Thrifty Acres: A Creative Coup

Hello! As an artsy-crafty, DIY person, I enjoy reading and viewing media related to these topics. Besides the seemingly endless online content, it also seems that there's no end to the books and magazines covering the same territories. 

Such publications are wonderful eye candy, and can be great sources of creative inspiration as well. But alas, they can get pricey. So I was thrilled to pay a total of $3.51 for all this at recent thrift store trips:

Starting at left side of the back row: At Home With Pattern, by Sally Conran and Katherine Sorrell. The authors are based in the UK, a country whose shelter books I enjoy very much. There always seems to be an interesting mix of modern, vintage and funky interiors in UK shelter books, and this volume seems to be more of the same (in a good way).

Next to the book is the Fall 2016 issue of Do It Yourself, a specialty magazine produced by Better Homes and Gardens. I remember seeing this issue in the checkout display at the grocery store and had considered purchasing it. I was too cheap to do so, but now I'm glad I waited! 

Next row: three mixed media how-to books. My trio includes Collage Couture by Julie Nutting (a combination of fashion illustration and collage), The Artistic Mother by Shona Cole (wide variety of techniques and projects) and Acrylic Techniques In Mixed Media by Roxanne Padgett (all sorts of cool ideas!). 

Front row: Washi Tape Crafts by Amy Anderson. Not only is this book loaded with washi tape projects, it comes with 10 rolls of the stuff(in case you don't know what washi tape is, it's decorative paper tape). I've dabbled a bit with washi tape but don't have much of it. Now I've got more, as in 180 feet more! 

So I've gotten several new-to-me publications (and all are in great shape), and like I said, they cost me only $3.51. If I'd bought all  these at full retail price, the total would have $127.41. Such a deal! (in case you're wondering about the penny, that's what the DIY magazine had cost. I saved $4.98 by not buying it last fall!)

Of course, shelter books and artsy/crafty publications may not be your thing. But if you have the chance to do some secondhand shopping, you may find books and magazines whose topics resonate with you. And who knows - you might end up saving as much money as I did!