The Find: Bleary-Eyed in Houston

I just got off the red-eye flight from San Francisco to Houston, en route Austin for tonight's blowout at Uptown Modern, hosted by The Vintage Laundress, to celebrate The Find: The Housing Works Book of Decorating With Thrift Shop Treasures, Flea Market Objects, and Vintage Details. My day has already started out with a sign of things to come: Redbook's August issue features The Find on page 140!

Since my body still wants to sleep, I'll share with you some of the things it might have been dreaming about -- like Yasmine McGrane's latest finds for Maison Rêve. Hey, it is Bastille Day, so I'm dreaming in French!

For more about Yasmine and her Maison Rêve, pick up The Find: The Housing Works Book of Decorating with Thrift Shop Treasures, Flea Market Objects, and Vintage Details atBorders, Barnes & Noble, Amazon or Powell's.

Always Frugal, Always Fabulous!

The Elegant Thrifter

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The Object of My Desire: Vive la France!

In preparation for my arrival in Austin, Texas, tomorrow, I hit the Allemany Flea Market in San Francisco in hopes of spying some French inspiration for the Bastille Day celebration that The Vintage Laundress and Uptown Modern are throwing to fête The Find: The Housing Works Book of Decorating With Thrift Shop Treasures, Flea Market Objects, and Vintage Details.

Et voilà! Les dieux de "thrift" était très généreux!

Not only did I find some other surprises that I'll share later, but I found this bundle of unused French postcards from the 1950s and 1960s that remind me of one of my favorite places on earth!

A demain! Gros bisous à tous!

Alway Frugal, Always Fabulous

The Elegant Thrifter.

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The Find: Lazy Summer Days

From The Find: The Housing Works Book of Decorating With Thrift Shop Decorating, Flea Market Objects, and Vintage Details, here is a photo that warms my heart in many ways. Taken by Jim Franco on one of the last warm days of the year, this scenario speaks to so many of my favorite things, the first being vintage, printed tablecloths. This one is extra special because it was given to me by my pal Deb Kelt in Austin, Texas, who discovered it on one of her thrifting adventures. I'll see her next week when I'm in her town promoting the book and celebrating Bastille Day with The Vintage Laundress at the fantastic midcentury shop Uptown Modern, there. (It sounds like my arrival has spurred a tremendous amount of thrifting and planning. Read about it here!)

Next, you'll note the goregeous pink birthday cake. You know I love baking cakes, but this one was needed at such short notice that I had to buy one on the fly, along with my version of "catering" for a crew of six before hitting the road.

And then there is the location: the dreamy Fire Island community of Saltaire, where a siren blows every day to remind you it's 12 noon, bicycles on the boardwalk are the only rolling form of transportation, and the lazy days of summer always come to an end much too soon.

Read more about enchanting Saltaire in The Find: The Housing Works Book of Decorating with Thrift Shop Treasures, Flea Market Objects, and Vintage Details at Borders, Barnes & Noble, Amazon or Powell's.

Always Frugal, Always Fabulous,

The Elegant Thrifter

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