thrifted goodies – the Thanksgiving cornucopia edition

Hello friends!  Welcome to the next installment of thrifted goodies! If you enjoy thrift shopping and love the thrill of the hunt, then, this post is for you.  Thanksgiving is fast approaching and today I am sharing how I up-cycled a thrifted cornucopia basket.

The Thrifted Goodies series consists of monthly posts where Rachel from the Antiqued Journey and I share thrift store goodness. Topics might include particular finds, tips, techniques, stylings and general advice about thrift shopping mostly for home decor in general.

Rachel always finds amaZing thrifted pieces, and you don’t want to miss her latest post. If you don’t know Rachel yet, make sure to hop over, introduce yourself and check out her Thrifted Goodies – Volume 16 – vintage thrift haul.

This month we have Donna from An Organized Season joining us for triple the fun. Donna is sharing her Fall thrift store finds, which you do not want to miss!

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about the thrifted cornucopia basket find

Remember this thrifted goodies post {thrifted goodies – insights & inspiration}? Well, I gave you a sneak peek of this cornucopia basket way back when. Although it was only February and my thoughts were on all things spring, I scooped this guy up right away because it was in great condition and had great possibilities.

I picked up this cornucopia basket for a couple of bucks and it still had the original tags on it so I don’t think it was ever used. SO clearly not a vintage item, which is what I covet at thrift stores, but I knew I could alter it for inspired seasonal decor. You can see how I have altered thrifted baskets before in this post {weathered basket DIY}.

Thrifting Tip: Seasonal decor displayed at thrift stores during off season times are usually priced lower than during the appropriate season.

how I altered the thrifted Thanksgiving cornucopia

Paint is a fabulous magic wand to update tired and outdated decor from thrift shops. In this post I share how I transformed many pieces {how to upcycle thrifted items with paint}.

Thrifting Tip: Look at the potential of an item if it needs some TLC and it can be altered with a new lease on life.

Like I said the cornucopia basket was in great condition and it was not even dirty so there was minimal prep work. I simply dusted it off a bit before starting with the paint application

I used chalk paint for this project, because 1) I had it on hand and 2) because I love using Annie Sloan chalk paint for all types of projects. It goes on beautifully on so many different mediums. I’ve used it on wooden furniture, metals, upholstery and rattan as in this project plus more.

I wanted to paint the piece since the accent parts on the end and edges of the opening had too much of a red undertone for me. So I decided to give it a light paint application to give it more of that driftwood color palette I am always drawn to.

I first applied a coat of Paris Gray very lightly all over the piece. I started on the inside, moved to the bottom and finished with the top of the piece.

Once the gray paint was thoroughly dry, I applied a very light white wash coat using Old White paint. For this project I simply dipped my brush in water before applying paint to the brush, wipe it on a paper towel and apply whatever is left on the brush onto the basket in quick, easy strokes.

how to style the Thanksgiving cornucopia

I styled the cornucopia basket on the sideboard on the back patio. The sideboard is the one I shared here {an old shabby dresser refurnished into an outdoor sideboard}. Once I am done with this project I will move it inside.

I loved how it turned out and I think this will be our centerpiece for our Thanksgiving table. I will share my table design for the year in a few weeks so make sure to come back for a visit.

To start, I set a stage for the basket styling, using a thrifted silver tray. Silver is one of the many things I usually check at thrift stores. I’ve have found some great pieces at fabulous prices.

Thrifting Tip: Keep a running list of items you would like to find thrifting, including measurements if necessary. Adding a note in your phone is a good way to have an on going list with you at all times.

Next I added a linen tea towel to create a bed for the cornucopia basket to nestle in. This helps stabilize the basket even though this one has feet, which makes it pretty sturdy.

Once the basket is secure in place, I also added another towel on the inside to create a bed for all the harvest pieces which will spill out of the cornucopia.

Then I gathered all the harvests pieces to add to the basket, which included pumpkins, gourds and squashes.

I started with some Spanish moss and then started layering the seasonal produce. Move stuff around until you reach the proper composition.

Finally I added filler pieces to round out the styling. I used pine cones, dried leaves, and feathers. Most of the organic pieces I used for this project were repurposed from this post {a fall harvest tablescape}.

final thoughts on the thrifted Thanksgiving cornucopia

I am so happy to finally have a Thanksgiving cornucopia. I have wanted a cornucopia of some sort through the years. Originally I wanted a Lenox Cornucopia since it coordinates with our wedding china and registry pieces.

But as the years passed and my taste evolved, I really wanted a rustic basket cornucopia. With my current lifestyle, it was perfect to find one while thrifting.

For awhile I considered making my own and if you are interested too, my friend Wendy from WM Design House created a beautiful cornucopia. She has a great tutorial on this post {How to Make an Easy DIY Cornucopia with Rope for Thanksgiving}.

I hope you enjoyed this thrifted up-cycle for the season. Don’t forget to visit Rachel at the Antiqued Journey and Donna from An Organized Life for more thrifted goodness.

get the Thanksgiving cornucopia basket look

most recent Thifted Goodies series posts

“I am grateful for what I am and have. My Thanksgiving is perpetual.”

Hendry David Thoreau

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sharing @ between naps on the porch