One of my most favorite things in the whole world are “thrifty finds,” so when Rhoda at Southern Hospitality announced a Yard Sale party, I was all over it (a day late…oops).
She said to pick your favorite thrifty find.
Considering that thrifty finds pretty much define who I am, I realized that would be completely impossible. Almost every single thing that I own is a thrifty find – household, clothing, toys, furniture, dishes…the list goes on and if I didn’t tell you that, you would never know.
I am not even going to touch the subject of clothing because I have promised a Designer Wardrobe in under $100, and that will be a fun one. I hope to take all the pics this week. Come back for it…I used to do workshops about building a “core” wardrobe and I will walk you through your most important “finds.”
Since Rhoda is a “furniture buff, ” I will stick to a few pieces of fun furniture.
Below is a great yard sale chair that I have hopes of changing up a bit. The fabric is in fabulous shape, so it’s been pushed to low priority.
The lines and detail are beautiful – the cushion sits on a woven base. That alone is gorgeous…oops…a little dust came through with the flash.
Cost? $15!!!
Right next to it sits another unbelievable find. An antique sewing table for only $10. It folds out and could be used as a buffet.
This isn’t how I have it decorated but am showing you a couple items I picked up last week and have busy painting. I never knew that nasty brass candles could look so great with a bit of spray paint. I have gone round and round with decorating the top of this. I am trying out this metal thing. I typically have flowers with candles sticks, but have also had a framed wedding picture with some knick knacks surrounding it. Challenging considering it sits a bit low.
Again, the details are beautiful. Can you believe $10?
One of our big thrift finds and “investments” at a time when money was scarce was this American Drew china cabinet. This is in our kitchen with the matching double pedestal table right across from it (sorry, no picture…kids have crafts and dishes all over it.:)
The table sits 14 comfortably with the leaves in and has been the heart of many wonderful life long discussions and soul searching. After I saw how great my sis’s cabinet turned out in the previous post, I am really wanting to tackle this. The challenge is that it has a lots of detail and carvings down below, and makes me a bit nervous being such a novice. The handles are off, and ready to be picked out, but now I want to wait until I decide what color to go with.
It houses all my cherished collected teacups and teapots, many from around the world (minus the 2 plates on the bottom that my daughters did on their birthdays:)
Oh – the price on the china hutch and table with 6 chairs….$400. (The sweet owners took pity on us at a time when we had 4 little ones in 5 years and were so excited that more memories would be passed on at their table.:) The picture doesn’t do it justice, but it is a quality piece of furniture (just needs to be painted…oak is so out.:)

She said to pick your favorite thrifty find.
Considering that thrifty finds pretty much define who I am, I realized that would be completely impossible. Almost every single thing that I own is a thrifty find – household, clothing, toys, furniture, dishes…the list goes on and if I didn’t tell you that, you would never know.
I am not even going to touch the subject of clothing because I have promised a Designer Wardrobe in under $100, and that will be a fun one. I hope to take all the pics this week. Come back for it…I used to do workshops about building a “core” wardrobe and I will walk you through your most important “finds.”
Since Rhoda is a “furniture buff, ” I will stick to a few pieces of fun furniture.
Below is a great yard sale chair that I have hopes of changing up a bit. The fabric is in fabulous shape, so it’s been pushed to low priority.

Cost? $15!!!

This isn’t how I have it decorated but am showing you a couple items I picked up last week and have busy painting. I never knew that nasty brass candles could look so great with a bit of spray paint. I have gone round and round with decorating the top of this. I am trying out this metal thing. I typically have flowers with candles sticks, but have also had a framed wedding picture with some knick knacks surrounding it. Challenging considering it sits a bit low.


The table sits 14 comfortably with the leaves in and has been the heart of many wonderful life long discussions and soul searching. After I saw how great my sis’s cabinet turned out in the previous post, I am really wanting to tackle this. The challenge is that it has a lots of detail and carvings down below, and makes me a bit nervous being such a novice. The handles are off, and ready to be picked out, but now I want to wait until I decide what color to go with.

Oh – the price on the china hutch and table with 6 chairs….$400. (The sweet owners took pity on us at a time when we had 4 little ones in 5 years and were so excited that more memories would be passed on at their table.:) The picture doesn’t do it justice, but it is a quality piece of furniture (just needs to be painted…oak is so out.:)

And since my ceilings are almost 10 feet, it gives me plenty of room to put other yard sale great finds on top of it.

And since my china hutch is overflowing with sweet teacups, I picked this cute thing up for $5. It’s a spot in our great room that isn’t the focal point, but it makes such a cute little accent area. I have two little plates that are going to be hung on each side of the mirror. I just changed the wall up a bit. Everything that you see….total $20 (yep, including the Chabby Chic mirror).

I love offering my guests and kids the choice of special teacups any time that they have beverages.

This one is another of those WOW finds….I just need advise on what to do for the top.
I got this for a mere $20….
it retails for hundreds and hundreds from a top furniture manufacturer.
The top needs help. I thought of fabric with a glass piece, painting it, refinishing it…ideas?
I got this for a mere $20….
it retails for hundreds and hundreds from a top furniture manufacturer.
The top needs help. I thought of fabric with a glass piece, painting it, refinishing it…ideas?


It’s so funny and yet surreal, that at moments like this I ponder aloud, is this really my life?
Great chair! It has a really artisan feel to it.. and I love that round table, it could go any where…. I love that wall color too it’s a great green! 🙂 Jen R
ok. i need lessons. i am obviously in need of a tutorial on how to get great deals! that is awesome furniture! i’m highly interested in the wardrobe thing b/c i’m realizing that every time i have a kid my body is going to be different so i don’t want to waste tons of money on a new wardrobe every time. i am a sponge…teach me oh thrifty one! :o) (10 kids is just the beginning…lol)
That chair is just amazing and so is your treadle sewing machine cabinet. I have one that belonged to my next door neighbors when I was growing up. I refinished it years ago and used it as an accent table in the living room of my old house. Your china cabinet is wonderful! You certainly obtained all of your items at terrific prices–ya just can’t beat a bargain!!! dana
I love your chair. I can see it painted black and covered in something pretty. You have some wonderful finds and I do love the white cabinet against the green wall.
LOVE the chair!
Love the sewing machine… I have one very similar and I think it adds so much character to my home.
Thanks girl!
You have some fabulous finds! The chair is great and I love the little white cabinet and white accessories! The green wall color is divine! 🙂 ~RHonda
I. Love. That. Chair.
🙂
The table is great, and the top doesn’t look terible at all in the photo. Is it possible to give it a good coat of Howard’s furniture polish/stain in a similar color stain to see if you can cover any blemishes, then add a glass topper? The glass reflection may “distract” from any visible imperfections that Howard couldn’t take care of. 🙂
love the table, I think a glass topper and it will be fine and love the chair too
love the finds on your blog, it’s so great to see what other people find, isn’t it, kinda opens your eyes to what to look for next time you are out
thanks for popping by my blog
Sarah
I love the spot in your great room where you keep your tea cups! Love, love, love the white against the green. So calming and just beautiful.
I say paint the table black or white and it would bring out all the fabulous detail. It's a cool little piece!
Thanks for stopping by Christina's & my blog!
Great finds…Love the round table and I picked up on the green wall color…I love it!!! Nancy
Your finds are so fun. I love to look at all the pretties you get. Thanks for sharing in my finds.
— Brandi
Love your finds! Good luck painting your hutch! It will look great!
i can’t wait to hear the ewwww moment… bring it on!
Great chair!! I would not paint it for anything. You found some really great deals and I love the story of the hutch. I’ll bet it would be beautiful black 🙂 The table just needs a little polishing love I think and it’s beautiful too.
rue
$15 FOR THAT CHAIR? NO WAY! Seriously, great find. Love it.
Hi there! I just wanted to say thanks for your sweet comment on my blog the other day.
I’m terribly envious of your yard sale finds. 🙂
Hi, Jen, thanks for joining the party! You really have found some neat stuff..love that chair, so pretty. And your china cabinet & table sound gorgeous. I'll have to go back & see what you are considering, probably painting it black, maybe? That's a really good look for oak that is not desirable anymore.
come back & visit me more often! I'm always up to something fun.
Rhoda
I love all your treasured finds… but my favorite is that chair. I would love to have 6! You should give us a lesson on the best places to shop for things like this (garage sales, estate sales, thrift stores, or consignment shops?) I just wouldn’t know how to begin or what is considered a good deal. Great post! Nicole
I love that chair…and I think it looks fabulous, just as it is.
Thanks for sharing all your great finds…
Come over and see my favorite one!
bj
You have found some BEAUTIFUL items…it would have been hard for me to pick just one also. Great thrifting!!!
I love ALL your thrifty finds! Your china looks beautiful in the cabinet! God bless you!
Thanks for stopping by!!
I love your site (got sucked into it for, like the last, 20 minutes!)!
I’ll be back to visit soon.
I so enjoyed looking at all your beautiful finds. It just made me want to go treasure hunting this morning, so I did. Found some more good bargains and had fun, before I had a meeting that I had to attend for school. ARe you a teacher? I will visit again soon.
Wow…very fun finds. love your wall color..the green. cherry
Wow…you’ve got lots of great finds! I love hearing about being thrifty, it is something I am working on. I really want to hear what you have to say about a wardrobe.
Wow, I am jealous! Those are great finds.
Lisa Q
lifewiththequeens.blogspot.com
You go girl!
Oohhh!!!
The chair. I love the chair. I need the chair.
Gotta have that chair!
Hi Jen:
Yes I followed you home…but not in a creepy way…and I must say I’m so glad I did! You not only have a beautiful blog with great pictures…but boy howdy do you have a way with words! I love the way you write…I got a ton of giggles along the way. That picture with the flash light and the dog KILLED me! If you don’t mind I’m putting you on my bloglist…I’ll look forward to stopping in and enjoying your day during mine.
Have a great one!
Awwww, you made my day!
I am sorry that you are having computer woes today…it is soooo frustrating, I know!
I just <3 your chair find, wow, is that ever a beauty! I am a chair person and pear and fleur de lis and….lol…
I love your Shabby Chic under $20 vignette, too, so pretty!
I hope tomorrow will be a better day for your computer! 🙂
Bella
That chair is beautiful! I can’t believe you got that for $15! You and I could make a killer thrifting team!
I love the story of your hutch and table. Very sweet.
And I can’t wait for the post on the designer wardrobe. For as much as I thrift and bargain hunt, that is one area that I haven’t conquered. But I would love to!
Wow – will you fly out to Phoenix to go yard saling with me??? I never find those kinds of treasures. OR I don’t stick with it long enough to find them…I get worn down after 2-3 houses if all I see is garbage.
Someone in my neighborhood had a yard sale this weekend…I think. There were 2 tables out next to their huge van in the driveway and there were piles of clothes and junk thrown on top. As I drove by, wondering if they were cleaning out their garage, I saw someone sitting on a chair with a table and a cash box. WOW – first impressions are everything! I doubt they made much money, poor things…
LOVE the chair!!! You go, Girl!
Wow! What deals! I love your treadle sewing machine table!
What great finds! And I think your furniture looks great!
You are so lucky to find such wonderful pieces for so little. Have you thought about using tung oil. It usually brings the finish back to life. I put it on some old spinning wheels that had grayed in the weather and the finish is wonderful.
What a great looking chair! I love your little white cabinet too – $5.00??? What a find!
Kathy