Posts Tagged ‘thrift shopping’
Recent thrift shopping expeditions
Thrift shopping – any shopping, really – has gotten a lot harder as Sebastian gets older. Whereas he used to be content in the shopping cart so long as we were moving, he is now insistent upon walking (usually running) around to explore on his own. While I love his independence, I do miss being able to shop leisurely. Still, we’ve managed to pick up some good stuff lately.
Above: Shopping Chase Me Home in Gresham. I’m sure that I make the staff a little bit nervous bringing my toddler in among their breakables, but he is very good about using “nice hands” – He seems to get it that everything in the store is pretty fragile. It’s definitely not just his nature as he is a lot more rough-and-tumble at home. His dad and I do a lot of shopping at antique shops, mainly while on vacation, and I want Sebastian to have practice not breaking all of the things.
Picked up these tops (above) from Rewind with a few bucks of store credit. I love consignment shops for that reason! We generally avoid spending store credit anywhere unless money is tight that week, and then it becomes a great (free!) retail pick-me-up. I tend to avoid more boutique-y secondhand shops because a lot of them over-price (I’m talking to you, Buffalo Exchange) but they can be a good place to find “gently worn” basics. Sometimes you can get name-brand clothing for cheap if the staff isn’t savvy on the particular brand or style. Ultimately though, I do find it less thrilling to shop places that are more cultivated. No challenge!
Our thrift shopping typically focuses on clothing, but lately we have been working to accumulate pieces for the apartment. My new obsession with Nate Berkus may be partly to blame!
Donny always looks for Blazers drinking glasses when we go thrifting. We also found some interesting picture frames for around $1 each, a pair of $1 blue wayfarers for Sebastian, a brand new woven basket (still with the Trader Joe’s tag on it), and this cute Asian kissing figurine. Around $15 total.
New figurine was perfect fit on the small bookshelf in our living room. Gallery wall of frames above is a work in progress.
This blanket is one of the best things I’ve ever thrifted in my opinion. $5 from Chase Me Again, it adds the perfect amount of color to our living room and I love the pattern. I had never really considered buying blankets secondhand (I don’t know why!) but I just threw it in the washing machine on hot and even through the dryer – Good as new!
Missed Connections
Somehow, photographing items I like but don’t end up buying makes me feel better about the loss. These moccasins from Chase Me Again were just a smidgen too large to make practical slippers for me:
We definitely should have picked up this Nate McMillan bobblehead – I honestly have no idea why we didn’t! That’s my so-sad-we-fired-Nate-McMillan face, not dissimilar from my so-sad-we’re-out-of-the-playoffs face from 2010.
Best believe I would have bought this red faux fur coat if it wasn’t springtime! Also love this skull-print scarf. Both at Rewind in downtown Gresham.
Have you thrifted anything good lately?
Chase Me Home
Chase Me Home Antiques, Reclaimed Art and Used Furniture – Located on the corner of 2nd & Hood in downtown Gresham
Our favorite local secondhand clothing store, Chase Me Again, recently opened a consignment furniture shop. Conveniently located right next door, Chase Me Home sells secondhand furniture and home items. Some pieces are individually consigned while others are set up into cultivated booths. On our first visit this week, the husband and I found a couch we absolutely loved (and at a great price!) but unfortunately it was already on hold. We’ll definitely be checking back often! Sebastian loved the new shop too. It isn’t exactly a kid-friendly store but he did really well, practicing his “nice hands” with delicate objects – Gotta start him on antiquing young! Like Chase Me Again, Chase Me Home has awesome, affordable prices. They could probably charge a lot more but shhh, don’t tell them that! — In all seriousness, both stores have a great heart, with profits benefiting My Father’s House Family Shelter. I love that my dollars & donations help local families, and that their stores themselves are accessible to those with limited income.
This booth is full of projects straight from Pinterest – I’m sure the seller will do very well.
I believe the prices go down each month items remain unsold in the store, keeping plenty of room open for new items.
Vintage baby doll dresses
Not my normal style but that ‘Tacky People’ potholder made me LOL
It was Donny’s idea to stop into Chase Me Home and I’m so glad that he dragged us in! We’re still working on fully furnishing our apartment and I think this new shop will be getting a lot the hard-earned cash we’d previously ear-marked for Ikea.
Overall, I highly recommend you stop into Chase Me Home if you’re in the Gresham area. Portland has a lot of wonderful thrift/antique/secondhand shops but this one (as well as Chase Me Again next door) really stands out in both price, mission and customer service.
Nice day and a new trike
It was really nice out this weekend, for Portland in March anyway. (It was snowing three nights ago.) We spent some time outside, playing on the benches just outside of our apartment, and taking a stroller-walk to the local health food store. Sebastian has been SO HAPPY to get some fresh air out of the house. It’s almost too much to see and he immediately starts running around, careful to stay out of arm’s reach of anyone (Daddy or I) who might sweep him up and away from the fun he’s having.
We also did a little bit of thrift shopping this weekend. Honestly, Sebastian threw such a fit over not being able to run around that it was the first time I’ve been embarrassed in public. But that’s what I get for pushing back nap time. Thankfully Daddy pulled out some snacks and everything was OK. We came home with a couple of cute new shirts (one for me, one for Bas) and a lovely little tricycle for less than $15 total.
Sebastian’s new Radio Flyer looks beat up but it was really clean at the store, no stickiness, and all of the important parts are in perfect condition. Not bad for $5! In true slice-of-life fashion, my kid is wearing no pants and carrying a spatula. He loves his new trike already, although he can’t quite push the pedals. He can ring the bell! Now we just need a helmet so that we can ride outside.
Thrift shops and charities to avoid this season (and year-round)
If you are local to Portland, you may have seen this post on Portland Rescue Mission last year. My first car was actually purchased through Portland Rescue Mission and it shocked and saddened me to read that they discriminate against gay people.
Today I came across this post, which bummed me out even more. As you know, I used to LOVE Salvation Army. Despite the giant cross on the wall, I liked to shop there. We attended a new store’s grand opening recently. I’ve found great stuff there. But le sigh, I am not going to be shopping there anymore.
The Salvation Army has a history of active discrimination against gays and lesbians. While you might think you’re helping the hungry and homeless by Thumbnail image for Why you shouldn’t give to the Salvation Armydropping a few dollars in the bright red buckets, not everyone can share in the donations. Many LGBT people are rejected by the evangelical church charity because they’re “sexually impure.”
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The organization also has a record of actively lobbying governments worldwide for anti-gay policies – including an attempt to make consensual gay sex illegal. (Yes, you’re paying lobbyists with those donations.)
Whether you are an avid thrifter like me or have thrown some change to their bell-ringers, please don’t support this awful ‘charity’. Despite raising prices, Goodwill does not discriminate. Value Village has no mention of religion on their website and are generally my favorite chain thrift store. Deseret Industries is affiliated with the LDS church but I haven’t found any mention of discrimination. If you have information that I have left out or more stores to suggest, please leave it in the comments!
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