Thrifty Thursday: Petersburg, I love you!

So last weekend two of my favorite girl friends came to visit! We planned this visit over a month ago and I had been excitedly looking forward to it all of July, so I was very excited when the day finally arrived and I got to have some fun with these friends. 

Lauren and Bethany are sisters and we all went to college together. Lauren and I were friends 1st but as  we've hung out over the years since graduating from college, I've gotten to know Bethany and we've become good friends as well. 

So while they were visiting, we decided to use our Saturday morning to do some antiquing and drove down to Petersburg. I seriously am falling in love with this forgotten city that is just 30 minutes outside of Richmond and full of beautiful Civil War era brick buildings. While the economy there is pretty much non- existent and it is unfortunately biased as being a not safe city to live in, I find myself understanding why artists are willing to "take the risk" so to speak and live there/ start a business there.

Ok, enoughgushing over how much I like the place and on to the fun we had! We stopped at Petersburg Pickers, definitely worth the visit, for their Goat Days of Summer sale that happens every other weekend. Fri is 50% off, Sat is 60% off and Sunday is 70% off. So everything was 60% off the morning we went. 

As you may have read in a previous post, I have been setting up a ceramic studio in my home studio and while I found a wheel, I haven't been about to find a good stool that is the perfect height. If you are a thrower, you'll understand why having the right height seat to your wheel is important. 

Well, I wasn't even looking, not intentionally anyways, and what did I find at Petersburg Pickers but the perfect stool for my studio! This fancy fella was perched on top of a table and its industrial metal and black caught my eye. I'm never one to turn down style and function! The price tag was $95 but with %60 off it came to $40. 

While that isn't really what I'd planned on paying for a stool for my studio, I was willing to for this because I know it can function beyond a studio perch in a future place. And who can turn down a height changeable swivel stool! Now I can have one seat for both working at my wheel and for working at my hand building table!

But that was just the 1st find of the day, and while it was the one I most needed and had the biggest "sale" on it, it was by no means the best find! In another antique shop we stopped into I found these gorgeous crystal doorknobs in a box in the back corner. 

Ok, so ever since I got that iron bed, I'be been thinking that using glass/crystal door knobs to cap off the corners would looks really pretty since the brass knobs it had are gone. However, the cheapest I've ever seen glass door knobs for was $15 a peice and its usually more like $20 or more. Not to mention there are never more than 2 that match. So in this box in the back where about 12 door knobs and after picking through them I selected these four, all matching and all with pretty clear non yellowed glass. 

And guess how much I paid for all four!?  $21!!! They were $5 each! There was no way I was gonna pass that rpice up! I even kept trying to think of other uses I might have for them like one of those door knob shelf/hanger things but I was watching my spending and didn't want to just buy more becuase they were so cheap. At least now I know where to find them! :)

The last thing I got was this pretty green book for $5. Its called the Judas Tree and I have no idea if I'll ever read it, though when I perused it the story seemed interesting. I just like collecting books for their covers, its a bonus if its a story I love or one I enjoy reading. This cool pastel lime green was too nice to pass up!

My friends had some great finds too! Bethany got a beautiful Oval mirror on a stand for $40 and they both got a bunch of pretty vases and table decor. We went to the Blue Willow Tea Room for lunch and then drove around exploring the real estate... and even got out to check out a few houses that had for sale signs on them. 

Lots of fun! A perfect day with dear friends who equally love old houses, antiques, a good sale and exploring! :)

Thrifty Thursday: A Dresser Makeover!

It's Thrifty Thursday and I had to reach deep into my photo archives for this one as I haven't photographed my most recent thrifting cache from a few weekends ago!

But don't worry, this is one of my favorites so I am more than happy to share!

As you might have read a few days ago in my post A China Press Makeover , I completely revamped my room about 5 years ago when I was home from college one summer. 

I came across this dresser by looking through craigslist. There was no photo, just a description for an antique dresser with marble top and crystal knobs that would be for sale at estate sale the following saturday. That saturday morning I work up early and coerced my mom into going with me downtown to where the sale was. 

Fortunately we got there before they opened and were the 1st ones so when the older couple who were really just having a small garage sale opened their door I asked about the dresser and was shown inside to view it. It had original glass/ crystal knobs, key holes in all the drawers, dovetail jointing and was solid wood, I was sold and asked how much? When they said $65 I almost started jumping up and down!

Not 10 minutes later while loading it into my Dad's SUV 3 other people had come and asked about the dresser! There is truth in the statement "The early bird catches the worm!"

I only took a before pic of it with my old cell phone at the time and have no idea where that photo may be so I only have it post sanding. 

(pardon the blurry cell phone pictures... they were all I had of the before)

It took a lot of elbow grease with this little lady, but after 2 days of sanding and sanding and more sanding... I primed her twice with Kilz and then painted her in a pretty white that had just a hint of pink in it. 

I cleaned the crystal knobs which were a bit dirty and the marble top and she looked perfectly shabby chic when it was all said and done! I purposely left the top two drawers the original wood veneer because a) i couldn't for the life of me get the smaller knobs off b)the veneer was in almost perfect shape and c) I liked the character it added, hinting at its former life while showing off its new style! 

Thrifty Thursday

If someone were to ask me my favorite places to shop they may be surprised to hear me say Goodwill is at the top of my list. But really, its one of my favorites. I never fail to find something relevant and useful and for a steal! Plus, I know its going back into a good cause.  Its also our families favorite place to drop off things we no longer use but know might have another life in them for someone else. Also, if you live in Richmond, we have one of the distribution stores... on Midlothian heading towards Chippenham... its at least 2 times the size of a regular Goodwill!

I make a point of only going once or twice a month and never spending more than $20 in a visit. Often though I only spend $10 or less.. like on my most recent visit. Which came to a wopping $8.57!

I stopped by after my daily visit to the gym just to browse as I hadn't been in for almost 2 months. And of course, found a few things that needed to leave with me! Like the pretty green mugs from World Market that I got for $3.25! Yes, all four of them together were just $3.25! They are dishwasher and microwave safe and add the perfect touch of spring.

Some people might say, but Sarah, you are a ceramic artist, why not just make yourself some mugs? Well, I do.. but being a potter I also have a love for things not made by me that are ceramic and these mugs were so pretty. I especially was drawn by the way the glaze pooled and flowed over the details on the outside of the mug. And while these are commercially made and therefore nothing unique or special they are slip cast and low-fired both of which are techniques I don't use as an artist so for $3.25 I was more than happy to add some pretty detail to my collection without having to make it myself. 

If you follow me on instagram @shedesignswithgrace, then you'll know I've been on a flower kick of late. Specifically keeping fresh flowers on my bathroom vanity just to brighten my day every time I see them. So when I came across this pretty glass vase that was just the right size to hold only a few flowers  and the pretty ceramic china painted one below... for less that $3 each, I couldn't pass them up!

As you can see I brought them home and immediately put one to work with some pretty camellias from my mom's garden!