Just in case you needed further proof that thrifting is awesome, I’m sharing my thrifted finds from 2018. Now this year has been slower than my whirl wind thrifting of 2017, but still amazing. I bought so much in 2017 that a lot of months had their own posts! But 2018 brought a pregnant belly, then a baby, which means two kids. It’s only natural, and probably best, that I didn’t go thrifting every day! Let’s get to it.
Goodwill Finds
Large wicker basket $3.99
I picked up this larger wicker basket to organize under my kitchen sink. This was a practical find I actually needed. See, you can go to Goodwill for practical items too!
Hand-carved vase $1.99
Large wood slice $2.99
Small wicker basket $3.99
Ikea popsicle maker .99 cents (not pictured)
Hand-carved vase. Easily one of the most unique, amazing finds ever with an awesome note in it to boot! This beautiful, handcrafted piece, has a dark walnut wood rim on top and a lighter olive wood body – truly one-of-a-kind. On the bottom of the vase, written in pencil is: DON GERBERICH OLIVE WALNUT. The vase also came with a note, I copied it verbatim below (yes those errors, they are true to the letter):
“Uncle Don makes this piece of word that I am giving you. Uncle Don does all of this woodworking himself. He crafts the bowls or plates, or cups and then puts several coats of stain on them.
On the bottom of the item he prints his name along with the wood that he used. A lot of his woods are from Africa. Uncle Don was 87 this year
Enjoy this and treasure it. He puts lots of love into making it and love from me is in the joy of giving it to you.”
I MEAN COME ON PEOPLE. 87? Uncle Don is amazing, just wish I could meet him. And yes, I will be treasuring this vase for as long as I live. Thank you Don.
Large wood slice. I had plans for this wood slice. I was going to get it customized with my son’s birth information but I just haven’t gotten around to it. Right now it acts as decor anyways, so I still love it. One side is blank and the other side says Boys are S’more Better.
Small wicker basket. Baskets always come in handy and this one was just cute and dainty. It’s being useful in my bathroom right now.
Ikea popsicle maker. It’s not pictured, but it was still in the packaging. I’ve only used this a few times but it’s a great idea and I’m super happy I bought them – so is my four-year-old.
Ugly lampshade $1
Ugly lampshade. See this ugly thing? I needed a lampshade for my $5 antique lamp so I bought and transformed it! It’s now gold and looks amazing. You can find out how on the DIY How to Paint a Lampshade post.
Pink Ribbon Thrift Store Finds
Candleabra $9
Birds artwork, $5 each
Couch $97.88
Candleabra. It’s so cool! Honestly, I wanted something that would remind me of the current house we’re at in Riverside and this piece basically waved at me when I walked in. I knew my husband would like it too and I was right! Can I be honest? I didn’t even realize that it was missing two candle holder spots, one at each end, until my Dad pointed it out. Still love it though.
Bird artwork, two of them. I actually passed these birds up the first time I saw them because of the stains on the bottom of each. But I went home and realized that I could put them in a spot that’s a little higher and behind my plants to disguise the water stains. So I went back and they were both still there and I couldn’t be happier. On the front bottom of the picture it says J. Gould. On the back of one picture it says: from John-Marie Xmas 1946. So they were a gift to someone back in ’46!
Couch. That’s right, a couch! We were in the market for a new couch because our old one was sagging but I didn’t think I would actually buy one any time soon! It’s just how the world works huh? And the price y’all, the price. Don’t worry guys I cleaned it with a rented wash steamer thing and it took hours but it’s clean and worth it. We will eventually get new cushions and new fabric but I’m super happy with it for now. I love the frame and can always just wash a cushion if the kids spill something. I found a little red sticker on the wood that said d-SCAN. From what I can tell that means it’s a Danish or Scandinavian mid-century couch but by who, I’m not sure.
Army Pet Supply Thrift Store Finds
Books $2.50 each (got three), $4 book, $3 book
Can I tell you why I love getting old books from Army Pet Supply Thrift Store? They put a tag in each book letting you know the title, year published and author. Plus sometimes they include even more details. One of the books has piece of paper printed from Rare Book Cellar online, showing me the book and how much it goes for! I mean, who the heck works, or volunteers there, that is doing this?! Where do you get that kind of detail from a THRIFT STORE? I love them. And one more thing, I specifically purchased these books, each in a different color, for decorative purposes. If you want to see more on these books? Head to my Instagram page and go to the books highlight.
The Home Book of Party Games by Jerome S. Meyer, 1944. This is my favorite book I’ve ever thrifted! The party games are both boring and super intriguing. It makes me want to throw a 40’s styled dinner party. The index breaks the games into categories such as: modern quiz games, oral games, games of action and my favorite – mind reading stunts. One day guys, I will be throwing a party and we will be playing these games.
The Big Fisherman by Lloyd C. Douglas, 1948. A big beautiful red book, that’s why I bought it – for vanity. It does have some pretty maps on the inside covers in regards to the story too.
The Black Rose by Thomas B Costain, 1945. I nice black book with a label from the previous owners library, Donald Knie. I love personalized stuff.
Union Guy by Clayton W. Fountain, 1949. There is a stamp on the inside page reading, University of Michigan Ann Arbor. My Dad went to Michigan State, which is the rival, so that’s pretty crazy! It’s a nice beige book cover.
Smoky the Crow by Miriam Blanton Huber, Frank Seely Salisbury and Arthur I. Gates, 1953. It’s a Core Vocabulary readers book for elementary kids. It’s got a great green cover with a crow on top. Also, on the inside is a stamp from Elementary City School Library Riverside, California August 20, 1954. Which is where we live right now.
Not thrifted but scored vintage pieces
Giant tree canvas, candles (in the previous photo) and basket (not pictured) from Copper Rose Vintage
Giant tree canvas. I was looking for something to go over my son’s crib that wasn’t hard – earthquakes! And I was on Instagram, an awesome place for thrifted finds by the way, and ran across it from Copper Rose Vintage. It goes perfect with his woodland themed nursery.
Candles for my candelabra. While I was shopping Copper Rose Vintage, I noticed the candles. I had just purchased the candelabra and wanted to put colored candles in. I love them and they were a great price.
Basket for everything. I originally bought the basket for a plant, but it didn’t work out. Fine by me because it ended up making a great décor piece.
Timothy Sleeps On book & school pennant from Corona Antique Faire
Timothy Sleeps On, 1964 by Eva Grant. Basically it’s a super cute book about a little boy Timothy, which is my Dad’s name, who sleep through everything but the ice cream truck. That wakes him up!
The Pennant reads Youth Services L.A. City School, Clear Creek. It’s for my son’s room. I love pennants, the color and the fact it’s from LA.
Two boy Scout Handbooks, folk art duck and pennant from Down Home Antiques
Boy Scout Handbook, 1938, both books are owned by George Beesley. There are entries in the book from George when he did tasks like signal messages by Morse code and identify trees correctly!
Boy Scout Handbook, 1963. It’s in color! And this one lists George’s address in Massachusetts! Ya know what’s even cooler? I was able to look George up online – well his obituary. He was a super cool guy who loved the outdoors, worked for the railroad, learned to play the bag pipes in his 30’s and meditated! I’m so honored to own his books and for them to be in my son’s room. Isn’t the internet crazy?
Duck. This wonderful folk art duck is a handmade piece with no markers. I knew once I saw a little basket with a handful of these ducks I had to get one. He also lives in my son’s room.
Waubanong pennant. Waubanong is an actual camp in Vermont! Camp Waubanong was established in 1924. I have no idea the year of this pennant but I love it.
Turkey honeycomb from Fleaesta
The turkey reads: turkey gobbler centerpiece, made in U.S.A. pat. No. 1,593,647 no. 5814 on the other side it reads: Use for table centerpiece or in other ways for Autumn Decorations. Thanks for letting me know what to do with it. Online I found this: The original price tag is on it as 10 cents from Murphy’s. The patent number dates to 1926! Sweet! I loved it before, but now I love it more.
Pumpkin pendants from Mission Galleria Antiques.
The only wording on these pumpkin pendants is: Made in Japan. I found out that it’s a: Vintage Beistle jack-o-lantern garland made in Japan in 1960’s/70s. Isn’t it just too weird? I love it.
Yarn spools & mother-of-pearl wooden leaf platter from Charlie’s Thrift Store
The yarn spools don’t have any text on them. According to the internet they are wooden spindles, primitive. Whatever. They held yarn at one point, now they don’t and they look awesome.
The mother-of-pearl wooden leaf platter doesn’t have any markers. I’m just kind of a sucker for wooden platters and this one gets amped up with the shiny mother-of-pearl.
Side tables from Fleaesta
No markers on these side tables but they sure are cool. My husband actually picked these guys up without me. He had been wanting functional side tables for our couch forever and these cool mid-century modern tables fit the bill.
Well guys. It’s been an awesome 2018, another great year for thrifting. I can’t wait to see what we all score in 2019. What were some of your best 2018 thrifted finds?
