Hobbies
and Thrift Stoes…the Thrill of the Hunt
by Terry Wright, guest writer
Thrift
stores…… I had never been in a Thrift Store until a friend of mine, who was in
charge of the table decorations for a CC Rally a few years back, decided to use
Cowboy Boots as part of her centerpieces.
We started going to Thrift Stores to find them. After collecting quite a few, she had one
pair that would not stand up on the table.
Being of a “crafty” nature, I decided to try to do something with
them…..I ended up making a “Cowboy Boot Purse”….It was a hit and everyone loved
it…. The beginning of a new Hobby.
So, I
started shopping the Thrift Stores looking for old, gently used, boots that I
could use. I started picking up old
cowboy belts for the strap and using the belt buckle for an ornament. I gave them away to friends and family. I was prodded by friends to start selling
them. Which I did…. I guess I have sold
about 150 so far. Not for any
profit. Just to recover my expenses and
make enough to go BACK to the Thrift Store for more boots.
Since I
was going to every Thrift Stores that I could find in our travels, I started
looking around to see what else was available there…. I have found old books
(which I love), lovely dishes, tablecloths, yarn, fabric and, you name it, I
found it. Little treasures here and
there….I have taken friends, who have never been to a Thrift Store, with me and
now they are addicted to them.
I think my best buy was when we were in Florida. My daughter and I were in a thrift store and
she said “Mom, come look at this coat.” Well, I wasn’t looking for a coat so I
told her I wasn’t interested. She again
said, “Mom, come look at this coat.” Well, I did, oh my goodness! It was a full
length red suede coat with cowboy fringe on it. I tried it on and it fit. I was afraid to look at the price but I did,
$25. Oh my goodness. I just couldn’t pass it up. I mean, living in Texas and having a coat like that…. How much
better does that get. I have been
offered over $200 for it so far. I still have the price tag on it to prove my
story.
Thrift Stores are a treasure trove of all kinds of
things. Some, of course, are better than
others but I don’t think I have ever walked out empty handed. You just might find the perfect thing for you
to start a new hobby. Beware, they are
addicting. Another one of my finds,
which I love, is an old leather purse.
It must be 75 years old and is quite a conversation piece. I paid $10 for it… Another treasure!!!!
Recently
I have been making quilts. One of my quilts
is called a Scrappy Quilt as it is made from left over fabric from other
projects. I think my next one will be a Thrift Store Quilt from all the
material I can find in Thrift Stores…. How much fun will that be????????
So, if
you are traveling and need something fun to do, stop in a Thrift Store and look
for some treasures. You just might find something that will fit into a hobby of
yours (or be the start of an entirely new one!). Another good thing about these
stores, most of their profit goes to charity and I like that. Happy shopping.
Closing Note:
During a Kerrville TX Rally I had the opportunity to view these
Terry Wright Original Cowboy Purses, and without doubt they are works of art.
Who knew looking for rally table decorations would result in a new hobby!
Warning: Thrift Stores can indeed become habit forming! Terry Wright and husband Ted are longtime
motorcoaching enthusiasts. They invested many years in promoting this lifestyle
and now enjoy many life-long friendships as a result! Thanks so much, Terry,
for sharing this great article with us. –Sherry
No comments:
Post a Comment