"I'll pick them up for free.... if you redo them for me."

Seriously??  Have you ever been thrifting and hears this? 

This was part of a conversation I had with my sister last week when we were snooping in the free box of a garage sale.   What??  She was serious.  I think it was meant as a challenge and she really didn't think that I'd take it on.  Well, I've been know to take a challenge head on.  

Why?   Two reasons. 

One - This is what the item was.   

A worn out  well loved pair of skates.  Not a bad find at all.  I could see the possibilities but I knew she couldn't.   I'm sure I can make these look like treasured skates and not free pile rejects.    As you can see my mind is working already, right now I'm thinking they might be framed.   I tried laying them a couple different ways in a couple different frames that  I have on hand.

Two - This is a sister who has picked up these treasures for me lately.  

Yep, burlap sacks and frames for under $1 each.   Yes, even the LARGE frame.  That is it leaning against a door.   It measures 35" x 40". 

Wow, what a find.   Don't hate me.   She picked it up for $1.  This thing is huge.   Looks and feels like oak too.  

So, how could I say no?  

Originally I thought I'd hang them on a wreath, now I'm pretty sure I'll hang them on a frame.   What type of backing is the question.  Fabric, paper, maybe even the burlap she picked up for me.  

It might be a while until I can finish these but if I post it here I don't think I can back down from the challenge.  

Now to make them look as beautiful as I know they can be.  


June

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I need some advice....

I can't decide how to finish a frame I painted this week.  I painted it a light shade of pink with a shimmer gold finish on top.  This picture didn't turn out too well but the close ups look a lot better.

This gives you a closer look at the frame and color.

I was thinking of making it into a corkboard but I'm not sure if the natural cork board looks right or not.

Or cork board that is lightly painted ivory.

Ivory or plain cork?  Or something else, maybe a vintage look paper? 

Any ideas on what you would so with this frame?   

June

Chair Makeover - Part Two

Finally there was a day that I could finish spray painting the red chair I started last week.

Here it is with the fourth and final coat of red.   I used two cans of paint for this chair.

It is a lot closer to the red I wanted.

I wanted to glaze it to bring out some of its character so I mixed up a couple

colors of paint and added water to get a glaze mixture.

Mixed with water it looks like quite a mess.

I painted the glaze on and wiped it off.  It was a pretty hot day so I had to work quickly and didn't get any picture of the actual glazing but here are some detail shots once it was glazed.

A few more.

It turned out a lot darker than I originally envisioned but now I can't imagine it could look better.

It looks like it has been through a lot and has been loved well.

Perfect.

Before and After

Thanks for looking.

June

Linking to:

More WI thrifty finds

Friday my sister Jennifer and I went traveled to Wisconsin to see our sister Gail, her family and my daughter who has been staying there for a while. 

On the way we stopped at some garage sales and picked up a few things. 

We picked up two headboards, a foot board, a couple frames, a couple wool sweaters, a couple games, a couple spice racks, dishes, a stool and a few other small items. 

Saturday the three of us and my sisters husband all went garage sale shopping.   We picked up a few more things and had the van pretty full of our treasures.   I got a drop leaf table with three leaves, a couple jars and and a couple leather jackets.   We picked up a couple free wood crates from the side of the road.  

After we got back to my sisters home we, well they, went to work starting the transformation of the headboard/foot board combo  into a bench.   First they cut the legs down a bit.  It was necessary to get it back in the van without the back seats down.  We needed to make room for my daughter!

Deciding where to cut the foot board for the sides.

Jennifer cutting the foot board to make the sides for the bench.

We attached the arms of the bench and then took it apart.   This way it will be easier to complete the bench once it gets back to MN.

Good thing it fits in the back of the van.

A picture of some of the other treasures we came home with.

You can see how large the table will be with the extra leaves in it.

Some close ups of out deals.

I picked up two spice racks with bottles for 10 cents for each rack. 

Ten cents Monopoly game.

Five pretty trays that were made in Japan for $1.   They are marked "Alcohol Proof" on the bottom.

I love the design on them.  I was not sure how I would use them when I picked them up. 

Maybe a jewelry tray or beading tray.  

I picked up these two jars for $1.50 and $1.  The large one is a gallon size and it still had a tag on the bottom.

 

I picked up the small bud vase from a free pile.

I had to clean it out as there was some sort of putty in the inside.

I had a great time in WI and got to visit my sister again and bring home my daughter.

Happy crafting,

June

New Drill!!

Look what arrived at my door today from Fed Ex.  

Why the excitement about a drill?    

Well, it is because I already have the drill but was missing the power cord.   I don't know where the power cord could be, I've been searching and can't find it.  

What is a girl to do?

 

Well, I looked at the Walnut Hollow website to see if I could buy a replacement cord.   I couldn't find the cord or even the drill on the site so I thought I would contact them and ask them if they had a power cord for my drill that I could buy.   I was certain that it would be cheaper than buying a new drill, even if I used a 40 or 50% off coupon. 

I sent my question to them Friday night.

I got a reply yesterday from a lovely lady named Janice.

What did she say?   She said she didn't have a replacement cord but would send me a whole new drill!

Wow, I didn't see that coming.

I certainly didn't think the drill would come today. 

I'm telling you, the next time I need some crafting equipment I'll be sure to look for the Walnut Hollow brand.

You have to love a company with great customer service.

Happy crafting,

June

Chair Makeover - Part One

Last year I was suckered  rescued this chair at a garage sale.  I think I paid $5 for it.  

She had nice details.

At the time I had visions of a set of mis-matched wood chairs around my dining room table.   Well, the chair needed some work and I didn't find any partners for it so it sat at the end of the couch as a junk holder end table. 

I decided since I was home bound with my car in the shop that I was going to tackle this project.   A couple weeks ago I did some fixing of it as most of the spokes between the legs were loose or completely hanging out.   I attempted to put it back together as best I could.   The spokes are not all the way in but I'm on with that.  She is sturdy and looks great to me.  

Now to decide on the color.   Originally I was thinking black but realised that would not look good with the table I have.   A few weeks ago I rescued a couple other chairs that I think will go around my table when they are refinished so this lone chair needed to have another purpose.  

So I decided on a bit of color for this beauty.   I picked out a new spot for her (yes, I'm calling a chair her) and after looking through the paints I decide on red with maybe some black glazing on her to show the details.   I had two cans of spray paint that I paid $1.00 for both cans from the JoAnn's clearance section. 

I decided to use my spray can trigger that I bought in Wisconsin last week.  Boy it is nice to use that.   No messy fingers.  

Oh boy... she is looking rather orange.   I'm not sure that red was the right choice.  

I need to keep painting as the thought of taking the paint off was just too horrible to contemplate.    First coat on the top of the chair and it is still way too orange.

Painted the bottom and back to the top for a second coat.   Still looking orange and one can down.  Maybe there was a reason the cans were 50 cents??  What did I get myself into?   Maybe the second can will do the trick?  I can hope. 

It is a bit more like the red I had imagined after the third coat but still not what I was expecting.   Maybe it is because I'm looking at my burgundy patio set that this looks so orange.

Well, the wind picked up before I could put on what I hope will be the last coat of red.  I should be able to another full coat on it from the second can of paint I have.

I brought the chair inside to see it where I think it will go and to see if the color looks better.

Well, it does seem a bit closer to what I pictured but still not quite what I wanted.  Against the dark finish of the cabinet it does look red.

This is as far as I will get until next week however.   The wind was back today so no spray painting could be done on it.

Hopefully the rest of the spray paint and a dark glaze over it will have it looking pretty. 

Stay tuned for the finished chair next week.

June

   

Under $3 kitchen wall art

I have been collecting a bunch of frames lately to use and revamp.   I think this frame was actually from a free pile.  I know I picked up two large frames one day and only had to pay for one of them.   I blogged about my finds that day  here.  I loved it even it if didn't have any glass or backing.   It was wood, large, solidly built with just a bit of detailing. 

I thought I might make a gallery style display with it but could never decide on exactly what to do with it. 

Today it came to me.   Frame some vinyl words I put up on the kitchen wall.   They looked plain but gave the wall just a bit of interest.

I had this vinyl cling I bought for $1.66.  It was from a warehouse sale I went to earlier this summer.  There is a local company the runs school fundraisers, the kind with food as well as other items.  

I'll be the first to say most of the items you buy from school fundraisers are extremely overpriced. 

But, when they have a warehouse sale the prices are just right!!

I don't remember the price on this cling but I'm sure it was around $12 or more through the school.  At the warehouse sale all of the non-food items were 3 for $5.  I couldn't pass it up at that price.

I thought it was all one piece but it was actually five pieces.   I was able to spread out the words and leaves a bit to make a larger display.   The only negative part is you can see the vinyl on the wall.  Not exactly the look I was hoping for but hey for less than $2 I can live with it.   I guess one more reason to dream of a Cricut Expression machine.

I decided not to paint the frame and use it as I bought it.  I only took off the wire hanger from the back and hung it on the wall around the words.  

I think it frames the words and brings some importance to it.

A look from further back so you can see how big the frame really is.   I have a galley style kitchen, stove, small counter and fridge on the left, counter, sink and dishwasher on the right.

Not bad for under $3 to decorate a wall.

Hmm, $3 jewelry holder yesterday and $3 wall art today.   I wonder if I can come up with another $3 project for tomorrow???