1/2 price day & window displays

[valleythriftshopper]

Snagged the Donna Ricco dress I was eyeing for my daughter for $6.50 this morning as it is 1/2 price day at the SA.  New with tags, I got it for over 90% off the original price.  I have noticed more nice items lasting until 1/2 price day, where they would have been sold at full price before, sign of the times I guess. 



At one of the SA's they had some cute vintage stuff in the window, overpriced of course, but I love this old wardrobe trunk.  Someone was giving one of these away on freecycle recently, but I missed it.  This one is priced at 80 dollars, but has a non-color tag so it won't go half price unless they decide to mark it down. 

[Punk Glam Queen]

Great deal on the dress! I think the reason more things are sitting is because they are pricing items too high and thankfully people are wise enough not to pay those prices. Although full price for that dress wouldn't have been too bad imo as its brand new. The trunk is awesome, and you wouldn't find it for that price at a flea market or antique store, so even though its pricey, its probably still a good deal. Goodness it still has the hangers! I love the display of vintage items, around here finding true vintage clothing is rare as everyone has been hip to it for quite a few years. That painting and the lamp in the lower right hand corner are both the sort of thing I'd be holding myself back from buying!
Cheers!
Suzanne

[valleythriftshopper]

The painting is actually made from yarn, maybe crewel work, I can't remember, it has a mate on the other side of the window, I didn't look at how much they are, they are very groovy though!

Most of the vintage clothing at the local thrifts looks cute from a distance but when you get closer you realize it is that thick uncomfortable polyester.  So I don't see too much good vintage stuff I would buy.  Those vintage hats they have displayed are cute but they are all 10-20 dollars and they wouldn't fetch that on Ebay ( I looked).  I miss the old days of cheap thrifts, which wasn't too long ago here so I do tend to scoff at many of the prices lately.  Here a great article I saw online recently:

http://blogs.moneycentral.msn.com/smartspending/archive/2009/03/24/are-thrift-stores-now-overpriced.aspx

I especially like the line at the end, "She's also sick of the frugality bandwagon and says, "If I see another article by another thrift store-come-lately on the treasures to be found in the realm of the gently used, I will throw up."  So true!

[SplashsMom]

The painting is actually made from yarn, maybe crewel work, I can't remember,

Those were fun projects to do on a cold winter night while watching TV. Not a lot of concentration involved.

[valleythriftshopper]

I looked at it more closely today and I can see that it is string wrapped around a vertical & horizontal strip of little nails. 

[Jay2TheRescue]

Speaking of interesting paintings found, I saw a nicely framed paint by numbers of the last supper today...

-Jay

[valleythriftshopper]

That's cool, I don't see too many PBN that are well done around here so I haven't bought any.  I did get two vintage crewel embroidery pictures today.  One is a woman doing dishes & says "Mom washes" the other has a guy drying the dishes & says "Pop dries".  I didn't like the frames so I gave them back to the thrift store, the cashier only charged me 25 cents each for the crewel pictures. 

This is a new cashier at the food bank thrift who is not into vintage stuff & always gives me cheap prices on stuff (thinks its junk I am guessing).  I like seeing her at the register when I walk in the door!

[Punk Glam Queen]

The painting is actually made from yarn, maybe crewel work, I can't remember, it has a mate on the other side of the window, I didn't look at how much they are, they are very groovy though!

Most of the vintage clothing at the local thrifts looks cute from a distance but when you get closer you realize it is that thick uncomfortable polyester.  So I don't see too much good vintage stuff I would buy.  Those vintage hats they have displayed are cute but they are all 10-20 dollars and they wouldn't fetch that on Ebay ( I looked).  I miss the old days of cheap thrifts, which wasn't too long ago here so I do tend to scoff at many of the prices lately.  Here a great article I saw online recently:

http://blogs.moneycentral.msn.com/smartspending/archive/2009/03/24/are-thrift-stores-now-overpriced.aspx

I especially like the line at the end, "She's also sick of the frugality bandwagon and says, "If I see another article by another thrift store-come-lately on the treasures to be found in the realm of the gently used, I will throw up."  So true!

Ooh I love vintage string art! One of these days I'm going to make one, I have a vintage craft book with designs and instructions.

I'm sure somewhere you can still find worthwhile vintage clothing in thrift stores for prices like the "old days", but around here the supply has been dried up for years. I think its only worth buying vintage now if you truly love it and want it as part of your wardrobe or collection as its become cost prohibitive competing with the specialized vintage boutiques (both online and brick and mortar.) I can't be bothered selling on eBay with all the idiocy involved from unethical sellers and buyers; and lets not forget those insane eBay listing fees! It was fun to research and educate customers way back when. Sellers had to know their stuff and give little history lessons to educate buyers. In that respect, I think eBay killed vintage. That word gets slung onto anything second-hand and has lost its meaning. You would think with the surplus of info available it would make both buyers and sellers more educated but IMO, eBay only seems to make people greedy. (Apologies as I'm not aiming this at any of you lovely eBay sellers, just the dunces as outlined.)

Thank you for posting the article, it was brilliant, but this line from the article in particular struck me as very ironic: "EBay is another possibility, but keep in mind that the item you bought there may have been purchased from a thrift store and then marked up." If you start thinking along those lines, you'll drive yourself crazy as it all had to come from some supplier and in turn get marked up! I'm keeping tabs on "Market Publique" a new vintage clothing venue that started up last month. You have to apply to sell on their site as they are being picky and trying to cut down on the unethical sellers, as well as make a more well-rounded selection of goods. So far there have been some stunning examples worthy of the label "vintage" listed. I feel it can blossom into something amazing, so I'm keeping watch. I often write about vintage clothing and accessories for various publications, and am starting a position this month as a guest blogger for "Debutante Clothing", a well-respected online merchant/ blog who also has been dipping her toes into selling on Market Publique. I'm actually thinking MP may be the bed way for me instead of Etsy first, as I have so many lovely items that need to go where they are really appreciated! 

The line you quoted from the article is also something I've said, as well as this one: "As for Frugal Scholar, she's been thrifty for years, which means she can afford several nice vacations this year when others are planning staycations. (Besides, airfare is pretty cheap.)" Ha! I've been saying that for many years when people don't understand how we can afford such lavish European holidays sometimes two times a year, but you can guess I'm sure! Another thing is if I hear the word "recessionista" one more time my ears will bleed, and I will probably get hauled off for trying to stuff old newspaper down someone's throat! The word and its connotations make me sick. The fact that the wealthy have picked up on it makes me even sicker.

PS I just edited, something went screwy when I originally posted, sorry!

[nancydr2]

Jay, I think I have that paint by number of the last supper.  It's a classic!  No collection would be complete without it, but it's not particularly rare.  I have about 50 PBNs now, all from thrifts.

I don't collect string art, but I do love old gravel art pieces.  I specialize in pixies.

Retro crafts were so fun!  Don't even get me started on how much I love old felt and sequin Christmas appliques.

[valleythriftshopper]

Retro crafts were so fun!  Don't even get me started on how much I love old felt and sequin Christmas appliques.

Yesterday I saw some vintage Easter baskets at the SA, not too old probably 70's.  One small basket had a little pom pom bunny and a pom pom chick hanging from it.  I would have bought it in a second but they were just a little too tattered to pay $1.50 for (I wish they had been at the food bank thrift, I probably would have got them for a quarter!) 

I am going to have to google pom pom making to see if you can make them with out any special tools.  Anyone make these?

[eddieb]

On the topic of window displays, I'm actually surprised that you are allowed the option to purchase something in the display...

Here in LA, all the window displays are NOT FOR SALE. kinda odd, considering they put the coolest stuff in the windows, and i ALWAYS want something from the window display...lol.

My theory is that the items EVENTUALLY go on sale, just not when they're showcased in the window.

Oh and I'm primarily referring to the Out of the Closet Chains that don't sell their window display items...

[valleythriftshopper]

That used to be the case, even back at Christmas I had to ask several times to buy some vintage ornaments in the window.  Maybe they got sick of people asking for stuff & getting annoyed. 

[Jay2TheRescue]

From talking to other collectors, Paint by number nudes are very collectable.  I'd love to find some, but I've never seen one in a thrift...

Jay, I think I have that paint by number of the last supper.  It's a classic!  No collection would be complete without it, but it's not particularly rare.  I have about 50 PBNs now, all from thrifts.

I don't collect string art, but I do love old gravel art pieces.  I specialize in pixies.

Retro crafts were so fun!  Don't even get me started on how much I love old felt and sequin Christmas appliques.

[Punk Glam Queen]

Retro crafts were so fun!  Don't even get me started on how much I love old felt and sequin Christmas appliques.

Yesterday I saw some vintage Easter baskets at the SA, not too old probably 70's.  One small basket had a little pom pom bunny and a pom pom chick hanging from it.  I would have bought it in a second but they were just a little too tattered to pay $1.50 for (I wish they had been at the food bank thrift, I probably would have got them for a quarter!) 

I am going to have to google pom pom making to see if you can make them with out any special tools.  Anyone make these?

I have vintage craft books that give instructions for making them, so if you don't have luck with google try the library. I think the Better Homes and Gardens craft books from the 60's and 70's are the ones that had them. If you want a specific title I can always have a look, let me know!

[Punk Glam Queen]

eddieb, they don't do a once a month sell-off of the window displays? In the city several GW's do this, and the Housing Works thrift stores auction theirs online. Maybe ask what the deal is and you can get some of those goodies!