My Sunshine Away

After setting up a photo of my most recent read, I decided why not actually make a blog post. I know I usually post multiple things at once, but this is better than nothing, right?

I already posted about the brass deer here, but I thought they framed the book nicely!

This is another book I got from McKay's in Manassas, VA. I usually do a little research, but this one I bought on more of a whim. The plot summary was intriguing and (dare I say it) I liked the cover art.

Turns out, I enjoyed the story! Sort of a YA, mystery, coming of age combo. Glad I picked this one up!

Happy Thrifting!

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His Dark Materials

One thing I love about thrifting books is finding all of the books in a series. And what makes that even better is when they all match. This is the series His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. Cover illustrations are by Alfred A. Knopf.

I originally found the The Golden Compass at McKays a while back. There were a bunch of different versions of all three books, but I liked this cover. I didn't buy the second two because it would be my first time reading it, and I wasn't sure if I would want to continue the series.

Turns out I liked it, so another time we went back to McKays I bought the other two - but I got copies that didn't match (each other or the first book). I just wanted to read it and figured I would never find the matching components so it didn't matter.

Fast forward to when I was halfway through the second book. We were on a trip back to the same store, and The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass were both there, and both in the matching copies! The Golden Compass wasn't there, so it felt like they were there just for me. Since I was enjoying the series and loved these covers I ended up buying these. I later sold my other copies back for store credit.

1. I love the raised/gold title.

2. The background design is cool.

3. The sides!

4. They are trade paperback size, which is my favorite.

5. Because of that, the pages are smoother and the text is easier to read.

I'm so happy I have the matching set! They look great on the shelf, now that I finished reading them.

Happy Thrifting!

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DC Big Flea

A while back, Ed and I found out there was going to be a big flea market coming to our area (DC Big Flea). There was an entrance fee, but since there aren't any regular flea markets around here we decided to go for it.

Surprisingly we didn't find a whole lot, but you really never know with this type of thing. Being in a more populated area, prices were higher and the goods weren't all in our taste - but that's fine!! We had fun perusing anyway.

Also worth noting: my idea of a flea market is a bunch of random people trying to have their own little yard sale on one table or area each. This one was more like an antique store with many vendors.

I found this awesome brass kangaroo - complete with joey! I'm always expanding my brass animal collection, and any time I find a unique one I get really excited. The price was right and she was mine!

I just thought this looked really cute - I love pressed flowers and things from nature. Usually that kind of stuff is expensive, but this one was on a clearance shelf so I was all over it.

After we got home I realized that these two decorations match really well, so they're now displayed together! I normally put my brass animals together, but I'm starting to put newer ones in their own locations instead. (Does this mean I have too many?)

Hopefully we'll find a decent flea market eventually, but this was fun to check out!

Happy Thrifting!

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Valentine Weekend

Over Valentine's Day weekend, Ed and I did what we do best - thrifty adventures.

Our day started at Salvation Army in Manassas, VA. This was our first visit to this particular location, and I'm glad we finally went. (I'm not sure what took us so long! Salvation Army is my favorite thrift store chain.)

This was my first purchase of the day. As we were perusing the knick-knacks I spotted this tree mug. I love nature and hiking, and I had never seen a mug like this one before! I'm very particular about the mugs I buy - I have to be - since I already have so many. But I didn't even have to question this one. It was mine as soon as I picked it up.

I have been on a hunt for short sleeved boy's button ups for a while. I check most times we stop at a thrift store, but usually I have better clothing luck at Salvation Army. And not surprisingly, that's where I finally found one! I was expecting to buy a plaid one (I would still like to) but this curious pattern caught my eye. I held it up and thought, "I could wear this". Of course I had to try it on first, but it fit and I already wore it out!

After Salvation Army, we went to our favorite used book store, McKay's, where I spent the $10 my grandmother sent me for Valentine's Day :)

This was easy to do since McKay's is packed with books! But look what $10 got me - 8 books! I can't tell you enough how great this used book store is. We spent a long time in there. Usually I take pictures of books I'm curious about and research them later. Then the next time we go there, I check to see if those are still on the shelves (and buy them if they are). That way I don't totally splurge every single time. 

So a quick rundown:

Two of these books I had previously researched.

Four of them I bought on the spot.

And two are part of a series I already started.*

I haven't read any of these yet, but I'm currently in the middle of The Book of Lost Things (which I thrifted from Goodwill).

Happy Thrifting!
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*If you are ever curious about the books I've read, you can find me on Goodreads!

Joy is Thrifting

I don't have any new photos, but upon cleaning out my computer I've discovered a few series of photos I had previously taken for this blog (and never got to posting).

Unfortunately it's been so long since I got these items that I'm not 100% positive where they're all from anymore, but I will do my best!

If I remember correctly, this one comes from the Salt Mine Thrift Shop in Lincoln, CA (I'm totally guessing right now). There was usually a shelving unit with items like this lined up like books that I loved sifting through. The cool part about this particular item is that my birthday is actually in June :)

I believe I got this ship tile from a yard sale. I haven't added this one to my wall since the color is a bit brighter, but I'll find a spot for it one day!

I got this at a church yard sale/carnival in New Jersey with a few of my friends from college (awesome, right?!) It was one of those "fill a box or bag for a set price" kind of deals. We laughed at the quote on the bottom but for some reason I just really wanted this haha.

Happy Thrifting!

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Wildwood

My husband and I recently discovered our new favorite used book store: McKay Used Books in Manassas, Virginia. As we were getting acclimated to the area, he just searched for used book stores while looking up thrift stores near us. But when we pulled up to this place, we were floored! It's huge! And not only does it have rows upon rows of used books, it also has board games, video games, and music as well. Needless to say, we've already been back a second time and plan to make a habit of it.

I picked up Wildwood by Colin Meloy on our second time around. I didn't know anything about it, but the description on the back of the book sold me almost immediately.

"Prue McKeel's life is ordinary. That is, until her brother is abducted by a murder of crows and taken to the Impassable Wilderness, a dense, tangled forest on the edge of Portland. No one's ever gone in - or at least returned to tell of it.
   So begins an adventure that will take Prue and her friend Curtis deep into the Impassable Wilderness. There they uncover a secret world in the midst of violent upheaval - a world full of warring creatures, peaceable mystics, and powerful figures with the darkest intentions. And what begins as a rescue mission becomes something much greater as the two friends find themselves entwined in a struggle for the very freedom of this wilderness. A wilderness the locals call Wildwood."

I just love fantastical adventures - the description sort of reminded me of The Chronicles of Narnia - and the illustrations were beautiful!

And the uncut pages are a cute little detail.

I totally forgot to take photos of the inside of the book until I was just writing up this post, so excuse the major change in lighting! It works for me though, because I'm always reading by lamplight anyway ;)

The illustrations within the book were a lovely surprise! I was definitely a little obsessed with them. They're so cute! (And they're by Carson Ellis)

I recently finished the book, and while it wasn't my favorite I definitely enjoyed it! Absolutely worth the price I paid for it. Did I mention everything is priced very reasonably in this store?

Happy Thrifting!

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My Wall: Part 2 & 3

Once upon a time, I wrote up a post about my wall. And since that post, we've moved a few times. I've since set up my wall twice - two different ways.

If you're just catching up now, I'll do a little recap:

I have a collection of hanging wall decorations that I like to hang all together. I just love the look of having a collage of semi-matching things up on the wall. A lot of these end up being owls or nautical themed, but it can really be anything as long as it looks nice together.

This is the current setup of my wall. It's in our living room above the couch. I stopped hanging stuff as it reached a closed shape. I have more items that I might add eventually, but I will only do so if it doesn't look unfinished at the end. That was what I didn't like about the original spot - it never looked finished.

This was at one of our previous apartments - in the bedroom. (Low quality photo, taken on my iPod touch.) I noticed this open wall space above the closet doors and thought it would be perfect for my decorations. I love how it turned out up there. As you can see I have a lot more of them hanging in this space.

So far, in each apartment I've set up my stuff in a different spot. First the den, then the bedroom, and now the living room. Who knows where it'll be once we have a house of our own!

I normally mention where everything was from, but I have smaller posts for the individual items, some of which I've posted and some I have yet to photograph. Everything was thrifted, though!

Happy Thrifting!

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