Thrift Store Finds

Flea Market, Garage Sale and Auction Treasures

Thrift Store Finds waiting for a craft

Did you decide later to go back and get it, only to find it gone, snapped up by another thrift store browser?

Thrift store finds have to be taken on the spot – whenever you see an item that catches your eye and speaks to you, grab it!

I use thrift store finds in many of my crafts – usually if it’s something I can plant some succulents in, I’m happiest.

• If it’s rusty metal, or metal that’s not rusty yet, I’ll take it. I like wire gadgets that could be stuffed with moss and used for a planter.
  
  
• Baskets of most descriptions especially if they’re large I’ll use for hypertufa molds – they have to be the right price, no more than a dollar or two at the most as they’re sacrificial and only have one use. This is good in a way, as the resulting hypertufa planter is unique.
  
  

  Thrift Store Finds made into Garden Totems

• Glass or pottery or china dishes and vases are great thrift store finds, the bigger the better. I’ll use these for garden totems, stacking them up in a pleasing arrangement and then gluing them together.
  
  
• Outdated lighting fixtures get made into fabulous and charming rain chains, or used as gazing balls, or finials for the top of a twig tuteur.
  
  
• Some people are lucky enough with their thrift store finds to get shoes and boots that can be planted; others look for purses to put succulents, house plants or annuals in for a bright splash of colour. These look great hung on a silvery barn board fence.
  
  
• Other thrift store finds that should be quickly grabbed are wooden items; small night tables with drawers, or even old suit cases. They can be refurbished to be perfect shabby chic accents, and are doubly useful as you can store magazines, collections and so on in them out of sight.

Whatever your preference, thrift stores, flea markets, auctions and garage sales are a prime hunting ground for salvage to make into crafts. Make sure you have room in the car for some of these great thrift store finds.