Goodwill Marketplace

I have been reading about centers where all the thrift store items go when they don't sell.  I was excited to go and check it out and my son and I went on Tuesday morning.  I have to say I didn't like it.  Too crowded everywhere.  First off the parking lot was like an ant hill, I was really afraid of door dings.  We parked a few parking lots over and walked, still optimistic.   Bins full of clothes that people had purchased auction style were all over the outside of the building and all over the parking lot too.  We made it inside to the buy-by-the-pound area and it was a room full of troughs full of clothes and shoes.   Just messy piles going this way and that.   I didn't like it.    I was disappointed, I had thought it would be fun and I couldn't wait to get out of there.   I like the shopping aspect of the thrift stores and yard sales and this didn't feel like that so much.  No offense for those who like it but it just wasn't my cup of tea.  And at 2.49 a pound I can actually get better deals on 1.00 days at the Salvation Army and at yard sales.   Take a look at some of my recent finds.  

This Coach tattersall scarf I found for 3.99.   It's wool and cashmere and is so pretty.  An authentic similar  wool/cashmere Coach scarf retails for 178.00.   I don't know if it is authentic but it is pretty anyway and is so soft and comfy.  I did check out a website on authenticating Coach and it matches up pretty well.

I picked up this cute 3/4 sleeve jacket with pretty covered buttons and stand up collar from Coldwater Creek for 1.00.   I don't think it's ever been worn.

I recently found this messenger bag purse at a yard sale for 1.00.  It has an old world map on it.  Very cute!

At the Salvation Army I picked up this really cute studded suede belt by Calvin Klein for 3.99!

At Goodwill I found this brand new BORN sandals for 5.99.  I love BORN shoes and boots they are so comfortable.  Here in SoCal close to the beach you can pretty much wear sandals year round if you want to and nobody looks at you funny : )   A similar sandal retails on the BORN website for 70.00.

I'm keeping my eye out for a jean jacket, a velvet jacket in a jewel tone and Motherhood Maternity clothes!!  Both of my nieces are pregnant and I have already found them both several pieces.  You wear them such a short time and some of them are really cute nowadays.     What are you on the look out for???

Our Community Garage Sale and the 99 cent store

Last weekend there was a community garage sale and a lot of homes participated.   I love to go to garage sales but having them is another thing altogether (I don't like to) so I was perfectly happy to go around and shop.  My good friend went with me and we both came back with some treasures.  First of all, I have been needing a new phone.  I bought two new phones at Target a while back and have basically been having problems with both of them, they didn't last too long.  I like just a regular old phone, not the electronic, digital types that are all over now.    I found this dark green phone and picked it up for 2.00.  Cleaned it up and it works perfect and is just what I wanted.   It even matches with the new color I put on my walls, kind of a teal color.  I try to use my home phone when I am home instead of a cell, I try not to have the cell phone up to my head all day as I worry about what is shooting out of it into my head.  I am still looking for the old fashioned rotary desk phones.  I have seen them on ebay but they are kind of pricey, I just know I will eventually thrift one or find one at an estate sale.  I can wait : )

I found a brand new with the tags still on it, Starbucks Bodum coffee press!  I had a coffee press a while back and the decanter glass got broken.  I was looking at this exact one at Starbucks but it was 39.95 and I just wasn't willing to pay that much.   I usually buy my coffee made to go at Starbucks but it is nice to have something at home too.   Got this for 5.00.

  

I picked up all of this pretty jewelry for 3.00.   For the whole lot!   The chunky chain necklace had a boutique price tag on it for 29.00 and I paid .50 cents for it.   These statement necklaces are so popular right now, it is a good way to try a new trend and not spending a lot of money.

I really liked this cool looking bangle bracelets too, studded bracelets aren't just for punk rockers anymore and these have a much more grown up look in the pretty gold tone.  .50 each!

A really pretty turquoise bead bracelet, .50 cents.        I love the rhinestone owl, it reminds me of necklaces my mom wore in the 60's!  I think it will look great to dress up plain sweaters or turtle necks.

                                    This native inspired stretchy cuff bracelet, .50cents!  Who knew our native style and southwestern patterns would become so trendy?  I've seen some really nice dresses in southwestern fabric that I need to have : )

Then for a stop on over to the 1.00 bins at Target, such a fun place to browse.  I got rat sillouettes to run across the bottom of my front door, some really pretty, glittery halloween stickers for envelopes and four really cute handmade looking Halloween cards.  Also picked up some orange hair pieces for Halloween night for 1.00 too,  have some already but needed a few more.  The ones I have a paid 8.00 a piece for at the beauty supply.  1.00 sound a lot better so we'll see if they are any good.  I do a kind of queen of halloween type of made up halloween costume and but orange pieces in my dark hair and it looks pretty cool : )

At the .99 cent store I picked up Halloween costumes for my doggies, much to their dismay, look at their faces!  The orange one I kind of made of from little girl costume stuff, I tutu in orange, fairy wings and the pumpkin headband for a total of 3.00.   The little witch costume on my min pin Spike was a packaged costume with a cape and a hat.  I think they look really cute.  My Mister wasn't too pleased to see the boy dogs dressed up but I think they look cute and it's only once a year!

Last is our scarecrow/pumpkin head family we put out in the yard.  The pumpkin heads and the strobelights inside the heads are from the .99 cent store and we used old clothes we had around the house.   Usually I buy a haybale from the local feed store to stuff all the bodies but they have closed down unfortunately and so since we were trimming the trees and bushes in our yard anyway, we used the trimmings to stuff the bodies and it worked out really well.   I'd say that was pretty thrifty, saved 15.00 on the hay bale and a lot less hay splinters!

Thrifty Finds for Friday!

Today I stopped in the Salvation Army.    It was so crowded!!   Thrifting is really getting out there.  They were having 50% off all clothes.   I didn't find anything I wanted even at 50% in clothes.   This particular one, I seem to have a lot of luck with shoes.  It's funny how, some stores I have better luck with different items.   Anyway, I found this pair of brand new Sofft sandals, red patent leather, never been worn.  these sandals retail for about 50.00 so they were a great deal for 7.99!  They are so comfortable.  

 Then, I found these Clark's for my mom.   These retail for around 120.00 and these are in great shape, practically new.  They look like they've been worn maybe 2-3 times only.   Nothing a little Lysol and Rubbing Alcohol won't fix.  They don't have toe marks or heel marks or anything on the pads.   Nice.  I'm always on the look out for particular brands for her as she has been having problems with her feet and the doctor said no more cheap shoes!  These cost me 6.99.

Then I went by one of my favorite stores, the Lutheran High School Thrift Store.   I found this great grey blazer, it is lightweight and very comfortable.  .50 cents.

 Then I found another nice shirt for my 13 year old, a nice long sleeved t-shirt by Billabong, one of his favorite brands, 2.00.  We're not ready for long sleeves yet but we'll get there!

 This cute little blue shirt is by Tony Hawk (skatewear) and I got it for my little nephew Max.  1.00.

 I was lucky to find this brand new maternity top for my niece for .25 cents!  It's by Motherhood which is not inexpensive : )

Not pictured because I already loaded them into my car player, I got four cds for .25 cents each.   Mary Chapin Carpenter, The Pointer Sisters, Bob Seger and Travis Tritt.  All four were unscratched and in their original plastics!  Yay!

Well that's it for now, there is church rummage sale nearby that starts today at 4:00pm, I will probably swing by and check that out after I pick up my 13 year old from school.   You know he's going to love that!  : |  And that will be it for the weekend!   We are going to the Rodeo and Western Days tomorrow with friends.  Happy Thrifting and Happy Weekend to all!