We Came. We Saw. We Thrifted.

"Susie" by Goddard, Museum Print Edition

This past Tuesday, I decided that I needed an entire day of thrifting. So after mapping out a trip to three thrift stores in the Souderton and Montgomeryville area, I  hit the roads with a friend and without a budget in mind.

The first stop was The Care and Share, which is literally a shopping plaza of thrifting. Each thrift store within is conveniently divided by departments. Of course we browsed the books and oohed and ahhed at the vintage furniture.

But it was in the variety thrift shop of The Care and Share that I scored this lovely "Susie" print which now sits atop my dresser.

6 records. SIX. Guess how much! 

I'm not sure I can decide on my favorite find of the day, but I can definitely pinpoint the cheapest. I salvaged this vinyl playlist from the Care and Share Thrift Outlet, where ya gotta dig for the treasures:

24 Groovy Greats LP

Blondie: Autoamerican LP

Iron Butterfly: In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida LP

Carole King: Music LP

The Kinks: Low Budget LP

Stevie Nicks: The Wild Heart LP

All six albums for $1.50!!!

Ooooooh, a pretty peacock.

The cheapest find of the day did have a close contender. While I love, love, love this turquoise necklace and bracelet set from the Salvation Army, this skeleton key tray was one hella cool find...on sale for 39 cents!

Like my newly acquired vintage art, this tray is staying right on my dresser. 

Now, isn't that dreamy? 

I wasn't necessarily looking to spruce up my dresser, but that's exactly what happened. What I was really hoping to find was a nice addition to my Spring wardrobe. But instead I got a pile of tunes, a colorful costume jewelry set, vintage decor and... 

Freud for me and The Doors is a gift.

...a few good books. I rested my favorite coffee mug on top, which wasn't thrifted but a thoughtful gift that I love. 

I scored all this stuff when I was just looking for some clothes. But considering the quality of the haul and the teensy weensy price tags, I'm quite satisfied. 

Vintage "Susie" print: $2.25

Six assorted LPs: $1.50

Turquoise peacock necklace with matching bracelet: $5.00

Skeleton key tray: .39 

Paperback books: $3.00

Three yards of vintage fabric: $3.25

Wait a second. Where did the vintage fabric with the floral print go? Has anyone seen the fabric I bought for my photo backdrop? 

Oh, there it is! 

Silly rabbit, vintage is for thrifters. 

Well, my sister's dwarf bunny, Coco, has taken over my vintage fabric. I guess she's entitled. It is almost Easter, after all. 

What have you conquered from the thrift store?

A Pinch of This & A Dash of That

Asian inspired tofu salad. Nom Nom Nom.

I know this post may seem like more than a slight departure from my typical secondhand scores and thrift philosophy, but I simply had to share. 

If you recall from my last post, my springtime to-do list included a desire to eat less junk. So in my quest to  eat fresh, health-conscious meals, I made this tasty creation.

I started with firm tofu drained and cubed and I pan fried it in sriracha and light soy sauce. I added tiny slivers of dried apricot, a bit of scallions and just a sprinkling of crushed raw almonds for crunch. Sweet, savory and a bit spicy. Yum yum.

Hey. Whhhhhooo is that eyeing up my dinner?

After browning the tofu, I removed the mixture from the heat and stuck it in the fridge to cool a bit while I prepared the greens. Just the ordinary lettuce, mushrooms, tomatoes, carrots. But with that asian tofu fry on top... Perfection!

And if you notice from my little pair of kitchen onlookers, I had some help creating the meal.

After all, where would be without the salt and pepper?

Basic seasonings in adorable shakers! 

As luck would have it, I recently won these kitchen cuties from the lovely Shannon from The Recycle-ista. Thank you again, Shannon! 

So with my new owls to watch over me, I have officially embarked on the journey toward   healthier eating. 

Apricots, almonds and scallions. Oh my! 

And with ingredients like these...that are as satisfying as they are aesthetically pleasing...it shouldn't be all that hard. 

What's cooking with you? 

Stepping Into Spring...Sort Of

Spring has officially sprung. While the sun has been shining,  the contradictory chill in the air is quite deceiving. I'm not convinced that this whole spring thing isn't a total sham. 

Believe it or not, we're expecting a bit of snow this afternoon here in Philadelphia. It's a pity too. I was just getting hyped for prepping my garden,  breaking a sweat on an afternoon power walk and scavenging through mounds of flea market treasures on Saturday mornings. 

I suppose I have some time to anticipate the spring weather I've so sorely missed. Perhaps this time would be best served considering a few things I'd like to accomplish this season.

• I will take more pleasure in the little things in life. A good cup of coffee, a smile from a stranger who passes me by, leisurely reading.
• Speaking of leisurely reading, I must make more space on my bookshelves for my list of to-reads that I hope to serendipitously find at the thrift. Time to donate! 
• I would really love to assemble a respectable spring wardrobe. While this will take time and patience in piecing together thrifted finds, I think I can make it happen.
• Make some kind of summer vacation plan happen. I am a fan of the budget vacation and would be happy with just a few day trips here and there. But my dream vacation would involve me and my likeminded friends in a VW minibus traversing the annals of roadside Americana. The biggest ball of string. Rundown wax museums from decades past. Hokey traveling carnivals. You get the picture.
• I am making it a point of cooking something nutritious every day. Too much of my so-called diet consists of boxed, bagged, frozen or canned convenience meals. And no matter how lean these foods claim to be, nothing beats something fresh and homemade. 

Believe me. I could make a list that could include all of the personal, if not completely trivial things that I need to do....but no one needs to know that I have to organize my sock drawer. So, I better get cracking. The impending warmth of spring will soon lure me outdoors, never to been seen in the workplace again. If only.

Oh, and as for enjoying the little things, I bet you are wondering what's going on with that photo. Isn't that just the sweetest? This was a DIY tabletop decor from the baby shower of a green-centric friend who had the thrifty idea to use tiny secondhand children's shoes as planters. So adorable! I had to bring one home as a souvenir. That's little and I enjoyed it greatly. Can I cross that off the list? 

What would put more spring into your step this season?