I was able to put my Goodwill sweater finds to good use over the weekend we spent in Chicago.
Red cardigan and boots from Goodwill West Palm BeachBeaded belt and boots from Goodwill West Palm BeachCloser look at the beaded belt detail; the dress ins’t thrifted, it’s Anthropologie!Baby’s pants are thrifted from Goodwill West Palm Beach and her top is thrifted and gifted from a friendH&M Sweater, GAP jeans, and boots from Goodwill West Palm BeachSeeing snow for the first time! Baby’s coat is consigned from Kid to Kid in Palm Beach Gardens.Sweater from Goodwill West Palm Beach
I’m a big fan of the gallery wall, and have several in my home. I’ve always liked using them in a non-traditional way (traditional being matching frames hung in a perfectly symmetrical grouping).
A traditional gallery wall in our home featuring images from our favorite vacation.
I like thinking of my gallery moments as wall scrapbooks. I mix and match frame styles, include photos next to artwork, and hang objects like baskets and hats.
If someone writes me a cute note, or I leave a wedding with a polaroid keepsake, I’ll tuck these pieces into the edges of frames.
The gallery wall above my desk.
My gallery walls are constantly changing as I bring in new pieces from my thrift adventures, like puzzles that are never finished.
One of my favorite galleries is the one above my desk/office space in our primary bedroom.
It includes a floral painting found years ago at Stitches and Rust (the owner now operates a shop called Trashรฉ Vintage), and a painting given to me by my mother.
The artist’s granddaughter was my mother’s neighbor in Missouri, and gave this piece, along with another large collection, to my mom for free, as long as she promised to keep them safe.
The post office gave us a copy of Elaine’s passport photo, so I tucked it in the floral painting’s frame, along with a tiny image of my boys that was leftover from some prints I made to go into a locket for my mother-in-law.
Now that my mom lives seasonally with us in Florida, we’re keeping all the art on our walls.
I’ve hung a hat from Stone Button Studio in Northwood Village, a little stained glass and shell mirror purchased at the Northwood Holiday Home Tours market in 2024, a basket I’ve just added to the collection this weekend (purchased at The Rust Market in Lake Park), and my favorite piece of all — framed hand written notes from my mother.
My mom wrote these notes to me when I was two years old. I had done a couple of cute/sweet things, so she jotted them down as memories and added little love notes in too.
A polaroid from Vince and Elaine’s first daddy daughter dance, and a tiny envelope with “Vanessa and Vince” written on it and a cute little butterfly
To this day, I can’t read the notes without crying. Even before becoming a mother myself, they brought tears to my eyes.
I love those notes so much that when my parents asked what I wanted for my college graduation gift, I just asked to have them matted and framed.
My mom couldn’t believe it — frame her slanted writing and spelling errors?!
Hell yeah! That’s what I love about it. The busy, working mom of a toddler taking a few minutes to jot down a moment she wanted to hold onto. A piece of life with her family she wanted to keep from fading. A quick little love story for later.
I love having moments like that on my walls.
Finally put up this rattan mirror I thrifted from Goodwill a few weeks ago.
Sweater thrifted and gifted from a friendButton up and striped H&M pants from Goodwill West Palm BeachHuarache sandals from Goodwill West Palm BeachAnthropologie skirt and MANGO tote from Goodwill West Palm BeachSunshine State cap from Goodwill West Palm BeachHandmade dress created from a thrifted, vintage tablecloth purchased from a designer who exclusively sells at The Rust Market in Lake ParkJ. McLaughlin sandals from Goodwill West Palm BeachMen’s striped button up from Goodwill Denver, CO