I found a Chinese robe from the Qing dynasty at the Salvation Army, in the lingerie section..., it was $1.50. It was amazingly beautiful, hand stitched delicate silk with a brilliant blue lining. I displayed it on my wall for a couple of years but had to sell it for financial reasons. I dream of it almost every day. here's a pic~ http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff71/magicalbee74/chinese.jpg

the quirky little dish pictured has all the hallmarks of a cb2 "oliver" appetizer plate, circa 2009.

If you want more dishes like that, you can find them at CB2. That's the provenance of your little treasure. Happy shopping!

i got a dress for 99 cents at goodwill and shortened it. it's my favorite dress by far

http://crowandquill.wordpress.com/2011/05/09/diy-goodwill-dress/</a href>

@magicalbee, I am so jealous! And sad you had to sell that gorgeous robe!

I would have to think a while for my favorite find, since nearly everything I own came from a thrift store or flea market, and it might take a while to rank things. Oh, maybe the netsuke of a carved badger -- I love it madly, although it's entirely possible it's a museum replica, and not authentic. But there are many other cool things, as well as "the ones that got away!"

Hey! I know the designer that does that line at Crate and Barrel/CB2. She's a riot.

I admit that most of my thrift store finds ended up going back to the thrift store...

I recently got this tall, slender bronze torchier lamp with leaf detailing and a tall drum shade for $25 at a 60s/70s store that was going out of business. Score!

A b&w, 60s-era, framed photo of the UFO restaurant at the Los Angeles airport.

Sorry for your loss, magical bee. thanks for sharing the picture!
I found a 2 piece cotton dress c. 1890 in the pajama section of the goodwill. Also found a burgundy leather chesterfield, which I love dearly, for $250, at a Savers Thrift Department Store. I think those are my biggest "oh crap" finds.

DRESSES. Beautiful vintage DRESSES. A 1940s rayon dress, a 1950s sundress, and, most recently, a 1960s sheath dress! And then there's the (modern) cherry red Candies pumps I got at the same store that I wear with them. I actually get more compliments on the shoes, strangely enough.

I found a stoneware bowl that has two green eyes drawn on it and has wooden feet. The bowl sits on the feet at an angle (one side touches the tabletop). I use it as a landing spot in the entry way for my car keys, he's like the "greeter" when you first walk in my home.

Most of my thrift store buys end up as treasures. I think that is because I need nothing so when I do pick up something there, it has to be fabulous, something I really appreciate, and, as a result, I use all the time.
For example, I bought FOUR matching white china (not ceramic as I prefer china) bowls, each with two notches on the edge for your fingers, in perfect condition. I use them everyday to eat my yogurt and fruit at breakfast. I get a kick out of them every day. They are dishwasher safe and a breeze to clean.

Pretty well everything I own, I dragged home from a thrift store. I particularly love my pile of rayon bias-cut slips from the 40's and 50's.

Almost all of my furniture and accessories came from a thrift store or a flea market. It's hard to choose. I collect unicorns, especially old brass ones, so I guess all of those. I never know when I'll stumble upon another one.

The most satisfying part of thrift store shopping is feeling like you got a steal, isn't it? I walked into the one down the street the other day and found a blanc de chine lamp for $25. Someone's selling this exact same lamp (labels!) on etsy for $125 and someone more ambition is asking $450 for it on ebay. SCORE! That makes my day. I wasn't even looking for a lamp, but you can be sure I found a place for it. Now if I can avoid spending $425 for a proper shade...

Purchased a grandfather clock for $20.00 that was in pieces. Held on to it for a couple of years until I had the money to get it set up. Now I treasure if greatly.

Yesterday's treasure was this chair for $8.98. I spent all day trying to get people are work to understand how freaking cool it is; alas, they all just shook their heads at my craziness. LOL

They STILL sell those plates at CB2. They're like 3 bucks. Got one with a stickman gagging at jalapeno.

KP, that's an amazing chair and a great score! Recently I found a chair at St. Vincent that was marked down to $1. I love the lines of it, but the lime green fabric has to go and I figured it was worth trying to tackle since it was so cheap.

I purchased a mid century sofa/daybed for $25. that I recently sold to make way for a more comfortable sectional. You can take a look at it here...http://birchandbird.com/amber-hues

Last Friday I found 2 boxes of Hans Christian Andersen 6 place card holder designed by Danish artist Kjeld Kirkegaard. Don't know if I will use it soon but i know i have to buy it. Got this one for $ 3.99!

we have a habitat for humanity store where i live and when i moved into my condo.. i furnished about 2/3 of it on items from there.. half antique/half retro industrial.. for a little bit of nothing.. and best of all the money i spent goes to help a needy family get a home built.

I am loving all these gems, thanx for sharing everyone! And for the 'oliver' tip :)

For anyone curious, the little guy was done by illustrator Jana Kinsman

http://janakinsman.com/

Vintage champagne 'coupes', a pair of Terence Conran for Midwinter 'botanic' plates, a Moroccan platter, a little carved wood giraffe stool...many of my favourite things, in fact! There's also a thrift store dedicated to books, where you could find any title - once I've read a book, I re-donate it.

My sock monkey Bo.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/50294796@N03/4618666938/in/set-72157625556352080

K.P., nice chair! My favorite is a serving bowl with a great 1940's floral motif, with 'Hotel del Coronado' on the bottom. Not sure if it was sold in the gift shop or used in one of their restaurants. I keep looking for more stuff in the same pattern on eBay, but no luck. I use the bowl several times a week to serve up dinner. It cost $1.

Do cool factories in the New England count as Thrift Shops, I guess these are my own thrift shops, full of cool vintage industry stuff - http://flic.kr/s/aHsjvfqBrj or https://www.facebook.com/pages/Summit-Surfaces/131677283551732?v=wall

my most recent finds:

4 dyrlund dining chairs at $17.50 a piece

&

taller than average geometric silver and chrome lamp for $7

so fulfilled =)

Yesterday I found a few of my favorite items yet! Unused 70's style linens, a $2 Carafe set, and my favorite — a vintage Library Lamp! (the kind with the green shade)

You can see photos at my blog:

http://stephaniehorn.tumblr.com/post/7141249303/thrift-store-goodies-o-carafe-set-2-o-library

Back in 1986, when I moved into my first apartment, I found a Kodak advertising piece for $3. It's on cardboard and in a metal frame. I believe it was meant to be displayed in a camera store. Judging from the hairstyle on the model, who's holding a big bunch of tulips, it's from the late 50s.

I found a set of All-Clad pots & pans for $24 (8 pieces in all). The outsides had been destroyed because they were put in the dishwasher, but the insides are now pristine. I use them every day & they make cooking a pleasure.

I found a tulip side table (possibly Knoll) for $15 and a Heywood Wakefield dining table for $35! I love the challenge of finding interesting stuff.

When I was in high school (about 15 years ago, now), I bought a yellow coffee pot that I liked the look of. It held various things, was a watering can AND a planter for a great indoor ivy, and then sat for a while when I went to university. I dusted it off when I moved out of my folks' place, and since then I have used it nearly every day. It has no makers marks on it, so I have never been able to find out anything about it.

It has a perfect antidrip spout notch, and holds exactly two giant cups of tea.

The best part is, after growing so attached to it over the past five years, I found a replacement one in an antique store last summer, so I am certain that I will enjoy its use fo years to come.

The perfect teapot:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/lasergirl69/random/vintage2.jpg

It's a toss up between my complete 1950's blonde wood bedroom set for $100 or my $10 life size bust of Elvis. :)

The Church Mouse, in the Sonoma Town Square. I have found great things there, tea cups, records, books, jewelry, vintage cloth napkins, to name a few. This place is a gem. I almost don't wnt to share this fantastic place, but everyone should know this gem. It's the first place I go when I get into Sonoma.

my $25 wedding dress.

My favorite keeper was a beautiful marble bust that looks like Oscar Wilde. Another great find was a set of kitchen cabinets for $240, enough to fit a 14' x 20' kitchen, they'd been installed in a very expensive home just one month before the house sold - new homeowner removed them because they just didn't like Shaker style - my score turned out to be enough for two average-sized kitchens. I bought another kitchen sink cabinet and then installed one set; sold the second set for $1200.