Thursday, June 28, 2012

Getting More Traffic for Your Blog or Online Store...Advertise!


I cannot believe it's already July! This month I'm definitely planning lots of posts re-visiting our New Years resolutions, setting up your own business as a freelancer, reselling tools, and of course, fun posts like thrift finds, DIY, adventures, and money-saving tips. I can't wait to get started, and I'd love it if you joined the party!

I'm accepting advertisers for July!
Advertising on Thrift Core is a unique experience: don't have an ad banner? I'll make you one! Need help with anything involving marketing or advertising? I'll be there! I'm results-oriented and thrive on helping others be successful!

You can buy an ad on this page and of course, e-mail me if you have any questions at all!
Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Thrift Adventure: Exploring Red Barn Flea Market Plaza in South Florida

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I explore flea markets, thrift stores, and junk stops up and down the kitschy vintage wonderland that is Florida. Grab your bag and some cash, let's go on a thrifting adventure...!



I hope you enjoyed the thrift adventure! Are you going on any vintage hunting adventures while you vacation this summer? Do tell!
Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Thrifters Around the World: Thrifting with Georgia in New Zealand

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I've interviewed thrifters in Asia, Australia, the Arctic and across the USA- now we have a Kiwi! Today I'm pleased to interview Georgia, a hardcore thrifter and student who shows of her beautiful finds on the velvettes with her pal, Christie.  Take it away, Georgia!


Tell us a little bit about yourself, Georgia. 

I am a 20 year-old Media Studies student living in Wellington, New Zealand in an ancient 6-person flat. I've been thrifting for 8 years now, with no plans to stop anytime soon.


New Zealand is a faraway exotic fantasy land for many of us thrifters. Tell me about where you live and what it's like! 

Wellington is the capital of NZ, and is a beautiful city with tonnes of history and culture. I've lived in New Zealand all my life and my favourite thing is that no matter where you are, a half-hour drive can take you to beautiful scenery and nature.


When and why did you start thrifting? 

I started thrifting when I was 12, when I'd just learned to sew and needed cheap supplies to play around with (a.k.a. make hideous 'clothes' with). At first it was buttons, zips and old sheets, which soon became clothes, homewares and everything else.

What do you think makes thrifting in New Zealand different than thrifting in the United States or other places in the world? 

New Zealand is a very young country compared to places like the US, so finding really old stuff is quite rare- which makes it a thrill when you do stumble across a 50s dress! I am also a sucker for historic NZ labels, and finding them is definitely a highlight for me.
 

What are the names for "thrifting" in New Zealand? Any special nick names? 

Here, we call it 'opshopping', which comes from a chain of stores called The Great Opportunity Shop.

Is there a large thrifting/junking/second-hand shopping culture in New Zealand? Definitely! There are large warehouse-esque thrift stores in industrial areas most cities, and Wellington has a huge second-hand culture. I think it has developed more over the last 10 years, though. 


Is there a stigma against second-hand shopping in New Zealand? 

Is it seen as something dirty or something for low-income families? I think there may've been in recent decades, but it's definitely become very acceptable and hip to buy second-hand. I remember when I was 13 some girls from my school saw me coming out of an opshop and laughed hysterically, but when I was 18 the same girls were asking for advice on where to buy the best vintage. 


Are there any flea markets in New Zealand? What are they like? 

There are lots of markets here, but I'm not sure if I'd call any of them 'flea'. Mostly they are a mixture of fruit and veg, crafts and 'junk' with a bit of good second-hand thrown in. 

Are there many dumpster divers and curb-side hunters in New Zealand? (Find anything interesting?)

In Wellington there is a huge culture of roadside finds- when I moved here I left a boring party early to stumble across a flat cleaning out their entire home onto the roadside. A quick text to my flatmates and their living room became ours, carried up the hill, stopping occasionally to rest on our new couches and have a beer. Dumpster diving is reserved mainly for food that supermarkets throw out, but that's actually illegal so I won't say anymore! 


Is there a large thrift and craft culture in New Zealand? 

Absolutely, and it's growing rapidly. People are really starting to realise how many great things can be found and how cheaply you can live on the thrifting circuit. Crafts are definitely a cool thing to be doing, too.


What are thrift stores like in NZ? 

They vary! The best ones are the little suburban church-owned ones that are usually only open one or two days a week, but the huge warehouse-esque industrial ones can be great too. Mostly it's just the usual Salvation Army etc.

On Shipping: Is it crazy expensive to ship vintage to and fro where you live? 

It can be, but it's often cheaper to buy internationally and more lucrative to sell internationally anyway. It can be annoying to have to add the cost of shipping onto vintage, because it can add up to $20 onto a dress!


Special question! How have you and Christie developed your vintage style? 

I think when we started thrifting we were unsure what we really liked, but now we both have definitely vintage styles. That said, we used to have thrifting moments where we'd both want the same thing!

What's your favorite thing to collect from thrift stores? 

At the moment I am really into tapestries that are also portraits, but 1950s dresses will always be my favourite things to scope out. I got 2 for $5 each recently and just about died.


Owls versus Squirrels: Who's the new king of vintage? Go! 

I've just finished watching Twin Peaks so it's gotta be owls.

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  If you would like to be featured in Thrifters Around the World, shoot me an e-mail.  I would love to interview you and chat about thrifting where you live.

Past Thrifters Around The World Interviews:
Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

What I Didn't Buy at the Thrift Store...The Triumphant Return

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This Saturday was perfect: a sunny North Florida day with an unseasonably crisp breeze. A thrift adventure down our thrift store laden Beach Blvd and a seaside picnic was a must! This was my triumphant return to thrift stores after hunting at flea markets exclusively. The voices of the items I left behind scream the loudest in the thrift shops. Here's what they had to say: 

This post is thanks to my friend Greg's smart phone! I have an un-smart phone. Don't tell I told you, he's sensitive about it.


What have you left behind at the thrifts lately? Which item would you be unable to resist in this post? 
Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

A Little of Me, A Little of You: Where in The World do You Thrift?

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You've been holding out on me. Yes, YOU! For years I've been showing you every single treasure I exhume on my thrifting adventures, sharing tips for success, interviewing thrifters around the world, and helping you with your reselling ventures, and more...yet you remain silent. My stats list my followers at 921 on blogger, 1,800 on Twitter, and 1,014 on Facebook, yet I've only met a proverbial handful of readers. I'd love to get to know you! I'll start...


Hi, I'm Vanessa, but I go by Van! I thrift in Jacksonville, but occasionally explore thrift stores all around the picker's paradise that is Florida, USA! I was raised in Naples, Italy and have been quirky and thrifty my entire life. (More on that later.) I was a marketer/writer (writing career confession), now I'm a freelance writer and reseller (story here). A former slave to The Man in Cubicle Hell, I'm now a bohemian artsy-hippie (join me!) and a unrepentant nerd. Here are seven more random facts to make you laugh! Hell you can even have a detailed look inside my purse!


But that's enough about me, today I'm dying to know a little bit about you. Leave a comment on this post and tell me: where do you live and thrift in this diverse world of ours, and what's the thrifting like where you live? (By the way, if you're new around these parts check out my World Thrifters series where I interview thrifters from Australia and Asia to the Arctic!)


Share a link to your blog and tell me a little bit about you in the comments below!

I'm looking forward to meeting you! Don't be shy! Demographics tell me you readers are from all around the world!
Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

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