The Goodwill Gal

Search Results for: Fireplace

By






My House of Goodwill: Seaside Decor

School has started, summer vacation is over and it’s time to take my summer seaside decor down and do a little nesting for fall. At this home, hockey, football and soccer take center stage so I’ve got to keep things simple around here to keep up with all the action.

As for my relaxing summer themed decor from Goodwill, it’s served me well by providing me with the feel of living in a quaint seaside town, even though I look out the window and see another dust storm rolling in. That’s life in Arizona.

Other than the vases and the lantern on the fireplace, the succulents, and the Perrier water on the table, I’d say everything else was purchased at my local Goodwill and styled with inspiration from a Pottery Barn summer catalog.

So long summer,

The Goodwill Gal

https://thegoodwillgal.com/2012/08/my-house-of-goodwill-seaside-decorschool-has-started-summer-vacation-is-over-and-its-time-to-take-my-summer-seaside-decor-down-and-do-a-little-nesting-for-fall-at-this-home-hockey-football-and-soccer/

By





While I’m currently vacationing in Colorado, I’ve shopped with my pal, Goodwill Industries of Denver blogger, DeeAnna Soicher, made a detour into a Goodwill store in Golden, then rounded out my Goodwill Tour with a visit to a fabulous Goodwill store in Colorado Springs.

In addition to purchasing a couple of things for myself in Colorado Springs, I picked up three green vases for my mom’s home in southern Colorado.

While my mom is a country girl at heart and has what we city folk refer to as “rustic”, here, at her home in rural Colorado, rustic is everyday living and part of the small town charm. Her living room is one room that’s not so rustic and is updated with decor she finds when she goes to the big city.

When I saw these vases on the shelves at Goodwill I thought they would make a nice addition to her living room. The walls and furniture in this room are all neutral colors, while the rest of the room has touches of teal green. I brought the vases to her and she decided they would make a nice arrangement on the fireplace right next to her crystal candlesticks she purchased on a visit to Phoenix, at Goodwill of Central Arizona. She has very clear ideas of what she does and doesn’t like and will voice her opinion without a second thought, so score one for me with this purchase!

While the Goodwill vases are new, the rustic finishes are always present in her home. If you look closely, the bumpy texture of the walls indicate they are made of adobe, mud and straw bricks, making the walls 6 inches thick. This type of building material is customary in this area. The adobes create an insulation, keeping the homes nice and toasty in the winter and cool, without a/c, in the summer. I’ve been spending many hours enjoying the cool temperatures in the house, savoring every minute so I can recall the comfort when I head back to the scorching heat of Phoenix, I hope my visualization technique works because I fearcely dread the heat!

Here’s my Mom’s Goodwill shopping list:

Green vases: Small $3.99

Medium: $4.99

Large: $6.99

Crystal candlesticks: $1.99 each

I hope your summer is full of thrifty finds,

The Goodwill Gal

https://thegoodwillgal.com/2012/07/while-im-currently-vacationing-in-colorado-ive-shopped-with-my-pal-goodwill-industries-of-denver-blogger-deeanna-soicher-made-a-detour-into-a-goodwill-store-in-golden-then-rounded-out-my-goodwill-tour/

By





My House of Goodwill: Nautical Decor

It’s summer and this is the time of year I transform my home into a seaside retreat. Let me show you how I decorate my fireplace with a little nautical flair. I try not to get too crazy with the decor and resist buying any clam shells with googly eyes or go overkill with a collection of lighthouses, not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it’s just not my thing.

The white and green vases on the mantel are staples on my fireplace and they go perfectly with the light color scheme I chose for the season. I added some sea grass, a ship’s steering wheel, a white coral piece and a rope ball to the mantel. The decor pieces which I included with the vases all totaled less than $10 from Goodwill. Pardon me, but I get so excited to say that.

When I saw the oar ($4.79) at Goodwill last week, it was light blue with 3 small boats painted on it and it had hooks for hanging. Since I opted for a more neutral color scheme, I painted it ivory, which will do for now, but I’m thinking some variations of gray might look good on it too, I also removed it hooks for hanging. With the low price I paid for the oar, I don’t feel guilty about making changes to it here or there.

The basket and throw are pieces I use throughout the year In various rooms in my home but I wanted to add some texture to the fireplace so I relocated them both to the hearth. Although it’s 100+ degrees outside, sometimes the a/c can get a little chilly and a light throw is all you need. I collected the driftwood from a ditch while vacationing in Colorado and love using it in different containers. I’ve been known to bring rocks, leaves, old boards, you name it, in my suitcase when I travel. The lantern and the rattan vase are some pieces I had in my decorating arsenal. They both get a lot of decorating time throughout the house as well.

So there you have it, just one section in my home which gets my nautical stamp in the summer. When I shop Goodwill year-round, I’m always on the lookout for natural pieces I can use throughout the year and especially in the summer when I transform my home into a seaside escape. If I’m stuck inside while the mercury is on overload I’m going to make the most of the environment I can control, My House of Goodwill.

Here’s to summer time!

The Goodwill Gal

My Goodwill shopping list:

(Prices are after my 20% off Goodwill of Central Arizona Coupon)

Oar: $4.79

Light throw: $3.99

Basket: $6.39

Ball of rope: $1.59

Sea Grass: $2.39

Coral: $3.19

Ship wheel: $1 on Dollar Day

https://thegoodwillgal.com/2012/06/my-house-of-goodwill-nautical-decorits-summer-and-this-is-the-time-of-year-i-transform-my-home-into-a-seaside-retreat-let-me-show-you-how-i-decorate-my-fireplace-with-a-little-nautical-flair-i-try-not/

By

The inspiration for my winter fireplace display came from this wooden sleigh from Goodwill of Central Arizona.

In November, I was in Ahwatukee strolling the Christmas aisle when I saw this sleigh. Marked at $29.99 I thought it might be a little too much for my wallet but I put it in my cart anyway, just to make sure I really wanted it. Well, as you can see, I really wanted it. I used my coupon and paid $23.99. It’s solid wood with iron runners and quite substantial, definitely worth the price. I’ll be holding on to this piece for quite some time.

When I purchased the sleigh, I knew I’d use it on the fireplace but wasn’t sure what I’d do with it. When I saw my burlap Christmas stockings, read their story here, I knew they’d go perfectly with the sleigh and so the rustic decorating began.

I filled the sleigh with some fresh garland, then added the burlap Christmas stockings on top. I gathered some mercury glass candlesticks from around the house, added some sparkly ornaments to the garland and used an old bucket and box to create a rustic themed mantel.

My new rustic sleigh was the perfect inspiration to use for my fireplace this year.

Maybe next year I’ll use it outside by the front door, or maybe I’ll fill it with ornaments and set it on the kitchen table? I can always put it next to the kid’s tree and fill it with stuffed Christmas characters or how about…

Let me just say, the sleigh has got a great future in this House of Goodwill and I have no regrets with my purchase.

https://thegoodwillgal.com/2011/12/the-inspiration-for-my-winter-fireplace-display-came-from-this-wooden-sleigh-from-goodwill-of-central-arizonain-november-i-was-in-ahwatukee-strolling-the-christmas-aisle-when-i-saw-this-sleigh-marked/

Large Hand Carved Wooden Bowl – Fall Decor

By

IMG_3473
IMG_7474

The fall decor is out in full force at my house of Goodwill and I thought I’d share one of my displays.

I purchased this massive wooden bowl at a Goodwill of Arizona Grand Opening. It is one of the loves of my life and I can’t imagine ever parting with it.

It measures 23 inches in diameter and weighs approximately 2 1/2 pounds. It is one solid piece of wood. If this piece could talk, I’m sure it would have an interesting story to tell. I paid $14.99 and felt it was an absolute steal.

This season I’ve filled it with raffia, various pumpkins and some dried corn my dad grew in his garden some 25+ years ago. The bowl sits near the fireplace and adds the perfect warmth to the room.

Who would’ve thought a simple wooden bowl would’ve have brought me so much contentment?

Certainly something to be thankful for.