"Creative" Thrifting

On my recent trip to visit my daughter in upstate New York...

we had so much FUN...THRIFTING!

I can't seem to find anything in thrift stores where I live, and pretty much gave up on the idea...UNTIL

My daughter began to tell me of all the neat things she was finding. SO the ADVENTURE began...

I found these very nice OLD FASHION perfume bottles at a yard sale we decided to stop by at a moments notice! $1.00 I love them. I never realized how nice they are to use. Instead of spraying yourself and choking! You dab the little tip..LIKE A LADY..on your wrist. The cute little dish...all by itself just grabbed my attention. What a perfect place to hold my favorite earrings and pins.

I also found this nice burlap tote .25 cents...have no idea what the "I'm Appreciated" is for..but nice to feel you are when you carry it!! Wooden handles too.



Then I happened upon this MEMORY maker... an OLD...dated 1923!!! can you believe this! for $1.00 a old timey EGG BEATER..just like my Grandmother used! It instantly brought back memories of being with her in the kitchen. It now hangs on my wall with my other "tools of the trade". (for looks-it is a bit rusty)



..the cute pitcher I found at the base thrift store .75 cents ...along with this cute basket .25 cents (that conveniently now holds my vitamin jars..hidden...on my kitchen counter!...and this lovely piece of fabric that caught my daughter's eye..I was so HAPPY ...I collect French looking fabrics and this was .25 cents!! a quarter yard of fabric!!! (the large wooden spool..was a gift from my daughter as a festival in a nearby town)






Now onto a REAL...THRIFT STORE!!



Is this not a PERFECTLY...challenging name! I was ready for the ADVENTURE..or as my daughter in law says..the THRILL of THE HUNT!

My eldest grand daughter didn't want to come along, so I asked what she'd like Nana to find her...OH A PINK PURSE..please! VOILA...

Perfect condition..and toooo CUTE!!

Little Beebers...found a nice black ladies purse for her collection of lip gloss!

One thing I told my daughter...I wish I could find..was a cloche like hers on a wooden stand. As soon as we walked into...IMPOSSIBLE DREAM..it was there ONE by itself on a shelf at the door!

LOOK MOM!! there you go

!

Then on my HUNT..I found these adorable salt and pepper shakers, written in GERMAN! (my heritage)..and the little white soap dish (now in my bathroom) I needed one! I also collect little white pitchers (great for syrup or sauces)

Then to my total SURPRISE...my daughter comes up to me with the rust colored jumper and black LINEN jumper to see if I like them...(me wondering..if they will even fit?




Wonder of wonders...fit perfectly! and in perfect condition!

The black linen jumper was $2.00.....ready for this..ON SALE..at IMPOSSIBLE DREAM for $1.00!!!

I think...I reeeeely like THRIFTING....and being CREATIVE with my little stash I had!!

Total spent at IMPOSSIBLE DREAM... $4.00

It's fun to $ave and also know that you can be creative with a few dollars!!

What a fun...adventure!

Blessings
HOPE

Easy, Fun...Dishtowel APRON!

I made this recently as a gift for a very special friend..I met for the first time in person! Not only is she a fellow blogger, but a friend of my daughter's!

It was so much FUN...to watch an ordinary dish towel turn into a CUTE apron! ....and sooo usable!!! You can actually wipe your hands on this apron!

I took LARGE white rick-rack to border the edges. I also added the same rick-rack under the waist band as shown above and below.




I took some "country check" fabric I had to make the waistband/ties, folding over to make a clean edges on BOTH sides...as shown in the photo.





This is how the back looks with finished edges...I liked how the large rick-rack made a nice little scalloped trim on the front..but on the back a cute full rick-rack looking trim.






To finish off the tie edges I used an embroidery design from my sewing machine card.




I rolled the apron and placed it in a nice basket with this Rooster card that I thought was so Fun with the real feather!






I added also some apple potpourri, a handmade crocheted dishcloth and this cute "FRIEND" stuffed pillow hanging on the outside.



Turned out my friend (Jessica....made me
HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE!!!



Please visit her blog to view her talented card making and scrap booking ideas!!

I thought that was so neat that we both gave each other similar gifts...Homemade and APPLES!

I hope you enjoy the quick tutorial and idea and fun being creative with dish towels..I know I plan to make many more to come.

Here's my daughters...I turned this dish towel long ways and added pockets..I loved how this towel already had a crocheted trim...I added the black and white polka dot fabric border...cute button and used wide sage green gross grain ribbon for the ties...tied at the side with a big bow.(the button did match the ribbon..the color of the ribbon in the pic doesn't show well) I used ribbon three times the width of the dish towel. To make it tie on the SIDES..make sure you sew it as such with the longer tie sewn for ONE side.




Enjoy!
HOPE