I have told you before that
most everything we have comes from yard sales & thrift stores - clothes, books, toys, educational supplies, household items, seasonal decorations, etc. Why would I ever pay full price for items when I can find them for next to nothing? Do I ever shop new? Sure! But thrifting is incredibly fun and provides a good portion of what we have. I realize not everyone enjoys "the hunt", but it's one of my favorite hobbies!
I love when I find goodies that I can tweak a bit and use in a fresh, new way!
Upcycling Around Our House
I oftentimes find picture frames....that are holding atrocious pictures such as these...
...I clean up the frames, replace the ugly insert(s) with something meaningful, and ta-da!
These 8x10 frames are headed to
Isaac's nursery! Sometimes, a frame can be freshened up with some paint, but these already had a white shabby look that I loved, so all I needed was a little Windex for the glass.
One of my favorite frames [in Caleb's room] once housed a pencil sketch of a very scary-looking 'angel'. I had spotted it at a yard sale...I had arrived late in the day (In the garage sale world, that means 9:45 a.m.), and no one had purchased it. Wonder why? Anywho, I swapped the freaky angel out for a snapshot of my precious pumpkin, and it has been perfect in his room!
I love this large thrifted frame! I added a $3.99 poster print from IKEA and hung this up in our guest room. This vibe would have also worked well in our study - I'm crazy about the dictionary words on this wall hanging - I love having items that can be moved from place-to-place within the house. It allows me to redecorate without spending much money.
This frame was turned into a chalkboard - thanks to a little bit of chalkboard paint.
If you want, you can actually use chalkboard paint to paint right over any glass that might be in a frame.
We always keep a can of chalkboard paint around - We have found it to be the perfect addition for many of our little projects. We are currently working on sanding a coffee table...that we plan to cover mostly with a neutral color paint...but then cover the top portion with chalkboard paint. I'm excited to use it as a game table, art table, etc. Don't you think it would be fun to keep track of your Scrabble score...right on top of the table? Am I a nerd? Please don't answer that.
See this little crate? I turned it upside down, and we use it as a side table
on our back porch. I think I paid $2.00 for it. Something has found its way to that top corner (weird things happen when your moving), but a little sanding will take care of that. (Remind me to put that on hubby's honey-do list.)
We have found a few other crates like this, and we love them. They are great for magazines, books, blankets, anything!
See the set of coasters? They are actually stone tiles~ I came across a man selling some leftover building materials, and when I told him I only needed four, he just gave them to me. I added some felt circles on the bottom, and they have been perfect outdoor coasters!
If you missed
the feature on our back porch space, check it out~
The large benches and chairs are from World Market, and the teak coffee table is from a yard sale - two bucks for the coffee table!
This is a snapshot from one side of our front porch - See the galvanized bucket?
It has been a great flower pot! Hubby drilled some drainage holes in the bottom, and we've been good to go ever since. Last year, it held some petunias~ For now, it is holding some fake hydrangeas; but pretty soon, it will be home to some mums! Don't you just love fall? Ahhh...I can feel it in the air - Not really...it's in the 90's here today, but a girl can dream.
Remember the $10 railroad box that we use as a
toy box?
Well, this washboard came from the same yard sale where I found the
toy box - $3 and I have a gem to hang on the wall outside my laundry room. Every time I see it, I am reminded of how glad I am that I have a washer and dryer...Aren't you thankful we don't have to use one of these for laundry?
Can I get an 'Amen'?!
Thrifted jars, containers, etc. have been perfect for this!
Do you love those old wooden spools or what?
And my seashell collection...it is truly a part of me~
Now, here's where you officially decide that I'm crazy.
See the door? Hanging sideways with canvases hanging in the open spaces? Yep, I found that in the trash. Someone was throwing out an old door...
...and an old window...
I love this large teal burlap board that my mom gave me for my birthday! It hangs on the wall opposite the 'trashy' (Get it?) door (which is in our guest room), and I'm thinking of adding special photos, cards, etc. that would mean something to the visitors who stay in this room most often...our parents...our closest friends...etc.
I don't want it to look cluttered, but I would love for it to be a fun little sentimental space.
I have some chicken wire that I had originally planned to use in this window, but for now I've changed my mind. I may change it again, though. With me, you just never know.
I also found another window (about this same size) that has 6 glass panes in it~ I'm planning to attach some special photographs behind each pane...and gift it to my husband for Christmas...which will really be a gift for me...okay, maybe I should rethink this.
Quick Note: Especially since we have small children in our house, we typically clean/scrub, sand, and poly our recycled wood gems...especially if the items are older...especially if the items were thrifted...especially if the items came out of someone's trash. *smile*
Check out this piece that my friend repurposed for her living room~ She bought this gem off of Craig's List....painted it...added wooded planks to the top....
...and it makes for great storage while also doubling as a television stand. It works perfect in her space.
She used the wooden plank technique on her coffee table as well! I love the rustic touch it adds!
Were you around when I featured
"Faded Finds" on my Instagram feed?
This is an amazing business that my friend Jill has started!
Here is just a small taste of the work she is doing to breathe new life in to the treasures she finds!
Be sure to follow her on
Facebook and Instagram~ You will love watching her work her magic!
Interested in an easy DIY Project that anyone can do?
Check out these
Rustic Photo Frames:
