Showing posts with label thrift shops. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thrift shops. Show all posts

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Treasure Hunting Thursdays: Thrift Store Shopping Off Schedule



This week I did something I usually never do - I stopped into a thrift store on a day and time that I usually never do - on a weekend night. I happened to be running an errand near one of my regularly frequented thrift shops, so I figured I might as well stop in and see what they had to offer. It was busy, as I had thought it would be, but I was surprised to see the shelves pretty well stocked. Check out what I found!


This little cherub vase or planter caught my eye right away. It's definitely Art Nouveau in style (check out the flowing, wavy lines of the base as well as the petals of the yellow flower) and I would guess it to be Edwardian or Victorian era. The bunnies at the bottom are unusual, and made me initially think that this was an Easter piece, but I really don't know. I've seen ones where the planter part is egg-shaped, but this one...I'm not sure. The marking looks to be like two arrows or lines that are imprinted over a letter C...so maybe German?  

graefenthal-03-07

Well with a little bit more research, it turned out I was able to identify this piece as from the factories of Carl Schneider, Karl Unger, and Hermann Hutschenreuther. Wow! The marking was used between 1879 and 1886 from their factory in Grafenthal, Thuringia, Germany. Cool.    


The chipped wing probably brings the value down (I paid.98 cents) but it's still an interesting piece. I have a habit of grabbing anything that is Art Nouveau, Art Deco, or Craftsman/Arts & Crafts style, so this one came home with me. If I knew it had no monetary value, I would possibly use it in a mosaic. For now, it will decorate my workshop.

Next I came across this...


I got excited when I found this piece - the colors and pattern on this medium sized English transferware platter caught my attention right away. I love the fruit motif and the design has a great Old World-verging-on-Nouveau feel to it. Now imagine this platter at a summer picnic, filled with lemon squares. Yup! 


I love the fruit motif with the traveling vine, and I think they are peaches. 


The background design is beautiful too.


This maker's mark is from around 1927.



This face says, I want to be in the middle of things, but at the same time, I want to take a nap!

Of course, I also have to snap a photo of the most questionable things I see at the thrift store. This week it was this poor molded plastic puppy clutching this giant red-orange Victorian boot. 


But wait!... 



There's more!

Lesson for the day: I'm not really sure. I guess no matter what day or what time you visit a thrift store, you never know what you are going to find.    

Do you have a treasure story to tell? 
Please share it with us by leaving a comment below! 




   


My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns


See all of my jewelry making videos here 


Join me on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/laurabethlove




Pin this post!



You might also like:











Don't miss out! Subscribe to my YouTube channel!


Article copyright ©Laura Beth Love 2022 and may not be republished in print or other media without express written permission from the author. For any link updates or corrections leave correct info in comment area

by Laura Beth Love at
Labels: , , , , ,

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Wanna Know A Secret? Here Are The Best Places To Find Vintage Plates



One of the things that people ask me all the time is where I find my vintage plates. The answer is simple: all over the place! They are easier to find than you may think. You just have to know where to look. 

Whether you're looking for some pretty vintage plates to hang on your wall, or searching for dishes to use in crafts or to transform into some beautiful jewelry, read on for my top picks for successful plate hunting goodness!
First: Ask Friends & Family 
To start, you can ask friends and family members for any old plates that they might have laying around, and ask them to save you any dishes that they might accidentally break. 

The pro to this is that they are free. The con is that they will most likely not have a great selection of different china patterns, and what you land up "inheriting" might be more modern styled dinnerware rather than vintage. 

The problem with this is that if you plan on using the plates or shards to create jewelry or mosaics, the materials of modern dinnerware are often very thick or hard, and therefore not suitable for crafts. Why? Simply because they will be hard on your tools and could actually cause your tools to wear down too quickly or even break. 

If the reverse side of the plate says ironstone (that should give it away, no?) or the plate is heavy (think diner-type dishes) then you don't want to use those in your crafts. But asking friends and family is always a good place to start. Spread the word that you are on the lookout for some pretty, old plates and they will no doubt think of you when they come across some themselves! 
Thrift Stores
I think that the best places for beginner plate hunters to find old china pieces are at thrift shops and yard sales. You can add flea markets to that list too, but you will most likely pay more at flea markets than at thrift shops or yard sales. Antique dealers often set up shop at the bigger flea markets and I have found that those vendors tend to overprice their china. 

Check out all of the thrift shops and Goodwill stores in your area and note which ones have the best selections of plates. Some thrift shops have tons of plates. Others have hardly any. Make a mental note of the good ones so that you can visit them on a regular basis. 

Seasoned thrift store shoppers know that each thrift shop tends to carry certain types of wares on a continual basis. Some thrift shops have tons of clothes but little housewares. Others have tons of housewares and little clothes. Take note! Once you are a thrift shop shopping pro, consider mini road trips to other thrift shops that are out of your area.

Keep in mind that the prices and quality of goods in the shop will often reflect the income of the area. Many thrift shops also have certain departments on sale on certain days of the week. For instance, Monday might be half price clothing day, Tuesday might be half price dishes day. Got it? ;)
Yard Sales & Flea Markets:
The pros of yard sale shopping are that people are usually willing to bargain because most people who have yard sales are either moving or honestly want to get rid of their "stuff," so it puts you in a good position to barter.  

The cons of yard sales & garage sales are that they are mostly seasonal, and you have to do a lot of schlepping around from area to area. Also, depending on how populated the area is, you may have to get there very early to get the good stuff. Go towards the end of the sale, and you are more likely to get a bargain. The same goes for flea markets. I like to shop weekend flea markets on a Sunday afternoon, an hour or two before vendors are getting ready to pack up and go home. 

In my experience, that is the time that they are most willing to barter! As far as prices go, I think that yard sales are a toss up - you never know how someone is going to price their items. Some people have emotional connections to their things and so they tend to price them higher. Still, other people under-price.  You never know what you are going to encounter, but that makes it fun.
Church Rummage Sales:
Many churches, charities, and other organizations hold yearly rummage sales. These have the potential of being a goldmine for the plate hunter! 

Why? For starters, these are often annual events that are either held on only one particular day or a few days over the length of a weekend, but only once a year. That means the folks who donate to these events often "clean house" and collect a pile of things throughout the year to donate/sell for the short event. Unlike thrift shops and flea markets, that are constantly "picked-through" by other shoppers, the rummage sale can be like Christmas morning for shoppers. My advice: get there early! 

These types of sales are most often created to benefit a specific charity, so be prepared to possibly pay an entry fee, and also be prepared to pay a few dollars more for dishes than you would at a thrift shop. Keep in mind that it's usually for a good cause.
Your Local Community Recycling Center:
Depending on where you live, some municipalities have recycling drop off centers that collect plates. Call your township municipality to find out if your town collects dishes, and find out if it would be possible for you to get some. Some centers are for drop-off only and will not allow you to pick through them, but all you have to do is ask to find out. It's that simple. 
Antique shops/antique vendors, and Ebay:
You can get just about any kind of fancy plate on Ebay or at an antique store, but you are most often going to pay top dollar, including shipping and sometimes other costs (packaging, insurance, etc.) 

The pro of shopping Ebay is that you can shop from the convenience of your own home and you can search for specific china sizes, shapes, or patterns. 


As you can see, there are plenty of different places to search for vintage china, and each place has it's own pros and cons. Some days you may not find much of anything, but don't get discouraged! 

There are thousands upon thousands of old dinnerware pieces just waiting to be found. 
Keep looking! 


 Pin this post!



 What do you think?
Where is your favorite place to find dishes?

Have a great week!
Laura
Join me on: 

Article copyright ©Laura Beth Love 2019 and may not be republished in print or other media without express written permission from the author. For any link corrections please leave correct info in comment area.
by Laura Beth Love at
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, June 1, 2012

Swanky Spray Paint Transformations

Spray painted birdbath:

Ok, time for a cool post!
Spray paint transformations! 
Yes, that's fun things you can do with spray paint to transform an object and give it an entirely new look.
 Awesome? Of course it is! 

 First off - are you the type of person who walks right past the old glassware and knickknack figurines at a flea market or at the thrift shop without giving them a second glance? Check out these photos below and I promise you won't ever look at those things the same way again...

This cute dish was made by Morena from plastic & glass dollar store finds and silver spray paint (above and below)

What color would YOU paint this?



How to do it? Click here for some quick tips on how to use spray paint
What do you think?

Have you ever done a spray paint transformation?




My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

by Laura Beth Love at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Tips For Thrift Shop Shopping


"Why shop at thrift shops?" you may ask. 
"Well why the heck not!?" is my answer! 
If you are a regular reader of my blog, then I'll bet you may already be a seasoned thrift shopping pro, since I write a lot about upcycling and repurposing salvaged finds. Or maybe you have never been to a thrift shop before. If you haven't, and you like antiques, vintage things, upcycling, creating cool stuff, finding a bargain, and treasure hunting, then maybe it's time you give thrift shopping a try. 

 In this post I'm going to share some of my own thrift shopping tips and advice. There are all types of things folks shop for at thrift shops. I mainly shop for vintage collectibles and household items that I can use in art projects and home decor upcycling projects, so this article is geared more towards this type of thrifting.


 If you're a regular thrift shop shopper, you already know that this type of shopping can be hit or miss. Some days you may find so many cool items that you can't believe your luck. Other days, nada! Here are some tips to help make your thrifting experience easy and fun!

Tip #1: Get to know the thrift shops in your area and the pros and cons of each shop. I've found that the second hand stores in my area vary in terms stock selection. One local shop tends to have an abundance of clothing but not many household items. Another shop has lots of knick-knacks and household items such as lamps, but little clothing. Another thing that varies in thrift shops is pricing. In one shop where clothing may be very inexpensive, household stuff may be a bit overpriced. Make a mental note of these types of things so that the next time you are hunting for a certain item, you will know just where to shop first.

 Tip #2: Many thrift shops have sale days where certain color price tags are reduced, and this can be as much as up to 75 percent off. Find out the sale days and write them down!  Also, do they accept credit cards? Some shops only accept cash. One of our local shops only accepts cash but has an ATM in the store.

 Tip #3: Find out who runs the thrift shop. Some thrift shops are run by charities, such as Goodwill or The Salvation Army. Others are privately run for profit. In my personal experience I have found that items in the for profit shops generally have higher prices compared to the charity run shops.

salvation army and goodwill thrift store logos
Logos of thrift shops run by charities

Tip #4: Make a list! I keep a running list on my iPhone of the different things that I am looking for when I go thrifting. Not only do I look for items to use in projects that I am currently working on, but I am also always on the lookout for particular (and often harder to find) items to use in projects that I am planning on making down the road.

 Tip #5: Never buy from the "NO" list. Here's mine:

Things I will NOT buy from a thrift shop:

 - Anything that could harbor insects: stuffed animals, mattresses and bed frames, pillows, upholstered furniture that I do not plan to completely reupholster, etc. You never know how clean the previous owner's home was so you can't be too careful here. Things such as roaches and bedbugs freak me out (as they would most people I'm sure) and that's the last thing anyone needs in their home!

Other things you should never buy from a thrift store:
 - Children's car seats, car seat carriers, playpens, cribs, or children's clothing with drawstrings (due to the high amount safety recalls and updated safety standards)
- Hair dryers, cosmetics, undergarments (just because...eww), bean bag chairs, halogen floor lamps, bike helmets, any type of safety equipment (same reasons as above: safety first!)


Tip #6: Develop thrift shop karma! Be nice to the shop workers. Get to know them by name if you can, and always be polite. There have been plenty of times when I've come across an item that did not have a price tag on it. When this happens, I know just who to go to. Building a rapport with the shop staff is not only beneficial when you need to put something on hold or when you are looking for a particular item, but it's just plain nice. Be nice!

 Tip #7: Be sure to bring your own bag of donations to drop off while you are there! 

 Tip #8: Don't buy something just because it's cheap. Many beginner thrifters make this mistake, and after an afternoon of shopping, find that they purchased many items that the really just don't need or won't use. Thrift shops are full of bargains, and it can be tempting to over-buy. If you see something that strikes your fancy, put it in your cart and think about it while you continue to shop. I always say, when in doubt, throw it out!



 Tip #9:  Bring hand wipes and hand sanitizer! (or keep them in your vehicle) As clean and neat as most thrift shops are, you are still bound to touch something that might be a bit...uh...grungy. You never know, you may find yourself digging through piles of musty old books. Better to be prepared!

Tip #10: Thoroughly inspect all items before you buy them. This means checking buttons, making sure zippers work, looking for stains or damage, and trying out electrical items. There have been many times I've asked for a light bulb or electrical outlet to try out a lamp or appliance. Don't be afraid to ask!

Now that I've shared my basic tips, let me know -
Do you shop at thrift shops? What types of items do you shop for? What was your best find? 

*Be sure to check back for my next blog post, where I will write about what I think are the hot thrift shop items to look for right now!




Article copyright Laura Beth Love 2020 and may not be republished in print or other media without express written permission from the author. For any link updates or corrections leave correct info in comment area. 
by Laura Beth Love at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)