Then Again...

Where Were We?

I suppose this post has been a long time coming. But if you're still here, I'm still making firsthand observations on secondhand shopping. I'm still living with my significant other, our goofball dog-son and curmudgeonly turtle-daughter in the exotic lands of New Jersey. I'm an aunt to a pair of adorable nephew nuggets, and I am incredibly lucky to have my family so close by. 

In the time of lockdowns and social distancing, our notion of proximity has become drastically altered. Where we are now, where we have been, where we are going--these philosophical considerations have become quite literal. People have lost their lives, others have lost their livelihoods. Businesses have closed, some permanently. The workforce that remains is tired and in dire straights. Where we choose to spend our time and our dime is important, perhaps now more than ever.

Local businesses need our commerce...and our patience. Having worked within the customer service industry for over two decades, I can safely say that this pandemic has brought out the best in some people, and the overwhelming worst in others. Threats of physical violence, intentional exposure to possible contamination, verbal harassment, hoarding supplies, fights, theft. It was truly a disheartening scene...a scene reenacted...Every.Single.Day. 

As businesses make strides toward recovery, they face low stock due to manufacturing shortages, delivery delays due to fewer drivers, and a skeleton crew of employees on the payroll.  There's no quick fix, no easy answer. Liveable wages and healthcare benefits are the main concerns...but can smaller businesses afford to compete with say, the behemoth that is Amazon? 

Without politicizing and without a dissertation in business management, all I can say is what I've always said: Shop locally, at independently-owned businesses whenever feasible. And wherever you find yourself: shop politely and shop patiently. We all know where we were. Maybe we'll get to whatever "normalcy" means again. But where we are now in this "unprecedented time," we need to be conscientious shoppers and conscientious human beings.

When Were We?

Yesteryear, free-swimming in the warm and welcoming waves of nostalgia. Well, you could be. Just head on out to your local flea market, or scope out the most populated real estate for yard sales. Maybe you're hesitant to make your way back to thrift stores just yet and that's okay. All the old junk, miscellany, bric-a-brac, knick-knacks, and more are waiting for you when you're ready. 

I love unconventional planters. Don't you?

My re-entry to the secondhand scene has been mostly by way of antique malls. Etsy has also been a great comfort when secondhand shopping in-store was no longer possible. Even now, when stores have re-opened, I often find myself too exhausted from the daily grind to visit them as often as I would like. And to that end, ShopGoodwill.com has been a valuable resource. I'm eyeing up several auctions as I type this post. 

In a week's time, I'll be on my annual autumn vacation. And hopefully, by then it will feel more like fall so I can go thrifting with a chill in the air and an obligatory Pumpkin Spice Latte in hand. On my thrifting wishlist: Darkwash boyfriend cut jeans, a warm-toned kimono or open cardigan, vintage books on folklore, and maybe a garden gnome. (I know, I know. This list is way too specific, but I can dream).

Until next time, I wish you all a happy and healthy October. Please, please, please get vaccinated. And then get out there and thrift yourself something to celebrate. 

How I'm Getting Crafty This Christmas...With Just $10

This piece of holiday decor just has...a little TOO MUCH Christmas going on. 

A few weeks ago I hit up a few thrift stores in hopes of finding some fun fashion, and maybe a few pieces of thriftspiration for the upcoming holiday season. And for under $20 total, I came home with a few bags of decor and more. A few of those finds are saved for upcoming posts. but this particular piece is something I can feature in all of its merry detail. 

Overall I like the shape, or what I can see of it under the heavy-handed application of faux poinsettias. The candles though...a little dated. And all together...it's a little...much. Okay, a lot of much. It's just too much. 

But the key to thrifting for anything, whether it's fashion, furniture, or even holiday decor...is to see the item beyond its current state. 

Look at any secondhand item with an open mind. See it not just for what it is, but for what it COULD be. 

The first thing I had in mind was to swap out these dated trumpeting angels with something simpler. To me, the shiny brass of the tree is elegant enough that it doesn't need two gigantic glass candles flanking its sides. It's time to tone down the Christmas and to bring this holiday castaway into the 21st century. 

After a quick trip to Michael's Craft Store for some supplies to make my creative Christmas vision a reality, I busted out the hot glue gun. That's all it took...a hot glue gun, scissors, and just a bit of burlap. 

Simple. Modern. 

And there it is! My too-much Christmas decoration, modernized and re-imagined. Two white taper candles (cut down a few inches to not dwarf the tree) and a garland of faux pine needles from Michael's...a total of about $6. 

After cutting the candles to size, I glued them to a small square of burlap, and glued both to the candle holsters. I also used a tiny glob of hot glue to hold the ring of garland in a circle around the base of the tree. That's it! I love, love, love how the garland is light enough to not overpower the piece like the poinsettias had been. Because the base of the tree is actually very pretty. 

$4 for the Goodwill rescue piece and $6 for the supplies (with garland to spare)...this $10...and ten minute up-cycle is a Christmas miracle! 

There's so much holiday spirit at Let's Go Thrifting headquarters that I can't even squeeze it into a single blog post. So stay tuned for more ho-ho-ho-liday thrifting magic...AND for a special crafting post featuring Grafix Shrink Film! 

How are you getting crafty this Christmas?

Teeny, Tiny Secondhand Treasures: Our $5 Christmas Tree

Small in stature, but quite festive!

I'm not going to lie. This year, I've found it really difficult to get into the Christmas spirit. I'm not being a Scrooge, or at least I'm not trying to be one. You can just chalk it up to poor timing I guess. As the the temperatures in the Philadelphia area are fluctuating between 40-70 degree temperatures, my body is responding in a chaotic fashion. I'm just beginning to feel better following a nasty bout of Bronchitis. But I'm still contending with the muscle spasms and nerve pain from the Fibromyalgia, all the while averaging 3-4 hours of sleep a night. In short, my mind might want to fa-la-la-la-la right up to the 25th of December. But my body is saying bah humbug.

But I'm trying to keep spirits bright. All of the gifts have been purchased---and most of them have been wrapped. I even decided on getting a tree, despite the tight budget from lost time at work when I was sick. During one of my infamous Target trips---an ordeal which my boyfriend, James, can attest is an aimless cart filling of everything from jars of olives and cleaning products, to socks and craft supplies---I found just what I needed. A perfectly sized tree for two people, with no kids, and just a little money to spend. 

At first glance the tree was far too skinny, and rather limp looking. But that was until I realized the branches were bendable. Perfect! And just look at the rustic burlap-wrapped base. 

Who doesn't love garland?

Finding the perfect ornaments was crucial. I got lucky in finding a roll of slender gold colored garland at Five Below, which was the perfect size to wrap around our little Charlie Brown tree. 

And at first I tried using the smallest of the standard-sized ornaments that I could find. But it just wasn't right. So imagine my surprise and delight when I found an unopened box of vintage gift box ornaments at the thrift! Not only are they in perfect proportion to our tree, but the gold ribbon on the gift wrap matches the gold garland I already had. Score!

Vintage gift ornaments = adorable. 

Tree: $3, Target.

Garland: $1, Five Below

Vintage Gift Ornaments: $1, Goodwill 

So what if I spent more on the poinsettia for the kitchen wall cutout than the tree? I'm trying to be festive damn it!

I can't wait until Christmas Eve, when James and I will leave our gifts for each other under the tree. And by "under the tree," I mean we will literally stack the gifts on the dining room table and put the tree on top. Technically, that's under the tree, right?

Rummage-O-Rama: The Goodwill Outlet of Bellmawr, NJ

We shall pillage and we shall plunder. 

Following the complete flop that was last week's New Jersey thrift trip, I was hesitant to venture yet again to the Garden State for my secondhand fix. But I just knew it would be different this time around. So with friends in tow, we took to the Interstate and landed at the Goodwill Outlet. Each grabbing our own over-sized cart, we breathed in that familiar musky aroma of old and readied ourselves for some rummaging. 

Now, if you've never been to a Goodwill Outlet, there are a few things to know from the very beginning. 

1. Short of a few pieces of furniture and individually priced books, this is a by-the-pound operation. 99 cents a pound, that is!
2. Nothing is organized. It's just rows and rows of rolling totes filled with unsorted donations. 
3. Stock is replenished either as-needed or on an hourly basis.
4. When that stock is replenished, shit gets crazy. 

I find it's best knowing these key pieces of information beforehand, as to not be knocked flat on your ass by the thought of being elbow-deep in a pile of unsorted miscellany, or to not be LITERALLY knocked flat on your ass when the crowd of thrift shoppers pounces on the new merchandise being rolled onto the sales floor. 

Of course I warned my friends of this, especially since they had children with them. I mean, there's nothing worse than losing a kid in a pile of donations, or in a stampede of secondhand shoppers---Am I right? 

After fair warning, we began the rummage. At first tackling the same bins, then spreading out to divide and conquer, anything and everything we thought one of us would be remotely interested in went in someone's cart, to claim them as our own for now... and to better examine later for the final verdict of pass or purchase. 

Swarm! Swarm! 

Of course, putting an item in your cart should be enough to claim it. But as we all witnessed in the melee of merchandise being brought to the sales floor, things got ruthless. I'm quite sure that I saw items being moved from cart to cart, with the item's original finder oblivious in the confusion. And I'm sure glad no one was interested in my treasures. Because somebody would've been slapped.

MINE. Stay outta my cart. 

And what treasures did I unearth? A paisley and polka dot print tunic for fall, a gold and beige belt, a London tin for my assortment of tea bags, a book on antiques, The Dialect of Sex, a vintage telephone directory chock full of old timey advertisements that I'll be using for upcoming craft projects, a brand new laptop case for blogging on the go. Oh! And a Paris themed mug that was nestled under the paisley and polka dot tunic...for protection from the hustle and bustle of the crowd. 

So I made out pretty good. And my friends? They pillaged and they plundered. Toys, children's clothing, records, books, household goods, and more. It was a plentiful trip indeed. 

Score!

So...how did this Goodwill Outlet of Bellmawr, NJ compare to the faux-thrifting of Burlington County? No contest. I mean, look at that haul! However, Goodwill Outlet thrifting is not your typical thrift experience. And I can't stress that enough. In fact, I'll be doing a follow-up post to give you first time outlet shoppers some added advice.

Until then...happy thrifting. And guard those shopping carts with your life.

Have you survived a Goodwill Outlet?

The Second Life: A Halloween Doll Pictorial

This is the incredibly true story of how one peculiar doll found a second life. 
Well, it's mostly true...

One damp, dark day while browsing the Goodwill I came across a doll. In truth, I came across many dolls that particular day. But this one was especially sad. It looked as if she had long since expired. Her worn face, her heavy lids and ratted hair showed signs that she had, in fact, been played-with to death.

But there was a store special that day, in which one item below $4 was free. I gently picked up the doll corpse and brought her to the checkout counter, much to the horror of the cashier. 

So the ragged plaything came home with me and sat lifelessly with the other dolls. Until...one mischievous day, she came to life. Imagine my surprise!

In eager anticipation of Halloween, this doll wanted nothing more than to visit the local orchard for some fresh picked apples. 

So off she went, over the hills and through the forrest until she reached a lovely little apple orchard far, far away. 

She reached her tiny outstretched fingers and plucked the very best apples she could find from the tallest trees. Soon the entire basket was filled and she was ready to start her long trek home. 

And with her basket filled with shiny red apples, the determined little doll made it all the way through the dark forrest and down the hill. And as you might imagine, she was quite tired from such a long journey.

So she laid her head down in a pile of crisp autumn leaves and fell fast asleep. Soon it was dark and I was worried where my doll had gone. So I peeked through the curtains from my window. And who did I find peacefully lying in the backyard...but that same thrift store doll.

So, kiddies, the lesson learned is that all items...even the spooky ones...once salvaged from the thrift store, are given a wonderful opportunity for a second life. Happy Halloween! 

Two Looks, Two Seasons And One Small Problem

As you can see, I've managed to assemble two cute, seasonably appropriate outfits thanks to several fruitful trips to the thrift store.

On the left, we have a vibrant orange cotton blend tee with a keyhole accent. I thrifted this quite a while ago, but let it sit in my closet in the hopes of finding something delightful to pair with it. Then along came this brand new Target-designer label Kirna Zabete high-low skirt from Goodwill.  It's bright and breezy, perfect for summer.

And I'm calling this look on the right The Sassy Librarian. A vintage structured polka dot skirt and a brand-new with tags Anne Klein bow tied cardigan. Both from Goodwill--well two different Goodwills, technically. But both cute, cute, cute.

So I've assembled a punchy and light summer look and a dark but delicate outfit for fall. And each set of clothing was under $8!!

There's only one small problem...

Oversized sunglasses: $13. Cross-weave plastic tote: 25 cents. 

Costume pearl necklace with silver mesh bow: $12. 

In both the thrifted summer and fall ensembles, I spent more on the accessories than I did the actual clothing! I am a sucker for cute costume jewelry. I'll be the first to admit it. And what full-figured gal doesn't love an oversized pair of shades? I know I do. 

It's been a while since I've scored any major secondhand accessories, so I've had to improvise. And while spending a measly $12 on a necklace that I love isn't a crime...it's kind of crazy to think that in styling these two outfits I spent a combined $26 bucks (well, $26.25 if you include the thrifted vintage tote). That's $26...on the accessories alone. 

Maybe I'm just in a secondhand slump when it comes to finding thrift store jewelry. But I shouldn't feel guilty about enjoying some time at the mall for a little accessorizing, right? 

What do you think, ladies? 

A Goodwill Discovery & The Accidental Audiophile

Let me preface this post by saying that I was heading to Salvation Army in search of an on-trend Spring wardrobe.

So how did I end up with a fresh stack of records?

Well, I was driving along Lincoln Highway, mere minutes from the Salvation Army, when I spotted something on the opposite side of the road that wasn't there before.

It was a brand spankin' new Goodwill. I got all jittery behind the wheel, realizing I  just discovered new hunting ground. And it was a good thing too, because Salvation Army just had nothing for me today. I gleefully turned around and found myself walking through a clean, organized, fully-stocked Goodwill. 

I had already found a shirt, and a small promotional Benefit makeup bag with new, sealed travel sizes of some of my favorite products inside. But when I spotted another 20-something  thrifter intently bent over the boxes of records, I new it was worth a look. 

Sleeves. As soon as I saw the sheen of those plastic sleeves, I knew I was staring at a stockpile of audio gold. If you spot a stack of LPs in protective sleeves, you just know you've hit the jackpot. The former owner took care of these records. They were  true collectors. I inhaled the vintage aroma, knelt down and readied myself for the magic. 

Gingerly thumbing through the collection, I found record after record from a former owner after my own heart. 

Just look at that shine. There's not a scratch on them. No warping of any kind. Those grooves are just so smooth, I could die. Die to the sweet sounds of Nancy Sinatra. 

$4.23 spent and I scooped up mint condition copies of:

Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool
Bob Dylan: Empire Burlesque 
Bob Dylan: John Wesley Harding
Billie Holiday: 4 Record Set 
Prince: Controversy
Prince: Dirty Minds
Carly Simon: Playing Possum
Nancy Sinatra: Boots 
Styx: Kilroy Was Here


Be sure to visit Sir Thrift A Lot for a link-up and see all the loot he's hauled in from the  thrift.  

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I may not have a thing to wear. 
But I have music, goddammit. I have music. 

A Few Far Out Finds, Circa 1970

 "Runaway" as in, women running away as fast as they could?

I found this suggestive title at the Bensalem Goodwill for a dime. And it's worth every penny, if not for the cover photo alone. While categorized as psychology studies by means of non-verbal communication, Body Language (1971 edition) is just a tad pervy. Just one of the many selling points is learning the ability on "making advances without taking chances." And no lie, in just flipping through the book I encountered one account of a man literally following a woman and trying to "read" her walk for signs that she wanted to be approached by a random stranger on the street. Yup!

"A loose woman?"  Oh boy...

And just in case you missed it, here are those questions pertinent to exploring the fine art of body language. But don't worry, ladies. This isn't just a book that gives men a free pass to visually probe your body. Everybody has something to learn. Just check out the back cover.

Personal secrets of strangers, you say? Count me in!

Maybe it's the '70s style to just throw inhibitions to the wind when it comes to gendered sociological studies. Of course you must recall one of the more horrific thrift store finds, Body Watchin' Is Fun by "Chief Watcher" John L. Shirley. I'm tellin' ya, just straight up staring at people must have been all the rage in the '70s.  I'll have to read this "human potential book" and give you some pointers.

In the meantime...

Bust out those glow sticks, thrifters.

I found this vintage wood-encased strobe light with adjustable timing effects for $5 from 2nd Ave Value Store and was psyched to test it in-store and find that it still works like new. Woo woo! Here comes the thrift rave. Well...not entirely. I'm not one for the rave scene, never was. I did however have a specific project in mind with this luminescent little piece o' vintage.

Come in to the light, Carol Anne...

I bought this strobe light to specifically use for a video I'm going to shoot featuring none other than an animatronic clown. I'm also mixing some appropriately creepy music to score the video. It's going to haunt you for the rest of your days...and nights. Oh, yes. 

So there we have it, just a few bizarro thrift store wonders, straight out of the seventies. Ya dig?

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Let's Go Thrifting Recommends...

What The Thrift!? Goodwill Welcomes The Local Wildlife.

I saw a snippet on the news this evening that was too perfect not to share, a piece so impeccably timed for the What The Thrift!? edition of Let's Go Thrifting!

In Woodbury Heights, New Jersey, Goodwill employees and customers were befuddled by a surprise visitor with one hell of an entrance. 

View more videos at: http://nbcphiladelphia.com.

Deer prancing through the aisles of Goodwill and running smoke in the parking lot? What the Thrift!?

Ah, they were just browsing. 

Hey! Maybe I should temporarily change the blog's name to Let's Doe Thrifting! Badump, dump, tiss.

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Let's Go Thrifting is also linking up with Sir Thrift A Lot for WTF? Tuesday. Check it out!

The Thrifted Life: A Fresh Perspective

Ever feel like you just need a hand?
Jointed Wooden Hand, $3 @ Goodwill.



Hello, readers. And welcome back to Let's Go Thrifting! Following my official vacation, I took some time off from the blog and other writing projects to gain some fresh perspective. I'm not sure if that's something that actually happened or just something writers say to keep from pulling their hair out in a ferver of creative overload.

While I am working toward keeping a regular schedule, keeping it all together has been increasingly difficult. Wake up at this time. Exercise at this time. Write, edit and photograph at this time. Go to work at this time. This is not to slam my time management skills. If anything, I'm having problems in the motivational department. Sleep disturbances and the chronic pain from my medical issues are preventing me from forming and keeping a schedule that allows for work, exercise, creative endeavors and employment opportunities to fit neatly into allotted boxes of time.

It could always be worse and I am thankful that what I deal with isn't life threatening. But when it comes to chronic pain, chronic fatigue and degenerative conditions, the stress of trying to keep everything in balance does pose a threat to the quality of life.

So perhaps taking some time for perspective, or whatever justification I can muster to call it...was something I just needed.

I was even able to make time to hash out an idea...a manifesto of sorts. The topic? Thrifting, of course. While I hail the low costs and high variety, I also argue the validity of thrifting as a means of cultural resistance. I've been peddling the piece to local print media but, it's just not reaching the right readership. I guess this just only serves to prove the point of thrifting as subversive, huh? But I'll be sure to keep you posted.

In the meantime, I thank you for reading and would love to know how you escape the daily grind...

I want to know...

What gives you a fresh perspective?

The Thrifted Life: A Trip to Amish Country

This afternoon the family took a little daytrip to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Aside from the roadside scenery of vast farmland, Lancaster is known for a few things.

1. The Amish. The reserved, hard-working and deeply religious folk who toil away to make an honest living with their livestock, wood crafts and homegrown harvest.
2. Antiques. Furniture, decor and relics of field laborers past.
3. Outlet Shopping. From discount socks to designer goods, Lancaster County has it.     

Since my parents aren't especially fond of antiquing, I just admired the drive past the many antique shops and their porch and curbside wares. We, did however stop into a few outlet shops. Since I returned too late to photograph with natural lighting, some of the goods I did purchase will have to be visually supported another time. But I did happen into The Book Cellar...where everything was a cool 50 cents. Here were my picks:



Graphic novel on a weighty issue.






Band journal and 4 Track EP from The Hermans

 


Oh, the controversy!

 

While I didn't want to make everyone wait in the car without me, as this was a family outting, I did have one request: That I could stop into a Goodwill we passed while outlet shopping. While this wasn't a successful hunt because I fell under time contraints, I did manage to track down something that will hopefully be quite useful in the future:




The Goodwill Bargain Room.

 

I was beginning to think that the so-called Goodwill Outlet was the stuff of fiction. But today...some two hours from home, I finally found one. Oh the bins and boxes were filled to the brim, my friends. And the piles were high for the diggin'

Again, being that the family was waiting on me, I just stopped in for a few minutes to see what it was about. Fill-a-bag sales! Stacks of records! Bins of bags and totes! Oh it was magical. I will return again one day, Bargain Room.

What bargains have you found lately?

The Week in Review: The Great Garage Sale Wrap-Up

After all of the cleaning, sorting and organizing the unwanted items to sell, the big day finally came and went. We set up at 7am sharp, hoping to catch the early Saturday shoppers.

In the beginning I was especially worried. We live on Greenacres. And while it may be known as “the place to be,” it’s not the easiest place to have a successful garage sale. Our street is a small residential area all of one block—one block that doesn’t have a lot of drive-thru traffic. I worked as much online promoting through Craig’s List, Gsalr.com, Facebook and here on the blog before it bordered on spam. Locally we hung signs and fliers and just hoped for the best.

While I was initially worried that a lot of our bigger ticket items: the bikes, the fake fire place, the guitar, etc, wouldn’t sell, I was relieved to find we just had a slow start. Serious buyers didn’t start stopping by until after 11.

Sadly, I didn’t sell as many toys as I was hoping. Then again…look at them all.



I'm trying to keep my beloved Rainbow Brite collection to a minimum.



Board games, Lord of the Rings, a Chucky doll. The wares were pretty eclectic.


We had even more in storage bins that people could dig through. But a lot of shoppers stopping by didn’t bring kids with them. And as many garage sale/flea market vendors know, kids are sometimes the best customers. They come up to their parents with arms full of dolls and stuffed animals. And the parents, being it’s so cheap to satisfy children with secondhand means, usually oblige. But not today.

I am happy to say that my sister and I made a little over $200 combined and my best friend, Liz, was able to raise over $70 in cupcake sales and donations to support her nonprofit employer in a team race for the Dragon Boat Festival this fall.

In the end it was worth it, especially given my money shortage from being on temporary sick leave. I only wish I could say that the work is over. Since a lot of the stuffed animals and games didn’t sell and the goal is minimize the clutter, I have to get someone to take me to Goodwill to make a hefty toy donation.

Some of those toys I will be trying to sell in other venues. You can expect a few of those Rainbow Brite dolls in my Etsy shop sometime next week, should there be any interested collectors out there.

Speaking of collectors, I was missing out on a big market yesterday. Where are all of the hipsters? In downtown Philly you can’t spit without hitting your average hipster on his secondhand sweater. I guess the Far Northeast isn’t exactly hipster territory, as no one even asked a price on my typewriter and turntable.

So I still have a bit of work to do when it comes to orgnanizing and re-selling. But all-in-all, the garage sale was a success. I just hope Goodwill will have the space for all of the donated toys and games coming their way!

How was your week of thrifting?

Odds ‘n’ Ends Thursdays: Thrifted Clown Invasion

Welcome to the first installment of what will hopefully be the new editorial schedule of Let's Go Thrifting! This is Odds ‘n’ Ends Thursday. And the finds were surely odd, the end…nigh.

It has been a few weeks since the incident, so I decided to pay a visit to my neighborhood Goodwill. While my sister found a lovely orange skirt for the summer, what awaited me was not quite as festive.

They’ve talked. They’ve gathered and collaborated. And they’ve formed an army. They’re not happy about losing one of their ranks by my clumsy hands a few weeks ago. They’re ready for retaliation. The clowns…they’re everywhere.



This one is playing hide and seek…for your soul. Please god, don’t let this thing open its eyes. The horror!



Don’t let the cheery disguise fool you. These two are poised for attack. Their outstretched arms are aimed straight for the jugular.



Meet the leader in battle. It’s a sturdy beast, well over a foot high and intimidating. The dismembered hand under the contemplative face means only one thing: vengeance served cold. It practically lunged off the shelf at me as I passed.

I was able to make a clean exit unharmed and to document my surroundings for further research into the matter. But they are up to something. These clowns are planning a coup.