I don't know which thrifted treasure from yesterday I like best!
 The sweet, colonial-style stenciled child's rocking chair, or....
this exotic piece of fabric!
All it's sides are finished....not sure what it was/is....
but I like it!
90" x 80"

our of the corner

 Purchased years ago in a thrift store - just because it had "potential" 
 and hidden charm -  it silently occupied a corner of the garage.
 Well, no more!  
Look at all the storage!
(And that's a clothes hamper at the bottom!)
We deliberately left the old decal and a bit of original paint
to honor its vintage state.



The Holiday Weekend

Cleaning out the garage and shed
 spawned some projects.
My husband suggested using the miscellaneous and rusted pieces
to be bases for three "bottle trees".
Bottles were found curbside; rusted and miscellaneous pieces from who-knows-where?!
 
 He also transformed this and another piece
 ...into this!
Both were either garage sale or thrift store finds
that had sat in a corner for some time anticipating their transformation!
 They've already been purchased.  We have an empty corner!  Yay!

Looking Back at the Week


 We found this great brass umbrella/walking stick holder
just this past week.  My husband polished it and I think I've already
sold it on a local facebook virtual garage sale site!
(I'll be kind of sad to part with it, though...)
I liked these trays when I ran across them at a garage sale a little over a week ago.
 Light, portable and a little rusty,
the two of them have already proved their 25-cents-worth!
Outdoor trays they are.
And OH - wait till you see what I found yesterday!
These, for starters!
 A wooden box.  I have a "thing" for them...
 Pottery bowl from Shakers & Thangs, Marshall, TX
and a vintage pillow case (I ♥ the colors)!
And this desk!  OK.  It was purchased last Saturday...
repaired and painted by my husband.
He finished it this evening.
I think the desk and pillow case belong in the same room, don't you?

Northward, Ho!

 While my husband was at his meeting near Goshen, IN, I hung out here^
(the sign says "the Depot Thrift Shops)
and at another thrift store in nearby Elkhart.
Among my purchases were this jar of marbles,
 four Russell Wright plates,
 this charming creamer,
 (Oops!  This thermos was from a previous thrifting excursion....)
and an old, sturdy Sunbeam mixer!
 Behind the Depot Thrift store is the Old Bag Factory.
One could spend a full day here!
Housed in this restored building are many artisans and their wares.
Quality stuff!
I passed many minutes in the Goertzen Pottery shop.
Definitely a favorite of mine....
Beautiful walk between back of thrift store and the Bag Factory
A second stop at a Goodwill in Elkhart  (3 hardback books for $1)
and a small thrift store in Kendallville on our way home
yielded a few more goodies, too!

Saling, Saling!

 On the way to a small, neighboring town to their town-wide garage sales
I tore the fabric (above) into strips
that I tied around the lamp shade frame.
I think I like it!
If I had it to do over again, I'm not sure I would have painted it.
I would have just left it rusty...
"Don't be intimidated by audacity; be audacious, but with taste.  
You also need intuition, originality, vigor...Don't get taken in by fashion.  
A secret:  love your house; love makes miracles."
(Madeleine Castaing)
Arriving in Paulding, Ohio, we parked the car and walked.
And walked some more.
I snatched up the soup tureen when I found it for $1
and the Pfaltzgraff children's set of dishes for half of that $1!
How about THESE?  Five of them...
We found a few other items, but I'm most excited about
two pieces of furniture...
the first had been purchased at an auction of their old school.
 (I can't wait to see what wonders my husband works with it!)
The second (below) needs quite a bit of work also
but should be nice when finished!
 After lunch on the courthouse square, 
we traveled home and unpacked.
What a great Saturday!

All Over the Charts!

An unexpected invite from a friend to go garage saling yesterday
found me all over the charts in purchasing.
 (But NOTHING more than 50 cents.)
The sweet billfold above - $.10!
 This smiling wooden paper doll with magnetic clothes?
 $.25.
 Free!  (Above)  I have at least one grandson who likes cars.
Any kind of cars.   I happen to like the little people!
Can't get enough of them.
And this small molded wood 
"Behold I stand at the door and knock" plaque...$.25.
I also purchased three mid-sized clear Rubbermaid boxes at fifty cents each.
I decided not to buy any more than fit into the three.
Other purchases included 5 children's Golden Books,
a glass 2-cup measuring cup,
a stack of ten new dishwashing "scratchers" (as I call them), 
and if there was more, I forget what it was!
Just a great day weather-wise to garage sale
and even greater to spend the time with a friend...
But just wait till you see what I found toDAY--
and how I'm finishing my deconstructed lampshade.

By the way, if you want to see some of the notes/quotes that inspired me
while thumbing through some of my favorite decorating magazines
and a couple of new decorating books at Barnes and Noble,
come over to my Other Blog and read them!

She Made Me Do It

 Look what Dawn the Bohemian started!
My husband rigged up this support so I could spray paint 
a primer and finish coat of paint
on this old lampshade form.
It had served as yard art
until Dawn brought up the subject of
"the perfect deconstructed lampshade"!
Stay tuned to see where this deconstructed lampshade ends up!
And THANK YOU, DAWN!

after and before

SO...
this is how the free swing turned out!
My husband is amazing.
The cushions were thrift store finds.
We're hoping for warmer weather this weekend to give it a good workout!
(This is the before picture
taken after it was repaired and assembled
from its dismal curbside condition.)

More



If I count these two platters, the pastel-striped towel underneath them and a child's Golden Book (1950 Walt Disney's Cinderella) as four equal pieces and divide the dollar I spent yesterday, then these platters were twenty-five cents each!  I really like My Favorite Thrift Store!

one man's trash....

 We passed a trash pile today with the two pieces (above) lying on top.
 My husband judged that he could repair it, so we loaded it into the trunk of our car.
He formed two boards to replace the missing ones
and purchased two eye hooks...
and here it is!
(We're trying to decide whether to paint or stain it,
but I couldn't wait to show it.)
It sits and swings VERY comfortably.
It IS true what they say:
One man's trash IS another man's treasure.
 On another street (same town, trashed also) I found six Pyrex pie plates,
 the sugar and creamer,
(does anyone know anything about this pattern?)
 the pear jam/jelly server,
and these never-been-used fish-shaped ice cube substitutes!
 It was a fun day to be out!
There really ARE still some treasures out there.