modern thrifter
I love beautiful things and thoughtful design. Our family lives off a single income so that I can be at home with our kids, so patience and persistence have been the key to finding stylish things on a tight budget. I also design things with my husband. You can see our work at The Mahoney
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More liked posts![[ PLANTED ]
I’ve been sporadically working on clearing rocks out of our borrowed garden space for the past month. It’s been slow-going because I tend to get light-headed working in the heat, so to avoid passing out in my neighbor’s yard, I’ve had to limit my rock picking sessions to about 30 minute increments. The rock was piled more than 12” in most of the space, but with the help of Patrick and the kids, I finally moved the last of it yesterday.
We mixed in some compost and leveled the ground. A friend of mine has a small garden and had a bunch of leftover organic seeds, so she gave them to me to use. It made choosing what I was going to plant pretty easy! She gave me small bags of carrot, beet, bean, and lettuce seeds. In addition to that I picked up a couple of tomato starts and bought a few for her.
It ended up getting a lot warmer than I expected yesterday, and my sweet neighbor came out with a big pitcher of lemony ice water and some cups for us. I’m so thrilled about this little space, not only for the potential to grow our food, but also as a chance to build community with our neighbors. It’s like our own little p-patch.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/62cc176b2b8daa346a2bbe01f2062c63/tumblr_mmpgt86tfX1qc7v1bo1_500.jpg)
[ PLANTED ]
I’ve been sporadically working on clearing rocks out of our borrowed garden space for the past month. It’s been slow-going because I tend to get light-headed working in the heat, so to avoid passing out in my neighbor’s yard, I’ve had to limit my rock picking sessions to about 30 minute increments. The rock was piled more than 12” in most of the space, but with the help of Patrick and the kids, I finally moved the last of it yesterday.
We mixed in some compost and leveled the ground. A friend of mine has a small garden and had a bunch of leftover organic seeds, so she gave them to me to use. It made choosing what I was going to plant pretty easy! She gave me small bags of carrot, beet, bean, and lettuce seeds. In addition to that I picked up a couple of tomato starts and bought a few for her.
It ended up getting a lot warmer than I expected yesterday, and my sweet neighbor came out with a big pitcher of lemony ice water and some cups for us. I’m so thrilled about this little space, not only for the potential to grow our food, but also as a chance to build community with our neighbors. It’s like our own little p-patch.
![[ Seppo Mallat & An Everlasting Meal ]
As a kid, I used to spend afternoons in my grandma’s kitchen learning how to make pies and bread, and how to cook and can chokecherry jelly. As an adult, I don’t love cooking everyday. There are evenings where it feels like just another chore and the meal is met with “do I really have to eat that?” looks on the kids’ faces.
More often than not, though, I find a simple pleasure in food—both preparing and eating it. It’s even more enjoyable when I use tools for which I have a fondness, like my vintage Le Creuset sauce pan, my thrifted rolling pin, identical to the one my mom has used since my childhood, and now, my newly thrifted Seppo Mallat Finel sauté pan.
I have always hoped to find Kobenstyle cookware at the thrift store, but have struck out thus far. I hadn’t ever seen the Finel cookware designed by Seppo Mallat until I snagged this pan off the shelf at Goodwill. Now, I am head over heels for the design. I like the modern straight sides of the designs in contrast to the more traditional shape of Kobenstyle.
While my new pan makes me smile every time I use it, the book I’m currently reading, An Everlasting Meal, has me inspired and excited to cook up something new. Author Tamar Adler writes eloquently about the endless possibilities of the simplest foods. I found myself chuckling as she describes the elation of peeling a boiled egg in one swoop, and my mouth watering, craving a slice of garlicky toast at midnight when I’m reading in bed.
I have the book for another week from the library before I sadly have to return it. I think I will have to put this on my wish list, as I think it is an excellent resource to own.
Here is an excerpt from Chapter 1: How to boil water
“There is a prevailing theory that we need to know much more than we do in order to feed ourselves well. It isn’t true. Most of us already have water, a pot to put it in, and a way to light a fire. This gives us boiling water, in which we can do more good cooking than we seem to realize.
Our culture frowns on cooking in water. A pot and water are both simple and homely. It is hard to improve on the technology of the pot, or of the boil, leaving, when it comes to this particular technique, nothing for the cookbook and cookware industries to sell.
The pot was invented 10,000 years ago, and a simmering one has been a symbol of a well-tended hearth every since. I don’t mean to suggest that now that you have been reminded of the age and goodness of a pot of water, you start boiling everything in your kitchen, but that instead of trying to figure out what to do about dinner, you put a big pot of water on the stove, light the burner under it, and then, as soon as it’s on its way to getting hot, start looking for things to put in it. Once you do, you will have dropped yourself, in a single gesture, directly into the middle of cooking a meal, jostled by your faith and will a few steps closer to dinner…”](http://24.media.tumblr.com/04cc75c1dcab38aab23a35c177e3d838/tumblr_mm6mk8NmAz1qc7v1bo1_500.jpg)
[ Seppo Mallat & An Everlasting Meal ]
As a kid, I used to spend afternoons in my grandma’s kitchen learning how to make pies and bread, and how to cook and can chokecherry jelly. As an adult, I don’t love cooking everyday. There are evenings where it feels like just another chore and the meal is met with “do I really have to eat that?” looks on the kids’ faces.
More often than not, though, I find a simple pleasure in food—both preparing and eating it. It’s even more enjoyable when I use tools for which I have a fondness, like my vintage Le Creuset sauce pan, my thrifted rolling pin, identical to the one my mom has used since my childhood, and now, my newly thrifted Seppo Mallat Finel sauté pan.
I have always hoped to find Kobenstyle cookware at the thrift store, but have struck out thus far. I hadn’t ever seen the Finel cookware designed by Seppo Mallat until I snagged this pan off the shelf at Goodwill. Now, I am head over heels for the design. I like the modern straight sides of the designs in contrast to the more traditional shape of Kobenstyle.
While my new pan makes me smile every time I use it, the book I’m currently reading, An Everlasting Meal, has me inspired and excited to cook up something new. Author Tamar Adler writes eloquently about the endless possibilities of the simplest foods. I found myself chuckling as she describes the elation of peeling a boiled egg in one swoop, and my mouth watering, craving a slice of garlicky toast at midnight when I’m reading in bed.
I have the book for another week from the library before I sadly have to return it. I think I will have to put this on my wish list, as I think it is an excellent resource to own.
Here is an excerpt from Chapter 1: How to boil water
“There is a prevailing theory that we need to know much more than we do in order to feed ourselves well. It isn’t true. Most of us already have water, a pot to put it in, and a way to light a fire. This gives us boiling water, in which we can do more good cooking than we seem to realize.
Our culture frowns on cooking in water. A pot and water are both simple and homely. It is hard to improve on the technology of the pot, or of the boil, leaving, when it comes to this particular technique, nothing for the cookbook and cookware industries to sell.
The pot was invented 10,000 years ago, and a simmering one has been a symbol of a well-tended hearth every since. I don’t mean to suggest that now that you have been reminded of the age and goodness of a pot of water, you start boiling everything in your kitchen, but that instead of trying to figure out what to do about dinner, you put a big pot of water on the stove, light the burner under it, and then, as soon as it’s on its way to getting hot, start looking for things to put in it. Once you do, you will have dropped yourself, in a single gesture, directly into the middle of cooking a meal, jostled by your faith and will a few steps closer to dinner…”
![[ HEARTACHE ]
Sometimes a great find comes down to a matter of minutes. This morning I missed out on this set of six vintage scandi spindle chairs by about five minutes. Making it even more painful, I saw that they were priced at $5.99 each. I begged the Goodwill employee to let me take a picture of them before he hauled them to the loading dock.
Like a rebound after a breakup, I desperately wandered around the store looking for something to buy. Thankfully, I came to my senses and left empty-handed.
Sometimes the thrifting hobby is brutal.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/ae5a6d5167fdd011fb559ceaece658a3/tumblr_mleu2hnQzb1qc7v1bo1_500.jpg)
[ HEARTACHE ]
Sometimes a great find comes down to a matter of minutes. This morning I missed out on this set of six vintage scandi spindle chairs by about five minutes. Making it even more painful, I saw that they were priced at $5.99 each. I begged the Goodwill employee to let me take a picture of them before he hauled them to the loading dock.
Like a rebound after a breakup, I desperately wandered around the store looking for something to buy. Thankfully, I came to my senses and left empty-handed.
Sometimes the thrifting hobby is brutal.
![[ QUICK SLIPCOVER ]
It was never my intention to keep a bean bag in the living room, but after ditching the coffee table, we were temporarily keeping one of the Sumo footstools near the couch. You know, just for a couple of days, then it would join the pile downstairs somewhere. It turns out, it’s perfect for the living room—super comfortable for lounging, an extra seat when we have guests, and perfect tea party size for dolls and stuffed animals.
The problem was the fabric. The original cover is durable navy blue nylon, and I just kept thinking “rolled up sleeping bag.” I had previously seen these amazing wool stools, so I thought maybe I could create a slipcover in a fabric that would be a little more appropriate in the room.
Wool is great, but more than I wanted to spend at the time, so I opted for a gray chambray (it looks bluer in the photos than it really is). I wanted the chambray to be a little stiffer to hold the shape better, so I used fusible interfacing for more structure.
I’m also the type of seamstress (can I really even call myself that?) that avoids zippers at all cost, so I figured I could make a sort of drawstring bag shape that would be long enough to cinch up underneath.
The whole project took less than an hour. I didn’t use a pattern, and in the end, I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. Since I’m kind of the wing-it type, I can’t say that my directions will be great, but if you want to try to make something like this for yourself, here’s the basic steps:
1. After measuring the circumference and height of the footstool, cut two pieces of fabric—a circle for the top and a rectangle for the side. Make sure to add enough extra height to the side piece to wrap underneath the footstool.
2. Fold up the bottom edge on the longest side of the rectangle and sew, leaving an opening large enough for your drawstring to slide easily.
3. Sew the short ends of the rectangle together making sure to stop before the drawstring section.
4. pin and sew the circle piece of fabric to the side piece.
5. Attach a large safety pin to one end of your drawstring and guide it through the opening.
That’s pretty much it. Sorry for really vague and terrible directions. Maybe just keep a stitch-ripper nearby. That’s how I usually figure out my sewing projects.
Of couse, most people don’t have a pile of bean bags in their house to recover, so here are much better instructions for creating a bean bag pouf from scratch.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/e91cab6b805f4152054d8aceb18bcfa8/tumblr_ml6hqiYWsu1qc7v1bo1_500.jpg)
[ QUICK SLIPCOVER ]
It was never my intention to keep a bean bag in the living room, but after ditching the coffee table, we were temporarily keeping one of the Sumo footstools near the couch. You know, just for a couple of days, then it would join the pile downstairs somewhere. It turns out, it’s perfect for the living room—super comfortable for lounging, an extra seat when we have guests, and perfect tea party size for dolls and stuffed animals.
The problem was the fabric. The original cover is durable navy blue nylon, and I just kept thinking “rolled up sleeping bag.” I had previously seen these amazing wool stools, so I thought maybe I could create a slipcover in a fabric that would be a little more appropriate in the room.
Wool is great, but more than I wanted to spend at the time, so I opted for a gray chambray (it looks bluer in the photos than it really is). I wanted the chambray to be a little stiffer to hold the shape better, so I used fusible interfacing for more structure.
I’m also the type of seamstress (can I really even call myself that?) that avoids zippers at all cost, so I figured I could make a sort of drawstring bag shape that would be long enough to cinch up underneath.
The whole project took less than an hour. I didn’t use a pattern, and in the end, I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. Since I’m kind of the wing-it type, I can’t say that my directions will be great, but if you want to try to make something like this for yourself, here’s the basic steps:
1. After measuring the circumference and height of the footstool, cut two pieces of fabric—a circle for the top and a rectangle for the side. Make sure to add enough extra height to the side piece to wrap underneath the footstool.
2. Fold up the bottom edge on the longest side of the rectangle and sew, leaving an opening large enough for your drawstring to slide easily.
3. Sew the short ends of the rectangle together making sure to stop before the drawstring section.
4. pin and sew the circle piece of fabric to the side piece.
5. Attach a large safety pin to one end of your drawstring and guide it through the opening.
That’s pretty much it. Sorry for really vague and terrible directions. Maybe just keep a stitch-ripper nearby. That’s how I usually figure out my sewing projects.
Of couse, most people don’t have a pile of bean bags in their house to recover, so here are much better instructions for creating a bean bag pouf from scratch.
![[ SMALL SPACE GARDENING ]
Vegetable gardens are pretty much impossible here in Shady Acres (aka: our yard). I tried to do some container gardening on our deck the first summer we lived here and I managed to grow one sad tomato which was promptly eaten by a squirrel just as it ripened.
I had accepted my defeat, and instead purchased summer vegetables at the farmer’s market. Then, last week a kind neighbor graciously offered to share a section of her yard that she is clearing for garden space. It is currently covered with a thick layer of river rock, so, for the next month, the kids and I will be hauling loads of rocks, one wheelbarrow at a time, out of the soon-to-be garden.
We won’t be taking a very big patch, maybe only around 6’ x 5’. I am a gardening novice, and I’m all ears for any advice for small space gardening! My kids have suggested cabbage and roses, neither of which will be happening. What are easy vegetables to grow that won’t take much room? So far I’m thinking some swiss chard and lettuce, carrots, and a tomato plant or two.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/0ec3c81152858fea5f01176c601b644f/tumblr_mkdryfHNlu1qc7v1bo1_500.jpg)
[ SMALL SPACE GARDENING ]
Vegetable gardens are pretty much impossible here in Shady Acres (aka: our yard). I tried to do some container gardening on our deck the first summer we lived here and I managed to grow one sad tomato which was promptly eaten by a squirrel just as it ripened.
I had accepted my defeat, and instead purchased summer vegetables at the farmer’s market. Then, last week a kind neighbor graciously offered to share a section of her yard that she is clearing for garden space. It is currently covered with a thick layer of river rock, so, for the next month, the kids and I will be hauling loads of rocks, one wheelbarrow at a time, out of the soon-to-be garden.
We won’t be taking a very big patch, maybe only around 6’ x 5’. I am a gardening novice, and I’m all ears for any advice for small space gardening! My kids have suggested cabbage and roses, neither of which will be happening. What are easy vegetables to grow that won’t take much room? So far I’m thinking some swiss chard and lettuce, carrots, and a tomato plant or two.
[ SURPRISE MARIMEKKO ]
Recently, I learned that Katy, over at The Non-Consumer Advocate, and I share a passion for Marimekko, the iconic Finnish design company. Here is our twitter exchange that lead to a special surprise for me (for those of you who aren’t twitter users, read it from the bottom up):
You might want to stop what you are doing right now and head over to The Non-Consumer Advocate to read her post about what happened next. Katy’s a great writer, and her side of the story is much more entertaining than mine.
Back now? A few days later, a package arrived with these thrifted Marimekko sheets, already soaked and washed by Katy, a generous gift for my daughter’s room. They are a perfect match for the things we already have in her room.
You can see how her room has progressed over the past two years here, here, and here.
![[ DESIGN DUAL ]
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that I rarely buy brand new things around here. In fact, with the exception of a few items, most of my home is a menagerie of second-hand beauties that I’ve slowly pieced together over the years. So when Hilary at Pulp Design asked me to participate in a design challenge where I would choose items for a bedside table, I gladly accepted. Putting together fictional rooms with items that I would never otherwise purchase is something I’ve practiced since I was a little girl with a pair of scissors and the Sears catalog.
These are a few things that I would gladly put in my bedroom if I had an extra couple thousand dollars lying around. You can see the rest of my picks, as well as the very different choices that Amy of Parker Etc. put together, over on the Hello Splendor blog.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/a1591d05e8024a6692c68f5b97817a87/tumblr_miszrqjuiQ1qc7v1bo1_500.jpg)
[ DESIGN DUAL ]
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that I rarely buy brand new things around here. In fact, with the exception of a few items, most of my home is a menagerie of second-hand beauties that I’ve slowly pieced together over the years. So when Hilary at Pulp Design asked me to participate in a design challenge where I would choose items for a bedside table, I gladly accepted. Putting together fictional rooms with items that I would never otherwise purchase is something I’ve practiced since I was a little girl with a pair of scissors and the Sears catalog.
These are a few things that I would gladly put in my bedroom if I had an extra couple thousand dollars lying around. You can see the rest of my picks, as well as the very different choices that Amy of Parker Etc. put together, over on the Hello Splendor blog.
[ RUG REVEAL ]
It’s been about a month since my new living room rug came, and I’ve owed you guys some pictures! It took me a day or two to warm up to it, but now I’m really pleased with how it looks. The 8x10 size fits the space so much better than our previous 5x7 rug. I initially wanted a gray rug, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how fond I am of the tan. It goes nicely with the chair and couch.
The rug was on clearance at Urban Outfitters for $99, and I used Christmas gift money for all but the sales tax. The quality is pretty average, so time will tell how well it holds up. I opted for this rug pad from Ikea, and it’s a little softer underfoot than the typical mesh rug pads that we’ve used in the past. It also seems to stick better to the back of the rug, which I love! I get so frustrated with those mesh ones getting bunched up around the edges.
I get a wider angle with my iPhone so here’s a terrible, grainy picture to give you a better view of the whole room (I know, we are in desperate need of art for that wall):
We had planned to find a smaller coffee table to replace the current one, but after moving it out of the room to put the carpet down, I liked the room so much better with the extra space. The kids agree—they love having more room to play.
![[ BEAN BAG BARGAIN ]
If you grew up in the 70s or 80s, chances are you had a bean bag chair somewhere in your house. Mine was a yellow vinyl one—the kind that stuck to your skin in the summer and left your hair standing on end with static in the winter. As an adult, bean bags have seemed nothing more than dorm furniture to me, that is, until I discovered the Fatboy bean bag a few years ago at a friend’s house.
These bean bags are huge, modern, and so comfortable it’s a feat to stay awake while lounging in one. They also come with a hefty price tag, ranging from $175-$250. We’ve been keeping an eye out for used ones on Craigslist, but they are few and far between. When they do show up, they sell fast, so we’ve never had any success. Then, last week, I found an ad for someone selling Fatboy and Sumo bags (the bean bags are almost identical) at a great price. There was a catch: he would only sell the bags as a lot—nineteen bean bags and six bean bag stools.
Odds were that we would be able to re-sell the bags that we didn’t want to keep and make some—if not all—of our money back, but not wanting to front the entire amount, we found a friend who was willing to go 50/50 with us.
We carpooled in her minivan, naively thinking we could fit most of them in the back once the seats were folded down. After much squishing and shoving, we managed to cram in six.
Several loads later, 16 of the 19 bags were piled in my family room. Imagine the reaction of my kids when they came home from school to such a sight. Hours and hours were spent climbing, tunneling, and jumping on the biggest pile of bean bags I’ve ever seen. When stacked in one mound, the kids had to duck their heads to avoid hitting the ceiling.
The next day we divided the bean bags, gave them a good scrubbing, and sorted out which ones we intended to keep. I had planned to list them via twitter and Facebook, and eventually on Craigslist, but before I had the chance to even upload descriptions and photos, they were spoken all for. I love that my Instagram feed has been filled with the happy faces of my friends’ kids as they enjoy their new bean bags. I’m certain now, I could’ve sold a hundred of these, and I wish I had at least a few more to go around.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/0cd457f489a2ed76c8bcb596eaa28bc6/tumblr_mifc43ViDQ1qc7v1bo1_500.jpg)
[ BEAN BAG BARGAIN ]
If you grew up in the 70s or 80s, chances are you had a bean bag chair somewhere in your house. Mine was a yellow vinyl one—the kind that stuck to your skin in the summer and left your hair standing on end with static in the winter. As an adult, bean bags have seemed nothing more than dorm furniture to me, that is, until I discovered the Fatboy bean bag a few years ago at a friend’s house.
These bean bags are huge, modern, and so comfortable it’s a feat to stay awake while lounging in one. They also come with a hefty price tag, ranging from $175-$250. We’ve been keeping an eye out for used ones on Craigslist, but they are few and far between. When they do show up, they sell fast, so we’ve never had any success. Then, last week, I found an ad for someone selling Fatboy and Sumo bags (the bean bags are almost identical) at a great price. There was a catch: he would only sell the bags as a lot—nineteen bean bags and six bean bag stools.
Odds were that we would be able to re-sell the bags that we didn’t want to keep and make some—if not all—of our money back, but not wanting to front the entire amount, we found a friend who was willing to go 50/50 with us.
We carpooled in her minivan, naively thinking we could fit most of them in the back once the seats were folded down. After much squishing and shoving, we managed to cram in six.
Several loads later, 16 of the 19 bags were piled in my family room. Imagine the reaction of my kids when they came home from school to such a sight. Hours and hours were spent climbing, tunneling, and jumping on the biggest pile of bean bags I’ve ever seen. When stacked in one mound, the kids had to duck their heads to avoid hitting the ceiling.
The next day we divided the bean bags, gave them a good scrubbing, and sorted out which ones we intended to keep. I had planned to list them via twitter and Facebook, and eventually on Craigslist, but before I had the chance to even upload descriptions and photos, they were spoken all for. I love that my Instagram feed has been filled with the happy faces of my friends’ kids as they enjoy their new bean bags. I’m certain now, I could’ve sold a hundred of these, and I wish I had at least a few more to go around.
[ MYSTERY PLANT ]
It’s been a few months since I brought home a snake plant, and I haven’t killed it yet. Even though they are supposedly idiot-proof, I still had doubts about my gardening skills. It seems to be thriving, giving me newfound confidence, which is probably more self-deception than reality. Nevertheless, when a friend offered me a clipping from one of her beautiful house plants, I gladly accepted.
She couldn’t recall the name of the plant, and my google searches are leading no where. Does anyone recognize it? The leaves are about 3 to 4 inches in length, with beautiful reddish burgundy veins. The backsides of the leaves are all that same reddish color, too.
I’m hoping that whatever it is, it’s a fast grower. I can’t wait to plant it in this teak plant stand that my aunt picked up in Denmark in the 60s. I just need to find a ceramic planter that fits it first.
Just in case this little guy doesn’t make it, which with my past record is entirely likely, I’d love to hear suggestions of other house plants that are tolerant of neglect and minimal light.
Udate: You guys are fast! Thanks to a few folks on twitter and Facebook, I was able to find out that it’s a “prayer plant” and after reading the growing specifications, it seems to be well suited for our house.
