Bonnie Getchell
I am super passionate about reusing because I love taking one person’s “trash” and turning it into treasure! So many people take the easy way out and go to big box stores to buy items they could easily find at garage sales and thrift stores. Buying second hand reduces landfill waste and helps you skip the impact of buying new! To help inform and inspire you, I put together the top 5 items that I look for when I go to garage sales and thrift stores:
1. Picture Frames
I probably have an unhealthy love for picture frames, but they’re always so handy for projects! Here are just few examples of projects I’ve used my garage sale/thrifted frames in:
- How To: Music Wall Art — found at a yard sale for a few dollars
- Music Wall Art, Part 2 — found at a yard sale for $3
- Upcycle an Old Calendar into Wall Art — found at a yard sale for 50 cents
- Eco-Friendly Picture Frame Wreath — found at a yard sale for 50 cents
As you can see, it’s easy to change an average or ugly picture frame into something beautiful! I even created a picture frame collage in my bedroom (pictured above). Don’t let color throw you off either– the Music Wall Art, Part 2 frame looked like this before I painted it!
Next>> Furniture
[Photo via Revolutionaries, used with permission]
Good topic to cover. It’s strange to me though how reusing is trendy when many my age and older have done this most of our lives. I buy as many supplies as I can from thrift stores, etc. I feel fortunate when I find a large stash of fabric or yarn someone gave to the thrift shop 🙂
I love buying craft supplies at thrift stores, and re purposing trash into supplies. Not everyone has the time to scour thrift stores however. Also when you have a project and you need an awesome blue tie, you might not be able to find one that same day at your local thrift store. That’s why I started Courgette, my Artfire shop to share my vintage and repurposed craft supplies.