tada!!!

while we were redoing the kitchen last winter we had decided to get a new table and chairs.  I sold the 40's drop leaf that was warped and beginning to loose it's veneer.  We bought a set at the Restore planning to paint it.  AH hated it from the start, yes he was there when we bought it.  We discussed what we both wanted and after much talk decided a long farm house table with turned legs that would sit at least 8 was the best compromise.  I started looking on line and in local stores.  I did find exactly what we wanted until I checked the price tag.  Just under $3000 for the set.  No way was that happening in our house.  Neither one of us are status conscious needing fancy expensive things to make us happy.  We turned to the solution that we reach so often, we would make it ourselves.  I found a guy on E-bay that did turned legs and we bought the rest of the wood at a big box store, total cost for materials $200, that included the stain and finish.  Throughout the summer I kept my eyes open for chairs that would work.  Lucky timing at a half price Goodwill sale yielded 4 chairs, a stop at a grocery store parking lot fund raiser found the last 4.  They were all solid and well made but needed refinished.  That was the only disagreement we had with the whole project. AH is one of the "if it's wood it must stay that way" kind of people.  I think anything but the most valuable antiques are fair game for paint. With a wood floor and some large natural wood antique pieces we did not need any more wood tones in the room.  With a coat of satin spray paint and new seat covers on the padded chairs they look great. Total cost for the chairs including 4 cans of paint $61.  total new dining set cost $261 and about 20 hours of labor.  It was finally finished yesterday and took it's place in our home where it will stay for years to come.  thanks to my wonderful, talented husband for spending the time making just exactly what we wanted.

AH put the top and legs together in the house.  If it needs to go out it will need to be taken apart.

Kerig jig and pocet screws for a strong solid table

We deliberatly made the top preworn to match the rest of the room

instant table update

I found this aquarium stand at a rummage sale.  It was covered in spider web, rust s and dirt, but it was only $1.  A quick clean up, a new coat of rust preventing paint and a 12X24 tile glued on with epoxy was all it needed. It's a cute table for outside or for giving your room a touch of industrial chic.  Total cost about $5.  It's already at the resale shop.

junking finds

I've hit a lot of sales this last week.  These are just a few of my favorite finds.  I really need to find some place to store my goodies before I work on them.  Do you think I could talk AH in to buying another building???

console table, perfect $15

bench in perfect condition $10

shelves free

Windsor rocker $5

Carved mirror $5

carving detail

one of a pair of little shelves $3

junking score

Things often come to me in the most unexpected ways, so I always keep my eyes open when I'm out and about.  There is no big secret to scoring great junk beyond being open for it and letting everyone know your a junker.  you also have to go out searching for things on a regular basis, but that's the best part.

Found this new pillow in a thrift store on half price day, cost $1.50.  It had a $36 price tag on it

A fried droped this off at my house out of the blue thinking I might like it.  Full size hand crocheted bed spread with thick fring it is absolutly gorgeous.  I may use it as a spread but it would make a great table cloth too.

junking finds

free table before

after

book case just needed a quick coat of paint

junkin finds

A couple of weeks ago we had  our city wide garage sale.  We have them twice a year and people come from miles around.  With such a small town if you have a sale on your own, unless it's huge you will get far fewer customers.  I don't like having them but I do love to go.  I've gotten many great treasures over the years and I'm always amazed at what people will get rid of for such a small amount of money.

Concrete pedestals and pot along with some great wire baskets and wonderful cupcakes for a donation to our church youth camp.  I am always so proud of how hard these kids work during the year so they can go to camp.

brass bird house along with a smaller one $5 for both

brass tray table donation to a church $20

two prim chairs for .25 each  I'll add screen and moss and plant flowers in them

concrete urns $30 a lot of cash for me but they are antiques and will last for many years

I didn't know what this was but it looked like a house for $1 and I thought I'd put a fern in it.  It is a golf ball holder

charming foot stool with storage $5

more projects

frame painted soft aqua, I'll probably add string or chicken wire for a message board

   

just a wuick coat of paint for these shadow boxes

this little table is really black with wax on it.  The drawers need little knobs

a nice finishing touch is adding book pages or music to the inside bottom of the drawers

work in progress, those insert panels look like vintage tin but are really wall paper.  This stand needs wax and i bought a marble tile that will be the top

all this little table needs are the buttons to fill where the screws go to take it from a $5 purchase to a $25 sale piece

I'm still working on my painting projects.  The sun room, kitchen and yard look like a bomb has gone off.  Plenty of the things I pick up at sales have just a little work needing to be done.  Replacing a knob, a coat of paint or a finishing detail can really improve the look of a piece.

shabby chic

I like to keep things interesting and busy in my life so I signed up to do a vintage home show this fall.  I've been picking up small pieces at thrift shops and rummage sales all summer to fix up.  I found this ugly stained table with a warped peeling top in the free pile at a recent sale.  I sanded it lightly, painted it black, distressed  then waxed it.  I pitched the top and glued on a tile I picked up for $6 on clearance.  It looks perfect and ready to sell.  The model is pretty cute too.

crazy neighbor

No not my neighbors, all of them are pretty sane.  That's what my neighbor told me after she helped me hang this chandy in a tree in the front yard.  It was $6 at GW and all I had to do was cut off the top mounting plate and use twine to hang it in the tree.  It will look great with candles for our next party.  While I really like my neighbors, I don't really care if they think I'm crazy.  Crazy is lots more fun than predictable.

junking finds

I have managed to hit a few rummage sales this year but I've been hitting it big at the Habitat for Humanity Restore where I volunteer lately.  Most of the prices are great and there is a high turnover on merchandise every week.

little tables $5 each just a little paint and repair on one of them and they will be great

Beautiful oak dresser mirror, AH's dresser needs one

what not shelf, paint it white and distress

this is the biggest colander I've ever seen, soon it will be a hanging planter

kitty yard art $1

rummage finds

While on a recent visit to see my parents, Mom and I found time to hit several garage sales.  Here are just a few of my finds.

free box

50 cent tin box

charming stool

two white baskets, I'll get rid of the giraffe

oak frames perfect for signs

I found two of these motel chairs for $15, I'll paint them in the spring

shiny containers for scrub or salt displays

I also bought a jenny Lind crib to turn into a bench but it's still in pieces.  I spent less than $50 and have plenty of other goodies to go along with these..

rummaging

We spent last weekend visiting my parents in the big city. Several subdivisions in the area were having garage sale days.  We hit several and found some great treasures.  Here's just a small part of what I hauled home.

etched mirror $4.00

mini gazing ball $1.00

great frames $1.00 Groucho looks a little scary 

picnic basket $2.00

The deal of the weekend almost new still had the tags on it recliner.  The red is much darker than  this pic  looks.  Under $300.  We've been wanting a new recliner and a good quality chair runs $700-$1000.  SCORE!!

What was your biggest rummaging score?