My Bargain Buddy

I was visiting The Design Slice blog the other day, and Jessi was talking about some of her fabulous vintage finds. While in college, the two of us would rummage through antiques and Goodwill stores in search of buried treasures. Her posts have inspired me to share a couple of my recent buys.

First of all, I found this original woodcut artwork (signed and everything) along with this lamp at a consignment store in Carroll, Iowa. I plan on painting the lamp and of course, adding a lampshade. I'll also be on the hunt for a bargain frame for my new piece of art!

During my stay in Iowa City, Iowa a few months ago, I visited another thrift store where I found this magazine holder. It now has a spot in my office, and is home to creative goodies I get in the mail and can't stand to recycle.

Jessi will be visiting me this weekend, and we have plans to do some serious bargain-hunting. Nothing pumps me up like a coffee in hand, exploring thrift stores!

Traveling, and therefore not updating my blog

I have had a busy week. I zoomed down to Iowa and went to an apple orchard for my brother's birthday, found some beautiful thrift store treasures, returned to work for two days, then spent 1.5 days by Lake Superior. Not to mention I attended my friend Jessie's wedding earlier this month. I have lots of fun things to talk about, but evidently no time to type. Be watching for updates! :)

Easy Artwork

I have problems. I have problems finding artwork for my apartment that I REALLY like. Either the pieces in stores aren't my style, or they aren't the right color or size for my space. It can be frustrating, right? I am on a mission to create artwork myself, or at least do it in a thrifty way. I was excited to come across Canvas on Demand today, an internet company that prints your photos on a piece of canvas for an affordable price. What a great way to get large scale artwork using stock photos, your own photos, or mixed media pieces!

Wall Tattoo

I have been wanting to re-decorate my apartment for a while now, but I just need to implement the design vision I have in my head. It was exciting to find this Benjamin Moore wall tattoo in a magazine the other day, since I had imagined using a similar concept for an area of my living room walls. Hopefully the company will release other design options in the future. What a fantastic way to introduce beautiful design into the homes of those who are intimidated by DIY stenciling.