Grand Opening? I'm there.

If I told you I went to another grand opening of a Goodwill store, 

it probably wouldn't surprise you.

Brace yourself...

I went to another grand opening.

You know I'm a freak about Goodwill.

I'm a freak, I know.

I can't help it.

I try.

No, not really.

I gave up trying.

There I was Friday morning,

heart beating rapidly,

pacing the aisles like a salivating, black, polka dotted panther anticipating the kill purchase.

If you would've seen the line of bargain hungry, savvy shoppers waiting to 

get their hands on the merchandise,

 you would have been in survival mode too.

I managed to get some shots of the inventory before I got down to business.

The business of shopping.

Normally, 

I would show you the furniture and home goods, 

but this time,

I think the kids clothing needs a bit of the spotlight.

There were rows of children's clothing.

Boy's clothes and games.

From baby sleepers to stuffed animals the choices were plentiful.

What dog wouldn't have a hey day with that rack of stuffed animals?

Shoes...

Pink, orange, red.

Top row,

 pink cowgirl boots.

Be still my heart.

Socks, 

hats 

and little piggy slippers.

Purses and bags.

See the little furry bags?

 Groovy flower. Orange. Light blue. Lime. Yellow.

Without a doubt,

 those are off the cuteness meter.

And are you ready for this?

Every mother's dream.

Action figures and super heros,

  organized in bins.

Organized.

Um, can the person who organized this section, 

come to my house?

Denim.

Denim jeans.

Denim jeans without holes in the knees,

at bargain prices.

Dreams do come true.

This is just a little preview of the store, 

but I just wanted to show you the large amount of donated items,

new and gently used,

 that go on for miles.

Not only are the donations coming into the Goodwill stores,

 but in other thrift stores too.

There are racks and shelves packed with items

with more merchandise waiting in the back

to be brought up to the sales floor.

Where would all of these discarded goods go if 

thrift stores didn't exist?

Where would these donated goods go if people like me didn't pace the aisles looking for items that are worthy of a second,

and often a first chance,

 at a new life?

Call it recycling, 

call it thrift,

call it what you want, 

just give thrift store shopping a try.

Shopping and sifting through donated items can be overwhelming, maybe embarrassing to some,

but I'd like to thinks it's better than the alternative.

The embarrassment of having landfills filled to capacity.

Now, don't let me be a buzz kill and bring you down,

because just when I think all hope is lost,

I met a little guy, in the check out line,

 at the grand opening who knows the value,

 of a good thrift store purchase.

Now that is a dream come true!

Savvy Shoppers Unite!

Dollar Day Thursday

Last Thursday my, automatically programmed,

 car stopped at Goodwill and I just happened to be in it.

I love it when that happens.

Thursday's are Dollar Days at Goodwill.

Did you know that?

Well, at least in my part of the country they are.

Of course, in typical Popcorn style,

I found something that was not a $1 and I just had to have it.

A cute little glass pitcher surrounded by wicker.

Perfect condition.

Like new.

$3.99

I brought it home.

Now for the $1 deals.

This metal, hurricane lamp was marked for $5.99

 but with Week 25 on the label, 

it was on sale for $1.

Next, one of the reasons I love to shop at thrift stores like Goodwill.

Vintage books.

5 printed in the early 1900s

and 

4 printed in the 1800s.

Just looking at those pages gives me a thrill.

Yes, I just said a thrill.

Did I mention they were each $1?

Just look at those worn pages.

Thrill city.

My books are currently in a holding pattern on a table in the living room.

The lantern found its place on a small table in the kitchen

and is doing its darnedest to try and hide light switches.

My dollar day, but not a dollar, pitcher 

is the lovely recipient of some beautiful flowers.

Isn't she pretty?

My Goodwill finds have come together

Wire stand, Home Goods, 

everything else, Goodwill.

and will be living happily ever after.

Happily ever after,

 that is

until I decide to move them around again.

A Colorado Sunroom/Porch Make-Over

Last month I found myself in "thrifty" heaven when I attended the grand opening of 

Redesign by Goodwill.

Not only did I come away with a haul of treasures for myself,

I came away with some little gems for my Mom  as well.

(meet my mom HERE) 

At the end of June, we packed up the trailer of motorcycles, 

four wheelers and suitcases,

to head to Colorado,

much to my husband's surprise, I had a boat load of things to add to the cargo. 

I wrote about our trip HERE

and about Colorado farm life HERE.

Now, I'm going to bring you into her home.

Come on in.

Coming in from the back door (on right),

the first stop we are going to make is into her porch/sunroom.

It's a small room where guests can come in to greet her,

take off their jackets or their shoes,

 sit to have a chat or make their way into the family room.

She has two wicker chairs in the room

 so when I spotted this table ($19.99)  and stool ($9.99)at the

 Redesign by Goodwill grand opening,

 I thought of her sunroom and put them in my cart.

I added them both to her room 

along with a rug from Home Goods

It gave the room a much cozier look.

See this little lamp?

It cost a whole $4.99 at the 

Redesign by Goodwill store and 

was in perfect condition.

 I was not about to leave it behind.

It's now sitting in her sunroom holding some seed packets.

Now, I know many people are not fond of faux greenery 

but when it's the dead of winter and there is no sign of life,

 it's nice to have a little ray of hope of what's to come in the spring and summer.

I picked up two of these pink "plants" for $5.99 each.

I put one plant on a plant stand behind a wicker chair and the other on a step.

They added some nice color to the room.

I wrote (HERE) about how I found these little  adorable lanterns at Goodwill.

Well,

 I sacrificed one lantern in the name of Colorado and split up the trio.

The lantern now hangs on a little shelf, made by my dad,

 with a picture he painted as well.

I found this bird cage on another trip to Goodwill for $7.99.

It was cream/yellow and was adorned with a black ribbon when I found it.

I removed the ribbon, 

introduced it to my spray painting station, 

painted it white,

and it made the journey to Colorado too.

I stuck some faux hydrangeas in it at last minute

 but I'm hoping my Mom will put a little plant in there 
when she brings her plants inside come fall.

I shopped around my mom's house and found a small bookcase. 

I used it to hold the G.W. lamp, some books, magazines and various accessories.

Accessories, like this little vase for $1.99.

Another Goodwill find.

  I grabbed some of these

 paintings from his my Dad's art room

and hung them in a grouping.

Painting birds was a favorite hobby of his.

While I was busy moving things around, making way for the "new" treasures,

my Mom was a trooper and let me do my thing with little protest. 

Here's the sunroom/porch

 before I came to town.

This is the room after I left.

Read about the coat rack HERE.

Doesn't it make you want to sit and enjoy a book or some iced tea?

I'm sure my Mom wouldn't mind if you came over to visit,

just tell her Popcorn sent you.