Hi Freckled Nest friends! It's Mandi, from Here's Looking at Me, Kid. I'm so delighted to be guest blogging for Leigh-Ann, a lady I consider to be such a great inspiration in my own life, and also a wonderful boss of sorts. (You see, I design with her at Freckled Nest.) If you'd like, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook, and check out my Etsy shop, Fine and Dandy Vintage.
I'm the kind of girl who loves compliments, who graciously says thank you in response to them, but then gleefully reveals the ridiculously low price I paid for whatever dress or hat I'm wearing. Come to my house, compliment my wall decor, and I will probably do the same thing. Sometimes if I'm hiking through the woods in a pretty dress, and a friend expresses concern for the well being of said dress, I might flippantly respond that it was only a dollar anyway. Which leads me to wonder... what defines the value we place on our belongings?
Having very little money forces me to be a bit creative in my procurement of belongings. Yep, I head to the thrift stores and fleamarkets for most of what I have, but through the years, I've developed a very discerning eye. I've figured out what I love, and buy or don't keep anything I don't really love. But all the things I have and love are usually found for a pretty low price. I don't place a lot of value on belongings, because people and experiences are far more important, but when Leigh-Ann asked me to share with you some of my greatest finds, I scoured my home to find a few of my favorites. These are the treasures that I really adore and would probably rescue in the event of a fire.
One of my New Year's resolutions for 2010 was to wear more hats. I had a few knit berets found at the thrift store, but after many more weekly trips to the thrift, my collection quickly multiplied. I'm not one for accessorizing much, but hats and scarves are pretty inexpensive and quirky ways to make any outfit that much cooler. Once my collection began to grow, I started to get more creative in storing the hats. I keep out of season hats in vintage boxes on shelves, but for hats I'm wanting to wear day-to-day, I have hooks on my walls for easy viewing. Makes getting dressed pretty fun.
In addition to hats, I'm quite the one for 1960's dresses. They're easy to find on Etsy and at Antique shops, but sometimes you might get lucky and find one for a relatively inexpensive price at the thrift store. This black one is my most recent find. I haven't worn it yet, because I'm searching for the perfect big bow to pin to the front.
The rest of my house is filled with a lot of vintage and quirky decor, but the little details are where it's at. I love starting my mornings with a french press full of locally roasted coffee in one of my pretty little mugs. When they're not being used, I keep them displayed on cuphooks over my kitchen sink. They're a lovely way to brighten up my tiny little kitchen.
Some of my other treasures I like to keep out in my home are the many vintage pillows I've found at thrift stores. I will never pass by one of these pretties. If I ever run out of room on my sofas, I will probably just pile them on the floor. Extra seating for game nights!
In addition to pretty vintage decor, I have quite the thing for boxes and storage items. Luggage is no exception. But luggage is usually in abundance at the thrift stores, so I limit my luggage purchases to these great round carry-on suitcases. I bring them with me on weekend road trips, but when I'm not gallivanting around the states visiting friends, I store things in them, like extra toiletries and out of season shoes. Storage solutions are a great way to justify new purchases. But you didn't hear that from me. ;)
Thanks, Leigh-Ann for having me here to do a little show and tell!
xo, Mandi
