Food, vendors, arts & crafts, live music, kids area and crabs! Yup! It’s that time of year again! Festival Time! And this Thursday, we “like” the 31st Annual World Famous Blue Crab Festival on the Waterfront in Little River this Saturday and Sunday, May 19 & 20!

This year they are boasting some of the best arts & crafts vendors that the area has ever seen – and we know how much you all like crafts, so this is something you don’t want to miss! And… (drum roll please) Goodwill and our friends at WNMB 900 will help you get there! We are giving away a family 4-pack of tickets to the event! Leave a comment on this blog post (or on our facebook page) telling us why you should win and we will pick a random winner this afternoon at 5 pm!

Good luck and happy festivalling!

Jen

Frames… Seriously… what CAN’T you do with a frame!?!? This is the one item that I almost always pick up when I visit a Goodwill store. They are so versatile and you can usually find them pretty inexpensive! Seek out frames that have character, frames that are in decent shape and frames that are a good size for the space you are trying to fill. Try to look beyond the photo-holding capabilities of the frame and focus more on the frame itself. I could probably write 100 blog posts on what to do with frames (and maybe I will!) but here are a few ideas on what a frame can become with a little effort!

	Chalkboard Frames A little chalkboard paint goes a long way. Spray paint the frame in your favorite color (or keep as is) and paint a piece of wood or the frame’s glass with chalkboard paint to create a custom message board or beautiful inspirational board! (Click the photo for complete instructions)
Frame Within A Frame How creative! Pick out two frames of different sizes, one that will fit nicely into the other. Spray paint or stain them the same color for consistency, add some fun scrapbooking paper or fabric in the middle and then frame a piece of art in the center frame. (Click the photo for complete instructions)
	Kiddo Toy Mirror Frame Find a framed mirror, or purchase a mirror to a fit a frame you find at Goodwill. Fasten toys and other loveable keepsakes to the frame using super glue. Once completely attached, spray paint the newly decorated frame. Make sure that you protect the mirror from any paint (if attached). (Click the photo for complete instructions)
Wreath Frame Find a simple frame and color if necessary (stain or spray paint). Wrap colorful yarn around the sides of the frame, using a hot glue gun as adhesive. Paint your family letter in a corresponding color and attach to the frame with yarn. Add any embellishments to create your own custom frame. (Click the photo for complete instructions)
Happy framing my friends! Jen

Hey folks! I’m Jen and I am thrilled to be a part of this Trendy Thrifty Now blog as I am a huge advocate of Goodwill! Goodwill is a retail store, unlike any other, with hidden treasures and one-of-a-kind gems! Goodwill is a place where I can shop completely guilt-free because I know that, not only am I purchasing merchandise at incredible prices, but I am also helping to prevent more waste from ending up in our landfills by giving these pre-loved items another life. And the best part about it (yes, there’s more!) is that over 90% of the money that I spend in a Goodwill store goes towards helping individuals with barriers to employment gain job skills so that they can become self-sufficient! And I’m guessing as a reader of this blog, that you already know most of this and love Goodwill as much as I do! So, I’ll move on…

My absolute favorite part of shopping at Goodwill is finding those soon-to-be-masterpieces! You know, those pieces that have been a little too well-loved and are a little, well, rough around the edges, so to speak. Many of those items can be found for dirt cheap and have so much potential! With a little elbow grease and inspiration from Pinterest, these pieces can take on a brand new life and fit perfectly into my (or your) home!

So, my focus on this blog is to take you step by step through my journey of recreating, or to use the trendy term “upcycling”, pieces found at Goodwill! Don’t worry – Brit will still be posting her latest fashion and style tips – she is the true professional when it comes to latest style trends for clothing, accessories or décor (seriously, you should see her – always completely put together in high style!). But I will be contributing by adding posts every Friday illustrating how to repurpose things found at Goodwill. And here’s the kicker… each month we will give away one (or a few) of those items to one of our loyal readers!

Well, I look forward to sharing with you my Goodwill experiences and I hope to hear from you your stories and experiences. We would love to hear about pieces that you have upcycled or how you have turned someone’s “trash” into your treasure!

Looking forward to sharing this experience with you!

Last week was crazy, but we had a great time working with Keep Dorchester County Beautiful on the 2nd Time Around Fashion Show! The event offered delicious hors d’oeuvres catered by Goodwill’s Commercial Services, showcased a runway of high-end fashions found at Goodwill, and to top it off there was a fabulous trunk show which provided guests an opportunity to buy handpicked designer label merchandise at Goodwill prices!

Be sure to check out pictures of the night below, and be prepared to check it out next year!

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Brit