Like a Cheapskate in a Thrift Store

Do you think that phrase can gain momentum? Kind of like a kid in a candy store, but for frugal folks like me. On my way to work each day I pass by Valley Thrift. It took me a few months to realize the bounty of deals at this wonderful place. This isn't just any thrift store. Oh no, this place is packed. Packed with stuff, packed with people.

Fun Fact #1- How do you know when the store is open? Silly question. Is the parking lot packed? Yes. Then it's open! The parking lot is always packed if they are open.

Fun Fact #2- When you tell people you live in Fairfield, what are the most common things they idenitify as 'in Fairfield'? 1) Jungle Jim's 2) Valley Thrift 3) Bowling.

Fun Fact #3- How much did this particular purchase cost? $0.99 No lie. Actually the tag said $99 and I was astonished. Are you telling me this piece of crap cost ninety-nine dollars? No, I'm telling you it's slightly less than $1. What an amazing find! I love it. I absolutely love it. Little find, you're not a piece of crap, I love you. This is my internal monologue... moving on.

Here is my lovely little find:

What is it?

It's a director's chair. What on earth are you going to do with it? It happens to be missing parts, which is just fine by me.

Can you see it yet?

It's a luggage rack! You just figured out Blue's Clue's, you just figured out Blue's Clues!

Enough of these shennanigans. Here's the step-by-step on what I did:

1) Buy a $1 chair

2) Remove arms

3) Cover the gold hinges in painter's tape

4) Spray paint with black paint you have on hand

Here's where you come in. I'm not sure how to 'cover' the top. I have several options:

1) Fashion a replacement fabric cover much like the red one in the original photo using the same fabric that I used on the upholstered bench. This has dowels that slide into grooves on the top of the former seat.

2) Create a cover (with the same fabric as the upholstered bench) much like the red one except don't use the dowels. Instead, staple the fabric cover to the underside of the rack.

3) Don't use a fabric cover at all. Instead, buy thick, sturdy ribbon and staple multiple straps to the top of the luggage rack. This would be similar to what you would see in a hotel room, like this.

Options 1 and 2 are nice because they use existing fabric, so this project would come to a whopping total of $1. Plus, that fabric is very cute. Option 1 does scare me a wee bit because I would have to sew precisely around small dowels and hope it stays. Option 3 is nice because it does not involve sewing. I have a sewing machine (thanks Mom!), but I am a novice seamstress. What do you think? Comment with your top choice: 1, 2, 3, or something totally different!