Swap Meet Red

A couple of Sundays ago, Brenda and I ventured out to our local Swap Meet eager to hunt and dig for treasure...and treasure is what we found. I purchased some vintage Superman comic books for Raquel's Beau, an old Coca Cola bucket for a friend and of course a irresistible churro...which is pretty much a straight donut...

then I found this...beautifully framed picture of vibrant red flowers. Approximately 34 x 29 with rich creme color framing. I've been trying to add little accents of red to incorporate into my very monochromatic living-room and felt that this would go perfectly on the mantel

I added a couple of accessories on either side and voile'

I love the composition of this painting..notice the detail of the almost invisible glass and the contrast of the creme to red flowers

comic books~$6, bucket~$6, churro~$2, picture~$8, bunny's happiness...priceless

Big Ass Purse

My latest project has been a very fun one and a very enlightening one. You see...I have lost weight within the last 6 months and in the process I've had to buy some new clothes. Yeah, I know I know...poor me, but you don't understand...I hate shopping for clothes. Not my favorite thing.
Any who, I kept my 3 sizes too big jeans thinking I was going to do something with the denim fabric...like make a denim purse.

So, I got out my big Ol' jeans

cut the bottoms off, then rounded the bottom (as if it needed to be more round..HA!) sewed up the sides and bottom and then did the same with the fabric I used to line it with

Since these jeans already had silver buttons on them, I decided to continue that theme and embellish them with more silver from my collection


I have tons to choose from...Yep!...this pic gives me goose bumps

added a long enough strap and voila'

The enlightening part? Is that these jeans were too big to make a decent purse, so my denim purse swiftly became a denim tote and that's OK because I will actually use it for the beach or pool...it'll hold more stuff...good stuff.

Temptation, Rejuvenation, Incorporating and Smelling Good

I really didn't mean too. My plan was to mind my own business and go about my merry way...but the temptation was too strong. I see a sign that says "Estate Sale" and my car automatically goes into "E"...and magically takes me there. I can go for months and not hit one and then...WHAM! I can't stop and I just can't pass it up.

My latest finds ~ A huge baskets that I keep my currant and future project odds and ends in~


A black wrought Iron plant stand that I haven't decided to keep black or paint and a white plaster angel sconce...perfect for my garden~



A couple of white hanging planters...I already have the chain~



...and the best for last....some old tile. Big squares, little squares in burnt umber and blue floral pattern....my very creative blogger friend Missy, gave me the idea for those trays I purchased a couple of weeks ago. Now I have to figure out how to attach tile to wood. All this my friends.. 3 stinkin' dollars.



I try to keep myself busy and for whatever reason, lately I've been a whirlwind of creative craftyness. Some of which I've had for a while and just couldn't get to...until now~

I've had this stenciled window pane on my front porch and it was looking a little faded, so I touched it up a bit. I love morning glories ~



Eric had cut these large flowers for me years ago (how embarrassing) and I came upon them just recently in my craft storage...plain, just waiting to be painted. I painted them with whatever bright colors I had and placed them on a shelf also on my front porch~



This little cart has been sitting in my back yard for roughly 16 years. Brenda gave it to me and originally it just had a piece of wood holding plants and because of my neglect (how embarrassing again)...everything had rotted. I bit the bullet and threw everything away...cleaned it up a bit and painted it white. Eric cut a piece of plywood to fit, I covered it with a little delicate blue floral contact paper, slapped a $1 placemat on it along with a plant and she's brand new again~



Also in my craft storage was this paint by numbers pic that Raquel had painted a few years back. I liked it so much I saved it. My den is kinda Southwestern/Mexican vintage, so I bought a $1 wood framed mirror, took the mirror out, painted the frame Turquoise and put the cowboy in...Raquel was thrilled...."finally! Mom"



My very good friend Marsha's daughter Candice is getting married in a couple of weeks. I made a shadow box using her invitation. I just added a few little pink flowers. This frame was bought at a yard sale and I painted it in a distress greenish color. Why are shadow boxes so expensive?







Just a couple of little items that I purchased at previous yard sales. Remember this little picture of a flower within another frame? I'm loving this little medallion attached to it.





...And this iridescent red vase goes very well in my monochromatic living room...I love splashes of red








...and making little Sachets from my lavender...it smells sooo good










There is more but this post is long enough. Think I'll save it for future posts. So yes, I've been busy and loving every minute of it. Everyone have a wonderful day...and keep busy!

I'm Just Sayin'

Yard Sale Smackdown + update 4/24

Been to a few yard sales and I even got Eric involved in a couple of them. He knows me so well, he points to things and I run over to the item and 9 times outta 10, it has Bunny written all over it.
I've even been to the Goodwill Store (bought a couple of things...show you later)anybody been there lately? The one I go to is very clean and color coordinated..it makes for a more pleasant search and discover situation...lol

Here we go...

1 very heavy ornate plaster plant stand...it's very pale green...almost grayish and I'm probably gonna paint it white....$1. These 6 wooden trays are various sizes and colors. The lady who sold them was obvious gonna go something with them but she said she didn't know and they had been sitting in her garage for over a year....$3 for all of them. Aren't they nice?...Think I'll decoupage a least one of them...the others ...we'll see. Any ideas? Went to a friends yard sale and she GAVE me this cushion....SCORE!!




























A cute little framed flower within a frame with a hanging medallion..very vintage....50 cents and this Moroccan pattern tin. Beautiful colors of gold, ivory and maroon that will fit perfectly in my Living room 25 cents



This very vintage champagne color clutch. Look at all the detail on it..Gorgeous! She wanted
$5 for it, I offered $3 she said no way. To bad for me, although I really wanted to buy it, I had several more yard sales to go. Finally at the end of my excursion, I went back just to see and there is was just laying there on the table. The lady was gone and left her hubby in charge...I asked how much?...his response..make me an offer...$2....SOLD!



These old pieces of silverware that I use for any event that calls for a buffet...they come in very handy and look wonderful in their mis matchy way...10 cents each piece



Although this pillow is not in my color scheme in any part of my house, my intention is to cover it somehow...I will and when I do...I'll show you...25 cents


This black wrought Iron wine rack. It had a $2 sticker on it...I offered $1...SOLD! This lady asked me if I drink wine. I told her nawh, not much, that I'll probably paint it white and use it
for a plant stand or towel holder. Her response..."I never thought of that"...lol of course she didn't...she sold it for a dollar~ oh that sounded kinda bratty huh?...Oh well, you snooze you loose.



And my favorite thing of the day. This bright green shiny ceramic artichoke that I already displayed along with the clutch, in my dinning room. This is the second artichoke I've purchased at a yard sale in the past 6 months....$2


Like some you out there...finding treasures and putting my own creative spin on them just makes my day plus I truly enjoy getting out and talking to people and bargaining. Right now I have projects galore just lining up and the more I see what you all do, it just makes me wanna do
more. So...one project at a time and in between my rants and raves, I'll show you as they are finished


Update 4/24 On my way to the market I spied a couple of yard sales...with $4 burning a hole in my pocket...I stopped.


2 Great movies...both for $3 and this very red and iridescent vase, 25 cents, that will look pretty darn good in my living room....I'm just sayin"