Tips for Thrift Store Shopping

Ivy's Tips for Thrift Store Shopping

1. Buy it only if you really want it. Just because it's cheap doesn't mean you should get it. You don't want to clutter up your house.

2. Sniff test- musty smells are usually there to stay.

3. Keep a mental list (or actual list) of items you have and are looking for. (ex. If you have a skirt that needs a shirt) Don't buy things you will have trouble matching.

4. Inspect clothing for rips, stains and broken zippers before buying them!

5. Books! There are so many good ones at the thrift stores and for so cheap! HOWEVER......remember - the Library is FREE!!! So only buy books you want to own, unless you don't mind spending and tossing or giving away.

6. Remember you can spray paint anything and it will be cute. Not really, but it seems that way.

7. Know the retail value of things. Not everything at the thrift store is a good deal!!

8. Know the thrift store's sale schedule!

9. Donating and buying from thrift stores supports Good Causes and is a way of Recycling! So you're doing a good deed and having fun!

10. Don't take your friends with you. They will want to buy all the good stuff you find. Just kidding!. Thrifting with a friend is fun!
11. Don't be a snob. So it's used...get over it. You can always wash it. 

USE IT UP, WEAR IT OUT, MAKE DO, OR DO WITHOUT!

                       Image from Google images                                                                             

Teachers Appreciated

Teachers are wonderful.



That's why I didn't mind finishing up 30 more of the 62 clipboards we mod podged
 for teacher appreciation week.

That and because I got to sit and watch about 6 episodes of "24"...
...the show I'm currently addicted to on Netflix, while I finished them up.

Jack is about to take down the terrorists single handedly while being hunted by his own people for going rogue. But he HAD to go rogue, because he's the only one who knows what's really going on, and the only one brave (or crazy) enough to do fix it!
Am I right?

 And the clipboards turned out pretty cute. 
If I do say so myself.

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to all you teachers out there.
Thank you!

LOVE this kid

I love this kid.


I wish he'd never grow up. 

 

 

Black and White and Blue (for a girl)

Owen's Kindergarten teacher is having a baby girl.
In fact if she doesn't have it this weekend, her last day is this Monday.

 

We went with a girly black, white and blue instead of the traditional PINK.



Some of the fabric (the Blue one and the black,white and grey butterflies)
I found at the thrift shop.
50 cents per piece!

So again...pretty cheap quilt.

And this one went together even faster than the the squares!! 

 When the front was put together, I ended up with a too-small piece for the back.
I had to get creative and add a little blue. 

Spring and Swings

I love the Spring weather.
Here we are at the park.....

I love the park!

Jumping....

You should see the landing.
 OUCH!
 I had to teach him to turn his hands around so his elbows face out.
 Makes for a smoother jump.

Still not super confident and brave.

But we're getting there. 

Baby Boy Quilt-Stars and Squares?

Here's a quilt I put together in only a couple of hours
for a baby boy to be born sometime in June...

Okay...so maybe longer with all my indecision and rearranging factored in.

 

I bought the stars and the "squares" fabrics together a long time ago.
 I didn't really have much of either one of them so I never knew what to do with them.

They were just fat quarters-or should I say "overweight" quarters?
What would be the PC thing to call them?

Anyway, I finally figured out I should just add some neutral-ish fabrics to go with them.
Make them stretch...
That gingham and tan with tiny blue stars have been in several other quilts I've made.




Even the back fabric is a flannel I've had for a while.
I was sort of surprised how cute it went with the front.

I still love those cute stars.
So glad I finally used them.

 And since I had all the fabric and even the batting, it cost me nothing!
(Well, nothing at the time. I guess I bought everything once upon a time...)

Anyway, it was a fun one to give away.

My friend was very happy with it.

Turns out the quilt is the same colors as the crib set she just bought.

I'm psychic that way.

Dying Easter Eggs

Okay, so I'm not one of those bloggers who dyes Easter eggs and blogs about it 5 minutes later.
It takes me forever to get pictures off my camera.

Thus, here are some pictures of a totally OVER holiday.
Is that even okay in the blogger world?

At this point, I am happy to say that we even DID dye eggs.
We don't do it every year.

But I don't know why not.
It's so easy. Food coloring, vinegar, water. And eggs, of course.
 And my kids love hard boiled eggs.
Especially deviled.
(Don't ask for pictures of those! I can't seem to peel an egg nicely to save my life. Although, I doubt a nicely peeled egg would ever save anyone's life. Unless you were some cook with a mean boss.
"Peel that egg nicely or I will KILL you!" ...not likely.)

Oh and a white crayon to draw some designs. 

I thought this taupe and blue one turned out pretty.
It probably wasn't the color she was going for, but it turned out pretty and so en vogue. :)

 Mickey!

 

That's a nice yellow.

and Mike Wazowski...

Pretty.




It was fun. 

 

The end.