Why Blogging Has to Wait

My friend, Kathryn, and I had a garage sale last weekend. It has taken so much of my time, both before and after.

It took me about 5 or 6 trips to get all my stuff to her house for the sale, and I had to leave a bunch of my things home due to time constraints.

I tried to get my cute aqua cruiser there (I hate to get rid of it, but Casey got a new bike and we need the space), but it doesn't fit in my car and I couldn't figure out my friend's bike rack at 5:30 a.m. in the dark. Go figure. Oh well, maybe it will sell another day.

This came to me by way of my neighbor's front yard. In a Mrs. Kravitz moment, as I spotted someone slowing down in front of my house one morning, I just had to know why because I suspected there might be junk involved, so I ran in kooky lady fashion to the window to see. My neighbor must have put something out late the night before and I had missed it. (I must be falling down on the job!)

A woman in her PJs exited her SUV to inspect the item which was blocked from my view by our huge oleander bush which was directly in my sight line. So I had to run to another room to get a look. Yep, it was junk; a wicker desk all painted up with an assortment of candy colored paint hues. The nervy woman gave it the once over, checked the drawer, gave it the lift test to see how heavy it was and if it was in good shape, went back to size up her SUV for the possibility of it fitting and went back to carry it around the car to the door. It was like watching myself in action (except for the PJ part, of course. Heaven forbid I be surveilled out junkin' in PJs.)

She couldn't get it in the back seat the way she was trying. Duh. I could have told her that, but it was early and she was in her pajamas, right? She was probably rushing trying not to be seen. Heh, heh. Knowing how I like to junk without anyone around, I didn't want to invade her space, although, I was tempted to take her picture out there in her night clothes. I mean, it was a pretty funny sight.

No, I didn't.

She must have already had stuff in the way back, because she didn't even try to put the desk there in the most obvious place. She hauled it back around the car to the curb and drove on. 

I, of course, then went into junkin' overdrive, threw off my own PJs because I would NEVER even go across the street dressed like that, much less out junkin' in my car, threw on some other equally ridiculous outfit and hightailed it out the door, down my walkway, across the street and scurried home with my plunder like a scavenger on the run. It's hard to run with a desk in your arms, but I did manage to score the goods in a jiffy, believe you me. Number one, I didn't want my neighbors to see me dragging home their stuff, and number 2, when I looked as I crossed the street, I saw that the woman from the SUV had stopped on the next block and was talking to someone. As I grabbed the desk and ran with what probably looked like little cartoon feet in fast motion, it dawned on me she might have been working out a plan to go back for the desk. 

Oooops.

Oh well, you snooze, you lose, and how could I be sure, right? I mean, you leave it, you might lose it. That's the game. Perhaps if she had not been out in her nightclothes she would have worked a little harder and a little longer to try and get the thing in her huge SUV. 

So, I eradicated Sammy's artwork and paired the desk with the chair I recently redid with the sort of leaf pattern on the back and the cute fabric on the seat.

Here the pair is from across my friend's yard. I forgot to get a picture of them together up close and I also forgot to get an after shot of a chair planter I made out of a broken Cracker Barrel rocker. It is there on the left without the plant in it. I haven't told you about that. Too many projects to keep up. We did add a plant to the chair for the sale and believe you me it was adorable! Yes, it's cut off in the picture. I told you, I forgot. We were a bit busy with a crowd gathering, awaiting our sale. The planter got snapped right up.

Two of these five items sold. Which do you think they were?

The wicker desk sold as well, but not the chair. We made some money on the sale, but not tons. Of course it didn't help that we missed getting our ad into the paper. We got it on Craigslist, but I think missing the other one really hurt us. Let's just say my friend's garage is once again quite full.

Meanwhile, remember these bamboo nightstands with the red, yellow and blue paint job? They have been a source of project uncertainty for me so last night I took them apart. I couldn't make them do what I wanted, so I thought I'd salvage the remaining hardware and the bamboo bases and be done with them.

I also tore off and saved one of the tops. I can't get the other one off. Then I ripped apart the drawers to use for other things, and good thing. I need one of the drawer bottoms for a table with a drawer I got today. Can I just tell you how well put together so much furniture is? People always throw out the most well made stuff. It makes for tough work undoing it though. These nightstands were Ficks Reed and I can tell you they were built to last. If I wasn't trying to get them apart, I would recommend the brand as furniture that will last. For junkin' they are a pain in the rear. I suppose it's all a matter of pespective.

Then this morning, while on the hunt for two wood chairs, I found this. I couldn't leave it behind.

The drawer was stuck and needed a new bottom part. Since I had just torn apart the drawers to the bamboo nightstands and saved the bottoms, I was happy. Yes!

I love when I save things and actually get to use them later, especially so soon. It happens all the time. If it didn't, I wouldn't bother. I'm hoping this table will work for Cally. I've been on the hunt for certain things to bring to her when I go to visit.  

Then last night, while out scouring the streets for those two wood chairs for my grocer table [SEE HERE] I found these.

 I made many trips by that house so I could get these, but people were outside every time last night, even after dark, (yeah, I'm a wimp about junkin' if I feel watched, especially by the owners), so I went back before sunrise and snagged them. It took two more trips, but there were four chairs, and the Junkstalker can only hold so many items at a time.

 Aren't they fabulous, though? Filthy and disgusting, yet fabulous and free.

Fine details and nice solid wood, not to mention some blobs of earth tucked into the corners just for good measure.

The fabric is horrific, but we will fix that in no time. (I hope.)

I started right away undoing the seats, but Lynette and Paul came by with the gift of two chairs they scored that will be perfect for my grocer table, so we traded. They took the foursome to their newly cleaned and organized garage (uh, oh!) where we can work on them this weekend, and I took the two new chairs so I can paint them and pair them with the grocer table and get the set sold! Finally I could stop hunting for the grocer table chairs!

Now I just have to decide what color to paint them. The black seat will go well with the table lettering, but the table is also yellow and white. I'm thinking I may paint them white with yellow dipped legs, or one of several other ideas including painting some sort of matching (partial) lettering on the seat back. I just don't want them to end up looking like bees, so ideas are welcome.

 
And then on Monday I found this. It's lightweight but well made. Another Mersman. I already have one that is very heavy that has to be redone.

This one has the cute self-leveling feet and a formica top.

 I'm currently scouring the internet and wracking my brain trying to decide what to do to it. It needs to be made over because the formica has peeled off on the sides. I was thinking of making another map covered project of it like my map covered nightstand, but I'm not sure that's the most sellable thing. Help!

 So there you go, and here's more to help you understand why I have no time to blog. This was my back patio this morning before Paul and Lynette took the four chairs. The vintage suitcases are outside and open because after they didn't sell at the garage sale I brought them home and promptly took them out to put in the garage and then left them out under the awning all night. It rained of course, and although they were closed, the rain went through the cracks and they got wet inside. Now they have to be aired and offered a good dose of sunshine.

Oh, and while out looking for chairs this morning (which I ended up not needing to look for because Paul and Lynette were out finding me some), I found this:

The base is concrete and the top is made of something I can't think of the name of, like fiberglass and epoxy or whatever. Anyway, it's a wonder I'm not crippled. My back has been on very shakey ground all week and causing me pain like back labor, but I had to have this, so I managed getting it into the junkstalker despite the fact that it feels like it weighs a ton. It will make another great canvas for a graphic I want to do. Of course, I'll have to go hunting for chairs again, but hey, no problem.

It needed cleaning and paint desperately.

I oh, so conveniently had a new can of Valspar outdoor paint that I bought "just in case" when I was at the store one day, and I thought, wow, I'm so smart to have gotten that and to be so prepared. I'll just spray this table and be done. Then I can start the graphic. But nooooooo! My genius didn't pay off.

I have to say I don't recommend this paint at all. It's kinda pricey and it didn't even cover this table. While spraying, it seemed to be coming out almost clear rather than white, like mostly what was spraying out was aerosol, kinda like the 99¢ paint does. It was also hard to push the button. I was not happy! Not only did it cost me, but it didn't finish the job and now I need more. I hate having to leave and go to the store, and I hate spending money.

The worst thing is that nothing gets done when you waste time getting presentable and going to the store. Kind of like nothing gets done when you blog. So if you wonder why I'm MIA, you'll understand...and I didn't even tell you about the two rattan swivel chairs I found on Tuesday on the way to work. They are cool too, of course, but they also need some work. What's new.

Yeah, I'm up to my eyeballs in things to do.

So ta ta for now! No time to waste!

Hopefully I'll have time to see you at some of these cool parties this week...but who knows!