Thrifting can create bad habits

[SecondhandSophisticate]

Ms. Alexandra, a pink Dior Suit? For 4.50?  Now that sounds divine. But I totally understand why you walked away from it. I applaud you.

I can also understand the tap shoes,    I ran into World Market with hubby; he needed some coffee (his one extravagance) It's there that I saw the Bright Orange paper parasol.  Do I need it? Well, maybe, if I move to Tahiti to pose in a Gaugain painting. Other than that, no.

Did I get it?

You betcha! It makes my heart sing.  It's nourishing to my creavity, my passion, my inner eye, and totally unnecessary.  And fer gosh sake's' it's ORANGE!!

Ciao, Bella!
SeSo

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Oh my gosh, hahaaaaaaaaa....

What a great little speech. May you always have your orange parasol, SeSo.

(One never really knows what we'll end up reading upon stopping by here... Makes life fun.)

[SecondhandSophisticate]

Thank you, Good Buddy. I'll carry it when we all meet at Renniger's.

Ciao!
SeSo

[Scott]

I ran into World Market with hubby; he needed some coffee (his one extravagance) It's there that I saw the Bright Orange paper parasol.  Do I need it? Well, maybe, if I move to Tahiti to pose in a Gaugain painting. Other than that, no.

Did I get it? ... You betcha!

You know, SeSo, that from now on we'll all be picturing you as a Gauguin-inspired orange-parasol-toter? Right?

[SecondhandSophisticate]

You mean you didn't before, Scott?

Yes, you may picture me as a Gauguin-inspired orange-parasol-toter, who sips World Market coffee out of Paul McCobb blue "Contempri" cups and eats Lea and Perrins  puff balls cooked by TRS  from Red Wing Merrileaf plates while listening to Kennedy-era Christmas music by Esquivel taped by Good Buddy and sent to Big Daddy, to which Alexandra will be tapping dancing, of course, and all will be rendered artistically by youyouyou!

Ciao, Bella!
SeSo

[Scott]

Actually I think I like the sounds of that, SeSo. You've packed so much style into that one little picture, I think my head is spinning!

[MrsGoodwill]

You mean you didn't before, Scott?

Yes, you may picture me as a Gauguin-inspired orange-parasol-toter, who sips World Market coffee out of Paul McCobb blue "Contempri" cups and eats Lea and Perrins  puff balls cooked by TRS  from Red Wing Merrileaf plates while listening to Kennedy-era Christmas music by Esquivel taped by Good Buddy and sent to Big Daddy, to which Alexandra will be tapping dancing, of course, and all will be rendered artistically by youyouyou!

Ciao, Bella!
SeSo

ROFLMBO!!!

[Aia]

Reading through these posts is quite an education!

Thriftstore Romantic, I went to your site and WOW!  Everything is absolutely gorgeous!  Reminds me of my grandmother's house.

How do you determine what your style is?  My Gran had a beautiful victorian house, but my father always had us growing up with "plain white walls" and not a bunch of stuff to move as he was military. 

Now I have no idea where to start..though I do have a few pieces of red carnival glass that I bought and absolutely love.  I didn't know what the bowls were when I bought them though.  I love how you decorated your tables too...you certainly have a gift.

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Oh gosh, Aia-- thank you! I'd say if you're trying to figure out your style, do just what you said you're doing... pick up things you see and love.

You mentioned loving the red carnival glass? (I bet it's gorgeous!) Well, then you might want to base some of your decorating around it-- like your color scheme-- as well as on any built-in elements already in your house. (For instance, I have a fireplace in light green tile, so in that room, I do try to keep light green in the decorating.)

It helps to stick with a general time period, too. So that way you don't have a lot of really streamlined modern items mixed in with vintage heirloom-looking pieces. But honestly, it's pretty easy to mix all sorts of things together to make them work. And when you find something cheap at a thrift store-- especially things like small furniture-- you don't feel bad if you have to paint it or do a little tweaking to it to make it fit better.

It IS a ton of fun to do.