My one little surprise pumpkin looks great with it's new stem.
Mrs Renee has an old wooden ironing board that has been in her family for ages. We both saw a post on Pinterest about painting them with chalkboard paint. She isn't sure she wants to do that or not (actually I think Mr. John doesn't want it painted). I have been green with envy! So last weekend when Denise and I went on up north to see the Amish countryside, we just happened in a little shop on the side of the road to ask directions (yes, I do that and I am not ashamed to admit it) and this tired old ironing board was leaning up against the building in a cute little display. I jumped on it. It could have been a million dollars (I got it for $10 and change) and it still would have made it's way into my van. The old buckets are from Mark's Dad. The little pumpkin showed up growing in the hosta bed this spring. The acorn squash was in our CSA box from Cedarmore Farm this week. And that is my awesome rooster for the henhouse when it comes in the spring. The acorn squash in front of it is actually covering a huge hole that happened last week when I was blowing the leaves off the driveway. I'm loving it. I can change it every week if I want! And who know what will get painted with chalkboard paint next!
What Else Can I Paint?
Not much time for treasure hunting these days. Kids back in school and a house filled with yahoos. But I can always depend on my trash pickin' buddy, Betsy, to come through. Look at the treasure she found a few weeks ago.
The base of anold greenish birdbath. Love the humming birds. And I had an old clear plate I had gotten for 50 cents on Senior Discount Sunday. (That's when I am glad to be an almost senior citizen)
Puzzel Pieces
I love that my neighbors know what I like! Mr. Bill gave me an old boot that some ladies at work had 'planted' for Ms. Kay while she was sick. The flowers had seen better days so I decided to add my little twist to something I had seen on Pinterest. Hope the birds find it and then I hope they will use it as a birdhouse.
Boot Country
This can't really count as a trash pickin' treasure but it is most definitely a treasure! Even though I did pick it out of my dad's basement closet. This is the actual HEHS-HHS helmet that was passed to the winner of the Homecoming game each year. How our family ended up with is was......my Mom was the first head majorette for Huntington High School in Huntington. My dad played football at Huntington East High School (the better school). I guess they were cleaning out the trophy case to make room for newer trophies and Coach McCoy gave it to my Mom. Funny how things work out...Mark went to Huntington High and was quarterback on the football team and I went to East and was a majorette-want-to-be! Anyway you look at it...it is treasure!
Mark, Michael and I were driving around the neighborhood looking at landscaping and checking out where Luke and Michael have been riding bikes when I about broke my neck checking out a yard sale. I made Mark turn around and I dashed to these stools. Well, not actually these two stools. There was a yellow high backed step stool instead of the red one in the picture. I mentioned that I was actually looking for a red one. After talking a bit she decided that I could have the red stool in her kitchen! (I think she liked me and knew I would take good care of her 'baby'). The lady and I talked price...because you don't pay the price marked at a yard sale...that is half the fun...dickering about the price. Once we agreed on a price for them both I had to go home and get in my stash. ( I now have no stash) When I came back she told me there was some bad news...the stool in the kitchen she was switching out for, didn't have a back. Better for me it was EXACTLY what I was looking for! SWEETNESS!
I came right home and began the task of cleaning them up. The wooden stool had paint splatter all over it. Got it cleaned off and then used a little bit of vinegar and water to clean up the rest. Now I have to get some kind of furniture polish or oil to give it a fresh new old look. The red stool is still sitting in the garage waiting for me to give it some TLC. All in due time, my little pretty. I am really going to have to keep an eye on it because Cassie seems to think that my little red step stool would look totally perfect in her kitchen. Oh no my little Missy! keep you mitts off!
And the wooden stool is going to be the perfect place to park Doodles when I do her hair for school. I can just twirl her around and around...she might just sit still for me now!
Stool Bananza
I didn't actually pick this myself. Doodles' grandparents picked it out of their trunk the other day when they were over for something, I can't for the life of me remember. Oh yes, I traded some of my wine bottles for passion fruit pods. They had been cleaning out a house and found these little dice. We think they are made out of bone. I LOVE them and they look pretty cool in the kitchen window.
Sweet!
Maybe not Trash Pickin' but pickin' in my Dad's basement. You see he is getting ready to have a yard sale with his sisters and there were a few things he just wasn't sure of. He asked me to look at the rockers and choose one so I chose this one.
So sometime in my spare time I am going to learn how to reupholster.
He had this old wagon seat in the little house. I got it thinking Cassie might like it...
...but somehow this happened!
Pickin' At My Dad's
Well, we went after birdseed and came back with a bottle tree. I love it. And I even talked the guy into giving me the light blue bottles.
I say a post on Pinterest of a cement hand holding flowers. So I tried it. This is my second hand. The first one lost its thumb when I was trying to get it out of the glove. So this one is staying in the glove. Adds a little extra color I think. Do you know sign language?
I have been saving keys to make Luke a key wind chime. The kid LOVES keys. It's kind of an addiction with him. So I just whipped him up a little stepping stone for his backyard. Funny thing is the entire time I was making it he was 'helping' and checking out every key. Had no idea. Trying to make me one but for some reason having trouble getting it out of the pan.
A Few New Things
Last trip home I was getting out of the car at Mark's parents house and saw these two treasures sitting on the curb across the street. I waited all weekend to see if anyone else wanted them. Nope, they just jumped in my van on Sunday morning The birds love their new birdbath. What I like best is that it is close enough to the backdoor that I should be able to get a few good bathing shots!.
A Little Pick Me Up
First the rest of the story...so after I picked this from a neighbors garbage, it had a little mishap. Mark picked it up to move it and it fell apart. But I now believe there isn't anything you can't fix with A LOT of wood glue and about 10 winched straps.
We stapled chicken wire up the back and added some weight to hold down the brace on the back. Then I dug up two clematis that were on the front corner of the house and planted one in front and one in back. Now I am praying that they will grow quickly.
The Blue Door Has Been Planted
Last week while reading my daily FreeCycle post...someone offered two old bikes...and they weren't to far from here. I had posted something a few months ago asking for old bike rims. I sweet talked Mark into taking the truck for the pick-up because I didn't know what size the bikes were and I didn't want to have to take four car seats out of the van. Just call me lazy I guess. So we get the bikes and they are pretty well shot. But not the rims! They are perfect for my version of something I saw on Pinterest. Now comes the hard part...what to plant that will vine...vine quickly? Any ideas?
I put the bikes minus the rims out on the curb and by morning they were gone...and it wasn't even trash day! I love a good FreeCycle.
Got a little bit of bad news....last night when Mark, not to in the mood, moved the awesome blue door to the perfect spot in the yard...well, it came apart. Now we have a door in two pieces. But he promises me he can fix it with a little wood glue and some nails or screws and maybe even a little bit of pressure from the things that hold things together...vice grips. I don't know. All I know is that I am one sad, sad, puppy. "Jan, it's just a door".
My Wish Comes True
This is not exactly a trash pickin' treasure but because I don't want to be disowned by my family...I am choosing not to start another blog...Goodwill Goodies...I am posting here.
Sooo, one night, late at night, as it usually is, I was checking out posts on Pinterest. That P word is going to be the death of me! I stumbles on something I think is the cutest thing ever! And you all are going to make some too. So simple! And it looks like you are a real pro something or other. Check it out...
Told you they were cute. I went to Goodwill (wish I had waited for Senior Discount Day and then the plates would have cost me about a quarter piece. Went to Hobby Lobby and Michael's in search
of vinyl birds. Nope didn't have any. Came home and googled them and got several different sights. Pick a winner. The hardest part of the entire process was waiting for the mail to run and bring me my birds. Simple instructions included. I have several birds left and I'm thinking maybe I should go get more plates.
I can not take any credit for this great idea. Please click here so you can visit Thistle Woods Farm to see where the idea ccame from and all the instructions.
Blackbirds Sitting On A Wire
I love a good garbage pick. Mark came home for lunch this week. Busted in the door all excited telling me there was a blue door at the top of the street and I should go look at it. You know me, I'm out the door faster than you can say jack rabbit. He promised to watch the yahoos the whole five minutes I am gone. Jumped in the truck and took off up the street and pulled up to the blue door. Jumped out. Struggled to get it in the truck and in the process gave myself a little adjustment and my back feels fine. (I had been moaning and groaning around like I was 900 years old for a few months). And headed for home with idea swirling thru my head.I love it!
Don't have the slightest idea where I am going to put it but I do know that something will be growing on chicken wire.
Then I got to thinking about all the treasures that I have gathered up over the years. I have an entire basket of these doorknobs. So now I need to find an old burlap bag and make a baskets out of it and hang it on the doorknob. And of course fill it with some really bring flowers.
Jackpot
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