Books as Decor In Any Room!

Happy Wednesday Friends! I have entertained a life long love affair with books. Though I often use my Kindle for convenience, truth be told I still prefer the feel of a "real" book in my hands. When I was in elementary school, I would ride my bike several miles (in the snow) to the library and load up as many mystery books as my handlebar basket would hold, really--okay not the snow part! It should come as no surprise that Vintage books were among my first thrifted treasures and to this day can be found in any room of my house! Today I am sharing several ways I decorate with these classics.

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Healthy Habits: DIY Spa Water

Greetings! Do your goals for the new year include living a healthier lifestyle? If you are anything like me, there is room for improvement in this area! Today I am sharing one of the simplest ways ever to improve your overall health--drink more water! I am aware that this is not a new concept. However, did you know that just staying properly hydrated alone aids in preventative health? Several little known benefits include keeping skin moisturized, aiding in weight loss, building strong muscles, improving cognitive function and keeping joints flexible. You can read more here. Of course, it goes without saying that water is the most thrifty of all beverages! A few years ago, I decided to try one of these water pitchers made for flavoring your water with fruit and/or herbs--turned out to be one of my best investments ever. I can honestly say I drink at least twice as much water as I did previously!

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Friday's Find: Valentines Under a Dollar!

Happy Valentine's Day, Friends--hope your day is full of love! It's thrifty Friday and today I have gathered several finds just for the occasion. Best of all they were each $1 or less! That makes my heart happy!

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Absolutely No Sewing: Oil Cloth Garden Banner

Happy Wednesday! Like many of you, we have had some dreary weather lately. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is ready for Spring! I can't wait to get started in the garden but I'm holding out for some frost free nights before I replant my containers and launch full into my annual Spring fever. Hey, it's Texas and Spring usually comes early here! Looking for other ways to brighten my backdoor view, I decided to make an oil cloth banner--one even my non-sewing friends will appreciate! If you haven't tried oil cloth, you are missing out! It is colorful and durable enough to withstand our harsh summers. I cover all of my outdoor tables with it. It can be purchased online and in some craft stores. At my local craft store I pay $5.99 a yard but I have seen it as high as $10 a yard, so you will want to shop around for the best price. The store I mentioned mails out a 30% off one item coupon so I use it to buy the yardage I need for the season.

Cheerful oil cloth adorns my outdoor tables--from a previous Spring day

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Super Easy Valentine Wreath

Hello, Friends! Recently I was in my local craft store and a heart shaped red berry wreath caught my eye. A closer look revealed that it was on sale for $19.99. Nope, not going to happen--especially when I had the same kind of berries sitting in my studio! I bet you may have walked past similar strands at yard sales or thrift stores. I know I have on more than one occasion! If memory serves me correctly, I think the price on the one I finally purchased was just too good of a deal to pass up. Since I was also in possession of one heart shaped wire frame, I just had to DIY the berry wreath.

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Friday's Find: Gray Laurel Fire-King

Greetings Friends! Not only is today's feature fabulous Fire-King, it's also gorgeous gray! I really thought I had seen all of the lovely patterns until I came across this dreamy Gray Laurel manufactured by Anchor Hocking from the 40s-60s. It has the texture of milk glass with that trademark opalescent luster. You are probably thinking that I really don't need more dishes which is true...Did I mention they were 75% off?! Did I also mention that gray and turquoise is my new favorite color combination? Sigh...if thrifting is my addiction, I have to confess Vintage dishes are my drug of choice. Hi, my name is Cecilia and I'm a dish-aholic :)

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How to Resale: Cash for Clutter!

Happy Wednesday Friends! As an avid thrifter, my posts are usually from the buyer's perspective--fabulous finds and creative ways to use them in your home and garden. However, every house needs a little purging now and then. We all want more organized, less cluttered spaces but what do you do with the stuff? Today I thought I would share from a seller's point of view. Do you find it a challenge to get rid of an item that is gently used because "you might use it someday" or lament giving away something because of the money you spent on it? Did you know you might have some cash hanging in your cluttered closet at this very moment? Recently I made over a hundred dollars when I cleaned out a few closets! The cash came from a combination of resources: online garage sales, consignment and resale shops. You probably have several options as well--it only takes a little research...

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Valentine Vignettes

Greetings Fellow Thrifters! Valentine's Day is just around the corner so I thought I would share some heart felt vignettes. I have said it before and I'll say it again: special moments in your home can be lovely without being expensive! Take a look at this chair in my studio, while the velvet heart pillow is the spotlight, the pristine white pillows set the stage. Can you believe I found them in just this condition from an estate sale?! In fact, everything from the chair to the doily were thrifted finds. Tucking a Vintage embroidered doily inside the Valentine pillow's pocket adds instant charm.