Rhapsody in Rooms

A Colorful & Creative Life

Our Hawaii Trip: Part Two

Hi everyone! Hope you are all doing just dandy and are enjoying your week! Geesh, it seems like forever ago when we were in Hawaii but I still have so much to share with you. Don’t worry all you DIY loving people out there, home decor posts are coming soon. I have lots of surprises in store as we go into November.

If you missed my first Hawaii post, you can read about all of our adventures at the zoo, North Shore, the Byodo-in Temple, and Waikiki.

This post is going to focus more on the historical yet still really neat things that you can do on the island of Oahu.

First off, Pearl Harbor was the highlight of the island for me. Really. I’m a person who appreciates history but am in no way a buff. You definitely don’t have to be a history buff at Pearl Harbor. It is a place to remember, a place that is filled with sadness and hope and memories.

Pearl Harbor Oahu Hawaii | www.rappsodyinrooms.com

Obviously, we first went to the USS Arizona Memorial. You watch a short video about the event, and it was so well done that I cried during it. It was heart breaking and beautiful in its own way. Oh, and did I mention that we went on September 11th? It was a very poignant day.

Pearl Harbor Oahu Hawaii | www.rappsodyinrooms.com

After the USS Arizona Memorial we went onto the naval base and toured the USS Missouri. It was so neat to see the ship where WWII ended. Plus the symbolism of having the place where WWII started and ended for the US was pretty powerful. The ship was so fun to see too. It really is like a traveling town – it has a library, post office, barber shop and so much more! Oh yes, and teeny tiny living quarters.

Oh man, my outfit totally matches my hat. #plannedit

We also toured the Bowfin submarine and if I thought people on the Missouri had it hard, whew, the Bowfin was ridiculous. Seriously, your bunk is over a torpedo. I couldn’t do it whatsoever. Yowsers. But it was actually really pretty inside with all its gleaming metallics.

Moving on from Pearl Harbor, we spent an afternoon at the Bishop Museum. It had a lot of history about Hawaii, a planetarium, and a sweet volcano/science building where they actually made simulated lava. Awesome. It was definitely worth going to.

A blacklight hall that is supposed to be under the sea. Awesome!

Now, this wouldn’t be a Hawaii post without giving you some eye candy. Hanawa Bay is a gorgeous spot on the Eastern Shore that also has great snorkeling (I hear). The view was enough for me.

That wraps up the Hawaii recap. Please ask if you have any questions – whether you are curious or are planning a trip yourself! I highly recommend staying on Oahu but don’t make that your only island. Island hop! I’m dreaming of Maui now….

5 Flea Market Selling Tips

On a delightfully crisp and unfortunately windy Saturday morning my alarm jarred me awake at 5:30am.

Not your ideal Saturday morning? Well, I may convince you differently in just a couple of minutes!

The jarring alarm was a result of an intense purging that caused a mountain of items I didn’t need in the house anyway. Hurray me!

However, having already hosted a yard sale earlier this summer (you can read all about my 2014 yard sale and 2013 yard sale) and it being late – or even past – yard sale season I thought my luck would be pretty low if I threw up signs and put my stuff out in the yard a la yard sale style.

Then a friend suggested I go to the local flea market.

Now, I’m a total flea market convert.

Do you think I would have made a $169 profit if I had held it in my yard. I would put a month’s salary into definitely NOT!

Since I am now a big proponent of the flea market, while also being quite the newbie at it, I thought I would pass along my newly acquired flea market wisdom for you.

5 Flea Market Selling Tips

1. Suck it up and get there early.

Our flea market started at 6am. Sunrise was at 7:12am. I thought for sure that no one would be there before the sun rose. Boy was I wrong! It was hopping when I pulled in around 6:15! As soon as I pulled my boxes out of the car people swarmed me with flashlights, ready to buy.

I sold more between 6am and 7am than I did between noon and 1pm. Almost no one bought in the afternoon but I had sold quite a few things even before the sun rose that morning.

2. 10 Cents is Better Than No Cents

If your items are really valuable (like the Longaberger dessert stand, wrought iron antique candlestick holder) than hold firm at a price. If they aren’t valuable (aka not worth the time to list it on Craigslist, or DSLR camera) than any money is better than none. If they are going to Goodwill anyways, one penny is a profit on them. So negotiate so you can sell as high as possible but if you know the person wants to buy it, eventually cave and let them have it at their price. It’s still money in your pocket and one less thing to put back in the car.

3. Create an Emotional Tie

When someone shows interest in an item, help them make an emotional connection. Sometimes I would tell them a story about an item. Or setup a vignette on a way they would possibly use it. Or ask them if they had someone/someplace special in mind for the item. Help them connect to the object and they are more likely to buy it. #usedcarsaleswomanmegan

4. Park Near a Bathroom

Laugh all you want but if you’re by yourself you’ll thank me later. I love people but I’ve had many people swipe things from yard sales so I didn’t want anything valuable walking away at the flea market. Picture me sprinting towards the Porta Potty. Next time I’ll plan strategically for my bathroom breaks.

5. Pack Snacks and Water

You won’t really have time to go out and get food but you will definitely need it to keep your energy going all day! I brought lots of little snack foods, a sandwich, and not nearly enough water. I found the snacks helpful to keep me energized throughout the hours. It is pretty intensive with all the moving of stuff and talking to people all day so it is very important to stay hydrated!

I hope you found these tips helpful and will be able to rake in the cash when you give the flea market a whirl! And here’s a fun before and after of when I started (when the sun was just rising) and when I ended.

Oh wait – don’t think your town has a flea market? I would give it a quick Google search before you just breeze by the idea. I never thought our smaller town had one but then I found out that every Saturday AND Sunday there is quite the bustling flea market. So don’t give up hope and try to find a flea market next time you do a house purge!

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Paula@SweetPea

Great job on getting rid of stuff and making money at the same time. I’ve been to that flea market and it was a hopping spot!ReplyCancel
- Megan
  
  Thanks Paula! Yeah — why did it take me so long to find that place?!ReplyCancel
Tana

There was an AWESOME monthly flea market in my hometown. From May to October, it was very good with several hundred people set up, everything from yard sale stuff to antique dealers. I would set up there a few times each year, arriving about 5:30am. I could usually sell $500 by noon. I had about a dozen regular customers and could pretty much call it a day after I’d seen them! I liked that I could leave when I wanted to without having to stay all day.ReplyCancel
- Tana
  
  There are flea markets here, but they don’t attract the type of shoppers that buy my stuff. Sigh.ReplyCancel
  - Megan
    
    I’m sorry to hear that your local flea markets aren’t loving your things! 🙁 The just don’t appreciate good stuff apparently!ReplyCancel
- Megan
  
  WOW! That’s amazing!! Sounds like a flea market I would want to visit!ReplyCancel
Tana

That flea market is in Lafayette, Indiana, in case you’re anywhere near there. As far as I know, it’s still happening.ReplyCancel
- Megan
  
  Awesome! Thank you!ReplyCancel
Kim

The Pickens flea mkt. Pickens,SC!!!!!Every Wednesday!!!!!!ReplyCancel
- Megan
  
  Sounds amazing!!ReplyCancel

Our Trip to Hawaii: Part One

If you tuned in last week you saw that we vacationed in Hawaii for two weeks in September (hence some radio silence on the blog). I teased with a few pictures but now I am back with so many, many more. Photos can’t even begin to show how stunning Hawaii is in person, but they do give you a sense for sure!

We spent our whole time on the island of Oahu, but if I were to go back I would definitely island hop. I loved Oahu but the Honolulu traffic was killer (and so was parking).

We stayed in a studio apartment in Waikiki right by the ocean, zoo, and main strip where all the fancy stores were (but where did I shop? Forever 21 and H&M!). Pardon our we’ve been traveling for 13 plus hours and need to explode mess.

Our view was so fabulous I spent hours morning, noon, and night looking at Diamond Head on the left, the park and zoo in front of us, and the ocean to the right (okay – that’s where I looked the most).

One of my favorite things was that you could see the zoo from our balcony. The flamingoes kept us company most of the day, but in the evening when sitting on the sun deck I would sometimes hear the animals getting feisty. A lion’s roar or an elephant’s trumpet would interrupt my reading for a while and bring a smile to my face.

We also spent some time in the zoo visiting with the vast array (for an island) of animals.

My favorite time of the day was definitely twilight (not a book reference, I promise). We were there during an unusually hot spell, so as that sun was setting and the temperatures were dropping (to the 70’s) I loved to walk around the beach or sit on the sun deck.

When we did leave Waikiki, one of our favorite things to do was just drive around the island. The highway takes you along the coast and beyond every curve seems to be an even more beautiful sight. We drove along the North Shore and the East Shore quite a few times just because of the awe-inspiring views.

I also just loved sitting and watching the surfers. The waves were really high, especially two days when there was a high surf warning, and the surfers were so talented.

While we were trolling around the North Shore we stopped at a few fun touristy stops.

One was the Dole Plantation where we took a ride on the Pineapple Train, got lost in a pineapple maze, and best of all – ate pineapple ice cream!

We also stopped at the Byodo-in Temple. This temple was built to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii. It was so beautiful and peaceful – and we were able to have fun ringing a bell.

I think that is a long enough post as it is. Stay tuned for part two of our Hawaii trip (including spending 9/11 at Pearl Harbor and more beautiful views!).

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Paula@SweetPea

Your pictures are stunning and I know you so much enjoyed relaxing in beautiful Hawaii. If I ever go back I want to see Maui.ReplyCancel
- Megan
  
  Thank you Paula! I was amazed at how beautiful it was! And I agree – I would want to go to Maui too!ReplyCancel

My Life Updates

Hi friends! Hope you are all doing well! I have missed checking in here as much as I have been in the past!

However, I have good excuses…the first being that Eric and I took a two-week trip to Hawaii! We got back last week so I am still trying to get back into a schedule and adjust to the time difference (6 hours behind in Hawaii).

Before I get to an entire post (or two) about Hawaii, I will just have to tease you a little with a few pictures.

The second excuse is not one I’m ready to go into, but due to some things that have come up in my personal life I may be a little more absent from the blog over the next couple of weeks. But I will be back with vengeance! Just you wait!

On a completely different subject, I tried two new recipes this weekend and am LOVING them. I definitely thought it was worth a share.

The first is BBQ Cauliflower “Wings” from Gluten-Free-Vegan-Girl — just in time for football season, right? I didn’t make this vegan (I used skim milk and BBQ sauce from the store) but it is a new favorite. I looooove it and will be making it frequently!

The other is this skinny/protein packed Mexican layer dip from Dr. Oz. Yes, yes, yes I know there are a million and half recipes of this type, but this one really is worth it. I’m loving it with multi-grain chip dippers and celery sticks! It really is a winner.

Photo Courtesy of this pin: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/150237337542970332/

Since it has been so long, anything new with you that you would like to share? Any exciting projects? New things going on with you?

Plus, didn’t you love Paula and Serena stopping by sharing their woodworking tips and thrift score secrets?

Hope you all have a great week and I will try soon to be back with a full Hawaii update (meaning TONS of pictures, my first woodworking tutorial, and other news)!

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Paula@SweetPea

Both of those recipes look amazing!

I’m glad you had fun in Hawaii and look forward to seeing more beautiful pictures. Did you eat at Dukes?ReplyCancel
- Megan
  
  Paula, you should definitely try the recipes! I ate both yesterday and they are delicious. 🙂 And we didn’t end up going to Dukes. 🙁ReplyCancel

How to Find the Best Thrift Store Scores

You all saw that I had my first guest post from Paula at Sweet Pea on Monday, and today we are finishing off the week with another guest post. I’m so excited to have Serena from Thrift Diving share how she scores the best items at thrift stores. Read on to hear more about her fab tips!

Hey there! I’m Serena from Thrift Diving, a blog that inspires you to decorate, maintain, and improve your home on a budget! Thanks to Megan for inviting me to come share some thrift tips with you.

Remember when you were a kid and you’d get teased for your mama shopping at thrift stores? Things have changed! Thrift stores are cool, hip, and trendy. But I was shopping thrift stores before people knew how hot they were ;). I’ve picked up a few tips along the way and wanted to share them with you. I also wanted to share some of my favorite thrift scores!

TIP #1 – Stalk the Thrift Store!

If you love thrift stores, this is an easy tip: go often! It’s true that thrift stores get lots of shipments and turnover of inventory. You may pop in after work one day to find nothing, but the next day you find a gem like this:

Yesterday I stopped by the thrift store, convinced there would be “just junk” there, and look at the beauty I saw! If you can believe it, it was only $50. GASP! I know….. Sadly, I didn’t buy this because 1) I had my teeny Honda Accord and no amount of bungee cords was holding this thing in my trunk, and 2) my garage is already full of beautiful thrift finds. I can’t move another thing in until I move one out!

TIP #2 Become a Fan!

If you’re not following your favorite thrift store on social media, you may miss out on some fabulous merchandise that just hit the floor! Better yet, join their mailing list and you’ll get alerts when sales are coming.

This here beauty I found at my favorite thrift store for just $60! I happened to get their email about an upcoming sale. I will purposely rearrange my schedule just to make it!

I haven’t yet painted this to go in my bedroom, but when I do?? Watch out! It’s going to be even more beautiful!

On another day, I scored this mid-century modern dresser for a measly $20! Hey– at half price (original $40), I couldn’t walk away:

Once I got my hands on it, it was lovely once again! (Click here to see how I transformed this mid-century modern cast-off into something pretty! It was a bear of a project, though!)

TIP #3: Embrace the Wobbly & Broken!

If you’re reading this post, it’s because you love DIY. You probably have some DIY skillz you’ve picked up along the way. Therefore, when you see wobbly furniture, or broken furniture, it’s okay–buy it. As long as it’s good quality wood. Because you may just need a drill to tighten up some loose bolts. You’re handy. You know how to do that :). Or, maybe you can remove a flimsy drawer and get creative with filling that space.

TIP #4 Don’t Let the Ugly Fabric Scare You!

There’s a lot of great stuff at the thrift store. Most of it, though, has worn, disgusting fabric that makes your skim crawl to even think of sitting on it. But don’t let it scare you. Of course, check it for bugs….leave it out in your garage for a year to let all the creepy crawlies die off (hopefully), and then pull out your pretty fabric and get ‘ta reupholstering!

Here’s a solid, but outdated chair I got from the thrift store for $60.

After I stripped off the old fabric, this was the beauty that was just waiting to be revealed! (See the full project post for details on how I achieved this look).

If you’ve never done a chair makeover before, don’t worry. I did a post on 7 Tips for Better Chair Makeovers that will be a good starting point for you. As a bonus, there is a video on my YouTube channel, too. (Would love it if you were to SUBSCRIBE!!)

TIP #5 If You Love It, Buy It!

I know that’s not the best advice if you’re trying to stick to a budget. At the very least, put it in your cart until you’ve made up your mind if you’re going to buy it or not. My experience has shown that if you love something, never walk away from it. It won’t be there tomorrow. Heck, it won’t even be there 2 minutes after you walk away! Someone has already spotted it and they’re just waiting for you to walk away so they can get their claws on it. And you’ll lament forever about letting that {{insert that awesome thing here that you let get away}} get away.

So there you have five tips that I hope will help you navigate thrift stores a little easier! To see all my projects, and for more tips on thrift stores, DIY, and home improvement, subscribe to my blog, Thrift Diving. I look forward to chatting about home decor with you! You can also find me on Pinterest and Facebook. Oh, and don’t forget YouTube, where I put out new tutorials and videos bi-weekly! 😉

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Serena @ Thrift Diving

Thanks for the invite, Megan! 🙂ReplyCancel
- Megan
  
  Of course!! So glad to have you!!ReplyCancel
Paula@SweetPea

Serena has great tips. What I need to do is go more often. I’m sure if I made it a habit to stop by stores near my work that I could find some great deals. I wonder if any of our local stores have any social media like they do in Serena’s area?ReplyCancel
- Megan
  
  They do Paula! I follow quite a few. The estate places downtown, Restore, the consignment place on Timberlake (I forget the name). It’s definitely nice to see what they post online so I don’t always have to visit in person!ReplyCancel

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Rhapsody in Rooms

Our Hawaii Trip: Part Two

5 Flea Market Selling Tips