Sunday, September 13, 2015

Everything old is new again





I’ve just realized there’s been a theme running through this past week.

    

   A friend of mine is looking for headboards for the twins in her guest room and our entertainment one day was to hit a couple of used furniture stores. (Followed, of course, by lunch. Neither of us is so driven by thrift that we would skip a meal.)


          In one store, a consignment shop that sells both furniture and clothing, I ran into an acquaintance. She’s a slim late 60s whom everything looks good on, and she’s been know to wear some pretty kooky outfits, but she carries them off with aplomb. I often wondered where she shopped. Now I know.



          Maybe in another day and age, we would have each been embarrassed to be caught flipping through racks of other people’s clothes.



          Friday night, I was at a semi-monthly gathering of a few women from town where we swill wine and talk about any number of things. Our hostess is a woman who was once a mover and shaker on Wall Street, and who now sells beautifully hand-crafted reclaimed wood objects. That night she was still euphoric about a killing she’d made at an event featuring donated clothing and the “fill a bag” concept. She modeled a stunning three-quarter leather coat that was part of her $25 bag. We all oohed and aahed, and asked to be notified of the next fundraiser.



Saturday brought thoughts of people I’ve known who would think nothing of buying rickety – but new – furniture, but who would never consider bringing anything used into their home.  


The Hub and I went to the Brimfield Flea Market, acres and acres and acres of more things than I can possible describe or than you can imagine.



 This is arguably the largest flea market in New England. I know for a fact that Martha herself (the famous ex-con, not me) has shopped here. 


I snagged a couple of necklaces and a bracelet – two of them even new! 

We also found a box of poker chips for $5 (never too early to set those grandboys on the road to self-sufficiency), and two picture frames.










Fortunately, the cannon Hub was eyeing stayed there. 


         

12 comments:

  1. What fun! I regularly shop at a local thrift store and shudder when I actually have to pay FULL PRICE for something. That leather coat sounds like quite a find. :-)

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  2. Fun, fun! I would love to find acres and acres of a flea market...no such luck here, except for Canton, which I have not been to in over twenty years.

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  3. you got me thinking, of our furniture, only the sofa and a futon, and a couple of book cases were bought new. everything else was either in the family or bought at an antique store or otherwise found or acquired but not new. I do buy clothes new, but not because I think buying clothes at a re-sale shop is icky, it's just too unorganized, but I don't buy them often and I wear them to rags.

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  4. Second hand goods/treasures have become more socially acceptable again. For which I am grateful. We really, really don't need new everything and often the older goods are both more beautiful and more durable.

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  5. Most everything that comes into my house new these days is old. I love to use things with a story. That window in your last photo has many stories to tell, I'm sure. Hmmm, the old postal storage box screams possibilities to me!

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  6. I miss the abundant thrift stores and flea markets that Florida had. I never had a problem of snagging a great buy. Found many things with tag still on.

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  7. When I read the title I was thinking that this would apply to you. I was interested to see if there was hope for me. People who buy second hand and used are a special kind.

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  8. I would have to buy that window and sign!!! I love bargains and looking. We have a shop where we sell our family's gathered stuff. It does quite a brisk business.

    Thanks for visiting. I'll not be selling Dad's flame thrower anytime soon.

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  9. I used to love browsing through secondhand shops and several of my furniture items are secondhand that I cleaned and painted. I don't go much anymore, I see too much stuff that I want to buy and I just don't have space to put it!

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  10. I spent years and years thrifting and going to Goodwills when I was younger, and even now I love a good flea market -- though I try very hard not to buy anything because I DO NOT need any more stuff. (I would be sorely tempted by that asylum window, though!)

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  11. I confess, every time I find some old stuff that reminds me of my childhood, I snap it, whether at a consignment shop, antique, thrift store... Clothes, not so much. My lifestyle is casual enough that I need very few new things anyhow.

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  12. I really like having and using things that have been 'pre-loved' as they call it. They have history.

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