Another Woman's Donation is Another Woman's Treasure

On my Christmas break so far I have done my fair share of blog surfing. I am WAY inspired... after reading one of my favorite blogs... The Nesting Place, my mom showed me a local blog Let It Shine. This woman shops the Dollar Store and local thrift stores to create a beautiful home. On a newlywed budget, especially after buying Christmas gifts the Dollar Store was speaking my language.

My sister will tell you, I love shopping. Whenever I am in my favorite stores my stomach starts to hurt because I am so excited. Kind of nerdy!!! Yes, I do love shopping... But I am quite cheap, I will not pay more than $15 for almost anything... (well except for shoes.) So decorating a whole apartment full of stark white walls has been tough on that self proclaimed budget.

I woke up SEMI early this morning giddy to start my hunt. I started out at the Dollar Tree and I was pretty upset walking out the door without this shiny disco Christmas tree to turn into this masterpiece. But when I walked into the first Goodwill, my luck started to turn.... and my stomach began to hurt... with excitement!

I am so excited to show you my bargain finds and how they have each found their place in our apartment.

Look at this adorable bathroom towel rack!!! I am in LOVE with the knobs and the slightly tarnished look. It is perfect in our bathroom replacing the hideous plastic/ metalish towel rod.

CCA Resale: $3.99

It does have this silly cha-chi tile which I will be replacing. Look at those cute little knobs! :) I'll show you the finished product later.

This beautiful tin container... CCA Resale: $1.99

Right now it's sitting on my kitchen table hiding random things until it finds a permanent home.

CCA Resale: $.99!!!!

I used some antique metallic glaze I bought with a gift card and it now looks like this!!! So pretty!

After reading about these moss grapevine balls at Let It Shine... I was ecstatic to find these!!!

Goodwill: Small ball: $.99! Large ball: $1.99

For now they are tucked into our knook above our TV. Moss addition coming soon...

Warning: Lately I have had a slight obsession with wreaths. I admit have a problem after buying THREE today. I am preparing for the holidays in 2010!

Goodwill: $2.99!!!!!!!! I LOVE the neutral berries!

I attached it above our mirror with two nails after many tries losing countless tacks behind the couch. I learned from the Nester, it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful... I think I might keep this wreath up year round.

I love berry wreaths! I have been searching for a red berry wreath on sale for winter and was giddy when I found this orange berry wreath for Fall 2010!
CCA Resale: $2.99!!!!!


Red, White and Blue Berry wreath for the 4th of July
CCA Resale: $1.99

Yes, I do love a good wreath!!!

Our 2nd bedroom is a crazy mix it is a manroom, holding some of my man friend's sports memorabilia.. it is an office, with our desk for a studyspace for my police officer in training... and it is a guest bedroom. When we move and Tom gets his man room I want the guest bedroom to be full of light blues and whites. So when stalking each shelf at CCA this crazy candle holder caught my eye... the red berries had to go.

CCA Resale: $3.99

I brushed on a little bit of glaze to give it a tarnished look. To take off the red berries I moved the metal back and forth over and over... no technical term for it... and they came off!

Here it is on my dresser in the 2nd manroom/office/guestbedroom.

The Birdhouse: CCA Resale: $2.99!!

I put a few white birds inside. The birds were 3 for $1 at the Dollar Tree.

I want to get a samll nest for the birds in the candle holder. LOVE IT!!!

I also wiped some metallic glaze on this letter K... another item for my dream Guestbedroom!

CCA Resale: $1.99!!!!

Cornucopia steal for Fall decorating in 2010! CCA Resale: $.99!!!!

I love this stone column "thingy". CCA Resale: $1.99!!

Before it was this pinky looking color. I painted on some metallic glaze. Add and candle and viola... this is in our kitchen. TRUE LOVE! :)

Love this little leaf plate... CCA Resale: $.99!!!!

I saved my FAVORITE FAVORITE find for last. I loved the Nester's church steeple and almost screamed when I saw this beautiful church!!!!!!!! I am head over heals for the turquoise cross at the top! There is a cute little bell inside the steeple... its true LOVE!

Along with wreaths I have a crazed obsession for turquoise right now. Look at that cross!

Church: CCA Resale: $3.99!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ahhhh!!!

I painted over the red roof with a chocolate brown. The red still kind of shows through leaving a maroon (WHOOP) burgundy color. Right next to a fav wedding picture... "Going to the chapel and we're gunna get ma-a-a -rried!"

Geez Louise!!! Look at that loot.... I am so excited and inspired. I found out that the CCA store gets their main shipment every Tuesday so I may be a frequent customer on Tuesdays! CCA and Goodwill, two stores, many treasures... right around $30 for all of this!!!!!!!

Do you see Laila??? She is on the hunt. She would not leave my feather birds alone....

She's a hunter...

There they go... bye bye birdie! :) Sorry that was corny.

Have you shopped your local thrift store lately? It may be worth a trip...