Presto-chango!

Good morning!  After a horribly excruciating day of online continuing education yesterday (and no, I'm NOT exaggerating, it was terrible) I'm very happy to do something on the computer I enjoy - blogging - with coffee, of course.

There isn't much originality in this post; I'm not the first, and certainly won't be the last, to paint a piece of tired furniture.  However, this project is such a satisfying reminder of exactly how wonderful a cast-off item can be after a little TLC. 

I found this little number at a thrift store for $2.95.  It was badly beaten up and the top was full of dark rings, marks, and almost deplete of finish (it had been well worn.)  The lines of the piece were adorable though, so home it came.  Also, it's made by Bassett furniture, is solid wood, and even has dovetail joints on the drawers - not your typical MDF or plywood special.  It had some "bones" to it.  I was pretty pumped! 

After it sat in our lower level for 6 weeks, I finally made time to take it out in the yard during nap time and give it the attention it deserved.  I wish I would've taken a photo before I sanded down the top and removed the drawer and hardware, but I guess I was too eager to get going and lost my "blogging head." 

I applied a couple coats of blocking primer to conceal the dark rings and a couple coats of semi-gloss white paint, then brightened up the original hardware with some Brasso, and presto-chango...my beautiful new end table!!

Now that I look at it, I may have the hardware on upside down, but I like it better that way!  It is so much more interesting than the matchy-matchy, mega furniture store coffee table/end table set we had (which is at a consignment store as we speak.)  Most importantly, I smile every time I walk in the room and see it!  My goal is to trade everything in the house that's just "there" for something that makes me smile - a piece I really love!  My quest continues with this weekend's new batch of garage sales, yard sales and maybe even a flea market or two.  What's the latest quest in your life?  Or, what have you brought back to life in your home or yard recently?  I'd love to see some makeover pictures if you're inclined to share. 

Happy Thursday - big holiday weekend upon us in the USA!  Hoping to catch some fireworks and sending you all my best.  ~J.

I was thrift store...when thrift store wasn't coooool...

Sunday is quickly becoming my new favorite day of the week for an unexpected reason, the sale at my neighborhood thrift store!  On Sundays they have a $.99 sale on clothing tagged with the colored price tag of the week.  Sunday is also the day that the next color of price tag goes 50% off for the upcoming week (and at the end of the week, the clothing items with that color tag are $.99, and so on.)

Now that you get the specifics of the sale, let me tell you what you can score on the cheap - pop-it beads for your 3 year old, a set of hot wheels knee pads for said 3 year old, random art supplies, vintage wedding dresses, felt, fabric, yarn, trims/bias tape/lace/rick rack, a bag of misc. sewing supplies, games, movies, and a Michael Crichton book your husband hasn't yet read!  Vintage sheets, pillow cases, scarves, belts and more are also prized finds.  Finally, any clothing item made from leather or suede, silk, or any other more expensive fabric.  You see, I don't wear them - I cut them apart and use them in my latest projects!  Take a gander at a few of this week's finds.

You're looking at a pair of silk pants, a silk skirt, and a red patterned skirt above, each purchased for $.99!

Here they are with a couple of their friends; a fuchsia taffeta shirt and 2 taffeta napkins (which were $.20 each I might add.)

This is so beautiful!  For what I'd spend on a yard of fabric I got 2 bags worth of gorgeous inspiration!  I see pillow covers, wrapped headbands, wrapped bangle bracelets, a runner for my dining room table and so much more.  I'm reusing items already in our stream of goods, thereby being some shade of green.  Need I say more?  Are you as excited as I am?

I wasn't always this excited about thrift store finds.  When we were young our mother shopped at thrift stores (a family of 5 on a teacher's salary...not surprising.)  Looking back, we got some pretty neat things there, but along with them came a certain amount of sour grapes because they were from a thrift store and not a department store.  Needless to say, today I'm very thankful for the patience to scour the racks and bins in search of "treasure" and equally thankful that I was introduced to thrift stores so early in my life, allowing time for my appreciation of them to grow.  It's a pleasure now to hear my son call it "the arts and crafts store" and see his face light up when he finds a whole pail of beads and string that mom says, "sure honey, we can buy that" because it only costs $.99 after all!   

As I prepare to sign off for today, there is a pic of some fabulous vintage scarves (or kerchiefs, perhaps?) that I scored today.  I see one at the center of my table with a vase of fresh, spring flowers on it.  I see another on my nightstand, a book and glass of water sitting atop it.  Finally, I see one wrapped around my ponytail (if my hair gets long enough for that sometime soon!)  How about you?!  How would you use these beauties in your life?