Sunday, January 25, 2009

Nifty & Thrifty!

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When I was in my first apartment with roommates they all use to make fun of me because I loved my nice little vintage items I had collected from various thrift store excursions. I guess it wasn't very cool back then or something. Well speaking of these roomies, every week we got together and met down @ the apartment clubhouse for a little social. We all took turns interviewing different apartments in hopes to get people to know each other better. The activities coordinator asked each one of us to describe our roommates in two words. The two words they used to describe me were "Nifty & Thrifty". I have loved the word nifty ever since and use it whenever I can ( if I refer to someone or something as nifty than you have really made it in life). I especially love the word thrifty because it usually means going on a treasure hunt.

Anyway, I used to spend countless days during the summertime with my sisters digging at the biggest gold mine of a place in Afton, Wyoming called Smiths Seconds (first person to get me a picture of that place wins a prize). The town itself only had 1500 people so with this huge second hand store that was always dead you can imagine the prospects. It's like the place was locked up for a century and then in 1994 they decided to open it back up like a time capsule. Have you ever been involved with a time capsule? Well I have, and I buried it in my own backyard for 1 month until I couldn't stand it anymore. If I told you I was excited back then to dig up my long lost treasure than probably my thrill with hunting them out @ the stores would come as no surprise. Still to this day if I had time I would be on a constant treasure hunt. Since time is so limited, I don't make it out much.  Not the case last week. Yep I packed up them thrifty triplets & met up with one of my closest friends at the nearest thrift center by my girls preschool.  I'd never had so much fun in two hours. We both came home with many different items. The highlight for me were the vintage CIRCA 1978 posters. I love artwork and when I saw these my heart skipped a beat. Two are more contemporary lithographed prints that are beautiful and the third was an artichoke print. Well after I got them home I googled the prints. I found out a little of their background. What I was shocked to find out was that the artichoke print was actually worth more than the other prints. The lithographed prints were going for about $150 a piece and the artichoke print was in the range of $400 - $500. I know that may not sound like much but considering I only paid $5.00 a piece and I liked them to boot meant that I was on cloud nine. So the moral of the story is, call me to go on a date to the thrift store and I'll be your best friend or Antique Roadshow here I come!

Keno brothers rule!


I thought this lamp had potential with a fresh makeover.


Stacey found these beauties. Wouldn't they look great in an office.
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Nice new but old prints.  Not too shabby that these prints are going for around $700 total.
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{Not pictured, all of the cool new costume jewelry @ half price}
What a great day!

6 comments:

Whitney said...

You truly are nifty. What great finds. I love them. MOm bought that white couch you told me about and I love it. What thrift shop did you go to?

Rhonda said...

Those are awesome finds!
Ok, on the real I would love to get together. maybe you could teach me how to make my blog look cute & how to shop "nifty & thrifty". So when you get some time...(like when the kids are in their 20s) let's hang out.

Stacey Crewse said...

I had a "nifty" thrifty day with you! Lets go again soon! I'm hoping I'm as lucky as you were this next time! And maybe we should be hitting Vegas soon lucky charm!

Annie said...

You go girl! Nice finds. I'm in love with the artichoke print...reminds me of N. Cal.

Lisa Harris said...

okay okay, when are we going?

Debbie said...

You are my idol!!! I never find great stuff like you when I go out hunting but you always seem to find the hidden treasures. Thanks for the heads up on the couch. Funny thing...grandpa had the same exact couch (except with a full sized sleeper in it) that was out in one of the train cars. I told Z & W that I had dibs on that one in case I decide to reupholster it so I could have a larger sleeper. It's in really bad shape but Dad recognized it to be the same as soon as he saw the one at the Thrift store.