Tuesday, November 3, 2009

goodwill hunting

My friend Amy and I love to go treasure hunting at our local Goodwill Industries stores. Sometimes we can hardly believe our luck with what we find – and last week was no exception!

I think I'm most excited about an old book I discovered called A Dog from Flanders. Love the illustrations, especially given the Dutch blood running through my veins (and yes, I do know that Flanders is in Belgium, not the Netherlands). I'll use these in various assemblage pieces – after I've had a chance to actually read the book!


No idea what I'll use this wooden spool and old basket ball pump for but they both spoke to me - the patina is gorgeous on the spool, and I love the boy's name scratched into the pump ("hands off, this one's mine!")


This old leather handkerchief and collar case is actually the first thing that I came across at the store. Even though the inside is in pretty good shape, I'll probably deconstruct it and use the fabulously aged leather exterior.


The color of this candy tin is just the perfect shade of retro green-blue, and the flowers on top make it extra special. Great studio storage for some of my little knick-knacks and doo-hickies.


These rolls of piano paper are intriguing... maybe they'll be turned into giant pompoms, or possibly layered wall decorations, who knows. Especially love the first part of the roll – the graphics are beautiful.


This silver platter is destined to be come the background for some layered assemblage piece, possibly with a little Frozen Charlotte doll in the center and some chandelier crystals hanging off the four little squares...


And lastly, this little sugar bowl would look great inside a decoupaged wooden box with some papers streaming out of it (somehow it reminds me of a trophy cup... maybe I'll search for a state fair ribbon and turn it into a horse-themed display, using some of my horse-related ephemera with a little statue)

I love successful Goodwill hunts, especially when done in the company of a good friend who, like me, can see the beauty in the old and discarded.

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