The Thrill of the Hunt

I am an avid bargain hunter. As a lower-middle class kid, I was forced to do most of my back-to-school clothes shopping at thrift stores, which I loathed. Soon, I developed an eye for funky, vintage pieces and created my own, unique "look." Eventually, I learned to enjoy shopping at thrift stores and came to love the hunt for fabulous finds at bargain prices.

Today, I still love the hunt. I have more money than my family did then, but I'm certainly not rich. With a professor husband and me in publishing (not too terribly well-paid careers), I'm always on the lookout for a good deal. And now that we're beginning to spend thousands of dollars on trying to start a family, my hunting skills are in even higher demand.

So, on the chance that there may be some other bargain hunters out there, I've decided to start what will hopefully become a semi-regular post topic: The Thrill of the Hunt. With these posts, I'll share my latest killer bargain finds.

This week I found this cute little Moroccan Plant Stand from Collections Etc. It reminds me of the Moroccan Tables at Garnet Hill. The Garnet Hill tables cost $128, which isn't too bad, and they're probably made with higher quality materials. But if you're on a tight budget, the Collections Etc. table might be more your speed since it will only put you out by $14.99! Ah, I love a good bargain.
Happy Hunting!

Ring in the Spring

Okay, so I know it's not officially spring yet, but today in California, we had a gorgeous, spring-like day, so I am itching to get my spring on! It's time to start planning for those outdoor dinner parties and backyard barbecues. In addition to the Mad Mats that I posted previously, I'm eyeing these really cool Moroccan-inspired melamine dishes from Home Infatuation. Love these colors and patterns, and I think they'd look great with a Mad Mat.

I want them all!

AND... even though I have no place to put this (since I have a covered deck), I really want this bright, hand-painted paisley patio umbrella (also from Home Infatuation). Now, off to find the perfect outdoor, non-glass glassware!

Light Up My Life

Okay, so I just discovered the Home Port today (as you can see from the post immediately preceding this one), and I am so happy I've found them! They have some really beautiful items at really reasonable prices!

These recycled sheet metal lanterns are blowing my mind! And these dainty Venetian votives remind me of the Graham+Graham Moroccan tea lights I recently spotted at Athena Says.

Mad About Mad Mats

Spied these in a magazine almost 2 years ago. I LOVE the designs, love the fact they're made from 98% recycled plastic, and love the price: under $100 for a 6x9. They're $90 if you buy them straight from the manufacturer, but if you do a Google search for "mad mats," you can find some places selling them for $75.