Now, Shake It Up, Baby

I have actually been doing quite a bit of thrifting lately even if it isn't the "season". I find that as winter rolls around, I plan my shopping around which thrift or antique stores I can hit along the way. One of the cool things I have found in small town America is that nearly every one has a Walmart (I never thought I would say this but "thank you Sam Walton") and nearly every one has a thrift store or two. I think that is kind of odd, really, about the thrift stores but I love it and am in no way complaining. Also, I can feel good about my junking as it seems that most all thrift stores support some type of non-profit organization whether it be Christian Outreach, Shelter for Abused Women, Salvation Army, Food Pantry, Sheltered Workshop, or Animal Rescue - I know that the money I am spending is going for a good cause.

Lately, I have been gravitating towards colorful vintage salt and pepper shakers. Maybe this tendency comes from my Grandma Clark who collected oodles and oodles of salt and pepper shakers over her 88 years (and still counting the years) - I kind of wish I had some of those. My kitchen and dining room are bursting with color - pumpkin on the walls, retro red tiles on the back splash, and hints of true orange and black here and there. The shakers seem to add the right spice to the palette! Really, is there such a thing as too much color? I don't think so.

I just love, love, love this Native American (or the politically incorrect version - Indian) pair. I picked them up, actually, in Kansas City at the first Friday thing at Urban Mining. I think the pair was $4 which is a little pricey to some but I was taken in by the color and detail. Plus, I had a Groupon so it was like getting it for half-price. The apples were a flea market find - I think I paid 50 cents for the pair - and the red top shakers were purchased at one of my favorite antique stores around here - Big Brown Dog Antiques in Cole Camp - for $4. I kind of collect the red top shakers so I had to have them!

Moving to another part of the world, I adore this Chinese couple. The paint is a little chipped in places and they are certainly not perfect but they look really awesome in our antique curio cabinet with the tea set my husband brought back from China. And, they only cost $1.50. The cookbook behind them is another thrift find - super fun graphics for La Choy recipes and only $1.

 My last little fellow was also found, alone, at Urban Mining. He has so much personality and vivid coloring. He is perched on top of my Grandma's Hoosier cabinet (the real thing with a 1911 date) watching over our kitchen. It just dawned on me that it is appropriate he should be there - kind of an homage to my Grandma and her quirky style, too.

As we enter the holiday season, what is coloring your life? Do you have a favorite thrifting spot? Wherever it is, don't forget to sprinkle a little hope to those in need when you do your shopping. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

It's Hunting Season: Auction Hunters Premiers Tuesday 11/9 on Spike TV

This morning, I bopped on over to one of my favorite blogs Apron Thrift Girl and Selena had posted an entry about a new television show premiering this week called Auction Hunters. Great, just great, all I need is another show to watch! I made a comment on her blog about it and she contacted me to see if I would spread the word about the show. Since I missed the series premier of American Pickers as maybe some of you did, too, I definitely want to be on the ground unit of Auction Hunters so I am sharing this with all of you as well. Set your DVR's - Auction Hunters premiers Tuesday, November 9 at 9:00 Central Time on Spike.

Curious about Auction Hunters? Me too. Here's the gist of it:  Every day in America, there are over ten thousand abandoned storage units that are put up for public auction. Each unit has the potential to be a goldmine or a bust for those who make their living hunting unclaimed property. This eight half-hour episode series follows two of the best prospectors in the business, Clinton "Ton" Jones and Allen Haff, in their quest to win auctions, acquire treasure and sell it for profit.

Auction Hunters Trailer | SpikeTV | SPIKE.com

Now, I love thrifting or junking or whatever you want to call it. That's how I make a little cash through my eBay store and pretty much decorate my entire house. And some of my favorite garage sales are at storage units. But these guys are serious. Buying a whole storage unit of stuff, glorious stuff. I don't know what I would do with all that as my shed looks like this already (I wonder if I can classify it as a storage unit) but my interest is definitely piqued. I mean, seriously, how much fun would it be to dig through all of it to find some treasures! That is the best part!

Unpacked boxes from our move - 3 years ago and this is only half of it!

And even if you aren't planning to go and buy up a whole storage unit's contents at auction, I am pretty sure you can learn some useful stuff from Ton and Allen. Really, how much have you already learned from Mike and Frank over the past year? I know I am more knowledgeable than before. So, if you love junking, and I know you do, then I think you will want to tune in to this new show. Now, on with hunt!

How to Hunt | SpikeTV | SPIKE.com