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!!

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



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

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