The Find

Fabulous & Frugal Fun: Sweet Treats
Even though I baked these goodies for a birthday party back in October, I would make the cake again for a festive, fall gathering like Thanksgiving. I found inspiration in the October issue of Southern Living where they made mini pumpkin cakes out of specially shaped tins, drizzled th...em with a ru...

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The Gift of Thrift: Hellooooo Valerie!
Oh my! Valerie is off the chain! When I went about creating a hostess gift for Cheryl Maedor of Gardenhouse who hosted a fab event in West Palm Beach last week for The Find: The Housing Works Book of Decorating With Thrift Shop Treasures, Flea Market Objects, and Vintage Detail...s, all I had to...

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The Find: Mantiques....Grrrrr!
A few days ago when I posted a studly lamp created out of old car parts from WhisperWood Cottage, I was reminded by The Antique Diva of a term that Simon Doonan, the fabulon behind the windows at Barneys New York, taught me: Mantique. He pulled out this term as we were shopping in Housi...ng Work...

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The Find: Book Notes
There's been yet another round of amazing press for The Find: The Housing Works Book of Decorating With Thrift Shop Treasures, Flea Market Objects, and Vintage Details thanks to Elaine Markoutsas' Primary Color column that appears all over the country, including the Kansas City Star. As I've ......

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Reuse & Repurpose: Start Your Engines!
While perusing Whisper Wood Cottage the other day, I saw this fabulous lamp made out of Chevrolet pistons and transmission gears. It's so elegant and architectural, and the natural patina helps its mechanical shapes blend easily into a traditional decor. It also complements the... piece of an i...

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Fabulous & Frugal Fun: Watch Your Back!
Spotted in the elevator at the Park Avenue United Methodist Church rummage sale on the Upper East Side: Always Frugal, Always Fabulous! (and always attending my belongings) The Elegant Thrifter Remember to RSVP to Gardenhouse Decor when it hosts The Find...: The Housing Wo...

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Saturday Surprises! BOO!
You never know what you'll find at a flea market, and September's Texas Antiques Week in Warrenton was no exception. While I was strolling the wares laid out over acres of farmland with Scott Stephenson (the husband of the famous and fabulous Vintage Laundress, LeAnn Stepenson) and his lovely... ...

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Fabulous & Frugal Fun: A Bleecker Street Spooktacular
The very best thing about window shopping is that it doesn't cost a dime. And when it starts nearing Halloween in New York City, goblins and ghouls appear in all the shop windows, frightening the unexpected at every turn. Even where I live on Bleecker Street, you o...nly have to walk half a block ...

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The Object of My Desire: A Box from Home
This weekend a box that my parents and my sister packed with birthday goodies arrived from my hometown of Independence, Mo. On top covered with wax paper were two plastic bags full of Rice Krispie Treats, something my dad likes to send me on... occasion and a s...

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The Find: Don't be a Thriftzilla!
I've said it before and I'll say it again, you'll most certainly be rewarded when you consistently create positive, thrifting karma. I know, I know. We all have moments when we turn into Thriftzillas -- the glutenous thrift hoarder gobbling up all kinds of shiny goodies in our pat...hs. We se...

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Fabulous & Frugal Fun: Hey Doll Face!
I recently told you about the thrift trance that overcame me a few weeks ago as I entered a room full of ephemera at an estate sale in the Pacific Palisades. Well, here's a little something that contributed to my altered state. This doll tree was right outside the door of the e...phemera room i...

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The Find: Just Helping Out
Over the past few weeks, I've been amazed by how many people are discovering The Find: The Housing Works Book of Decorating With Thrift Shop Treasures, Flea Market Objects, and Vintage Details. My publisher likened the phenomenon to The Energizer Bunny....it just keeps on hopping along even th...oug...

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The Gift of Thrift: Virtually Versailles
As many of you know, I am not greedy with my thrift finds and love to give them away, especially if I discover an item of special meaning or is located in a particularly heartwarming locale. Such was the case when I ventured out to an estate sale with my garage-sale pal Ruth Ha...ndel. While in L...

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The Gift of Thrift: Virtually Versailles
As many of you know, I am not greedy with my thrift finds and love to give them away, especially if I discover an item of special meaning or is located in a particularly heartwarming locale. Such was the case when I ventured out to an estate sale with my garage-sale pal Ruth Ha...ndel. While in L...

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