What does thrifted mean

Searching what does thrifted mean?  We will share with you today what thrifted means and a step by step of a thrifted makeover. 

Thrifted means to pick up items at a thrift store, a yard sale, or even a flea market at vastly discounted prices.  Being thrifty is not new, but it does appear many are picking up thrifted items these days and giving them makeovers.  Also not a new concept, but some thrifted items can turn into real beauties.    

Before

Thrifted makeovers are my favorite!  When I saw this piece at a thrift store, I put it back, and kept meandering through the store.  It stayed in the back of my mind while I searched for a makeover item.  

The copper and black were okay, but I kept looking at it and seeing it in cottage white, with distressing around some of those details.  I ended up going back for it, when it was rung up, it ended up being $.99!  What luck!  

You just never know what you will come across when searching items out while thrifting.  That goes double for our attic and basement, it has become my own thrift shop lately.  I have so many projects going on at one time, I keep needing to circle back and make sure I am finishing them too.

I cleaned this piece with a bleach wipe before I got started on it's makeover, and as I turned it over, I found a logo on the back.  It said Coppercraft.  I picked up the phone and dialed my number one when it comes to vintage name brands, my mother of course and began asking questions.

She mentioned it was an older name brand and had been around for a long time.  We chatted briefly about a few pieces she had from the past of their brand, and I decided to do some digging.  

I would never want to devalue a piece even though that cottage white was calling my name.  I found they are still readily available secondhand, and so I decided no worries, cottage white and I will be friends on this piece afterall.

As I began painting this piece cottage white, I knew I was going to love it right away.  I kept wondering where I could hang it though in our home?  I decided to keep working, and worry about where it would find a home later.    

In process

The painting part was really easy, I just used my brush bristles to get in all of the lovely nooks and crannies.  Do you know I am not one who does a lot of painting makeovers?  I usually end up falling in love with whatever I pick up and keep it in it's original state of purchase.

This piece was just too dark as is for our home.  I need some light and bright around here.  Despite having so many windows, our home is still pretty dark.  Two weeks ago, I thought I had the best idea in the world, I would paint all of our interior doors dark.  Not black, per se, but I picked up two dark colors and gave them a test on one of our doors.

Once I looked at those colors, I disliked them very much!  I thought what on earth was I thinking?  Don't worry, I plan to stick with white.  I will share once I finish that project, but as I said earlier, I have too many going on at once so it may be a while.  Oh, and no worries, nothing ever goes to waste.  I will share with you what I used my paint on a little later here.   

Let's get back on track here, I like to give explanations for the method to my madness though.  I think it helps others make decisions for themselves too. 

I did give this thrifted piece two coats of paint, but it felt like ten.  I wanted to make sure I had the entire piece covered so it did take a while to ensure I had paint covered in every detail.  That beaded trim around the basket is what gets me every time.  I will pick up just about anything with beaded trim on it.  I just love that extra bit of detail.   

Distressing those details can be done one of two ways.  You can either use sandpaper as I have done above in the video, or you can use black paint or rub n buff and distress your piece by hitting the raised pieces with the paint.  I opted for sandpaper since I actually wanted some of the black and some of the copper to shine through.  

I was am so happy with how this piece turned out!  When it was completed, I said okay, now where will you go?  I walked around our home and decided on the hallway.  I already had something hanging there, but decided it was time for a change.  Once it was hung, I thought hmm... we need another friend on the wall to keep this lovely company.

I am still working on it's friend.  I will share once I have it all figured out.  What do you think?  Did I do her justice?  Do you know I even considered painting the flowers different colors like a real basket of flowers, but then decided the cottage white was the way to go.    

Now the blue green paint I decided to use in our living room.  I had a small plant stand/table that I painted many years ago.  I picked it up at our local Meijer one early Saturday morning.  In my single gal days, I would be at the grocery usually by 6AM and cruise the clearance isles searching out deals.

When we moved here, I decided to add distressing to this table with rub n buff.  It was okay for a while.  I loved this beautiful shade of paint on the paint chip, I just did not care for it on the back of the door I painted.  I really tried to love it there, but to no avail, I just couldn't.

I shopped our home and a walking through our home I went in search of the perfect piece!  Guess what?  I found it, in our living room.  I love the way the table turned out and know it will be this color for the rest of it's life here.

You can find items used on this project below, plus the rub n buff mentioned earlier: