About highplainsthrifter

Thrift-store shopper. Lives in & loves South Minneapolis. Blonde. Picture taker. Road trip enthusiast. Likes making things. Proud WI native. Classic rock is my favorite. So are nachos.

looking at the world with brand-new eyes

Posted on February 4, 2014 by highplainsthrifter

Last Friday afternoon, a couple dear friends, a few bottles of wine, some snacks and an unrealistic number of books, piled all cozy-like into my car. We were headed to Clare’s Well, and in all honestly, I had no idea what to expect. It turned out that our destination was magical, in the most sacred of ways. Two perfect days later, I returned home in a state I’m unfamiliar with—complete calm. And after work on Monday, I started a post about my trip…and wound up completely stuck.

Then I went to see Roky Erickson perform at First Avenue. Two-thirds of the way through his set, he sang his 13th Floor Elevators song “Roller Coaster.” And while yes, there were 2,000-some people there, and yes, this song is about tripping balls, when I heard him sing “you’re looking at the world with brand new eyes, and no one can ever spoil the view,” I was like, “YES! That’s exactly how I feel!” Leave it to a classic psych-rock song to sum up my feelings so succinctly.

I returned from Clare’s Well with fresh perspective in spades; a feeling I’d wrongly assumed I needed to go far, far away to feel. My heart’s so full, and yet, when it comes to the words, I still, two days later, keep coming up short. Fortunately, I took a lot of pictures. Here are a few of my favorites (that I didn’t post to Instagram).

high plains thrifter // clare's well // dome at sunset

I’m already counting down the days ’til I can go back.

xoxo,

Meghan

P.S. The photos in this post were taken and processed using VSCO Cam. It’s the best.

workin’ it: all about dem wangz

Posted on January 31, 2014 by highplainsthrifter

Right off the bat, let me say that this post is not for my vegetarian friends. It’s about chicken wings. Second, can I just say how lucky am I to have a job that requires me to lead a project the revolves around nothing but chicken wing recipes? Someone pinch me please. Below are some behind-the-scenes snaps I took at the photo shoot.

Before this project, I thought making restaurant-style chicken wings at home would be super hard. I’d tried a few recipes for them in the slow cooker, but they never tasted bar-quality. I’m happy to say that these recipes are REALLY easy, and many of them are made with ingredients you probably already have on hand. #bonus

For details on any of the (delicious) recipes, just click the pics. Or to see all of the recipes at once, pop over and check out the full slideshow!

Photo Credits Photographer: Richard Wong 
Lead food stylist: Lisa Golden Scroeder 
Props: Libby Hegtvedt 
Styling + art direction: yours truly!

xoxo,

Meghan

Disclosure: During the day, I work as Senior Editor on BettyCrocker.com via MSP Communications. This post is not sponsored by, or affiliated with that work.

heads up: customer appreciation savings at the Burnsville Salvation Army

Posted on January 30, 2014 by highplainsthrifter

Just popping by to share this fun, in-store special the Burnsville Salvation Army is running on Thursdays. I happened to stop by the store last Thursday, and when I was checking out, I learned that I just so happened to be 50th shopper of the day. Score! If you haven’t visited this store, know that it’s one of my absolute favorite Salvation Army stores in town. It’s really big, it’s never picked over (except around Halloween) and I always find some treasures. Last week I scored big on dresses, along with some cute stuff to craft with and use in the kitchen. My wild-card find was an old floating minnow bucket that’s going to fit right in at the cabin. I can’t wait to go back and put my 50%-off coupon to use!

If you go, and want to hit more stores while you’re down that way, check out my Burnsville Thrifting Loop map below, which highlights other nearby stores. (Click View Larger Map for store details, including addresses, hours and phone numbers.)

xo,

Meghan

clickin’ around, vol. 48

Posted on January 28, 2014 by highplainsthrifter

♥ I have no idea how I came across this but here’s Eddie Murphy at the premiere of Purple Rain. You’re welcome?

♥ There’s something about these illustrated prints of fancy perfumes I just love. (Concept, styling and art direction by Heidi Xandt.)

♥ Miss Moss started a fashion tumblr, and of course, it’s impeccable.

♥ If you’ve ever had an inner dialogue in the shoe department about the sacrifices you’re willing to make to bring a certain pair home, you will definitely relate to this zine.

♥ Three things I pinned and made this week; all were flat-out delicious: Kielbasa and Pierogies Sheet Pan Meal; Buffalo Patatas Bravas and Brown Butter Roasted Banana Muffins.

♥ I’ve been following all The Anti-Diet Project posts and this latest installment (on the stupidity of Last Supper-style mindsets) is, of course, great. Intuitive Eating is where it’s at!

♥ It’s so easy to admire a friend’s skill with layered bracelets, or see a beautifully retro belt styled in a magazine, but to be stumped in front of the mirror when trying to pull it off at home. If accessorizing your way leaves you feeling a little, “huh?,” my friend Sal has a class coming up on February 9th with your name on it. Sal will be sharing pearls of wisdom galore, including advice on how to work in vintage and thrifted finds in the mix (she’s a pro!). Sign up here.

xoxo,

Meghan

Photo c/o: La Dulzura

the beauty thrifter is in!

Posted on January 28, 2014 by highplainsthrifter

As someone who has struggled with stinging eyes and burn-y sensations from even the most “sensitive” of drugstore eye-makeup removers, I’m so stoked to share a natural solution that’s as gentle on the eyes as it is on the wallet. Hop on over to Beauty Bets today to learn all about it!

xo,

Meghan

Photo credit: Julia McMahon // LB Jeffries Photography

how to: polish vintage stainless with olive oil

Posted on January 26, 2014 by highplainsthrifter

Way back in December, my honey and I stopped at the Treasure Chest thrift store near Saint Cloud on our way to his family’s Christmas party. Everything in the store was half-off that weekend, including this fondue pot, which wound up coming home with me. Still in its original box, the poor thing was by no means beat-up, but still bore a few signs of use.

In need of some advice on how to spruce it up, I turned to Google, and found this handy post on Apartment Therapy explaining how to use olive oil to polish stainless steel. Intended to advise folks on how to buff their stainless appliances, I found it helpful too, for sprucing my fondue pot.

I started out by giving it a thorough bath (minus the wooden handle and burner, of course).

After all the pieces were dry, I followed the instructions on the Apartment Therapy post, using a clean, dry wash rag to buff a few teaspoons of oil on, flipping the rag midway through. Elbow grease = essential.

I’m so pleased with how clean and shiny it looks now.

Do you have any tricks for getting your vintage stainless in tip-top shape? If so, do let me know how you do it in the comments!

xo,

Meghan

weekend sale circuit: jan. 24-26

Posted on January 24, 2014 by highplainsthrifter

Happy Friday, everybody! There are a more than a few solid second-hand sales happening around town this weekend, so I figured I’d put together a quick round-up for you.

♥ Blacklist Vintage Liquidation Sale: Boy am I bummed Blacklist Vintage is closing. The only silver lining of the shop’s closing I can see has to be the liquidation sale, which kicks off tomorrow at noon. The event, advertised as stretching for weeks, will feature progressive discounts, $5 bins for digging and loads of treasures.

♥ Dress for Success Clothing Sale: Fans of deals and shopping for a cause should make time to visit Dress for Success’ annual fundraiser. Open to the public tomorrow only, this sale boasts big-name brands (Calvin Klein, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Michael Kors, etc.) with all proceeds going to Dress for Success’ very worthy work.

♥ Winter Clothing Sale at Hope Chest: Today through Sunday, all winter clothing is 50% off, including sweaters, jeans, boots, tops, coats, furs, scarves and hats. There’s still a lot of winter left, so if you need a little mid-season pick-me-up, why not pay less for it?

♥ White Sale at New to You Thriftique: For the first time ever, the folks at New to You are having a linen sale, and all pillow cases, tablecloths, napkins, place mats, sheets, towels, bedspreads and the like will be half-off. Tempting right? (Sale runs through January 31st, btw.)

xo,

Meghan

store review: new to you thriftique

Posted on January 22, 2014 by highplainsthrifter

Boy, do I love a good mid-day thrifting break. While most workdays I maintain the bad habit of eating my lunch at my desk, for sanity’s sake, I try to get away at least one day a week to hit one of the nearby thrift stores. It’s so refreshing! And luckily, just three minutes up the highway from where I work, is New To You Thriftique. Since it’s so close by, and so modest in size, it’s become my favorite spot for quick, lunch-hour pop-ins.

WHAT’S GOOD

♥ Furniture: I’m constantly surprised (and delighted) by New to You’s furniture selection. (Like this chair I posted on yesterday, which was snapped up by my pal Dana!) Every time I visit, I spy at least one or two pieces I’d be proud to have in my house…well-constructed designer pieces, many of them vintage. I’ve never once seen a piece there I’d describe as shabby or beat-up, which is quite remarkable for a second-hand shop! The prices are also quite fair, with dining sets running around $60, armchairs around $30-40, dressers $30-40 and desks $20-30.

♥ Dish sets: By now you’re probably familiar with the fact that vintage china is one of my greatest weaknesses, which sometimes makes visits to New to You difficult. Every time I go, there’s another set of pretty china that screams my name. Yesterday I was taken with a gorgeous earthenware set with black rims and pink rose accents (shown in the slideshow below)…there’s always something to tempt me!

WHAT’S MEH

♥ Clothes: While I’ve had luck in the shoe department, scoring some sensible Liz Claiborne pumps and a sweet pair of sandals last summer, I’ve never once been tempted to take home a single item of clothing from this store. The selection is pretty small overall, which is fine with me. More room for furniture!

Take a peek around!

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In a nutshell…

Selection/Variety: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ (for furniture) ♥ ♥ ♥ (everything else)

Quality: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Pricing: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Organization: ♥ ♥ ♥

Customer service: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Where does money raised at this store go? Staffed by friendly volunteers, all proceeds from the store go to provide scholarships for students and to support Calvin Christian School. Items that do not sell get donated to other charities such as Goodwill, Bridging, Recycled Wardrobe and Community Closet in Eden Prairie.

Do they take credit cards? Yes!

Do they accept donations? Yep, and if you’re in the area and your load is big enough, they’ll even schedule a pick-up.

Pro tip: Get familiar with their daily specials. I like going on Wednesdays, when housewares are half-off.

Where it is: 8030 Hwy 55; Golden Valley, MN 55427

Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays

Contact: 763.546.9820 (store); 612.296.5481 (donation hotline)

If you pay the New to You Thriftique a visit, I’d love to hear what you think.

Happy thrifting!

Meghan

sick day netflix faves

Posted on January 21, 2014 by highplainsthrifter

It’s never fun to be sick, but gosh darn it if Netflix streaming doesn’t make it easier, am I right? And, seeing as I spent last Thursday through Sunday couch-bound in pile of coughs and Kleenex, I wound up watching a LOT of TV. Here are a handful of my new-found faves…

♥ McMillan & Wife: Susan Saint James’ wardrobe alone makes this worthwhile to watch.

♥ The Fruit Hunters: Best watched with a big ‘ol bowl of fruit on your lap.

♥ Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel: What. A. Woman!

♥ Top of the Lake: UGH, this is a serious punch in the gut. So well-done.

♥ Ultimate Wave Tahiti: Because when it’s -10 degrees outside, it’s kind of nice to zone out and take in some pretty tropical waves. (The fact that Kelly Slater stars doesn’t hurt.)

Have you been into anything lately on the ol’ Netflix? Do tell me what you’ve been tuning into!

xoxo,

Meghan

heads up: “take a chance” sale at empty the nest

Posted on January 18, 2014 by highplainsthrifter

Though my overall sense of hand-eye coordination leaves something to be desired, I’m freakishly decent at darts. Which may explain why I’m so excited about Empty the Nest‘s “Take a Chance” sale. Happening tomorrow between noon and 4 p.m., customers have the chance to lob a dart at the board, with the number hit being the percentage they’ll save. Doubles and triples don’t apply, but still, what a tempting prospect, even for the non-darters in the world!

I personally have my eye on this rattan coffee table they posted on Facebook, though I’m pretty sure my boyfriend would kill me if I brought one more piece of furniture into this house. As you know from my past posts on Empty the Nest (here, here, and here), you never know what treasures await in their fully-loaded showroom.

If you pay them a visit tomorrow, I wish you nothing but bulls-eyes!

xoxo,

Meghan