Trash to Treasure Tuesday--Thrift Store Shopping Trip

Here we go, finally! I have been running these kids around ALL. DAY. LONG. Does anyone else feel like a slave/chauffeur in their own home sometimes?

Good. I didn't think I was the only one.

Okay, so this morning, after the orthodontist appointment (the teenager is esctatic, braces are coming off 8/3!), and before I took the twelve year old to the pool and the seven year old to the pediatrician, I WENT TO THE GOODWILL STORE.

One of my favorite things to buy at thrift stores is frames. I think I've said that before. A few hundred times.

Here's what I found today.

Three small matching frames with disposable wall art inside, 59 cents each. One larger frame with a seriously ugly print inside, $1.99. A cute little china teacup, 25 cents. One pair of brown linen Eddie Bauer shorts in MY size, for $3.49.

First, the teacup. Isn't it cute? Last week on Trash to Treasure Tuesday, Cheryl, recommended that I find a teacup to use as a scoop in my new extra large flour canister. Thanks Cheryl for the fabulous idea! Here she is put to work.

I love the combination of pretty and functional! (well, and cheap too.)

I thought I'd show you what I saw in the frames. There's usually quite a large selection to look through, so it takes some time to find what you want. I like solid wood frames with some details. See the little detail on that one?

Next I checked the back. I look for a hanger that is well-attached, and that doesn't have to be removed to change out the display. No real reason for this, except that I'm too lazy to mess with the hanger thingy. I also prefer to have the back uncovered and I LOVE when there's just staples holding the "art" in place. This is SO much easier to change, you can just bend the staples out of the way with a screwdriver.

What to put in the frame? Oh my, the possibilities are endless and there are hundreds of cool ideas out there in blogland. I LOVE to frame fabric and scrapbook paper. They're both inexpensive (in small amounts, at least) and add color and pattern to a room instantly. You could frame photos (duh!), ticket stubs, vacation souvenirs (shells anyone?), mementos, calendar pages, sheet music, wallpaper, your kids' art, post cards, greeting cards, and on and on and on...

Here's what I did with this one:

A quick coat of Heirloom White and a piece of my FAVORITE scrapbook paper and I've got instant art. This paper is serving as my "inspiration piece" for my powder room redo that I haven't told you about yet. Stay tuned. I'll probably frame the other two in this set with the same paper, just different parts of the pattern.

Are you wondering what the linen shorts have to do with home decor?

Well...nothing really, except that I wouldn't have as much money to spend on frames if I paid more that $3.49 for my shorts.

Now it's your turn to talk! Link up those Trash to Treasure projects! If you've got ideas for frames, link those up too!

Edited to add: So sorry everyone, but Mr. Linky has decided to ditch us this week. He showed up briefly, then disappeared, and I can't get him back. If you'd like to leave your link in the comments, I'll add them to the body of the post. Thanks!

1. Check out Lindsay's project!

2. Condo Blues

3. Marie

4. Kate