Wednesday, September 26, 2012

My full garage

Hubby and I took off on the bike for a few days and I saw so many cute little thrift stores I am going back this weekend with the car (maybe I will need the truck lol )
But first I need to make room in the garage.
There are so many things in the garage that need my attention its hard to know where to start. I have no idea why the garage is always so full (ok, that one, even made me laugh)



Of course I know why its always full, because I can not resist a good deal. And boy have I been getting some good deals. Remember the single beds that came with the two antique dressers. Well I have been doing the prep work on those two dressers. I have been repairing and sanding and painting. I think sometimes people do not realize how much work is involved in upcycling an old item.


Some of the laminate was peeling so I just took it off and patched the holes, and did a big of gluing here and there

 
Had to glue and nail some of the wood on the sides that had just come apart from age

 
Both dressers have been sanded and all repairs have been made

 
While the wood filler and glue dried on the outside of the drawers I decided to give the inside of the drawers a coat of paint
I intend on painting the dressers with Anne Sloan Chalk Paint
I know you don't have to sand or prime with Anne Sloan paint
but these dressers had lots of bumps and cracks so sanding was a must
And I always prime with my homemade chalk paint
This way it saves money on Anne Sloan chalk paint because I don't have to do two coats with it
So now while the dressers and drawers are drying I did a few fun projects
Will post pics of the dressers when they are finished
 
 
A few things that I picked up this week, that need a little bit of TLC
 
 
I love this little tool box, I had to put my name on it
I didn't want to take away from the rusty vintage look, so I just put my name on with silver paint
 
 
 
I want to use the gate for a back drop for a sign
So I gave it a little wash with some watered down white paint
I copied the stencil off a gasoline can I had bought at the flea market 
and then painted the ones I had bought and stenciled them
I am setting up a booth at the flea market next month and I am working on a few items to sell there
 
 
I bought this bread box to use as a power station
 
 
Because I am tired of seeing this on my diningroom table everynight
Brians head lamp and work phone sit here and charge, and if its not them it is our two cell phones
 
 
So I gave it a coat of lightened duck egg blue paint and changed the knob to an old door knob
I want to add something else to it, but not sure what.
 Will leave it like this for now until I can think of what it needs
I am open to suggestions
 
I also picked up some vintage bouys
I may do a nautical look in hubbys man cave
and if not they will look great in the garage or barn or even hanging outside
 
 
 
Aren't they cute, I love how they are all different colour and all chippy and worn
I just hung them on the milk can for this pic
 
Did I mention that I did all of this work today with a broken toe. I got up with hubby this morning and after he went to work I walked into the side of the couch
What can I say I am not my best at 4:30 am
It hurt like hell all day but I have so much to do I just made the best of it
I am such a trooper lol
 
I have been trying to think of a name for my hubby, everyone has such cute names for theirs.
Mr. Fix It, Mr Upholster, Mr Handy, Mr. Muscles
 
well yesterday I asked him to drill a hole in the power station bread box
I said can you drill a hole in the bottom corner for me for the power cord plug to come out
I even said, right hand corner bottom
I think I even pointed to where I wanted it
 
 
 
And this is what I got
A hole in the top left corner
I swear he does this on purpose so I won't ask him to do things anymore
I had thought of names like Mr. Tomorrow or Mr. I'll Do It Later
or even Mr. Couch Potatoe
but I think for now I will call him
Mr. Not So Handy lol
 
 
happy picking and happy painting
 
hugs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Friday, September 21, 2012

Thrifty Thursday

Its been a while since I have posted a Thrifty Thursday so I guess I am long over due
 
Hubby and I are taking off on the bike for the weekend, and our lil Maggie gets to hang out with the pet sitter. Don't be sad for her, Megan spoils her and probably plays with her more than we do.
 
I picked up a sweet deal the other day and have a few more painting projects lined up, but now that I have a new supply of Anne Sloan paint I am ready to get at them
well that is after our biking weekend

 
I saw these for sale online and thought that these beds would be great to make into benches
and the dressers came with the deal
Can you say score !!!!!
After we got the beds home, hubby and I had a better look at the beds and we thought these beds would be great in a spare room, so I am not cutting them up into benches YET
I left the mattress there (it was yucky)
Everything is going to get a paint job and the dressers will be up for sale
One can own only so many dressers and my house is dresser full
 
 
Here is a peak at one of the dressers, the other one is identical in looks just a little smaller, I love the handles.
 going to steal two for the bottom drawer from the other dresser
And I will have to put new knobs on the other one
 
 
 
I found two of these cute wooden ladders and I plan on taking them back to Ontario
I am going to lay pieces of barn board across them and use them as shelves to display stuff in the sales barn
 
 
Remember my old hutch that went to live with a new family
When I emptied this out I filled 4 small storage bins
This held a lot of stuff, I hope I don't regret selling it
I sold it because it was all one piece and hubby did not want to haul it back to Ontario
well I fooled him i found one that is two pieces
and after its restoration it will be going back to Ontario with us
poor boy the things I do too him
 
 
Here is the new hutch, it needs a little bit of work and I am going to make some changes to it
I like the idea of cupboards but I think these ones may have to go
I will have to play with some different ideas
 
 
 
 
I also found this cute wooden Pepsi crate to go with my cooler
Thanks to the girls at the Iron Orchid
 
 
 
 
 You can find their store and their site on facebook
 
 
 
Isn't this the cutest little table
The top is leather and I want it white
so Anne Sloan claims you can use her paint on anything
so we will give it a try
will let you know how it turns out
 
 
I also picked up 4 of these chandeliers for less than the price of one
I want to paint the chrome on these and make them look more shabby chic
I don't have the most patience when it comes to this kind of things so wish me luck
I am hoping to hang two of them in the house
 and the other two will go in the sales barn to give it that glam look
 
Well, hubby is pacing behind me, we are off on the bike for a few days
hope everyone has a great weekend
I probably won't be able to treasure hunt too much with us being on the bike
But you never know what I might make him strap on too it lol
 
 
happy picking , stay safe this weekend
 
hugs
 
 

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Thrift stores and yard sales

I apologize for not posting in over a week, hubby and I decided to take an unplanned vacation. Aren't those the best kind though, you just throw stuff in a bag hop in the car and go. Hubbies bike is having some repairs done to it so we took the car. I love going on the bike, but when we go in the car I can buy stuff lol
And you know I love to buy stuff


I want to build a house right here lol
 
 
Maybe we could build here too
Beautiful water lilies
 
 


British Columbia is so beautiful and we have been getting some incredible weather these two weeks that hubby has been off. So we decided to go see more of it, and check out some place we had not been too. I was also out of Anne Sloan paint so a 3 hour trip to The Passionate Home was in the plans too.
We had hoped to check out the Antique store in Langley while we were there, but he was closed Sunday and Monday
I was so sad , how dare he close when I want to shop

We were in two towns on Sunday and Monday when you think everything would be open. But unfortunately those are the days that most of the thrift stores are closed. How dare they close when I am on vacation and want to buy stuff lol . I got to peek in the windows and drool though, they might have to clean their windows when they open.



This sign should say, all of our thrift stores are closed on Mondays, don't visit here on Monday
They even have an empty spot to write it
Do you think my hubby called ahead and paid them to close
 



 
I did find one cute little shop open in Princeton and I bought this cute lil red wagon
Hubby did not want to be seen with me pulling this down the street
so he went and got the car
you think he would be used to me embarrassing him by now , silly man



 
This place had some interesting items and an interesting owner
I bought a cute vintage Pepsi cooler and a silver plated lazy Susan
Lets just say they both needed a good cleaning when I got home
 
 
We saw a few signs on the highway that tempted us and had us hanging for an ice cream come from this place
I have never seen 24 flavours of soft serve
But just like the thrift store conspiracy, this place was open but the soft serve machine wasn't working
It's a conspiracy, I tell ya
 
 
All cleaned up, isn't it cute
My son works for Pepsi so I had to buy this, that and it is baby blue to match my kitchen
 
 
I love the patina on tarnished silver and usually do not clean it,
 but this one was disgusting so it got a little bit of silver polish
and a good cleaning
 
 
Here are a few treasures from my weekend trip, I also bought a new hurricane lamp and orange lantern (which I collect) and the picture I bought for the gorgeous frame
 
 
isn't the frame gorgeous, I have been collecting frames to do a frame wall when we move to Ontario, any extras will be used to make chalkboards
 
I have picked up a few things since we got back home, but I will save them for another post
The weather is still gorgeous this week and we might be taking a bike trip this weekend
So I am filling up the garage this week with projects for when hubby goes back to work
he works for a month with no time off so it give me lots of time to work in the garage
But for the rest of the week we are going to enjoy the nice weather
 
 
Hope everyone is enjoying this warm weather, and having a great week
 
Happy picking and painting everyone
 
hugs
 
 

Monday, September 10, 2012

September 11 2001

September 11 2001
 is a date that no one will ever forget. I could not do a post today about upcycling and bargain shopping. And yet I could not let this day go by without speaking my thoughts.
This day is the day that the world stood still and we all held our breath and prayed. We prayed for the lives lost and for the lives affected by those losses. We were angry, we were scared and we were heart broken.
I was at work and I wanted to run and gather my children and grandchildren and hold them in my arms. I wanted to see them and hold them and keep them safe. I could not believe what had happened and in my mind it seemed so unreal.
The world will never forget the heroes and the sacrifices that were made that day to save others.
I will never forget that day and I hope to never have to witness anything like it again.
 
This date is also very special to me, on September 11 2002, I was at work at the YWCA women's shelter and housing complex. On that day one of the tenants that lived in the permanent housing went into labour quicker than she had expected. With only three of us in the office, one girl got on the phone with 911 and me and the other girl went to the girls apt. Well this baby was in a hurry to arrive and we helped deliver the baby before the ambulance had a chance to get there.
 
I am the mother of 5 so I have done the birth thing before, but trust me its different when your in the doctors place. We both tried to be calm so we would not upset the young Mom, but I was a nervous wreck. The baby arrived very healthy and very quick, the ambulance showed up about 10 minutes later. I can not explain how I felt to be part of this babies birth and to bring this little girl into the world.
 
This is the memory I like to remember on September 11. Please don't get me wrong I am not forgetting anything that happened or any of the pain and tremendous loss that occurred on Sept 11 2001.  But today although I mourn the loss of the many lives that were lost that day,  I also remember the life that came into the world on that date 1 year later.
 
This little girl who came into the world into my arms the second she was born. I remember her little face and her wrinkled little body. I can still here her first cry and see the joy on her Mothers face. I can still remember the relief that I felt that the baby and her Mom were alright. I did not know when I woke up and went to work that day, that I would be part of such an amazing experience.
And I was so excited to go home and tell my children what I had done at work that day.
 
So today while my mind remembers all the pain and loss that occurred on Sept 11 2001, my heart swells at the memory of that little girl who came into the world on Sept 11 2002.
 
I wish I could share a pic of her, but all of my pictures are in storage in Ontario.
Today I know all of you will remember that dreadful day and remember where you were that day and all the emotions you felt. I will also think of the horror of that day, but I will also have a very heart warming memory of that date too.
 
And today I want to wish a very special little girl
 
a very
 
 Happy 10th Birthday
 
 
Happy Birthday
 
 
 Liberty
 
 
I hope you are having a wonderful happy life and that you are safe and loved
 
And to everyone reading this post I wish all of you the same
 
hugs
 
 
 
 
 
 





Friday, September 7, 2012

Prep Work Prep work

I love a finished product, something that I pulled out of the garbage or found in a barn or at a yard sale, flea market or thrift shop. Giving a new look and a new life to something that others thought was junk but you thought had charm.
Some say its vision and talent to be able to see beyond what an item is, beyond to what it could be. I don't know about having vision or talent lol. But I love items that have a history and charm. These things call to me and sometimes I know what it will look like when I finish it before its even been paid for.

I think this week was mirror week, I had a couple of mirrors in the garage that needed a makeover. And then today one more mirror made its way into my garage, not sure how that happened. (that's what I am telling hubby) poor boy, keeps thinking he is going to get some room in the garage for his stuff.


 
Here are the three mirrors that I have been working on this week
 
 
The first mirror was off an old dresser I think, it has been prepped and painted black
I was going to leave it black, but I think I may put a colour over top and distress
this one is still in the works
 
 
 
Here is the second mirror
I was so busy getting these guys prepped that I almost forgot to take a before pic
As you can tell this mirror was painted brown, and it has layers and layers of paint on it
 
 
I have run out of Anne Sloan Chalk paint, so I mixed up my own chalk paint for this mirror
I painted it with two coats of  homemade chalk paint
The third mirror is off of a dresser that I am just priming for now because I need to buy some more Paris grey paint
After I did that little end table I decided that I want to paint the dresser the same colour and use it for a spare room
 
 
Here is my cute little $2.00 table that will be my spare room side table
 
 
This is the dresser and the third mirror, I am prepping to paint with Paris Grey
I know some of you liked the appliques on the bottom,
 but I have some cute handles that did not look good with them
so off they went, I tried to save them but they came off in pieces
I can be a little destructive at times
ok all the time
I am not the most patient person, I think that's what I like the most about chalk paint
Quick dry time
 
 
 
 
And here is the brown mirror all painted and distressed, doesn't it look cute with my little cherubs
And just what hubby wanted something else old and distressed in the house lol
He should know from hearing stories about me when I was a kid
You tell me you don't like something and i will just do it more lol
 
 
livingroom
 
 
Can you get a livingroom any smaller
remember I can't paint walls or change the window coverings
trust me its killing me
 
And here is the mirror in the living room, yes I have a dresser in the living room, doesn't everyone lol
 
The house we rented in Kamloops for 6 months, (2 years ago) the house is very tiny, so I try to make the best of it
we fell in love with the large yard and the scenery because we are on the river
and the fact that we have the garage was bonus too, so we put up with the tiny house
remember it was only supposed to be for 6 months lol
But I am really looking forward to having a bigger home in Ontario
Bigger home means more stuff yaaaaaaa
 
Wait till you see the lil hutch I found yesterday
sssshhh don't tell hubby
 
happy picking and painting everyone
 
hugs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Monday, September 3, 2012

It was a holiday weekend, really?

With hubby working all weekend it was just another day to us. His schedule is work 4 weeks straight with no days off, then he gets two weeks off. They work this schedule because all the guys are from Ontario out here on contract and they fly home on their two weeks. So with him working that kind of schedule weekends don't mean much, sometimes I don't even know its the weekend.
 
Except for Sundays, because Sundays are flea market day, I know Saturday is yard sale day too. But I did the yard sale thing for most of the summer and I think all the good stuff is gone now. I still seem to find good things at the flea market. I have not done thrifty Thursday's for a while because I am downsizing and working on the projects in the garage.
 
So I thought I would share a few things I have picked up lately,



I found these two chairs at a local thrift store and new someone would love them. I can upholster chair pads but whole chairs are bit much for me. So I sold these as they were and the girl that bought them is going to have my buddy Nicole give them a makeover. She promised to email me a pic when they are done and I will be sure to post it. She was so excited about them, makes me happy to find things for others. I can't wait to see their new look.

 
I picked up a couple of mirrors that I have taped and ready for paint. One of the mirrors I am going to make into a chalkboard
 

 
Picked this wrought iron candle holder up at the flea market for $2.00. will be great outside, this thing would never blow away, it is really heavy
 

 
 
I love these cute little matching frames, they make great lil chalkboards for initials
Like these ones below
 
 
These initial frames where copper with a tacky picture in them, I picked them up for $2.00
covered the picture with chalk paint and added the initial easssssy ........ peaaassssy
 
 
 
 
Are you old enough to know what this thing is? I am not that old but I did know what it was when I saw it and I got a great deal in the last half hour of the flea market
 
 
 
Its a butter churn and I love it, its all rusty and old
 
 
Found these cute lil cherub wall hangings, and decided to give them a new look
Almost forgot to take a before pic, but caught myself as I was putting white chalk paint on them
 
 
 
 
I think they look much cuter with a little bit of chalk paint and some dark wax
 
 
And remember these chairs, you know the ones I have painted twice with 4 coats of paint on them
Well today I clear waxed and distressed them.  It took me all afternoon and I think I sanded off my finger prints
 
I have to share a conversation I had with my hubby, when he got home from work and joined me in the yard where I was working on the chairs
 
Hubby: how come your doing that to the chairs, I thought you just painted them
Tobey: I decided to distress them and make them look older                                                                           
Hubby: Don't you think we have enough stuff in the house that looks old
Tobey: Well there is one old thing in the house that I am thinking I could do without right now
 (as I give him the look) and I keep sanding
Hubby: That's not funny, I am not old
Tobey: Well I can't get a seniors discount at Denny's( hehe)
Hubby: I just think the chairs looked good with out the distressing thing
 
I just spent the afternoon in the sun waxing and sanding 6 chairs, I am sweating, dirty and my fingers and back hurt, so lets just say I was not in the mood to hear this. Especially from a man that would have beer cases stacked up for a coffee table and Harley blankets on the windows for curtains. I could paint every room in the house and he would not notice. so I don't know why he cares about the chairs, but today is not the day to give his two cents
Tobey: Well I know something old in the house that is not going to get distressed
( I mean de stressed) probably for a really long time
I say this without even looking up, I just keep sanding
I think I must have got my point across
Hubby: well now that I look at them more, they look really good like that
And that my friends was the end of that conversation
 
 
hope everyone had a great long weekend
Happy picking, painting and upcycling