Consignment Shopping: A Field Trip to the Divine Rock, Paper, Scissors

Ain’t consignment shopping grand? For those of you who love a screaming deal AND leafing through the pages of “Lucky” and “People Style Watch” magazines, there’s nothing like a well-curated consignment shop to get the old blood pumping.
Take this coral gem, a frock by Maeve, sold at Anthropologie and places like that for $120-$130, yet it can be had for $54 at the divinely appointed Rock, Paper, Scissors, located here in Grand Rapids on Diamond (by Marie Catrib’s). 
Here’s another steal:

Obviously, this is a Coach purse, sold in stores for just under $200, and here at Rock, Paper, Scissors for around $64. Its condition: perfection. Even though my handbag (picture to come) is the steal of the century (more in a minute), I was tempted to stray from my thrifty biscuit ways and own two designer bags. Silly Rabbit!

Coach bags go fast, speaking of rabbits, so the key here, as with any consignment boutique, is to act fast and drop in often. In November, upon spotting a R,P,S facebook update, featuring a candy apple red Dolce and Gabbana bag, I asked them to hold it. I raced in, and saw a truly beautiful bag that appeared to be brand new. According to the boutique, they had done their due diligence, and the bag appeared to be real (and worth up to $1,200). Now, I would never spend that on a bag, not even if my next book were optioned for a movie. But $44.95? That I would spend, especially since I was in actual need of a new bag. I bought it and went home to search the internet for ways to ensure it was real. The bag met every single bit of criteria I could find, and then purse-y pals of mine double and triple authenticated it. The upshot? My bag is worth more than our minivan. I wish I was joking.

The frugalistas among you may still be reeling. $54? $64? for clothing??? I know, sounds crazy. But if you love fashion, and I do, the cool thing about consignment is that these wacky-priced items one drools over in magazines and such can actually be yours, for WAY, WAY less. According to the front desk clerk at R, P, S, they get all kinds of fabulous brands. “One time we even got in a pair of (Christian) Louboutins in,” she said, starry eyed. The store ended up selling the shoes for $90 on the internet. They were worth probably five times that amount.

Needless to say, Rock, Paper, Scissors is a favorite shop. It’s gorgeous inside and out, and the offerings feed the inner fashion rock star for a coffeehouse performer’s prices.

The prices are quite a bit higher than thrift, so it’s still more frugal, of course, to try your chances at the thrift stores to see if you can snag a Banana top for $3 (in which case you can keep it or resell it to R, P, S, for a nice profit.) As I gushed at length in MSOTA, my brand new mint green Talbots ballet flats were discovered at a local Goodwill for $3. But it’s always a crapshoot, whereas a consignment boutique like Rock, Paper, Scissors, or Zany in Traverse City, MI, are so beautifully curated you know you’ll find something special and beautiful, like a $1,200 purse for $44? Hey, it happened to me, it could happen to you!

Here’s a few more pictures from my field trip:

I love the jewelry–very Anthropologie-esque!

Even the front counter is a work of art!

More bags!

Now, what rapturous stories are you dying to tell me about consignment stores? What are your favorite haunts? Doesn’t have to be in Michigan. I’d love to hear about stellar stores in other parts of creation, too. Tell!

Pizza Chili, El Cheapo Soup, and Other Weapons Against the Pizza Guy

Super scrumptious soup, super "free"

Apparently, I’m not a food stylist. Yet I am compelled to brag about this incredibly good soup, so well-loved in this house and yet so THRIFTY. Here are the ingredients: Leftover roast from Sunday’s pot roast Leftover hamburger from Friday’s spaghetti Leftover salsa from Saturday’s salsa and chips 3/4 of an opened carton of beef [...]

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Something From Nothing

Note: Another great guest blog from the creative genius of Aurora Street, Adriane DeVries:   Recently I picked up a small child’s bench at a thrift store for 30 cents.  It was in sad shape, with a broken support beam in the back, a half-missing arm rest, and multiple peeling layers of paint.  Repairing the [...]

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Mittens out of Sweaters, Blankets out of Jeans

Mittens made from old sweaters

I’m not a knitter, but I play one on TV. Actually, that’s not true at all, but I have been mistaken on a number of occasions for local knitting celebrity Lorilee Beltman, on account of our same name. She owns City Knitting here in Grand Rapids. Still, I was inspired by these tres adorable mittens I spotted [...]

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Nearly free, and perfectly tinted

  Note: Here’s the first of what I hope will be oodles of guest posts by my extremely gifted friend Adriane DeVries. I’m not sure where to put this post–it could go in sales or garbage to gold. So I think I’ll just put it in “uncategorized” for now. As usual, Adriane made me think [...]

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Garage Sales or Art Galleries?

A framed art print for Ezra's room, signed by the artist, for $10

 This summer I’ve scored at garage sales with great framed art prints for the kids’ walls. Now all three of the kids have framed art on their walls, and each print somehow reflects their tastes and personalities and interests–bonus! This print hangs above the mantle in my 13-year-old’s room. It’s perfect for his passion [...]

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Thrift Store Decor–a Poem, and So Much More

A Korean jade pottery duo on our mantle. The small piece was bought in Korea, for lots of won. The bigger, more ornate piece was bought at a Goodwill in Florida for $8.50

Since we journeyed to Korea six years ago to pick up our daughter, I’ve been in love with Korean Celadon pottery. We picked up a couple of tiny vases while we were there, but recently I found a gorgeous Korean rice wine decanter with fish , crane, and chrysanthymum inlays and details. I found this [...]

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