The Village Merchant in Southeast Portland provides a host of funky furniture, decor, clothing, jewelry and linens. The prices are great and the selection runs the spectrum from super fun to highly functional (and there’s some overlap, too). I went looking for a bookshelf but instead took home two skirts and a fun gold necklace.

Christmas Market

Last weekend I traveled from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to check out a German Christmas Market. The Market was held at a gorgeous old Lutheran Church in the Christian Quarter of the Old City. Along with hot spiced wine, fresh baked goods and locally made crafts, there was a second hand clothing sale. I managed to find a sweater for myself and a few gifts as well. Overall, an excellent, thrifty day.

It’s been over a year but I am, at long last, posting the final video of our journey to the world’s longest yard sale.  It gives an overall view of the sale along with interviews with a few of the vendors we met along the way.

Merton, as in Curtain

On a routine trip to Todd Farm this summer, Anna and I met Merton. Merton is the Deputy Town Clerk of Kennebunk Maine who, in his free time, collects, buys and sells vintage linens, mainly tablecloths.

We were pretty googly eyed over the beautiful retro prints as well as Merton’s charm and green glasses. He explained to us that in addition to helping the citizens of Maine (and Massachusetts apparently - he offered to “do my marriage license”) Merton also does weddings. Couples enlist him to find and select linens that fit the season or theme of their wedding and Merton provides. From what we saw at Todd Farm, I imagine that the end result is stunning.

I bought a couple of floral printed cloths from him and asked how to get in touch, should I wish to buy more (we were lucky enough to catch Merton on the one day a year that he sells at Todd Farm!). He replied, “Just call up the Clerks Office in Kennebunk and ask for Merton, as in curtain.”

Enjoy a video/photo montage of this summer’s Thrifty Sisty Montage!

Mostly starring Caroline, Charlie and Dad… Guest starring Roy and Ruth.

Here I am in my new home - Portland, Oregon. Be aware, Thrifters, there’s plenty of material out here and you’re going to hear all about it.

While wandering about town today I came across this “Junk To Funk” display showcasing some trashion created by local art students.

Junk to Funk combines “visual and performance art, fashion, sustainability education, interactive activities and entertainment.”

These pieces are perfect representations of Portland. First of all, it’s a very environmentally aware place so the project has a perfect home. Second, everywhere you look you see bikes, coffee, rain and outdoor sports enthusiasts… the fashion certainly makes excellent use of what’s around!

For more information about this very cool organization check out their website.

Here’s a fun way to save on wrapping costs and recycle. Make your own gift bags from newspapers or magazines.

For complete instructions visit: How About Orange

 THRIFTERS!!! After a long hiatus the sisties are back and ready to THRIFT! Enjoy a recap of last summer’s yard sale exploits, and check back often to see what we’ve been up to this summer.

The other day I was perusing a website about the “fashion evolution” of several celebrities, and was surprised to find myself most infatuated with First Lady Michelle Obama’s sense of style. That woman always looks good! I’ve been in a fashion (and financial) rut lately so I decided to take this inspiration and get myself over to my favorite consignment store: The Forget-Me-Not in Ipswich. 

Caroline and I have been consigning there for years and, despite the fact that the store is on the small side, we always manage to locate amazing, stylish and thrifty finds. Taking a page from Mrs. Obama’s notebook, I purchased a full skirt and longish mohair sweater. She usually tops off such an outfit with a large belt, but I decided to go with my over-sized earrings (a thrifty Christmas present from Caroline) instead.

I strongly recommend tapping into the fashion ideas of some well-dressed women, and then exploring the look on a budget… consignment stores are a great place to do this. While their prices aren’t as low as thrift stores, their inventory tends to be more selective and seasonally appropriate.

Check out your local yellow pages for your nearest consignment store. Also, think about signing up for an account there - that way you can use what you make to buy more stuff! I mean… put in your savings!

If you are looking for a little inspiration before your next trip to the thrift store, try watching an episode of Mad Men. The 1960s inspired wardrobe for this show is spot on and gorgeous. Also, the variety is impressive as each female character has her own style. From tiny handbags to silk scarves to sheath dresses you will without a doubt see something that you love. And what better place to shop for vintage than your local thrift store?

PS also check out this recently featured Etsy vendor: Dear Golden Vintage

Another DIY valentine idea: use doilies as envelopes. Fold a doily over a small card to make a beautiful, delicate valentine.

(via:marthastewart.com

Thrifty Handmade Valentines

All you need is a pin, heavy paper and some cardboard to create beautifully understated cards. Try using pins of varying diameters to create a more dynamic look.

You can find the directions here on Etsy’s Blog.

Now you can make your thrift store scarf look designer! French design house Hermes created a pdf guide, complete with illustrations, showing how to fold and knot scarves into various fashion statements. Your secondhand scarf can be renewed yet again into a shirt, hand bag or head band. My personal favorite is the Mini Cape. Enjoy!

(via: kottke)

Thrifty Mittens!

 Here’s a fun crafting project for a chilly night: mittens! Calm down amateur crafters, this project requires minimal skills. You also won’t need to spend a cent. You can make a new pair of mittens from an old sweater. Check out the directions on etsy or craftstylish (craftstylish directions don’t require a sewing machine). For warmer, water resistant mittens, try felting the sweater first.

Sometimes it’s hard to choose a sweater that you dislike enough to chop up but that you like enough to wear on your hands. If that’s your home sweater situation, head out to your local thrift store and find a sweater that fits your needs. It doesn’t even have to fit!