Category: Flea Market Finds/Thrifting


Aug
2017

Adding Whimsy To My Yard

categories: DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting, Home Projects, Summer

Whimsy is defined as, “playfully quaint or fanciful behavior or humor”.

Add whimsy to your life when you can, it’s happy stuff!

That is what I did this past Saturday, I added some whimsy to my yard!

No need to go into much detail for this fun project.

I purchased two unfinished decorative dowels at Home Depot, sanded and painted.

Selected a small birdhouse from my garage stash of unfinished wood items, and again sanded and painted. Small birdhouses can be found at Michael’s or Hobby Lobby.

Added extra whimsy to the birdhouse by attaching an old knob.

Nestled the birdhouse in my vinca vines for just the perfect spot.

For the birdbath, I simply added a rescued tin pan from the thrift store to the top of one of the dowels.

I pounded the dowels into the ground first, and then using E6000 glue attached the birdhouse and tin pan.

Love the color of the birdbath dowel and the contrast with the old tin pan.

This was just a simple, one day project, that has added a colorful, delightfully friendly, and of course, whimsical touch to my yard that I will enjoy the rest of the summer.

They make my heart smile.

As the week goes on add some “whimsy” to your days, giggle, laugh at yourself and by yourself, wear some color, be yourself when no one else is looking, let your heart smile.

Love and “whimsy” thoughts to all!

 


Jul
2017

Splish Splash!

categories: DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting, Home Projects

We recently painted our upstairs bathroom and vanity in shades of gray.

Gray seems to be a popular neutral color these days.

I have been looking for wall items for months.  Surprisingly, it has been very difficult for me to find something I like that doesn’t say “flush, brush, floss”.

Just not for me, so I made a pretty cute one myself!

It is words from an “old school” song,“Splish Splash”, recorded by Bobby Darin, from years ago when I was a teenager.

Lots of folks use “old school”, so I suppose using those words with music, reflects your age.  Yikes!

It cost me next to nothing to put this together.  I used a thrift store frame that I cleaned, painted black, and finished up by printing out the words, using a “whimsy” font.

Pretty simple!

Fits great between the towel rack and mirror, perfect size.

What’s so fun is that when you read the sign, and know the song, you can’t stop humming it!

Fun for guests to read too!

Hope the week ahead is a blessed one for all!

For those of you who aren’t from my “old school” era, the song is below!


Jul
2017

Frames to Trays

categories: DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting, Home Projects

Hello, happy Monday!

Today I want to share a really easy, creative, DIY, thrift store flip, turning old picture frames into trays for your home and entertaining.

This first tray, was a beat-up wood frame that I sanded, painted black, added some cute watermelon wrapping paper under the glass, and some simple handles.

Really cute for summer, so colorful, so whimsy.

I love whimsy!

The second tray is quite different.

Forgot to take a before photo, but it was all wood, with a picture decoupaged on one side.

Removed the picture, cleaned up the wood, and sanded both sides.

I stained one side of the wood insert, and I decided to paint the other side with chalkboard paint.

Added some really nice handles, and I was finished.

This frame was a really unique thrift store find, that was turned into a one of a kind tray.

The fact that it now has a reversible insert is amazing.

Turning frames into trays is so simple.

Next visit, or maybe your first thrift store visit, take a look at all the inexpensive frames, some are new, and try creating a tray.

Endless possibilities using paper, fabric, or even photos under the glass, a little paint, and some wonderful handles.  Hobby Lobby has an entire row of handles and knobs.

Gifts?

Have a creative week, love to everyone!


Jul
2017

Musical Note Plates

categories: Celebrate, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting

One of my nieces introduced me to a wonderful antique mall and flea market.  She and her husband have a booth in the mall selling vintage toys.

It is a really large mall and takes hours to get through the hundreds of booths.

It’s heaven!

On my last visit I found these unique, fun, dessert, salad size plates.

Aren’t they great?  I have never run across any like these before.

There were only 6 in the set, but enough for any small party or celebration. Can be used for dessert, or as side plates on a table setting for accent pieces.

The black and white will go with so many other colored plates and napkins.

Finding items like these fun plates is really why I love antique malls and flea markets. You really never know what you will run across.  They were inexpensive, but now very valuable to me!

If I see that I have a free day I try to visit the mall.

When I tell my husband that I am going, it’s sweet how he says,”take your time, enjoy yourself”.  Maybe it’s “music” to his ears!  Alone time?

I cannot read music but I am sure the notes on these plates has to be “Happy Birthday to You”!

Don’t you think?

Hope your day is filled with beautiful music and love!

 


Jul
2017

DIY Chic Desk Organizer

categories: DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting, Home Projects

Yesterday I gathered together several items from my thrift store, dollar store stash, to make a chic desk organizer.

It was a fun, easy project, that I was able to finish in one day!

The wood tray and the file box are from the thrift store, and the jars from the dollar store.

I love that the inner section of the jar lids can be removed, but the jar rings can stay, allowing the jars to be open at the top for scissors and such.

Cleaned the file box, sprayed painted it and the jar lids with my favorite gold paint.

Sanded the rough spots on the wood tray and spray painted white.

To tie the items together I added angle brackets to the corners of the tray and painted the same gold.

The set looks great on my desk.  I love the way it all turned out!

Right now in my life I really feel the need to create and accomplish little things every single day.

Makes me happy!

I have a sweet little book written by Gunilla Norris, Being Home, in it she writes, “As I age, each and every day appears more and more as a gift. I want to live every one of them.”

That’s me!  Every one of them!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Live!

 

 

 


Jun
2017

Filling My $2 Basket

categories: DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting, Home Projects

Every morning before the sun is too hot I have been working in my yard, potting, planting, weeding, just enjoying the alone time.

So much yet to do, but no complaining.  My home is my happy place, my place just “to be”!

I found this twiggy basket at the thrift store and immediately knew what it could “be”!

The $2 tag was hard to pass up.

I lined the inside with an inexpensive foil pan, poked holes in the bottom for drainage, and filled it with garden soil, geraniums, and vinca vines.

To finish up I added more soil to cover the foil pan.

The thick twig handle is what I noticed first and sold me on this basket.

The pink and white geraniums are so beautiful and I knew that this basket would be just a lovely welcome on my tiny front porch. On my trips to visit my brother in New York City, I loved all the small shops that sold flowers, the ones that lined the fronts of their stores with pots and baskets of plants and flowers.  No doubt my $2 basket could be displayed perfectly in front of any lovely, sweet, flower shop.

New York, NY: flower shop

Have a lovely Friday, hope you “fill” your day with joy and love!

 


May
2017

Repurposed Plant Stands

categories: DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting, Home Projects

I’m “loving my new simple” passion of repurposing discarded items.

Breathing new life into old, forgotten objects.

It is amazing how fun and rewarding it can be to turn something someone no longer wanted into an amazing repurposed or the word I really like to use is reloved item.  Yes, there is such a word!

Found these old, dirty, rusted, plant stands at the thrift store for $2 each.  My thought at the time was to use them on my back porch.  They have been stored in my garage for months.

When planning my niece’s bridal shower I was concerned about side tables for drinks during lunch and playing games.  Buying new tables was out of the question, I simply could not afford anything new.  I searched online but any I found, goldtone, were at least $100.  Too much!

I thought of my plant stands in the garage.  Cleaned and sanded both, spray painted with my favorite gold paint, and I was so pleased with the outcome.

The gold paint added a bit of formal to the stands and the hairpin legs are so popular right now on many tables.

To complete the stands, I purchased two clear glass plates which fit perfectly into the top.

When not using as side tables, I will use for my plants in the living room area.

Hope you all have a great weekend, why not find something to relove!

Enjoy everything fun and loving in your life!

 

 


Mar
2017

Simple Kitchen Message Board

categories: Flea Market Finds/Thrifting, Home Projects

Saturday was another really dreary day, no sun at all!

I need sunshine!

Decided to make my own “sunshine on a cloudy day” by working on a fun “find it, fix it” project.

A simple message board for my small kitchen.

Found this piece at a community church yard sale some time ago, broken, and missing a section, but I saw potential.

By simply adding a fresh coat of chalkboard paint to the top piece, and a new cork piece, most of the project was completed.

There were many options I could have used for the missing piece on the lower area, adding a small shelf, a wire basket, but eventually decided on just adding a smaller piece of wood, painted, with knobs, hooks, and a large wooden paper clip to hold my post it notes.

The folks at my Home Depot cut the piece of wood I needed.  They will make simple straight cuts for you when you purchase wood at their stores, which is so awesome!

So very pleased with the outcome of my “find it, fix it”.

We all need places to pin things, recipes, notes, reminders, and even a sweet photo to spark a bit of joy to our hearts when noticed during our busy days.

Hope you have ways of adding your own “sunshine on a cloudy day”!

Sometimes simple ways of adding “sunshine” are the best.

Have you ever just stopped what you are doing, grabbed a notepad, and begin writing down all the things, at that moment, you have that add “sunshine” to your life.

Try it!

It works!

Love to all.

 


Mar
2017

Finding Green!

categories: Celebrate, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting, St. Patrick's Day

Cold, rainy, sleet, thunder, and even tiny hail fell today, St. Patrick’s Day.

In my husband’s oatmeal bowl this morning I left him a little something green for a treat.

His grandparents came from County Galway, Ireland, as I wrote about last St. Patrick’s Day.

He is weary, his brother is very ill in a hospital in Arizona. There is much on his mind.

He smiled as he found his surprise, and enjoyed his shamrock cookie with his coffee. The smile was enough right now.

On my weekly visit to our local thrift store, I found a little green myself, a sweet bowl for 25 cents.

Loved the shape and the scalloped edges.  It was marked on the bottom, E. O. Brody Company, Cleveland, Ohio.  Checked listings online and found my little bowl selling for as much as $20.  Just love it, and I will use it every year around St. Patrick’s Day.

Most of us collect or accumulate special treasures during our lives, I have added the little green bowl to mine!

Happy findings today, whether it is enjoying a cookie, or just sharing a smile with someone you love!


Feb
2017

Flea Market Flips

categories: DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting, Home Projects

My new must watch TV is a show on HG TV called “Flea Market Flip”.

Two teams shop flea markets to find three items to fix up and flip (resell) for profit.  The team with the most net profit at the end wins $5000.  The flips are amazing!

I started to visit my local flea markets and thrift stores just to see what was possible for me as a beginner.

Today I am sharing my first find, and simple fix up!

A candle sconce, with simple lines, that is now a gold and beautiful addition to my home.

This is how it looked when I purchased it for 50 cents. Dust and dirt in every corner with slight scratches here and there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I cleaned it up and simply spray painted with my favorite gold paint.

I added a battery operated candle to complete, adding some warmth to the item.

A bunch of options for this 50 cent find, hang it in a corner, place on my dining room table, or on my desk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allowing myself to be a beginner I started small, but small flips first, building on each project.

I found this light fixture for sale on Overstock.com, maybe as I grow as a flipper I would have this vision for my candle sconce!

La Pedriza Antique Black Finish Glass Chandelier

Turn it upside down and add the lighting works!

Somewhere I read that for a happy life you need three things, someone to love, something to do, and something to look forward to!

I have folks to love, and now finding and fixing up items is my new something to do and to look forward to!

Have a happy day!