Here in the Pacific NW (WA State) we are not only in apple country, home to Nirvana and Heart, but home to a whole lot of beer breweries and fans alike.
Personally, I am more of a wine person, maybe a cider if I am really branching out on a given day.
We were hitting a few local thrift stores recently when I noticed a shelf lined with beautiful brown bottles.
They reminded me of the lovely vintage amber bottles you see gracing tablescapes and mantels, especially in the Fall.
But, they did not have easy to remove labels on them, the labels appeared very permanent.
What we found ranged from a pint to a gallon (PERFECT! I am jumping up and down in my head in Goodwill aisle number 7 at this point.) And hoping that we can get these labels off too!
I looked around to make sure no one was thinking about finding my find and hustled to the check out.
Troy immediately thought of a strong solvent he has used before, and I crossed my fingers.
We applied some of this solvent to each label and we let them sit for a few minutes. This stuff is strong so we used it in a well ventilated area.
We used a scraper knife to remove the labels once the solvent had softened them. They came right off, and after a good washing in dish soap these beauties were drying in the sun.
I was so excited to see how pretty they looked with the sunlight shining thru them.
This project made me think about my go to things I am always on the lookout for and I thought I would share them!
You just never know what you are going to find when thrifting, so I have two lists.
The first one is for things I am always looking for, to use in our home or to fix and flip. This list includes:
- Good solid dressers, entry tables, end tables and dining chairs.
- White dishes especially vintage, Ironstone and Federalist Ironstone.
- Linens and fabrics that are in good shape to use as is or repurpose into pillow covers etc…
- Old mirrors, books, and picture frames.
- Vintage baskets and home accents that I would use as is.
- Anything copper.
My second list is for things that I can upcycle or makeover to get that vintage feel without the item actually being vintage. This category can apply to just about anything but here are my top items:
- Newer furniture that is not vintage but would look lovely painted like hutches and armoires.
- Shower curtains and curtains as this is a great way to get a lot of nice fabric at a fraction of what you would pay at a fabric store. I have found quite a bit of linen and lovely cotton fabrics for projects around our home this way.
- Home decor that can be repurposed or painted to fit in with our decor, or seasonal decor. Baskets, picture frames, pottery, faux fruit, candle holders, metal wall art, wooden shelves, etc…
- Dishes, flatware, serving dishes and glasses that are not that old but would mix well with what I already have. I like to alternate plate patterns for every place setting for a dinner party. If I have six off white plates in two different patterns but they go together, perfect, dinner for 12!
- Lamps, lampshades, wall art, and pieces that just need a new painted frame, or new fabric on the shade for that favorite lamp to get a fresh update.
Wow, I did not realize my lists were so long haha!
The last thing I would add is to go often, and follow your heart. If you see something you love, take a chance, you will either love it or flip/donate it if you don’t!
I hope this finds you having a blessed week and finding a little time to create some cozy in your home and life, with the things that make your heart happy 🙂
Thank you so much for reading friend, I would LOVE it if you shared this post on your favorite Pinterest board, thank you!
Until next time, stay cozy & thrifty, xo Tanya
21 Responses
What great finds! Our Goodwill store never has anything I want. And I have to get some of that solvent! I have a few adorable bottles with labels that I’ve saved to reuse. Thank you for the solution. On another note, I just saw a TikTok for the cutest Christmas town. Do you live near Leavenworth WA? If so, is it worth the visit? Thanks!
Hi Cindy! We are in SW WA so we are a couple hours from there but Leavenworth is AMAZING 🙂 I am probably jaded as I love the Pacific NW haha. Thank you so much for your sweet comment and our thrift stores can be hit and miss too, I just keep going until I find something I like lol! Hugs – Tanya
Thank you for linking up to Whimsy Home Wednesday and sharing your inspiration with us. I see these bottles in our goodwill too, but I always pass them up because of the writing printed on them. Thank you for sharing about this product to get the writing off.
Thank you so much Kristin! I hope you are having a wonderful week 🙂 Hugs- Tanya
What a great idea!! I’ve seen these bottles out on some of my thrift-shopping adventures – I’ll be sure to grab some next time I see them! Thanks 🙂
Thank you for stopping by Cindy! I have passed by them so many times too 🙂 have a great rest of your week!! Hugs- Tanya
So beautifully done, and love the minimalistic leaves etc used
I visited you via Share Your Style #401
I linked up this week with = 1+2. This is a friendly reminder and invitation to come and join us at SeniorSalonPitStop. You will find the linkup information under BLOGGING.BLOGGING.
Thank you so much Esme! I just linked up, thank you and have a wonderful weekend!! 🙂 Hugs- Tanya
Thank you for sharing your links with us at #276 SSPS Linky. See you again next week.
Looking at them again, they remind me of some HUGE beer bottles I saw many years ago.
Who knew beer storage could be so pretty? Thank you Esme 🙂 Hugs- Tanya
Hi Tanya! I adore amber bottles and yours look so pretty dressed up for Fall! I do not have any vintage ones, mine are all knockoffs! Thanks for the great tip on removing tough labels! Blessings, Donna
You bet Donna, thank you so much for your sweet comment! Hope you have a wonderful weekend 🙂 xo Tanya
Yes, been bringing out all the amber/brown bottles this week; love them in the Fall! Who cares their pedigree if they’re pretty:)
I could not agree more Lora! Thank you for stopping in 🙂 Hugs- Tanya
Great post! I like the results! Giving the solvent is nice too, I book marked it for future reference.
Thank you for stopping by Jeanne, you bet! I was thrilled with the results and had to share 🙂 Hugs- Tanya
WOAH!! I didn’t know those decals could come off of those bottles…do you know how many times I’ve passed those up?! Dang. You created such a pretty table with those, Tanya!!
LOVE your thrifting list!!
Thank you Rachel! I overlooked them for a long time too I am so happy we found a product to remove them! xoxo appreciate you! Tanya
This is such a fun thrifting adventure! Those amber bottles sound like a great find. I once found a beat-up old dresser at a thrift store and transformed it into a cool piece for my bedroom. It’s amazing what a little TLC can do. Do you think you’ll use the bottles for a fall tablescape or something else? And what other cool things have you found while thrifting?
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