Trash to Treasure Tuesday . . .

I don't have a trash picture . . . (I tend to forget to take a picture of the junk that I start out with) . . . This mirror came off an old dresser that a friend had given me.  I had thought about turning the dresser into an outdoor buffet (it was a monster) - but it just seemed like too much work at the time and I did not have a place to store it.  So I kept the mirror even though it wasn't anything really special.  I decided to hang it outside - but had to get rid of the ugly stain and peeling varnish.  So again - simple flat black paint, some sanding, and some stain.

It isn't hanging up yet - obviously . . . too heavy for me to do alone.  I have another larger mirror that I am deciding what to do with.  I think I need a barn - so I can gather up old junk and have a place to store it until I decide what to do with it.  On the other hand . . . good thing I don't have a barn - I would definitely gather up old junk and store it until I did something with it.  I really enjoy and get satisfaction from taking something old and worn out and making it new again.

rust and sparks . . .

My friend gave me these old metal lawn chairs.  They are a mess . . . but my grandma always had chairs like this on her front patio and I love them because they remind me of her.  So we decided to take a shot at painting them.

They were so rusted that Richard had to cut off the bolts - in order to get the chairs apart.  This was worth it just to see the sparks fly.

It would be easier to take them and have them sand blasted . . . but when do we do anything the easy way.  I started sanding them - and it shouldn't be too hard to get them ready.  After that a little rustoleum and I can paint them.  The hardest part is . . . what color?  Grandma's I believe were always painted green and white.  My goal is to finish sanding them tonight - if time allows and get them painted this week. 

Finally painting some of my junk

I pulled this table and the chair below out of the neighbors junk pile. I love taking someone else's junk and turning into something fun. Richard thinks I am crazy sometimes - some of the junk I drag home.
This table was in our neighbors junk pile during our annual garbage pick-up. The top had a big burn mark on it and it was a wobbly, ugly little table. I wanted a table to set out by my clothesline - and this is the perfect size. I decided to paint the legs green and the top this great shade of pink (Which matches a geranium I have perfectly). I should be done painting it tonight. The best part about painting something for outside - I don't have to be so fussy that I had to take it all apart. I think it is going to turn out cute.
I got this chair from another neighbor. A quick shot of spray paint - and it is great on the patio. I want to make a new cushion for it though - until then this one works.

One Man's Junk is Another Man's Treasure.

Monday Morning

I cleaned my house like a crazy woman this weekend - rearranging my bedroom and organizing. But I did have some time to get some beads out and make a couple of simple bracelets and a pair of earrings. I hadn't messed with beads in such a long time until last week - I forget how much fun it is.
A friend wanted some earrings in blue and gold to wear to her son's baseball games.

And today's mug. I woke up Saturday morning and this was sitting by the coffee maker. Richard had gotten in for me - I think to cheer me up. (I had had a terrible day on Friday).

My friend Marcia gave me a bracelet that came in this cute little silky bag. It is so fun!

"Be pleasant until ten o'clock in the morning and the rest of the day will take care of itself." ~Elbert Hubbard

Laundry - Everyday!!!

I have wanted a clothesline for sometime. But we just never seemed to get around to putting one up. Hanging out laundry reminds me of home, I love the smell of sheets when they have been dried on the line, and on top of that it saves money. So we finally got one up this weekend. Richard came home with the decorative caps - which really makes it look nice - more than I expected. But I love it! I do so much laundry it amazes me and this is definitely not a time saver and I honestly do not like doing laundry - especially since it never seems to end. But I can get joy out of some very simple things - this being one of those simple things.
" We should all do what, in the long run, gives us joy, even if it is only picking grapes or sorting the laundry." ~ E.B. White

Rasta Hat

I've been wanting to crochet one of these hats for Jennifer. I thought it would be fun to give it to her when she gets home tomorrow. I have to make some more of these - they are so fast and easy and I think they are great. Since no one was home - I had to rely on the bear to model it for me.
"Leave everyone wondering which is the more interesting piece of work...you or your hat." - Author Unknown

Corks & Quilts

The finished cork board that I made - it took a couple of days for the glue to completely dry. I have to figure out where I am going to hang and get some cute push pins for it.

I started to fix an old quilt of Richards. It is really in bad shape and the fabric is so thin. I would almost say it isn't worth fixing, but his grandmother made it for him. I may have to make it a little smaller because some of the pieces are so torn.

This used to be the batting. It has been washed so many times over the years that there was not much left. I am going to fix what I can - get some new batting and I will have to get new fabric for the back. I really like the colors in it - I think Richard will really be happily surprised if I get it back in good shape.

"A quilt will warm your body and comfort your soul."

Uncorked

 

I decided to do something with all of the corks that I've dropped into a jar over the years. I had seen a bulletin board made with corks and thought it would be fun to make one. I think another frame would have looked better, but I just used an old frame that I had. The idea was to make something out of what I had. I thought about cutting the corks in half - so they would lay flat, but decided that I liked the way they looked without cutting them - and that just seemed like way too much work to cut eighty corks in half.

I have one cork from a "Vampire" wine that I bought one year for Halloween and I stuck in one black cork - the wine was called "Little Black Dress" and has a hanger on it. The wine was terrible, but it is a cute cork. So I just need to let the glue dry and find a place to hang it. I will have to look for some neat push pins to use on it.

"Who took the cork out of my lunch?" ~ W.C. Fields