What better than a good bargain?

A FREE DEAL!

Earlier today, Dustin came home from our neighbor’s house. After being home for a while he told me that our neighbor sent me some treasures. Knowing our neighbor, this could be any number of things. Dustin said “Tom said that if we don’t want them, throw them away.”

Let me tell ya, this really set the bar pretty low for what I expected to help him unload :)

I walked out to find not only one, but two slices of heaven.

 


Yeah, they are a bit rusty. But they are in excellent shape. One of them still even has its original leather handles.

The interiors of both are also in great shape. And both have trays that sit inside them.



They are both covered in metal. It’s rusty, but just on the surface. While I do appreciate some rust here and there, I see these babies painted up with metal one color, the ‘trim’ and nails another and the hardware a third color.

But, let’s be honest, by the time I get around to them, I might decide to air ‘em out and clear coat them. (doubt it)

They are actually both in MUCH better shape than the $5 trunk my mom got for me at a yard sale.

But, with some loving (and a LOOOOOOOOOT of elbow grease), it went from this



To this “pre blogging picture and pre digital camera days” picture
*If I make the picture any bigger, it’s too blurry to see



While that project was in my preblogging days (shoot, that was pre married days) I did blog about it here. Luckily, I took a ton of pictures along the way. I think that this trunk was my first big project in saving something like this. I loved it. I’ve had a ‘thing’ for trunks ever since. I’m so curious about the stories they have to tell.


These two new rusty lovelies will get the royal treatment soon enough. Once it warms up, I have a stack of projects taller than the house to start!

Jar O’Lanterns

This project just happened to kinda fall into place this evening.

I decided to take a work break… well, my internet decided for me. I had something in mind, but it morphed as I went along.

These were going to be completely painted solid jars to look like pumpkins. They were also going to be made out of the chipped canning jars that I can’t use to can with (nor could I locate a single one of them when I gathered my supplies)

Apparently, I was too excited to take a pic before I started anything. This project started with three jars. Two were different sizes of old olive jars and the other was a smallish pizza sauce jar.



I started by making the faces with tape… bad idea. It was a PAIN. Then, I cut them out of newspaper and planned to use my spray adhesive…. that I couldn’t find. So, I pulled out Plan C, which worked perfectly:

 

I cut the shapes I wanted out of PressN Seal, pressed and sealed them onto the jars and gathered my paint. I think it's cool that it looks etched at this point.


I just happened to have these two cans of Krylon. One from a baby room project and one from a desk paint job gone bad. Before I found these, I had already gathered my craft paint and was planning to mix up my own orange… these were PERFECT… the one is even “Pumpkin Orange”!



I gave them all three a coat of the Baumaus Gold first (I had more of it). Then, they got a coating of the orange. I also wanted an uneven color job. (See that coffee can in the background… that’ll have to get finished this week). And, because I can’t leave well enough alone… I also had a can of redish Krylon primer that I used on the coffee can. I gave my little pretties a quick spritz of it and ended up giving them a slightly freckly look.. just like their momma.

 

The PressN Seal worked like a charm!It came off easily and left fairly decent paint lines. I wasn’t too picky about that though… they are recycled used jars I’ve had since last winter, afterall..
The tops did need something… but it wasn’t too much that some sisal and jute couldn’t cover.



I was going to just do one or the other but decided to just do them both and the same time.


Their debut in front of my pumpkinless pumpkin centerpiece that the dog ate.

I thought about putting lids on them, but didn’t in case I decide to put real candles in them. For tonight, they have battery powered ones to show their errie spooky jack o’lantern selves off.



Totally FREE! :)

*Why do my jack o’lanterns either look dopey or scary? I couldn’t get just ONE cute one out of the bunch! :)

**Check out the linky parties I’ll be taking these bad boys to! They are on the top under Linky Party Love.

***And, stay tuned! After the emails I got from my hot Dr. Pepper and lemon post, I’m thinking about hosting my FIRST linky party. So, pull out those gross sounding family recipes that are surprisingly delicious! :) We’re gonna be having a “What do you eat when no one is watching?” par-tay coming soon.

**** Have I mentioned that my one year of blogging is quickly approaching? And that I'm working on some great giveaways for October? No? I haven't? Well, get ready!

The chicken whose life I saved

Remember her?


This chick was on the fast track to the dumpster from the back of my aunt’s shop. I didn’t have any plans when I told Jo that I thought I might be able to make her presentable. And, to be honest, I wasn’t so sure about it myself :) The next night, on my way home, inspiration struck.

She got a good plucking and scrubbing with soap and a brush. Then, came the primer. I used this on our kitchen tile backsplash and have no complaints. I love it because of this:

That whole “preps glossy surfaces” part had me at hello. I can paint anything now!

I put three light coats of primer on her and then got out my tan and brown craft paint. I dry brushed tan and then brown and then went over it all with a slightly damp brush to mix it all up a little more.
 
I still needed to find a winter home for these hen and chicks that I got from my mom. They are chicks from plants that my mom got from her grandma. My great grandma loved chicken things, so it’s just perfect to use this.

The pot they were in doesn’t completely fit down inside the bird. I’m glad it didn’t though because it would sit TOO low then. So, I just fixed the gap with some twine.
And… voila!
  
When I told Dustin how I planned to paint it he said '”It’ll look just like Foghorn Leghorn” (named so because she was the only white chicken we got in Round #1 and our neighbor told us we HAD to name one Foghorn Leghorn.

Coincidentally, she’s the first, and only, to lay any eggs.
This isn’t the best pic of her, but it’s dark and it’s all I have :) You can see some of the browns on her back by his thumb though.
*Dustin also told me to crop him out of this picture… so, ignore the man behind the bird!
Now, my hen and chicks have a hen to take care of them. And, it’s white and fits into the kitchen just right!

**And, if anyone needs some red baby's breath... gimme a call :)

Come on Fall….

Dear Summer,
We’ve had a good run. For 27 years, you have been my fave. But, I’m another year older now and I hate to say it, but year 28 belongs to Mr. Fall. I’m over you- soooo over you.  I love being outside, but I don’t do HOT well. And, well, you’ve been a scorcher. I know that I’ll regret these words in February and I’ll remember the good times and forget the bad; I’ll have false memories that make you sound even better. I’ll want you back. But, for now…. I’m ready for pumpkins, and hoodies, and temps below 115.
Don’t call me, I’ll call you.

I’m so ready for everything fall. So, today, while I was on hold with my Internet provider (again) and had no service (again) I put together a centerpiece for the table.
Last night, I found these on sale, half off and grabbed all they had- 3. I think I’ll “Miss MustardSeed” them up and probably stain the handles, but, for now, they can stay ‘nekked and a bit shiny.

They just so happen to fit perfectly in the wood crate I got from my aunt. And, three candles that used to be in the living room just happen to fit almost perfectly into them.

I’ve been planning something along these lines for a while, I was just picturing tall glass things for the candles instead of galvanized mini pails.  I’ve been airing out some potpourri that I got from my aunt too. It’s just too much if you don’t. Luckily, I dumped this all in a box lid a few weeks ago, so it just barely has a scent now.

I started by pulling out the little pine cones and cinnamon sticks. There were a ton of those in these two bags, so they got to be my base. I only used the ones that weren’t broken too, so I still have a handful if I find the need for more pine cones in my life. You never know.

These bags have some great shapes in them. Little dried pumpkins, coiled up grape vine, dried mum flowers, and cute green ball things :). The whole reason I got them from her was because I wanted them for their shapes.. not their smell.
 
Perhaps this isn’t the best view, but is shows my less-than-seven-dollars-put-together-while-I’m-put-on-hold masterpiece.

And, obviously, my Internet is working (again) (for now).

Adding to my stash

I've mentioned before that my aunt recently purchased a business in my hometown. (I'll give post her website once it's up and going).

I spent the last day and a half painting her office for her. And, of course, while I was there, I went to her back room to check out what had recently been uncovered. I do this with a PostIt pad and pen in hand :) The business was once a flowershop and when the previous owner decided to quit doing flowers, she just shut the door on that room... and it's a big room :) It's a junker's dream :)

Once, I'm gone, she finds things like this around the room

Yesterday, I left one that said "if you don't love me, Shannon will!"

I'm really excited about the things she was willing to part with :)

This little pot is heavier than it looks. It is painted to resemble copper. It is metal, but I think I see some gold poking through the paint. 

Yesterday, I scored this GREAT tray. It is just roughly put together and is rough wood. But, I love love love it.

I already know exactly what I'm going to do with it. I have a few ideas, but I'm going with the one that doesn't change it first to see how it looks. But, I do need to purchase a few things for it first....

And finally, this (don't prejudge my ugly chicken thing :))

Here's what it looks like from afar...

When I first saw it, I picked it up because I thought "what the heck is THAT?" and put it down. I walked past it again and looked at the base and thought "it might be kinda cute". Then I wrote a PostIt that said "I can't believe I'm writing this... but Shannon will take this too...".  My aunt and the woman who works in her shop doubted my sanity. On my way home to from her shop, I wondered what I would do with it too.  But, on my way home from class last night, it struck me. I know what I'm going to do with it. I ran it past Dustin and he thought it was a good idea too. It wasn't even a "I'll need to see what you're talking about" type of reply. I take that as a good sign :)

So, stay tuned! I'm about to get really busy with work... But, like I said before, I love having these little projects as a computer break! And, I've got them PILED UP and waiting :)  I love taking a break, putting a coat of paint on something and heading back to work while it dries. 

Isn't it weird how you get the most done when you have the most on your plate? I'm like that. When I have free time, I seem to get nothing done. But, when I'm loaded down, I make time for little painting breaks :)

For now, I must work though. We're taking the afternoon off to celebrate my birthday!

Freebies and Yard Sale Treasures

Although we aren't done with our Canning Bees quite yet, I wanted to post some recent deals that I've accumulated :)


Earlier this week, our neighbors got all new furniture and had this chair sitting around. It was once their daughter's and she put it in storage, so underneath that slip cover (which also came with it), the pink fabric that it is upholstered with is pretty dirty. I have plans to reupholster it in the next few months with help from my grandma. For now, I guess it will live smack dab in the middle of the living room...

Then, we went yard sale shopping this morning. Dustin's family is having their weekend-long reunion this weekend and Saturday morning is always filled with a carefully planned yard sale trip.

I took $15 and came home with $1.25.

The most expensive item was this piano bench.

It needs some TLC. I plan to recover it and probably strip and restain it to match our piano. We have my great grandmother's piano, but the bench got lost somewhere down the line. I've been looking for one and got this one for $5. I've been following Gail's $5 rule, so this one just made the cut.

I don't need any vases, but I thought this one has a lot of potential. You can paint anything, so this one might stay white (probably) or maybe not... It was only a dollar and it is taller than it looks. 

At the same yard sale I also got this one. I planned to paint it, but think it looks neat as is. It is also pretty hefty also. The pattern is raised, so it adds some great texture. It was only 75 cents.

At another sale, I didn't find anything on the first pass. As I went through it again, I found this oval frame. I've been wanting some oval and round frames, so this $1.50 purchase is perfect. It's the same gold plasticy material that was all over the 1960s (I think) but it will paint up nicely. I have no idea where it will go or what will go in it-- but, hey... I FINALLY FOUND A ROUND FRAME!

 

Every time I go to craft stores, I always pick up wreaths and put them back. I found these two for $1.00 each.

This next purchase isn't something I'd normally make. I still can't decide if these have the cute potential or not. The cords are shredded and crumbly but Dustin can redo them. They were $1.00 total. SOLD. The glass globes on them are the color of old Ball jars. I think with some scrubbing, new electrical parts, and either a restain or a painting to the base and some spray paint to the metal parts, they have the potential to be cute... We shall see.

And, yes, I will be 28 on August 29th, but I still like straws... and I like a good deal. This straw holder was $1.00.

The lamps, the straw holder, and the piano bench all came from the same sale along with the picture below. I didn't know what it was when I bought it, but it has metal pegs in a compartment in the back and it solid wood. It's Milton Bradley and was 50 cents. If nothing else, I thought it would look good as decoration with other things. (It also has my maiden name, Lowe, on the top).

Once we got loaded up, I asked the people in my van what it was. Luckily, they knew and told me it was a Cribbage board. I don't know if it's fun, but we can play it now if we want to! I just like wooden board games. And, again, I like a deal :). 

Dustin will be thrilled when he gets home and sees what else I drug into the living room :) (I failed to mention that there is also a small table I am about to redo for my aunt there too, haha... its top was in some of the photo shoot from above)

Oh, and I also stumbled across a box of 4 4ft grow light bulbs that are brand new. I called Mom and she said to grab them, so for $1.00, she has more bulbs for her greenhouses.

Too bad my "month off" from my online job ends tomorrow :( I start teaching 3 online classes on Monday, will still be teaching 2 night classes in L-ville for a few months, and taking classes. So... these treasures are going to have to acclimate to the house a bit before they are finished products. Although, I do seem to get more done when I'm swamped! Little projects are a nice break too!

We still aren't done with our canning yet either. I'll have some more Canning Bees up soon!

What you've missed:
Canning Bee #1: Beets

Canning Bee #2: Green Beans

Canning Bee #3: The best salsa EVER
Canning Bee #4: Tomato Chunks

Coming soon: Pizza sauce and veggie soup.