Decorating with Thrift Store Finds
at Christmastime
I want to share my hands-on, “in real life” approach to decorating for Christmas with thrift store finds.
Please continue reading to check out how I decorate.
For super cheap!
I’ve always tried to be a frugal shopper.
After many years of working retail and getting some great discounts, I just can not bring myself to pay full price!
Now, I’ve always shopped garage sales..
but the last several years I have really, really gotten into shopping thrift stores like
Goodwill, Hospice Thrift and Salvation Army.
Estate Sales Too!
Last year, I found so many “new” old things, that I thought I would highlight what a few of my favorite finds and what I did with them.
That way, if you’re out thrifting or hitting a great tag sale and you spot something similar, you might think twice before passing them up.
Like the little silver plate dish above.
{Although I use the silvery stuff year round}
Sometimes shiny, often tarnished.
This was $2.99 and I don’t think I’ve put it away since I bought.
I shined up the trim on this Qt..
Which I know was under $5.00!
and used it as part of a silvery
Christmas holiday vignette in my kitchen.
I just thought these napkin rings were interesting and I liked all the texture. I’ve never used them for their intended purpose, but I sure like looking at them.
An old pickle jar, some mica snow
and a tiny bit of tinsel garland.
Mmm! Love me some sparkle.
They were .99 cents for 6.
I think they are pewter?
They are really heavy!
Speaking of Sparkle…
Glitter and a little white paint is all it took to turn this
church that had seen better days
They are just full of nostalgia.
I tucked them in an old, chippy window frame and got tons of enjoyment out of them.
The old window frame is just one of the
23 original windows we replaced throughout this house. I gifted some but I made sure to keep a few for myself.
I had fantastic luck finding loads of vintage, Shiny Bright ornaments in a rainbow of colors. I sprinkled them all over the house!
An estate sale yielded some vintage sewing notions. The sequins were red and shiny, so I set them in an Avon dish that I picked up at the Salvation Army.
Along with a silver Dollar Store tree,
my Goodwill Christmas plates a few
candy canes and some etc’s…
I was able make my glass front cabinet
look cheery for the holidays.
Mini Break Down;
1. Recycled glass jar, Dollar Tree bottle brush tree. Splenda as snow!
2. Goodwill Christmas dishes.
Seven pieces for $6.50
3. Quirky, vintage Santa for .25 cents
4. A vintage plate, faux snow, vintage bulb, Dollar Tree bottle brush trees. $2.oo
(cloche is re-used throughout the year)
This heavy glass dish
(that turned out to be an ashtray!)
looks pretty with a sprinkle of faux snow
and a single, shimmery ornament.
While this cloche sits atop a thrifted plate
in a just right shade of pale aqua.
Wishing you a Holiday Season that is
Merry & Bright.
Without breaking the bank!
Visit here for more Christmas holiday ideas.
)
Today 11/9; I am thankful that I can talk about Christmas before Thanksgiving.
… and you’ll still love me. Right?
Linking Up To Share At:
Positively Splendid
craftaholics anonymous
Savvy Southern Style
Appearance in full on any site other then Fox Hollow Cottage is theft!
oh Shannon- If this is an indicator of things coming our way , December will be a great month to spend with you!
Shannon- Everything is looking wonderfully like Christmas. I love all your sweet touches. I have a couple of those old cards,too, that were sent to my kids when they were babies.
Blessings to you-xo Diana
I think I need to go find some feathers! Love everything!!
I see that whole talk of Christmas posts finally got to you! Love all your vintage finds. I’m kicking myself for passing up some vintage glass ornaments over the summer.
Can’t wait to see what you do this year!!
Oh Shannon, this is all soooo inspiring. I went totally crazy every year when Christmas comes.
My folks just laugh and shake their heads, probably thinking I’m silly, but I LOVE Christmas decorations. Thanks for the wonderful inspiration,
Hugs,
Vesna
Shannon, I am so inspired by your transformations, thank you for posting this “tutorial” for those of us that can’t always see so clearly the beauty that lies in something. I was JUST at the thrift store yesterday and there were so many pieces I considered buying, one was 25 cents. Your post gives me hope!!!
I’m always picking up things at the Thrift shops too and wonder what to do with it all! I like the little church makeover you’ve done best, you could do that with so many other things too – thanks for the idea!
Beautiful Shannon!!
Sherri
Beautiful and exciting. I’m ready to decorate now.
Love it all ! Wonderful displays !!
All great ideas Shannon but my very favorite is that white paint and glittered church. I have soooo many christmas items that could benefit from that trick to make them current!
Thanks so much for the inspiration!
Susan
I really like all the vintage things you found. Lovely arrangements:)
Love your ideas Shannon. Isn’t it fun to think up a creative use of thrift store finds?
Great ideas, Shannon, and so pretty! I am with you 100% ~ I hate paying full price and will also be keeping my eye out for those extra little touches for my holiday decorating at the thrift stores and local antique mall. This year I’ve got some ornaments on my list and I just can’t pay what they ask for in the stores.
great job Shannon it all looks fabulous you do a great job of putting it all together
amazing!! having worked retail for years also, I know exactly what you mean! These are such great ideas and very inspiring…thank you so much for sharing.
~pat
THANKS SO MUCH FOR SOME GREAT AND THRIFTY IDEAS!
Great Ideas Shannon…and I love that silver bowl and that little frosted house. Thanks for the tips and sharing.
Brilliant! I love what you did to that outdated boring church…so sparkly and chic now! Okay…off to pin my heart out! I am drooling!
Love your Christmas decor! So cute and nostalgic.
Wonderful, Shannon! Thank you for the inspiration.
Hi Shannon,
This is a super fun post. Lots of great ideas. I have just started shopping Goodwill and am enjoying the treats I find there. I especially love how you transformed the little church with glitter!
Love how you transformed that little church.
Wonderful ideas!
You have an eye for making things beautiful, Shannon. I’ll have to go threw a few silver things of my mother’s (she passed away last year) and be sure to use them this December.
-Karen
All of it is absolutely beautiful!!!
–Katie
Beautiful, unique things! I love that these aren’t things you’ll likely find in anyone else’s home. And anything under a cloche is still super special
I just love, love all your ideas! Now you’re getting me in the holiday mood with all your fun and shiny and sparkly inspiration!
Linda
You have such a beautiful collection of holiday items, maybe of which can be used year-round! You have such a great eye for what can work.
I shop at GW too and always find something to add to my Christmas decorating! Love all you have did with your finds, especially the feathers!
Very pretty! I might have taken a Christmas village to Goodwill last year because I was tired of it but now seeing how you glittered the little church I hope I’ve still got it! Really great ideas, Shannon–thanks for sharing!
Inspiration GALORE, Shannon!! Love all the silver touches and that chippy window is brilliant.
Happy Monday!
xo Heidi
oh my goodness! new reader here and i am charmed! love your site and all these goodies…my head is spinning! thanks for all the ideas.
Visiting from Silo Hill Farm, and love seeing all your treasures! Everything put together with such imagination, jut lovely!
You’ve created some really pretty Christmas vignettes. Evertyhing looks so festive, cheery and bright.
Wow, just beautiful! Your colours are so different. I adore what you did with your old window too! Swoon…
I love the cards on the window frame. All your ideas are so helpful.
I am very impressed! I love the colors and the fact that you see possibility in things you find.
I was looking for thrifty decorating ideas and found your blog. Great ideas! Tweeted and FB your post. Merry Christmas!