Repurposed Table

I have a new addition to my living room today.  I have been looking FOREVER for an old table that I could convert to a coffee table.  I have wanted something like a farmhouse table with a planked wood top.  It has been a problem finding one that would work because it had to be one that was not too large.  It seems like everything I came across was either too big or too small.  Yesterday I decided to trot down to a local antique mall and see what I could find.  Low and behold, as I walked through browsing the booths, I saw a smaller table that I thought just might work.  The price tag stated: "Farm House Table  - $45.00".  For only $45.00 I was liking it even more! It even had the planked wood top that I wanted.  I decided to buy it and off I went, back to the homestead.  The next obstacle I had to overcome was my husband, who wasn't too crazy about cutting the legs off my new table.  I have to say I do understand where he is coming from.  I think from time to time about all of the old items that are being defaced these days because of the repurposed craze that has become so popular. I guess it is a result of being from a here and now, consumer driven society.  I tried to justify my guilt as I watched my husband cutting off the legs by telling myself that its ok because it's not a table that is anywhere near in perfect condition right? In addition to that, it was only $45.00 and it is not like it will not be used, but just used in a different way right? Now that it is said and done, some guilt resides but I have to say, mostly what I think about as I sit here in my living room is, "I really love my new table!"  Here is a peek at it:

Planked wood top. Lovin it!

Along with the table I also found an old painting from Italy that has a beautiful oak frame.  I thought it would be great hanging in a little corner of the living room. 

I bought this shabby little white shelf at a flea market awhile back. I love the primitive look of the finish. I think shelves are so perfect for any room in the house because you can change the displays on them and in turn, change the feel of an area. 

I found this old basket at a yard sale this past weekend.  The woman selling it stated that she bought it about 30 years ago and thought she had paid about $90.00 for it back then.  I scored it for a whopping $10.00!  It works great for magazines.  I have soooo many magazines and decorating books I can never have too many baskets to put them all in.  I am thinking about searching for a huge, older basket to place underneath my new coffee table to store all of them in.

One small corner of the living room is finally coming together.  I recently made the seat cushion that sits in the wicker chair.  I got the idea from a pic of a seat cushion in a magazine that really captured my eye because it blended two types of fabric patterns.  I think it turned out pretty well considering I am no real pro when it comes to sewing. 

The next piece added to my living room will be my new sofa.  I ordered it awhile back and it should be ready this month.  I can't wait!  My husband and I have been using the love seat I have had for a number of years and it is a bit uncomfortable to lounge on because it is way too short.  I am always striving to create the most comfortable environment possible in my home for my husband and I.  From towels in the bath that feel soft and fluffy, the pillows to rest our head on that feel just right, to the quilts and candles in the living room that provide a sense of coziness. I want it all to come together to be a place of respite from the busy world, a place that truly brings us peace.  I have to post some new items for my Etsy shop so bye for now!   Angie





Lacy Knickers and Estate Sale Stickers

I got up early on Saturday morning and headed to the computer to compile a list of places to hunt for treasures. I don't know about you guys, but treasure hunting gives me a rush like a child has the night before Christmas!  I always find it very hard to sleep the night before amidst the process of thinking about what I hope to find, the wondering about what I will find, and the worrying about who may get there before me and grab up the great booty before I arrive.  When its all over I am usually physically, mentally, and emotionally drained.

Well, on Saturday, all of the anxiety and excitement that led to only four hours of sleep was worth it because I came home with some great stuff!  Most of it was found at an estate sale.  The man who was having it was my favorite kind of estate sale vendor. The kind that wants nothing more than to just get rid of his wares. I found some great bargins but my husband and I actually found ourselves feeling bad for the gentleman who had the sale.  He said overall, it had been really slow for him. He had alot of very nice items (china, silver, crystal) but he stated people just weren't buying.  I sure hope this economy turns around soon.  Anyway, here are some pics of some of my finds. Some of them will wind up in my Etsy shop but some, I just can't bring myself to let go of.

There was china

Lots and lots.......

of beautiful china.

There was framed tapestry

and other interesting pieces of framed art. This I am not crazy about but.....

I do love this wooden, distressed frame. This is going to become a

framed chalk board that I will sell in my Etsy shop.

There was silver

and wonderful, old books.

 

But one of my favorite finds of all was this very old Young Ladies Journal

And these too!  There were actually a total of four of these wonderful journals.

Some are dated as old as 1882.  As I sat and looked through one of them I began to imagine how it must have been all those years ago. Clothing, home decor items and architecture were all so much more elegant, detailed, proper and well crafted.

   

Apparently this was their idea of a night gown. No wearing hubby's big ol' t-shirts to bed like I am known to do

The clothing reflected elegance and class versus comfort like so much of today's apparel. No room for a t-shirt and jeans kind of girl like me I guess.

It seems that even their undergarments were quite refined.

Check out these ever so lacy drawers and knickers.

How in the world did they wear all those garments at one time? The corsets, the stockings, the drawers and the long dresses.  Can you imagine?  Especially in 100 degree heat like it was today with no air conditioning. It amazes me.

I stopped to think about what those refined women of the past would think about the woman of today with our ol' jeans, belly piercings and tattoos that seem to have become ever so popular with women recently. Times have definitely changed huh ladies?

Have a great week!      -Angie

New Finds

I absolutely looooove shopping for new finds for the shop. I have found however, that the searching itself can become an addictive process. I tell myself I will go to one specific place to look. Then I decide maybe I should head over to just one more place to have a look around. Before I know it, it turns out to be hours of treasure hunting. I just can't help myself. I keep thinking about opening up an antique booth. There are alot of large finds I run across that are really great bargains. There is actually a new antique mall that just opened up in our area that is in great need of vendors. It's very anxiety provoking for me though. Especially in this economy. I don't mean to be pessimistic but the booth rent is expensive and I don't know how in the world vendors even cover their space much less make a profit. It seems like the way to go would be to have another person go into the business with me.  Unfortunately, my sisters live more than a thousand miles away and none of my friends share my passion for antiques. I guess for know I will just have to stick with my online shop. One leap I think I will take is to post an ad of my online store in Somerset Life magazine. I LOVE this mag! Hopefully it will help to increase my sales. It's worth a try. Never been too much of a risk taker. Gotta work on that one! Anyway, here are some finds I found recently on my recent treasure hunts.

I love old ads. Found this beauty at a Flea Market. $20.95

 

Isn't this old box beautiful? I found it at an antique shop. $14.95

This is an estate sale find. Silver is always so elegant looking.

Sold

Lil' old scoop. These are so great for sugar, flour, pet food or potpourri.

$7.95  

Such a pretty old creamer. So dainty looking.

$10.95 

I love the worn patina of old tins. I think they look

so great displayed on a shelf in the kitchen or filled with dried flowers.

$12.95 

This bowl has a very English look to me. I found her at a Flea Market.

$16.95

I fell in love with the buttery colored, worn finish on this old silverware tray. It is really

hard to let it go. I thought it would look so great as a small shelf.

$14.95

I thought I would start combining some things to sell together.

These would be a neat addition to a mixed media project

and they are housed in a silver plated small cup. 

$9.95

I found this old scoop in a shop off of the beaten path in Arkansas.

The vendor said it was used to scoop and measure strawberries. 

I thought it would be a great piece to add to a vignette. 

$15.95 

I hope you guys enjoy a safe and fun Fourth of July!

           -Angie

Reap What you Sew

I completed a sewing project about a year or so ago that I am pretty darn proud of, considering that I haven't touched a sewing machine in over 20 years!  I desperately wanted a slipcovered white couch ever since I laid eyes on Rachel Ashwell's beautiful Shabby Chic couches.  Unfortunately, they have been waaaaay out of my price range for quite some time.  It has only been recently that I have started to feel that the eight plus years I spent in higher education WILL actually pay off.  For at least a decade of my life however, the shabby chic look fit perfectly with my low budget lifestyle because you can find such great items to decorate with for a very inexpensive price.  LOVE IT!  Anyway, I thought since I couldn't afford to buy the couch I wanted, maybe I could make my own slipcovers.  When I began to price fabric I  realized that even making it would cost a pretty penny.  I began to research and found a woman online who had made slipcovers out of white cotton sheets.  I thought it was worth a try so off I went to Target to buy my supplies.  I believe it took about three queen sheets to complete the project at about $15.00 each.  Not too bad huh?  I also found a tutorial video online that showed how to make slipcovers step by step.  Want to see the finished product?  Here she is:

They may not be perfect but overall, I am happy with the results.  They are great too because you can bleach them when they become heavily soiled or stained.  They have stood up to it very well. 

That comes in real handy seeing that my four legged children seem to think it makes a perfect doggy bed.  I promised myself when my Yorkies were puppies that I was going to train them to stay off of the couch.  But come on, look at that face?  Could you resist it? 

     One day, I WILL have my dream couch with washable slipcovers.  But for now, this one will work just fine.  Amazing what you can come up with when you put your mind to it!

Check out more great creations bloggers have made to save a penny at: http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/

I am in the process of putting my townhouse together since my husband and I recently moved into it.  Believe it or not, we had just moved into a townhouse about four months ago and then the landlord informed us it was being forclosed on.  I hope that this will be that last move for awhile as I am definately all moved out!  We have finally broken down most of the boxes lying around and now it is time to focus on decorating the place.  I'm excited about a find I discovered in a drawer today that I totally forgot I had.  I found it at a thrift shop awhile back and I thought it would make a great curtain for the living room window. 

It's lace, white, and cotton.  For me, it doesn't get much better than this!  I am always amazed at the great fabrics I have found at thrift stores to decorate my home with.  This one is actually already a curtain so that means less work for me. Yeah! 

The walls in the living room are still looking pretty white and bland and the only other thing that I have attempted to decorate in the area so far is a small table at the foot of the stairs.  It was also bought when my budget was very small.  It was actually a sewing machine table at one time.  

I love the look of candles in a room.  Can't get enough of them!  At times, some of the rooms in my home look a bit more like midnight mass than a home living area.  What can I say?  To me, they make a space feel so serene and calming.  I decided to top this small table with a potted bunch of branches that sport a small string of white lights.  I saw this idea in a magazine awhile back and I was hooked!  I think it adds a romantic bit of flair to a room.   

I will leave you with some pics of a few new finds I recently posted in my Etsy shop. 

Old Tobacco bags at $2.99 each.  I love the aged look of the fabric!

Shabby Ice Bucket, $20.95

Chicken Feeder, $11.95.  These things are so great to hold

various things in any room in the house!

Vintage Large Wooden Beads, $6.95 for 6. SOLD  Great for

mixed media/altered art projects.  Did you see what I recently

created with one of them?  Check out last post.

Vintage Green Flower Frog, $9.95

Vintage Train Case, $17.95.  These things are so great to use as

storage for supplies in your craft studio.

It's getting late so I am off to bed.  Have a great week guys (all two of you who follow this blog.  hee hee).    -Angie

Something From Nothing

Somerset Life magazine always leaves me feeling inspired to keep my eye out for random, vintage little items I can use to create something neat.  I was at a small flea market this last weekend and I came across this box of little old wood pieces.  I was immediately drawn to them because of the look of the chippy, faded, wood finish.  When I took it up the the gentleman who ran the market he said, "Oh my gosh, you found these old things!  I keep trying to throw them in the trash but my wife keeps putting them back out here."  Sure enough, I bought them.  I had no idea what I was going to do with them but I felt like they were longing to be something. 

The flea market vendor said he thought they use to be pieces of a beaded doorway curtain. 

Later that day, I sat in my craft studio looking at them, asking myself what these little pieces might become.   It dawned on me that I had some vintage scraps of lace that were all disorganized in a Ziploc bag. I thought they would be well used as little spools for my lace.

But I still wasn't satisfied. I needed to create something from them.  I began to gather up various things around the studio such as a scrap of vintage lace, a pic from The Graphics Fairy  (love her), pieces from a vintage book page, the wire that held the wood beads together when I bought them, some linen, and an old bead from a bag of vintage jewelry I purchased awhile back.  This is what it all came together to become:

One of the things that I used in the piece was a small scrap of linen with old music text transferred onto it.

I recently discovered transfer paper. It makes it so easy to transform fabric into something really special to use in art projects!  I especially love the look of old text or pics transferred onto linen.

I guess it is fitting that my little creation incorporates the theme of becoming.  What better way to symbolize becoming but with a butterfly.  As I sat and made it, I thought about the wonderful gift we all have of constantly becoming.  The older I get, I believe more and more that we truly are the authors of our lives.  The choices we make on a daily basis carry our life story forward in new directions.  What a blessing that we are always a work in progress, with room to learn and grow!  

Check out these other creations made with great, random things:

From Somerset Life magazine April/May/June 2010

Are these typewriter keys? I'm not sure but old typewriter keys do make a great item to incorporate into an art project.

From Somerset Life magazine April/May/June 2010

Use some old bottles, vintage jewelry and maybe even some great ephemera to create a beautiful way to store buttons, bath salts and more! These bottles were created at an event called Silver Bella. Its an event in Omaha, Nebraska where people come together from all over to take part in a weekend filled with various art workshops taught by some of the best in the art community. Sounds neat huh?

From Somerset Life magazine April/May/June 2010

I love how this piece incorporates an old playing card and pages from an old book.

Great Etsy Finds

I found some great things on Etsy that are just waiting be used to create artistic treasures.  Take a look.

Petite doilies from My So Called Junky Life 

Only $2.50 for 6!

Love, love, love all of the neat little items found at DK General Store  

23 Vintage number tacks for $25.00 

10 Vintage 45rpm record adaptors $25.00 from DK General Store

5 Vintage drawer knobs for $14.00 from DK General Store

Ephemera Pack for $10.00 from

Ruth and Naomi Treasure

10 Vintage Flat Keys for $7.00 from Sommer Breeze Antiques

15 Pieces of Rhinestone jewelry for $14.00 from Rusty Charm

Almost the weekend guys!  Yeah!  Hope you have a great one.

  Til next time.   -Angie