the absurd, and a hint of humor.

2. What initially inspired you to branch out and start your own clothing line?

We started Maiden Voyage Clothing Co. as a creative outlet that took from some of our past experiences. When we moved to Los Angeles we discovered many indie brands and were introduced to the whole realm of a large & supportive crafting culture, which helped motivate us to have a go at it.

3. You guys love to thrift, what things do you do to run your business thriftily?

We do our own designing from the tees, marketing materials to the website designing, and even our own photography. Photographing our items is pretty fun, especially since we love to use props or can incorporate our previous finds into the photos, whether it is a prop or backdrop.

4. I love the classic, vintage look of Maiden Voyage Clothing merchandise. What vintage items inspire you the most when it comes to branding your line?

There's never really one item in particular that stands out the most. We usually tend to be inspired by antique posters, illustrations, etchings, books, stories, old equestrian items as well as just about anything else that speaks to us.

5. What do you guys love to hunt for at the thrifts?

That's really hard to answer, we love hunting for things that just jump out at us! Lately, we've been hunting for fedoras, industrial decor items, cute dresses (for Klara!), and antique tableware items.

6. And now the hard question, any favorite thrift finds?

Ahhhh - the $25 new old stock professional-grade paper guillotine from Ingento! We had been scouring the internet & classifieds for one and ended up randomly finding it at one of our favorite thrift spots.

7. What do you like the most about running your own clothing line?

Being able to create items we personally enjoy and want to use/wear!

8. What has been the biggest challenge with running the line?

Time and capital are always a challenge when running your own business.

9. What advise do would you give to anyone who wants to start a clothing line of their own?

If you can pick a niche to start and do lots of research before you begin. Don't be afraid to ask people in the industry for advice - you'd be surprised how much their answers will help you!

10. What advise would you give to anyone who wants to work for themselves?

If you're like us, persistence and patience is golden - until you get to a certain point, you're going to have to work MANY extra hours to try & make this a reality. Being organized and staying on task are biggies, too.

After chatting with the Maiden Voyage team I'm inspired to research, get organized, and work up a storm. Thanks for sharing your secrets with us Klara and Tyson! (And I want your taxidermy critter. I will name him Rex. We will go on adventures Rex and I...)

How are your creative projects coming along? Let's hit it!

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Thrifty Wedding Tips: Ideas for a Crafty, Vintage Wedding

My friend Nicole, a successful artist and fellow reseller, hosted a gorgeous fall wedding last week. I knew it was going to look incredible, especially when she revealed she'd been collecting the vintage props for years! Every detail of this wedding was vintage-crafty perfection, I knew you'd appreciate a peek at the lovely ceremony and reception.

I'll share my favorite thrifty wedding ideas I gleaned from Nicole's lovely wedding along the way:

Impact for Pennies: Many of the details could be achieved for pocket change. There were sparklers, vintage handkerchiefs for guests, and homemade succulent-and-bean filled centerpieces on each table for the reception. These details didn't cost a lot, but they left a big impact.

This is where the wedding ceremony took place. This definitely proves less is more, simple details make the setting effortlessly elegant.

We were all charmed by the handwritten signs spread throughout the reception space. Now I'm convinced every event needs handwritten signs to showcase the bride and groom's personalities!

We all went nuts for the photobooth Nicole rented for the event, too! She had a cute disposable camera for taking pictures on each table as well.

The unique guest log and inexpensive details like moss on the tables made me realize how important it is to thin outside the box and get creative with your wedding details.

Vintage suitcases are good for all kinds of staging...not like we need any more reasons to pick them up any time we encounter them!

Oh, and every wedding needs a beguiling display of cupcakes, too. These were incredibly delicious...

Okay, so let me come clean...sometimes I dream of being a party planner with a warehouse of collected vintage at my disposal to use and make weddings special. Perhaps this will be an extension of the Thrift Core brick and mortar in the future. 'Til then, I have memories of Nicole's beautiful wedding to look back on fondly for inspiration.

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Vintage Mod Alarm Clock Giveaway: What are Great Guy Gifts?

As the holiday season approaches we're all thinking the same thing: What the hell are we going to give to the dads, boyfriends, and brothers in our lives?

Gift-giving is tricky in general, but I have a harder time thinking of hand-crafted or vintage gifts that guys will enjoy. Ladies and gentlemen, chime in and leave your thoughts on what makes good gifting for guys and you have a chance of winning the stunning vintage alarm clock from the Thrift Core shop pictured above.

How to Win This Mod Alarm Clock:

In order to enter, leave a comment telling me your opinion on gifts for guys. I want to hear from males ad females! Let's have an interesting discussion on creative gift-giving. Leave your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win, too!

For Additional Entries (leave a separate comment for each action so they count as additional entries):

• Follow Thrift Core (Blog)
• Follow Thrift Core on Facebook
• Follow Thrift Core on Twitter
• Stumble this blog post
• Tweet about this Giveaway

Winning Announcement: The contest winner will be announced Tuesday November 29, 2011 on the Thrift Core Facebook page.

Sponsor Thrift Core: The holiday season is a great time to be a  Thrift Core Sponsor. Simply contact me if you'd like to sponsor Thrift Core or host a giveaway. 

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

The One Dollar Flea Market Challenge: Vintage Scores for Under a Buck

It was eighty-one degrees out yesterday; breezy and sunny. Perfect weather for flea marketing. Yet when I pulled into a favorite flea market I realized I'd forgotten to pack cash! At the bottom of my bag was a crumpled dollar bill a friend drunkenly gave me. I accepted my challenge. Here's what $1.00 got me at the flea market:

Three seventies era vintage planters. These would look perfect in a sunny kitchen windowsill. I'll place this trio into my antique store booth tomorrow.

A decapitated R2D2. It may look a bit morbid, but I'll give this R2D2 a new life when I fill him with an attractive cactus. He'd make a good pencil cup, too.

A complete Fisher Price Doctor Set. A gift for my niece who wants to be a veterinarian. I'd have killed for this toy as a kid. I've always loved science and medical themed pieces. 

A flower vase and a black planter. I'm not sure what I'll fill the black planter with yet, but the flower vase is already holding some lilies that I had in a large beer mug before I left the house.

A cookbook, a Nothing Book. I'm putting the cookbook in the shop tomorrow, but I may keep the "Nothing" book.

The Nothing Book is interesting. Proclaiming usefulness for:

"Poets, cooks, travelers, writers, diarists, students, comedians, brides, grandparents, decorators, kids, tourists, doodlers, secretaries, list-makers, forgetteers, artists, sketchers, businesswomen, businessmen, leaf-pressers, gift-givers, minimalists, and all of us who've ever wanted to do a book." 

It's a book full of blank white pages. I love that it's sturdy and hardcover. I think I'll save it or something special.

Cowboy and Kitty Print Fabric: I have some crafty plans for this cowboy and kitty print fabric.

While hunting at the flea market I found another dollar! So I bought the vintage First Aid for Insects book above for fifty cents.

I'm tempted to dedicate an entire blog post to the charming illustrations from this book. The kids and critters are so animated.

So how did I score all of this for so little? A flea market vendor was running a deal she does from time to time; fill a grocery bag with merch for $1.00. At first glance, the pile of rubble she offers for exploration has little potential. You have to dig past the broken appliances, funny books on "Fidelity" I'd love to send anonymously to ex-boyfriends, and dirty stuffed animals to find something worthwhile.

After this One Dollar Challenge I'm excited to do more of them! Both my dollars were "found", so it feels like I got a lot for nothing. I even have fifty cents left over. I'm definitely hunting on a smaller budget going forward...

What did you find this weekend?

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

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Thrifted Collections: Quirky and Cute Vintage Planters

As a gardener, I'm a sucker for vintage planters. I can rarely resist scooping them up when I find them. I've showed off my collection of McCoy pottery planters, but not these remaining quirky ones from my antique store booth. They Include:

A vintage car (!), Donald Duck, two mallards, lamb, bear, sleeping dog, orange vintage phone.

I'll be filling my planters and adding them to the antique store booth soon as fun Christmas gifts, keeping my favorites for house plants. Some of these will probably get a fresh coat of paint to spruce them up. I love collecting vintage and noticing patterns in what I collect over time! (And curating a line, too!)

What do you collect while you thrift?

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Getting the House Together and Organized: Starting with my Living Room

When I worked full-time at the office and part-time on various projects I was very rarely able to do the following: 1) Sweep 2) Mop 3) Dust 4) Cook 5) Anything other than work. I've decided to take a "break" for a couple of weeks to purge, organize, and do all the things I haven't been able to do in over three years.

I've already hosted a yard sale last weekend, I'm hosting another this weekend, and I've been cleaning and organizing as much as possible room-by-room. The first room I've gotten to a decent level of organization is the living room. Let's take a look:

The living room isn't complete but after rearranging a few things from how it was before I feel refreshed and inspired to tackle the whole house. Next, an office/dining room space rehaul!

How are your organization plans progressing? Do you go all out and purge for the new year, too?

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Master the Art of Yard Sale Shopping: 5 Tips for the Best Finds and Prices

I love yard sales, and not just because the vintage hunting is good! You can find necessary household supplies and tools for far less than retail price, and more importantly, make valuable connections and friends in your neighborhood.  

These are my Top 5 Tips for yard sale hunting that will help you yield the best finds for the best prices. Leave your own tips in the comments!

1. A Quick Stop Never Hurts...

Your spouse is about the punch me in the face for instigating this, but oh well, let me get you in trouble and suggest you pull in for a quick look anytime you see a Yard Sale sign! Just don't buy everything in sight and make it quick so your spouse and/or kids don't mangle you.

2.  Search Yard Sale Keywords Ahead of Time.

Search for Yard Sales on Craigslist and in your newspaper. When you search on Craigslist you can hunt for keywords like "mid century modern", "mod", "furniture", and "estate sale" to find a sale that suits your needs. Bonus: Yard Sale Treasure Map is a nifty tool that will hunt for the sales near you and help you plot an itinerary too!

3. Don't Be Afraid to Negotiate for Good Deals.

Haggle! Many people host yard sales because they desperately need to unclutter, they want that stuff gone!  Engage with the seller and be polite and you'll usually encounter little resistance. Don't insult their prices if they won't go down. There's always the next sale.

4. Network and Make Friends.

This beautiful Mod Hunting post from last week happened because I met Becca of The Vintage South at her yard sale. The finds above were purchased from someone who once owned a vintage shop here in town. I have her number and we'll definitely be exchanging tips and merchandise soon!

5. Pay attention to the area.

Historic areas are good places to hunt for yard sales rather than fresh new subdivisions if you want vintage finds. Watch trends and think of what the people living in the area would have to offer at their sales before you hunt.

As a busy person, hosting and attending yard sales gives me an opportunity to meet my neighbors. I love peeking into their lives via what they have on display on their lawns. I enjoy it when they provide a glimpse of my city's history. One of my favorite yard sale finds is a vintage Jacksonville, Florida poster. It's a look into my city's past and I couldn't have found it anywhere else but in my historic riverside neighborhood.

I even discovered what lies within a famously quirky neighbor's house because of a local magazine I found at a yard sale!

Have Fun for Better Finds: Enjoy the hunt and have fun while yard sale hopping and you'll yield better finds and prices! A positive attitude shows, it makes people want to give you better deals! What are your yard sale hunting tips?

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.