Monday, February 27, 2012

Welcome Facebook

My blog has joined the Facebook world...finally! Of course, I visited Pinterest to find a witty visual:



To follow The Thrifty Picker on Facebook, look to your right and click Like---------------------------------------------------------------------->>>

Did you do it? Ok, great! I will be sure to keep my facebook page updated with my latest thrifted finds. There are so many pieces that don't make the blog! The Facebook page is also a place where I want YOU to show off YOUR best thrifted finds. You know, the ones that you can't wait to show to someone? Well, now you have a place where you know they will be appreciated and commented upon!

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Thrifted DIY

When you are thrifting, don't forget to look high and low. That's when you find the coolest stuff that others have overlooked. Case in point, this cool DIY Supergraphic System Kit from 1974 that I found tucked at the back of a bottom shelf at Goodwill!



What the heck is a super graphic you ask? Here are some visual representations of super graphics:



We all have that big, blank, canvas of a wall in our home that could use some livening up. Why not do a little DIY magic and fill up that area with a cool super graphic?



The Supergraphic System packaging boasts how 'simple' and 'fun' painting your own wall-sized super graphic can be with their boxed kit.




I don't know about 'simple' and 'fun' but this would sure look cool and would definitely leave one with a feeling of DIY satisfaction when done!

The painting part aside...Look at all of the cool furniture in the photographs on the box:



I totally want the white chair in the photo above!

What kinds of thrifted items have you found and used for projects around the house or yard?

Share your story below!
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Linking up with Her Library Adventures: Flea Market Finds and Apron Thrift Girl: Thrift Share Monday.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

New Arrivals To The 'Rex Family!

An update on the red Pyrex casserole I posted about a few weeks ago. The pattern is called Golden Poinsettia. My friend and fellow vintage lover, Becky, wants this Pyrex to find a new home. Her adorable little ones are very rambunctious and she is worried it may get broken. She is also getting ready to move. Becky understands my love for Pyrex and wants it to go to someone who will really appreciate it...and that is ME!

Here's a pic of the 'Rex's new home in my kitchen cabinet.



You will see a few different pieces here including my estate acquired Pyrex Sage Scroll casserole, the gigantic Golden Poinsettia Pyrex casserole, Royal China Blue Heaven saucers that my Granny gave me along with a matching yard sale found Fire King Blue Heaven oven dish, and finally the Spring Blossom oven dish that my mother gave me.



Not pictured are my primary red Pyrex fridgie and small yellow Pyrex mixing bowl.

What is your favorite Pyrex pattern or dish that you have acquired from friends or family?

Monday, February 20, 2012

How I Shop The Thrifts...Get In, Get Out

Tag-On Loft Dress
When I tell people I thrift for most, if not all of my clothes, most reply with~I just don't have the time to look at the thrifts. I can see where people might think this. Here is this big store with everything from clothes to cleaning supplies and items ranging from current to back from grandma's time. Why have to sort through all of it? Why not just go to the mall, right?

I say~just go! Go thrifting, park at the door, and have all of your favorite store brands under one roof, all on the cheap! No searching for mall parking, dealing with the crowds, and roaming from store to store to find the bargains.

Dana Buchman
We are all busy, so I have a couple of tips to get in and out of the thrifts...quick. 

If you are looking to get in and get out, ditch the cart. This allows you to maneuver easily in narrow aisles or crowded areas.

When I thrift for clothes, I do not flip through each hanger. Now, I know my fellow hard core thrifters are shaking their fingers at me, but I don't have the patience for this. Might I miss a bargain? Sure, but there is always next time.

For me personally, I skim and do an initial edit right at the rack. I walk up and down each aisle slowly, focusing on one side at a time. Think of the fabrics and colors you like and look for those as you skim. When you see something that fits your criteria, pull the garment off the rack and do what I call an initial edit. Check the arm pits for holes or stains and do the same for the rest of the garment. If there is *minor* piling and you have a fabric shaver, fine, but if it is anything beyond minor, put it back. Also, glance at the tag, are you willing to pay that price for this piece? If yes, it's going to the fitting room. If not, right back to the rack, why waste the time trying it on? Be brutal in your editing process. Now move on to the next piece!
Tag-On Express Trouser
 
Let's talk jeans. If you are looking for tag-on clothing, these can be the easiest to spot on jeans at the thrifts. How so, you ask? My friend Tina Shake over at We Sell On Ebay blog taught me to skim the racks while hovering above the hangers and looking downwards (I have to stand on my tip toes). This way you can easily spot the paper tags that they attach to the top of the waist band. And if that is missing, the original price tag that is attached to the label is also easy to spot. If you don't care about the tag-on part, then it is still easy because you know what wash you like right? Well, scan and look for your wash-type and that drastically narrows the field, then edit at the rack.

Need a dress? Dresses have their own section at the thrifts. Many only wear a dress a few times before donating it, so they are typically in excellent condition. I have found Diane Von Furstenberg for 8.99 and designer label Hilfiger for 5.99!

Now try on your fabulous finds. Again, be brutal! Did you find a tear? Does it not fit quite right? Ditch it! Even if it is only 99 cents. Friends, you can find clothing at the thrifts in perfect condition and sometimes even brand new, so there is no reason to settle for an item that doesn't fit quite right even if it is cheap.

Steve Madden
When to thrift? Any time that it will fit into your busy schedule. Have an hour lunch? Locate your nearest thrift and eat your sandwich on the way, then shop! Have time between work and that dinner with friends? Run to the thrift! Have kids? Hit the toy section first and let them pick out a toy to play with while you quickly skim the racks!

I hope this has inspired a few of you to visit your local thrift store. Trust me, the first time you find tag-on Dana Buchman or nearly-new Via Spiga on the cheap, I promise you will be hooked on the thrifts!
 
If you are new to thrifting, what questions do you have? If you are already a thrifter, share a quick tip to help new thrifters get started!
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Sunday, February 12, 2012

The Drought Is Over

There has been an estate sale and moisture drought here in the midwest. *gasp* Clearly this has ended! This is what it looked like outside the front door this last weekend....



And here is what I picked up at my first estate sale of the year!

This was the estate of a retired pharmacist. They clearly had good taste as when I arrived I was surrounded by Baccarat crystal, Lladro, and beautiful Regency-style decor. Although I appreciate all of the fancy-schmancy stuff, I really wanted to get into the kitchen and the basement. From my experience, the cool stuff is always located there!



The kitchen didn't disappoint. I scored these two vintage Pyrex casseroles WITH original lids. These beauties are mint green with a gold scroll design. Thankfully, the hubby was with me (I bribed him with a sushi dinner, that he paid for) because the first thing I picked up were the heavy casserole dishes and they are slippery suckers. So he tucked the big one under his arm like a football and promised not to drop it. I carried the smaller of the two. There was no way I was setting these up front while we shopped. I did that one other time and my finds were picked off.

Then it was on to the basement. There were a bunch of apothecary items. Apothecary is huge right now in the current and vintage markets. You can buy the 'look' at any Restoration Hardware, but I like the stuff with the story behind it. I passed on the cool bottles with stoppers and pestle/mortar combos. The apothecary was priced fairly but still to high for me.

Love the color of the medical mug and the fire red logo on the World's Fair mug. I would like to keep the blue one, but I have enough mugs to last me a lifetime. These will go in the Etsy shop.


I also found two NOS (new old stock) shelf liner rolls in cool retro pattens. They will be listed in the ebay store.

Not bad with the first sale of the year!  

What was your favorite thrifted find of this past weekend?

Friday, February 3, 2012

Yummy Pie Rex

Today I went to my friend Becky's house for a visit. She is getting ready to sell her house and has been cleaning, dumping, and organizing like crazy. She had mentioned to me on the phone that she found a few Pyrex pieces that I might enjoy seeing.

Becky also has a love for vintage, mostly glassware.

When I arrived, pleasantries were quickly exchanged and she eagerly led me up the stairs into her kitchen. On the way up she was commenting about the Pyrex she had found and she wasn't sure what I'd think about it, but wanted to show me anyway, etc., etc.

We walked into the kitchen and I about fell backward.

Check...out...this...amazing...PYREX!!!!!!!!!



Do you know where she found this lovely example of a Pyrex casserole? At the Goodwill for 7.99! Can you believe it. I mean, it even has the lid! How often do you come across something like this? Like, pretty much, never.




We were actually on our way to the Goodwill and I had brought my camera along to photograph stuff for the blog. So, I immediately took out my camera and started shooting pictures of this rare Pyrex. It is red, but in the light it has that wonderfully comforting pink Pyrex glow.



When I was done photographing, I cradled it like a baby and then gave it back...

Any idea what this Pyrex pattern is called?

UPDATE: THIS PATTERN IS CALLED GOLDEN POINSETTIA AND WAS A PROMO PIECE IN THE EARLY 60'S. 

Linked up with Apron Thrift Girl's: Thrift Share Monday...