Pink to silver, lamp DIY makeover

Hello friends! Over the Christmas holidays, I did a DIY makeover on two lamps I had purchased at a thrift store. 

While I was at the thrift store, I found a great selection of lamps. 

There was a great selection of sizes and shapes.  I then saw this pair of lamps.  I thought the shape had a lot of potential, but I hated the color.

I paid a visit to Canadian Tire, and picked out some spray paint.

A couple of coats later, here was the end result.

The knick-knacks are all thrifted too.

As hard as I tried, I couldn't find two decent, secondhand lampshades, so I bought new ones at Walmart. They're kinda boring (bleah!), but my choices were limited.

Cost of project:

lamps, 2 for $7.50 each  $15

1 can of spray paint  $5.75 (including tax)

2 lampshades, 2 for $8 each  $18.40 (including tax)

Total cost $39.15 for both lamps.  I know that I could have bought cheaper, new lamps at Walmart - but these lamps have some heft and quality to them.  And they are exactly what I wanted.  

Isn't the silver penguin cute? He was a $2 thrift store find from 2014.

happy thrifting ;)

Thrift Store haul! Salvation Army four items for $15 sale!!

Hello friends!  Here is my haul from the Salvation Army's "buy four items for $15" sale.  So everything cost $3.75.  I found the pickings were kind of slim, but I managed to snaffle a few items.

This 2-piece top and bottom set counted as one item!! Hurrah.  It's a vintage, oversized shirt with elastic waist pants. I really liked the rugged look of the material.  I'm going to DIY this into a romper.

This snuggly sweater is by Elizabeth (a plus sized line from Liz Claiborne).  It pays to check *all* sections of a thrift store, including the plus sized section.

Love this grid patterned skirt.  It's midi length, wool, by Jones of New York. 

I wasn't keen on the frumpy length of this Lands End dress. But I loved the thick material!  I'll either shorten this, or chop off the skirt and use the material to make leggings.

Just a pretty sweater dress that I threw into my cart.  It's made of silk and cotton.  It's not terribly warm. I would wear it with leggings or cords, and layer another shorter sweater over top.

Bonus!  I found a few pairs of warm dress pants I can wear to work!! 

These Banana Republic pants were in mint condition (they are wrinkled because I washed them and haven't ironed them yet).  Sadly, they are linen.  I can't wear them till the summer.

I also picked up this cute scarf...love the colors!!

And!!  I found this metalisized, bag made from burlap...love it!!

happy thrifting ;)

Thift store haul! Salvation Army $2 sale!!

Brrr!  The temperature in Northwestern Ontario has dipped to -22 degrees Celcius (that's about -2 Fahrenheit).  All this chilly weather makes me yearn for warm weather. I want to wear sun dresses, sandals and light jackets.  But instead I have to stay bundled up in thick, warm layers so I don't freeze  ;(

The good news about this time of year is that people typically clean out their closets and the thrift stores are fairly bursting with good stuff.  I have had not one, but THREE great thrift hauls recently. The following haul was from the Salvation Army $2 sale (yup, everything was $2 each - great deal huh?).

I'm going to show you a closeup of this beaded, wool cardy by Talbots.  Its gorgeous lambswool (soo soft and warm), with impeccable beading.  This is a cropped sweater. I play to pair it with an untucked, long flowy shirt and jeans.  Or wear it at the office with a white blouse and a blush colored, midi-skirt.

(sorry again for the sideways pics,, Blogger you are not my friend)

I love lace tops. I think I may have far too many.  But this one from Van Heusen was absolutely gorgeous. 

This blazer had me when I spied the windowpane check pattern peeping out amongst all the other blazers.  It's a vintage CW blazer. It fits long and lean, reaching all the way past my butt.  I plan to pair it with a short, red plaid skirt.

I hemmed and hawed over this skirt.  I have far too many long skirts as it is...but this was is soooo wearable.  I love the colors and the patchwork print.  It's polyester (which I love) and it has fabulous buttons. I packed it away with my spring clothes....I can hardly wait until the weather warms up and I can wear it!!!

skirt closeup

 I love me a good blazer.  This blush colored blazer was just the right shade of pink.  It's a silk linen blend by Land's End. I think it's vintage because it has that looong 80's fit.  I think it will look FAB with the skirt (shown above), or shorts.  I wear blazers a lot...so this will get good use. I have to confess I own a LOT of blazers - so I really have to justify buying another one.  I also found the identical blazer in yellow.  I didn't buy it at first, but later on I went back and bought it - I couldn't stop thinking about it (yes I know, I have a problem).

A pair of charcoal, velvet jeans. I can wear these at the office. 

I adore it when I find clothing that still has the tags on it!!  This vintage wool skirt has never been worn. It's a little crumpled, but will look amazing once I steam it out.

closeup

This pair of Ellen Tracy dress pants were wayyy too small.  But I tried them on anyway and I was pleasantly surprised when they fit (yay vanity sizing!!).

These Levi's camo pants still had the tags on!!

Another pair of velvet pants - soo nice with a cozy warm sweater!!

  I really debated about buying this skirt.  It has a lot more color that I'm used to.  Then I said to myself, "what the heck, it's only $2".  Plus its a vintage Eaton's skirt...ah Eaton's, how I miss you!!

Well, a lot of this clothing is getting packed away for when Spring arrives.  I can hardly wait!!!  I hope you stay warm, thanks for tuning in.

happy thrifting ;)

Red is for love, thrifting finds

Here we are trudging through January 2015.  Lately the weather has alternated between mildly cold with soft fluffy snowflakes, and blistering cold.  I sigh when I read fashion blogs.  The women in those blogs can drape a coat over their outfit, while wearing high heels with cropped, tight pants.  If I were to do that, I'd get frostbite on my exposed ankles, or slip and fall on the snow and ice.

The good news is that I'm gearing up for Valentine's Day with these latest finds.  A cool, jet necklace with matching earrings (only the beads are crimson red instead of black), and 2 decorative boxes.

All these goodies set me back $10 at the Salv Army.

Then I found a whole whack of sewing notions. Some were quite old.  I snapped up some binding tape, and stretchy lace.

happy thrifting ;)

What I found thrifting ..vintage promo glass goodness

Lately the thrift store gods have been smiling on me.  I found these beauts in the housewares section.  It's like they were waiting for me. 

2 glasses from a set of six 7-Up glasses

These glasses were in MINT condition.  They looked like they were never used.  I snapped up all six of them.

Then I found....

More glass goodness!!

Two more promotional glasses!!!  With my 50% off coupon, the eight glasses came to $12.

These glasses went to youngest stepson.  He was sad because his beloved, Disney glass was chipped.  These glasses will replace it nicely.

happy thrifting ;)

When the going gets tough, the tough sew blocks!!

Happy New Year friends!!!  I hope that everyone in blogland had a restful and enjoyable holiday.  Here I am all bright-eyed and bushy tailed (hmmm, maybe it's all the caffeine).  And I'm fairly bursting with New Years goals (gosh, maybe I should start by finishing those late Christmas presents ;).

 

2014 was a good year, I'm hoping that 2015 will be even better.  Lately I've had a few poopy days - you know, where nothing seems to go right, and when everything seems against you.

 

So what do tough people do, when the going gets tough?

Erm, pardon the sideways pic.

 

 

 

Nothing vents steam like ironing :)

 

 

Log cabin blocks baby!!

You betcha...a couple of sessions cutting strips for log cabins, a couple of visits to the gym - where I rowed ferociously, and the rhythmic Zen-ness that is piecing and ironing.

Don't ever let life get you down.  Find something that you love, that is mindless and soothing (not TV) and JUST DO IT!!!

 

happy thrifting ;)

failure, Jacob's Tears

Hello friends!  Have you ever had a moment when you had to admit defeat?  Last week I experienced such a moment. After spending months lusting over a spectacular Jacob's Tears quilt, I decided to make my own.

I played with fabric and figured out my color scheme.

fabric

When I had a quiet moment, I cleared off the kitchen table (that was a feat in itself!) and started my calculations.

Hypotenuese

Despite my careful calculations, and allowances for diagonal seams, my pattern wouldn't draft properly, and I was left with this.

Argh!

So for the first time ever, I'm going to work from someone else's pattern.  I have given up trying to draft my own pattern.

I've asked Santa for a special quilting book this year.  I won't tell you the title yet.  Let's cross our fingers and hope that I was nice enough to get this book.  My intent is to read the pattern (and read the pattern all the way through, not just ooh and awww over the pictures), and diligently follow the pattern (which is going to be very tough for me).  

happy thrifting everyone ;)