Steals and deals.

I go through phases where I am on either on the prowl to score a deal or I go the other way and you couldn’t pay me to step foot in a thrift store to treasure hunt.
Last month all the stars aligned and a magic Genie handed me some spectacular finds on a silver platter.
No. Like Seriously. Good. Deals.
I started buying things just because I would be a fool not to buy a gold framed oil painting for $7.00…who cares if I liked it or not, let alone had any place to put it.
I’ve come to the conclusion that this is why people open stores. They have a garage full of lovely crap and their husbands go berserk because they have no place to park and have to haul the stuff from one room to the next. So the only thing better than hoarding lovely treasures would be to be to sell everything and replace it with more lovely crap. (I’m one thrift store shopping spree away from that prospect).

$30.00 for this trunk full of school auction loot!
That metal cart is going to be another chic bar cart to add to my collection (and we don’t even drink).
Someone give me a can of spray paint quick!

My dad was an avid Hobie Cat sailor back in the day.
In fact he had three boats crammed all over the back patio and lawn at one time.
When he was learning to sail I was his crew. Becoming a full fledged sailor means learning to read the wind and dumping the boat a few times.
Suffice it to say that sailboats scare the he*% outta me now.
Despite my phobia of being on a sailboat I still think they are magnificently beautiful to look at.

The larger painting I found on Etsy and the smaller one is from a consignment store.
If I my youngest son, Sailor, ever moves out of my room, his room will be decked out with these majestic sailboat paintings.

Painted landscapes are not normally my style but for $7.00 grandma-chic is pretty dope.

I spotted this stone horse at one of my favorite consignment stores a while back.
I passed him up on two different visits…probably because I tried to pick him up and totally wrenched my back.
(No kidding, it weighs as much as my three kids combined).
You know what they say, “third time’s a charm”. I like to call it, “Love at third sight.”
I can’t exactly place my finger on what it is I love about Mr. Ed because horses also scare the he$@ outta me (long story).
Must be chemistry.

Last but not least, if you follow me on Instagram you remember this…

I have been hemming and hawing for months over this rope chand-y from West Elm.
Originally priced at $249.00.
Pass.
I figured I could easily DIY something similar.
You want to talk about the law of attraction…
I NEVER go downtown to the mall. In fact, I NEVER go to malls, period.
One Friday morning I got a wild idea that going to the mall 35 minutes away, downtown, with two rambunctious boys was a REALLY GOOD IDEA.
There just happen to be a parking spot, ON THE STREET (unheard of), right in front of West Elm. So I took a deep breathe and tried to remember how to parallel park.
We entered the store, myself and two little boys trying ever so hard to keep their hands in their pockets, (I dangled the McDonalds incentive package prior).
I didn’t come in for anything specific but there it was…that lovely chand-y I’ve had my
online-eye on for months.
Marked down to $114. Still too much for my frugal self but tempting.
One of the shades was lightly scuffed with something so the sales lady said she’s mark it down again, $49.
Sold. Ring me up.
I don’t know what happened or why but the guy at the register took another 50% off.
I didn’t ask questions.
Final price: $25.00!
I slung that thing over my shoulder, herded my boys who were touching everything shiny they could get their hands on and walked back to my car with the back tire on the curb.
That, my friends, is what we call a DEAL OF THE CENTURY!

Thank you magic Genie (next time make it all free [and please parallel park my car for me]).

Oh yes, and Happy Valentine’s Day!