A Different Kind of Thrift Store Find...

Found this in a wallet at the thrift store the other day. It was at the Goodwill in Lawrenceville.

Couldn't help but pocket the photo and leave the wallet. I thought it was kind of adorable. Has anyone found stuff in their thrift store finds or while shopping?

Let's Converse (About Converse!)

Oh, hai guys. I've missed you! Mark and I quickly snapped these photos on our way home after having dinner with friends. We were chasing the daylight a bit.

WARNING: I LOOK LIKE AN ASS IN THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS because I don't know how to prop myself on a ledge. I figured the outtakes would make good fodder this time around.

Outfit: Dress and denim jacket, H&M (old); pins and shoes, thrifted.

Anyway, isn't it weird some of the trivial stuff that you remember from years ago? Well, the way I got these shoes is kinda like that.

I was a freshman in college, shopping at Goodwill on the South Side with some new friends, when I found this score for $4. (For those of you keeping score at home, this happened almost nine years ago.) I always had imagined having the quintessential pair of canvas Converse shoes of my own, but never around to buying them.

A lot of my college friends I had then liked shopping at Urban Outfitters. Clearance racks were all I could really scrounge there, so finding something that could easily sell there for 10 times what I paid at the thrift store made me euphoric. I can't say these are shoes that I wear often, but I haven't ever had the heart to get rid of them because it reminds me of a time that a thrift store find made me feel like I fit in.

In my life, I've rarely had situations where I've felt I could relate to others. I always felt misunderstood.

I recently unearthed these from my closet, and all of those thoughts came back to me. I also thought, wow, how timeless Converse really are! These things never go out of style, huh?

Hope to be seeing more of you all on the blogosphere soon.

Taking Ownership

Old photographs are something I see for sale somewhat frequently at flea markets and vintage stores. It saddens me because I cherish the family photos I have — it's like little pieces of my ancestry in tangible form.

But for one reason or another, some photos are lost or forgotten. Ancestors evolve into strangers.

At a recent flea market stop, I decided to dig through and purchase a few of these precious photos I saw in a pile beside some knick knacks. I didn't know what I'd do with them at first, but I think to look at them and to play around with them is to appreciate them. Here are the results:

There was a whole roll of pictures that came with this photo, but I thought this one in particular kind of embodied the whole story. The lady looking at the camera is a bride on her wedding day. I love how low key this all was back then: Eating wedding cake in the kitchen of someone's house, perhaps her own home.

A small group of friends and family are gathered around the kitchen table, a few paper bells as decoration. If someone truly wanted a retro wedding, they should just have the reception at a fire hall! Looking back, I kinda wish I would've done something like that.

Side note: THAT STOVE is adorable.

This one was perhaps my favorite of the bunch because of its sepia quality and the fact that it's just so cute. My guess this was taken at a county fair, and children took turns posing as little cowboys or cowgirls.

And the hashtag I added? #mixinggenerationalbehaviorsisfunny

I wish this one wasn't so overexposed, but I think vintage swimsuits are the cutest.

I played around with coloring a black and white photo just for fun. I don't know if that looks any good, but I might practice a bit more. I learned the colorizing process on Photoshop by watching this video.

Collecting old family photos might be something I add to my collection list, as if there weren't enough things already. I am kind of at a loss at what to do with them. I think I'm going to search for people doing particular things in photos, whether they're in a certain location, on roller skates, etc. and then make a collage.

I don't know. In a way buying these photos made me feel like I took ownership of their past a bit. It was more of a cathartic experience than I initially realized. I bought these photos, among dozens of others, for $1.

Have you ever thought about repurposing old photos?

A Quick Hello

Work has been kicking my butt lately. Just wanted to check in and say estate sales are AMAZING.

A photo posted by Kate (@thriftburgher) on May 17, 2015 at 3:19pm PDT

I was in an estate sale groove over the weekend. On Sunday I hit the jackpot: I found loads of cool stuff at two sales, and paid less than $20 for EVERYTHING. Those items include:

∙ Porcelain unicorn bust
∙ 1950's era Ouija board in box
∙ Pair of Beene Bag (as in Geoffrey Beene) red leather cowboy boots
. Half dozen vintage glasses
∙ Two sets of teapot salt and pepper shakers
∙ Vintage mini globe
∙ Pair of vintage cast iron dumbbells, still in box
∙ "Nobody likes a smartass" decorative plate
∙ King size black and white striped comforter
∙ Three Ball canning jars, quart sized
∙ Vintage mint-colored colander
∙ Sewing box
∙ Lilac gingham print fabric, seersucker material
∙ Vintage Better Homes and Gardens Sewing Book

Honestly, I'm probably still missing a few things. I'm not even sure how I managed to pay less than 20 bucks; I'm usually a terrible haggler. I think the timing was right: It had been raining on and off all weekend, there were few people out and about going to sales, and the people selling really wanted to get rid of stuff and make deals.

Rain was also in my favor at the Regent Square Neighborhood Yard Sale on Saturday; curb finds included cute summer clothes and a box of 45 records! FOR FREE!

I have considered for a long time about opening an Etsy page. I think vintage and kitschy good are fun, I collect a lot of them anyway, so I think I'm going to open a page sometime this summer. As if I didn't already have enough on my plate, haha. I'll keep yinz posted about that.

Been to any good sales lately? :) And if you have an Etsy store, what's your experience been like?

We need to talk about (my) flair

This ensemble is mostly a typical office outfit, thanks to some Christmas gifts from loves ones that know all too well my appreciation for Modcloth wears. But a recent little secondhand store find made it just a little better.

Outfit: Dress, cardigan and shoes, Modcloth (old); brooch, vintage via Avalon Exchange; tights, Target.

Did you find my find yet? It's the little skate pin, of course, to reflect my newfound roller derby hobby! I found this gem at a local buy/sell/trade store Avalon Exchange for three bucks. Not bad, considering I had just sold them a bunch of stuff and got a bunch of cute things for under $20 after sales.

A few co-workers found out about my new extracurricular the day I wore this outfit because they asked about the pin. It obviously works as a great conversation starter.

I think this guy unofficially set off a new pin collection, too. Since wearing this outfit last week, I found yet another skating pin over the weekend, as shown on my Instagram feed:

A photo posted by Kate (@thriftburgher) on Apr 12, 2015 at 7:14pm PDT

Yikes, look past my chewed up nails and super red palms. I blame the lighting.

I think pins are a great fun way to add some character to an outfit inexpensively. I think it's something that can be easily overlooked, and it's a detail that I wrote off as too "grandma chic" for way too long. I think small, subtle ones are best as to not look over the top or cheesy.

And let's face it: I'm definitely on a roll with skating pins, pun intended. :)

Of course, you don't want to go overboard. I haven't watched the movie Office Space in ages, but this scene in particular has always been memorable to me, since I was once an angsty server in college. Which is impressive because this movie has so many great quotables.

Do you wear pins with outfits?

Flea Market Find: Games for Grownups Book

I knew I had a treasure in my hands when I found this "Games for Grownups" book (published in 1951) at Rossi's the other weekend in the quarter bin.

Games I might actually try at my next house party:
The Smelling Game, Guggenheim, and Memory Lane

Weirdest games:
The Orange Game, Sew a Button, and Applesauce

There were cute little stick figure gems throughout this book, too, which was adorable. And there are more than 100 games chronicled in this hardback book. Considering I paid 25 cents, that's unbelievable value. ;)

The introduction goes on to explain that many of these games were played overseas during World War II to lighten the mood. Kinda crazy that the book was published only a few years after. The original book owners had actually lived through that period and had their own memories of those times.

I was a little bummed the slipcover of the book was long gone, but still a great find. Hopefully I can put it to use next time Mark and I have friends over.

Have any of you ever seen a book like this?

My 4 Best Thrifting Tips

Since this blog is called Thriftburgher, I think I've been long overdue for some great thrifting tips to share. I have years of thrifting experience, whether it be at thrift stores, flea market, rummage sales, you name it. I probably have enough experience that it would be resume-worthy if it were ever relevant.

ONE
Make a list.

The map pictured above is from a neighborhood garage sale Mark and I went to a few months back. It was heaven, because every garage sale was listed with what kinds of items they each had. We hit up clothes and housewares for me, and sports memorabilia for Mark.

Unfortunately, most garage sales don't make things that easy. I usually try to make a list, whether it's in my head or typed up in my phone, of things I'm looking for. It could be a belt for an outfit, a quirky bag, a teapot. Whatever the case may be, make a list. Because thrifting can be a dizzying/overwhelming/forgetful experience.

TWO
Be open minded.

Sometimes, there's that one item that doesn't seem quite right, but has so much great potential. Usually for me, it's a dress with a great print, with some unfortunate side effects: Sleeves, full length, shoulder pads. But don't worry. The 80's didn't ruin it. A great imagination and some willpower can go far. That was the exact fate of this dress, which I wore to a spring wedding awhile back:

While I wouldn't do this every time I go to the thrift store, sometimes, that potential item is simply worth picking up.

Also: I love reading The Refashionista, because she transforms seemingly hopeless outfits into great, current pieces. I am always inspired by her work.

THREE
Be selective.

This might seem contradictory for the last tip, but hear me out.

On clothes, always check for tears, stains and (when possible) fit. There are so many great things that were in my shopping cart that got tossed back because I found something wrong with it. This is especially notorious in thrift stores. Even if the tag is in your size, double check fit. A lot of times, clothes are hanging in the thrift store because they shrunk in the wash. I would also make sure zippers work, and check for any missing buttons. One exception are for tears within seams. I have a sewing machine, and since those can be easily fixed, I would make sure I really want that item.

Same thing with housewares, glasses, dishes. Is there fading? Any chips? Just remember you deserve the best. Inspect thoroughly and throw it back if there are too many imperfections.

FOUR
Be patient.

There are times when thrifting is frustrating. Sometimes, I've been looking for a very specific item, to no avail. Looking for ugly Christmas sweaters in December? Forget it.

Sometimes, it just takes time. I find that if I'm looking for a summery item, it's best to look in the winter, and vice versa. Most shoppers are thinking in the now. Think ahead! Or, perhaps the item you're looking for is just too specific. If you're looking for your favorite American Eagle sweatshirt that your dad shrunk in the wash, except not shrunk and in your size, you're probably out of luck. Find a new favorite.

Just remember, there's so much out there. There's no need to fuss. You'll most likely find what you need, as long as you give it time.

Pittsburgh: 100 Years Past

I'm still stunned I found this at Rogers Community Auction over the weekend. It's a postcard booklet, with locations printed on the front and back. The postmark is dated September 1914. I paid $5 for it.

Allegheny County Courthouse, Downtown Pittsburgh

St. Paul Cathedral, Oakland

Mercy Hospital, Uptown

Allegheny General Hospital, North Side

Heinz Residence, East Liberty

Highland Park Zoo, Highland Park (Now just the Pittsburgh Zoo)

Baseball Park, aka Forbes Field, Oakland

"New" University of Pittsburgh, Oakland

Forbes Field, Oakland

Carnegie Technical School, Squirrel Hill (Now Carnegie Mellon University)

Pennsylvania Railroad Union Station, Downtown Pittsburgh

Hotel Schenley, Oakland (Now the William Pitt Union at the University of Pittsburgh)

There were a few other ways to confirm this is from 1914.

First, Pittsburgh is spelled with an H on these. From the 1890s until 1911, the city was spelled Pittsburg. Also, there are pictured of Forbes Field and Exposition Park in this collection. There was only a small time frame when both existed at the same time: Forbes Field was built in 1909; Exposition Park (pictured in the "Smoky City" photo) was used until 1915.

It's kind of cool that most of the buildings, with the exception of Forbes Field and the Exposition buildings, are still in existence. Not sure about the fate of the Fort Wayne Depot and Pittsburgh Post Office buildings pictured. Other buildings, while still standing, have changed significantly or have been repurposed. For instance, as I mentioned above, the Schenley Hotel is now the student union building at Pitt. Also, the Allegheny Post Office, in North Side, now houses the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh.

One other thing I did: I searched the name Helen Duncan, of Saltsburg, since this booklet was addressed to her. She was born in September 1904, so she received this booklet right around her 10th birthday. And I'm guessing she held onto it for a long time, or collected them. The seller at Rogers had a few other booklets featuring other cities, so she could've collected them. I didn't see whether they were all addressed to her or not.

Lastly, the booklet had postcard photos on the front and back, instead of the traditional open space to write a note. And they were all attached accordion style. That's something I've never seen before.

Have you ever been curious as to what your hometown looked like 100 years ago? How much have things changed over the last century?

Best Thrifty Finds: May 2014

Mark and I might need to buy a house soon, just considering how much crap we both collect.

First is the crown jewel: The bar cart I found at an Ohio flea market for five bucks! I plan on fixing it up, but haven't gotten around to it yet. This bar cart, from Kate&Stripes, might serve as motivation. I would love to repaint this a sky blue or dodger blue color. Neither one of us is a big fan of the gold.

One of the glass panels is also missing, so I was hoping my dad could cut out a couple wooden panels that I could repaint. We'll see.

After months of longing for succulents, I finally got a few! From Ikea.

The thrifty part of this are the tins, which I got for a dollar each at different sales. They're making a lovely little home on our coffee table right now.

My sister Ashley and I scored big at a flea market with vintage magnets. I picked up some strawberries and beer can magnets.

This is from a couple months ago, but I picked up an ice cream cookie jar at a flea market for five bucks. I'm afraid to use it so far, since it's ceramic and all and I'm the clumsiest person of all time, but it looks great on the kitchen counter.

And of course, my ever growing drink glass collection. Newest additions are the vintage Hamburglar glass, to go with my creepy Ronald McDonald glass, and a pumpkin mug.

Also, let's not forget my garbage bag and rummage sale finds, which got their own dedicated posts.

Have you gotten any good thrifty finds lately?