Splinters & Pearls

After finding this ad on Craig's List:

WE HAVE A LOT OF THIN BOARDS FOR BURNING. THEY ARE FROM WALLS WE GUTTED OUT A HOUSE AND IT HAD PLASTER WALLS THESE BOARDS THE LITTLE SLATS THEY RUN ON THE WALLS BEFORE THEY PLASTER. THERE IS A FEW LITTLE NAILS IN EACH BOARD SO BE CAREFUL WHEN LOADING IT. THIS STUFF WILL BURN EASILY AND MAKE A GREAT BONFIRE. TAKE ALL OR AS LITTLE AS YOU WANT. YOU CAN BACK IN THE GARAGE RIGHT UP TO IT FOR EASY LOADING. BRING SOME GLOVES FOR LOADING SO YOU DO NOT GET SPLINTERS.

There is something that I have been wanting to make with wood like this, so I called the number in the ad. Upon hearing my voice, the person on the phone said "Honey, this is really something a man should come and get. The wood is full of nails and I wouldn't want you to get hurt".   What?? I felt like I had just traveled back to the 1950's when women were supposed to stay home and clean house in a dress, heels and pearls....I don't know if that's really the way it was in the 50's but that is how the TV shows portrayed it! 

After a couple seconds of letting that statement sink in, I assured them that I would be ok and....Look what I brought home today!!

And I didn't even break a nail or get a splinter! 

Happy Birthday to My Mom

Yesterday was my Mom's birthday. We wanted to take her out to dinner to celebrate and asked her where she wanted to go. To our surprise she picked Outback Steakhouse. We were surprised because she normally picks Red Lobster. 

Turns out that Tuesday, Sept. 24th was Blooming Onion night and we got this for free....you all know that's my favorite word!

I was there too...I was the picture taker! 

Outback also treated mom to an ice cream sundae "on the house" (which also means free).

Afterwards we went back to Mom's for some gift opening. I hope she had a good time and we will do it all over again next year! 

What a Sight!

After 2 days of rain, we came home to this beautiful sight tonight...

Brings back memories of my Dad saying "Red sky at night, sailor's delight."  So tomorrow should be a nice day! 

Like They Were Meant to Be!

Don't you just love it when things come together?  Me too! 

As you know, I spend most of my Friday's going to garage sales and estate sales and I normally come home with random pieces of small (because it has to fit in my Mini Cooper) furniture .  John will ask me why I bought this or what am I planning on doing with that odd ball piece and my response is always "the price was right (cheap) and maybe I will find something to go with it"...

This week I was finally able to group a few of those pieces together...

Before: (John actually brought the chair home and I got the corner table at a garage sale)

After:

Before:(the chairs were in an old barn at one house and the table came from an estate sale at another house)

After:

I was able to find out a little history on these chairs. They had a stamp on the back...

They were made by the American Seating Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The company was started in 1906 and is still in business today. These chairs were made in the 1930's and nick named the "Folding Forty" chairs because of the unique way they fold up (not like normal folding chairs) and they were used by the armed forces in World War II.  I think the neat thing about pairing these chairs with the table is that the table top also folds down. So all 3 pieces fold up for storage!

It was satisfying to take random pieces and make them look like they were meant to be together!

I also finished this large dresser this week...

and got a couple plant stands painted...

Tomorrow I will head back out in search of more random pieces of furniture that no one else wants...as long as the price is right and they will fit in my car!! 

GO IRISH!!!

I managed to get this done and in the booth for football season!

I just got done repairing, sanding and painting a really large dresser and now I'm getting ready to park myself on the couch and watch the Notre Dame game. GO IRISH ! ! !

Let There Be Stylish Lights

Look what UPS delivered yesterday!!!

It's a long string of Edison bulbs!  This is the finishing touch for E-Six. I know they aren't "Eco Friendly" but sometimes you have to go for style!  I love Edison bulbs! :)

So John and I took them tonight and put them up. We put them on a timer along with the lamps in the booth so nothing has to be turned on and off each day...

I think it adds life to the booth...and certainly draws attention to it! 

Now I just need another extension cord to get that topiary bush thing lit up!

Hall Tree #2

I was talking to my Mom and she said that she didn't think I put pictures on here of the other hall tree that we made. So here it is...

I love the door we made this one out of. The plan was to paint it until John started sanding it and all these great colors started to show up. I told him there is no way I'm painting over that! So the door itself hasn't been painted. I just put a sealer over it.

He made and attached the bench seat and molding at the top and I painted those. We also replaced the cracked glass with mirror. Returned the original door knob face plate and added hooks and the welcome sign...

So hopefully you hadn't seen this yet. If you have, then it must be your mind playing that deja vu thing on you! :) 

Still in Relax Mode!

I think I'm still in "Relax" mode...and now believing that a 3 day getaway wasn't enough time to recharge my batteries!! Ha!

I have only painted a couple small things since we've been back. One is this wicker elephant. I think it is a plant stand or maybe had a glass table top at one time.  I just thought it could be a neat corner filler once it was painted a bright color...

Before:

After:

Then I painted this old hanging wood planter box. I got it at a yard sale several weeks ago and it has just been sitting in the garage. My timing is off on this one because I don't think anyone is planning on planting anything now!

I also spent a lot of time on the computer this week updating my the inventory list for E-Six, putting furniture ads on Craig's List, and making Price Tags....

And someone hasn't been very happy about it...

So I decided to put a price tag on her!!

John got a table ready for us to take to E-Six. We had bought this several weeks ago at an estate sale. We got the table top and then bought 2 different sets of old table legs. He attached the best set of legs and then cleaned it up with some Old English...

It looks bigger in the pictures than it is. I think it would be perfect in a family room as a game/puzzle table.

Friday was spent going to garage sales (with a quick stop in to say "hey" to Mom) and Saturday I went to a few estate sales.

This week the plan is to paint, paint, paint!

Relaxing in Clearwater

John and I just got back from a relaxing Labor Day weekend spent in Clearwater Beach, Florida. 

We planned this short trip with only 2 things in mind. Relaxing on the beach....

John (pre-sunburn):

Our Hotel:

Pier 60...right beside our hotel:

Our boat captain found this Sea Urchin...

Sunsets:

And the other thing we were looking forward to was eating good seafood....

Blackened Shrimp, Scallops and Mahi...

John finishing up his peel & eat shrimp!












Lobster Mac & Cheese...Yummy!!!

We also had Seafood Stuffed Mahi and Grouper Cheeks while we were there.

More pic's:

It was a much needed getaway that I wish could have been longer, but we had a great time!