thrifty thursday - thank you!

I didn't go to the thrift store this week (shocking!), but I did receive a really nice gift from a great friend.

How awesome are these Pyrex flasks?? The big one is 6000 ml (25 cups) and it is huge! And so cool! This picture doesn't really show you just what a statement it is. The little one is 25 ml, tiny and cute.

I love them, Cora! Thank you so much!

thrifty thursday - amazing

I had the most marvelous day at the DI today.

It really couldn't have been any more perfect. It was so unbelievable.

This picture will give you a little tease:

Sugarhouse DI grand opening. Oh yeah, baby!!

There was a young boy behind me who kept telling his grandma that the line was taking forever (it really was, I waited probably around 40 min. to check out). I turned to him and said, "this is a once in a lifetime experience, you are super lucky your grandma brought you here".

I think he thought I was nuts.

Pictures to come of all my treasures.......

thrifty thursday

More Tupperware this week!

We had the red plates when I was little and I remember eating Ritz crackers topped with cottage cheese & Mrs. Dash off them all the time! (it may sound gross, but that triple combination is so yummy!)

My mom surprised me with the two aqua plates. Love them!

You can never go wrong with aqua & red together. Divine.

thrifty thursday

I had a golden time at the DI this week.

First, I found a butterfly gold print Pyrex. I already have some of this pattern, but I can never have enough!

Then I bought these gold shoes. I almost didn't get them, but they were an automatic win once I put them on. They are so comfortable, it feels like you are walking on a mattress! And I'm pretty sure they have never been worn.

I think this brand came from Sears - gotta love it!

thrifty thursday

Want to know a secret?

It's really 12:43 a.m., but I'm pretending to post this earlier (i.e. 11:56 p.m.) so it counts as "Thursday" since I missed posting last week. I just got back from babysitting and didn't think I would be gone so long, so I had to cheat.

I found this great blue skirt at the DI recently (sorry for the poor picture quality). I love it because a) it is super cute & was only $2, and b) it's the perfect length - no need for hemming. score!

I also made this easy skirt. Elastic waistband skirts are my new look for the summer. Not only are they a breeze to make and wear (so breathable), but they are cheap, cover everything they need to (woo hoo - cute shorts that are long enough can be so hard to find!), and I'm obsessed with making them. Nothing to do and no one to hang out with? No sweat! I have a date with my sewing machine and make a new skirt.

Now I'm off to the land of nod. I took care of Margaret last night and didn't rest well at all. The combination of weird noises from the rain and Margaret talking in her sleep had me waking up in a sweat thinking that people were breaking & entering all night! It's stressful to be "the protector" of the house. Good thing I have my self-defense skills I learned from a class at BYU - who needs a man when you have me!

thrifty thursday

The thrift store was good to me this week! Even though I am still going strong in a Pyrex drought, I managed to find some really exciting things.

First up are these brand new Sorel boots. Never been worn! They are for g baby when he gets bigger. I definitely couldn't leave these on the rack - they were only $4.

Then I got lost in the wonderful world of OshKosh. I want to slowly start collecting fun clothes for my future kids.

Isn't this dress darling?

And I love these overalls. I am pretty sure I wore some that were nearly identical when I was a little girl.

I saved best for last! Can you stand this airplane outfit?? I almost fainted when I saw it!! It is also brand new, with tags. I really hope that I have a plump, rollie pollie baby who can crawl around in this.

Happy cinco de mayo! Go eat some yummy Mexican food today!

thrifty thursday + vermont!

I found two pink Tupperware trays (I love lunch trays) and a red mug at a Goodwill store in Vermont. I was pretty happy with these finds!

My mom and I got back from Vermont late last night. We had such a fun time. I was not so thrilled to wake up this morning and have a break in the routine that's been mine for the past 5 days.

I really miss this lady. Every morning I would go up to her room, help her finish getting ready & give her a Lovenox shot, eat breakfast together, and chat. Somehow waking up next to a pillow is just not the same!

And my uncle Mike. He always looks so sharp in a bow tie, and he works SOO hard. I always have a blast with him. And holy cow, you should see all the Pyrex he found for me!!

My cousin Majken, and eating at the restaurant with family (with killer views overlooking Lake Champlain!)

My aunt Susan and uncle Paul. There is non-stop joking and laughing with these two around.

Eating at gram's favorite sandwich shop. She is all done with her chemo & radiation now, and is doing world's better than the last time I saw her in January. That dumb chemo nearly killed her, so to see her make such vast improvements makes me feel really grateful. Keep fighting hard, gram!

Gram is a sewing whiz and everything she makes is complete perfection. She is famous for making "joy" banners. I have one made out of Christmas fabric from her, and have been asking for one made out of regular fabric to display for the rest of the year. While I was there, we made a joy banner together. It is something I will always keep & hold near to my heart!

I hand-stitched the straight parts of the binding, but when it came to tacking down the corners, I always let gram do that part. She is such a good teacher, and I have so much to learn from her. I could see the delight on her face when she would show me how to properly stitch a corner. She was so into it, there's no way I would have tried to stitch the corners myself and miss out on the experience of watching her be so thrilled to instruct me.

Here's the finished product!

I also found some items that I really wanted to take home with me:

My mom I went to the library and I fell in love with this yellow library cart.

And these plastic chairs, including the bigger, squash-colored one.

This bright blue postcard rack is something I really wanted. It was sitting outside with a bunch of other junk that is always left outside, even when the store is closed. I figure this rack must be pretty durable, as it has weathered the outdoor elements all winter long. Unfortunately, the store was closed so I don't even know how much this cost, but I have to say that I was very tempted to snatch this up. Too bad the store was closed, and too bad the rack would be awkward to ship.

Lastly, I found a dream home when my uncle and I were out on a drive. I drove right past this house without even taking a second look at it. My uncle pointed out the window and said, "oh, that's an old schoolhouse for sale". I was driving and immediately put on the brakes (my uncle was fearing for his life at this point, as I quickly reversed back up a hill). We got out and peered inside all the windows. From what I could tell, this place was adorable. We saw an old cellar, really cool fireplaces, and my favorite feature of all - the chalkboards were still on the wall in the living room! It was absolutely charming. We looked it up on the Internet when we got home. This place is a mere $179, 900. What a steal!

I can't wait to go back to Vermont this summer!

thrifty thursday + see ya later, alligator

I found this yellow Tupperware mug at the DI this week (sorry for the poor picture quality - I stopped the dishwasher mid-cycle, and what resulted is a steamy, blurry image). The yellow mug is fitting because I am hopping on a plane tomorrow morning to see my yellow gram! Woot woot! She is feeling so much better and has more energy, so I know we will have lots of fun!

I made her this cute & super simple plastic Easter egg garland.

I got her a bright pink shirt just in time for spring. Giving gram paper napkins has been my new thing lately. I am bringing along some Easter themed napkins, and my favorite, hip hooray! napkins. I just about peed my pants when I found these. They are so perfect. Gram just finished her last radiation treatment yesterday, and all I can say is, hip hooray x one million!

I think these paper plates are so silly and I just had to get them. I can't wait to see the look on gram's face when I serve her lunch on one of these ocean critters.

Have a great Thursday, everyone!

thrifty thursday

I spotted this contraption and had no idea what it was, I knew it was Tupperware & it was only $1, so it bought it! When I was checking out, the young cashier told me it was a good find and reminded him of his grandma who had one. Guess what it is? A pickle strainer - a good idea, in my opinion (even though I don't like pickles, but it's useful for those who do!). Unfortunately, this should have a lid. Finding things without lids is becoming a common theme for me.

Then I found these cuties. The middle canister came with a lid, but it was cracked in half and had to be tossed.

When my dad saw all this Tupperware emerging from the dishwasher, he said, "oh no, please just hide it somewhere". Poor guy. He does have a point, I probably do need to cut back on some of my treasures, but I just can't help it!

At least these fit nicely in a 3-in-1 storage package.

thrifty thursday + sewing fun

I scored some really great things at the Provo DI. I'll continue to post pictures of everything I purchased (like the pink Tupperware TV trays from last week) - it is so fun!

I bought the wreath and have a sweet makeover in store for it. I was especially proud because the DI had it marked $3, which I thought was a rip off. The original tag that came on the wreath said $1.29 (probably from 1995), but I asked if they could do any better on the price when I checked out. And guess what - they sold it for 75¢! Amazing!!

The little green suitcase was too cute to pass up. I almost left it there three times, but ultimately, I just couldn't walk away! I can't get enough of thrift stores.

I recently watched my favorite kids. And we had so much fun. Our time together turned into a sewing whirlwind, in which we made four bow ties, an apron, a skirt, and a birthday banner for their mom. The kids were completely enamored with my sewing machine. Oh, how they'll love 7th grade home economics!

The little girl and I had a fun time matching. We both have red patent clogs.

And when she saw the skirt I made to wear to my grammie's funeral, she begged for one. I couldn't pass up the chance to have a mini me, so we totally matched at church. The boys also wore their bow ties. This picture makes me look like a 42-year-old squinting mom posing for a Mother's Day picture, but I love it.

Can't wait for more mom moments! And more thrifting!

thrifty thursday

It was a pink kind of day at the thrift store!

I was so excited to find pink Tupperware! (The pink variety is harder to come by than some of the other colors).

These are TV trays that were used back in '50s (I'm guessing?). I looked them up online, and unfortunately, these trays came with a lid that fits over the square compartment. I didn't find any lids, darn it! But I am still really excited to use these - way more fun than eating off a regular plate, in my opinion.

The pink material underneath is a thrifted sheet. It is currently on a cycle in the washing machine. As soon as it is dry, I will be making a skirt to wear to my grammie's funeral on Saturday. She loved the color pink and always had her nails painted a pretty shade of pink, so I think it will be perfect.

Hope you had a lovely Thursday, gotta love all the sunshine we had in SLC today!

thrifty thursday

Oh man, if only I had known about this, what a thrifty day it would have been!

I guess in February, Pyrex gave away this cute pot holder to the first 120,000 people who signed up. The giveaway closed in a matter of hours. Now, a month later, I just found out about it and have been lamenting over the situation all afternoon. If only, if only.

Well, I looked on ebay and found one pot holder for sale. Now I find myself in a ridiculous bidding war. It's already up to $8.50 with 4 days left to bid.

Heaven knows I'll be the fool of a bidder willing to give up an arm & leg for this prize.

Click the link here to see the back side of the pot holder. So fun!

thrifty thursday

I happened upon this skirt as my mom and I were leaving the DI. She was practically dragging me out of the place, and thank heavens, my eyes quickly spotted it. I tried it on in a jiffy and wondered where this print has been my whole life. I just love it.

It was much too long (almost ankle length) which wasn't the look I wanted. So I brought it home, took eleven inches off, and voila!

I wore it to church on Sunday and I think I just might wear it every Sunday from now on. I love how vibrant the colors are - especially the peacock blue. I can't believe anyone would give this away, but I am sure glad they did!

After finding such good and retro skirts/dresses at the DI, I don't think I can ever step foot in a regular store again.

thrifty thursday

I am feeling like a little sickie today. Bad cold, sore throat, throbbing headache, achy body. Things have been a little stressful around here lately, and I am feeling worried about family members and sorry for myself again (just losing hope). Am I lame or what.

My gram got wonderful news this week. The cancer is gone from her stomach and lung, but the mass is still isolated in her groin, yet it is smaller. This means she just has to have radiation. No more chemo! (see you later chemo, we will NOT miss you!). I am so excited and hope the cancer will hurry up and leave altogether so she can come back out here.

My other grammie had a brain aneurysm on Sunday night and will be in the hospital for 2-3 weeks. It has been sad to deal with this in the wake of happy news with my other gram. All I can do is pray for everyone and have faith that things will work out the way they are meant to.

I stopped at the DI on the way home from visiting my grammie, and I found a few good things. I have ventured into the clothing section lately at the DI and have found some real gems.

This skirt is from Ann Taylor and had the original tag on it. I only paid $6.00 for it. Not bad for something that has never been worn.

While I was trying on the skirt, I had a feeling I should go look at the dresses. Sometimes I bypass them because I get tired of sifting through shoulder pads & really unfortunate prints, but I got so lucky with this little number! Too bad it is sleeveless, but I can just wear something underneath.

Or on top, like the cute jacket it came with! I think this dress is so fun, and just in time for spring. It was only $8.00 for both pieces.

thrifty thursday

My love for Fisher Price toys was rekindled while shopping at Target this week. Oh my heavens, Fisher Price has started to reproduce some of their most classic toys, and they are glorious.

I promptly put every single reproduction toy in the cart and told my mom we just had to have them. We came home with the record player shown in the picture below. It's one I always wanted as a child and never got. My mom bought it for me now, and I told her it's a good thing she had a second chance to redeem herself!

But I will tell you that after coming across these toys, I was almost paralyzed for the rest of the shopping trip. I couldn't pay attention to simple commands because I was so engrossed in the retro reproduction wonder of Fisher Price.

So, of course, I immediately came home and started looking online for a bunch of actual vintage Fisher Price toys, and I found a whole trove of things I am drooling over.

I don't have a husband, or a house, so it only seems natural that I would want to buy something for a baby. I kid. But isn't this mobile amazing? The shipping charge was almost as much as the mobile itself, so I gave myself a day to think about it. One day later, I was armed and ready to make a purchase, and the item was sold. . . . .to someone else! Oh, the devastation. This mobile had been listed since November 22, 2010 & sold on the same day I fell in love with it. What are the odds?

found here

This hospital set is so cute.

found here

And this camping RV? I can't get over the umbrella table.

found here

Love this house boat. It makes me want to go take a spin on the lake.

found here

How fun is this airport. The baggage trolley kills me.

found here

And this school house, with the teeter totter & slide. Yes, please.

found here

I love swimming and I'm always drawn to water. Too bad this pool doesn't come with a cute lifeguard who can rescue me if I happened to "drown".

found here

The chatter telephone is one of the most iconic Fisher Price toys.

found here

This two tune TV plays row, row, row your boat & London bridge.

found here

This stove top I remember seeing in person as a child. When your turn the knobs, the stove burners change to orange.

found here

This iron reminds me of my gram - who is the queen, and I mean, Queen of Ironing!

found here

Lastly, is this little mixer. I definitely remember playing with one of these.

found here

You may be wondering why on earth I am talking about these on Thrifty Thursday, when I didn't in fact find any of them at the thrift store.

Well, let me just give you the most thrifty advice I know of:

Walk away.

I had to take a deep breath, but I didn't purchase a single thing. As much as every retro bone in my body was breaking for me to buy everything, I walked away.

But that doesn't mean each item isn't listed under my etsy favorites for future reference!