8 Last Minute Thrift Gifts plus SPECIAL printable tags!

For the fashionista: a vintage clutch and matching gloves won't miss. 
Add a current copy of Vogue, rolled and tied with a fancy velvet bow!

LAST MINUTE THRIFT GIFTS

AHHHHH!  There is only one more shopping day until Christmas. 
Are you in a pinch and out of ideas...or possibly, money?

Try these thrift gift ideas for a unique combo! Don't be afraid or embarrassed to tell the recipient of your gift about your statement in giving upcycled, vintage and thrifted gifts; not only is it eco-conscious, but it's also fun. Previously owned items have history and personality. Use that to your advantage and learn a little bit, if possible, about the item's history, or even more fun...make one up!

BONUS: I've included some gift tag printables for you below to make your gift even MORE special as a vintage or secondhand item! See this link and image below and click the pdf to print tags you can add to your packaging for that extra special touch. 

1. Give a sweater (or two). They are abundant at thrift stores everywhere, like this nice collection hanging at Lakeshore Rescue Mission thrift in Holland, MI on Riley street! Notice that several of the sweaters still have department store tags on them? If you like to mix and match new and old, pair a sweater with a coordinating necklace and earring set to complete your gift. If a PRETTY sweater isn't your thing, what about a HIDEOUS one? Everyone loves a good "ugly" sweater party...give your friend or family member a leg up on their ridiculous getup for a holiday soiree and gift them something goofy!

2. Give a nutcracker. I love vintage nutcrackers and pondering over their history; who owned them, where they were displayed, etc. It's especially fun when they are out of the ordinary, like this little golfing fellow above. Why not give a collection? At a dollar or two a piece (like these ones spotted at the Chicago drive location for LRMT), you can afford to toss a few extra into the box. Combine with some fresh holiday nut mix and it's a wrap!

3. Give some vintage glasses (and booze!) Find some interesting, one of a kind tumblers or any other kind of glass and pair with your gift recipient's favorite drink! 

4. Give holiday decor! I think anyone appreciates holiday decor as a gift but for those who are notorious displayers and decorators during the Christmas season, you really can't miss with secondhand additions to Christmas villages, interesting Santa Claus sculptures and vintage snow globes!

5. Give sentimentally! It's fun to take a trip down memory lane and try to find a secondhand gift associated with a loved one. For example: this Holly Hobbie plate reminds me so much of my grandmother. =) A dozen cookies on top with a note about a precious childhood reflection would have made this gift sweeter than any holiday treat! I regret not buying it while I was there...

6. Give a collection! I mentioned these pretty china dolls in my last blog about being proud to give thrifted gifts (see the article that Grand Haven Tribune posted about it here). Why not give a collection of vintage dolls for the price of one? If you have a friend who collects something special, such as red Avon glassware, it can be an exciting challenge to "hunt" for items to fit right in. Perhaps you even know a friend, or child, well enough to give them a head start on a collection they didn't even KNOW they wanted! (My son loves animals of all kinds, and I began to find him miniature vintage ceramic cats, which he was delighted with!)

7. Give goofy! I honestly think the "cheesy" ceramic above is an ashtray, and I'm not a smoker, but I'm drawn to this goofy item and I just love a bright bit of retro kitsch. "White elephant" items can really lighten someone's day, particularly if they double as something that is actually useful, despite its oddball appearance. If there is a back-story on an item and it becomes a conversation piece, that is even better!

8. Give it in a vintage suitcase! Make your treasure extra snazzy by packing it into a vintage suitcase! I've done this several times before and it is always a hit. If your intended giftee isn't the type for retro luggage, consider packing the gift in a special tin or a more contemporary purse, backpack or container that is also thrifted! (Yes, the collection above is my own, and I will be the first to admit that I'm a vintage suitcase hoarder!)

This last picture is just for fun... It would actually be a Christmas dream come true for me. This gorgeous antique stove was located at the Chicago Drive Lakeshore Rescue Mission Thrift. Besides the double ovens, the top left hand burner is actually a DOUBLE BOILER! So awesome. They just don't make 'em like that anymore. ;)

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THRIFT GIFT TAGS!

I've created these one of a kind gift tags so that you can proudly label your vintage, secondhand and thrifted gifts with pride. Please feel free to share and print...click on the PDF below for a sheet of 9!

CLICK HERE FOR A FULL PAGE (9 Tags) COLOR PDF

Thrift a Gift: 3 Reasons to be proud of secondhand presents

I spotted this adorable vintage snow globe at the Lakeshore Rescue Mission Thrift on Chicago Drive in Holland!

THRIFT A GIFT:
3 Reasons to Be Proud of Secondhand Presents 

1) You can be proud that your "present" is in the "presentation".

Are you afraid to give a secondhand gift for fear that the recipient of your gift will be offended at receiving something used?  I hear this often from people, and I can completely understand the concern. Will the person I am giving to dislike this gift because it is "used"? Let us consider the term "used". Do we think "used UP"?  What happens when you replace the term "used" with the word "vintage",  or "up-cycled"?

I believe that the way we present the item and how we describe it is of utmost importance!

Package and wrap your secondhand gift with care--present it with pride! Because we are talking packaging and wrapping, it can't be forgotten that PLENTY of wrapping papers, gift bags, and unusual boxes and fabrics are at the thrift store! I find it fascinating and unique to package gifts in vintage magazine ads, unusual vintage fabrics, and retro papers. But even if "vintage" isn't your bag, there's no reason not to utilize the inexpensive leftovers from Christmas past. It's not just about being thrifty; it's about reducing your carbon footprint and using what is ALREADY available. Save a tree or two and go secondhand! 

Being truly green means utilizing the resources that are already before you, instead of wasting energy and resources on new items just for the sake of "being new". Stop this cycle! Start today!

This selection was available at Lakeshore Rescue Mission Thrift on  Riley Street in Holland!

2) You've put some "cause" in "Claus".

Imagine, for a moment, that instead of wandering  amongst the herds in the toasty, crowd-laden mall, searching for something unique and meaningful to give your loved ones that you were, instead, searching for shelter; hoping for a nook or cranny to fit into. It isn't the most pleasant holiday reverie, but for the homeless, transient and under-served population in your community, it is NOT A DREAM. It is a real life nightmare. It happens to all types of people who deserve your attention. That's where Holland Rescue Mission comes in, with programs like their Emergency Shelter. This is only the tip of the iceberg--from employment rehabilitation to Stepping Stones Daycare, the mission is involved in providing for the under-served community around us in many ways.

Precious little students from Stepping Stones Daycare

When you thrift from a store that offers services to the community such as the rescue mission, you can feel PROUD letting your gift recipients know that ALL of the proceeds from thrift sales go directly to funding the rescue mission. Pamphlets, rack cards and business cards can be found on almost every counter at Lakeshore Rescue Mission thrift stores.

Proudly display reading information about your non-profit support within your packaging, so your recipient understands the motivation behind your generous gift!

Do you feel proud about where your money goes when you shop at Kohl's, Target, or any other super store corporation? NO. (Let's not even bring Walmart into the picture....)

3) You added "bang" to your "buck".

China Dolls from Lakeshore Rescue Mission Thrift on Chicago Drive in Holland!

Do you have a special little girl who loves dolls on your Christmas list this year? For the same price as one Barbie play box, (that's right, an EMPTY BOX decorated as the "Dream House" that you put your Barbies in) you could purchase an ENTIRE COLLECTION of beautiful china dolls! The dolls shown above averaged $5 each, and they were quite lovely. Hurry down to the store on Chicago Drive and I'm sure some of them can still be yours!

Collections of items or play sets are a great place to start with thrifted gifts. For the cocktail aficionado, vintage martini shakers and fun tumblers would never go unappreciated. Pair with a secondhand book on fancy drinks and you have an amazing "ThriftGift" that is much more unique than something brand new, and five times more meaningful if you consider the purpose behind it's sale.

It really pays to thrift a gift...in more ways than one. I estimate that 40% of the gifts under my tree this year are SECONDHAND--and I love that!

P.S., do you have a tree yet?


Artificial tree selections from Lakeshore Rescue Mission Thrift on Chicago Drive in Holland!

Check back with me this week for a gift giving blog PACKED with super ideas on how you can put together fabulous thrifted and secondhand gifts for family and friends this year!

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LAKESHORE RESCUE MISSION THRIFT INFORMATION:

Click here for locations!

Merry Christmas! Congrats to the winners!

A very merry Christmas and happy holidays to all my readers! Blessings to all regardless of how you do or don't celebrate.

Congrats to my two cozy winners, "Crafty Little Monsters" and "HSmith"! I've sent out emails for addresses and will ship this coming week.

Thanks again for reading and your support. Have a beautiful and peaceful day!

Chantal

The Christmas Sweater Party Issue

The lovely hostess and dog of the hour.

My band, Chantron! We played the party. From the left: Mikey, Trav, yours truly, Kate, Jimmy, and Eric.

Sarge busted out his cute sweater AND the scarf I made him!

Here's a cute idea as a sub for a Christmas sweater if you're heading out to any sweater parties over the next week or so and want to be comfy--pajamas!

Of course we both chose to rock the vests! Mine was denim and embroidered with Christmas trees and festivities, hahah. I actually LIKE Jenna's and I've told her this before!

No one can resist this dog!

Silver bells! And gold ones. And striped ones. And ones that are dangling from crocheted bows.

Overjoyed and filled with the holiday musings of Christmas beards past!

Rocking the snowman

I'm totally jealous of this awesome Christmas Marushka! :) Super cute. Perfect for it's owner, though!

Do you have a ridiculous Christmas sweater? I'd love to see it on my Facebook or Twitter! Hook me up!

Also, for local cats--just a little tip--still seeing plenty of Christmas sweaters out and about at local thrift stores. Rescue Mission Thrift in North Muskegon, MI (new store that just opened up) has a ton right now!

Mug Cozy Giveaway!

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MUG COZY GIVEAWAY!!!

I'm giving away two of these adorable hand made mug cozies on Christmas morning! Fabric will not be Christmas so you can use it year round! :) There are two ways to enter:

1) Share my Facebook page on your Facebook page. You will need to first like my page to do this, so go to http://www.Facebook.com/ThriftTrick. Then you can share my page on yours, and let me know that you've done so by commenting on the giveaway thread. I will then enter you in the drawing!

2)Subscribe via email to my feed! If you are subscribed already, then you are already entered in the giveaway!

I will be choosing winners on Christmas morning. Mug cozies will be shipped out the following week!

It's a Plaid World!

It's a plaid, plaid world!
I love this outfit. SO much fun. So festive! But, you don't have to wait for Christmas time to rock plaid! As you can see from the picture above, I took this thrifted vintage Cathy Daniels plaid blazer (I bought this at Hope's Outlet in Grand Haven, MI for $1.59!) and paired it with dark skinny jeans, a purple vintage rhinestone brooch, the snakeskin Micheal Kors belt (all thrifted items, ofcourse) and red Nine West Platform heels. I did red and gold nails plus a fun cocktail ring with this outfit, along with a dark blue vintage clutch. My favorite part was the fun purple eyeshadow. I dig the way it worked! Very fun and colorful, yet "put together". I'll apologize ahead of time for the "flash"-y photgraphy and lovely (kidding) background of my back porch coat rack, haha! However it was late evening and I was headed out for a performance with my solo acoustic act(Ida's Rope). I didn't want to miss an opportunity to catalog a favorite outfit with you all...so I compromised the photo quality a little in this post. Have fun--get out there and pick up some plaid at your local thrift store!

MEGA THRIFT GIFT GUIDE: 2011!

Thrift a gift! What about a tea set? For me, the fun of putting it together is selecting pieces that go together well but aren't from a matching set. Two cute teacups and saucers, a platter and a vintage tin make an adorable gift! Make it even more deluxe by selecting a complimenting cream and sugar set, vintage silverware, or a teapot! By the way...this platter, teacups and tin cost me a total of 6 dollars. I would LOVE to receive something like this as a holiday gift!








Vintage tin, ceramic or pot (or any other fun vintage item) as a planter! What a cute idea. I've done this before in my home but it didn't occur to me as a great gift idea until I rediscovered it after stumbling upon this super cute blog: Thriftcore. Click the link to see her ADORABLE owl themed planter and wrap.

Thrift gifting is SO much fun if you choose a theme. For these planters I wanted a kitchen theme, so I chose a teapot and a reproduction kitchen themed tin and filled them both with basil. Pair something like this with a thrifted cookbook and you have an adorable gift for someone you know who loves to cook!


I personalized this simple glass canister (which I thrifted for .49 this week) with a monogram for my best friend who was recently married. It stands for her new last name...I thought it was a fun way to celebrate her new last name and her first Christmas with her new husband! :) There are some basic directions below, but as you can see, I just filled the canister with interesting dead foliage I spray painted silver! The monogram was also spray painted, and I added a few beads for an accent, and a blue ribbon. There is also a top to this canister and I will include that in my gift in case they'd like to use the canister for something else.



I found this vintage wood ornament in the original plastic packaging. It was so cool--a tassel Santa? Heck yeah! I put my son's initial on the Santa and plan to hang it on the tree "from Santa" on Christmas morning. :)

I'm proud of the little pattern I made for these adorable mug warmers. YES--those are jingle bell accents. Pretty cute, right? And they are actually lined with polyster fiber fill, so they are insulated! The crocheted loops button around the side and it simply wraps around the mug. I made these from recycled Christmas napkins that I thrifted for 99 cents! I got four of them for that price and you'll see other projects below that I used for them!


Upcycled Christmas placemat/napkin pillows! These were just too darn easy. I'll attach a few pillow tutorials below for you to follow along with. I added accents like a big jingle bell, and a letter monogram for the person it is going to! :) Don't they look cute stacked, with ribbon tied around them?



It's the upcycled tshirt scarf again! So easy...such a great gift to give, particularly for those who are eco-conscious OR just plain fashionable. :) See the Upcycled Tshirt Scarf blog for directions!



Thrifted bowl: .49. Rocks=free! Yes, all I did was find some rocks outside, spray paint them and paint on a few snowflakes, and put a tealight candle in the middle. This 10 minute DIY decoration is so cute. You could monogram the rocks with someone's name or initials, or decorate them in some other personalized way for a special gift!



This cute vintage silverware set was a family gift. As you can see below, it was in bad shape on the outside (wood laminate that was scuffed and scraped). All I did was spray bomb it silver--but look what a difference it made! I am keeping this set and I think I may monogram my own initial on the lid. :)
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Here is the silverware before...pretty much an eyesore on the outside, despite how cute the entire set was!



Here's the canister I found. As luck would have it, a brown paper bag fit perfectly over the whole thing and became my stencil for spraypainting the silver! I hand painted the black accents around the letters and hot glued bead ornaments on. There are a number of ways you could do this: spray paint, fabric paint, acrylic. You could hand paint it on, or use a stencil as I did! FYI, if you do use spray paint, a magic eraser and a pencil eraser clean up softened lines or overspray excellently from glass!


I love sewing. Especially when you can pick up fabric for such inexpensive prices at thrift stores. The plus about using placemats and napkins is that they are so ready to be transformed into little pillows, neckwarmers, clutches and everything else. The stiff hemmed cotton is ready to go! All I needed to do was wash and press it and sew. It only took a few hours to do all of these projects! I plan on doing some quilted ornaments and more mugwarmers this week. I'm giving away Christmas mug warmers to some of my lucky subscribers! :)

15 great pillow tutorials from TipJunkie


As you can see, thrift gifting and handmade isn't so hard after all, and you don't need to spend a million dollars to make cute things. Besides the thrift items I listed, my supply cost was simply a few dollars for spray paint and three dollars for pillow fiber fill! You can get these items at any Super Store.

Try it out...what kind of interesting thrift theme combos can you think of to gift this year? What might be cool to personalize? How about:

--Mugs
--Soup toureens
--Old picture frames (I've re-primed canvas to paint personalized snowmen and other Christmas Decor before)
--Interesting planters (think tins, mugs, baskets, vintage shoes, toys, etc.) Pair with a matching book/item for a fun gift! Example: mug planter with peppermint herb plant, pair with coffee table book; Vintage shoe planter with a neat succulent, pair with a Vogue magazine; Child's toy planter with ivy, pair with a child's book.

Keep the creativity coming for Christmas! I look forward to hearing your ideas and comments, feel free to comment on my facebook page at Thrift Trick or email me at ThriftTrick@gmail.com!