Happy Halloween & Happy Birthday Dad

"He didn't tell me how to live. He lived and let me watch him do it."

-Clarence Budington Kelland


I ran across this quote today. It seemed so appropriate since today is my Dad's 74th birthday. He and my Mom just left this morning after spending a week with me.


I wish they could stayed another week, at least, but I'm so grateful that they were here.

We had a wonderful visit.

We went downtown to take the kids trick or treating on Friday...

We saw this adorable little Raggedy Ann (my favorite doll as a child)...

this cute skeleton with the pumpkin on top...that's my son in the wig : )

then there was this little guy...So ugly he's cute?

we went to a great party hosted by our friends, Jim and Donna...




they really know how to decorate and go all out....

My daughter on the left and
Sarah on the right.

My Mom and Dad even got dressed up....cute!

we made this creepy finger cookies...
They tasted good, too!

It was so good to have my parents here this week. They are half way home now and spending the night in Klammath Falls, Or.

I love you both so much.

Little Red Chair

I worked on this cute little chair today.

Don't discount the single chairs that you run across that are well made and have potential. You can usually pick these up for just a few dollars at yard sales. There are always spaces that could use just one small chair like this one, especially in a great accent color.

I decided this one needed to be red.

I recovered the seat in a couple layers of burlap. I added a stencil to the burlap with a new stencil I purchased from Maison de Stencils.

If you haven't looked at their collections, it's worth a trip over there now.

I have a table with four chairs that I plan to work on next. I can't wait to try this look out on them.

One more thing....I have to share this with you. My Mom and Dad are here with me this week. I was able to bring them to the consignment space for the first time.

They are excited about my latest endeavor. My Mom helped me recover this chair and gave me lots of great tips for great results. My Mom has been sewing for years and shared some of her sewing techniques that I can apply to my simple reupholstering.

My Dad worked in the garage sanding some tables for me and repairing a little piece that needed a little TLC before painting.

Sharing this important part of my life with my parents has been so fun. I know they will really enjoy hearing about the happenings at the store after they return home to California.

Linking up to:

Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed

The Shabby Nest Frugal Friday

Sometimes You Just Have To Ask

Several weeks ago I posted a "wanted" ad on craigslist. It stated that I was looking for old windows.

Well...I got an email and then a call. Last week I went over to the house. A young man (well, young to me- maybe 30?) is in the process of updating his 1920's house downtown. He had at least 25 windows.

I ended up buying 8 or them.

Here they are. Great windows. Not exactly sure what I'll do with them, but I'm glad I have them.

Ok....I'll admit it. There was one in particular with the perfect shade of light aqua chippy paint that I didn't want to part with...It has ended up here on the cottage mantle and I'm just loving it.

Yesterday I posted an ad with craig asking for fold dressers. I'll let you know what happens.

I've started telling everyone that I rescue furniture and you'd be surprised what people just want to "give" you.

Try it.

The "Play It Again" Dresser Project

I'm linking up this post to Miss Mustard Seed's Copy Me Contest.

Here's a really old dresser I found a couple weeks ago. It was in pretty rough shape, even after I sanded it really well.

SO.....always inspired by Marion at Miss Mustard Seed, I decided to do a vintage sheet music dresser.

Here's the way it turned out.

It needed quite a bit of TLC to get the drawers to go in and out smoothly, but I think it was all worth it.

I added the crystal knobs on the top drawers and was lucky enough to have all the handles for the bottom drawers. I decided to paint them a creamy white.

I also did this little desk for the store. It's a nice small scale for a laptop. I did the one drawer with sheet music and an amber color .

A tip on this type of treatment on a curved top like this--

I turned the dresser upside down on a large piece of poster board. I traced around the curves of the top to make a pattern.

I used the poster board pattern to cut my vintage sheet music.
I wanted a small border of the cream paint around the edges.

This worked out very well.

I put a couple coats of the Wipe On Poly in top to protect the surface.

Hope you week is off to a great start....

Linking up to Cottage Elements Make It 4 Monday

Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Feature Friday

The Shabby Nest's Frugal Friday

How Do You Like Me Now???

Several weeks ago I stumbled across this gorgeous buffet at the yard sale "we almost didn't pull over for".

It didn't look so great there sitting in the driveway. But I knew it had potential. I didn't realize how much potential it really had. Turns out the top of the buffet is a planked style (which I absolutely love).

Although the plan was to fix it up and put it in the store, once I started cleaning this piece, I just knew it would find a home here with me.

Tonight my husband and I moved it from our garage (which is FULL of furniture right now waiting for makeovers) to our great room.

I was so excited to get it inside and take some photos. We hung the painting I found the same weekend for just $10 over it. Something really struck me today--
You can make your home "yours" on any budget. You just have to be willing to shop creatively at yard sales, auctions and craigslist. You can make these pieces "sing" again--maybe even sign better than they did the first or second tie around.

After we built our house, there was a very small budget left for furnishings.

I find that working with a small budget has taught me that expensive doesn't mean it's better. These found treasures that cost less than those fake wood tables you put together from a big box store make your home more "you". The fact that you rescuted the pieces and gave them a place of honor in your home just seems to mean so much more.

Don't you think???

So here's my $55 buffet.
The asking price was $85 - I offerred $55-She said YES.
What I did:
Clean up with the oil and vinegar solution.
A couple of new crystal knobs (the drawer hardware was good and in tact).
A can of Howard's Resor-A-Finish in Walnut

Thanks for letting me share this with you.

Hope you are getting ready for a great weekend--maybe visiting a pumpkin patch?

Until next time...happy hunting.

I'm linking up to The Shabby Nest Frugal Friday

Miss Mustard Seeds Furniture Feature Friday.

Pottery Barn Inspiration With Dollar Store Finds

If you are like me, you look forward to the first Fall Pottery Barn catalog with anticipation...Somehow they never disappoint. Always new ideas and new looks. I look at them over and over.

Well...the first page of this year's had a wonderful centerpiece using the Indian corn. Of course I wanted to create the "look for less". Here's what I found at the dollar store-
Some great battery operated candle pillars and some great glass cylinders...

Great start.

I added some sheet music graphs to the candles with transfer paper. I filled up the bottom of the cylinders with varying heights and colors of dry beans (don't you love the black ones?).

I placed the three cylinders on a favorite white serving dish.

I wrapped a big rubber band around the two back cylinders. Then I took the corn and tucked it into the rubber band to stand them up.

Then I wrapped some twine around the three cylinders to bring them all together (and cover the rubber band).

Then I cut some fall colors from trees on our property...

I also added a sweet white pumpkin.

The cost for this great centerpiece or table decor?

Glass and Candles - $6
Dried Bean s in Bulk - $3
Corn - $2.99 for 3 at Wal-Mart

I used a serving platter I already had and twine. Branches from my trees are free : ).

So, for under $12 you've got yourself a beautiful autumn grouping that will warm any space you put it in. This is definitely worthy of a Pottery Barn catalog (maybe even a little bit nicer than theirs?0.

Best thing--???? A whole lot less money for this one.

At this price, you can scatter different variations of this all around your home or business (I know I will).

And those battery operated pillar candles???? Get this, I wanted to test the battery life on these. So this is what I did--I put 3 AAA batteries in each one and left them on 24/7. These babies kept burning for over 120 hours on 3 battiers!

This makes a great item for the retail space. The warm allure of candelight with no fire hazard or electricity needed.

Now that's a pretty good bang for your buck, don't' you think?

If you make your own, be sure to share your photos with me.

Creative fall decorating on a budget.

Love that!