Now that both our boys are back in school, Sis and I have mornings to get errands run and have girl time. In my world, though, “girl time” isn’t always so girly. So this week, she and I hit a few favorite thrift stores–Goodwill, HomeStore, and SallyAnn–to see if we could uncover any treasures. While I saw a bevy of lamps and chunky wooden candlestick holders that could be spray painted right into a fantastic new look, we don’t need any of those, but here’s what I didn’t pass up…

GOODWILL

First we went to a Goodwill. I always head straight back to the furniture and housewares areas to hunt for makeover candidates. Nothing called my name. Then I stopped Sissy from pulling books off the shelf decided to look at the books and found these three winners. The first one is a 1941 paperback hymn book.

Not only is it deliciously vintage, but it’s full of simple songs of truth about God. I can’t wait to pull it out and play it on my kids’ keyboards. And I bet Big Bro will want to learn how to read music, too.

The second Goodwill score is a 1970 book published by NASA. It’s another great vintage find. I love that it is big and full of cutting edge, now-outdated pictures of the moon. It’s a great historic conversational piece. I saw this and knew my parents had to have it! Growing up in my house was like living in a library (I think I once estimated that we had about 2000 books in our house), and my dad is a computer software engineer, scientist, and pilot, so I thought this would totally appeal to him. Side Note: Mommy, I know you’re reading this, so act surprised when it shows up on your doorstep, okay? 🙂

It even still has the 3-D glasses & Dewey Decimal card tucked into it. Love that nostalgia!

Third & finally at Goodwill, I saw this oversized Americana Quilt book. Large books are a great source for cheap framed art images (sorry to those of you who are cringing at the thought of tearing up a book–you could color copy yours?). I love how these old hand-stitched quilts tell a story. They are not my particular taste, but I still think they are beautiful. My friend who is totally into Americana will love this book (I hope!).

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HOMESTORE

I found this fantastic throw for $4 at HomeStore! It is in almost-new condition, and the bright & happy green is perfect for Sissy’s pink and green nursery. I love the texture and color! Total score. If you’ve never been to a Habitat for Humanity store, you must look up and see if there’s one near you. They have all sorts of architectural pieces (doors, windows, moldings, fireplace mantles) as well as a thrift shop chock full of furniture, household goods, and fixtures. They have everything AND the kitchen sink. I love going there for wonderful makeover finds and for inspiration.

SALVATION ARMY

Last but not least, I hit a SallyAnn where I picked up a great stroller bag for Sissy’s umbrella stroller.

My sister-in-law had gotten me this fantastic Maclaren stroller, and this $1.99 bag is a perfect match to the stroller’s stripes with its periwinkle flowers, bitter chocolate background, and black webbing straps. Huzzah! A quick run through the wash, and it’s ready to roll!

And yes, I also bought an 8×10 framed glossy of a total stranger…

But remember this little pretty I gushed about a couple of weeks ago? I think my $5.99 frame is a perfect starting point for my own version of this inspiration painting!

So, any other thrifters out there score some great finds recently? Do tell!

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