French chair, I think????

WHEW, today was a long, treasure huntin' day....  1st Goodwill Outlet we shopped for about 2 hours, when getting into line, the power flickers...everybody was like, whew, glad it's back on (I was thinking they would start looting other people carts for treasure) but it knocked out their computers/registers and their ability to take credit/debit cards :(    CASH ONLY, what, I never carry cash... so I had to schleep out to a gas station, pay a crazy ATM fee + $2 from my bank but it was sooo worth it... here's the teaser- black toile quilt, lobster like crate, creamy pin=tuck comforter w/2 shams, 2 more IronStone Blue & White plates, glass cloche, Ball Jar Pitcher, a full bolt/spool of Jute Rope, some cleats, vintage baby dresses, and some more what-nots... and a wonderful loveseat that matches the style of my family room couch, $4.50 just needs a tad of cleaning on the edges...WOO HOO

came home, unloaded & rested for a bit....left Loveseat outside planned on cleaning it with my little Mean Green Machine when I got back from Round 2, so it would dry out quickly, it was only 95 today.

Off to GW Outlet #2, where I had to wait on a cart but saw them rolling this little beauty out and I pounced...and got it...then found another quilt in tans, blues & greens perfect for a boy's room... had Things 1 & 2 sitting guard on them while I hunted...I paid them $2 each to keep watch & boy did that make them happy!

The clerk rang it up for $3.50, I was soo happy...it's in perfect shape but the black leather stuff if coming off....BAD so it's gonna be fun getting that off of there... Things 1&2 had loads of fun sharing the back seat with it and we had to drive like that for a while...hey I paid them for it!!!

I was thinking it's a French chair but not sure now since I can't find one similiar on Miss Mustard Seed's blog (see does tons of French Chairs)

 While we were still out & about... I get a call from my dad saying it's thundering around home...I look at the sky & I watched the weather...clear as a bell....I hustle home anyway...get to my grid in Decatur TWP & it looked like a tornado had hit different parts, tree limbs & leaves everywhere but the streets were dry??? stop lights out & asked a Power Company worker if our whole area's out..he said yes & it would be a while... luckily our neighborhood has power...and then I pulled in the driveway...my poor, soaking wet loveseat was sitting there...so I got out the Mean Green Machine and got to work...but it's still soaking wet & more rain is on the way tonight so Lovey is in the garage getting air dried with a fan and my car is out for the night...

Now, I'm tired & it's off to bed...

Nite Nite, Sleep Tight, don't let the BedBugs bite

-Amy



Curb Side Recycler???

This entry will should make some of my Blogging/Furniture Flipping Idols SOOO Jealous

So this afternoon was a little hectic, had go straight to a viewing after work, I had a brain freeze & couldn't remember exactly what street the funeral home was on, tried to pull up the obit on my smart slow phone while driving...never got it, realized I had the paper in the car so found it, driving on.... get stopped by a S-L-O-W train then miss the turn off & have to drive a full city block to turn around...at this point, I'm beyond frustrated...when low & behold, I see this beauty sitting at the curb waiting to be found by me instead of doomed for the dump... she is glorious, I probably would have paid for her but FREE, oh yes doing the happy dance but not in the funeral home.

now, she has a very wide (unusually wide) seat bottom and she kind of reminds me of a Pear...so her name is Comice 'cuz they are my favorite-est pear ever (coming into season mid-October, I just asked about them this morning)

AND all the finish has already been stripped off, that's a naked pear right there, SWEET!

I'm still doing the Zumba Happy Dance- uh huh, uh huh, Go Go Get It Get It

Right around the corner from the Funeral Home is 1 of my "Gettin' Places"- Asset Recylcing, swung in there to see what Spray Paint they had for $1/can JACKPOT and a big bag of Unsanded Grout to mix my own Chalk-Board paint, not to be confused with Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint which I am furiously trying to copy.  Here's what I got, guess how much I paid???? Come On Guess!!

$9 bucks for everything, 7 cans of Spray Paint: 3 O.R.B, Satin Nickle, Black, Spray Poly all Rustoleaum & 1 can Valspar in Blue; 2lbs of grout, 2 ORB drawer pulls & a funky brush I'm hoping will work as a Wax Brush.

Now here are a few other free things I've picked up in the last week (in my poor little Ford Focus) both are going to be display shelves in my Flea Market Booth, ironically called "Treasures"

                   

the wood case came from Craigslist & the metal IKEA-like metal CD rack from curb-side recycling both from 5-mins from work in Broad Ripple...that odd gray yellow thing is my backseat bench I had to unlatch to fit the wood case in... just let me say...be careful when you go unlatching a seatbench that usually carry your messy boys....ICCKKK-nasty  but it's now clean & tidy under there...

side notes--after trying unsuccessfully to get the wood case in my Focus, the gifters came out (still laughing hysterically, they said they weren't but I would have been so I think they were) I introduced myself and told her about my blog & what I was gonna do with it...she said, I think the glass shelves & doors are still in the basement..I said, let me know & I'll swing back by to get them...sure enough, she found them that night & I picked them up

My friend at work also lives in the area & does nightly walks, she told me where to find the CD rack, I love it... she saw some chandeliers the other night but when I went to grab them, they were already gone, WAH WAH WOHHH

Until the next Hunt (that's be Saturday at Goodwill Outlet's Super Saturday Sale)
-Amy, the Thrifty Treasure Hunter

How Thoughtful is my God...

If you've never read the book, The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson, you should, IMMEDIATELY...anyway...years & years ago...I've always had a love/knack/desire/urge to go Curb/Dumpster Diving & be a trash picker... more than 20 years...I still have a foot-locker I curb-side recyled when I was 18 (it needs updating but...)  A few months back, I had a deep, driving urge to be "creative" artistically again and I came across a couple of bloggers & their sites (can't remember how I stumbled onto to them) but a seed of a dream started..I read their blogs and figured I could do the same thing to make extra income at night while home with my boys as they sleep (bedtime is 8pm).

Enter  The Speckled Dog blog & ETSY shop, she shopped thrift stores and took her raw materials from the ugly woods section aisle that hardly anybody goes down to make wonderful things!!!  She gives wonderful tutorials on how to "create" beauty from junk. I found her from The Tip Junkie, her site has links to anything you could ever imagine...DIY party themes, Holiday gifts, home decor, sewing, cooking, baking...if your 2 Hands can touch it, there's a link on her site for it.

My BFF & I were at a 50% off whole Goodwill Store not too long after that & she sees my cart full of U-G-L-Y (you ain't got no alibi you ugly..uh uh you ugly) wood...she was like, UHH you feeling alright, what's up w/the UHMM, wood?? I tried to explain it a bit...God love her, she didn't "SEE" my big dream just then. But I have other artistic friends who could see it & said yeah, go for it...& really the ugly wood was small $$$ investment so why not?? 

Fast Forward, told some other close friends & 1 of them found some "free" dumpster junk while working 3rd Shift...brings it to me, so I think, OK God, I get it..you approve it's an path to follow to help bring in money without leaving my boys at night time daycare since I already work a full time job (it's a wonderful job w/great pay & benefits don't get me wrong) but little boys & all their sports fees & equipment is expensive, so I need extra to give them extras...

Little by little and Thrifting Hunt after thrifting hunt, God is allowing me to "find" treasures that I can sell thru my ETSY shop to make that income. WOW, do what I love to do, THRIFTING & finding the finds is going to finally bring in some money instead of just saving me 80% off retail.

I'm still in the process of getting enough stock together and thinking of a Spectacular name for my shop...it's really all about marketing you know...

I'm praying for God to open the doors (both online & real life) for my business to be a big financial success. I've found a couple local non-profit agencies that take the $$$ I spend there back to help more people in need but I get CHEAP raw materials, paint, hardware, etc (it's almost free) to make my stuff. I'll post about them sometime this week, I just bought 2 wonderfully chippy pieces of furniture to make over to sell.

This afternoon, I took a "Look/See" of a Flea Market/Consignment shop, coincidentally called "Treasures" and got ideas on how to set up a booth there to see my "finds" and furniture along with ETSY.

Then just this past Thursday, I went sharkin' (that's a quick scan of the store without a cart) on my lunch break and found a unique piece of china...read my Facebook post below....

Amy Pitcher

Soo overwhelmed w/gratitude toward God..I know many of you don't "get" my blog or how/why I'm doing it...but today I found 1 lowly, unique china platter paid $1.08 for w/tax...just looked it up, it's Homer Laughlin rare pattern made in Jan 1935 and worth around $40 roughly...he's showing me in little ways & acknowledgements that this business is blessed & to follow it. Thank you God! Thursday at 11:26pm ·

I think my ETSY shop will be called "Beauty for Ashes Designs" and this song..."You make beautiful things, you make beautiful things out of the dust.." by Gungor has been playing over & over in my head along with several different people giving scripture reference to that same passage.

So say a prayer for me for clarity & send some people to like my Facebook Page and "join to follow" my site here on google blogs, PLEASE !

Thanks,
Amy

Facebook Friday at Goodwill **teaser**

Well I finally got my act together & printed my Facebook Fan coupon to use at Goodwill on Friday Only...and it figures..

The color of the week is Black, the new stuff they were putting out was red, no biggee really except, whomever they have pricing this week knows their stuff & value of said junk Treasures and I don't mean just an average price, I mean too expensive to be a Goodwill price... I didn't buy many Red tags today...

But that doesn't mean I didn't buy anything....in fact, I bought A LOT, $55 dollars worth and some Beautiful, Breathtaking, Rare & very collectible china. (Let visions of Iron Stone & other run thru your head)

Here's a teaser pic of my over-loaded cart- (I found the batteries for my real camera so I should be posting more blogs & faster)  And big shout out to my cashier & her help that so lovingly & carefully wrapped my china, Thank You  Ladies for taking care of my things and treating them like the were junk

G-Dub-OH!!!

Here are some found treasures from the Goodwill Outlet, priced at $.59/lb on Super Saturday Sale

I was soo excited to spy these in the blue bins....and thought I might have to fight an old lady for them too...now in regular Goodwill, probably not gonna see any Jerry Springer Material but at 'Da Outlet, well You Never Know! They are going to look great with my White Ironstone Cup/Saucers that I told you about here

Currier & Ives "Early Winter" Soup Bowl by Royal   found (3) in OK condtion, current selling price from China Replacement Parts is $9.99 each, weighs 'bout 1/2lb or $.30/each = $30 Samollions (or dollars, bucks, greenbacks, you know money??)

(4) Currier & Ives by Royal China on Royal-Ironstone Plates same weight as bowls & resell price, $40 profit
(4) Bread & Butter plates, no stamp/markings on back of plate, $4.99 each, weighs less than 1/4lb so $.15 cost = $19 profit

Ed can you update that total on the Leaderboard please!  (drum roll) $90 give or take few...see people, you can have what you want for a WOW, That's A LOW PRICE, price..you just have to hunt & you know what they say... Neccessity Low Budget  is the Mother of Invention Treasure Hunting!

WHAT DID I DO TODAY??? (Or What Didn't You Do?)

Well on lunch, I ran thru Value World and boy did I find some FINDS!!!  a for real Bell-Shaped Cloche $1.50, (2) Milk Glass vases that you see everywhere $.40, Milk Glass Budoir Lamp $1.20 (metal work needs freshed with Oil Rubbed Bronze Paint), a cool typewriter/suitcase thing that looks kind of British for Thing 1's room it's a rocker theme... couple of cool pitchers 1 with a grasshopper graphic and some more stuff I can't remember off the tops of my head but only spent $14.86 using my 50% off coupon and had a cart load, that makes TTH very happy...pics to come

Then swung into Lowes to check paint mistints, I found 2- red sample for $.50 and a Grey-ish Exterior quart for $2.50 (they are 5 mins from each other) didn't even get a cart...left there picked up Roast Beast Manhattan from MCL Cafeteria (Yummy Old People, no salt added homecooked Goodness) all that Treasure Hunting makes a girl HUNGRAY-WHAT U CRAVE (sorry random commercials keep popping into my head- that's actually from White Castle)

Finsished my real job that pays the bills, Coached Thing 1 at Soccer Practice while my BFF took Thing 2 to Football practice...got home & spent 'bout an hour painting my raw materials tonight...getting closer to opening my ETSY SHOP!!

Working Hard

This is a short, informative post w/o pics

I've started to get my stock together to launch the ETSY shop, still tossing around store names

Phoenix Interiors- out of the ashes(junk) comes beautiful decor for your home

I love the story of the Phoenix, my mom gave me a book of Russian Fairy Tales a long time ago and The Phoenix story is in there...

any other ideas??? I'm open...

TTH Decor

Bueller, Bueller, anyone??

My goal is now to get the furniture part loaded so that may I can be the Indiana Distributor for Annie Sloan Chalk Paints...hmm, high aspirations? Yes but when you Shoot for the Moon, even if you miss you're still amoung the Stars :)

OK, you're turn to comment back, PLEASE

Woo Hoo Hoo-Fabulous Friday at G-Dubs

that's Goodwill in case you didn't know, and Goodwill has been Soo Good to Me!!!

Here is an intriguingly interesting dining table, the legs resemble bamboo and are a yellow ocher color and the top is wood grain but laminate...BOO,  however the price is nice for such a sturdy table that has so many makeover possiblities, a mere $18.99, I had to pass on this one, wouldn't fit into Bertilda-my Ford Focus...oh she holds alot o' stuff for sure but no way for me to get this beast home...I'm really wishing I had my mini-van back (who says that? and actually means it??)

NOW, for the Good Stuff I did buy on Fabulous Friday at G-Dubbs...20 Pieces of White Authentic Iron Stone by the Johnson Brothers out of England...and each piece was $.99, I almost felt like a thief and then I saw my total for the whole trip, $85...wondering who got robbed???  I still say them but my checking account says me...Oh Well, I have my Iron Stone, who needs to eat?  JK

(the Rooster Tray I got from Value World Wed $ $1.62, still has partial TJ Max sticker on it, it going in my French Country Kitchen)

I have a matching set of (8) cups & saucers, (2) shallow dishes, creamer & sugar bowl missing it's lid (I LOOKED all over for it)

The Creamer stamp is very faint, like it was heavily glazed, the set has a few chips but overall it's in really good shape.  I found a great replacement site, click here to price, the pattern is Heritage White and according to them my set is worth $9.99 each, net profit $8/set or $64.
Sugar Bowl w/o lid is $19.99, plus $19 for me
Creamer $19.99 plus $19 for me

Let's do that math real quick shall we,
$64 + $19 +$19 = $102 net gain for less than an hour time shopping,
SEE YOU CAN GET PAID TO SHOP
(ok, I guess I was the thief, but I'll be back next time G-Dubbs)

 The Pl-Ugly (plain & ugly) platter I found at G-Dubbs O or Goodwill Outlet for $.59/ lb, I'ma guess it weighs about 3 pounds roughly, $1.80 price.  The stamp on back says "Semi-Vitreous Procelian, U.S.A., East Liverpool Potteries Co. (that's Liverpool, Ohio). I haven't found a value yet so I'ma holdin on to Plugly till then.

East Liverpool Historical Society

USA Pottery Marks

It's pretty well used (banged up) and has visible crackling on the finish, I have not cleaned it up yet so your seeing it straight out of the big blue sort bins.






Well, it's late and I've made you all Green with Envy I'm sure...if you want to find the finds I find, you're more than welcome to Hunt with me!

I do have more to share but another post for another day, Goodnight my little Bloggers, Sleep Tight and let visions of Ironstone Dance in your heads.

-Amy
Thrifty Treasure Hunter signing off for now



Thursday Lunch Hunt

I went to Value World on my full lunch Wednesday & found some awesome treasure- Large Glass Cloche/Dome, American Girl Palomino Horse, Lots of Beachy Decor, stuff for my patio makeover (that post is coming but has lots more pics), anyway when I was there then had an wonderful small sideboard cabinet thing that would have went in my entry nook perfectly..and for $4, but somebody had already spoken for it...I waited & then finally checked, They were still shopping & still wanted it...so I gave the cashier my cell# & said call me if she doesn't buy it, I'll be here in 5 mins, luckily I only work 2 miles away. She didn't call so I decided to pop in Thursday just in case... it was gone :(

V-Dub's employees are starting to recognize me as a regular, is that a good thing or bad ??? I think good cuz Mike, a stocker, took an item that had lost it's tag (I didn't do it) to get repriced. And the Shift Manager lady was super nice & helped me carry all the stuff out to the car..a nice surprise

Here's is yesterday' quick lunch-time Value World score (prices after my 50% off coupon) 
Chairs- $1 each 
Blue & White Curtain panel w/lace edged valance- $2 

Found an inspiration bench a few weeks ago that combined 3 chairs into 1 bench painted Bold Blue

of course now I can't find it in blogland)(I finally found THE BLUE BENCH
It's on Frou-FruGal's blog, she gave complete instructions, I <3 Her

(
And I just saw that she posted how to make Outdoor Bench Cushion too!

I did find this one but not the same 1 I saw & fell in love with

(found it yesterday but forgot to save the website, not trying to claim as my own****disclaimer)

Now for some manual labor & then I'll be posting some after pics hopefully soon, FYI my boy's football & soccer games start this Saturday so hopefully I can squeeze in some DIY time.

Happy Hunting!

Feel free to share your finds or upcycled stuff!

Treasure in Treasure Island, FL?

Well technically we stayed in John's Pass but you just cross a short bridge and you're in Treasure Island, FL...and I found some treasures there although I'm so happy we flew, it was hard to restrain myself on getting the good stuff.

1st Stop-Thrift City USA---with a name like that, well...

it was a very organized thrift shop and I noticed that the prices were higher, I guess their pricer knows their stuff...I salivated over alot of the furniture (which was definetely NOT going to fit in a suitcase to fly home with me)

Tomorrow, 8/10/11, the entire store will be 50% off, SNIFF, I'm already back home...SNIFF, I still want to be in Florida on vacation, WAH!

Next door to them is a Sweet Bay grocery store a fancier ALDI's but about the same price. OH, and Popeye's Chicken across the street, that alone give them a Gold Star

All furniture was 50% off so this lovely hutch was marked $99, has 2 glass shelves w/beadboard backboard and 2 wicker basket drawers, very solid and sturdy and in "move in" condition other than a little clean up...

Could change out glass shelves for wood painted to match & use Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint in Greek Blue??

The cabinet would have paired nicely with this twin scroll bed w/footboard and rails priced $29.99 even at full price it was a steal, so $15, AWESOME...sadly I knew it would never fit in my carry on....even though I can pack...I'm not a Houdini 

better view of the bed details 

Thing 2 modelquinning the willow twig birdhouse-thing...it was $3
**********it looked way cooler in the store***********

 Thing 2 showing off a wonderful wooden tray that says "Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread"  It came home with me for $2.79, be checking back for the makeover post....similiar to The Speckled Dog's tray makeovers. She is awesome & she inspired me to get this whole blogging/ETSY shop thing going, even though she doesn't know me.

Cheese Dome/Cloche $3  (I passed since I have a few already)

 Lacquered Bamboo bowl (now I can't see the price but I think it was $5) but still has store price tag on bottom, see next pic for actual bowl












Thing 1 (also a Modelquinn) with the bowl

This was an beautiful soup toureen w/lid and matching serving platter... $8

I just loved this Teacup print, $5...the frame alone was worth $5 ornate & sturdy

Maybe I liked it because my mom collected Tea Cups ?!!?!? IDK but I liked it

This is a red bandana print tablecloth for $4.25

I've seen many, many parties in blogland w/bandana's as part of the theme

Thing 2 with Scary Orange Bird puppet that squaked like a duck call when you squeeze the beak...it was only a Dollar and I plan on donating it to the wonderful Pastor Val for the puppet theater in Castaway Cove ....Love You Valene :)

This handmade in Uruguay rooster was navy blue base color w/white dot feathers...it was ginormous and heavy...and even though I cringe at paying $30 for something at a Thrift Store, I would have if I could have gotten it home without it costing another $50 to ship

IDK what this thing exactly is other than cool looking...even though it was new, it had a weathered/vintage look to it...and tall metal of some sort....$20 (maybe it was a smudgepot for orange/fruit trees????)

 
Somebody evil in Blogland mentioned Ballard Designs and so I requested to get a catalog sent to me before I left for vacation....it was waiting on me when I got back...now I'm kicking myself because I really, really almost bought this "jug" but passed...

here is Ballard's Inspiration piece, $134.99, 18in Covered Demijohn

so even though I didn't blog to y'all everyday, I was doing work while on vacation....stay tuned for Part 2-Treasure in Tampa

On the hunt for Sport's Equipment- I struck GOLD!

Sorry for neglecting my post but my baby, Thing 2, had his 1st Baseball All-Star tournament this past week(end) and I had doctor appointments and just didn't fit any blogging in. Forgive me?

This past weekend I hit up Value World  (VW) with my printable 50% off coupon from http://www.coupons4indy.com/ and found not 1, not 2 but 5 pairs of sliding shorts for baseball. Friends let me tell you, that's a rare treasure indeed, to date I've never found any and the regular price is $20-$50 depending on brand and quality. I got all 5 for under $5, YES, that's right, $5 BUCKS!!!

I was lucky and found before baseball season started a protective shirt for Thing 2 at the same VW for $2...I thought they run around $20 so great deal, yeah?  Well, All-Star coach bought his son the exact same 1 for $40, SCORE!!! At another VW, I got him a $40 bat for $1.50 and the best thing, he started hitting consistently better.

And my final deal of the day, which isn't a Thrift Store find but definetely frugal...my all white "uniform" to match my baby. Shorts $6 and Shirt $4 Wally-World (Walmart), then took it to the awesome Avon Sports Apparel to have the name/numbers pressed on my shirt, $13 plus they gave me (2) neon orange t-shirts to promote their business, FREE is a definite SCORE too... Go see Fernando (play mental ABBA song now) and get your parent booster shirt hooked up, only took about 10 mins

I was wearing a navy blue Hawks shirt but it was sooo hot outside, heat index 110, on Saturday that I went with all white too...I have a secret for getting his uniform clean...I used the recipe to make your own home-made laundry soap from Erin Huffstetler @Frugal Living.

I used 2 TBSP each of: Fels Naptha Soap, Washing Soda, Baking Soda and Borax...mixed that with HOT water in a bucket, added uniform & hand scrubbed red dirt & grass stains out. Then dump the entire mixture into the washing machine & add 1 load serving of Tide w/Febreeze (you probably could omit the Tide but it was already so late & I didn't want to wait to rewash)...viola' comes out pretty white. (pics taken Sunday & the smiles are there because we hadn't lost yet)

In this rare photo of brother's hugging & liking each other (that's Thing #1 in the gold tee), you can see how dirty it was from Saturday's winning game. We celebrated by eating dinner at Culver's Butter Burgers & Frozen Custard, MMM soo good. 

Homemade laudry soap costs about $5 to make 10 gallons of detergent that works very well & has a clean smell.  It even revived some pretty dingy shirts I used it on!
Easy to make too & I bought all of the ingredients in the laundry/cleaning aisle of Kroger's grocery store.


COMING SOON: Treasure Hunting in Sunny Madiera Beach
What will she find??

Birds of a Feather...

Last night at church my dear friend Miss LoLo showed me her lastest Goodwill find....it made me green RED with envy... she found a Reed Krakoff red hobo style purse... it was just hanging on the regular purse rack for, drumroll please, $2.99.  I'm sure if there was "Purse Story" movie,  it would have been sobbing, I'm a Designer Purse Princess...why am I here amoung these common K-Mart bags, SNIFF

The leather was soo soft and it had buckles & the zipper had a latch closure to keep out pick-pockets or well me at first..almost as secure as Fort Knox

Her daughter looked up the name online and found out the bag retails for around $1,000, yes I said  A COOL GRAND!!!   Miss LoLo just bought to use as a book bag...I told her to carry & brag for a while then sell it and go buy another one :)

I looked it up and found 1 very similiar on Macy's currently in Black or Bone, Macy's Reed Krakoff bag   
(please excuse the reflection in the shiny tag...does the camera make my fingers look fat?)


Not to be outdone...I found a brand new, personal size "Nut Butter" maker still sealed in the box...$4 ...I just love fresh Almond/Peanut butter but I only use a couple tablespoons at a time so this size was perfect and Almond butter is $6.99/lb... Miss LoLo spied my find and wanted it..so we played "Let's Make a Deal" ..she's making me one of her Peanut Butter Pies, they are The Bomb. I think I got the better end of the deal :) MMM, MMM, MMM

A Day Late (well an hour) ...

Sorry no posts this weekend, wasn't feeling the greatest & still have a mild migraine today....(just called in a refill of my migraine medicine & thanks to a Catalina Coupon from Meijer, I'm getting $20 just to get it filled at CVS)

So today scrolling thru Facebook statuses, I see on Goodwill page that Jenna of All Thrifty States will be at the Greenwood Point Goodwill store at 1:30pm... Wonderful right?? yes, except it's 2:45 and that store is a good 30 minutes away and my head is not liking the HOT weather we're having right now.

From what I've read on Jenna's website, we might be soul sisters...Jenna's page, liking the Goodwill Guy. She's on a mission to go Thrifting in all Fifty (Thrifty) States, AND she's traveling in an RV named HaRVey.. anyway, check out her page and go on over and "Like" her on Facebook click here  and to get hooked up of Goodwill's sales & Friday Coupons go over & like there page click here

I just created a Facebook page to so please go on over & LIKE ME, please :)  click here

Treasures at Kroger? Yep, of the Edible Kind

Well now you know, this blog isn't going to be only about Thrift Stores but how & where this Single Mom gets thrify at. Today I'm doing the Happy Dance (BLOG style) over my finds at Kroger the other day.

I just needed bread & maybe milk if it was on sale so I didn't even grab a cart or basket (that's how the boys know if I really mean a quick trip, IN/OUT) Dre usually will screech,
"No-huh!!!! it will not be quick, you grabbed a cart"
(B-U-S-T-E-D, when did my 10yr old get so observant & smart??  Well, since he misses the dirty clothes on his floor, it must be Selective Observance reserved only for mom's shopping habits

But I digress.... here's what I got & how much it cost at Kroger at Southport & Bluff (No, not the same day the lady locked her kids in the car & tried to fight the good Samaritan who tried to help them on the hottest day we've had so far)

• Driscoll's Red Raspberries for $1, snagged 1 for homemade Raspberry Cheesecake Ice Cream (post & recipes to follow)
• Kroger Cole Slaw mix $1 (gonna try "You're Talking Too Much's" recipe (click here for Cole Slaw recipe link) and she also has a recipe for some good ole Southern BBQ using a Boston Butt
• (2) Loaves of  Kroger Value Brand Wheat Bread marked down to $.29/each (it's the freshest, fluffiest bread even though it was marked down)
• Kroger Hot Dog Buns marked down to $.39 (we don't usually go through a whole pack before the go stale anyway so it was a bonus score)
• Bakery French Bread loaf marked down to $.59 (had some of this with dinner tonight, using rest for a French Toast Strata that Sheila gave me a recipe for, LOVE You She-She)
• (2) Half-Gallons of Kroger Brand Skim Milk $.75/each, normally we drink 2% but skim if just fine on cereal anyway

Total Spent $5.35, thank you Kroger & their Orange & Yellow markdown stickers makes the deals easier to spot!!

Shoppers Note: They did have a Boston Butt in the markdown meat section but it wasn't big enough so I would have to have another one so I passed it up this time. No other buy me deals for meat this time :(

The boys have already ate the 1st loaf of bread with Nutella & Jelly sandwiches, I made a tuna sandwich & that bread was tasty even for wheat.  (I'll share my cheap supplier for Nutella another day)

For those that care, here are the regular prices for the same items
Raspberries $3.49
1/2 Gallon Milk 1.75
Bread $.88
Buns $.99
French Bread $2.49
Cole Slaw $1.99
Regular Price Sub-Total $14.22 + $1.03/tax =$15.25
66% Off Sale and they're not even going out of business

(disclaimer--Kroger did not pay me to blog about them, but if they want to send me some gift cards or giveaway prizes, I'll take them)

Yes, but can she really hunt down the treasure?

It's true, I'm new to blogging but I have been a Treasure Hunter for as long as I can remember (my mom drug me around with her) and just like spinach & asparagus, I love it as an adult.

What's in the bag, lady?  Well, I'm glad you asked (shopping bag was a sample from http://www.4imprint.com/, they have wonderful marketing tools and they are very, very economical & easy to work with)

This is just 1 of the bags of booty from my 4th of July Goodwill Super Saturday sale, I weighed the contents & a couple other things you'll see in the next pic, it all weighed 7 pounds. Now, you're probably wondering why does it matter how much it weighs, right? Well, at Goodwill Outlet (Indy has 3 of them) they weigh most everything by the pound. Regular price is $.59/lb but on Super Saturdays it's only $.39/lb. YES, I typed that correctly and for you quick mathematicians out there, I only spent about $3 for everything I'm getting ready to show you. MWA HA HA

OK, gonna start from the top down

• Black wrought iron 2 decorative plate holder (was bronze/coppery)
• Full tin of Mostly Memories Sample candle Grandma's Kitchen smells like cinnamon oatmeal cookies
• Yankee Candle Shells on Sand Candle holder #0903258521
• Ceramic Bee candle holder (small candles in the wings)
• Partylite taper candle slightly curved in spiced vanilla
• Small off white shelf (held all of the above)
• Small Embroidery Hoop
• Silver 5X7 picture frame
• Smaller plastic hoop
• Rooster Coaster (inside hoop, going to upcycle this for my kitchen)
• Willow Tree Angel-Happiness missing her foo-fahs on her arms
• Suchard Hot Chocolate Syrup for Tassimo 8 disks fully sealed
• Wooden Bobbin Holder??
• Lime Green Ceramic Pot w/matching tray (2nd one not pictured)
• 5 Walnut colored wooden mini-candle sticks
• Evil Pig from Toy Story, Faceless LegoMan & Golf Ball (for my boys)
• Medium Espresso Shelf/Ledge w/4 Hooks (held all of the above)
• Salter Digital scale (perfect for weighing food or packages)
• Black Paisley Vera Bradley Makeup Bag
• Heavy Duty Ladder/Bike Wall Hook for Garage
• GNC Pro Performance Shake Maker w/steel mixing ball (perfect for Shakeology Shake)
• Leather Tool Belt Pouch
• Tied to the Top of the chair resting against the back is Tan W/Black Flocked Design w/satin sash
• Not in this pic but (8) sealed in original plastic Original Chocolate Factory candy/dessert molds w/instruction book

ALL OF THAT for  Three Dollars, let the hating begin...it's ok..next time I go 'A Hunting, you can come too

I had already painted the plate holder black and found 2 Rooster Plates to go in them from another adventure, they came from Value World originally from Home Goods w/price still on $2.99 each, VW had them marked $1.21 but I used my 50% off coupon and got them both for $1.21, they were supposed to go in my kitchen that I'm doing French Country Roosters.....But Alas, as I was trying to get the right placement to cover the phone jack, both of them crashed to the ground and broke, cutting my leg w/shards (Who knew Terra Cotta could be so sharp)

Now don't fret, they broke in big enough pieces I think I can Super Glue them back together, if not,

well it was only A Buck Twenty One :)

Well, Can I Hunt or Can I Hunt,

Amy, The Thrify Treasure Hunter signing off for today

AnDreis Terry Goodwill Interview

http://youtu.be/HgaR3VGW-Qo

I'm interviewing my oldest son, AnDreis (pronounced Ann Dre SSS) before going into the 4th of July Goodwill Outlet Super Saturday Sale. The first part of what he is saying is, "Goodwill, where you always find some treasure.."

I found a wonderful coffee table for $4, had to take it apart to get it to barely fit in my little Ford Focus but I made it home with all my Treasures intact....I saw a tutorial from Red Hen Home a few weeks ago, http://redhenhome.blogspot.com/2011/06/another-coffee-table-please.html and thought it was very cool then ran across my find and knew it was fate.  Red Hen used her image from The Graphics Fairy http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/2011/01/fabulous-french-ephemera-chocolate-and.html 

I will post my version hopefully soon!  Also, I am learning to link stuff & give the proper credit, so if I do something not quite correctly, please let me know in a loving way :)

Let Me Introduce myself...

My name's Amy and I live in Indianapolis, home of the Colts, Pacers and Indianapolis 500. I'm a single mom of two boys, AnDreis who's 10 and Adrian who's 8.

I'm a Second Generation crafter and Thrift Store Treasure Hunter. My mom taught me well by her example and I find myself becoming more & more like her now that she's gone to Heaven. When I'm creating or treasure hunting, I feel so very close to her, I guess that's why I like to do it even more now.

For as long as I can remember, my mother has always made something- in the late 70's she macramed the heck out of some planters to sell for extra income (she was a single mom too) and made Square Dance dresses when we lived in Florida, apparently it was really popular and she had a great stream of orders. I remember all those ruffled skirts..the ruffles & ruffles & ruffles. I also remember hard-sugar easter eggs that she decorated along with Candy Bar crosses. In the '80 she made soft-sculpted dolls, cabbage patch babies and then she fell in love with stenciling and Tolle Painting. The '90 brought flower arrangements and still more Tolle painting.  For the last 10 years of her life, she fell head over heels in love with Stampin' Up and making cards.  I started scrapbooking & created a profile on TwoPeasinaBucket.com/dredrian, showed it to her and she took it over.  Her beautiful creations are still there in cyber-space if you want to check them out. I go & pull pics of her cards to send to her friends & family on their birthdays...it kind of makes us all feel like she's still here & got a "Glinda" made-it card for their birthday. I loved Glinda Ray Querry-Chasteen very much, RIP 6/14/42 - 12/24/08...although I miss you so badly, I wouldn't wish you back from heaven for anything.

Sorry, had to get the sad stuff out first, now we can move on to the crafty transformations of all my LOOT I find Treasure Hunting at Thrift Stores.  In my area, we have Goodwills & Salvation Army along with my very favorite gettin' place, Value World.  Over the years a few of my best places closed up- Unique Thrift Store & Council of the Blind...oh how I've missed them, between those 2 places is how I dressed by boys for the 1st 5 years of their lives (and me too).  Many a holiday was spent in their "WHOLE STORE 50% OFF" for hours, lines around the building, had to bring your own cart...I've seen shorter lines on Black Friday, seriously

Now I have to settle for Goodwill's 1st Saturday of the Month 50% off sale ($.59/lb at the Outlet) and scrounge for Value World coupons to get 50% off there, thankfully they put them out on http://www.coupons4indy.com/ and go on Sundays with my full punch card.

July 2nd was Goodwill last Super Saturday (I have a video interview w/AnDreis Terry, my shopping hostage for the day, once I figure out how to load it here) OH MY GOODNESS did I get some fantastic stuff: raw materials to stock my forthcoming ETSY shop and some wonderful decorations for my house & yard. I hestitate to post the pics because I know it will create so much ENVY :)

I also am a Freecycler & free Craigslister as much as I can, people have been soo generous...and I like to call the things I find that were a specific wishlist, my BOAZ Blessings.

Both boys play basketball, soccer, football and baseball..Adrian loves them all & it awesome & God has seen fit to bless him with Athletisism (cuz it sure didn't come from me) Anyway, he was needing a bat and God provided me a find at Value World for $3, mind you I just browsed Craigslist the day before & I wasn't gonna touch a decent one like he needed for under $50, so I did the happy dance all the way home & make sure to give God the glory for it. I think God puts stuff there for me to find just to show me how much he really thinks about me (well, all of us).

Well, I think that's enough for now...please bear with me in my learning curve, constructive criticism is always welcome, be warned not so nice posts will be deleted, I don't like drama, I only want positive, creative juices flowing over here...

Thanks,
Amy/TTH