Deals – Page 2

IKEA Finds

Published on July 30, 2010September 9, 2010 by Our Humble AbodeLeave a comment

Every time I visit my family in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area of Minnesota, I get a much-needed IKEA trip! Unfortunately, my camera battery died, so I couldn’t take any photos in the store. Instead, here is what I went home with.

I bought two Lack Side Tables with hopes I can make minor adjustments to the tables to make something perfect for the boys’ room.

We need to join the two tables together from the under side, but they are a great place for V to sit to look out the window.

IKEA definitely has a great selection of picture frames and even better prices, so I picked up two 20 inch square Ribba frames (with mats!) for our hallway. I need to update the family trees (the brown canvases in the hall) I made a few years ago, but I want to recreate it in Photoshop, to make the text neat and clean.

I opted to buy the silver frames for $10.99 and add a few coats of spray paint, and not buy the white frames for $19.99 each. In fact, all the silver Ribba frames were on sale, so I picked up a few other sizes, just to have some extra cheap frames on hand.

I’ll post pictures of the redesigned family trees once they’re framed and ready.

I don’t need more vases, but I couldn’t resist the clean lines of the Persika vase.

The $3.99 price tag wasn’t too bad, either. The Farm vase is cute too, so I got one of those.

The smaller vase was actually a reed diffuser from Target I picked up around the holidays. And, because everything looks better in an odd grouping, I placed a small ceramic bird to keep the vases company.

I really like IKEA’s selection of rugs. So much in fact, that I bought a new rug for our front door.

The natural fibers seem durable, but if it’s not, I only lost $10.00. I do love the neutral colors and the herringbone pattern.

Throw a few white cloth napkins, plastic cutting boards, hanging shoe organizers, mousepads and Kassett storage boxes in my big blue tarp bag and that’s what I picked up on my latest IKEA trip.

Recent Finds: Big Lots!

Published on July 12, 2010September 9, 2010 by Our Humble Abode3 Comments

A few weeks ago, a friend and I went to Big Lots! for the first time. It’s actually pretty similar to the TJ Maxx and Ross stores we have in town. The prices are great, but the selection can be hit or miss. That’s okay, though. We weren’t looking for anything in particular, but I did find these:

I love the mother of pearl candle holder as it is, especially for $4.00. I thought it would make a great vase, too. The flower tea light however is begging for a coat or two of spray paint. Maybe a robin’s egg blue? Not completely sure about that yet, but for $3.00, I was sold. It’s actually like this one I found not too long ago from Michael’s.

I have yet to visit a Home Goods, and I REALLY want to go. Do you have any favorite shops?

Garage Sale, Thrift Store and Hand-Me-Downs, Oh My!

Published on July 5, 2010May 25, 2011 by Our Humble AbodeLeave a comment

Garage and estate sales, second-hand and thrift stores are great places to find cheap pieces of furniture and accent pieces. Don’t get me wrong, I love my Target; I wouldn’t be a Minnesotan if I didn’t, but sometimes it just doesn’t cut it. I’m here to show some of my favorite used finds.

This bench floats my boat with its dark wood and small size. This is actually the first piece of furniture Ben and I bought together while browsing a local used furniture shop. It wasn’t necessarily a fantastic deal, but it was love at first sight, so $60.00 didn’t seem too bad.

Recently, I started collecting globes. I love the way they make a room feel. I found this big guy at a local thrift store for $10.00.

When I lived in Minnesota, I worked as a real estate agent in Minneapolis selling condominiums. A couple that lived at my building put three of these Duncan Phyfe chairs by the road for FREE! I snatched them up right away and we have used them for many larger gatherings.

My aunt has a cast iron match holder similar to this one that I have loved for quite some time. When I stumbled across this guy at shop in town, I didn’t hesitate buying it. It’s adorable and useful in its home on our wood chute, right by the fireplace.

Last summer, my great-aunt gave us some of her old serving dishes, including this footed bowl. It looks so cute holding our fruit on our kitchen countertops.

I think this mirror is by far the best garage sale deal we’ve ever gotten. It was kelly green, but we spray painted it black and now it looks almost identical to this mirror that retails for $599.00!

I also bought a slew of large, medium and small glasses from a Minnesota thrift store to use as vases for our June 2006 outdoor wedding. We had three different vases per table, each with a different type of flower. It was much more affordable to create three smaller arrangements, rather than one large arrangement. I’m not very good at arranging several types of flowers in one arrangement, so this was our solution.

I’ve shared my favorite cheap finds, what are yours? Any places you swear by if looking for a particular item, say lamps? Do any have a special meaning or make you think of a certain someone?

Recent Finds!

Published on May 26, 2010September 9, 2010 by Our Humble Abode1 Comment

In my younger days, I spent a lot of money on nothing. Then I met the cheap frugal Ben and my spending habits changed. It’s a good thing, Martha. Rather than buying something because I liked it, I began waiting for a sale. Then I realized Target wasn’t the only place to shop. I ventured next door to TJ Maxx and found a lot of great things, for 1/2 the price!

I recently found two of these beauties for only $29.99 each, including the shades!

Surprisingly, I didn’t buy them right away. I didn’t know where they should go because I didn’t NEED lamps. I went home wondering if I could find them a good home. Then it dawned on me. We will need lamps for our newly finished basement! So, I went back to TJ Maxx. If they were still there, they were meant to be mine. And there they were!! Sweet!

I also found a variety of awesome silver frames which now display some of my favorite photos and prints on our entertainment center. The most expensive frame was $7.99.

I really love some of the items you can find at Michael’s, too. Like this little tealight for $3.99.

And this 50% off apothecary jar for a mere $5.99. Now I need moss (and to learn how to make a terrarium).

After Michael’s I ventured across the street to Ross. I found this king bedding set for $24.99.

Again, I didn’t buy it right away. If it is meant to be, it will call my name the next time I go back. And it was there, waiting for me. The set included a comforter, bedskirt and 2 king shams, but I don’t like matchy-matchy things. I also got the black candle wall sconces from Bed, Bath & Beyond for $9.99 for a set of two, originally $19.99.

I still rarely walk out of Target empty-handed, although my trips are less frequent now that I have two kids in tow. Speaking of my boys, I got Ev this adorable Owl Bank (only $9.99!!). V already has a pig.