Thrift Tips & Blue Finds For Summer

Over the weekend while checking out the Summer Luvin' shop set at Sweet Salvage (love the visuals!), I did something I haven't done in a while - I did a little thrifting (some people shoe shop - I like love thrifting!) Recently I had restyled our upstairs loft for summer  - more white washed walls + accessories, brought in navy blue panels & pillows (I already had), plus I painted my thrift buffet in Benjamin Moore Old Navy (will share shortly!) But I wanted some more shots of blue up on the walls, similar to the look of the framed fabric project I did for our Spring Dining Room (read my post: How to make a framed focal point) so I decided to hunt for some blue fabrics to frame.  It really doesn't take much money to restyle or create a refreshed look ~ Just a few thrift finds and your imagination... Here is what I found...

 

 

LOVE mixing ticking stripes & paisley for summer!

 I didn't only look in the fabric section of Goodwill - Since Goodwill does an awesome job of keeping their thrift store colorized, it was super easy to scope out the blues in every section of the store.  

Tips for thrifting for fabrics for home decor:

1. Keep in mind, more than likely, the fabric will be cut to fit your frame - For example, when looking for cool blues: sift through mens woven shirt racks: sleeves can actually be turned into wine bottle sleeve wraps, so nothing will go to waste.

2. Keep in mind, some fabrics are already perfect for framing as is: for example scarves.

3. While shopping, use your cart as your sample board: layer your fabric finds to ensure hue coordination plus pattern mix and scale.

4. To get more bang for your thrift buck: look for fabric duos: often these can be found as pillow shams or placemats (this way you get two different patterns for the price of one item)

5. For even more savings, check out special sale days, colored tag specials or sign-up for email coupons.

All of these great summery blue prints are a combination of:

1. Scarves + bandannas

2. Placemats + napkins

3. Pillow cases + pillow shams

Besides framing, these fabrics can also help create interesting book-covers for bookshelf style...

Goodwill Thrift Tip: 

Goodwill offers 50% off  a select color ticket.

If the sale was pink ticket, those would be additional 50% off + use your monthly emailed coupon for additional saving on your other thrift purchases.

 

Washing Thrift Textiles Tip:

Check labels: Some items may need to be hand washed, but more than likely, they can be machine washed. I washed all, but laid the scarves flat to dry, pressed them and clipped all to a pant hanger ready for framing. Two of the shams I was planning on cutting actually worked great to refresh the bedroom paired with navy striped euro shams & white sheets I already had...

While in the "Blue Mode" , I also kept an eye out for any other thrifty blue finds...

 

Under $2 each...

 

How's this for summer blues inspiration?

Abstract canvas painting $3...

Another scarf with a fab print from Vera Wang for .99 ...

And while I was at Sweet Salvage, I spotted this simple wicker wrapped vase, that works great paired with my square wicker basket (got it at Goodwill last summer) filled with Florida starfish...

 

Here is a 'thrifty' tip:

If you live in an area that lacks frond friendly palms (low enough to cut), check out your local Garden Center: Sometimes they have weekend specials (like indoor palms for 8.88 at Home Depot) or also ask to see reduced priced plants. These plants are at the end of their life (due to lack of water) and you can find some palms to salvage (save them!!) or - use to cut what fronds are left as your summertime vase fillers. The reduced plants usually sell from $2.50 - $7, which can be less than a bouquet of flowers (which usually only lasts 3-5 days). Palm fronds last for 2-4 weeks, giving you not only more bang for your buck but add a wow factor & drama into  a space (Read my post: Decorating With Fresh & Faux Palm Fronds)

Here's more of a peek at  my loft summer restyle...

 

Thrift Styling Tip:

Mix what you have with a new thrift find to create a new look.

Here's how I've mixed old and new - from South Florida to the Southwest:

Wood thrift frame from Faith Farm Thrift (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) with a leopard fabric sample (from my friend Jose in Miami ), draped in shell necklaces (from the FL Keys), an Ikat scarf (from Goodwill AZ) and a petite blue vase I found last summer at Goodwill here in AZ...

Here's a peek at my painted thrift buffet... One of my first thrift finds (back in the 90s!)

She was black (originally mint when I found her) and I had painted her barn red in August 2011 before learning of our move (in September 2011)...

 Gotta LOVE the thrill of thrift!

Now I just need to rummage through my frames to start to create some thrifty summer wall art. Although emerald green is the color of the year, blue is also very on-trend for summer (Pantone's Pick: Monaco Blue). I've always liked using blues for summer, but in our new location, this is also a psychological way to keep cool in a hot & dry - water starved - desert climate! 

Below is another way to create your own thrifty wall decor: while you're out, snap a few abstract photos of objects that work with your color mode: I snapped this pic while at the Salvation Army Thrift store in Phoenix on Saturday...

LOVE the mix of these two blues too - Cobalt glass & MCM mosaic tiles...

What have you thrifted lately?

Thanks for stopping by,