Texas Day Trip: Old Red Lumber Yard Market

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It has been a stressful week. Monday my youngest knocked a table over on her hand, breaking her middle finger and cutting the other so badly it required three stitches.  We came home from the ER just as news was breaking about the Boston Marathon. As a runner, my heart ached for the joyous moment that was stolen away from those athletes and families. As a mother, my mind was full of all the 'what-ifs' in life, how at anytime, something horrible could happen. What has become of the world? How do we face a dark tomorrow?

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 My only answer is with light. So as I cling to my faith, I am looking for light. Light in a dark world. Let us fill our hearts with prayers for all those affected by Boston, prayers that we might see the light in dark times, prayers that we might be the light for others.

Today, I thought I would share with you a little light from our weekend...I hope that you do the same, take a moment to share your joys and spread some light for all to see.

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Saturday morning we woke up a bit earlier than we usually do on a weekend and headed out to the Old Red Lumber Yard in McKinney. We have been redecorating the back patio-- moving to a more 'industrial chic' look with accents of turquoise and tin. Our new patio is in need of new lighting, a vintage chandelier to add a feminine touch to the hard scape. After a quick stop at Starbucks for coffee, muffins and donuts- we were set to pick treasures. 

The "ORLY" as it is called is a cozy outdoor market full of vintage goods arranged in the most adorable vignettes and pairings.

 

A Big Girl Room: From Crib to Bed

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Back in September, I went on a thrifting mission to find Maisy a 'big girl' bed. It was right before she turned three and as part of her birthday gift, we wanted to transform her nursery into a little girl room. Since we already had a beautiful white dresser (that actually belonged to Jeff when he was a child) I didn't want to buy a brand-new bedroom set. Instead, I wanted to find a 'vintage' bed to go with the vintage dresser. Several trips to the thrift store and I ended up buying this headboard. I liked the shape and details.

See all the headboards I found and tips for thrifting here.

  And after some 'heirloom white' paint. It was transformed-- and so was her room.

The Quest for a "Thrifted" Bed

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WANTED: One Big Girl Bed

My little baby Maisy is getting closer to her big birthday and now that she is potty trained, we have decided she is ready for a 'big girl' bed.

Potty Training Tips and Musings about Motherhood-- here

 When Afton turned three, we re-decorated her room with a beautiful bedroom set from a local furniture store.

Yes- that is a disco ball :)

But since Maisy already has a lovely dresser that belonged to my hubby when he was a boy, I set my heart on finding her a great vintage bed to go with it. Sounds like a great excuse to go thrifting doesn't it?!

 So over the past month, I hit up my favorite places for thrifted furniture-- Goodwill, Vineyards Anitque Mall and Graceful Goodbuys.

Thrifting-- a fun way to spend a Saturday

Tips for Thrifting

When thrifting for a particular piece, it is best to make a list of exactly what you are looking for, that way you don't loose sight of your goal. I knew I wanted something with a good shape. Color didn't matter-- paint can always be applied. I was also looking for wood and either a double or queen.

I felt a bit like "Goldilocks and the 3 Bears"- every bed I found was either too big, too small, too old, too new, or too expensive (if you call something 'antique'-- the prices automatically go up!)

But after 4 trips out looking for a bed, her crib is now in the garage...

and this came home with us- for $20!

I do love thrifting! 
Have you come across any great deals lately?  Stay tuned, more details and photos to come.


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I Love Thrifting 2012

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We went Thrifting

In honor of Mr. Goodwill Hunting's "National Thrifting Day", I decided to take my family on a little adventure to our local Goodwill. I have to say, it was kind of fun to have "an official excuse" to go thrifting!

Lots of Great Treasures

After a quick breakfast at Chick-fil-A, we were ready to find some deals. My Afton was quite excited, she had brought $3 from her piggy bank to spend at the store. And as you know, $3 will go pretty far at Goodwill! I told her she could buy anything she wanted with her money.

Set a Budget

I gave myself a budget of $12-- because that was how much cash I had in my wallet. (Giving yourself a budget when thrifting can be fun, it creates a challenge and really forces you to consider how/if you need something.) For this trip, I wasn't looking for anything in particular. I was just looking to see what I could find.

Use Your Imagination

 These cute wooden chairs could be painted and...

turned into something like this:

Source: spearmintdecor.com via Samantha on Pinterest

This $30 arm chair could be reupholstered and...

look something like this:

Source: jossandmain.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Or these brass lamps could be painted and...

turn out like this:

Source: modpodgerocksblog.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Other fun finds

1.) Galvanized Tubs 2.) Bright Artwork 3.) Silver Serving Trays
4.) Yellow Casserole Dish 5.) Nautical Plates 6.) Reebok Hightop (I had yellow ones like these!)
7.) Sketchers Skates 8.) Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine 9.) Colored Bamboo Placemats

What Did I Actually Buy?

For $12. 61 I got:
1. )Turquoise Blue "Ball" Jar
2.) Four white plates
3.) Four white coffee mugs
4.) Two embroidery hoops

What Am I Going to do with my New Finds?

Thrifting Success! 

Our morning out was a success. I stayed on budget and bought things I will really use. Afterall, it's not a 'good deal' if you buy a bunch of stuff that you don't actually want! And my sweet Afton ended up buying that old phone. She couldn't believe it was only $3 :)

Did you get any thrifting done over the weekend? Where is your favorite place to shop for deals?

-For more "Thrifting Tips" and to see "14 Thrifted Projects" in my home- click here. 
-Come back later tonight for "Cowgirl Up Linky Party"- this week I am featuring 10 of your awesome projects!

-Sharing my thrifting tips here: Home Stories A to Z , Tatertots and Jello, The 36th Avenue, Serenity Now,  Be Different, Act Normal,  Positively Splendid

National Thrifting Day

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Did you know tomorrow is 

National Thrifting Day?!  

So get ready to save some money and find some deals. Shopping at thrift stores like Goodwill and other second-hand shops has become more than working with a small budget, now it is also about the thrill of finding a deal. It is about taking pride in re-using and re-purposing something that was once beautiful. And when you transform a second-hand find, you can create something unique, something that can't be found in a glossy catalog.

Official "I Love Thrifting" shirt via Mr. Goodwill Hunting

The Guru of Thrifting: Mr. Goodwill Hunting

 National Thrifting Day will be held this year on July 7th. The event is being organized by DIY blogger Rashon Carraway aka "Mr. Goodwill Hunting". His work has been seen on the Nate Berkus show and he was a favorite speaker at the Haven Convention last month. 

Now I don't have an official "I Love Thrifting" shirt **yet**. But I have become a thrift store junky myself. Desks, dressers, frames, and lots of my chairs have come from our local Goodwill.

Thrifted Projects from Crafty Texas Girls

1. Thrifted Frames and Thrifted Mirrors
2. School Chairs
3. Vintage Dress Form
4. Blue Chair
5. Antique Dresser
6. Wing Back Chairs
7. Iron Chairs
8. DIY Recover a Chair
9. Cane Side Table
10. Side of the Road Wingback
11. White Legged Chair
12. Oven Cleaner Mirrors
13. Vintage School Desk
14. Coffee Table

Want to score big at the Thrift Store? 

1. Go often. But keep in mind the best days for shopping are near the end of the week. Weekends are the most crowded, so be prepared! Try to avoid going on a Monday or Tuesday, most stores' stock is usually depleted after the busy weekend. 
2. Keep an open mind. Instead of looking for just one thing specific, look at everything. You never know when inspiration will strike.
3. Find out when prices are at their lowest. Most Goodwill and thrift stores will have sales days when things like furniture and clothing are half price.
4. Try before you buy. Whether it is clothing or a lamp, make sure it fits and works before you leave the store.
5. Have fun. You will probably seem some crazy things-- but remember, one person's trash is another person's treasure!

Best Places to Thrift

If you are local, my favorite thrift stores are the Goodwill on Hwy 157, Graceful Goodbuys on Northwest Highway, and the Vineyards Antique Mall on Hwy 26. Most areas have a Goodwill, so check this link to find a Goodwill near you. And don't overlook garage sales- usually you can bargain with the seller to get a great deal.

National Thrifting Day is the perfect opportunity to grab some girlfriends and go hunting for treasures. If you go,  tweet about your finds, use the hashtag #ilovethrifting.  I am hoping to get up early and hit a few of my local favorites. Fingers crossed for a great day of thrifting! 

Sharing my thrifting tips here: Home Stories A to Z , Tatertots and Jello, The 36th Avenue, Serenity Now,  Be Different, Act Normal,  Positively Splendid

Furniture Rescue

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I have gotten in a pretty good habit of going to Goodwill at least once a month. Not sure my husband would agree that it is a 'good' habit, but if you are someone who enjoys the hunt of thrifting... then you know:) Everyday people are literally throwing away furniture, perfectly good furniture. And if you want to find it, then you have to be looking for it.

Some ends up on the side of the road... like this chair.

 
And some ends up in second-hand stores like Goodwill. Remember this chair?

 
I was in Goodwill yesterday and I found a beautiful tufted blue velvet chair. It was only $35, but I couldn't think where I would put it. I mentally went from room to room in my house and decided that if I brought home the chair, I might end up on "Hoarders". (Although now that I am looking at this photo, which is very similar to the chair in question, it might have been worth it!)

Source: google.com via Samantha on Pinterest

 How do you know when enough is enough? How many vintage chairs does one house really need?

Source: writingrainbows.blogspot.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Let's see...

I needed one for my craft room table.

Then I needed another one for my sewing desk.

Of course my computer desk had to have a chair.

And then Afton needed one for her projects.

And I had to have two for our 'breakfast nook' turned 'reading corner'.

Hmm....I think you can see where this is going. But the prices are so low and isn't recycling (or 'furniture rescue' as I like to call it) a noble act in itself?!!

Most recently the wooden chairs that came with the little table broke. So I went in search of two small vintage chairs.  When you thrift, the best part is that you aren't looking for matching sets. And when you don't have to match, you are free to choose pieces based on shape, style, and well--- just a feeling of 'love'.

I love these antique school chairs. I haven't painted them, I like the colors and distressed look.

Wanting to make your house feel more 'homey'? Wanting to give 'unwanted furniture' a good home?  Then try adding a vintage chair.  It can add a new layer of interest to your decor. And everyone loves great furniture with a little history.

Do you own any vintage chairs? Where did you find them?

Sharing my love of chairs at these great blogs: -Too Much Time on My Hands, Home Stories A to Z , Tatertots and Jello, The 36th Avenue, -Whipperberry, Serenity Now, Under the Table and Dreaming  

 PS. Come back later for "Cowgirl Up!"-- the original linked linky party. This week, it is my turn to show-off some of the best posts from the party. And I chose 11 of your projects to feature!