Lazy Crafting




ometimes I like very elaborate creations where my mind is challenged by the thought of not knowing where I'll end up creatively, but sometimes...OK, most of the time I'm what you call a lazy crafter. Give me your junk and I'll turn it into a treasure...my treasure...hence, exhibit A...

Take a Barella Spaghetti Sauce jar, (yeah, I use store bought sauce this time of year and fresh tomatoes in the summer) and spray it red.

Then wind some twine around it and glue it, then, applied a applique on it from a friends wedding dress she gave me and popped a button on it......and L0Ok....

Yup...lazy crafting...exhibit B....

Wrap some vintage sheet music around a cork a few times, cut thin strips, wrap some gold ribbon along with a button and pop one of those hook things on the top (see,I'm so lazy I don't even know what those hook thingies are really called) and I've got a paper tassel

Lazy is as Lazy does...I'm Just Sayin'

One mans Junk

Woke up late this morning (won't tell you what time) with nothing really to do. Raquels at the beach with FFA buddies...all day and so it's just me and Eric. He took us to breakfast or whatever that meal was at that time (oatmeal)... let's just say it was breakfast. We passed a few yard sales on the way and so, after our meal, I wondered around the city with $3 to my name and a determination to purchase that one item worthy of the Antique Road Show.

I was kinda lookin' for old patterns but I guess people are hanging on to them...then I spotted this butter dish, which btw, I need...really I do




It's glass with a bubble pattern on top and bottom and it has a silver etched floral design. I asked the lady how much she wanted for it and she told me that she's tired and just wants to practically give everything away and that I could have these matching candlesticks too....all for $1




Well, what could I do? I jumped at it, even though they came with those gawd awful tacky glass candles ( I tossed them) and for $1 I couldn't pass it up. She told me her husband is from Germany that they belonged to HIS mother. I couldn't see any signatures or markings but then again...they were filthy and they are soaking as I am writing this entry.

I love the silver etching on them, in fact, some of it is coming off which makes me like it even more. Anyways, I haven't been yard saling in a very long time and it felt good to get such a bargin.

Perhaps me and the hubster will have a candlelit dinner tonight....with butter. I'm Just Sayin'

Urban Barn

This past weekend Brenda and I ventured on over to Escondido to check out Urban Barn. This is the flea market that we plan to sell at this coming October. Talk about vintage, retro, re-purposed and just plain funky stuff...we had a ball!




Nighties created from ultra soft cotton pillow cases









Gorgeous pink and taupe Chaise just waiting to be lounged on















Chippy, Shabby and Blingy














Gypsy Wagon adorn with whimsy....
vintage baby dolls and pillow trees

It was like another world.....

Throw in a little flashback retro and our heads were spinning

and for all you Mermaid obsessive people...feast your eyeballs of this....

Not sure how I'll fit in or even if my "stuff" will, but I'll give it a whirl...in the meantime...
I'll keep creating and drinking....Cheers!

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

Sleeping with Grampa's pants

Having gone to yard and estate sales most of my life and had my share of my own..NEVER had I experienced what happened to me at my latest trek of yard sales this past weekend. First, I purchased this for $2. A white chippy wrought iron plant stand that I will probably spray white.




...and then I came across this box of crafty stuff...red velvet ribbon, gold ribbon, green fuzzy pipe cleaners, red raffia, a red vase and lots more....all this for $1



...and then I came to the house of bad decisions... As I circle around this front yard, scoping out the yard sale landscape, I am listening to the what I think are the owners of said home as they bicker with each other about something or other concerning a price on something a customer wanted. They couldn't agree and the man turned on his heels and left to go into the house as the woman continued her negotiations and transaction with her prospective buyer. He came out again when the buyer left and started arguing regarding pricing and he kept saying things like "This was gramma's, why are you selling it?" and "I don't wanna sell this". OK...now I thinkin'
there is some stuff here that is #1 Old...#2 has sentimental value ...#3 maybe shouldn't be here and #4 right up my alley.

...and then I saw it. A flash of red outta the corner of my eye, some sort of throw I thought. As I walked fast toward it, horses appeared and they were pulling carts and buggys. I picked it up and it was a bedspread. A very large bedspread and as I turned it over it's other side was made up of some sort of patch work. Grays, browns, blacks and tweedy fabric. Hmmmm, I thought this is interesting and old.

The lady came up to me and told me $1. I repeated back to her $1? Ah, ha she replied. I asked her what this was, bedspread, comforter? She started to tell me how her GREAT GRANDMOTHER sewn that for her GREAT GRANDFATHER because he loved horses and had a buggy and that the patch work on the other side was put together using squares from his old suites. YES...his old clothing...SUITS....and how her grandmother had it in the spare room and didn't like it and gave it to her mother who hated it and somehow it came into this girls possession and she didn't like it either.

I was shocked. In my opinion...even if you hated something that was passed down from generations....you just kept it. Put it in a box up in the rafters hidden...anywhere...but you don't sell it for $1 at a yard sale. Needles to say I wanted it but was afraid the crazy guy would come and snatch it from my grip. I asked her twice if she was sure, ya know, after all, it is an heirloom..Yep!! "I'm sure" she said. I then asked her if yer husband was OK with it...She laughed and said "that's my brother and he can't stand this thing, we didn't even like it when it was at our grandparents house". OK then, sold for $1...

I'd like to think that I was doing a good deed and saving the integrity of the family name and that I was spreading good karma into the Universe knowing that I had a daughter that was horse crazy and would take care of it and appreciate it...plus, I couldn't pass up a crazy bargain like this...I'm Just Sayin'

Once Upon a Time....

17 years ago, in a land far far away, on a rainy day, under anesthesia, you were born in a hospital that doesn't exists anymore...and it was one of the greatest gifts EVER givin' to me.

You just keep givin' and givin' and givin'


Happy Birthday Raquel...we love you more than this dumb blog can tell

My New Aquisitions

Acquired some goodies lately...

feast your eyes on this...a giant poster of Barnum and Bailey circus

and this...a bag o' buttons

both of these items were givin' to me by Brenda in exchange for me cleaning out her closet...easiest score I ever made.

and I purchased these items from a yard sale....an Autumn table cloth

this black enamel cake plate cover

and this dainty hankie with the letter N embroidered on it

I had time to made this pillow from a little lawn flag that I purchased from Kholhs for $1.00. I already had the fabric and I just recovered an existing pillow I didn't care for

now, I'm on the lookout for a little stool...just small and high enough to....let's say....milk a goat or something of that nature.....stay tuned~

Video Treasures

I've decided to show you my yard sales treasures by video. I came about this idea through my friend Angela over at Free Spirit Haven. Keep in mind that I haven't been sleeping much lately...lots on my mind, I'm tired and without make up. Yes...this is the real me folks....except now as of this date...I'm back to brown hair




Click HERE for my yard sale findings!...and yes...I really am this mellow and I do say "cool" a lot.

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"

More Stuff

On my way to Meredith's house I came upon an Estate Sale. I didn't think I would find anything being that it was the second day of the sale. Oh what the heck I figured, I'll stop in...it'll only take me a few minutes.

They didn't have much and everything was pretty much picked over...but, going through everything I spied these...



A cute little red polka dot frame that would go perfect in my kitchen. I am obsesses with red polka dots. And this silver looking tray. I hadn't a clue as to what kind of tray this was but I was drawn to it and it looked old to me. It's a pretty decent size and it has very delicate flowers engraved on the inside surface. The back surface looks like it was hammered and filled with hammer head sized indentions all over it.

So I came home and took a better look at the tray and on the underside it has "Everlast...something" engraved. Turns out it's Aluminum and quite popular in the 30's and 40's. People couldn't afford Silver at this time so the country turned to Aluminum. This company was started by Russian Immigrants in 1932. It's worth according to the internet....at least $25.00.

I payed $2.00 for it and .50cents for the frame....pretty good for running in and out in 15 minutes.....I'm just sayin'

Assorted pics

Just a few pics to show you how I incorporate junk...er...I mean fantastic yard sale finds into my house..(click on pic to enlarge)



Old mirrored vanity tray underneath my dining room side table



Wrought iron planter...painted white



Shabby chic framed pic above dining room side table



Garden trellis hanging in the living room


Antique white ornate plaster mirror is now a center piece on dining room table



...and a whole lot more that I didn't take a pic of.....due to messiness. Oh! One last pic of my
yellow bell pepper plant that continues to give me peppers. I planted this last Summer and it
refuses to die....good thing we all like them....

I scored...big time

Went to a yard sale Saturday morning. The choir teacher at work is moving and from knowing her and her taste I was chewing at the bit....why?...because this why...


White rooster, wrought iron stand, shabby chic tray and round ornate plaster mirror....there's more...



black wrought Iron container and two pairs of pink shoes..one of them has little jewels all over them....wait, there's more...


A beautiful planter with roosters on it that I already gave to a friend with a rooster fetish




Wow! you say...wait there is still more...a vanity mirrored tray and another cute little mirror with delicate little etchings all around the edge......


Can you believe all this wonderful stuff...but wait....a greenish gold garden trellis..




Oh...I'm not done yet my friends....a shabby chic pic that fits perfectly in my dinning room






and the Pièce de résistance...wait for it....wait for it.....BAM! A huge wrought Iron planter...with 2 doves in it...not sure what I'm gonna do with the birds but I plan on painting the planter white




Now if this is not impressive to you, the price for all this will knock you off your computer chair...


$20.00...yep that's twenty dollars...American moola. Actually, I felt so bad and shocked at the price...I gave her $25.00 just so I could sleep tonight...but I tell ya'...I was so thrilled at my finds that I was practically high...not that I know what that feels like...