Before I left for London, I wrote about one of my favourite books -India Knight's The Shops. It wasn't a shopping guide, per se, but sort of an autobiography of her life in the shops.
She's just published another book - The Thrift Book: Live Well and Spend Less - which is a good commentary on how much things have changed over the last several months. The Thrift Book was published in early November, so I just missed being able to buy it.
I see it with other bloggers. An Aesthete's Lament did a lovely post about cutting back. Style Court is doing a series about beautiful wrappings, but with an inexpensive twist to some of them. Eddie Ross, king of the flea market and thrift shop find, has come great ideas on decorating for the season.
What are you doing to be thrifty this holiday season? My family has picked a name of someone, rather than buying something for everyone. I will be making some presents, namely journals that reflect the recipient's personality and interest, using the lovely silver joss paper that I found in my paper stash as end papers. Some blogging friends may get books from the Book Thing... 
Let's hear your ideas!
Let's hear your ideas!
I don't know if it's thrifty actually, but we are going through all of our closets and drawers and giving clothes we haven't worn in ages away to people in need. That means toys also; our daughter has insisted on it, once she learned that some children might not have a good Christmas. As she said, "I have a lot of stuffed animals".
ReplyDeleteFor my family and friends, I'm taking boxes I've saved and covering them with beautiful papers from papersource and then taking outdated tile and stone samples from work, putting on cork pads on the bottom and creating beautiful boxed coaster sets! Thrifty and fun!
ReplyDeletewe are all on the same wave length - finished several posts earlier this evening, scheduled for later in the week when I will be traveling... one is about making do...happy Thanksgiving..
ReplyDeleteThank you SO MUCH for the mention! Looks a great book and right up my alley! Have a great Thanksgiving!
ReplyDelete-Eddie
If we are all thrifty together it is not going to seem so bad, I hope.
ReplyDeleteFor Christmas decorating inside I have decided to use only what I can cut from outside - so it will be a very 'country' theme this year. xv
I'm buying more second hand and not feeling badly about giving it. There are so many fantastic books in thrift stores that have never been opened for a fraction of the cost of a new book. I'm also thinking about knitting and other ways to be creative for family friends and family too.
ReplyDeleteI think we all have so much in our homes we're not using - clothes, furniture, accessories - that if we take a fresh look, we will find that we can deaccession much of it and not miss a thing!
ReplyDeleteThe company I work for is Adopting a Family in need..we are going to LAVISH gifts upon them and especially the children. Want them to feel extra special..they have had to be thrifty all their lives!
ReplyDeleteJust found your blog through Fiona at CafeCartolina - I'm really enjoying it. My girlfriend and I hit a local thrift shop once a month - we always find treasures and it's almost a competition to see who can save the most. I've gotten cashmere sweaters at the thrift shop for $12!! And then we lunch - but always with a two-for-one coupon. ;-) We have a great afternoon of fun for very little money.
ReplyDeleteI'm really thinking that I'm going to find that perfect 'thing' on ebay. I love giving fun vintage linens for instance. Especially those with embroidery on them. I have one that has a sea horse and the word, "bahamas" it's perfect for my guest room.
ReplyDeleteBB8... that's a great idea. Especially if you can find vintage linens with monograms for special friends.
ReplyDeleteIt is so interesting how the psyche of the country has changed so dramatically in the past year, and especially in the past few months. Everyone is being more cautious, more down to earth; some by necessity, some because it just doesn't seem right to be excessive now. Perhaps it is one of the only good things to come out of all of this financial turmoil.
ReplyDeletescary times. I was really obnoxious tonight and said to
ReplyDeleteBen - I don't want to be poor again! oh God don't strike me. Seriously, it's not fun spending years paying back creditors and counting every penny. But, I'm afraid it's in our future - his business is so cyclical - up and down, up and down. Oh well.
We always pick names on my side of the family. On Ben's side - it's a gift a rama, present feast - we always say we aren't going to do it next year, but we all just love it sooo much, giving until it hurts!!!!
Things... I completely agree. It seems that the pendulum is swinging away from the conspicuous consumption, which is probably a good thing.
ReplyDeleteMy latest cheap present idea is to paint a bunch of those wood frames from michaels in crazy oneshot enamel colors, fill them with my 2 1/2 year niece and nephew's paintings and give them to my brother in law, who's painted the children's upstairs play room olive and burgundy(in the absence of opinions from my sister) and then put in a beige couch. He keeps asking for help so this is it.
ReplyDeleteBalsam... Olive and burgundy? Hmmmm. Sounds like a good combination for a cocktail party.
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