Oh Yea!

I'm passing on my treasure huntin'/trash pickin' skills to all most all of my children even if they don't want to admit it.  Look what Sarah found for me for my birthday...

Seems where she works, they were taking out a Coke cooler and she grabbed this glass sign for me. I already found the perfect spot...on the barn of course, right about the 'swing open' doors.

You gotta love other peoples stuff!

FreeCycle...Sorta

A few weeks ago I got a call from Betsy asking me if I needed or would want some fabric.  Are you kidding...free fabric!  YES!!!!  Seems that a friend of a friend had been left TONS of fabric in a friends will (lots of friends here).  She was emailing and talking to friends that she knew that sewed.  I was lucky enough to be one of those friends.

We finally made arrangements to do by to pick up some fabric.  Let me just tell you that it was  like Christmas!  Boxes and boxes and we were on the tail end of the pick-ups.  I came home with two boxes filled to overflowing...flannels, cottons, more flannel....I see lots of pretty gifts under the tree this year.  But, no Tyler there still will be no double wedding ring quilt for you and Sabrina.  I have to many commissioned quilts to do before then.

Thank you Eileen for thinking of me.  Thanks Betsy for dinner and the ride.  Thanks Max for not taking all the fabrics I liked.  (just kidding)

Love It....

I love it when my friends call and say they saw something on the side of the road that they think I would love to put in the yard!  They know me so well.  I got a call from Sharone in Anderson Township the other night and she said that she was driving to Tractor Supply and saw this little bike and a lawn mower at the curb.  The sign said they were for sale.

  So she made a quick turn around and talked to the man.  Not sure if she bargained or just wore him down telling him about all the 'treasures' we have in the yard.  He eventually gave it to her.  The kids and I drove over Monday morning to pick it up.  The yahoos want to ride it so bad but I can see a baskets of flowers on it next spring.  I wonder if the little tree branches would be strong enough to hold it?  Stay tuned!

If you scroll back a few blogs you will find this little ditty.  I decided to put impatients in it along with the flag we got at the last parade.

If you back petal a few blogs you will see what these chairs looked like when I found them in a neighbors trash (yes, I am a recovering trash picker) and what I got from FreeCycle.org (love that site!!)

Mark worked one day sanding and then I primed and painted. We got the idea while in Canada taking the 1000 Islands Boat Tour....one house had Adirondack chairs painted in bright colors on their seawall. We have kept that idea tucked away for almost a year.  Michael wants them in ROY G BIV order...but then her realized that we didn't have all the colors...guess the pickin' begins again.

So some on over, the campfire is ready and I have the makings for s/mores in the pantry and the bats that live in our bat house are taking care of most of the mosquitoes.  Can't wait for you to get here!

Remember Those Old Green Shutters?

Everything that's old is new again!  Once the plants take off it will be great!

My Lucky Day!

Yesterday was a banner day for treasures!  I saw on FreeCycle.org that someone in Mason had lots of stuff they were willing to part with.  Lots of good stuff that I love. I pleaded my case (because as you all know by now we are really excited about hosting a rehearsal dinner in July...30 people) and last night Emmy and I went to pick up my treasures.  Not only that, Ralph, our sort backdoor neighbor showed up with cobalt blue bottles and a butternut squash he grew last year.  Then he noticed that our pineapple plant needed a little TLC, so he took care of that too.

Thank you Kris!

Other Uses

We are trying so hard to work in between the thunderstorms and torrential rains. The yard needs to be in tip top shape in about a little over a month. Wish us lots of luck. Start praying that the week before the wedding (June 12th) that we have wind and sun to dry things out. The flowers love the water but enough is enough, please.

I really don't have to worry about my boots getting cleaned.  The rain does a nice job for me.

The bike has been on the ground for about 5 summers so this spring we decided to move things around and this bike was the first to be moved.  We got the idea from Tom and Sharon at Serendipity in Waterford, WI.  Then one night late while I was on the computer I found something else I could add to it to make it even more cool.  I'll post again when I get it all together.

FREEEEEEEEE

Oh how I love it when I hear the grinder...and being able to see it is even better.

Sunday evening right before Mark came home from work I was out with the dog, yet again for about the millionth time...and we weren't home much on Sunday...and I heard a chipper...about 4 houses away.  I could see that they wre just about finished and ready to drive away with the loot.  Not on my watch!  I know that these guys have to either pay a landscaping company to dump it or they have to pay the dump.  I was just happy to save them the trip and the money.  Just about time for the tree guys to pull away  Mark dives up the driveway...."go talk to the guys and get us that mulch...we need it bad!"  Like a good husband, he drove over and came back with one of the tree removal guys.  Next thing I know I have a truck load of finely mulched pine trees at the top of my driveway.  I am so excited.  That means less weeding for me around the raised beds!  YEA FREEEEEEE!  I wonder how many wheel barrow loads it will take to move it from the top of the driveway to the beds?  I don't care it is FREEEEEEE.

Finally...

Look what we found! I am sure that there are eyes rolling. I am positive there are a few...they have lost their minds! Or maybe even a few...you have got to be kidding me!  But let me just tell you how long I have wanted a bathtub in the backyard...way before we put one in Betsy's backyard.

My new treasure picking place on the way to Hillsboro is where you will find me digging thru junk to find treasures just like this one.  Once I get it all together and looking really awesome, you will have to visit our other blog...Our Green Thumbs in Cincinnati...to see what we do with this awesome, really heavy tub.

New Favorite Junk Store

Oh my!!! Mark teased me with a drive by this wonderful yard of treasures. So today we had a date...guess where we ended up! Yea Junk Yard.

It was hard to know where to begin.  There are at least three small barns jammed with stuff...all kinds of stuff.  You name it, Greg has it!  And lots of it. 

If you have about a week to spare, you might be able to see everything, once.  That's the part I love...climbing in and out of stuff.  Hunting under stuff...maybe kinda picking up something that falls apart.

The first visit is a little over whelming.  I have a running list of things that I think we could use to jazz up the yard.

We couldn't get everything in the van today.  Mark is going by to pick up the rest tomorrow before work.

Okay, so here is the plan.  The door is going to be refinished and used as a headboard for Michael's bed.  The two small iron andirons are going to be planted in the yard and be made into boot holders (pics later).  The tall shutters will be turned into a really cool planter for succulents.  The concrete bowl with also have succulents and be on the front porch.  And the larger andirons will be part of the shutter planter.  I worked on removing all the paint tonight but still have a long way to go.  But I have a deadline...June 12...you know we have a wedding rehearsal dinner to prepare for.  That is what gets me motivated.

Greg Miller's Antiques and Collectables, 7636 St. Rt. 28, Leesburg, OH

Open Sundays 1-5  and  Mondays 9-2

Little Chucks

These aren't really a found treasure.  I have had these little chucks for about 7 years now.  I just can't seem to part with them. They belonged to some very special little boys we had to say good-bye to when we moved back to Ohio.  I see them when I walk out the backdoor and they make me first smile and remember those sweet little faces and it make me cry because we are no longer a part of their lives.  I hear they are doing great and into lots of boy things.  That makes my heart happy.

Perfect Ending To The Day

On the way back from out hike at Stonelick Emmy just happened to notice that there was trash on the curb up the street from the house.

Now this was unusual...Trash day isn't until Tuesday.  Reluctantly Emmy turned around and drove back up the street.  When I got out I just kept pulling chair out of the pile.  FOUR!!!  All this time Emmy and Michael are waiting about three car lenghts away from me, hiding in the van behind a huge pine tree.  So I drug each of the chairs back to the van.  I shoved them.  I ended up sitting on the back bumper hanging on with the seat belt twisted around my wrist...hanging on for dear life!  I love them.  Whit a couple of cans of paint...these puppies are going to look great around the campfire.  I just love a good pick!

I LOVE FreeCycle

I put out a plea for empty clear jars to be used for Fred and Taci's wedding in June.  We are going to use them for all different kinds of things.  So today, in a downpour, Michael (being a well now) headed out to Loveland to pick up a bag of jars.  This lady was super nice. She had already removed the labels and the glue.  She even wrapped them individually in newspaper.  When I got home I got the best surprise!!!!

You  might not think these are anything special.  Oh, but I assure you that they are.  The tall Ball is one of two now that we have.  The small Ball jar is a different shape from any I have ever seen.  I think we will use them for more than the rehearsal dinner.  Thank you kind lady in Loveland.

FreeCycle and Hand-Me-Downs

Today was just a little teaser. We were outside all day and I was able to clean up the beds in the front yard. Oh it felt good to be outside with the wind blowing your hair every which way.

This container holder once was in the closet at church. No one really knows where it came from but i know where it will go and what it will be...an herb garden. The clay pots are from my neighbor, Kay. They were her mother's clay pots that were just taking up space in the garage. I've got them coming out of my ears...and I love it!

This is what happens when you forget to bring in your glass candle jars that hang all over the yard. Good thing I have several boxes I have been gathering from FreeCycle for the rehearsal dinner that we are going to have here in June.

You would be amazed at all the things that are available on FreeCycle.org.

FreeCycle Makes It Happen

Cassie called yesterday so excited.  They were on their way to a family hike in the Rocky Mountain National Park.  On the way on the side of the road was little house or roadside store and she saw a little chair with a cushion made out of a wheelbarrow.  And before I could ask her to get a picture she went into a dead zone. 

As soon as I hung up with Cassie I ran to the computer and got on FreeCycle.  It wasn't two hours until I got an email saying that there was a wheel borrow waiting for me in Anderson. So tonight I jumped in the van and headed west..go west young man is all I heard in my head.  Now if I am seeing Cassie's chair right, I plan to make one to sit out in the backyard in between some of the ornamental grasses with pine needle mulch...a hide out for Michael.  Should be really cool.

Green House

This definitely isn't Trash Pickin' but believe me it is a TREASURE. Moved to the top of my Wish List for the yard is this little greenhouse. I see this back in the way back by the compost bin stained the same as the barn and filled with clay pots, seed starts.....oh, the vision goes on forever.


Mark made the mistake of texting me a picture of it...just happens to be right across the street from Lowe's in Hillsboro. Got to touch it and imagine in it yesterday afternoon. It was just screaming...'take me home'... I screamed back...'I'll put en envelope with your name on it in the drawer.'








It's going to look great! Whenever it comes!