Finding Joy in the Hunt

Browsing through thrift shops is one of my favorite activities: I enjoy the hunt for specific items as well as items that sometimes catch my eye. Many people don't like to go into thrift shops because they can be jammed with clothes and dishware and are often not the cleanest places. However, an observant and patient shopper can find real treasures.

In the past, I have found Longaberger baskets, new clothes with the tags attached, gently used, quality products from Lands End, LL Bean, C.J. Banks, Cold Water Creek, Pendleton, Woolrich, etc. - all things that I purchased for considerably less than retail.

Last week, I stopped to donate a few items at a local thrift shop and made a tour through the store. I found a nice, cotton blouse for summer, a book, and some new knitting needles.

Out of curiosity, I perused a stack of souvenir plates from someone's travels, and at the bottom of the stack was a plate that I simply had to purchase because it was so beautiful and because I thought the $1 price was fair.

Wild Turkeys
Native American
Windsor Ware

It wasn't until I got home that I looked at the back of the plate. I had never heard of Windsor Ware or Johnson Brothers, so I searched online. Oh my, this beautiful plate was listed on Replacements Ltd. for considerably more than I paid. Not bad for an afternoon of thrifting.