Bargains

I promised earlier in the week to share what I was up to lately. Expanding my little business! My friend Karen, www.gardenchick.com has asked me to put some of my painted furniture/glassware in her new shop, in exchange for rent I will work at the shop several days a month! I love a good barter, don't you? I am so excited. I have several booth spaces down the street now , but they do well stocked with teas/tea accessories in one and bath and body in another so I no longer have room there for my rehabbed junk nor my hand painted glassware, both of which I love to "piddle" with so...voila! This picture is a little table I recently "saved" from junk heaven. It needed cleaning, the legs painted, etc. bought it for $10!!!The chair( there are 2 of them) was an ugly stained wood, you've seen them everywhere, $5 each, don't they look better painted black and lightly distressed? The little wreath was made from leftovers!My DH used to call me the "$10 Queen" but he may have to change my name to the "$5 Princess". hehe

Summer stuff

Do you change any of your home to reflect the season, other than the Christmas season? I don't do alot around the house like that but I do like to change out my dining room sideboard and usually the coffee table in the great room. I change the front door decoration also. I bought a new basket for it recently, I'll need to make a pic and post it later. I love the way this summer "white look" turned out on the sideboard, what do you think? Suggestions for me?

Busy as a bee!

Here are some of my latest flea market finds! Don't you love the little demilune table complete with it's shaped glass top for $10! I can't wait to paint it black. Those sell so well for me! Cute little suticase, I've already decoupaged some images on it. I don't decoupage things much. My friend, Tracey ( http://www.acottageindustry.com/ )does this alot on furniture, etc. and it always looks darling! My attempt turned out pretty good, I think.I'm still selling decorated hats. So here's my latest hanging on the suitcase. The frame in the first picture looks like a white board, so I thought I could quickly paint it with chalkboard paint and sell it but it has a blemish on the surface. So I painted it but , the chalkboard paint now doesn't look as smooth as I thought. Oh well! Win some ,lose some.I'll use it in the studio for myself. I only paid $1 for it!When I get time to post again, I'll tell you about my latest venture and why I am "stockpiling" treasures like crazy!! Stay tuned!

Sweet blogging friends

I love the internet! In the past 6 months or so, I have "met" some of the nicest folks thru the internet and "magic "of blogging. I thank each of you who visit my blog and comment . I love to get comments, so fun! Anyway, one of those sweeties I've met is Jill of http://bittersweetsoap.typepad.com/ , I read her blog everyday! I feel as if I know her now. I'm not sure what I said, but I recently commented on her blog and she felt compelled to send me a sweet surprise after that!I received it on Friday. I love it!It is a sampling of what she carries: hand made soap, bath salts, cute vintage stickers. She had a small boutique for about 10 years in her downtown area and recently moved it back home. She makes practically everything she sells, like 1oo different items! She has even had her soaps in the Emmy bags! How cool is that? Check out her blog sometimes or better yet patronize her online shop ,she is too cute !

Slowly but surely

I am slowly getting my studio fixed the way I want it. I wanted to use all "flea market or thrifted" furniture pieces etc. up there. No problem!

I bought this big bookcase at an auction recently for $30, it looked as if it had been in someone's garage for years holding old tools and paint cans. I'm sure you get the picture. It was nasty looking but I wanted something just clean and basic for my fabric stashes and a few other treasures. I went over the bookcase lightly with liquid sander and then a coat of basic white latex paint. It looks very shabby, lol. But that's ok, it looks 100 % better than before. The other side of the room has a $5 book shelf "find" holding some of my inspiration books.It was a creamy color and I spray painted it white. The old "ice cream stool" I found at Trade Days awhile back for $10, it has a wooden seat that I'm padding and covering with fabric. I really bought it to fix and sell at the shop but DH has constructed me a high worktable( I'm 5'10") consisting of plywood across 2 sawhorses so I'm going to keep the old stool myself and will use it when I work at the worktable. It will be perfect for that. So I am slowly getting the studio the way I want it, but I have already been "breaking it in" as I did some wine glass painting up there last week as well as some basic sewing. I love it! More pictures to come later.

Where do I start?

The past two weeks have been so busy, where does a "young retirees" time go? lol That would be me! Not sure nowadays but it does zip by...... let me see if I can catch up! As some of you know, since I retired from my"big girl job" with the state a few years ago, I've had several birthday lunches for close friends here at home. A couple of other friends and I had one for 3 friends last Friday. All three of the birthday girls were celebrating last weekend, so we had a combined party. What fun we had! I have a friend who collects fun"girlfriend" platters and vases just for such occasions. The one she brought this time was so cute!

So cute in fact, we put our bite size desserts in the middle and used it as our centerpiece, I built the luncheon tablescape around it.

Didn't it turn out cute? The black and white plates I bought last summer while on the 450 mile yard sale! I got 10 of them for $5! I used them more as chargers last Friday as I recently bought 8 clear plates for $6, that way we got to enjoy the tablescape with out the food "competing" with those bright plates. I thought I share the pics as it looked so fun when I finished. Whether it be a simple lunch at home or a sandwich in the park, take time to touch base with your close friends because family and friends are a big part of what life is all about! Speaking of friends, gota run, best friend and I are going to Scott's Antique Market, www.scottantiquemarket.com this morning in Atlanta and then staying overnight for some "girl time". I promise to catch you up on my other escapades later.