The best part about trick-or-treating for a freak like me is of course seeing other people’s houses. There’s nothing better than trying to look as far into someone’s home as possible while they are handing my kid some free candy….(and yes, for those of you following, filling up his UNICEF box, which I DID get for him on Friday)…….

It’s pretty ridiculous the way some people have such nice houses and then fill it with pre-fab hideous doors, windows, mantels etc, when there are such great finds out there….beautiful stuff, at a fraction of the price. 

One ‘chain’ that is awesome is “Habitat ReStores”….they are the donation sales arm of Habitat for Humanity…..what they stock is all sorts of donated and overstock building supplies from contractors, home depot, etc….and all of the money goes to Habitat for Humanity…I’m talking like windows, doors, construction materials that were over-ordered, or not needed anymore and it can be like 70 percent off, which as you know makes my heart sing…….(couple that with the glorious Douglas, who builds for me, and you are basically getting an entire opera)……

Right here in LA, in North Hollywood, there is an AMAZING place called “Scavengers Paradise”, run by my pal Gillum….she stocks the absolute coolest antique and salvageable architectural pieces from all over the place…….from wrought iron gates to ancient wooden doors, to little stuff thats incredible for gifts, at every possible price point……if you are in this area, check her out……..

It always boggles my mind that something called a “thrift store” is only haunted by people who really need it, or by hipsters who are aware of them. I think it had a horrible connotation to people of my parent’s generation that felt like a handout or something…….support these places, they make people’s houses look 50 times cooler, and I won’t go into the environmental bonus of using great stuff instead of raping our planet to make some more garbage that we don’t need…….

In summary….savings on building stuff= UNMEASURABLE…..finding a great keepsake and making it your own= PRICELESS……

Keep adding and passing this on…..this army of readers is indeed making a difference……

WG