CHICKPEA SEWING STUDIO

In French, the verb to thrift (looking for treasures at local thrift store) is 'chiner'. The resulting purchases are 'la chine'. I always wonder if it has anything to do with China, especially since increasingly everything at the thrift store is made there. I need to ask my mom about it someday. On Mondays I often plan an expedition to a few stores. It's a very methodical thing lately, do they have planters? linen dish towels? vintage Pyrex bowls? stationary? crystal glasses? old Living magazines?

This fabulous little cast iron planter was waiting at Savers, I think made a little scream:

I don't know if it's because of the bargain prices or because gold is surrounded by so much horrid junk but finding things like this cast iron urn feels amazing, like realizing it's Saturday when you first wake up in the morning. I had Bill at Cactus & Tropicals stage it that same day. He told me that they used to sell this exact model a few years back.

Goodwill was rich in books this time with a classic find for the garden:

and for K, something we had seen and giggled about on pinterest, hand delivered the same day:

Do you like the thrill of 'la chine'? What do you run to first when you get there? and what would be your absolute find of a lifetime? Tell me yours, I will tell you mine:

A table loom.