Winners of the Nifty, Thrifty Gifty Giveaway

Ah, it's an exciting day here at The Thrift Shop Romantic! Why? Because today I get the pleasure of announcing the winners of the Nifty Thrifty Gifty Giveaway!

Gosh, I feel just like Bob Barker. (Except, you know, without all the sexual harassment lawsuits.)

First of all, I'd like to thank just everyone who played along! You all put quite a bit of thought into your responses, and I'm aware the game wasn't the easiest. I know prices and item availability vary across areas of the country.

But that said, you gals have "skillz"! (Well, as "skillz"-oriented as any of us inclined to use teacups and vintage tablerunners can be, anyway.) You really rose to the challenge, made some insightful, educated guesses. I found myself cheering you all on as the entry emails came in! I hope you had some fun, too.

And now, to reveal the winners and the correct answers to the puzzles.

For the first basket, entrants had to choose from six labeled items "Which Item was NOT $1 or less?"
This was of:

1.) Fairy candle holder
2.) Portrait plate
3.) Carnival glass tumbler
4.) Jadeite cup
5.) Red rose embossed lampshade
6.) Vintage pink glass bowl



The correct answer here was #6, the vintage pink glass bowl. I bought this bowl at the L&L Fleatique in Jeannette, and it cost $3. Which still is quite good, as these bowls aren't easy to find-- plus it matches some other pieces I have.

Quite a few of you chose the portrait plate which, believe it or not, was actually $1! I found that at a booth in the Riverfront Antique Mall in New Philadelphia, Ohio, and it was sitting haphazardly on the FLOOR in a stack with some other plates. I had to read the price several times before I realized the owner had actually-and-for-truly marked it as $1! As a decorative item, you just can't go wrong with that.

A few of you also suggested the red rose-embossed lampshade was more than $1-- but not only was it just one buck, it also has a matching buddy. I got them at the U.F.O. (Used Furniture Outlet) in Greensburg on one of their overflowing dollar shelves. For a gal who loves fixing up lamps, the shades were too tempting to pass up.

I had three entrants who correctly guessed that the vintage pink bowl was the sly intruder in my list of dollar items. So those three names went into the drawing for the Shabby Chic-styled gift basket-- as witnessed by one of my friends who witnessed the spectacle to ensure everything was on the level. (And yes, my friends DO think I’m nuts, but this was no better proof of it than anything else, really).

So the winner of the basket is a lady who goes by the name of “Mightycat”. Congratulations to you, O Cat of Keen Mental Power! Mightycat has already been notified of the good news and once we pin down the ol’ logistics, I’ll be shipping off her package.


Okay, are we ready to reveal the answers to puzzle number two? That was, "Which of these items came from a thrift store?" And I'd mentioned that there could be more than one.

This was a tough one. Here you had a choice of:

1.) Marble topped pedestal table
2.) Shabby chic style mirror
3.) Green vintage vase
4.) Vintage rose-printed vinyl dress box
5.) Antique dresser/jewelry box with still life
6.) Pair of chalkware bookends
7.) Vintage lampshade






The answer to this one was that everything came from a thrift store EXCEPT the green vintage vase. The vase came from an antiques mall which sadly no longer even exists anymore, out by Smicksburg, PA and near the Wingate Winery. I think I paid about $4 for it. But can you believe the marble-topped table, the antique dresser/jewlery box, the lampshade, the chalkware bookends, the mirror and the vinyl dress box ALL were thrifted finds in the last year or so?

I thought this was a fun idea simply because it goes to show the remarkable things it's possible to find in thrifts!

As I'd said, this was a really tough one, because as many of you thrift-savvy people rightly pointed out, virtually anything in the list could be a thrifted item. That said, we didn't have any one person who got all of the items correct. But we DID have three sharp-guessing ladies who guessed only one item incorrectly. So those entries went into the drawing.

I'm pleased to announce the winner of the second giveaway basket is “Belle-n-Lex”.

Congratulations to you, Belle, for your nifty thrifty detectivework! You have been contacted and will be receiving the second of our giveaway baskets! Woo-hoo, Belle!


And that about wraps up the first giveaway on The Thrift Shop Romantic.

Next week, in honor of the upcoming Halloween holiday, join me as we thrill and chill to some SCARY retro-recipes and some decorating HORRORS I’ve found recently in thrifted ephemera.

Until then, have a safe and happy week!