Last week I promised a post about all the window shopping slash actual shopping that we did during our week at the beach with the fam. And that includes the two items we actually purchased: the whale sign for Clara’s room (made from wood, a five year anniversary material)…
… and the thrift store basket that I’d love to turn into a hanging pendant somewhere in our house (more on those items here).
But I owe you guys the rest of the eye candy that we perused, so here we go. As we mentioned, we stopped at the Ole Sale Barn in Maryland where we found the L-turned-7 in our office last Labor Day. And that’s where I picked up my little basket-soon-to-be-turned-light.
Here’s what it looks like inside. Chaos. But the fun kind of chaos that you can’t wait to root through.
I also spotted this giant metal grate outside that I thought would be an awesome “top” for an outdoor table. Picture it on top of a big ceramic planter. That would be a killer side table, right? Just use some heavy duty adhesive to glue it in place along the top lip of the planter.
Of course this is also the home of Beyoncé the chicken (and her subsequent children). More on that here.
There were other questionable discoveries there, like this little blast from the past. Yes, I totally had about 25 of them standing on all of the windowsills in my bedroom growing up (for so long that the back of their hair got bleached white from the sun). Guilty as charged.
There were these fun guys too. I love the idea of using things like this for towel bars in a bathroom…
… like we did a while back in our hall bath with a $7 thrift store horse we picked up:
There were also amazingly gorgeous architectural items. Like these awesomely ornate wood panels, screens, windows, etc. Super cool.
I also loved these little two dollar gold plates because I kept picturing them hung on the wall in a big grouping. There were about 7 of them and I just kept picturing a swarm of them hung with plate holders on the wall in an asymmetrical collection. Could be cute, right?
Then we made our way over to Beach Plum Antiques in Bethany, which is always a favorite stop (we’ve mentioned it a bunch of times here and here).
This time my favorite find was this $85 bench. In case it’s not obvious, it was super long. As in, twice as long as a normal solid wood bench that might cost around $199 at a big box store. I totally pictured it up on our porch painted a dark matte black color. But alas, it didn’t fit in the Altima. Haha. Here’s hoping someone else took him home…
I also was in love with this chunky wood based floor lamp. The stitched rectangular shade felt so “authentic” – like it was right out of Dwell magazine. It was already sold, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t stand there and stroke it for a while.
These old suitcases were also pretty darn charming. Especially the pairing of the reddish leather one with the nubby linen-ish brown striped one in front. I like that he looked like he was wearing suspenders.
This giant metal pig also could have been fun as random art (picture his entire body painted bright yellow to cheer up an office, or even coated with chalkboard paint and hung in a kitchen as a place to write notes and lists and stuff).
Then there was this house. We biked by it and I thought it was so sweet I had to snap a photo. I love the bright white trim and the navy door (this picture doesn’t do it justice).
We also made it to Mod Cottage in Rehoboth, which is where we got Clara’s wood whale sign for the frame wall in her room. It should also be known as the place Sherry tried to convince John that our kitchen needed at least eight colorful gurgle pots on the floating shelves. John didn’t go for it. Total fun hater.
But in his defense we do have one small yellow one already. So I’m not completely gurgle-pot-less.
These pretty vases were so sculptural and geometric. We were hypnotized by their beauty.
And this giant beachy print was, in the words of Justin Bieber: swag, swag, swag. I wanted it bad but it was out of our budget. Maybe someday it can serve as inspiration for a little DIY watercolor painting though.
This is just a picture of John holding a pillow with a chihuahua on it…
… which is funny because the last time we were in this store (over two years ago when I was still prego with Clara), we snapped this picture of John holding a pillow with a chihuahua on it (more on that excursion here):
That, my friends, is called Full Circle Chihuahua Pillow Blogging.
Oh and I also loved these cool woven plates that were hung on the wall. I totally felt inspired to dig up some cheap woven platters at a place like HomeGoods and paint them matte white with a pop of color in the middle. So pretty, right?
These lights hung over the cash register and while John said they “weren’t his thing” I thought they were playful and charming. A nice little splash of quirk for the sliding-your-credit-card experience.
We also stopped at a shop in Rehoboth called Bella Luna (which we stopped at over a year ago as well), which is where I fell in love with these pretty scarves (wouldn’t they be sweet table runners, pillows, or even fun cafe curtains for a kitchen? so breezy!).
They also had these fun faux animal heads that had a lot of personality. Especially when they were hung together. We voted the deer one as our favorite since he has “a Burger face” as we like to call it.
They also had this gorgeous mirror. It was around $300, so it wasn’t cheap, but it was mesmerizing. And see the ceiling? I liked that. It was soft wide plank wood with big white chunky beams breaking it up. It was very beachy but not as common as something like beadboard might have been up there, so I liked that it was a little more unexpected.
There was also this really pretty bird art. We loved the green one in the top left (he had a long skinny beak like some sort of sandpiper). Looking back at this shot I’m sad that we left without him. Oh well, next time…
This is also where we instagrammed a shot of the scrabble mugs. So much fun (and such a great, easy personalized gift- especially if you fill them with the person’s favorite candy, makeup, gift cards, etc). I totally should have grabbed one for a friend of mine and filled it with her favorite thing ever (bold and inexpensive bottles of nail polish).
On the way home we also stopped at this random thrift store about 45 minutes out of Bethany off of Rt 113 (yes, I randomly scream “stop the car!” and John dramatically pulls into the parking lot and I hop out to explore).
It was pretty small, but had some fun things hidden among the piles. Isn’t that chair and ottoman combo totally Emily Henderson-ish. She would reupholster those bad boys in charcoal or emerald or navy and they would be to. die. for.
I also liked this pretty green glass container (might be sweet on a kitchen counter full of flour or sugar).
And these trays. Can’t you picture them hung in a grouping on the wall? The black owl one (with the owl in the same tone as the other two frames) sealed the deal that someone should totally buy all three of these and use them together somehow. Hope they’ve already been adopted en masse (let’s just say I put them back on the shelves in a group in the hopes that someone else would snatch them up that way).
And so ends our latest window shopping slash thrift store spree. Part of me is sad that we only returned home with Clara’s wooden whale and the basket-to-be-turned-light, but most of me is relieved since it means we didn’t spend too much (leaving the chance that more thrift store goodies could come home with me in the coming months…). What have you guys been loving lately while window shopping? When you go on vacation do you try to stop at a few places on the way in, during your stay, and on the way out? Have you found any cute things?
Great finds!!!
I love stores like those – it’s one giant treasure hunt! Too fun. :-)
Yep, Emily would totally reupholster the chair and ottoman! Lots of cool/quirky eye candy in this post, thanks!
I am convulsing over the chair and ottoman. They would totally *make* the room and be the chair that my family fights over. The soft velour-y fabric, the lovely tapering of the legs.
Please, someone call 911 stat!
Katy
Oh Katy, maybe you can get them somehow? Anyone you know coming to visit you with a big car and driving through Delaware?
xo,
s
New state slogan:
Delaware: Right around the corner from Oregon!
;-)
Hahahaha, it works.
xo,
s
So where will you put the basket-to-be-light? Dining room I wonder? Sun room?
Not sure at all! Will share all the details when we make the call!
xo,
s
Love a good thrift! Found a big (at least 2 ft tall), blown glass jug/bottle with only a slight ding and that bluish almost-tint in a thrift store a few weeks ago – 5 dollars! Couldn’t pass it up. It lives in the dining room for now but it may end up on the front porch with our cheery yellow (plastic) adirondack chairs. It may migrate with the seasons, who knows?
Soo fun!! That first store reminds me of an amazing place in Leesburg!! http://www.luckettstore.com Its a STOP EVERY TIME we head down that way!
I have heard amazing things about that place!
xo,
s
..and if you go, make sure it’s when they have their Design House next door open! It’s so fun.
That bird art looks like this artist’s stuff (gorgeous and hilarious) http://www.etsy.com/shop/MincingMockingbird
And i spied that same style curved chair and ottoman on Apartment Therapy (being reupholstered by someone famous and sold for a hefty sum).
I need to stop window shopping and actually purchase something!
I was going to say the same thing. I recognized those paintings. Here is the green one you liked:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/103120702/some-call-it-flying-i-call-it-aerial
This post makes me wanna thrift so bad! My love and I are moving into a new rental next month and I can’t wait to decorate it with some fun finds.
On a related note, do you know how hard it is to find an affordable bed with a modern shape in Canada? Next to impossible. The reason I’m telling you this is I thought those wooden screens you showed us above would make for an eye-catching headboard. Particularly if they were painted a bronzey-gold color or even white.
Oh yes, that would be so pretty!!
xo,
s
I love your window shopping posts, especially since I am an avid shopper, but my 11 week old makes any type of outing much more difficult these days. I’m also super jealous that you have a hubby that shops with you instead of standing outside texting you asking how much longer you will be in the store!
Haha, oh don’t get John wrong! He was totally in the car for about 50% of these trips- and there was the occasional “you coming back soon?” text. Haha.
xo,
s
Me too! I love these shopping posts! Keep em’ up!
I AM IN LOVE WITH THE BLUE & GREEN GEOMETRIC VASES!!!! What a great find!
I love that chair and ottoman! I need to get to more places like this!
Such awesome finds! I haven’t been thrifting in awhile and now I really want to go!
Love thrifting. I’d spend my whole paycheck there if I didn’t need food. :)
Better than thrifting: finding something for free. I got this gorgeous rocking chair out of our apartment dumpster, and then, because i am notevenremotelyclose to needing a rocking chair, I resold it on Craigslist. Can’t believe someone threw that away! http://annebronkema.wordpress.com/2012/07/06/in-which-i-trade-a-chair-i-found-in-a-dumpster-for-40/
So pretty! So glad you rescued it!
xo,
s
I love your posts where you share what you saw when thrifting/shopping and your vision for the items! I especially liked your comment about the woven mats w/ a pop of color. After I read you, I’m always inspired to be more open-minded and creative when thrifting. And it cracks me up that the suitcase is a “him” :)
I wish we had places like this in Miami…I mean, we do, but they are filled with 80’s art deco stuff, which I don’t like. LOL! I love those globes, I see them at Target all the time.
that bench would have looked gorgeous where your new buffet is too, with some hooks and such above it. (not that the buffet doesn’t look smashing!)
I think you can find the artist for those bird paintings here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MincingMockingbird
I’ve purchased from her and her stuff is beautiful.
Thanks Susan!
xo,
s
don’t forget the old screen door in lewes, de (moonroe street) next time you’re in bethany. i sent you all last year and they have expanded….all kinds of great goodies you’d love. excellent prices!
Oh yes I love that place!
xo,
s
Better hurry back for those scrabble mugs! I passed up on the Pantone color mugs a few years ago and haven’t been able to find them in store since :(
http://aliceindezignland.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/pantonemugs_m1.jpg
Thrift stores are up there with bookstores for me: I could spend hours there and if left to my own devices, would buy the lot of them.
Kudos to you and your restraint, but it did remind me: are you still doing the “get on it already” once a week/month?
Ugh, I have to get back on getting on it. Haha. I still have lots of things to be done, but somehow with the deck and travel and the book I got derailed!
xo,
s
Those bird prints that you were looking at are done by Minicing Mockingbird on Etsy — http://www.etsy.com/shop/MincingMockingbird love her stuff!
Thanks!
xo,
s
Those stores look like so much fun. I’m going on vacation next week and my mom just reminded me that there’s a like 3 floor antique store that I totally forgot about.
I know I said I needed a break from condo-wrangling but I have a feeling I’m going to end up going in.
And that green container is so pretty.
I can’t believe in that collection of scrabble mugs there’s actually a ‘Q’! My son’s name is Quinn and I’m always on the hunt for ‘Q’s for him, but they are hard to find.
Whenever we go on vacation we try and find either an actually xmas ornament or something we can turn into one, as a souvenir of our trip. That’s always a fun hunt!
I was just in Beach Plum Antiques a couple days ago! I drooled over that lamp and yes, I also stood there and stroked it for a minute–so pretty!
“Full Circle Chihuahua Pillow Blogging”! Haha! Now you’re almost obligated to have a chihuahua pillow. Better not pass the next one up!
Too fun! And yes, that chair is totally Emily Henderson. She is having something similar as a part of her upcoming flash site sale (Joss & Main I think?). I’ve been waiting for that one with baited breath.
p/s: The second chihuahua pillow is absolutely amazing. I’m also a chihuahua mom!
The bird prints are by a famous artist – totally blanking on a name, but you’ll definitely be able to find them elsewhere!
oh i’m in love with that aqua check out counter lamp! i would totally hang that in my kitchen.
Great finds! I love thrift store shopping.
So many fun items…Totally loving those gurgle pots! if your still interested in the bird art try here.. http://www.etsy.com/shop/MincingMockingbird?ref=seller_info
I adore his bird prints, I bought some postcards a year ago and popped one in a frame. He is so talented.
Thanks Mimi!
xo,
s
check out this guy for more birds like the paintings in the pic just above the scrabble letters:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/MincingMockingbird
that’s what they look like to me… I have his chickadee one and a hummingbird and they’re lovely
So cute!
xo,
s
I love those gold hearts and the wavy vases! I can’t wait to see what your light fixture looks like down the road. Will you leave it that color or paint it? Thanks for sharing! I love your shopping posts.
I think we’ll leave it as-is since I love the texture!
xo,
s
I love thrift and antique stores! I grew up going through them with my mom and grandmother. I rembrr hating to go and then suddenly a switch flipped and i started loving it.
We go everytime we leave Dallas (since shopping in the city is so expensive)!
I love Beach Plum Antiques in Bethany! Have you ever bought a buoy out of the big “boat of buoys” out front?? I did last year… also got a vintage crab catcher from their side yard! Wonderful rustic pieces. My hubby & I took our honeymoon to the Bethany/Rehobeth/Fenwick area and vacation there every year with my parents. Ever been to Big Fish Grill in Rehobeth?? DELISH
Those are so much fun! Love the buoys. And Big Fish Grill = awesome.
xo,
s
The fab looking green and blue lights hanging over the cash register look like the work of Stray Dog Designs. I love their stuff.
The bird art that you liked looks like the art from The Minching Mockingbird. I have a few of his prints and guests always compliment them. Here’s a link to the artist’s site, in case you’re interested.
http://www.mincingmockingbird.com/collections/mincing-mockingbird
Thanks!
xo
s
Such a fun shopping trip/road trip!! Loving the finds. I know have like 8 things i wanna go home and craft because of this post ;)
Cheers
~ Jillian
http://www.hersplitends.com
I WANT that long wooden bench! Too bad I live in Ohio and nowhere near NJ/DE!
HOLY COW BALLS. I LOVE that chair. I’m drooling. I’m dying. My living room NEEDS that chair.
I actually just bought a 1950’s couch that I am going to reupholster (still has the original pinkish tan upholstery!) and that chair would play so nicely.
All the flea markets here have REALLY old stuff. Like turn of the century. Pretty, but not my style.
I totally have a plate with that owl on it that matches the tray!
So funny!
xo,
s
oooh…I spy a Couroc of Monterey Owl Tray – you left someone a great find!
Lol! I don’t know what happened in the comment box. But things got a little screwy and I look crazy!
It should have said:
Wow! You did a LOT of window shopping! Such fun!
“Full Circle Chihuahua Pillow Blogging” totally had me laughing.
If you liked the bird art, you should totally check out Kim’s mini pet portraits – http://www.yellowbrickhome.com/shop
Burger is way better than a random bird (The birds are cool, but that’s hard to argue with, right?) :)
Love the Scrabble mugs, but what I realllllllly want to know is where those bowls you Instagrammed are from?! They are so Anthropologie-meets-Target-esque and I NEED them! Yes. NEED.
They were at Mod Cottage but we didn’t catch the manufacturer of them. Maybe give Mod Cottage a ring to investigate?
-John
hi there! y’all should know that if you really love the sunburst mirror you can find a VERY similar and supa cheap stand-in at home depot from martha stewart: http://www.homedepot.com/Decor-Wall-Decor-Mirrors/h_d1/N-bve6Z5yc1v/R-203024519/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051
Thanks Hannah!
-John
I have that owl tray and a similar one with the San Fran skyline! I’ve been tempted to hang them on the wall somewhere and you’ve just inspired me to get on it! Thanks!
That was a fun trip. So many treasures! I am so going to paint the center of some baskets. I love the watercolor sandollar beachy print. Do you remember the price? So pretty!
Beyonce the giant metal chicken truly might be my favorite story every. I wish I had a yard…and access to Maryland so I could have one too! :)
I really want a gurgle pot/jug! I’ve wanted one for years! Can’t decide on a color though. One of these days when I save some little bucks I’ll get one!
Great finds! Any chance you could provide anymore information about the location of that random Hospice Thrift Store? I’d love to check it out. Thanks!
Maybe try googling it? All we remember is the highway it was off of (which we mentioned in the post). Hope it helps!
xo,
s