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