Showing posts with label junkin'. Show all posts
Showing posts with label junkin'. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 09, 2013

The Magic Junk Wand

You might think the lazy days of Summer have taken me by the hand and led me to a sunny seaside place for a relaxing toes-in the-sand vacation. Ha! No...the only lazy ways for me this Summer have come in regard to my blog. Yes, work on projects has ramped up with the Summer heat and humidity, so something's had to give, and that something has been Quirky Vistas. 

For shame!

My only nod to the seaside lately has been this beach bum dresser that came by way of the curb.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

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.

Sunday, May 26, 2013

The Pick - Part 3 - Beware of Quacks!

BEFORE

This rattan console table's surroundings weren't doing it justice where we found it while picking the business that had gone out. You can see Part One HERE and Part Two HERE.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

The Pick Goes On - Part Two With a Before & After

If you missed part one of the story of The Pick at a defunct business my friend Lynette and I went to, you can read that tale and see the images HERE.

Today, the story continues. Since I've shown you the trash we dug through, let me show something cute that I dug out of the mess.


I know, they're just little bottles and scissors, but I like 'em!

Friday, May 17, 2013

Thursday's Junk Has Far to Go

Like a race horse out of the gate, I took off at a gallop down the street. The blinders were off though. Mine was a race to win the prize of the day... some good old fashioned free junk from the curb.

Thursday, May 02, 2013

Just Another Workday Heist

The hardware on the discarded armoire I spotted on my way to work is what caught my eye and tempted me to commit highway (actually byway) robbery. My heart beat fast at the sight of the jewels (hardware) daring me to come and take them. 

Thursday, February 21, 2013

From Trash Heap to Trash Heap

It's hard to let go, even when you've only known a cute new piece of junk for an hour. 

Today was free trash Thursday, and I went looking...just because, you know...stuff might be out there.

I happened upon a pile of chippy green wood, and this little matching table was sitting upside down on top. It was filthy, but I liked the scalloped edge that went all the way around. It was going to make a sweet little back patio table.

I hauled it into the backseat where I promptly got mud and all manner of filth all over the passenger headrest and the seat. Who cares, I thought. This little sweet thang is worth it.



Monday, February 11, 2013

Aqua Blue and Party Pink

The time has come for the "after" shot of my tall brown chest of drawers (and the little tray I bought last week), the painting endeavor whereby I threw out my back while standing in front of said chest holding one of the drawers out to my right. That's all it took. The back is much better, I'm no longer leaning like the tower of Pisa, but my back is only happy with constant movement or when lying down. I thought I was healed but this morning, it is still sort of calling the shots.

Brown Chest of Drawers Turned Blue

Now, I didn't despise this chest being brown. I stay on good terms with my furniture whenever possible. There was no animosity toward its dreariness. Its rustic look had a certain charm. However, I was in a mood and tired of the brown wood with the terra cotta floors. And mind you, there is also an Ethan Allen desk of a similar color wood to the left just outside of the picture. There was enough of that golden/orangey tone going on, so my other list of paint to-do's got tossed and paint gave this a similar look to the little chest in my kitchen that I also painted.


Monday, May 28, 2012

Flowers, Finds, Projects and Midcentury Delights

Just because it has been such a nice weekend, I'm in the mood to share a few of my weekend finds and show you how I took the color God has provided and brightened up my patio area. I'll even try not to be wordy, but I certainly can't promise anything.



Newly purchased periwinkles were planted inside a new garage sale find toolbox for some pretty pink and lavender contrast.



Whatever these are, they were cute and cheap. They got planted in the tray that goes to the tool box. Not much depth for them to grow in, but I'm giving it a shot.



Bought and PLANTED Dahlias today too!



Check out the uber cool rolling seat I got for $1. I used it while planting and it was wonderful! I love a practical find, especially one made of metal, all weathered and worn...and on wheels with a spot to set my tools even!



More toolbox periwinkles.

The trusty new rolling seat helped save my back as I pulled all these dead grassy strands out of those two planters. Wow! 


Sweet scene



Now to the exciting finds of the day and the nitty gritty of what I drug home:
Yes, two new beasts made it home with me one at a time. Am I a glutton for punishment or what? They each barely fit. Luckily I got them just about 6 blocks from my house so two trips was no biggie.


My car's back seat has extraordinary powers. It has held numerous unbelieveably awkward and bulky items. I got this cabinet out by myself and didn't ruin the leather seat. Casey was asleep of course and was of no help.


Circular saw was $5.00 with blades, little ladder, $1.00 and clamp light 25 cents, and don't forget the cool rolling seat there on the floor for $1.00.
Oh, sure. Now she's awake and has her feet up! She was none too impressed with my thrilling finds. I actually got a stern lecture from her about how we are trying to clear things out for her sister, my mom and my sister who are coming in a couple of weeks. Well, she's got me there. How will I ever have room for everyone in this little place with all this junk? My house is my workshop after all.

Casey just doesn't understand how much I NEED those metal cabinets.

The chippy white ladder can get together with my other little one and work as a sawhorse team now that I have a circular saw. Woo hoo, because I just pulled apart all the wood I salvaged the other day and I desperately need to get it cut so I can cover an old cabinet with it to make another planter.


But wait...there's more!



Round box with numerous wooden spools of thread in it, a sweet sounding wind chime (been wanting one of those for years), stamper ink and the ladder: $3.00
Toolbox: $1.00
Rolling seat: $1.00
Casters, Paintbrushes, 2 pulleys, hook, spool of wire: $2.00
Nails: 25 cents
Glass jar with lid: 50 cents.
Coffee pot: $1
The coffee pot is not pictured. Thanks to magic erasers (Target brand) I cleaned that stained thing up as if I'd waved a magic wand. It's shiny and beautiful now. Get some magic erasers. You'll thank me.

Got a cool working woodhandled flashlight with a stand. 

At this point, the total for the day was $17.50. Not too bad.

But as you saw, on my way home I found this retro metal cabinet:


And this. 
I was unable to quell my glee. The nice man wanted $14 total for both. Another guy came and started looking at them. I sprung in to action and offered $10. I didn't want to have to mourn the loss; they had to be mine. I probably could have offered $5.00 and gotten them both. Oh well, I'm happy. Mid-century metal cabinets. Yes!
  
I should have taken a better inside shot. It was disgusting, but I worked hard on it and it is pretty dang clean now.


It has cool retro Contact Paper inside.

Paint, sticker goo and other stuff will need to be removed.



How about this Formica? It so reminds me of the finishes in our house growing up. 

Sweet curves.


I cleaned the big one well. Scrubbing was supposed to continue today as well as garage cleaning and table sanding. Only got as far as table sanding and painting and attaching seats to two chairs that have been unattached for a year. That was a big, big deal for me. Thanks to E.B. (my drill) it is now done. I'm really starting to fall for old E.B.

 Yes, I got the legs back on the table, and sanding has begun on the top.


 There was lots of paint and whatnot on it.


Almost done sanding...but then what? Heck if I know. Any ideas? 

If you are squeamish, you may want to avert your eyes both because of the shame I'm going to divulge regarding the table wash gone awry and the disgustingly huge lizard I'm going to show you. First my shame:

I didn't even bother trying anything on the legs yet. This falls into the "Don't" category.

I worked on the table all day and just let one thing lead to another with some green paint I had on hand. Not pretty. I was limited in my sanding power because I ran out of sand paper right away and didn't want to leave to go to the store, so I kept using worn pieces. I should have just painted it full out. I see a redo in my future. This will HAVE to be painted over, because even Casey made some very expressive facial gestures at it (not positive) when she came home, and she's the one who said she could care less what I did with it or what color it was (even if it was red, purple, green, blue or orange, because she wouldn't ever pay it a bit of mind to it). Now she has an opinion...great.

The good news is...

 Yes! Wheels. The casters I got off the chair by the side of the road the other day fit into the holes on the bottom of these legs perfectly. I was so excited! I think everything should be on wheels! So who cares if I sanded and painted and sanded again all day and now will have to redo... This baby rolls now!



And I leave you with this...this is what I'm up against out on my patio...and he's not the only one. There are "the others", and they procreate at an alarming rate. Help! Someone with a good lizard remedy please leave me a solution. They have overrun my house in both the back and front yard. These guys are eyeing my Rascal as their new habitat. 

Uh uh! Nobody better mess with Rascal! I'll have none of that!

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