Best High-End Hostess Gifts on the Cheap 2010 | Stupid Cupid Gifts | Shopping & Services | Phoenix
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Best High-End Hostess Gifts on the Cheap

Stupid Cupid Gifts

We didn't even know we needed a private-label soy candle until we were given one by a dinner guest recently. The sticker on the bottom read "Stupid Cupid," so we headed there and, well, sort of had our life changed. We bought a bunch of stuff for our own home — hand-pounded metal picture frames, a soap dish with an old metal water spout attached to it, a ceramic planter shaped like a cow — and then, taking a cue from our friend with the candle, grabbed a couple of items to tuck away as hostess gifts. The best part is that the prices are practically thrift-shop low, but the stuff is all new, and some of it is one-of-a-kind artisan work (like the hand-carved wooden horsie we couldn't bear to pass up).Invite us over for dinner, and you'll likely wind up as hooked on this groovy gift shop as we are!

Best Antiques on a Budget

Cheap Thrills

We hear it every time we visit Cheap Thrills at its new Indian School location: Some shopper spots something on a shelf or a rack in this boffo boutique and cries out, "My grandma used to have that!" But it's not just granny stuff that's stocked at this shop, where we recently bought a mint-in-box Big Jim Sports Camper (like the one we got from Santa in 1971!) and a bathrobe made entirely out of fake fur. The French deco dresser in our bedroom came from here, and we're still kicking ourselves for not buying that honest-to-gosh lava lamp (not a repro!) that we saw there on the same day. Everything's priced to move here, and all of it is pretty dang cool.

Best Boutique Thrift Store

Ozzie's Furnishings

We have a terrible confession to make. Phoenix, we've been keeping something from you. We discovered Ozzie's Furnishings years ago, but we haven't shared it with you because — well, because we're selfish. There's no other way to put it. We're sorry. To make up for it, we promise to stay out of Ozzie's for a while, to let you catch up. Anyhow, our house is bursting at the seams with the amazing finds from this small but beautifully curated St. Vincent de Paul thrift store. The folks who run Ozzie's are damn good shoppers who peruse SVDP's giant warehouse often, hand-picking the goodies that constantly come in (and out) the door. We can't believe the turnover at this place — and it's as much about low prices as high-quality home furnishings. Seriously, turn your back and that dark stained Mexican wood desk with the bird carving might be gone. That vintage trunk — the one that's in perfect condition — might disappear from under your reach. The powder blue tufted velvet bench? Poof. Ozzie's is not for the laid-back shopper. But if you're up for a fight, we'll see you over there. As soon as we buy a larger house — and give you a head start. Remember, it's all for a good cause.

Best Non-Boutique Thrift Store

Goodwill

We've been to pretty much every Goodwill store in the Valley, from Surprise to Queen Creek. On the right day, and with a little luck, there's always a treasure to be had at the remarkably professional nonprofit chain. Still, on the whole, we have to say we've had the very best luck at the Central Phoenix location on the southeast corner of 16th Street and Indian School. We're not sure why, exactly, but something about that spot seems to facilitate great finds — maybe it's the location that the established upper-middle class people in nearby north central Phoenix favor for donations or maybe it's not as picked-over as the suburban stores. Whatever the reason, it's the best, and you should appreciate us telling you so. After all, we're reluctantly reporting this to you because it's our job, fully realizing that you'll now snatch up the great Ikea furniture, vintage Western shirts, and classic T-shirts we've been snagging there over the past year. C'est la vie.

Best Thrift Store for Small Appliances

Flo's on Seventh

Friends are sick of hearing us boast about how we bought a like-new Braun espresso maker for 10 bucks, but we can't stop talking about it. We found it at Flo's, where we're also proud to proclaim we've in the past found a fabulous still-working vintage 30-cup percolator, a portable CD player (for $7!), and a hot plate shaped like a giant daisy. We were eyeing one of those mini-TVs, but we made the mistake of going home to "think about it," and when we returned the next day, the little television was gone. That's because Flo's prices its junk to move. So get going — there's a toaster at Flo's with your name on it!

Best Seasonal Clearance Aisle

Hobby Lobby

In February, we bought 32 sheets of leftover Valentine-pink felt for a quarter. The month before, we stocked up on all our holiday décor for next year — and got every last reindeer ornament and dreidel-shaped earring set for 75 percent off. We're fans of Hobby Lobby year-round, to be sure — we get all our art supplies, sewing notions, and crafting junk there. But our favorite time to shop at this monster-size shrine to DIY is just after any holiday, because that's when Hobby Lobby crams an extravagant clearance aisle full of stuff so special we can't say no to most of it. Better yet, all this great holiday-themed stuff is augmented with markdowns from all over the store — the framing department, the art department, the fabric department — which makes us a hobbyist who just can't say no to any of this cool, nearly free stuff.

Best Thrift Store for Amateur Paintings

Savers

It might be a fish. Or a horse. Someone who saw it thought it was a hat. But whatever it is that's depicted in this fabulous thrift-store painting from Savers, we got it at a steal. Aficionados of so-bad-it's-good art must be on to this place, because each time we drop by in search of a '50s prom portrait or a half-finished, vintage paint-by-number, we notice that the wall of art has grown. Still, we rarely leave without something splattered onto a canvas by a weekend painter — and you can, too.

Best Thrift Store for Square Dancing Costumes

Travel Thru Time

If you're getting your Annie Oakley costume ready for Halloween or just have a hankerin' to go do-si-do with your partner, mosey on down to Travel Thru Time, a cluttered little gem of a vintage shop in Phoenix's Encanto district. From tame to downright tacky, an assortment of square dance regalia that would outfit a high school cast of the musical Oklahoma! 10 times over can be found at this fun store. We're talking a huge rack stuffed full of ruffled gingham beauties and polka-dotted cuties that never dwindles, thanks to the shop owner's buying addiction. How much will one of these babies set you back? Prices vary according to style and craftsmanship. A well-used set printed with chili peppers costs about $40, while a checkered lime two-piece made for a championship dance goes for over a Benjamin. On our last visit, we even spotted a vintage skirt painted with little cowboys and frilly skirted square dancers in action — perhaps as a reminder that other people really do wear this shit.

Best Place to Get Creative on the Cheap

Tempe Sales

Far away from the bustle of chain craft stores is Tempe Sales, the little gem of a craft-slash-fabric-slash-furniture-parts store in a dilapidated old building near the railroad tracks. If you're searching for the perfect bun feet for a reclaimed chair project or need some braided trim for an apron you're sewing, this is the place to go. They even carry marble slabs and high-end upholstery fabrics. Be forewarned — you might have to dig through bins or poke around in the back room to find what you want, as it's not exactly as organized as Jo-Ann or Michaels. But it's worth the effort.

Best Art Supplies

Wet Paint Artist Supply

There's a reason ASU art students flock to Tempe's Wet Paint for supplies, and it's not just because it's within spitting distance of the college. The family-owned store carries a large assortment of drawing pads and specialty papers, oil and acrylic paints, sculpting media, and screenprinting supplies. When we needed oil-based colored pencils for an art project, this was the only place in town we found them. And Wet Paint's staff actually practices what they preach. Because most of the workers here are artists, they'll steer you directly to the clay you need for modeling or the best paint for plastics without upselling you a bunch of art crap you don't need. Not that we don't get distracted by the ever-changing selection here. On our most recent visit to pick up some Letraset, we were mesmerized by the Munny vinyl toy customizing kiosk and the huge cache of spray paints — for legal tagging only, of course (wink, wink).

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