Poppin Tags: The Unofficial Macklemore Thrift Shop Challenge

What What, What, What - I'm not the only one with a thrifting addiction or a fondness for fur(ish) coats.  I went through a rebellious awesome stage in high school where I wore the most god awful clothes I could find - my number one outfit for away basketball games was a bright floral muumuu and a pink fur coat - Mimi would have been jealous.  Eat your heart out, Macklemore.  Setting trends and breaking hearts.

So for those not in the loop (are you living in a cave?!) - Macklemore is a rapper from Seattle (Washington, represent!) who partnered with Ryan Lewis to make this hilarious tribute to all things thrift store.  For those of you that like your versions a little more true to the artist check out the unedited version.  (If you’re on a smart phone click here to watch it.)


The hilarious couple over at Young House Love are all 'bout it too - so much, in fact, that they combined the two for a challenge I couldn't pass up.  The Completely Unofficial Macklemore Thrift Shop Challenge!  (For some reason I sang that Oprah-style when I was typing it and dang do I do a good Oprah impression...in.my.head.)

Why Patience & Persistence Pay Off When Decorating on A Budget

Sometimes decorating on a budget is tough.  You either have a sparse space because you're saving up for the perfect furniture and decor or you've purchased temporary stuff that works...for now.  It's tempting to purchase inexpensive and sometimes low-quality items just so your room isn't bare - because nothing is more daunting than a bare room, but it tends to be a method I try to avoid.  Perhaps it's my picky personality, but once I set my sights on something no temporary replacement will ever do. Plus it just seems like a bit of a waste since you're just going to replace it down the road.  Don't get me wrong, I definitely do use temporary fixes from time to time but I try really hard not to. 

Our living room is no exception.  With only two east facing windows, our living room is the darkest room in the house.  It's a place where I spend LOTS of time writing, watching the ol' boob tube and getting my fill of house porn.  The switch for the overhead light is WAY across the room plus there's no convenient side table to place my coffee cup, so you can imagine the inconvenience that I have had to endure on a daily basis.  I've been on the hunt for a floor lamp and a small side table to remedy this bothersome situation for what seems like ages.  I was looking for styles similar to this, this, this, or this but you know....for a lot less money!  Those are each beautiful lighting options but YIKES!  I can't even imagine spending that much on a lamp.

Breaking News - New Cold Remedy Really Taking Off

I woke up yesterday with a sore throat.  I don't know about you, but sore throat and sunny weather just don't mix.  It's still fighting to take me down, but it's nothing a little tea and thrifting won't fix.  What?!  Shopping doesn't fix your colds?

Here's what I picked up today...

Three-Piece Pier1 Outdoor Cushion Set for under $4.50

Yellow basket,  Wooly Mammoth and...wait for it...Anthropologie Zinc Letter.  Who would drop this at GW?  My imagination thinks that the owner was dating a "J" and things didn't quite work out.  Thanks for the letter "J" and sorry about that nasty breakup.  Don't worry, there's more fish out in the sea.  Chin up.  Now, be gone with you...I'm relishing in my thrifty finds.

Thrifting // Secondhand Scores!

Another successful trip to Goodwill in the bag...check out my finds.

3 yards of fabric

More Thrifting Fun!

I woke up to a bright and sunny day here on the Washington coast (RARE!) and I instantly had the thrifting bug so the little man and I high-tailed it to GWill and came home with a car load!

Lane 1963 Walnut End Table (the photo doesn't do it justice)

AMAZING Upholstery Fabric

Navy Tab Curtains

Some Throw Pillows

Mason Jars

Exterior Light ~ I've been looking for this style...now to paint or not to paint?

Thrifting Therapy

Typically, I don't venture out of the house (or my pjs) on Mondays.  It's all those years working.  I despise that awful end to the weekend.  But this Monday I felt energized.  Wild hair and all, I was out and about getting my thrift on and good thing, because I found some amazing wares.  Note:  All of these items were purchased at Goodwill.

 Textiles:

Sunny yellow blanket

Pottery Barn Velvet Duvet 3-piece set ~ A steal at $12.99

Flat sheet to be used in a future sewing project

 Accessories:

Jam & Cheese jars.  Love these.  (The hubs thought they were Ham & Cheese jars.  Ha!)

Can't wait to transform this glass bottle into a lamp.

Perfect kitchen storage

Does anyone know anything about this lamp? I was thinking Arts & Crafts period...

And drum roll, please....

A KitchenAid Hobart K45 Model Mixer w/ 3 attachments

The mixer is the same style and color that Julia Child used in her kitchen on her television show (or so I've been told.  My fact checking self hasn't been convinced yet.)  And the final kicker...I got it for $9.99! (Well, finally found a photo of her with the older model mixer.)

I absolutely love hitting the thrifting jackpot and there's nothing like a little thrifting therapy to void off the case of the Mondays.

Craigslist, Goodwill, Freecycle...Oh my!

Haggling aside, I absolutely heart thrifting.  I am addicted to craigslist, goodwill and yard sales, but my most beloved of all is freecycle.  Why?  The stuff is straight up free.  I love finding unique treasures and bringing them home to my exasperated husband just to hear him ask, "now, where the heck are you going to put that?"  Luckily, he's the most frugal guy in the world so when I tell him it was free his protests typically end.

Here are some photos of my most recent scores. The can on the left is a vintage 50 lb. Armour Star lard container. 50 LBS!  Yikes, that's a lot of lard.

Lard container & large basket from flea market

DIY // Mason Jar Soap Dispenser

I stumbled upon the 2011 Pinterest Challenge:  Fall Edition while checking out some plans for a kitchen island over at Ana-white.com and I was all over it.  If you're asking, "What in the Sam Hill is Pinterest?"  Then, please allow me to ask, "Where in the Sam Hill have you been?!"  If you're asking yourself, "What's the Pinterest Challenge?" Then, I'll just keep my smart comments to myself.

You know all those Pinterest pins you've been addictively pinning like they're going out of style?  The ones that you say "I can totally make that" and then they just sit there collecting internet dust?  Well, now's the time to roll up those sleeves, step away from the computer and get to work.

Salvaged Goods: Trash to Treasure (Literally!)

Home Depot definitely has its allure as a one stop shop for home improvement, but are you guys familiar with salvage materials stores?   You can get salvaged furniture, homegoods and building materials, such as doors, windows, hardware, tile and tubs, at insane prices. You'd be amazed at what people throw out.

Rad Sign from Salvage Works, LLC