Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Thrift Score Thursday - the thrift score to end all thrift scores!

Here it is, for your viewing pleasure for one last time, a "sneak peek" at my Thrift Score Thursday submission for today! I've been spreading my excitement all week long on this blog and all over social media. In fact, you can probably feel my excitement through your computer screen (if you don't, check your computer because you should totally be feelin' it!), and although it might not be as exciting to you - or exciting at all - I will tell you about why it means so much to me. I love and get crazy-excited over all my thrift scores and treasures, as many of you already know. And this one? It is second in importance to me only to my vintage Steelcase industrial metal desk for $45 and $5 Steelchairs by Harter score from all the way back in 2006. So just what the heck is it, anyway? Read on...

Behold, in all its rustic, cabin-y, beach house-y, mod, Mid-Century glory a WORKING vintage wall-hanging electric fireplace. Complete with logs, screen and base:

(Yes, this is the picture of it taken in the thrift store because my house is a construction zone right now. And also note that it is not quite assembled correctly here. Almost, but not quite.)

I know, I know. I was making such a fuss over THAT? But Y'ALL! I have been coveting one of these for many years now, and actively looking for about two. I had originally wanted the iconic Malm Preway Cone Fireplace, but, as you'll see if you follow that link, they are quite expensive and many are offered via local pickup only. I found an orange one on Craigslist in my home state for only $400, but couldn't quite bring myself to get it despite it obviously being a FABULOUS deal. Naturally, it didn't last long. I don't know anything about the model or manufacturer of my heater, but it is very similar in style to the vintage Dyna Flame heater, which is also a bit pricey.

But here's the funny thing about thrift stores: you just never know what you will find! I let a good one get away (I really didn't need to spend *that* much money right now anyway, with a probable move coming up), and a few weeks later I walked into A New Leash on Life's Marketplace for the first time, and there this gem was! I nearly (or maybe DID) squeal and do a little happy jig before running off to purchase it IMMEDIATELY since the sign said it worked. I made my happy purchase literally fifteen minutes before closing time. And this is the best part: guess how much I paid for it?

Get ready...

I PAID ONLY $25!!!! for a working, Mid-Century hanging wall fireplace. An item I'd been wanting for years, but could never justify purchasing because of the expense. Even if it hadn't been working (and it probably doesn't put out much heat even at full blast), at that price I'd have taken it anyway and just let it adorn my wall. Or used it as a giant candle holder. You'd actually pay that or more for a large candle holder from some retailers. But I digress.

I really wish I had gotten a photo of it stuffed into the back of my little '02 Beetle. In the rain. That was quite a sight! But it fit, and made the trip home. I heard it rattling over bumps (nothing I could do about that), and my son and I got it out of the car and mostly reassembled in my bedroom, where it will stay until I get my feature wall in my living room done and can hang it. And hopefully I can show it off again this fall :)

And I know I said what I paid for it was the best part, but it's not. The very best part is knowing that my purchase helps support A New Leash on Life, a local group of amazing volunteers who rescue and care for animals, especially those who are out of time at the kill shelters. I've personally met several of their volunteers and seen them working tirelessly at adoption events every weekend, no matter the weather, to get them all fostered and/or adopted. I will definitely be shopping there in the future!

So....what are some of YOUR favorite recent thrift finds?

Fore more Thrift Score Thursday, be sure to head to For My Love Of, The Gathered Home, Primitive and Proper, and Black and White Obsession! And to participate (also this is your chance at the possibility of being featured), check out #ThriftScoreThursday and hashtag your own thrifty finds!

Hashtags: ThriftScoreThursday, ThriftyFindsThursday, ColdDeadFingers

What I'm listening to today...

Led Zeppelin - Black Country Woman

14 comments:

  1. I guess the biggest surprise came when I discovered the credenza/ buffet cabinet I bought 15 years ago, actually matched a china cabinet I bought much later. I got the china cabinet home, set it up. Went to my bedroom to change clothes and looked at my credenza... holy smokes! They were both the same color wood and finishing. Both Danish design and manufactured. The china cost $2100, on sale, but worth it. The credenza of 15 years earlier was $25. So now they're both in the dining room. Got a chest, etc., for the bedroom.

    Love, love your heater! In a VW, bet that was hysterical!

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    1. I love, love, LOVE thrifty furniture and decor finds - and would love DIY facelifts and such just as much, if I only ever made the time to finish some of the stuff I've started. But hey...it used to be that I got stuff home, then never got it started. So the getting started is a start, no?

      I'd love to see your china cabinet!

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    2. I look for the photo of it. :) I know I have a couple.

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    3. Dixie, you should definitely start a diy/home blog if you do lots of projects and furniture rescues and home staging/designing.....after years of searching for my "people" I think I may have found (some more of) them in the diy and thrifting blogs.

      I have lots of favorite people in the music blogs, too, but since my taste is questionable, I don't make much leeway there!

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  2. I am a believer in thrift stores.

    Dumb question: since that beauty hangs on the wall INSIDE the house... does that mean any smoke that comes out is now in your living room (or wherever you hang it)? If so, that doesn't seem ideal to me. I figure I must not be "in the know" on this and that is why I called it a "dumb question."

    Now... on to how to install the Google Friend Connect Widget, which is really easy.

    Go to Layout. Click on Add A Widget. In the far left sidebar (ignore all the displayed widgets) choose Advanced Layout (or something like that). Then in the search at the top, type in Google Friend Connect. That should bring up three possible widgets. The first one is the one you want. Install it like any other widget. I hope that helps:)

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    1. Thanks for the info, Robin! I will go try that ASAP.

      To answer your question, it is an electric heater, so it doesn't make any smoke :) The logs are ceramic or something- just there for looks. I am hoping they light up, but I'm not sure about that.

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  3. you got some Zeppelin here so I am gonna hang for awhile :)

    I LOVE it!! it's so cool. it works! the bargain price! OMG - how could you not buy it. I already have a real fireplace and I still would have bought it - and then just put a candle like you said.
    I can't wait to see it all assembled and on your feature wall.

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    1. It'll be a while, unfortunately - work keeps me too busy to do much in my house these days, but I can dream, right? I am still way excited about it!

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  4. Gotcha. Electric.

    That is the GFC widget. I don't know if everyone is having this issue, or it's another "me" problem... but when I click on it, it says that it can't process my request and to come back later. So I will. Come back later that is. But, yes, that is it:)

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    1. It's probably my site - and that may be why I removed it before. I tried and it told me the same thing. Sorry! I tried!

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  5. Wow $25! That is an awesome find.

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    1. Wasn't it, though? I am still beyond excited about it! Now, if I could just snap my fingers and have my living room ready for it, all would be good.

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  6. WOW, that really is a steal, Kim! I don't visit thrift stores generally. It's not that I don't want to, it's I don't like to shop in public. I hate being crowded. Yeah, I have serious personal space issues, I know. I did visit a nostalgia shop last fall and I would like to do a return visit because they had some interesting stuff worth a second look. Anyhow, congrats on the great find!

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    1. I have a few friends that do not like getting out in stores, either. I am not fond of it myself, but thankfully most of the places I go are not too crowded. Even when there are others shopping, it's usually not so crowded that it makes me uncomfortable.

      I hope you get to visit your nostalgia shop again soon; it sounds like a neat place :)

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