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Unplanned Adventures & Thrift Store Jackpots! 🛍️
Today took a totally unexpected turn into pure fun and laughs! It started out like any other day, pretty low-key. Just the usual routine of driving my oldest granddaughter to her summer activities and working on an art project. But today also brought an exciting milestone: my very first Social Security check officially hit the bank!
Naturally, I felt like doing a little window shopping. I decided to recruit the youngest to join me, using the ultimate bribe: a trip to Dollar General. It worked like a charm. She perked right up and agreed to come along.
But the real magic happened when we arrived. Right next to the Dollar General was a thrift store I hadn’t noticed before. Of course, we had to detour inside first. The second we stepped through the door, I knew we had hit the absolute jackpot!
One of my absolute favorites to rummage through is the frames. I have found many that I have hung on my walls of the pictures I’ve taken. I also enjoy replacing the images in frames that have the old fruit or flower pictures already in them. You know the ones from the 1960s and newer. 😉
I thought this was really neat. I could envision this old door being used as some sort of divider.
The Children’s Section
As I was having the time of my life digging through the endless treasures, my youngest companion decided to inform me that I was, in fact, “torturing” her. Dramatic, I know! Realizing I needed a tactical survival strategy to save her from her tragic fate (and desperately prolong my shopping spree) I set out to track down the kids’ section. I hoped a little toy-aisle pacification would buy her silence and extend my treasure-hunting clock!
The kids’ section found. Can you see if it worked? 🤣
The Great Thrift Store in the Sky
If you predicted the kids’ section would turn her frown upside down; congratulations, you were dead wrong. Her face in the photo is the absolute definition of “unimpressed,” and she looked like she was actively planning her escape.
Dragging her out of there, I decided to play the long game and remind her that she was making this a truly banner day for me. I told her that when she’s grown up and I’ve gone to the great thrift store in the sky, she’ll look back on this day and remember how much joy it brought her grandmother, and how much I laughed. She didn’t seem entirely convinced, but lasting memories were made!
The Dollar General
On our way out of the thrift store I saw more neat things.
When I said, ‘Let’s go’, she high-tailed it out!
As promised, we went to the Dollar General. Look who’s much more engaged in the shopping experience!
Proof that the Best Treasures Already Have a Story
Talk about hitting the ultimate thrift store jackpot! This dress is an absolute stunner. I wouldn’t even want to guess what a masterpiece like this would cost brand new. Honestly, anyone walking down the aisle in this would look like royalty.
The best part? It’s in incredible shape. No snags, and every single bead is perfectly intact. There are just a few minor spots on the inside bust, but nothing a quick trip to a professional dry cleaner couldn’t easily fix.
While it looks white at first glance, I highly suspect it’s actually “antique white.” It immediately took me down memory lane. I wore my mother’s original white wedding dress, which hadn’t been preserved. After spending twenty years tucked away in a cedar chest, that bright white had aged into a gorgeous, warm yellow-antique shade. To make my veil match, we actually had to dip the white tulle in tea (dip, dry, dip, dry) until we got the perfect matching hue. An older family friend (Mrs. Barkley) passed down that brilliant little trick, and it worked like magic.
The Price Sticker
And the price tag on this absolute jackpot? A whopping $89.99. Yes, really!
Now, I have to know: would you say “I do” to a jackpot find like this? Do you love the thrill of the thrift hunt as much as I do? Drop a comment and tell me what is your ultimate, all-time favorite secondhand treasure?
Yesterday is today’s memory.
Be sure to capture your memory today!
All the best,.
Debra Ellen
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That sounds like such a fun day out. Though I am not normally a thrift shopper, I do remember visiting second hand stores looking for wedding dresses with my best friend. She bought a real pretty one too but we did the opposite; since it was so “cheap” compared to new dresses we figured we had nothing to lose by bleaching it. And it worked rather well.
You know, I am surprised my mom didn’t do that. Maybe Mrs. Barkley (older neighbor lady) advised my mom not to bleach the dress.
It sounds like a really fun shopping trip! That looks like a fantastic thrift store. My girls are never keen looking around them either. hehehe Wow! That dress is beautiful!
When I was younger my mom dragged me to antique stores and flea markets. I was my grand daughter then! But now days- bring on the thrift stores and garage sales!
All the best.
Seems you had a great day with many nice discoveries. The white dress is so beautiful.
Have a good time and all the best
Violetta
Hi, Violetta! Yes, we had (or rather, I had) a really fun time. This thrift store will definitely be a place I will frequently visit.
All the best.
I love the look on your granddaughter’s face! I’ve seen that face many a time on my own grands’ faces! That is an amazing thrift store. The ones near me are not anything like that. They look like the poor relation of yours! I love the dress…did you buy it? I would and just wear it for the heck of it! Can you imagine the looks on your kids’ faces as they got on the bus? I bought my own wedding dress. It was the first and last dress I looked at. My mom got married in a powder blue skirt suit. I’m hoping my granddaughter will wear something from my dress even if we have to deconstruct it.
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
No, I did not buy the dress. I never even thought about wearing it on the bus. That would have been a real hoot!! I wore my mom’s wedding dress. When my daughter married, it was my hopes she’d want to wear mom’s dress too. She wanted to buy a new one.
Thank you for visiting and commenting.
All the best.
I’m a big fan of thriftstores. They are like treasure coves. I love the one you visited and that dress is indeed a great find!
I’m thinking about going again. Think my grand daughter would go with me? 😳
thrift shops can be fun and great bargains can be found – but understand compleely your grand-daughter’s look – priceless – it says it all. Have a great week.
Hi, Jill. Yes, it was a Kodak moment for sure! 😂
All the best.
This is the Jewel by David’s Bridal Sweetheart Chevron Crystal Tulle Wedding Dress (Style WG3754), originally priced at $1,250.00. WOW! What a find!
This is interesting information. Are you a sales person for David’s Bridal?
Thank you for visiting and commenting.
All the best.
No! A fellow thrifter.
🖤
I enjoy the occasional rummage through a good thrift store. You never know what you might find. I think it’s pretty common for kids to be unimpressed by the thrift stores though. That dress is stunning – what a great find for some lucky shopper!
I’ve asked Brynlee if she wanted to go back. She rolled her eyes. 👀
All the best.