21 July

I love shopping at thrift stores. You can find brand-new items and already broken-in items. I love getting my clothes there because I can be relatively sure that they have already been washed so any shrinking has already happened! They are a mecca for craft supplies too!

Many thrift stores help their community with their proceeds and let's not forget that I can save money and help the environment.

It's so fun to scour the shelves, looking for things that I can upcycle or repurpose and I know that you enjoy that too.

I thought it would be fun to invite some of my blogging friends to do a little thrift shop flip challenge.

Thrift Shop Flips Blogger Challenge

Here's how it will work.

We named our event Thrift It, Gift It, Face Lift It because we will each be thrifting something, gifting it to our assigned partner, and then giving it a face lift!

I assigned everyone who signed up to play along with a "gift it" partner. Then we headed out to the thrift stores with a $10 budget. We were shopping for things to send our partners and they would have to give those items they received a makeover.

Once we had all received our packages of thrifted goodies got to work recreating our items into something new! Sounds like fun doesn't it?

I received my package from Cecilia over at The B Farm. She packed everything up in this box... the box will be easy enough to makeover but wait till you see what she packed inside!

There is a pretty scarf, some heart-shaped wire rings, little wire hangers, a gold double picture frame, and some pretty little pearls and rhinestones (plus the box)!

I didn't use every item she sent me but almost! The items I didn't use are the little gold picture frames and two of the wire hangers (there were three total).

I was already collecting scarves to create a curtain so when Cecilia sent me another scarf I finally had enough!

I started by sewing the largest scarves I had together and then piecing the smaller scarves in.

I did not cut any of the scarves, I just layered them over each other for a pretty patchwork effect.

I added a rod pocket at the top and used a tension rod to put it up in the doorway.

I used 10 scarves of varying sizes to complete this project.

Next, I used the two heart-shaped wires on the right below.

They were originally used to make fabric wreaths. You would sew a tube of fabric and thread it around the wire shape, scrunching it all up.

I chose to create my own version of a dream catcher!

I spelled out the word "Dream" with some 20 gauge wire and twisted the ends around the sides of the heart shape to attach it.

Then I found a pretty white hankie from my stash and glued and stitched around the edges to attach it to the wire hearts.

The little heart got the same hankie treatment, some feathers and then it was wired to the big heart.

I added some yarn to the bottom and some beads and flowers. I also used one of the little pearls that Cecilia included in my items in the center of the flower.

Then I went on to use one of the little heart-shaped hangers.

I've been wanting some wind chimes for my back patio so that's what I created with the hanger! I picked up a small, unattractive wind chime at a garage sale for .50 cents and took it apart. It only consisted of the metal tubes so I searched through my bead stash and found some pretty ones I wanted to incorporate into the chimes.

I used embroidery floss to restring the chime bars along with the beads I chose and then tied them around the hanger. I also added a tiny bead inside the heart on the hanger.

Whew! That's 4 things down from my gifted items.

Next up is the box.

This was the item I procrastinated with the longest. All along I was just thinking of painting the box and creating a jewelry or keepsake box. But then I stood it up on end on my craft table and inspiration struck!!

I removed the lid, added feet and painted the whole thing black, and then created a little Halloween shadow box!

This was really fun to make! I already had almost everything that I used. I printed the image of the woman dressed up for an All Hallows' Eve Ball and cut her out. Then I layered some harlequin design scrapbook paper inside the box, added the lady image, and then started adding goodies!

I glittered parts of her dress, mask, and hat, gave her a black pearl necklace, and added a black rose to her hat. The crow got an orange "Happy Halloween" ribbon at his feet.

I filled a vintage orange candy cup with black roses, black plastic stars, and ribbons on the left and then added a large black rose, glittered star, a clock cut from a vintage flash card, and a little crow on the right.

The outside of the box has black crepe paper streamer stuff and vintage orange velvet ribbon and on the top, I added a large glittery spider.

That's it for my projects for Thrift It, Gift It, Facelift It! Be sure to go check out everyone's projects!

Vicky at Life On Willie Mae Lane
Kim at Snug Harbor Bay
Kimberly at Seaside Ave (Sadly Kimberly no longer blogs)
Donna at Distressed Donna Down Home
Cecilia at The B Farm

I hope that you enjoyed this post and all of our projects, I sure did!

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Comments by Blogger

UnknownJuly 21, 2015
Wow, you have some interesting things to work with! That scarf is really pretty! Hmm, the heart wire thingies on the left could be used to hold photos or old postcards with a clothespin...if that bike is a card or photo, that could be one you use.
I can't wait to get my box...this is all so fun! :)
Kimberley
Vicky HuntJuly 21, 2015
Awesome! I love what Cecilia sent! Can't wait to get my box!
Kim@Snug HarborJuly 21, 2015
Looks like some cool things - I think I like the bike photo and the box best.
Linda @ A La CarteJuly 22, 2015
What fun!! Great idea and it will be fun to see what you do with everything. I'm off to visit others.

Linda
Jillian's Bella Rosa AntiquesJuly 22, 2015
What a fun idea! I love what you received in the box. You could make a scroll art piece using burlap in those hangers on the left?
Just found your blog today by reading Adirondack Girl at Heart's blog post about you. Such fun! I'd love it if you joined in with my "Let's Talk Vintage!" link party! Enjoy your week, Jill
Donna WilkesJuly 22, 2015
I have used the wire hangers for displaying. Love the box!
CeciliaJuly 22, 2015
Haha, I knew you'd get a kick out of the instructions for the wire hearts. :) can't wait to see what you come up with!
Hugs
Cecilia
Vintage Paint and more...July 28, 2015
This sounds like so much fun and what a challenge. Can't wait to see what you come up with. Thank you for sharing at Share It One More Time. Cathy