Supply Savvy: Treasure Hunting for Thrift Store Finds

I love searching through thrift stores for hidden treasures. Garage sales can be a ton of fun as well. However, perusing through one man's trash in search of treasure can easily become a droll or frustrating task. How should you approach the hunt? Use focus and keep your eye on the prize. This will keep you from randomly purchasing something that will simply turn into clutter.

Thrift stores and garage sales offer a virtual treasure trove of scrapbooking supplies if you know what you desire. I have a list of items I know I will use and I stick to the list. I also buy it only if I love it. I have a small craft space which is already bursting at the seams. There is no need to add something that will take up valuable storage space if I don't love it.

my last thrift store treasure hunt

So what tops my personal treasure hunt list?
1. Doilies- I wish I could crochet. It's just not something I have time to learn right now. I often find hand crafted doilies for $1 and under. That's far less than the supplies and my time would cost.
2. Records or ephemera- You can also find postcards, vintage stamps, and vintage holiday cards.
3. Costume Jewelry- a cheap way to add bling to your layouts.
4. Buttons and ribbon
5. Scarves or belts- these can be cut apart to use as embellishments
5. Old game boards


I love using the items I find in thrift stores. I know that the items I find are unique and therefore they make my layouts very much one-of-a kind. I don't have to spend a ton of money and the supplies make a huge impact. Since I haven't spent a lot of money on the supplies, it makes it a little less daunting to cut them apart and alter them.

Keeping You Warm by Christy Strickler
 Supplies| Patterned Paper, Alphas, Buttons: Basic Grey; Tape: Recollections; Border Sticker: Webster's Pages; Metal Sign: Pink Paislee; Ink: Ranger; Modeling Paste: Liquitex; Other: jewel, stencil, doily; Sketch: Scraphappy.org, As seen on the Scrapbook News and Review Blog; Submitted for Simon Says Stamp And Show Lace love Challenge

For Keeping You Warm, I cut apart one doily and tucked it underneath the photos. Part of me wonders how the creator of the doily would feel, knowing that I had cut their hard work apart. I think though, they would just be happy to know their beautiful creation will forever be a part of a family keepsake.

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