Holy cow, it’s been a bit since I’ve found anything super amazing at the thrift store. (I am 100% convinced its because I haven’t been going as much. The amount of great scores is directly related to the time you invest into finding them.) But still, who likes to leave empty handed every freakin time?! No one.

Well, maybe my husband, but he doesn’t count.

Last week I made a super last minute trip inside as they were closing (like at 8:56 and they close at 9) and found some pretty great stuff! Finally!!

All of these little candlestick holders and vessels were $.50 each!

The frame on this is not awesome, but any photograph of Southern Utah is a must have. ($5.00)

This wicker basket ($4.00) will be the perfect plant holder (I’m picturing a bright colored pot inside it!)

The last treasure is this solid wood mid century desk for $30. I LOVE the drawer fronts and handles. Its just so good. You could leave it as it, or paint parts of the drawers, I mean the possibilities are endless!

Have you scored anything amazing lately!? Make sure to hashtag #colddeadfingers on Insta so we can all see (and be super jealous!)

The post My Latest Thrift Store Scores! appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

Oh man I am itching to score something amazing. Every time I end up at the thrift store (which is admittedly not as frequently as it should be) there is nothin. Every time I jump on Craigslist? Overpriced. I mean, I can justify spending $40 on a dresser that I don’t need, but spending $400? Meh. So I do what any one looking for a good thrifting fix does…check out the #Colddeadfingers hashtag. YOU GUYS ARE KILLING ME!

There are a few people that are probably made out of gold they are so lucky with their finds and every time I sit down to write one of these post I am like “Ok, so I featured her last time so I probably shouldn’t do it again….but how can I not share these finds?!” The internal struggle is real. None more so than with Katie from The White House Girls.  She is SO hardcore. In fact she is so legit that she drove from Fargo ND to Salt Lake City UT for SNAP just so she could thrift her little heart out.

Also it doesn’t hurt that she is adorable (Katie is the one on the left)

Katie and her sister Sam are junkers to the core.

Can I be the first to say, who knew Fargo had such great stuff? I mean, all I thought they had was snow.

Ok and can we just talk about Garbage Throw Out Week? WHYYYYY is this not a thing in Utah!? If you are unfamiliar get ready to die. Basically everyone in the city moves all of the stuff that they don’t want out to the curb and you can just drive by and pick it up! (If its not in a dumpster, if it is then you have to ask permission.)  HELLLO. For my birthday next year I am going to garbage throw out week. That is all I want.

Does your city do this? Do you know how lucky you are?!

You will most definitely want to pop over and check out The White House Girls. Find a sitter for your kids and grab a snack, you’ll be there for a while.

Now is the really fun part. If you are on Instagram snap a picture of your most treasured piece(s) and tag it with #colddeadfingers. I LOVE seeing what your favorite things are and I know everyone else does too!

The post #colddeadfingers All-Star appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

There are a few tips that you will hear when it comes to thrifting furniture. 1. Check to make sure its sturdy. 2. Give it the smell test. 3. Always buy real wood.

Well guess what? As great and fine as those are sometimes that isn’t an option…especially when it comes to #3 on the list. Buying real wood. If you are in love with vintage furniture the chances are great that you will come across a piece or 99 made from laminate. Chances are that parts of your piece may be real wood, while other parts (like the top) are laminate. Its just the way things are. So does that mean that you should pass up your dream piece because its not real wood?

HECK NO.

Painting laminate is a totally doable DIY. You just have to know what the right products are for the job. (This is where I come in.)

I have tried every technique that pinterest can offer and I am so excited to tell you about the fail proof way to paint laminate.

One of the most popular tutorials on Vintage Revivals is this how to paint furniture post. I 1000% recommend using Pro Classic if you can. The only downside is that Pro-Classic doesn’t come in a deep base so if you want a darker color then you are sort of out of luck.

BUT. For National Painting Week I thought it would be perfect to kill 2 birds with one stone and show you the best way to paint laminate and what type of deep base paint I use to do it!

The color is a vibrant rich green called Arugula.

Ok so this is where I started.

Before I was able to do anything to this cute guy I needed to clean off this space age duct tape that was stuck to it. You guys, this is the kind of stuff that will take off your fingerprints…from your fingers…permanently. Goo Gone and other adhesive removers didn’t work so I pulled out my favorite paint stripper and gave it a good dousing.

Thankfully I was able to scrape the majority of the adhesive off after using that.

The first step to painting laminate is to give it a nice little sanding. Laminate typically has a hard shiny finish that makes it scratch resistant and durable. If you don’t give it a little texture then the paint and primer have nothing to stick to and will easily peel off. I used 150 grit sand paper on this part. You can see in the picture below that I didn’t sand off the laminate, just the surface of it.

Once everything is sanded, wipe it down with a damp rag to make sure that all of the dust is out of your life. If you don’t do this then you will have a situation on your hands.

Ok are you ready to have your life change? The secret to a durable long lasting finish on laminate is the primer that you use, specifically Sherwin-Williams Multi Purpose Primer. It is a bonding primer that basically sticks to anything and everything that you could ever want it to.

Use a Mohair roller to apply 2 thin coats to your piece (make sure that they are fully dry in between.)

Once they have had a few hours to completely dry, give it a light sanding with 220 grit sand paper.

Then wipe it down completely to get rid of any dust.

If you are using a color that can be mixed with a light or medium base, go with Pro-Classic. If you are using a color that needs a deep base you’ll want to use Sherwin-Williams All Surface Latex Enamel.

The Latex Enamel doesn’t lay down quite as easily as the Pro-Classic, to combat that we are using a dry time extender. This gives your paint more time to relax and level out before it dries, giving you a smoother finish.

Latex Enamel is amazing for its durability and has such a great finish.

I could not be happier with how this little guy turned out!

Now for the REALLY fun part, there are a whole slew of bloggers sharing project ideas and paint palettes for National Painting Week, you will for sure want to be checking those out here.

The post How To Paint A Laminate Dresser appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

You guys are seriously blowing me away with your freaking amazing #colddeadfingers posts. Every new post is just SO good.

I found a pretty great pair of lights on Craigslist last week. At least I thought they were a pair. When I called the seller to set up a pick up he told me that he had sold one. Whyyyyyyy? If you have a pair of anything, keep it that way, I promise it is worth it! Lights, chairs, eyes (because who wants just one eye?). All of the things. Pairs=Joy

So there was just one light. Which was fine, it was amazing enough on it’s own. But there is just something about knowing that there is a mate somewhere out there (sing that like Fievel!)  So if you live in Southern UT and you have the twin, message me. I will pay you with lots of money and Durangos.

So today, in memory of my light’s forever lost twin, I thought it would be fun to honor those that still have their life partner.

These chairs. There is nothing more to say.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/carpendaughter

Lets just pause for a minute and imagine the insane joy of finding these beauties on Craigslist.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/caseybovee
Website: https://www.behomesoonblog.com

Nightstands? Yes. $10 for the pair? $*(&#$*  YES!!

Instagram: https://websta.me/n/averielaneblog
Website: https://www.averielane.com

Perfect colors.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahsuponski

It was Shannon’s birthday. Obviously.

Instagram: https://instagram/shannon_burlapandlace
Website: https://www.burlapandlaceblog.blogspot.com

Make sure you hashtag your amazing furniture scores #colddeadfingers so that we can all be jealous together mmkay?

The post Cold Dead Fingers //7 appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

I cannot believe it is already Wednesday! Holy.

I will be the first to admit that I have been a lackluster thrifter for the last few months. Buying everything in sight for The Hoard Sale will do that to a girl. Not to mention summer, and The Nugs,  I just needed to take a little break.

Hope you folks in St. George enjoyed the pickins, cause I am back.

I feel like the thrifting gods have missed me, as evidenced by the great things that I scored at the DI (Utah’s version of Goodwill) on Saturday.

Dish Holder $2.00,  Footed Mid Century Enamel Bowl $3.00, Teacups $1.00 each

Tomato Suitcase $2.00,  Ceramic Vase $1.00,  White Bowl with Lid $2.00

This chair is one of my favorites ever!! I couldn’t believe that it was only $10. It has a little damage on one of the arms, and as soon as I figure out how to repair it I will let you guys know!

Ivie is going through a phase where she wants to know all about everything that I loved when I was her age. Saved By The Bell is topping our Netflix queue right now, with Full House a close second. So when we found these Trolls it was safe to say that we were both extremely excited about it.

Have you scored anything amazing recently? Pretty please hashtag it #colddeadfingers so that we can see it!!

The post Thrifting Finds from the Weekend appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

Dudes. Lets talk about budget decorating tips. Pretty sure that every blogger on the planet has written a post or 9 about this subject. And I mean, here is the thing, there are a million tips about it but I thought it would be fun to create a simple seating area on a real life budget and show you the scientific breakdown (or something along those lines) of a fail-proof and awesome little space. Then all week I will be posting tutorials, to make the projects crystal clear so that you can totally snatch up the thrifting spirit and run with it!

There are 3 categories that we are dividing and conquering today.

Thrifted, Gifted, and Lifted. Catchy much?

Thrifted is pretty self explanatory. It is cool junk that you find secondhand. Thrift stores, Craigslist, Yard Sales etc. Thrifting is where I find most of my treasures.

I love thrifting art. I think everyone should have pretty things hanging on the walls in their house, but there is this idea that only “real” art should count. I wholeheartedly disagree. Creating a space that I love in my house is all about embracing the imperfection. Perfect example is this awesome skeleton print. I found it a few weeks ago for $2. At the time it was a black and white print. Sometimes I make bad choices and leave things in my car for too long. Imagine my surprise (and swears) when I finally remembered to take this guy in my house only to discover that the sun had changed the color. My black and white print was now mauve. Blink blink. There was a clear film on the paper that had a reaction to the heat. It had a large piece of film on the top (the one that remains) and a smaller one on the bottom that I peeled off. I sort of think that the two tone background makes the piece and let me tell you,  I am so happy about that little accident.

Amateur oil paintings are a crucial cog in the thrift store machine. They are always there. Some are not so awesome, and sometimes it is hard to see how amazing a piece is while you are actually at the Goodwill. So if you don’t hate it and think it has a little potential,  spend the $3 and take it home. Hang it on the wall and see how cool it really is! Sometimes I see a painting and think “Hm. I don’t hate it…” but I don’t know if it will look lame or if it is too weird. Those are usually the pieces that I love the most once they are up. This little blue moment was a great find for $5.

How freaking adorable is this little Kodak Brownie video camera? It was one of those exact situation where I wasn’t sure if it was old enough to be cute. I am so happy I spent $10 on it, because it is perfect in this shot.

Category #2:  Gifted. The gifted category makes up things that were given to you (why I felt the need to clarify that is beyond me….)  The amazing weaving is the star of the show and was a little happy mail from my girl Lindsay at Hello Hydrangea. You guys must go and check out her shop. I need it all.

Because I love you so much,  I have a gift for you! Next week (Friday the 18th) the free project in the Vintage Revivals Newsletter is a download of the Geometric Grizzly. Make sure that you sign up for the newsletter so that you can cash in! (Don’t worry, I will remind you again!)

Now for our third and final category, Lifted. So I feel like lifted can mean 3 things. 1. Stolen. Like from someone that loves you enough to let you take something. Or illegally…if it is worth the consequences. I know there are a few Cold Dead Fingers pieces that I would do 1-5 for. 2. Hijacked from another part of your house, or 3. Something that you bought or DIYed for an amazing price.

The hanging planter? DIYed for less than $20. The cute IKEA basket was less than $10 (I cant find it on their website, but I just bought it so they have them in store!)

Remember when I told you that I bought a meeeellion different colored serape blankets? Yep. It was the truth. The tribal floor cloth is one of my favorite elements. Can you believe that I found the fabric at Joann’s of all places?!

I didn’t get a great shot of it, but the little white plant stand with the fern on it is a total Target hack. Right now they are selling these beverage stands and they are the perfect size for a plant!

I just love how collected and happy it feels.

Tutorials start tomorrow for this space! Watch for the Himmeli planter (you can check out this one if you cant wait for a few days,  I wont judge you),  chair reupholstery (you will throw up at the before), and the tribal floor cloth.

**Check out the other projects in this series here!

I am heading to Atlanta for Haven today,  Pray for this desert rat to not completely drown in the humidity… its going to be touch and go.

The post Thrifted, Gifted, and Lifted: The Anatomy of Budget Decorating appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

I am a Craigslist Stalker. Not the killing kind mind you. But a stalker none the less.

So for your consideration today, I would like to submit the following Do’s and Don’ts for selling on Craigslist. Also if any of these random Craigslist ads are yours images from the internet are yours, apologies in advance.

10 Do’s and Don’ts for Selling on Craiglist

1. This will always be first. Don’t WRITE IN ALL CAPS!  It is super annoying.

2. Do use the creative writing class that you took in middle school!

Yes, it is pretty annoying that this ad was listed 3 times, but those are some catchy titles. Especially the 3rd one. Don’t worry,  I clicked it. It was a just a regular memory foam mattress.

3. Do Describe things the way that you would to your best friend.

Let’s just pretend for a minute that you are on the phone with your bff while thrifting. You stumble upon an item,  how would you describe it? Does it have really amazing lines? Does it need a lot of work? Does it just need a good scrub, or does it require a Hazmat suit? When people are buying things from you give them as much detail as possible. It is never fun to show up for your dream chair, only to discover that the back is shredded and it smells like cat pee.

4. Do include a picture!

You guys. Honestly. Do people thing that they are going to sell something described as Brown Sofa? I never understand the “pictures available upon request” line either. It would be so much easier to upload it once, than to text it to 27 people individually. Right?

This listing is awesome. The pictures are clear, you know what you are getting when you call:

5. Do take the time to make something presentable.

Presentable doesn’t always mean staged beautifully. Of course if you are selling a desk, clear all of the papers off of it. If you are selling a couch, think about moving the pillows so that we can see it. Anytime something is covered up it makes me suspicious that you are hiding something horrible underneath.

6. Do list things that you think people may not want.

I came across an ad for this center sectional piece. I mean, yes by itself it is not a good idea, but what if someone is looking for that EXACT thing?! Craigslist scores are made up of love stories like this!

7. Don’t Overprice Things!

Don’t think that because your 17 year old puffy sofa is worth $100 less than what it was when you bought it.  When you are figuring out the price ask yourself this simple question. How much would YOU pay for it? I love finding deals, so I tend to price my items lower because deal karma is the best kind.

8. Do leave your contact info!

ARGH is there anything more frustrating than not being able to contact someone when they are selling something you want? It is THE most important Do on the list.

9. Do Make Some Money!!

What would you do in this situation?

You have listed a table for $100. You get a call from a lady that wants it, but wont be able to come and look at it until the next day. Right after you hang up with her you get a phone call from a crazy lady named Mandi (hypothetically of course,  not all Mandi’s are crazy.) that is in love with the table. You tell her someone is interested in it but they wont be coming to pick it up until the next day. Mandi says that she will pay you $125 and pick it up right then. What would you do??

You are selling your piece for profit. If you have a better offer, that is solid,  TAKE IT. Who knows if lady #1 is actually going to come and get it. Of course you can be courteous and let her know asap. The saying one in the hand is better than 2 in the bush describes Craigslist selling PERFECTLY.

Don’t be a Craigslist Sucker!

10. Don’t Be Scared of Negotiations.

If you are set on a price don’t waver, but if you are itching to get something moved out,  don’t be nervous to negotiate with the seller! Negotiations are my favorite,  so if I show up at your front door be ready!

Do you guys have any other tips to add? Leave them in the comments and we will all love you forever!

The post 10 Do’s and Don’ts For Selling on Craigslist appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

Happy Monday my loves!! I thought it might be a little fun to start off this week with a glance backward. I have been so busy with projects and holiday’s and being out of town that it has been a long time since I have hit up my beloved thrift store. Finally on Friday I had a few minutes to stop by and MAN the Thrifting Gods must have missed my happy face, because I totally scored!

First find on the list is this Mid Century coffee table set.

The tops are made out of Formica and I LOVE the gold inlay. It reminds me of the facade of “It’s a Small World”. But the legs are what sold me. Price? $15 for the coffee table and $12 for each of the two tier end tables.

Thrift Store Art is my favorite kind. It just makes me SO happy! Last year I even did a series on it called Thrift Store Art Warms My Heart.

So my heart was basically on fire when I found this embroidered bird picture. I am mighty obsessed with the colors and the different patterns. It was a little expensive at $10 but I knew that if I didn’t get it, I would regret it. Art is a lot easier to find a home for than a piece of furniture.

I also found these black and white sketches of the organs in the LDS Tabernacle and Assembly Hall. They totally remind me of these pictures I found last year.

The one thing that I did pass up? A giant bag of Pogs. I ALMOST bought them but they were $25 and I couldn’t justify spending more on a bag of Pogs than I did on a table.

Hope you have the best Monday ever!

The post Last Week’s Thrifting Treasures appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

When I got home from Home Depot a few days ago,  Court was cleaning out the garage. I am obviously a hoarder of amazing things that look like garbage. He doesnt have the vision and frequently throws away treasures. You can image what this does to me.

I flew out of my car and was like “What are you throwing away?! I need it alllllllllllll!! (and possibly an intervention) Court held up a few ugly lampshades that would not work for anyone. ever. to try and prove the point that not everything is worth saving.

Unfortunately for him my best ideas are spontaneous. Bring it. Oh it has been brought-en.

I LOVE a good lamp. The subsequent reality of the situation is that I have about a million ugly lampshades. Every time I look at them I die a little inside. I know they could be something amazing, so I hang onto them, but lets be honest, they are not shooting to the top of anyone’s must do list.

That is, until today.

All you need to make these eye popping lights, is an ugly lampshade with a wire frame inside and a few simple supplies. (I posted a picture of the shade on the right on Instagram yesterday and it became immediately clear how much better filters make everything look. It didn’t look half bad, but IRL it is granny…and not in a cool hipster way. In a mother-of-the-bride dress sheathing kind of way.)  Sorry to fool you guys with my mad filtering skillz.

Lets get started!

Cut off all of the fabric and pull off all of the glued on bits until you are left with this:

Its is the skeleton of the lampshade! Get it? Skeleton shade?!

I gave my lamp bones a coat of Krylon Copper Spray Paint.

Then I used some lamp wire I had from another project and wired a basic socket on the inside of the lampshade. To do this you will need:

(1) Pull String Light Socket ($3.49) at Home Depot

(1) 1/2” threaded nipple

(1) Washer

(1) Hex Nut

The desired length of Lamp Wire.

* If you are spray painting your socket do it before you move on to the next step!

Start by threading on your cord the hex nut and the washer. Feed the cord through the top of the lampshade.

Then thread your cord through the nipple and the base of your socket.

This next step is super important so pay attention! The weight of the skeleton shade is going to be on the socket. Normally you would buy a special tension socket for this, but because our shades are so light we are going to use  everyone’s favorite DIY Fix All…Hot Glue!

Tie a knot in your wire and fill it nice and full with hot glue. I like to pull the wire up while I am doing this to make sure that it is inside the nipple too. This is going to take the pressure off of the actual wiring and move it to the entire socket. Also please make sure that you leave enough cord that you can still wire your socket!

Once it is wired push the 2 pieces together REALLY hard. You will hear a soft pop when it is connected.

Then just stick the nipple into the top of the shade and attach the hex nut.

That’s it. Not even 10 minutes later we have these fun and unique light fixtures.

And you can get as creative as you want. I had a lot of extra cord so I tied it up and let the socket hang on this light. It breaks up the monotony a little.

 (Tutorial for the leather pillow here)  (Need another simple lampshade update? Click here)

I win. Sorry Court.

UPDATE! The light bulbs that I used can be found at Home Depot and Lowes. They are not going to be available once the supplies sell out (because the US is no longer producing or importing filament bulbs) So get them while you can!

I have also had a few questions about where they plug in. I pulled the cords out of the picture, but they run down the wall and plug in behind the couch. They look really cute like that (because of the sweet cords).

Now to the fun part that involves YOU! Whenever I bring a new treasure home Court just looks at me and says “Where are you going to put that?” And then I happily float into the garage and add it to the treasures that are taking up my half. (Ok it is more like two thirds. But who is measuring?)

The problem in this situation is that I have treasures that I have long forgotten about. And who can forget the ever present “But I cant get rid of that, I might use it!” excuse?

So here is what we are going to do. It is a fun thing I like to call MOTIVATION! Once a month we are going to have a Rock What Ya Got party. You can play along on Vintage Revivals by linking up a blog post,  or on instagram using the #rockwhatyagotparty hashtag.

Here is the other deal. This link up is for new projects only. I get it,  you are excited about that dresser that you painted last June and still want everyone to see it. But this is not that. We are doing NEW projects. New. Like sparkly newborn baby new. Yes? The whole point is to do something new. How about if I throw one more NEW in there for effect? New.

So here are a few things you need to know about our fun new club:

The Rock What Ya Got party will be opening the 3rd Monday of every month and will be open for one week.

Feel free to link up any type of project, as long as it is using something that you already had at home. (You can obviously buy a few supplies to work your magic)  The project has to be (say it with me!) NEW!

I will be sharing some of my favorites every month on my social media channels and in the Vintage Revivals newsletter!

If you have any fun fight for the garbage stories, I want to hear all about them!!

The post Rock What Ya Got: Upcycled Copper Wire Pendant Lights (from ugly lampshades!) appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

Creating a room design around thrifted and found treasures can be um… a little challenging sometimes.

The reoccurring missing link in Cara’s Office makeover was the stool. For the love of everything that is holy we could not find a stool. Not a cheap one, not an expensive one, not one that could be converted into something fantastic. NOTHING.

To this problem, I may I may have pitched the idea that standing while you get your makeup done is in fact EXCELLENT for your circulation. Cara was not amused.

So what do you do when life doesn’t even give you lemons? You pray. And you hope that somewhere buried deep in the pages of Craigslist that you will find a lemon tree…or even a lemon drop. Beggars can’t be choosers.

Just give me something to work with.

The last 2 hours of the last day that I was in Vegas to finish the office, finally cracked a glimmer of hope. On Craigslist I found a listing for 3 brass barstool bases. They were old and HEAVY and tarnished. Their previous life had been in an old school casino slot bank. Ah the stories that these boys could tell.

They were absolutely PERFECT.

(This is where I would normally insert a picture from the CL ad but alas, it has been forever lost in the abyss of my picture files…)

I think I may have freaked the seller out a little. Sometimes I can be a little over excited. I cant help it. I am like a puppy.

But the good news is that we were able to meet up and for a measly $36 all three were mine.

We mad dashed into the nearest Goodwill store for anything that had a back. Picture Minute To Win It room makeover edition. The winner was the most horrendous conference hotel chair that you have ever seen. It is so bad its cliché.

I mean, dont you want that in your house? Maybe Motel Glam is going to replace Shabby Chic one of these days….

Luckily for everyone that values their eyeballs, today is not that day.

I took the legs off of the hotel chair and attached it to the brass barstool base.

Looking better already! #amiright?

I then used 2 flokati (white furry) rugs from Homegoods and made sort of a pillow case/ slip cover with them by sewing two together (right sides together) .

After I flipped it right side out, I put it over the chair like a pillowcase. I had to cut a slit in the bottom so that the slipcover could wrap around the brass base. Once everything fit nice and snug I used a staple gun to secure Miracle’s new dream coat in place.

And voila!

So next time my lovie you are in the market for an amazing chair, remember to not judge a book by its cover,  or a chair by it’s fire-proof 1993 beige and burgundy fabric for that matter.

Total cost for this project:

Base: $12
Chair: $8
Rugs: 2 @ $17.99

Total: $55.98

Witnessing a real life Miracle? Priceless.

The post Miracle the Mighty Stool appeared first on Vintage Revivals.