Thrifted Finds

Yesterday afternoon, our family went on an impromptu visit to the thrift store.
Typing out the word "thrift" looks kind of weird, but I think I'm spelling it right.  ;)

Going to the local thrift store (Goodwill, Salvation Army, independent second hand stores) is a great way to find treasures that you may not feel comfortable paying full price for (or just plain can't afford!). Also there are usually really cool vintage things there that aren't sold in stores any more, so thrifting is a good way to add one-of-a-kind style to your home for a fraction of what you'd pay otherwise. Of course, you have to sift through the duck clocks and grandma sweaters to find the good stuff, but it's kind of like a treasure hunt.

 We  managed to find some great things yesterday and I thought I'd show them to you!

I'm pretty excited about these books- they were around $ 0.75- $1 each! I've been wanting to get a few classic chapter books and begin reading them aloud to the children and thought that "Charlotte's Web" would be a perfect one to start with. The kids love animals. I read the first chapter to them last night in the car while Tim ran into Kroger for a few things before the big game, and the kids really enjoyed it.
We've been wanting to get "The Chronicles of Narnia" too, for us to read and then the kids to read when they're a bit older. I think it would be a little too scary for them now, but I'm looking forward to sharing those classics with them in the future. I remember reading all 7 books as a kid, and I really enjoyed them. I hope they enjoy them as well.
 Tim read "The Road" a couple years ago, just before the movie came out. He went and saw the movie (I didn't; it was too graphic for me to handle) and he's been wanting to get this book as well.

Tim also found this pair of Italian Leather shoes, for nine dollars. What a deal! He has a hard time finding nice shoes in his size (13) so when he does, we take advantage of that. This particular thrift store seems to have regular big-footed donators, because last time we went, he found a pair of Merrells similar to these that were only $10! It's amazing what good brands get donated and sold for - I love thrift stores!

Thrift stores are also a great place to find inexpensive fabric. I got this blue and white striped fabric for a dollar! I think it's a 54" length, and there are at least 2 yards of it. Score!! I'm thinking about trying to make a dress for summer out of it, that kind of looks like this one:

source

Finally, I found this cute cropped jacket that is from Ann Taylor Loft.
I've been wanting something that is kind of spring-y and this fits the bill perfectly!
It has nice detailing on the back and sides, and the best part? It was seven dollars. Yep.
I'm going to pair it with skirts or dresses, I thought it would be nice to go over a tank top if it's not quite warm enough to go completely sleeveless, but still warm enough to wear short sleeves.

I also found a wooden spoon  for $0.45, but didn't get a picture of it. You know what a wooden spoon looks like, right? (hehe!)
I've bought so many of them, and they always snap right in the middle of mixing up cookie dough. I hope this one will last longer, as it has a thicker handle. :)
All together at the thrift store, we spent $25.25 . Not bad, for what we found! I'm happy with it.

Do you like to shop at thrift stores? What do you look for, and what is your favorite thing you've found there?