Magazines, Catalogs & Posters...The Origins of "thriftalina" - Part 1

Flashback to the 90's, I was the kind of kid who played with barbies, crafted at every chance & read, a lot....Books, Magazines...old books & magazines....I started to save magazines, get subscriptions to magazines, make my own magazines (& catalogs!), rip pictures & ads out from magazines and put them on my walls...I was obsessed. I would read my magazines many times over...I had some favorite articles & always wanted to know more about the photos. I started taking my teen fashion magazines and highlighting all of the Brand Companies listed in the back pages (it's how it used to be), then I would stack them up, and systematically call each highlighted company requesting any catalog or sample materials they offered. Sometimes I would write into a brand that I really liked or wanted to know more about if they didn't have a phone number. I found this to be a really successful way to fulfill a few of my tweenie desires; one- getting mail was probably the most important thing to me at that age, for some reason I was really sure I should be getting TONS of mail as an 11 year old...two - I got to find out more "behind the scenes" info from brands...like this one time a very famous candy company sent me 2 mini boxes of "new test flavors" & asked for my feedback, among other cool things, I got to feel like I was in on something new...and most notably...I got a BUNCH of FREE STUFF! Goal Achieved!

oh yeah, I have all the good ones, still!

I can thank my naturally curious nature for leading me to my next pre-teen Freebie getting activity as well. The magazine thing still (and still- to this day) in full effect, it was the height of the 90's Teeny Bopper magazines and having glossy pinups of shiny celebrities filling up our walls was just what we felt we had to do. I thankfully had friends to trade our  fave crushes' pages with so we all had very well rounded collections of clippings and little posters. I don't even know how to type what I will type next, but what do I say? I was Elijah Wood's #1 Fan...no, not "Frodo-Elijah-Wood", like "Huck Finn - Elijah Wood" , and beyond...I went way beyond...I needed to have every little piece of paper that had his bright eyed mug on it. Around this time was the release of a nostalgic and overlooked film called "The War" starring Elijah Wood (& oh yeah, that guy Kevin Costner plays his dad). The poster for this movie had none other than MY guy Elijah Wood featured prominently on it, it had to mine. I then decided that I would simply go and ask the movie theater if I could have it, I mean..who else even knew about this movie?! I don't remember the specifics, Im sure I had to wait a month or so...You see, I COULD have the "The War" poster, but I had to take ALL of the posters they were getting rid of then...I complied. I felt like I hit the jackpot, I made friends with all the movie place employees, I was "the kid who takes the posters", and I did it regularly for years.  This is how, as a tween, I haphazardly began a life-long collection of Entertainment Posters & Memorabilia...& Getting Free Stuff.

Here it is! Since I had so many other giant film posters and not enough wall space, I would rorate  out the other 2 every month or so. yep.

As an adult, I created thriftalina to share my love & knowledge of getting freebies with everyone.

I want to thank all of my friends, supporters & those brands that have sent me many a freebie ~ Part 2, along with some other special posts- coming up!