Recent thrift store finds

These are a couple of things I have bought recently. I am not sure what I will do with these cute little things ($1.49 ea.) , but I do have plans for the shelf!

The Ballards Pear

Up until a couple of months ago I had never heard of "Ballards". I kept reading so many people talking about copying their designs and blogging about the "Ballards Pear". I pretty much decided that I had to have one so I had been on the lookout while Goodwill shopping. Much to my pleasure, I found a similar item a couple of weeks ago for $2.99. I also picked up a couple of white shelves ($4.00 for both) with the tops painted red. I spray painted the shelves and added the pear and some other items to create what I think is a pretty nice looking vignette (I didn't know this word as it applied to decorating either!). We were at the beach last week for a couple of days and I found a thrift store where I got the cute little basket for $.25 and the teeny tiny oil painting for $1.50. The basket is really good quality and it was A QUARTER!!

I laid the shelves on the floor to take this picture!

The finished look!

Any critique on the placement of the items??

I apologize for the blurry picture, and our walls are not orange, they are "Baked Clay" from Sherwin Williams.

In case you didn't know, our last name is Hicks

I got this idea from something that a friend of mine had made at a fancy boo-tique. Her letters were all in one frame, but I like mine too. I got the frames at -you guessed-Goodwill Outlet and painted them black. I downloaded the picture sof the letters on the internet and printed them on my photo printer. They just fit on a wall in our hallway.

Heirloom party

I am joining this party! http://emmacallsmemama.com/2009/09/celebrating-traditions-series-part-two/

These are not exactly family heirloom pieces but are a couple of things I picked up at the Goodwill outlet in Nashville.

These pin tins are from a company in Maine http://www.tabletalkpie.com/home.htm

This other art piece is drawn on a piece of plywood with what looks like a #2 pencil. It is so cool! This picture doesn't come close to doing it justice. It is signed, but no other information is on it.

Are you tired of looking at these?

I saw this on another blog and have been on the lookout for a cabinet door. I got this at the goodwill outlet also.

I sprayed the door with a couple of coats of white spray paint and printed the name & year on a piece of vellum with a pretty font.

More before and afters...

I bought this chair for $2 at the goodwill outlet. A little spray paint and fabric turned this:

into this:

Before and After

I have recently become obsessed with Goodwill . To thank for this, I have a bunch of decorating blogs that I have been reading for a few weeks now. My favorite is the Goodwill outlet store where the items that do not sell in the retail store are taken. Most everything is sold by the pound except larger items which are priced individually. Here is a before and after of a really ugly picture that I bought last week for $6. With just a little pit of paint, some burlap and a 1.99 letter "M" from Hobby Lobby, I transformed it into a cool art piece for my son's room.