It’s been exactly 86 days since the very first Thrift Store Swap Reveal… and if there’s anything I’ve learned (being a veteran swapper and all 😉 ) it’s too expect the unexpected! This go around we expanded the swap from the 6 fabulous ladies who started it all to a terrific group of 10! That’s almost twice the fun!! Score!
For our second reveal (since we’re doubling the fun wink wink ) we decided that each girl would buy and receive two thrift store items… but maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. I’m assuming that y’all know what the Thrift Store Swap is! For those of you who are new to the swap we’re a group of gals who love to re-purpose! Lyn over at Mid Michican Mom thought up the whole fabulous idea… it works like this: Gal A heads to her local thrift shop where she buys two items under $10… and then mails them to gal B! Gal B re-purposes her two items from Gal A and sends two more items to Gal C… it’s a giant circle!
So every gal receives two mystery items to re-purpose… and once the items are received the rules are there ain’t no rules! Anything goes… as long as you re-purpose your items you’re golden!! Isn’t that fun? I have an absolute blast working on these little projects… it’s so much fun to open the box and see what you have to work with! It’s exceptionally fun if you get an impromptu scavenger hunt before opening your box!! My scavenger hunt came in the form of a wrong address… more specifically someone who shall not be named might have given poor Laci from Sequins in the South the wrong address!
Give me a break ok?! We’d just moved into our new house and I thought I was so fancy when I told Laci our new house number… I never memorize numbers fast so I was way proud of myself for remembering those three little numbers! Yup I remembered wrong! Luckily we had a tracking number on my Thrift Store items so we knew they had been delivered… I just had to knock on a few doors to find them! They were safe and sound with the sweet little lady three houses down! Yup I’m that gal.
Anywho… time for the before photos! Here’s what was in my box!
That’s right… coasters and a lamp! Best. Present. Ever! I have needed new coasters for almost a year and a half… water rings are literally trying to take over my house! I think I’ll have to re-paint my dresser to get rid of them in the bedroom. Yuck!
If you’ve been following along you know that I had several ideas for these little coaster babies… and after all of the voting and inspiration I decided to go with the wallpaper idea. I know what you’re thinking “She used wallpaper on her last swap project!” You’re right I did… and I had a hard time picking between the Instagram photos and the wallpaper samples! In the end I just had to do it… I mean I found the perfect wallpaper sample! I absolutely fell in love and just couldn’t give the little deer up!
Of course before I could apply my wallpaper samples I had to remove the multi-colored paint job… and after a little bit of paint stripper I found that these coasters were actually bathroom tiles! White square bathroom tiles! How awesome is that… you could buy a whole box of tiles at the hardware store and make them into coasters! All you’d need is a bit of glue and an adorable wallpaper sample!
(If you’re starting with a multi-colored mess like me check back next week… I’ll show you how paint stripper took the paint right off (in under 10 minutes!))
Once my “coasters” were good and stripped they were no longer technicolored but a clean white slate! That means applying my wallpaper sample was as easy as cutting and pasting… literally! (If you need help applying wallpaper samples to any project check out this post! These are the steps that have worked for me every time!)
I love how these little guys turned out… and so does the hubby! When I showed him the finished product he was very impressed insert happy smug smile here… I love when he loves my ideas! I still have quite a bit of my wallpaper sheet left… so I may have to hunt down a couple more bathroom tiles! I could definitely use coasters for both my living room and bedroom! The water rings on my coffee table are almost as bad as the ones on my dresser. Yikes!
Plus there’s a couple woodland creatures I haven’t used yet 😉
I love love love how they turned out… they’re the perfect color scheme to go with my living room! The whole problem with finding coasters (remember I’ve been looking for a year and a half!) is that every option was either the wrong color or way too expensive! I love that these are the perfect price (cheap!) and can be totally customized to go with any decor… even if you’re looking for a light aqua deer option!
While the coasters were easy to re-purpose… the lamp was a little harder to figure out! I think I was making the whole thing way too difficult… I wanted some big grand re-purpose but I just couldn’t come up with anything big and grand. I didn’t want to just spray paint my little lamp and call it a day!
So instead I set the lamp on my desk and proceeded to stare at for the last month and a half. It’s just been sitting there mocking me… the cheeky little bugger! In the end I decided to go with a metallic spray paint for the base… it’s not a revolutionary re-vamp but it gives the base that little something extra that I was looking for.
Of course glittering the entire base would have been more my speed… but I was afraid that the glitter would go everywhere each time we turned the lamp on! No bueno! Spray painting my little lamp took about five minutes… I think I spent more time taping off the electrical parts then actually spraying! Once the base was dry it was time to move on to the hard part… the shade! I didn’t want to spend $10 bucks for my little $1 lamp… so I did what any good Thrift Store Gal would do and re-purposed an old lamp shade from my “donate” box!
It was a little tall so I had to change the frame up a bit… and then it was all about the decoration. The shade started out a boring beige (totally not going to work) so I headed out on a quick wally world trip where I picked up a scarf from the dollar bin. Yup a grey and aqua scarf… who knew they were so versatile?! This one is totally my jam!
I absolutely love how it turned out! (I say that a lot don’t I? Well it’s true! I tend to work on things until I love the end result so I love all my projects! haha!) The metallic finish is the perfect touch of glam and I love that little bit of aqua in the scarf! If you want to know how to deconstruct a lamp shade and re-invent it as a smaller scarf-shade (I am soooo calling this a scarf-shade!) then check back next week! I’ll post all the details!
So which re-purpose is your favorite? The little deer coasters or the aqua and silver scarf-shade? I don’t know which one is winning for me but I am partial to those little deer!
Either way I’m loving both items from the second round of the Thrift Store Swap! I think Laci did a great job shopping for me, don’t you? If you’d like to see what I purchased at our local thrift shop head on over to Less House More Home… that’s where I’m headed! I can’t wait to see what Maggie did with my two items!! Especially since I sent her candles…
Before you go don’t forget to pin! I made a few adorable images for you… one for each project!
This post contains affiliate links to completely helpful products!
Gangs all here!
If you’re looking for anyone else in the swap here are their links… I’m sure they’d love a visit!
Five Kids, a Dog & a Blog
Mid Michigan Mom
Happily Ever After, Etc.
At Home with Sweet T
DIY Just Cuz
Sequins in the South
The Small Stuff Counts
Not Your Average Southern Belle
Less House More Home
The Swap that started it All!
If you aren’t swapped out yet here’s the first swap… see the projects that started it all
Wow these turned out GREAT! Love your take on the items 🙂
I love how they turned out! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
That is a really neat idea. I love exploring thrift shops because you can find all sorts of cool stuff there sometimes.
It’s like a little treasure hunt! Such a fun way to spend a weekend! Thanks for stopping by hon!
What a fabulous idea!!!! Great finds girl!
Thanks Brittany, you’re such a sweetheart!
You did such a great job on those coasters! I’m very impressed. That is such a fun idea to repurpose other people’s thrift store finds. You gals are very talented! DIY makes my heart pound very fast in a nervous way!
Thanks Angela, you’re so sweet! The whole swap is so much fun… I am always nervous since I don’t get to pick the items but so far I’ve loved the end results! Can’t wait for the next one!
These all really turned out so well! I’m not even half as crafty as you. Love the coasters!
Alessandra | The PumpUp Blog
You’re so sweet Alessandria, sometimes you don’t have to be crafty… neither project was particularly difficult! Thanks for stopping by!
Aaaah! This is so fabulous! How can I join? I LOVE your coasters! I made some coasters using tiles 3 years ago. They’re still holding up, though I really want to update the pictures (I printed our engagement pictures on tissue paper and mod-podged them to the tile, it was really cool). Something like this would be right up my alley!
That’s so cool Megan! I seriously thought about using our engagement photos… but the wallpaper won in the end! I love our engagement photos but since we’ve only been married for a year they tend to be put on everything! Haha! We’ll be looking for new swap members soon… the holiday swap will be next! Shoot me an email to happilyeverafteretc@gmail.com and I can let you know when we’re looking!
I love the coasters…I don’t think it matters that you already did wallpaper samples when they’re that cute! 🙂
That’s what I was thinking Brittany! Haha, I just couldn’t pass up those little deer… they were too cute! Thanks for stopping by Britt!
AHHH! This is amazing! I always wanted to get into repurposing, but in addition to not having the time, I don’t have the skill… yet 😉 Super easy… I know. I’m the most unhnadiest person you’ll ever meet. These are fantastic!
That’s ok Kaitlyn, they don’t take much skill at all! Everyone can cut out a square and glue it on a tile! DIYing doesn’t have to be hard! Thanks for stopping by!
This is such a cool idea. It reminds me of a chain letter but sooo much better. I would imagine that I would find some treasures I would’t want to give up. LOL
It kind of is like a chain letter… I never thought about that before! I definitely find great things when I go shopping for the swap… the great thing is that I can buy something awesome for me and something awesome for my swap partner! Win Win!! Thanks for stopping by Melissa!
Wow! What a fun idea! It is creative and you get your own little surprises too! I love what you did!!
You’re such a sweetheart! Thanks for stopping by Jeanette!!
I love repurposing and reusing old items. When we bought our house everything brass bad been in vogue. Now it’s out. I just got some hammered metal spray paint and changed my lights, fans, etc. Love it!
Spray paint is such an easy fix… especially for those old light fixtures we use to love! Haha!! Thanks for stopping by Dina!
What a fun swap! It’s like the show Chopped except instead of food in the basket, you get thrift store goodies. Great job on the repurposing!
I’ve never heard of Chopped… but I’m definitely not the cook around here! It sounds interesting though! Thanks for stopping by!
Ah, this is an awesome idea! Can bloggers still sign up to be a part of the swap? Looks like so much fun!
It’s such a fun swap to participate in… I love seeing what items come in the mail each time! We typically start looking for new participants a week or two after each swap goes live! Shoot me an email so we can see if you’re a good fit for the holiday swap! happilyeverafteretc.com
I absolutely LOVE thrift shopping. Typically I get things for my boys second hand, but I also really enjoy repurposing and DYIing like you.
Thrifting is such a great idea when you have kiddos… they grow so fast! I love to work on thrift store finds for my decor too though… such a great way to decorate on a budget! Thanks for stopping by Amanda!
I love what you did with the lamp. I think going with wallpaper for the coasters was a good idea too.
Thanks Liz, you’re so sweet! I loved how both projects turned out!!
How fun is this! I love to revamp old thrift store finds! What a great idea for a blog series!
Isn’t it fun for a blog series? My favorite part is seeing what all the other gals come up with and being part of a fun group! Thanks for stopping by Mistee!
Love your theft store finds!! Your flips turned out great!! I wish I was that creative!
You’re such a sweetheart… thanks for stopping by Ricci!
Good job Betsy!!! Your deer are so cute. I don’t know what someone was going for with that paint job but you totally revived those tiles!!! I have water rings on too may pieces of furniture (Yikes). The lamp turned out good too.
Tell me about it! I’ve seen plenty of cute tiles with watercolored effects… but these were sooo not that! Haha! I love the tiles now so I guess that’s the important part! Hopefully the water rings will not be quite so plentiful around here now!
You are very crafty and skilled in doing this kind of projects. They turned out great!
You’re such a doll, thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment hon!
Great results! Especially love the coasters – I have a weird thing about coasters and I haven’t found the right ‘jam’ for what I’m looking for in coasters. That sounds so weird because they’re just coasters, but I can’t help it! Anyways, very nicely done 🙂
I have been having the exact same problem for the last year… finding the perfect coasters has been so hard! Luckily I really liked this wallpaper sample… so it was the perfect solution! Thanks for stopping by Joy, good luck in the coaster hunt!
What a fun activity! You did an amazing job with repurposing. I wish I was as crafty as you. It would never be too late to start though, however, the only hindrance would be lack of time. Thanks for sharing.
Time is definitely a hindrance, I don’t craft nearly as often as I use to! I find that I have to put aside an hour or two every couple weeks for crafting or it never gets fit into my schedule! Thanks for all your sweet words… I’m so glad you stopped by!
Wow- those are some awesome finds. What creativity you have. Your transformations are stunning!
Thanks for your kind words hon, you’re so sweet! Thanks for stopping by!
we love thrift stores but never got a chance to visit. I love finding treasure at Thrift store and turn them into something beautiful
Thrift stores are definitely the best… I have so much fun searching through thrift stores for the diamond in the ruff! Thanks for stopping by Rika!
I think this is fun, I love visiting thrift stores. This is awesome.
I totally agree… thrift stores are so much fun! Thanks for stopping by Nikki!
I love how they turned out. It’s always nice to find some stuff in the thrift store and turn them into something nice.
I love when the project turns out the way you imagine it… you really take a gamble sometimes… but that’s half the problem! Thanks for stopping by!
These are all great. Good job everyone!
You’re such a sweetheart, thanks for stopping by Melissa!
They both turned out so gorgeous!!! I love the coasters nordic vibe.
Ohhh nordic vibe… I’ve never heard that one before! Sounds fabulous! Haha! Thanks for stopping by Bethany!
What a fun idea! I love shopping the thrift, I’m a certified thrift store treasure hunter! At least, that’s what I like to call myself! Hehe. Those coasters are super cute!
I would definitely call you a thrift store treasure hunter… sounds thrilling! Thanks for stopping by and for the sweet words!
How fun! I love thrift stores because the things you can find – woah! I love this, looks like some great stuff. I can spend hours in thrift stores.
I completely agree Jeanine… thrift stores are so exciting! Mainly because you never know what you might find! Thanks for stopping by!
WOW! I love how they all turned out! Thriftly used to be a passion of mine and reusing objects for a different purpose. I wished I would find more time to do it.
I usually have to make time… I don’t have free weekends like I did when I was younger! That’s alright though… every once in a while I still get to make the rounds! Thanks for stopping by Madelaine!
I love going to the thrift stores. You never know what great treasure you might find. I love how these turned out. My favorite is the lamp.
You’re such a sweetheart Ann, thanks so much for stopping by!
I absolutely love this idea! What a fun swap idea. I love thrift stores. Sometimes you find awesome things and sometimes you don’t but that is what makes each trip so fun. My daughter and I go and we call it “treasure hunting”!
It’s great to have a treasure hunting partner… I grew up going with my mama and still like going with her whenever we get a chance. Of course my hubby is a pretty great treasure hunting partner too! Haha! Thanks for stopping by Britni!
I love shopping at thrift stores and do it all the time. I refuse to pay full price for anything. No need for it really.
I completely agree Chrystal! Unless something is one of a kind or there’s no other alternative I absolutely hate paying full price!!! Thanks for stopping by!
I am super impressed. I love both items. I do say the lamp is my favorite though. You rocked the $1 scarf.
Thanks hon, you’re so sweet! I loved how the scarf turned out!! It was a great idea… if I do say so myself 😉 Thanks for stopping by!
These are great! I love how the coasters came out-they look fantastic! You never know what you can find at a thrift store!
You”re such a sweetheart, thanks for the sweet comments! I love looking through a thrift store… it’s just like you said… you never know what you’re going to find! Thanks for stopping by!
Wow! This just might be the best swap I’ve ever seen! I’d be wat too intimidated and craft challenged to attend myself, but I love watching great minds at work like this. I especially like the grey metallic finish you put in the lamp!
I loved how the metallic finish turned out too! I couldn’t find my usual looking glass spray paint with all the confusion from the moves so I went with a metallic finish and it actually turned out great! Thanks so much for stopping by Angie!
I love thrift stores but don’t go to them very often! I love coming up with ideas for new recipes in the kitchen, however I am not crafty in any other way!
It’s so hard to find time for shopping these days… especially when thrift stores require so much digging! I wish I was good at coming up with recipes… I can follow them but I’m not very good at making up my own! Luckily my hubby is pretty good at creating all kinds of delicious meals! Thanks for stopping by Lisa!
These are both amazing transformations! That lamp looks stunning after its makeover, and the coasters are beautiful. Nice job! Thanks for letting me participate in round 2 of the swap…it was so much fun!
We were so glad to have you Emily!! Hopefully you’ll come back for round 3! I loved all of your transformations as well… Thanks for all your sweet comments!
Love the coasters ad the lamp, I wish I was this creative! We can find the greatest treasures if we take the time to find them!
You are so right… sometimes finding a treasure takes a little time, but it’s so worth it! Thanks for stopping by!
This is such a cool idea! I love what you did with the lamp, absolutely beautiful!
Thanks Chantal, I absolutely love participating in these swaps… it’s so much fun! Thanks for stopping by!
That is adorable!! I always love re-purposing things into something new!! Thank you for sharing with us at the #HomeMattersParty
I completely agree Jamie, re-purposing is so much fun! Thanks for stopping by!
The table set up is beautiful, you did a great job. Now I want to go out and re-purpose some t hings just to see what I can come up with.