Saturday, January 24, 2009

SECOND HAND BEAUTY

ROOM MAKEOVER IN THE WORKS!

When I was a little kid my dad loved Thrift Store shopping. On many occasion he would drag me along insisting I learn at least a little "something or other" about our town and just what it had to offer. I agreed to suffer through this torment because I loved spending time with him. Of course, as my father saw it, it was an adventure! Not at all the painful experience I considered it to be. I mean...POOR PEOPLE shopped at the "Second Hand Store" and that certainly wasn't us...at least I didn't THINK it was! I was simply NOT interested in bringing home anything used, worn, faded, ugly, dirty or worse yet, OUT OF STYLE. Every time I would tag along on one of his shopping excursions I would silently pray none of my friends would see me...

When I was 15 years old we moved from Southern California to Colorado Springs. It was there I learned for the first time that shopping at a JUNK STORE MIGHT have SOME advantages. I found a great Halloween Costume once and I'd dig for things like old posters, teen magazines and maybe a book or two (like my dad). I'd skip the endless racks of clothing, which included bejeweled sweaters with rhinestone buttons (somebody kill me PLEASE) and concentrate mostly on silly things to decorate my tiny bedroom. The stores were routinely filled with vintage millinery hats (I truly want to die here) which included fabulous florals and pretty silk roses. I never gave them a second-hand thought! And, I hate to even mention the authentic French and Shabby Chic furniture piled high... row after row of it, too! Passed by every bit of it. In my defense, it was the 70's and no one (at least no one I knew anyway) wanted any of that old stuff.

My how things change! This FIRST place I venture out these days for anything kind of shopping are the Thift Stores and Second Hand shops here in Oklahoma City! We have TONS of them and I'm quite certain I know where ALL of them are. Gotta love that Nuvi (GPS)! Estate Sales and Tag Sales are EQUALLY worthy of my time.
MY GARAGE SALE FIND
Above is a picture of a small table I picked up for only $4. Charming, isn't it? I cleaned it up just a bit and painted it my favorite Cottage White! Yum! Another treasure for my newly redecorated guest room (the table is shown in the picture at the top, too!)! Come back soon to see the four poster bed I snagged for $25 bucks last spring! It hails from 1961 (printed on the back) and is solid wood. Simply amazing and perfect for my makeover...

Yes, I do get a little sick when I think back upon my early days of salvage shopping and all the fabulous finds I ignored... My only consolation comes from being able to successfully shake loose any temptation to shop "NEW" first. Never, ever again!

Would love to hear about your greatest finds...

Blessings...Rebecca

7 comments:

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

What a lovely pale pink blog you have! I'm happy to have found it.

I love pink, and really prefer pale pink. So you can see why your blog looks so pretty to me. :-)

Aunt Amelia
"Whatever improves the lace and makes it more beautiful is right." ~ Sister Judith

Anonymous said...

I love you Blog and it is so so pretty
Hello from New Zealand

My Pink & Cream Cottage said...

Rebecca isn't it so much fun to go bargain hunting. Where I live although it is called a hum *City* it only has about 5 thrift shops, mainly clothes, so when I do manage to find a great piece of furniture I am over the moon. I found a piece very much like your one above which I also painted white & is now My daughter Taska's bed side table. Looking forward to seeing your guest room completed.

Oh & thank you so much for the birthday wishes, would love to give you a cuddle back, sweet Lady.

Lyn xxx

Anonymous said...

Sweet ~r~..
This re-do is simply gorgeous, and again ever so sweet and cottagey.. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this door.. What a find that was.. You do everything so perfectly..Each room you do, is just over the top.. Your blog beats looking through any magazine ever...Fabulous pictures you create..A stylist too ?! Just amazing..Keep up the Beautiful work you do !! Makes me kinda dream.. Thanks for sharing.. Blessings to you and Mr. Steve.. He's quite incredible too.. Only love to you.. ~t~xo

Mary H said...

Rebecca..I was chuckling through this story. It reminded me so much of my younger days as well. To think we past by all those pretty things and didn't know it and really didn't want anything to do with places like that. (I'm laughing!) I can remember my mother wanting so much for me to go out to the thrift shops and snag a bargain with her. I was so not interested, I too thinking there couldn't possibly be anything there I would want or let alone need. A few years ago when I was popping into thrift stores on my way to her house, she commented that "you finally got the bug". Now when I find something that really stands out, as special, my heart starts to beat a little fast and I just have to pick it up and analyze the item...this happened recently with a piece of authentic barkcloth (1950's) I found in wonderful condition. I couldn't buy it quick enough and look at it back at home.
Such is life...now I reminisce and long for those days. Simplier times and always happy.
~Enjoying your beautiful blog~...Hugs to you, Mary

Orphaned Decor said...

I am so happy to have found your blog. I have spent hours looking at your gorgeous items on ebay. I will be back. Leslie

Karen said...

Rebecca - are you sure you're not my long lost twin sister or something. Your thrift shopping sounds so much like what my children and I used to do only my children saw it as an adventure and loved it. They loved it when I would try on way out of fashion wool coats with fur trims. The Lord always provided the perfect thing for them too.
On my 'Handpainted Furniture' bloggy, I have many of the pieces of furniture I have retrieved from junk tips or auctions and garage sales - might like to take a look. Your little piece on this post reminded me of one of my pieces. thanks again for your beautiful blog.

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