Fancy Smancy Frenchy Table

Gee, I haven't posted anything new since 2013. Oh, I've started at least 3 new posts that never got finished, and now here we are into April. Time sure does fly!

You can usually tell my excitement for Spring by my anticipation for blooming flowers in my gardens, especially after the long, snowy winter we've just had this past year.  

We STILL have a 2 tiny piles of snow left in our yard, & no, we didn't just get hit with that snowstorm that Minnesota & the Dakotas (& Canada) just got a week or so ago (thank you Lord!)

 

Of course, these piles are from the massive piles that my husband created from plowing our driveway & we live in the woods, so the shade from the trees help to keep them around even longer than usual.

I do have some very tiny flowers blooming right now, so that's good to see!

These little blue ones are some escapees that I need to transplant somewhere else. I've learned that these will spread like crazy if left unchecked! I want them by the edge of my woods, behind my garden shed where they can just "go to town!"

My poor looking Rhododendron tree took a hard hit from the long term freezing temps. It's looking pretty rough! I wonder if I'll get very many blooms on it this year? It's never looked this bad in the 11 years we've lived here.

This is what it looked like last year in 2013, I guess we'll see what May brings for it.

 

However, as much as I LOVE to see my plants and flowers emerge in the spring, there just might be one other thing I love a tiny bit more....

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...GARAGE SALES!! 

In years past, it's been warm enough once in a while that there might be some as early as late March & even more in early April. This year, nothing in March in my small town. But there was one yesterday in a nearby town. I tried to be good & not go there, and I didn't! Buuuuut, I learned that my sweet hubby was working in that town & it just happened to work out that he was able to go scope it out for me at the end of the day. I'm sure there was more there that I would have probably liked, but what he sent me pictures of with his phone was enough. 

He found a wicker-like birdcage, a pitcher and bowl in a wash stand, and this beauty!

I had no idea the table looked this pretty based on the photo my hubby sent. It had pillows sitting on one side & a throw on the other & it was far away, so I didn't notice the inlay detail.

It does have a repair that looks easy enough to take care of. I've dealt with worse.

I had my husband do a little wheelin' & dealin' on a price for everything - a little "bundling".... you know, American Pickers style!

I want to get started on this piece right away, because I have an Artisan Market on May 3 that will have the kind of clientele that just might be in the market for something like this. I'd love to keep it myself, but I don't think it's a right fit in my woodsy, rustic home. Well, I could if I wanted to redo the entire living room over, which would be much to my husband's dismay.

So keep your fingers crossed that you'll get to see a post on the finished table! (and maybe say a little prayer that we have great weather for the artisan market too)

A Little Bit on the Primitive Side

I have been making crafts since I was a child when I would hand sew my own Barbie accessories from my mom's left over pieces of fabric and trims.  

I was drawn more to the domestic types of classes and our high school even offered a Crafts class one year. I just always loved being creative.

I'm also what I refer to as an ADD crafter. I have a vast array of interests and never seem to stick to one kind of craft. I just love it all! There are some I'd like to try, but do realize that I have an attention span of a gnat and I would lose interest before completing them. I've finally gotten smart enough to spot these projects and avoid them in spite of the temptation. Oh, I still have project completion issues, but they have improved with my age.

This recent project is a somewhat simple one and for the most part, turned out very nice. It's not exactly MY personal taste, but would still be happy to have it in my home. I like some things primitive looking, but not all out primitive. I think I like the rustic country, on-the-verge-of-shabby-chic look. My home doesn't look anything like that either, so I don't know what difference it makes what my tastes are. HA!

These were your basic varnished wood with a medium shade stain variety.  I do have to admit that I stole the design idea from somewhere online. But you see, I had no plans to make this project when I seen it, so I never saved the site of where I saw them or I'd give credit where credit is due. It just so happened that later that same week, I was at a garage sale and found these Salt & Pepper shakers and couldn't resist redoing them. (Here is quite possibly a not-so-interesting story) as I was walking around the sale with these in my hands, a guy came up and asked if I was going to buy them. I told him "Yes" but I'm thinking to myself, "Ummm, yeah dude. I ain't just carrying them around to find a better spot on the table for the lady having the sale." I know, sometimes you have to hold onto stuff until you make for final decision and you may change your mind. I don't know about you, but I don't think I would have the guts/nerve to ask someone if they're actually going to buy what they have in their hands. It was a first to happen to me.

I have been working on so many other projects and painting up a storm, but don't have many of those things completed yet. 

Apparently though, Thursday was enamelware day at the sales. I found 4 pieces at 2 different sales. I forgot to add the red teapot, but it's not vintage or unique, so nothing to get upset over.

The boxes are white, but the chamber cup is the same color as the table, a bluish grey. I want to add some vinyl lettering to these pieces. I love the huge box with the handled lid. I've seen ones that say BREAD, but I'd like to make this one different. I'm leaning towards LAUNDRY. It won't hold powder soap because the bottom is rusted through all around perimeter.  It could hold extra toilet paper, but what could it say to elude to that & still be cute? The other pan has 2 holes on each side like maybe it had handles and the lid doesn't exactly fit in the length, but pretty darn close, so I don't think it actually goes with it.

So that is all I have for you today. Keep cool and be inspired!

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Ooooh...Look at that! These have been featured at these places

AND...

Donna's "Funky Junk" Facebook Feature 

 
Parties I'm Linking to:

Out of Control!

I think that I have to admit that I have a problem with yard sales. Today was an all out free-for-all. I spent my limit for the entire weekend all in one day and then some. Not to mention that I was sent home with a lots of free picture frames - large ones! My living room looks like a yard sale exploded in it. I need to get it cleaned out before my hubby gets home. I already told him that I went overboard, and yet he's still willing to go pick up a set of end tables and a coffee table tonight.  Unfortunately, I missed out on the tables. I guess they weren't meant to be.

Are you ready for pictures? I always say this...but what you see still isn't everything that I lugged home, but this is the majority.


This is an old trunk that my friend found for me for $10 - the latch needs a little work. The trim pieces on top were free from a sale. Not sure if I want them, but he wanted to get rid of them really bad. He could have thrown them away just as easily as I can. LOL

This is a pretty Pfaltsgraf shelf that has just a few little dings at the bottom that can be easily fixed. I will paint this up and give it a new life. It has some great curves!

These are most of the free picture frames. The little sleigh was only 50 cents.

Check out that giant key that I got!

And then, this $1 silver plated dish was necessary in order to make one of these:

(Mod Vintage Life)

Is that not the coolest? Of course, these are much prettier than the one I found, but beggars ain't gonna be choosers.



So many goodies here for CHEAP! The blue bottles were 25 cents each, but the Noxema jar was $1. The stamp stickers were 25 cents and can you believe that those rubber stamps were only 50 cents! I have wanted that NOEL stamp for yeeeeeears.

Those pieces of plaid fabric are fabric samples and I thought they looked perfect for using for a lot of my Christmas crafts. I'm sorry about how poorly I take pictures of the things I find.

The Winter plate you see here is actually a cake plate with a snowman holding him. It's part of a set of dinnerware that my husband and daughter have been buying for me for a couple of years, but now it's discontinued. Alan seemed kinda happy that I found it, even though I don't use cake plates, but it would be darling with a winter display on it too.

I also came across this primitive style cabinet. It was when I went back to get this that I was given all the free picture frames. SOOOO worth the trip back!

I have such plans for this! It's not going in my home....maybe. I think I could maybe use it in my bathroom for extra storage though.


OK, enough over stimulation for one day. What kind of treasures have you found in your searches? I'd love to see too!

And It's Monday - Again

Yes, it's Monday again, just like it was last Monday and will be Monday next week too. But next week will be a good Monday, because it's a holiday here in the States as we celebrate Memorial Day in honor of all the service men and women who have fought for our freedoms, and the freedoms of other countries as well. 

I don't really have anything exciting to share today other than some of the things I found at the local garage sales. I must say, I could have brought home much more, but some of the prices that people are putting on their stuff these days are a bit high for me. I'm not saying that this stuff should just be given away, but wow, I would only be able to buy one thing and STILL need to go to the bank to get more money to cover the cost. I forget what I saw that was like a little bit of nothing, but they wanted $35 for it! And what is it with the "$35" price tag? I see that amount on lots of things. Is it the new "$25"?  I went to Habitat to look for a chair, just a simple wooden high back chair. I don't know if I found what my customer is really wanting, but I'm giving it a shot. Is this considered a high back chair? It is when I Google it. ;^)

Habitat wanted $15 for this chair-but then again, they threw in the dirt and grime for free! I admit that this thing is solid and heavy, but I also thought $15 for a single chair was a bit much. I paid it anyway. I told the lady that wants it that she didn't have to commit to it if it wasn't what she really wanted. It will just be one more thing that will be ready to sell later down the road.

I have it all cleaned up and the first coat of home made chalkpaint on it. I have to admit that I like the style of this chair and I'm almost thinking about going back and getting the other one - yes, even at $15. My husband couldn't believe how much nicer it looked after I scrubbed it good with Murphy's Oil Soap and water.  I forgot to take a picture of it all clean though.

Here are some other things that I brought home with me in hopes of giving them a new life. I guess taking the picture in the grass in strong sunshine wasn't the best idea.

 

The tall pottery gazing ball base in the back was only 50 cents! It's needs repainted, but nothing that a can of spray paint can't fix. The picture was a $1, I'm kind of kicking myself for not getting the other one too. It's hard to tell in this shot, but it has a really pretty frame with the pale blue and ivory paint already distressed. I plan on making it into a chalkboard or dry erase board. I got both egg baskets for $2 ea. I was squealing over that! There's a small metal hanging thing that holds a clay pot that has a pip berry "tree" in it. All of that was just a $1. I really only wanted the pip berries, but might find something else for the hanger and the pot. There's also some evergreen picks sticking out of the snowman that I got for 25 cents each.

My daughter was interested in the nutcracker, since she had never seen one, except on TV. I don't know if you can tell that there's a pretty wreath in green with fall colored flowers. I'm tempted to keep it for myself. I don't know what I'll use the wooden ladybug on picks for, but they were too cute to pass up for 50 cents for all 4. Habitat had the utensil hooks - $1 for the set of 3 so I bought both sets. I guess that made up for the expensive chair. ;^)

I thought the snowman tea light burner was cute and I really liked the shape of the chicken "cutting board", which will get a different look than the chickens that are on it.

I liked this basket and for $1, I didn't think it could be beat. I've already started on it's transformation. I thought it might look pretty hanging on someone's front door. Now I'll get stuck on it trying to decide whether to just decorate the basket or fill it with decor so it's ready to hang. It's that kind of over-thinking that keeps me from finishing things sometimes.

I'm sure that I forgot to include other treasures that I found, but this is the majority. You may get to see anything that might have been forgotten in later posts after they've been given a new lease on life.

'Til then - Have a creative day!

It's Been A Good Day

I don't know that I could have asked for a better day for yard sales than today...well, there's always room for improvement, but geesh, beggars can't be choosers,  know what I mean?

It's was a gorgeous day for starters. In the low 70's. The sun was shining so brightly, it just started me off in a good mood. I like those kind of days. Who wouldn't?

Then, there was going to be a neighborhood sale in the ritzy community on the next road over. I must have gotten there a tad too early, but that worked in my favor. There was a house that had stuff sitting out by the road with a sign that said FREE STUFF. YAY!! I was nearly peeing all over myself when I seen what was there. I wanted to be greedy and take it all, but I really didn't want it all. I don't know what I missed out on because there was a car just ahead of me that was stopped, but they couldn't have gotten anything huge, they had the 2 little boys out getting the stuff. I may have scared them off early - yay me! Oops! Was that mean? From what I understand, all is fair in love and curb shopping! You have to be street smart...get it? street. curb. 

Anyway, sorry about trying to be funny. I'm just still giddy. I pull up to these free goods and there are 2 sets of ice skates. One white, one black and they're leather. I decorate skates for Christmas and they're kind of popular in these here parts. I like working with the leather ones much better than the pleather (plastic "leather") kind.

The other awesome thing that I got was this. It's over 5 ft. tall!

Of course, it's not in perfect condition including some pieces that had been replaced, but it's every bit decoration worthy. There was also an old wheelbarrow that had the metal front wheel and wooden handles. I wanted it really bad, but left it. There was an antique wooden high chair. I could have repainted it, but didn't want to mess with it either, so it stayed also along with gas powered weed eater and a golf bag wheeled cart.  The rest of those items were gone by the time I was done at the first sale. LOL

At the next sale I found this HUGE glass jar.

And here is how much I paid for this bad boy!

I tried storing all my plastic and metal cookie cutters in it, but it still wasn't large enough and it didn't look very cute. Instead, I ended up putting most of those flat glass marbles in it up in my craft room.  (never mind the torn wallpaper in the background-this room needs a MAJOR overhaul...if I wait long enough, it will all fall down on it own!)

I really needed something big (and cute looking, of course) to put ALL of them in, and out of those stupid plastic store sacks that were sitting on the floor. It didn't make a dent with the stuff sitting on the floor, but baby steps are still steps. right? 

There are going to be a ton more sales on Saturday too. I don't know if I want to go to garage sales or flea markets...the hubby says it's my choice for the weekend, since it's Mother's Day on Sunday. I was thinking flea markets, but now I'm thinking maybe garage sales since the weather is supposed to be awesome again and I can save the indoor flea markets for a yucky day.

It's tough to be me... (smile)