Week In Pictures | We must go Beyond Textbooks, Go Out Into the Bypaths and Untrodden Depths of the Wilderness and Travel and Explore and Tell the World the Glories of our Journey. - John Hope Franklin

All my thrift shoppers raise your hands. Nope, not those crazy-expensive consignment stores. I mean down and dirty, gritty, sometimes things-smell-like-smoke thrift stores. These are the places I find my jewels, and the prices are usually little of nothing [and by little of nothing, I am talking $.50-$10 MAX]. While I love wearing some designer threads, I would much rather have a piece that is unique, and oozes character.

Here are a few of my favorite thrift stores in L.A:
+ Discovery Shop of The Cancer Society
+ St. Vincents De Paul Thrift Shop
+ American Way Thrift Shop
+ Thank You Mart

Now some days I will find more than my money allows, and sometimes I find NOTHING. This time, I found a cute little winter coat for $4.50. I also bought a pair of really cute multi-colored snakeskin pumps [sadly not pictured] for $1.00.

One of my FAVORITE bead stores! This place is HUGE, they have everything from charms, to vintage sequins, rhinestones, tons of applique's, chains,  gemstones, doodads, and knickknacks! I just restocked, so something tells me there are tons of DIY projects in my future, like next week [I will post them here of course]!

If you are ever in L.A, please check them out:
Berger's Specialty Co. INC. [AKA Berger's Beads]
413 East 8th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 627-8783

Across the street from Berger's, there is a building I would love to own one day! They have a tiny fabric store that sells scrap fabrics! I usually get odds and ends for about $.50 a piece! Perfect for headbands, necklaces [the rosette kind], cuffs, and clutch bags!

Another view of my fav building!

I love getting plants/flowers from the Flower District, which is literally a stone's throw away from Berger's and the fabric store. They sell HUGE Orchids starting at $5.00, Bonsai starting at $4.00, and everything from Birds of Paradise, to Roses at rock bottom prices per stem. I can usually get a big, beautiful bouquet of flowers for about $3-5 dollars; even cheaper if they are about to close for the day!