The Goodwill Gal

Christmas Home Tour 2017 – Fireplace

December 4, 2017 By TheGoodwillGal

Hi everyone,

Today I’m sharing how I decorated our family room fireplace for the holidays.

Every year I use fresh garland and hate dealing with the dried needles so I decided to end my pain and get some faux garland this year.

I bought 2 strands of this garland from Hobby Lobby. It’s thick and full of different types of greenery. Although it was 50% off it was still pretty pricey at $40. I decided to go for it since I can use it year after year. I still added sprigs of red berries to add some color.

Normally, I try not to buy any Christmas decor until after Christmas but I stopped into Kirklands and couldn’t pass up the deal on these two lanterns. They were on sale for $18 each AND they came with the battery operated candles! I’ve had my eye on the lanterns from Pottery Barn which are very similar to these and there’s no way I could’ve bought two of theirs for the price I paid for these two and candles, well, you can forget that.

I have several sheepskins throughout the house and this one I have on the hearth I’ve had since my oldest was an infant. Here’s 23 years old now and I’d say I got my cost per use on this one! ha ha

If you remember my fireplace from last year, you’ll remember this elk print. I wanted a big picture for the fireplace during the winter and didn’t want to break the bank. I found a canvas print (painted with pink cactus) at Goodwill for $24 and had my friend Stephanie paint this elk on it. It makes a pretty big statement on the fireplace and I love it! You can see more of the Elk print HERE.

Here in Phoenix, it’s been nearly 80 degrees every day since forever and there’s no way we can use the fireplace but at least it looks pretty and festive!

Have a fabulous day and thanks for stopping by my blog,

‘till next time, Lisa

You can find me here:

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Christmas Home Tour 2017 – Milk Glass

November 30, 2017 By TheGoodwillGal

To kick off my Christmas Home Tour I decided to begin with, what else, Milk Glass.

Of course by now you know it’s the love of my life when it comes to decor, so I like it to be front and center.

I usually pick a theme and this year I’m building on the buffalo check flannel and plaid flannel I purchased last year.

The only ornaments I purchased this year were black ones from Goodwill, they were $1.99 for 6 and contrast perfectly with the white Milk Glass and buffalo check.

If you have any questions about my collection or anything else, please let me know. I’ve included some links to items in this post if you’re interested.

Do you collect Milk Glass? I’d love to see your collection, I love to look at new and unique pieces.

‘till next time,

Lisa

Let’s connect:

email: [email protected]

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50th Birthday Fiesta

November 9, 2017 By TheGoodwillGal

I cannot believe I’m saying this, let alone writing this, but I turned 50 and my husband decided I needed to have a party.

He left the party decor up to me and helped me with the heavy lifting, along with my friends Steph and Susie.

My friend Steph is our resident artist so I put her talents to work. (I took this pic right before the N got a little squiggly thing above it!)

My husband found some hay bales on Craigslist and they even delivered. I simply covered them with Mexican blankets and they were perfect for seating.

The back yard.

I literally planned the party one week before the party date and pretty much sent the invitations out 10 days before the event. I’m pretty sure I was in denial.

We had a photo booth with all of the annoying “50” props.

Some party guests found the centerpieces perfect props for the photos! My friends are wild and crazy!

My husband arranged to have a food truck pull up into the back yard. They served the most delicious street tacos, beans, rice, quesadillas and burgers! I didn’t have to lift a finger!

If you live in the Phoenix area I highly recommend their food! I had over 100 people and there were no complaints, only compliments to the chef!

Jimenez Catering 623-999-0829

My Latina ladies were in attendance!

The photo prop, The Mona Lisa, was a big hit. Mona Lisa, my parent’s namesake for me! ha ha

I found evidence of my friend Sheila drinking milk from my precious Milk Glass. Apparently, nothing is off limits!

Most of my favorite people were in attendance and I’m so grateful for their friendship and Love!

‘till next time,

Lisa

You can find me here:

Milk Glass – Fall 2017

November 2, 2017 By TheGoodwillGal

My collection of Milk Glass keeps growing and I have no problem with that! Here’s a few photos, I kinda got crazy taking photos, of the collections all dressed up for the Fall season. I absolutely love the fall season and can never get enough of it, I wouldn’t mind keeping this display with pumpkins up into December but it will be down after Thanksgiving with something for the holiday season.

Are you a Milk Glass collector? I always love to see other pieces of Milk Glass in their homes, feel free to share with my on or tag me on Instagram.

‘till next time,

Lisa

You can find me here:

Repurposed Barn Wood – Meat and Cheese Rustic Serving Piece

May 31, 2017 By TheGoodwillGal

I love repurposing items, both new and old, in my home and in my newest YouTube video I share how I use an old piece of barn wood from my childhood home in Colorado and use it to display meats and cheeses for when I have guests. My guests are always ‘wowed’ by the wood the and way the food is displayed, some of my friends have even borrowed the wood for their parties, so I thought I’d share how I use it in my home.

This is how I use the wood for a centerpiece on the kitchen island. All I had to do to prep for guests was removed the Mason Jars and slide the board to the end of the island! How is that for simple?

In case you missed it, you can watch the floral centerpiece video here: Barn Wood Floral Centerpiece

(Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to my channel while you’re there. )

Please let me know if you have any questions, I’d love to hear from you!

‘till next time,

Lisa

You can also find me here:

My Favorite Clothing Boutique Turns Two

May 18, 2017 By TheGoodwillGal

I have to share with you an event that I was a part of for my favorite clothing boutique, Lizard Thicket.

A few years ago, my friend referred me to shop at Lizard Thicket. The moment I walked in, I was hooked! Due to the owner’s new job in a different state, she had to close LT. I was so bummed because I loved their unique feminine clothing and the personal attention I would get from their crew.

Fast forward to two years ago and I come across a new LT in Mesa, Arizona. Of course, I didn’t waste a minute to get to the new store where I proceeded to meet, new owner, Barb and the gals who work at the store.

I was invited to their one year anniversary and blogged about it, HERE, this year, I celebrated their second birthday with a day full of fun.

One of the main reasons I LOVE LT is because they limit the amount of sizes per clothing piece. To me that means, I can invite my friends to shop there knowing there’s a slim chance we will show up to an event wearing the same clothes! To me, that’s important!

Of course I love their style and that it’s perfect for any age, mom’s and their daughters shop there all the time!

If you live in Arizona, stop by and meet the lovely owner, Barb and her gals, they’re awesome with finding the perfect outfit!

If you are not in Arizona then I suggest stopping by their website, Lizard Thicket. Their clothes are well priced and the quality is top notch.

Lizard Thicket,

1652 South Val Vista Drive, Suite 112

Mesa, Arizona

(480) 584-5807

I’ll be sharing some of my favorite finds from LT, I have a closet full of clothes that I love!

Let me know if you stop by their store or website, I’d love to hear what you think!

‘till next time,

Lisa

Here are some photos from the birthday celebration:

Even DeeAnna, from Thrift Dee, made an appearance!

Of course, I celebrated with a tropical dress fresh from the racks.

Find it here: Carry On Dress

I loved it so much, I shared it on Instagram!

As always, you can find me here:

YouTube Video – Repurposed Barn Wood Centerpiece

May 11, 2017 By TheGoodwillGal

I have several pieces of barn wood that I’ve brought to Arizona from my childhood home in Colorado. Given to me by my mom and dad, I’ve had these pieces for years and love to use them throughout my home. In my newest YouTube video, I show you how I use a long flat piece that came off of a fence for decor. It’s the layering piece for my kitchen island and paired with some vintage Mason jars, it’s the perfect way to show off my crop of roses!

Watch my video: Repurposed Barn Wood Centerpiece

P.S. In make next video, I’ll share another way I use my Barn Wood to wow my guests, so don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to my channel! Stay tuned.

‘till next time,

Lisa

Shopping Resources:

Mason Jars

Vintage Seltzer Bottles

Fresh Pink Roses

Fresh Pink Tulips

As always, you can find me here:

Repurposed Champagne Chiller – Style 3 Ways

May 4, 2017 By TheGoodwillGal

It was a joyous day for my when I found this super sized champagne chiller at RARE by Goodwill in Orange County. It is pewter, heavy and awesome!

In my newest video, I share 3 ways that I use it in my home, because you know I have to get my cost per use out of everything I buy or it’s out of here!

You can watch my video, here: Champagne Chiller Video

You can also read more about RARE and my Champagne Chiller find, here: Champagne Chiller

As always, you can find me here:

My Thrift Haul Finds for the Month of March

April 5, 2017 By TheGoodwillGal

Did you catch my video, Thrift Haul Video #7? I’ve got a few items to share that I found at Goodwill in the month of March.

March was a slow thrifting month for me since my kids were on Spring Break and I was spending time with them and driving them to meet their friends to hang out. I’m sure I’ll catch up on my thrift finds in April, I already have a list of things to look for! Do you write a list of things you’re looking for while thrifting? My list helps me stay focused, just like grocery shopping, but that doesn’t mean I always stick to the list, just like grocery shopping, but it helps remind me of the projects I have planned.

Hope you enjoy the video!

‘till next time,

Lisa

You can also find me here:

Email: [email protected]