uff da, aka things I’m excited to do tomorrow

Posted on May 14, 2014 by highplainsthrifter

Uff da, this week’s been a doozy. And I don’t even have a single thing to blame, either. It’s just been kind of a never-ending string of unfortunate occurrences, so much so that I don’t know if I should laugh it up or cry. I’ve been getting by with a few of my favorite sanity-saving activities, i.e. walking the dog, digging around the garden, texting with my Mom and emotionally eating way too much jalapeño–pineapple pizza.

I have also been looking forward to tomorrow, Thursday, which has been like a little light at the end of the tunnel. Because tomorrow, two exciting things are going down.

First, after work, I’m going to check out Spirit of Hope United Methodist’s annual rummage sale. I drive past this church on the daily (pretty much), so when I saw the big blue sign advertising the sale, I knew I had to work a stop into my schedule. The sale runs tomorrow from 5 to 7 p.m., Friday, 9 a.m to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Click through for the address and directions.)

Secondly, my friend Alex is hosting a shindig for vinyl-loving ladies at Secret Stash’s HQ. I’m SO happy Alex got this group together, and that we’re hanging tomorrow, because, real talk, I could use a night of good music, smiles and chit-chat. Also, I really (REALLY) need the new Sonny Knight record, so fingers crossed they have a copy around for me to buy. (You can hear some of Sonny’s songs, and more from Secret Stash, right now, right here.) If you’re not busy and want to hang, please do come through! (The fun starts at 7 p.m.)

xoxo,

Meghan

P.S. The Uff Da stationery pictured above is available locally at Ingebretsen’s, $9 for a set of four. (I think I need it.)

Bottom photo c/o: Jalopy Journal.

weekend sale circuit: april 17-19

Posted on April 17, 2014 by highplainsthrifter

Apologies for the quietude around here this past week. I’ve been dealing with a super sick pup and some tight freelance deadlines, both of which have kept me from having any semblance of free time. Thankfully my ol’ Finnnie seems to be on the mend and my clients are sitting pretty with polished pieces in their inboxes, so it’ll be back to business as usual soon, starting with this roundup of secondhand sales (and a swap) happening this weekend! (Don’t forget: Most thrifts will be closed Sunday!)

♥ Hope Chest for Breast Cancer Easter Sale: In an effort to clear up some room on their sales floor, today through Saturday, all wooden furniture is 30% off and all entertainment centers and armoires are half-off. All Easter items and swimwear will also be marked down by 75%.

♥ Hidden Treasures Thrift Store Easter Weekend Blowout: Tomorrow and Saturday only, everything in-store will be 40% off.

♥ Friedman Iverson’s Annual Record Swap: Tomorrow, on the eve of Record Store Day, the Twin Cities’ handsomest law firm will host their (practically famous) annual record swap. From 6-9 p.m., guests are welcome to bring unwanted vinyl to swap (not sell!) with other like-minded music lovers. Furthering sweetening the pot? Drinks, snacks and DJs. Be there!!!

Happy Easter!

xoxo,

Meghan

Photo c/o: Shelley Fabulous.

weekend sale circuit: feb. 21-23

Posted on February 21, 2014 by highplainsthrifter

Hunt & Gather

Happy Friday friends! Here’s what the secondhand sales scene is looking like this weekend.

♥ Final Clearance at My Sisters’ Closet: Hurry over to My Sisters’ Closet’s Grand Avenue location to shop the final days of their annual clearance event. Shoppers can expect to find high-end designer pieces in addition to timeless vintage treasures. (Sale ends Sunday.)

♥ Rock ‘n’ Roll Music Sale: Vinyl-lovers who appreciate a good dig should check out this sale. 3,000 vinyl LP records, hundreds of CDs, cassettes and other music-related items will be up for grabs, including hundreds of $1 LPs. Sale runs today, ’til 8 p.m. and tomorrow from 9 to 5.

♥ Hunt & Gather’s Bi-Annual Sale: Take 20% off at the hippest “antique” store in town, today through Sunday. Save on vintage decor, furniture, one-of-a-kind found objects and all kinds of random wonderfulness you never knew you needed.

♥ Fill a Bag for $5 at New to You Thriftique: If the thought of stuffing a grocery bag full of clothes, shoes, outerwear and paying only $5 for the whole shebang excites you, head over to New to You Thriftique tomorrow through Tuesday. There’s no limit on how many bags you can fill, and kids’ clothes are included in this deal.

♥ Hope Chest’s Go for the Gold Sale: Pick your metal and take anywhere from 20-40% any one item today through Sunday. Additionally, belts, shoes and purses are 40% off, and all winter clothing is a whopping 90% off.

Happy hunting!

xo,

Meghan

Photo c/o: MSP Mag's Vintage Insider's Guide.

heads up: empty the nest’s music + jewelry sale

Posted on April 27, 2013 by highplainsthrifter

There aren’t many things that can entice me to slog through rush-hour traffic more than I have to (twice a day). But when I got a sale alert on Thursday from Empty the Nest with the subject line “Turn Up the Music, Bring on the Bling,” I kind of had to see what it was about, even if it meant more time on the road.

If you haven’t been, Empty the Nest’s warehouse is a big, two-room, packed labyrinth of stuff, meaning, it takes time to wind your way through. Starting in the front, I worked through the shelves of china, around the game and book section, and back towards the racks and stacks of records, passing by loads of great furniture (highboys, side table sets, ottomans, dining sets, cradles, etc.) and lamps.

As part of this music-themed event, Empty the Nest put roughly 800 LPs out for sale, priced at $1 a piece. In addition to records, they also have some funky instruments, stereo systems and sheet music, all priced to move. I took home a chunk of records (18, to be exact), but left a lot of great ones behind.

A sampling of what I bought…

The other focus of this weekend’s event is costume jewelry, which they had quite a bit of, including clip-on earrings, brooches, necklaces and scarf, sweater and money clips from the ’50s through present-day. From the promo email, I was expecting tons more jewelry to pick through, but I do have a hunch that more stock will be out today and tomorrow. On the plus side, prices on the jewelry were great, with most pieces running around $2.

Open today and tomorrow from 9 to 4 p.m., I would say this is definitely a sale worth checking out. Directions to their showroom, located right off 35W in Burnsville, are here. While you’re in the area, here are some other thrifts you might want to check out.

I hope you have lovely weekends!

xo,

Meghan

how to: thrift for records

Posted on November 15, 2012 by highplainsthrifter

This past July, my forever-long wish to own a stereo was granted. And ever since, I’ve been obsessed with hunting for records. Like anything else, looking for records at thrift stores, garage and estate sales can be a crap shoot. And an overwhelming one at that! Here are some super basic things I keep in mind when I’m out and about.

♥ Before you you get your heart set on a specific record, check the condition of it first. See deep scratches, scuff marks, chips, cracks or gouges? Skip it. And be sure to inspect both sides too!

♥ Make sure the record isn’t warped. (Warped records = distorted sound.) The easiest way to check is to hold the record up at eye level.

♥ This is a total no-brainer, but while you have the record out, make sure that it matches the jacket. How sad would it be to go home thinking you’d found a rare Kitty Wells record, only to discover some crappy Billy Joel album inside.

♥ Keep a running list of what you’re looking for. I have a friend who keeps her record wish list on Pinterest, I personally keep a running list in my notes on my phone. Either way, just like thrifting for clothes, I find it helpful to keep tabs of what I’m hunting for.

♥ Take a chance! If you come across an intriguing cover, artist or song, and the record’s in good shape, where’s the harm in taking it home for a listen? I picked “Mustang Jazz,” a recording of the Southern Methodist University Marching Band out of a $1 bin at a record fair last month and it pumps me up every time I listen to it!

♥ And last but not least, it’s OK to thrift records just because you like the cover art! Inspired by this Easy Record Cover Art DIY I spotted over the summer, I painted over a pin-up-y instrumental album cover. It sits on my vanity now and I love looking at it when I get ready each morning.

Some other good resources for learning more about thrifting records:
♥ Thrift Store Vinyl: “Listening to used records so you don’t have to.”
♥ The Thrift Store Record Collector: “Collecting records the cheap way.”
♥ How to Clean Old Records