Who Am I Foolin'?

No.

Of course I don't "hoard".

I stockpile.

You see, I'm just very prepared.

I'll be in good shape if there's ever a junk shortage.

My rationalization is fed, as it is for many of us, by an I'm "gonna need that some day" mentality. Meanwhile, living space dwindles and decisions mount. In my case, my friend and I are intending to open a shop, and the mounting stash of treasure that's growing as if someone's fertilizing and watering it has the potential to become valuable product in some iteration or another. We're counting on it. If I ever get to the store for some of the supplies I need, I will continue to transform the elements of my stash into other life forms. Unfortunately time and circumstance are often fickle and rude. They find ways of interrupting me and changing my mind about what I'm going to be doing next!

Now, this past weekend was no exception to the hunt and gather phenom that fuels my junk stockpile.

Despite the approaching tropical storm (Isaac), and the driving rain that began on Friday, the thought of missing out on something that might be out there, and the hope that the rain would deter others (thereby providing me with an advantage!) prevented me from staying inside and enjoying the dark day inside where the atmosphere was devoid of blustery winds and raindrops.

I donned those fantastical "Raspberry Red"(okay, you can call them pink if you like) Rain Boots, which have become a sort of soggy Saturday staple, (see, I DID need them!) and I set out to run the gamut of stops on my list.

 "Raspberry Red", the friend of a soggy day yard-saler - they did me proud this weekend.

Early on, I happened upon a couple who was selling quite a few items they had from a shop they were closing. There were a lot of things made with wood and seashells. Two ladies had arrived just before me and scored some items I'd have wanted, but they were pricey, so perhaps the timing was just as well. I got this for 50 cents because some shells were missing. It's actually a nice heavy wood frame, and I intend to take the shells off anyway and see what comes of it.

Spotted this old fashioned looking gumball machine on my way into their garage, but the owner wanted $25. Too rich for my blood, so I just glanced at it in passing and continued the hunt.

...whereby I found this and snapped it up for $10.00.

which is odd considering my $5 limit.

Vanity of vanities, all is vanity and striving after the wind...so it felt while sanding down this paint job.

This is a new piece (and not any special quality). The owner had just painted it to look like this. I justified the $10 by considering that each piece was $5. That, my friends, is how rationalization works. I also figured the straight lines would make it easy to work on. Flat surfaces don't provide much character when painting/distressing, but they are easier to sand to bare wood (and I rarely find character pieces around here anyway) and I like to get the old finish off as much as possible if it's not going to add to the character of the end result. I wanted the purple outta here so that when I distress it later, the wood will show through here and there. With a white basecoat, it's already a new creation. And maybe me too, as I listened to Matt Chandler messages while I painted. (He's the pastor of the Village Church in Dallas, Texas. Cally sent me a whole bunch of his older podcasts, and I listen while I work. So yes, it's holy work I'm doing. 

What? You find that to be a stretch? Well, he is an excellent speaker. His Biblical messages are also quite timely and engaging.)

So while I got somewhere on that piece, it now sits in furniture limbo. That's the place where so many of my projects go to dream of a quick renewal and recovery (they dream with futility, I might add, but they can dream). I made a deal with myself to come home and immediately get sanding and to get the first coat of paint on it. Surprisingly I did. Unfortunately it was raining, and that left my sanding efforts to fits and starts, since I do such work right outside of the back door on the porch step. Then I didn't have the color of paint needed for the final coat. I also need to create a stencil I can use to paint the fabric, which I intend to use to cover the seat. I intend that this vanity will no longer resemble its former self when I'm done with it. 

I got this fish net thrown in with the vanity.

So, I left with my vanity and the net and also with soggy hair from the time spent in the rain trying to wedge the vanity into the backseat as water fell freely from the sky (the guy ended up having to unscrew the mirror for me after my futile attempts.) Because of that mirrored vanity, I had to sacrifice hair vanity for the rest of the morning. So it goes. However thanks to "Raspberry Red", my feet and the bottom of my jeans were spared a soggy saga! Perhaps I should become one who dons her little plastic rain bonnet like my mom and her generation used to pull out of their purses, unfold and cover their heads with back in the day. 

Ummm...let me think about that...

Yeah...no.

I think I'll pass. 

. 

Yes! 7 feet of longboard goodness! 

Well, this is South Florida, so I was thrilled to score this.

This is meant to become a sign or some sort of display piece. It's got a bit of fiberglass damage at the bottom, but since we don't intend to use it for surfing, and it's not noticeable, it is perfect. The guy wanted $10 and that was too much for me. Mind you, around here, used surfboards often go for between $150 and $200. Even so I am very conservative with my expenditures. Can't be spending $10 on just anything. I called Casey when I first found this because she's been wanting a long board. I had to wake her to ask, but through a sleepy fog, she declined despite my proclamations that it was a great deal. Then she promptly returned to the land of nod. I wasn't sure I wanted to blow my own cash, so I left, however, as usual, I began regretting the uberthrift and hesitation with which I had operated. You know that feeling; it's the opposite of buyer's remorse. 

I shall henceforth call it "uberthrifter's remorse".

I ended up on the phone with Lynette and told her about the gumball machine and the surfboard. She thought they were great ideas even at asking price and gave me her approval. So off I took in a hurry, pretty sure both would be gone. I arrived at the house only to realize that a 7 foot board might be a bit tricky to fit in my car. 

Ha! By now, you (and I!) should know my car has skills. The board was still there (woohoo!) and the guy selling it managed to fit it through the back car door, over the passenger seat and the dashboard, with the back resting on the back window space. Guess what, he took $5.00 for it! Nicely scored! And guess who came home from work later and promptly fell in love and proclaimed it to be hers?! 

Uh, uh, sweet thang. It's a shop sign now. Casey told me that I should have known not to listen to her when she's sleepy. 

Oh brother.

When I went back for the gumball machine, it was still there too. It's not authentic or old but has enough of a look, and I got the seller to go down by $10 to $15 and made the deal. The owner and I had quite a time trying to get it apart to see how the money would come out (she had never used it the correct way) and then we had to try and get it all back together. Glad I asked her to be sure it worked first because it was a bit tricky. In the process, she went in her house and managed to find the key, which I would have been sorry not to have. She thought she had lost it.

So there you have it. I have added to my stockpile and actually worked on some things. By this weekend I hope to have not only the vanity done but to also have a few other little projects at least in the works.

Wish I had it all ready to show you, but I'm a dabbler. I have to work around my job, the yard work, repairs of many kinds, food prep and clean up, laundry, house cleaning, blogging and such the like. A little time on this, a little on that, and one day soon I'll have something to show for it all.

In the meantime, I'm working on distributing the ever-multiplying junk throughout the house so as to trick the eye into believing it somehow makes sense.

Think I'm gonna fool anyone?

I'll be sharing this with:

Sunday's Best @ My 1929 Charmer
Mop It Up Mondays @ I Should Be Mopping The Floor
Pink Saturday @ How Sweet The Sound
Nifty Thrifty Sunday @ Nifty Thrifty Things
Sunday Show Off @ Twigg Studios
Freedom Fridays @ My Turn
Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home
Feathered Nest Friday @ My Romantic Home
Time Travel Thursday @ The Brambleberry Cottage
Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson