frecklewonder posts

Freckle's Guide To Thrifting, Part 3

Jenny Mitchell — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:59:10 +0000

image source: 3 ring circus

Ok Moms & Dads! Today's installment is all about hitting the thrifts with the little ankle biters in tow. (I say that with love. I do.)

How many times have you been in a thrift store and seen/heard some pretty upsetting stuff? Really, it's the parent's fault for not recognizing when Dick and Sally have had enough (or were never into it from the start) yet the parents keep shopping and fighting that battle. Don't you just want to throttle them for not paying attention?!?!

So how do you have a successful trip to the thrift if you absolutely have to bring your kids with? These tips might not be anything earth shattering... but let's see if we can put our heads together and come up with some helpful ideas that we might not have thought of...

YOUR KID IS THE BOSS.
This is really the bottom line. They call the shots and the shots are based on their mood! Especially concerning kids under 7 or 8 years old... if your kid is not into it, short on sleep, low on energy or in a cranky mood, the last place you want to drag them is into public, right?

The best thing you can do is arrive at the thrift with a kid who's well rested and in a good mood. I often hear kids screaming and parents saying awful stuff and it's really a stupid battle that ultimately, the parent will lose. Seriously. Keep the kids happy! Don't forget to stop and try on funny hats, sunglasses and costumes. Come up with some little ideas that keep the kids entertained and it'll be a fun outing for all...

GIVE THEM A LITTLE INCENTIVE.
This varies a little bit depending on age but here are a few things I do if I know I'm going on a buying trip and I'm bringing company.
1. Make it fun! Make it an adventure! Suggest that you are going out to do a little shopping, sight seeing, treasure hunting. If you're driving more than a few minutes to your destination, be sure to have good music on hand. Pack some snacks! Bring some other forms of entertainment like crayons + paper, books, a leap pad/ipod, etc. depending on you're kid's age and interests.
2. Always offer a treat. Ice cream is happy making. My kids are thrilled to go on a little thrift run when it involves ice cream! Make it an ice cream/thrifting date on Friday afternoons after school. They'll be excited about it and what better way to kick off the weekend than with a little thrift-ice cream sesh?!

3. If you have older kids, try giving them their own spending money. Five or ten dollars and see what kinds of things they are excited about! That kind of money can go a long way in a thrift store, and just think: you're startin' em early!
4. Come up with games! One thing Henry (age 10) loves to do is "spy" on me while I'm pushing Dotty along in the cart. He hides on the next aisle, peeks through the racks and moves around the thrift store like he's on a secret mission... of course I know where he is the whole time but I pretend to not see him and act very surprised when he says, "BOO!" and thinks he's really scared us. Another thing that works is a little 'i spy' or scavenger hunt. If you have a toddler in a cart, you can ask them about finding certain colors that might be near you, or send your older kid off in search of a couple things. (can you find a camera, umbrella and blue bear? GO!)
5. If you have a toddler, hand them a shirt and ask them to practice buttoning! (Or using a zipper or snaps, you get the idea) Dotty was quite entertained by this a while back. It would usually buy me a good half hour to comb through a few racks. Sometimes that's all a Mama needs, friends.
6. For little ones that you really want to keep in the cart: head to the book bin/toy area and grab something for them to check out. It doesn't mean you have to buy it when you're finished! Let them know upfront that you're not buying it but they can check it out while you're there. That way you don't have a meltdown on the horizon... if your kid understands/doesn't have an expectation of buying whatever hunka-plastic-junk they checked out while you were shopping, good for you! *this could be challenging, and might only work if it's something you start when they're young - don't hate me if you can't make this one work, ok? It's totally ok and might not be a realistic option for you.

THINGS THAT ARE GOOD/THINGS THAT ARE BAD.
Just to recap:
Good = kids that are well rested and excited about going out with you
Bad = kids that are overtired, sick, cranky
Good = tying in a trip for something special, like ice cream! or a nearby toy store for a small reward!
Bad = pushing your kids past the limit and making other shoppers miserable
Good = games! being creative! being playful!
Bad = kids on the loose. (don't do this, really)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR.
Ok, let's talk a little about what kind of gems you can find for kids. As I mentioned earlier, I come across brand name stuff all the time. Oilily, Mini Boden, Hanna Anderson, Zutano, Tea, etc etc etc. It's out there, folks! Work on training your eye because the good news is that this stuff washes + wears well and holds up great. And then there is the vintage. You have seen Dotty's room, right? It's pretty much filled with items I've found at thrifts, antiques, flea markets, yard sales, you name it. Only her bed, her bookshelf and her lamp are new. And her closet is filled with a pretty serious collection of vintage dresses that I've been collecting for the past 5 years.

As for non-clothing items: Trust me when I tell you that digging in a book bin, flipping through dusty boxes of records, cruising through the toy shelves, digging through those giant bins of homeless stuffed animals: it's all worth it.

MAKING SENSE OF THE BINS.
This is one of my favorites, but it can be the most intimidating. The bins are huge, they're really overwhelming, it's kind of back breaking to lean over and root through. But the payoffs are so big! Dream pets! Amazing little 1950s baby outfits! Mid century kid's books! All for next to nothing. They're all worth the temporary back ache. But how to do it? Do you have a system? Here's mine...

pardon my shoddy diagram, folks. also sorry for the amount of times I used the word hole.

It's all about EXCAVATING. I work in a circle - clockwise, counter clockwise, whatever your preference. Start in one corner, and dig a hole. Just start chucking things OUT of that corner so that you have a little space to work with. Then, just pick the direction you're going to start sorting and GO. If you're moving to the right, start sorting through books/clothes/toys and piling items into your hole that you just made. After a couple minutes, you've filled your original hole and now you have a new one right next to it! Work your way in a full circle around the bin, continuing to dig, fill and dig again. It's a secret dream of mine to have someone make a time lapse movie of me doing this, btw. You should see the difference in a book bin when I've had my way with it.

The point is, HELLO:

So that's about it, folks! It can totally be done, and it can be FUN, so keep the faith. I would LOVE for you to share some of the things you do to keep your "boss" happy, so please share some stories in the comments section so that we can all benefit!

HAPPY THRIFTING, EVERYONE!!!!!!!!

* last thing: As I was writing this post, sitting in the cafe at Whole Foods, a little old lady came up to me and said, "I see you're working very hard. I thought I'd bring you a little treat" and she put a whoopie pie down on my table.

Do something totally random and nice today, ok? I'm going to. Happy Friday!

Chicken Keeping

Jenny Mitchell — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:16:54 +0000

Chicken Update!

Happy girls, loving life. That's pretty much the deal with these feathered friends of ours. They're really the easiest thing in the world. We let them out of the chicken house in the morning and they hang out in their yard doing their thing until sunset. They make lots of eggs for us (about 60 each week) and we spoil them with lots of treats. I read online a few weeks back that you can give chickens plain yogurt, so I picked up a tub of it for them and they.went.to.town!!! I thought thirsty chickens drinking water was cute, the yogurt eating is over the top. I'll make a little video so you guys can see.

We're coming up on our first anniversary together - hard to remember when they were these insanely cute little fluffers!!

I'm looking forward to March, when we will add a couple Americaunas to our flock! Pink and blue eggs, peeps!

I knew it was going to be good

Jenny Mitchell — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:12:16 +0000

Allow me to paint this little scene for you... It rained cats and dogs early this morning and I was convinced that today was going to be a soggy mess... but by 8 am the storm clouds were gone and the sun moved in with the sky turning a beautiful, bright blue. I was out in the chicken yard when I heard a little whisper in my ear. It was the thrifts calling. If I know one thing, I know this: when the thrifts call, YOU ANSWER.

So I grabbed my bag, stopped for a latte and was on my way. First stop: the newest Goodwill near my house (which is proving to be a gem of a spot). As I pulled the door open, the opening notes of one of my favorite.songs.ever blasted over the speakers. I knew this meant something good for me.

I did what I always do - I grabbed a cart and quickly made The Loop. Remember we talked about this in the Fundamentals post -- make a quick loop before you settle into one section-- there might be something amazing hanging out and if you don't see it right away, someone else will and you'll miss it.

So I was bopping along to Jr Walker and The Allstars when I saw it. Sitting all alone on the bottom shelf like a ripe piece of fruit, just waiting to be plucked. A choir of angels said LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA in my head. Ladies and gentleman, lookie loo:

Fifty-five cents.

Let me repeat that: Fifty-five cents.

Just sitting there all sweet and wonderful and catherineholmish.

I was so excited that I had to go into the dressing room and just giggle to myself for a couple minutes (like a crazy person. a really happy crazy person)

And this was just the beginning.

It's been a great day. Lots of little treasures that have this treasure lovin' heart going pitter patter. I'll share the rest soon, I promise!!

Thrifting With Kiddos = tomorrow. Until then, part 2 is making me giggle. I'm not sure how, but I guess we went there. So if it hasn't been done yet, I'm totally coining the term "fart cloud" if that's ok with y'all.

Freckle's Guide To Thrifting, Part 2

Jenny Mitchell — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:17:58 +0000

image source: graygoosie on flickr

We talked about the 'Fundamentals of Thrifting' on Monday. This post is all about the nitty gritty details. The funny little bits and pieces and little nuances that set you apart from the rest. You'll be a bo-na-fied ar-teest when you're done here and you will rock those thrifts! Treasures will be found!! This is exciting stuff!

Let's get started.

TRAIN YOUR EYE.
If it's vintage that you're after, it's a good idea to start paying attention to things like labels, prints and patterns, textures, stitching, colors, etc. It's not something I can really put into words so much... but something that you'll just pay attention to and practice and one day you'll realize you have an Eagle Eye for scanning a rack and plucking out the gems in record time. Vintage shades and colors are just different from those of today, they really are. Textures, knits, construction, it's all different. Practice really feeling the fabrics and textures and studying the labels, too. You'll know a David Crystal for Izod dress when you see one, you'll know that if you come across a Lilli Ann piece, you've hit the jackpot. (I came across this article and found it to be pretty helpful, especially worth checking out if you're new to this sort of thing.)

If you're looking for new, non-vintage clothing, you still can apply these same kind of techniques! Know your brands, know what you're looking for! I can spot Banana Republic, J Crew, Boden/Mini Boden, J Jill, etc all day long - the nice things about brands like this (over your average Merona shirt from Target) is that they wash + wear really well... so a lot of times, they're still in great condition even though they're pre-worn. I've picked up plenty of Oilily, Mini Boden, Hanna Anderson, Crew Cuts and Gap Kids for Dotty and Henry, and these brands really hold up so they're a great thing to look out for. Mister Matt has a nice collection of Banana Republic/J Crew and Gap stuff that's perfect for the office. So it's not all about finding vintage! Here's a tip if you have kids and a little bit of extra storage: Don't be afraid to buy ahead! Last year I came across 5 pairs of cute (like new!) Gap jeans for dotty- skinny, dark denim, adorable jeans. And they were all 4T. Two bucks a pop meant I was definitely grabbing them and saving them for down the road. Guess who's wearing all those jeans right now? Yep, they're in her regular rotation. 10 bucks total compared to easily $100 that I could have dropped at Gap Kids. Just sayin'.

THRIFT KARMA.
This is big. When you're combing through the racks, touching every hanger and each piece of clothing and you come across a garment that's hanging halfway off the hanger, FIX IT. It takes two seconds and it really makes a difference. See something on the floor about to get stepped on 50 times? Pick it up! No biggie, right? I might be going overboard here but every time I see something hanging off a hanger, I have this little voice in my head that says, "If you don't fix that, the thrift might not reward you with treasures." Call me crazy, call me superstitious. Either way, it's a little habit that's completely ingrained, and I can't stand being in a thrift store that's a hot mess.

Another nice thing? Be nice to the employees. Not just friendly, but be helpful! I always have my items off the hanger and folded into stacks that are sorted by price. I probably do this because I used to work in retail and it's another thing that's just habit for me - but 9 times outta 10, the person standing at the register lets me know just how much they appreciate my help. They're able to ring me up really quickly because I can stand there and say, "two at $4, five at $3, eight at $1" and so on. It's a little thing you can do and it makes the thrift a much happier place. Trust me.

SOLO THRIFTING VS THRIFTING WITH FRIENDS.
This is probably obvious, but I prefer to thrift by myself. Everyone shops at a different pace, and there's nothing worse than being there with a friend who fizzles out just as you're getting your groove thing going. I have my best luck when I'm able to really just dig in and get dirty, free of any chatter or interruptions or constant LOOK AT THIS! DID YOU SEE THIS?! comments from whoever I'm with. Leave me alone to enjoy my mowtown and I'm in the zone. This is also why I like to hit an antique mall alone. I find the whole process of going out into a place like that to be a little like meditating. Completely relaxing and unplugging from conversation and just getting a little lost in time. A peace-out time for the Freckle, if you will. (I'm a little bonkers, I know.)

That said... I just had THE MOST FUN on a Thrift Tour on the last day at Alt Summit - a couple cars packed full with girls excited to treasure hunt in a new city. The cool thing was that we were finding things for ourselves and other people around us. No fighting over the cute polka dotted dress or the faux Enid Collins bucket purse, oh no! Clothes were flying everywhere and lots of chatter + 'look what i just found, It's totally you!' happening and it was a great day. After hitting up a handful of great shops, we went to the cutest little coffee shop and watched through the big storefront windows as snow began to fall over Salt Lake City. So if you're a solo-thrifter like me, remember that it can actually be really, really fun (every once in a while!) to come out of your thrifting shell and make a date with some friends.

fab recap of our thrift adventure over on Modern Kiddo btw.

TOOLS TO HAVE ON HAND.
I always carry the following: baby wipes (your hands get dirty touching all those hangers!), a tape measure (especially helpful if you know your measurements and don't want to try stuff on - I almost never try things on anymore, takes too much time!), a magnifying glass and hand sanitizer. It's also great to have a bottle of water and some gum.

THRIFTING IN A NEW CITY.
I LOVE a good road trip. I especially love a road trip that allows for a little spontaneity. How fun is it to pull off for lunch and toodle around a tiny town you've never been to looking for a little thrift shop? SUPER FUN! You know what's great? THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT. Seriously, folks. There are apps for that. I used a couple (hunter + buddy) when we drove out to Wyoming last summer.

A quick search of the app store turned up Thrift Hunter, Thrift Buddy, Amvets Mobile and Buffalo Exchange. Also, you can use google maps on your phone and just search "thrift store" or "goodwill" and see what comes up. I've had plenty of success going that route. No pun intended, hyuck hyuck!

PET PEEVES.
Oh my goodness, let's talk about a few things that cause me to go bonkers.
1. People that let their cell phones ring and ring and ring. Most times these people have annoying ringtones that are a SONG or something... Nickelback, for goodness sakes. And they have it CRANKED. And they just let it ring! What is this?!
2. People that turn their kids loose. Seriously. Is there much that needs to be said about this?
3. Parents who don't recognize that their kid is not into it and yet they keep shopping, keep scanning, keep pushing the cart on down the aisle with the kid in it, who really doesn't want to be there and the parent is basically ignoring them and making everyone else miserable in the process. Just the other day, I overheard a woman tell her daughter (age 5 or 6, sitting in the cart) that she better stop yelling at her or she wasn't going to take her anywhere. And the little girl was simply asking when they were going to go. She was actually quite timid about it and definitely not yelling. It was unsettling and I might have given the Mom the stink eye.
4. People who pass gas. Let's just not do that, ok? Matty doesn't thrift with me often, but it seems like any time he does, he's always commenting about how he just walked through some dude's fart cloud and he's immediately ready to go. It's kind of wrong, people. Take the toots outside. Please and thank you.
5. People who don't follow the RULES OF THE ROAD. What I mean by this is: an aisle that's clearly only wide enough for one cart, and you're halfway up the aisle, happily combing your way down a really long rack of shirts and someone enters the aisle with a cart, coming at you head on. REALLY? Rules of the road. You're driving the wrong way down a one way street.
6. The use of packaging tape. What is this?! The Goodwill loves to use clear packaging tape - the real strong stuff! - on things like cardboard/paper/other materials that will essentially be destroyed if you attempt to peel off the packaging tape. This makes me so frustrated.
7. Thrift stores trying to be something other than Thrift stores, throwing wacky prices on stuff they think is collectible. True story: one time, I was in a thrift store in Richmond, and I came across this rack of dresses and attached to the top of the rack was a handwritten sign that read, "VANTAGE." Need I say more? But seriously, it's a growing trend for thrift stores (the Goodwill has gotten really bad about this) to price things like it's an antique shop. And it's totally not cool! A) items have been donated, B) It's a THRIFT. STORE. the answer's in the name, no? I'm seeing too many crazy over the top prices on things that are chipped, rusted, beat up and broke down and would never have that price on them in an antique store. Thrifts need to fix this, asap.
(I should stop here, I feel my blood pressure rising)

FEED THE THRIFT MONSTER.
I'm a big believer in this one and I think it goes hand in hand with the good thrift juju. Totally important to put things INTO the system and not just take from it. I try to remind myself about the something in, something out rule... in an effort to not have my home turn into a thrift store, I regularly go through with a small donation bag and drop off a little donation. It doesn't have to be a big ordeal, making a thrift store donation. It doesn't have to be this kind of thing that's like, "ohhhh jeeez. I guess we're putting together that huge donation this weekend so that means we can't do anything else..." but it can be just little bits at a time. And since you'll be doing all these great 15 minute "pop-ins" you can easily do a quick little drop off too.

HAVE FUN.
People! Have fun. Thrifting is good. You're recycling and reusing, you're spending less and supporting great organizations.

Enjoy it. And do it often.

Stay tuned for Part 3, Thrifting With Kiddos, coming at'cha this Friday.

Black and White, Old and New

Jenny Mitchell — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:44:41 +0000

image source: life/lucille ball: unpublished images via murr johnson

1. gingham dress / 2. vintage glasses / 3. polka dot scarf / 4. chevron bag

image source: good night, day on flickr

5. heart tote, modcloth via elsie larson (sadly, no longer in stock) / 6. stripe trench from asos

image source: life.com, marilyn monroe in swimsuits

7. 60s swimsuit / 8. polka dot dress / 9. polka dot glasses

image source: audrey and a donkey, via hey audrey

10. vintage imperial

Want more Black and White? Perhaps you're in the mood for COLOR instead.

Freckle's Guide To Thrifting, Part 1

Jenny Mitchell — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:42:05 +0000

image source: sparklecandace on flickr

So you're wondering what it takes to rock the thrifts? Is there skill involved? Do some people just have it more than others? Are they more patient, more determined or just lucky? Is there such thing as a Thrift God? I think about these things! I've had this post swirling around in my head for months... making little mental notes when I'm out in thrift shops, having great days, instagramming my finds. And I thought it would be fun to put together a Guide To Thrifting - not just to share my tips, but also because I'd love to hear what you do to come out with some treasures.

Over the years, I've gotten to be pretty good at the Art of Thrifting. And yes, it is an art. I started 15 years ago, and I've been doing it professionally for the last 10. At this point, I'm comfortable saying with confidence that my eye is well trained. I thrift at least 5 days a week, which means I'm in anywhere from 12 to 20 thrift/antique/junk shops/flea markets weekly. Obviously, this is a big part of how I'm able to find so much, spending that kind of time... But is that all it takes? HECK NO. There's more to it than that. Part 1 of this series is all about Thrifting Fundamentals, you ready?

THERE'S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE and YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU MIGHT FIND.
These are two things I've said countless times, I'm kind of a broken record always using the 'you never know' line with my kids. Particularly with Henry, who has started to grumble a bit when I suggest we stop by the Goodwill. Over the years, though, this kid has had some pretty epic finds of his own, so he's a believer, even if he does need a little prodding now and then. So that's sort of my first tip, and it's kinnnnd of a hippy one. When you pull into the thrift, believe you're going to find something awesome. Put it out there. It can't hurt right? It's always nice to start off on a positive note. Wish on an eyelash, do a little jig, whatever it takes. We've done a chant for years, since Henry was a little guy. "1, 2, 3, 4, LUCKY LUCKY!" is what we say. We do a little high five or a fist bump and we're on our way to Treasure Land.

WHEN TO GO.
Not a big surprise, but I believe in going often, as often as you can. This doesn't mean you have to spend tons of time. In fact, if you only go in for a few minutes and just do a quick scan, that can be pretty rewarding, too. The 10 minute "pop in" never disappoints. Set the timer on your phone as you're walking in: give yourself a short amount of time to see what you find. It's a fun little challenge, and who doesn't love a challenge?

If you have more time on your hands though, go in the morning. My favorite time to thrift is first thing, right outta the gates, like 8 am style. The stores are usually really quiet at that time of day and even better, they're freshly stocked. Win, win! Plus, you're fresh off a good night's sleep so you're primed and ready to spy needles in haystacks! If you can't go in the morning, try the evenings around the dinner hour. Goodwill stores are open until 9 and they stock that place all day long, putting out something like 1000 pieces of clothing each day (not including furniture, wares, etc). Any weekday is a good day to thrift in my book but I almost never go on weekends. That's when everyone else is thrifting and I'm at home enjoying my coffee and morning record spinning. (Weekends are, however, great days to go to antique malls or shops. But we'll talk more about Antiquing later...)

WHAT TO WEAR.
This might seem silly, but it's not! My thrifting uniform is pretty simple: jeans, layers + comfortable shoes. You're on your feet, your rifling through bins, you're combing through racks, sometimes you're on the floor sorting through who knows what, and thrift store floors are really the cleanest, you know? I'm not opposed to a cute dress/tights/leggings combo but I usually go the jeans route. Layers because sometimes thrift stores can get kinda hot, especially when you're getting all worked up finding treasure after treasure.

That said, I don't go out looking like a bum. I feel like it's still important to "dress the part." If you feel cute, you feel good. And who wants to feel bad while thrifting?! No one does. Wear a cute cardigan, a vintage brooch, bring a cute purse. Sometimes even the things you wear help you find your way to treasures. I've had countless incidents where thrift store employees say stuff to me like, "you like vintage stuff, right?" followed by something awesome like, "I have all these dresses at home that used to belong to my grandma, do you want them?" or something along those lines. So walk the walk, friends. Especially when vintage is concerned.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR.
So this is something that's different for everyone. Since I am a dealer and I do this for a living, I'm not only looking to thrift things for my personal use. I'll pick up anything in any size, shape, or color from just about any era as long as it has that something and I think it'll appeal to someone else. I buy everything. Clothing, housewares, linens, books, toys, puzzles, furniture, kitschy crap, you name it. Of course I love anything mid century modern the most, so my eyes are extra peeled when it comes to 50s and 60s items.

I keep a notebook in my bag and it has an ever-changing list of things I'm on the hunt for. Sometimes it'll be silly things like 'bowls that would be good for the cat's food' or things that are on my to-do list like 'cool lampshades' for the 9 zillion half baked vintage lamp projects I have in the basement or 'a new shelf for the kid's playroom' but I don't always have these things on my mind, so it helps to refer back to that list. I think it's really easy to walk into a thrift store and just GO and SEE what you find, but remember that thrift stores are great for meeting practical needs too.

Also worth sticking on that list? Your collections! What are you looking for? Are you building a certain collection, is there something you're on the lookout for? Now you won't forget.

All these globes have been thrifted. I started the collection a little over 5 years ago when we first bought our house and the most I've spent on a single globe is 8 bucks, most of them have been $1-3. They're out there, you just have to be patient and hit it regularly.

HOW TO UNEARTH A TREASURE.
I used to have this rule when it came to shopping the clothing racks: TOUCH EVERY PIECE, MOVE EVERY HANGER. I still do that, but just not as much. It's part laziness/effort to save time, part exercising my eye. I like to quickly scan and see if I can pick out the vintage prints/textures/colors without having to move every single hanger down the line. BUT, this is most definitely the best way to find stuff on the racks, whether or not you're looking for vintage. When I have the energy and I'm in the mood, I do it. It seems to be the trend now for thrift stores to organize things by color, right? So certain racks with nothing but solid black or solid red make it pretty tough to find a gem. Just the other day, I was combing through the blazer rack, and if I had been doing my eye-scan, I would have gone right past an adorable black 1950s blazer with tiny bows on the collar and the sweetest little round glass buttons. So if you have the time, give this a whirl. I think it'll pay off for you.

(I have a great technique for bin shopping (books and clothing) as well, but I'm going to save this for Friday's THRIFTING WITH KIDS post, where we'll be talking about lots of kid related tips, one of which is how to get through the book bin and come out a winner.)

When you're cruising through the housewares section, you have to move things. There might be an amazing plate in a pattern of dishware that'll have a choir of angels singing in your ear, but you won't see it if you don't pick up and move stacks of plates. There might be an incredible vintage typewriter inside a boring old case but you'll never know if you don't open it. Dig through the boxes and the bins because the treasures are there. You can't really count on a thrift store to display things in a nice way (in fact, I don't like when they do this, the hunt thrills me) and the stock changes by the hour, so get in there and get your hands dirty and don't be afraid to work!

Another thing I do, especially during the first 15 minutes in a thrift store is I do an overall casing of the joint. Whether it's a thrift I haven't been in before, or I haven't been in for a couple weeks, I have this excited/jittery feeling and I can't go to one section and hunker down before I know what's happening overall. It's sort of like, getting your bearings. Cruise through the whole store real quick, scan past the shelves in the wares section (this is how I found that Finel bowl for $2.95) and then head to your favorite section and dig in. Nothing worse than being in a thrift store for an hour and then looking over at someone's cart and seeing something AMAZING and wondering... wait. did they get that while I was here? Did I miss that? Yeah, that's the worst.

Also, when you're just about finished shopping, and you think you've found all the treasures you can find, MAKE ONE LAST LOOP. This might seem completely insane but it works. The whole time you've been in the store, all the busy thrift bees have been stocking and re-stocking with new things. Make a quick loop through and the new things will probably stand out to you that much more, especially since you're eye has already looked at all the other stuff. I like to call this technique "The Backtrack." You can use it. ;)

WHAT TO LISTEN TO.
I always have my small headphones in my bag because let me tell you something: I cannot thrift to modern country. I just cannot do it. If I hear Kenny Chesney or Keith Urban or Tim McGraw again? No. I do my best thrifting to the oldies. The oldies are where it's at. Give me some Mowtown and I will find me some treasures. Don't be afraid of just popping in your ear buds and getting into the zone. Trust me. Good tunes and thrifting are two peas in a pod.

TAKE BREAKS.
Making a day out of it? Stop for breaks! Thrifting is so fun but it can be so draining! Standing on your feet on those cement floors for hours, touching and looking at So Much Stuff, being exposed to all kinds of noise (and dare I say, smells? ok, we won't go there)... but seriously. Get yourself a treat! A bubbly coke or a chocolate milkshake or a latte never hurt anyone.

Stay tuned for PART 2 of this thrift adventure, coming at'cha this Wednesday. We're going to dig in deeper and talk about thrift karma, pet peeves, training your eye, solo thrifting vs. thrifting with friends, hitting up antique malls and estate sales and thrifting in new towns!

Please chime in and share your own thrifting tips or favorite stories in the comments section!

Baker's Dozen Coat Sale!

Jenny Mitchell — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:56:40 +0000

Hi friends! Something fun for the start of the work week!! I've hand picked 13 of my current favorite vintage coats for a special blog sale... I have so many coats taking up space right now & I'd love to find happy homes for these beauties. The 13 I chose are light to medium weight (and pretty perfect for this weird mild winter we're having here in the US), and they all would work well into Spring.

* details on how to purchase are at the bottom of the post.

'ORIENTALS' ORANGE TWEED -------------------------> SOLD.
beautiful orange/creme/beige/black large tweed coat from 'orientals pret-a-porter'. fully lined, beautiful condition. SMALL. 13" across the shoulders, 17" across the bust (armpit-armpit), 20" sleeves, 34" long

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ROYAL TILMAN'S -------------------------> SOLD.
such a classy coat. beautifully tailored, excellent condition royal blue + black 1960s coat from Tilman's of Charlottesville. fully lined, beautiful black sparkle buttons. MEDIUM. 15" across the shoulders, 19" across the bust (armpit-armpit), 22" sleeves, 40" long

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BETTY ROSE GINGHAM
navy + white gingham coat from Betty Rose. lightweight wool, fully lined. the perfect 'california winter' coat. a great spring coat. MEDIUM.
15" across the shoulders, 19" across the bust (armpit-armpit), 22" sleeves, 40" long
*edit: I really should have steamed the lower half of this poor girl. she's not showing at her best, but please trust that she's a pretty little thing. All she needs is to hang out in the loo with you, next time you take a hot shower and all her crinkles will be a thing of the past.
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DAFFODIL MILLER & RHOADES -------------------------> SOLD
pale yellow wool coat from Miller & Rhoades, fully lined. SMALL. 14.5" across the shoulders, 18" across the bust, 21" sleeves, 36" long

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PENN CRAFT FUR
sage wool fur collar coat from Penn Craft. beautifully made, excellent condition. satin lining. SMALL. 14" across the shoulders, 20" across the bust (armpit-armpit), 22" sleeves, 39" long

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EVERYDAY GREY
classic grey wool coat that you can wear with jeans or a dress. overall excellent condition- the only flaw worth noting is that the grey enamel in the center of one of the buttons is missing. you could easily swap this one out with the top button and you'd never notice the difference (as you're probably not going to be buttoning it up tight at the neck as often) MEDIUM: 15" shoulders, 20" across the bust (armpit-armpit), 22" sleeves, 40" long

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RESETA OF WALES -------------------------> SOLD
stunning 1960s red + blue wool patterned coat. fully lined, excellent condition. MEDIUM. recommended for a modern 6/8
15" shoulders, 21" across the bust (armpit-armpit), 21" sleeves, 37" long

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CLASSIC CAMEL
a real stunner. you might say, camel-schmammel. BUT. this coat is so beautifully made, you'd be lucky to find a new one made this well for less than 300 bucks, i'm telling ya! it's a real beauty. excellent condition. great lines. very nicely tailored. and it goes with everything! don't be underwhelmed by camel. ;) SMALL: 14" shoulders, 17" across the bust (armpit-armpit), 21" sleeves, 39" long

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THAT 70s GIRL
one tiny "flaw" on this otherwise FABULOUS bright red coat. it's missing 1 silver button. you could easily remove the entire row of decorative buttons and just have a single, off centered row (like the royal blue one above) instead of a double breasted look, or you could hunt down a close replacement or replace all. 3 good options! it's a crazy cute coat and i hate for it to be hanging around homeless any longer! recommended for a SM/MED: 15.5" across the shoulders, 21" long sleeves, 17" across the bust (armpit-armpit), 37" long

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BELSON CHARCOAL
very cute! excellent condition charcoal grey 'any weather' coat. works in a light rain, cuts the chill of the wind, makes for a great layering piece on a chilly day. SM/MED: 14" across the shoulders, 18" across the bust (armpit-armpit), 21" sleeves, 39" long
I wore this coat ONE TIME and got multiple compliments on it. The hanger isn't quite doing it justice.

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CRANBERRY TWEED
oh it's all about the sweet scalloped collar on this one! L O V E. just needs to hang out in the bathroom next time you take a shower to get out the crinkles. otherwise, it's in beautiful condition, fully lined in a nice, soft satin and features some pretty fab large vintage buttons. MEDIUM: 15" shoulders, 20" across the bust (armpit-armpit), 20" sleeves, 39" long
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THE MOD GIRL
as much as i love this one (and I REALLY love this one), i've come to terms with the fact that it's just too big for me. a lovely lightweight creme with navy details, it's fully lined and in beautiful condition. a perfect layering piece for 50-60 degree days. over a vintage dress? heck yes. paired with jeans + a pretty blouse? you bet. MED/LG: 15" across the shoulders, 21" across the bust (armpit-armpit), 20" sleeves, 43" long
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CAROLINA FUR
super fun fuzzy grey number from Belk's. fully lined in a nice soft satin, excellent condition. MEDIUM. 15/16" shoulders, 22" across the bust (armpit-armpit), 19" sleeves, 32" long

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See one you love? Simply leave a comment on this post letting me know which coat you want and we'll go from there. First to comment, first in line. US shipping will run approx $10 (depending on location, I'm in VA, east coasters can expect to pay about $10, all of these coats will fit into a large flat rate box for those on the west coast - parcel post is a more affordable option as well) and international shipping will obviously be a little more... but I'm happy to get an exact rate based on your country, so email me with any questions! Want more than one coat? I'm totally happy to combine shipping + save on postal fees! Just let me know.

all measurements taken with the coats lying flat. not sure how to measure/how one will fit? compare the measurements to a coat in your closet that fits you great, that's the best way to tell!

please note: there is a bug with our mail server right now and we are working on getting to the bottom of it, so I am currently not getting emails via the contact form. Best bet is to leave a comment on this post or email me directly: frecklebird at gmail dot com. Thanks so much! And good luck snagging a coat today!!

PS. in case you missed it: I made a FACEBOOK PAGE FOR FRECKLEWONDER. I'm on The Facebook again & I'd love it if you'd 'like' us and spread the word over there as well! thank you, thank you!! xo

My Girl

Jenny Mitchell — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:46:53 +0000

We're determined to make the most out of this spring-like weather we've been having here in Virginia. I looked at the forecast for next week and it's looking like 67 and sunny by Thursday. I'll take it! No complaints here.

I hope you're having a great weekend so far! I spent the day at the shop, and it was busy, busy, busy.

:::::

I wanted to mention re: the big Guide To Thrifting post -- I worked on it for a couple hours on Friday morning and I fully intended on posting it in the afternoon, but it kind of turned into a monster. I wanted to really do it justice and there's so much to say, you know I'm passionate about my thrifting! plus, I pulled oodles (and oodles) of images so I've decided to run it next week in 2-3 parts. Monday + Wednesday and if I don't get everything in on those two days then we'll wrap it up on Friday. Cool? I think it'll be fun. I'm so excited to share and I'm also putting together a fun giveaway for the end of the week, so definitely stay tuned!!!

It Is Winter, Right?

Jenny Mitchell — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:35:23 +0000

These photos are from exactly one year ago today.

We had snow.

Lots and lots and lots of snow.

Today it was in the 60s. This little girl dressed herself, and I'll tell ya: the scarf was overkill.

I know I'd be complaining if there was a whole mess of snow outside (I'm certain I would be after the first day), but since there isn't any snow or any chance of snow anytime soon, call me crazy but I'm kinda missing it! Just craving that beautiful white blanket of snow and the quiet it brings, I guess. I wouldn't mind being snowed in one good time this winter. (Watch, a blizzard will hit next week)

Are you having a wacky warm winter? I looked out my window this afternoon and my neighbor was working in her garden! Have mercy.

(this is a total aside, but it's a sweet chuckle: after I took the photo on the left of Dotty, she said to me: Did you see my wonderful gums? Seriously. And while I'm sharing DottySpeak, last night as I was tucking her in, she said to me, I love your heart. And then she started to talk about bones. She said, I haffa reedy big bone in my head, it's round. And I said, yes, It's called your skull. And she said to me, I love your bones, Mama.)

This is how you eat Ba-sketti

Jenny Mitchell — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:37:57 +0000

No messing around here in the Mitchell house. No sirree.