Latest thrift store/garage sale deals

Hubs and I have started a little tradition. We'll get up early on Friday morning, grab a coffee and chai tea latte and hit the garage sales. I used to always wonder why people had garage sales on Fridays, because I figured most people were working. Now that I'm on "forced vacation," I see the beauty of a Friday garage sale. We can get in there early and have first pick of all of the goodies before the working folk have a chance on Saturday! ;)

A few months back I'd found a chandelier at a thrift store for the kitchen. I've been really needing a new one for the dining room since it has the ugly builder chandelier up there..you know, that ugly faux brass number. This past Friday I found one! It was the last sale we stopped at for the morning. This lady had an awesome Pottery Barn chandelier that I knew would be perfect...not too fussy, very simple and straight-forward. She was asking $25, which you know, is a great deal for a PB chandelier (or any chandelier, really). Since we'd been to other sales that morning, we only had $21 left in cash. She took it. Yay!



I may or may not change the shades. I'll have to see what I think once it's hung up. They are currently a beige fabric. The chandelier also has removable crystals. I don't think I'll leave them on year-round, because my style is more casual, but I'll definitely put them on during the holidays. Do you think they'd look too fussy year-round?



That same day, I found the perfect little lamp to go on my foyer table. I've been having such a hard time finding something short enough. I have a grouping of black and white photos on that wall, and every lamp I tried covered up some of the photos. It's very cute as-is, but it's a little too country for my style. I'm planning on painting it silver and putting a dark red or black shade on it.



Yesterday I went to the Salvation Army thrift store. They always have nice things, and the store is very organized and clean. Wednesdays are half-price clothing days, but they also had half-price shoes. I scored this pair of adorable chocolate brown suede-like wedge boots. They looked brand new to me. I'm just afraid that come next fall when it's boot season again, wedges will be out of style. I hope not!



I have also been on the hunt for a basket or tray for my foyer table for a long time now. I just haven't found anything that I liked enough. Until yesterday. I found this little gem at the Salvation Army as well. The handles are wrought iron and it's nice solid wood. How cool is this?! I just need to clean it up and it's ready to go. I can't believe someone donated this. I could think of a zillion places to put it in my house! I guess some people don't have a vision. Or maybe they just have too much stuff. All I know is that their loss is my gain. :)



Hubs won't be able to join me tomorrow, but I think I'll still hit the Friday sales. Who knows what treasures are out there this week!