More thrifted items for decorating swaps

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

I'm now involved in a swap of outdoor decor on a cottage decorating board. And today I was all excited because I found two things at the thrifts I just have to include in the package to my swap partner. One is a pair of very cool, chippy-looking white metal candle sconces (would look great outdoors with some citronella candles), and the other item is a very retro-printed gingham and floral window valence with little figures gardening on it. THAT, I'm not sure if I'm going to just use to line the box, or if I'll make something out of it.

Still, I think they're nice, unique items the recipient will really like.

Our cost limit is $10. And at a thrift, you can get a lot of cool things to put in a gift package for $10.

[Other People s Junk]

How fun!  It is always neat to me to see how far a person's dollar can stretch when they incorporate thrifted purchases in gifts or swaps.   

[Jay2TheRescue]

How fun!  It is always neat to me to see how far a person's dollar can stretch when they incorporate thrifted purchases in gifts or swaps.   

My roommate once took something from the free bin at a thrift store for a white elephant exchange at his office...  His office voted it the worst gift!
(It was a set of real estate classes on tape)

-Jay

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Well, the thrift store can't do much about good taste in gifting, Jay-- Only making the gifting cheap. :-) (Sounds like something out of "The Office" though, doesn't it? Some really bad Secret Santa...)

This weekend I'm off to find some silverware with pierced handles to finish off my last swap item. My swap partner had indicated she might like some windchimes, so I'm making some out of thrifted silverware. The pierced handles mean I won't have to drill.

[SecondhandSophisticate]

TSR, do you know how to make windchimes from silverware?  Is there a site with directions?  I am craft-challenged . so any info you could provide would be greatly appreciated. I think those are soooo groovy and the sound they make in a gentle wind is heavenly!

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Hi, SeSo-
I've gotten various directions from a number of people, but I've adapted some things as I've been going along. So I'll post some instructions here along with a pic when I get the thing done. I'm still sort of feeling my way myself.

(Heh) My not knowing how doesn't often stop me, I'm afraid-- sometimes it probably SHOULD, but at least the crafting oopsies are good for a laugh.

[eddieb]

i have never heard of or participated in "thrift swaps" until i started reading about it here... i'm fascinated! so there are other sites that organize these swaps? i would love some information on thrift swaps and how i can particpate.


thanks in advance!

[tiamatgreen]

I was going to ask the same thing-how do you get involved in these swaps? They sound like an awful lot of fun. I love finding and/or making stuff for other people. 

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Well, the ones I've been involved in were organized through the members of the Cottage Living forum, which I participate in-- so basically any group of people with overlapping interests in something.

Another member organized the first swap, and I've been in charge of this one. It's just a bunch of people who got together and agreed on rules and timelines for swapping, the host matches up people for the swap, and then folks post pics of what they received.

I know other boards do craft swaps, etc. At Christmas on Gardenweb I've seen people do ornament swaps. It's usually people on a forum who just decide to do it. The cost of the package is usually something really low. Like we've done no more than $10 and then shipping being outside of that.

The fun thing is it really is a bit like Christmas when the package comes.

I know Alexandra's been involved in some crafting swaps. She may have some additional info to share.

[ChrisMiss]

Swaps sound like lots of fun.  I've been reading Alexandra's and your blog and then following links to other blogs and some of the swaps are just really creative and thoughtful of the receiptants likes and dislikes, style, etc.  I wonder why "swap" was chosen instead of gift exchange or some other word.  Swap doesn't do a good job of describing what is involved.  It does sound like so much fun.

[tiamatgreen]

It might be fun to organize a swap between some members here. Not quite sure how we would go about getting that set up, tho.

[Good Buddy]

Here's how I make wind chimes out of silverware.
I made a tutorial for the September issue of The National Thrifter.
I hope this helps out..

GB

http://www.thethriftshopper.com/sections/magazine/2006/chimes.htm

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

VERY cool look to that, GB! I haven't seen one done by quite that method.

I saw a lady do one recently I was really charmed with that used, instead of silverware for the top piece, old kitchenalia like a strainer, a sifter, a potato masher, etc. She also added beads in between the hanging silverware, which gave it a little extra something.

Mine is being hung from a wooden birdhouse painted up to look a bit like the lady's home. So far it's not bad, and the silverware has a nice ring when the pieces strike each other.

I'd be happy to help organize a swap here, but I need to recover a bit from this current one. I've been using most of my spare time to try to complete it.

[tiamatgreen]

take as much time as you need. no rush, just thought it might be a fun thing to do. but when it gets going, i'd definitely love to participate, and am also willing to help out, let me know if there's anything i can do TSR 

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Hi, guys-
I didn't know if anybody wanted to see a pic of the thrifted flatware windchime I'd finally finished off, or read about the swap process for the one I was just involved in, but if so, the info is here:

http://web.mac.com/thriftshopromantic/iWeb/The_Thrift_Shop_Romantic/Summer_Decor_Swap.html

Almost all the items IN my swap came from the thrift, except for the metal garden frog which was a Michael's investment. (And that was half-off!)