Decisions and a Few New Finds....

Hi Everyone!  It seems these last couple of weeks have just flown by.  I have tried several times to sit down and write a post, but I couldn't find my "voice" to write.  Have you ever had that problem?  I have finally started working on a few projects and have a couple of big projects planned around my house (it's only taken me 10 years).  And I've been trying to make some decisions regarding my business like which fairs to attend, how many and when the best time to schedule open houses at the studio and whether or not to put items on consignment at a local shop (just to name a few things) plus I took some time for myself.  I love to read but go in spurts, reading non stop and then not being able to concentrate.  This last week as been one of the those non stop readathons.  Since Friday, I have read six complete books and have started number 7.

But I believe I am finding my "voice" again and am ready to get back to work.  So I thought I'd begin by showing you a couple of new finds.  I'd say recent, but I picked these up the weekend of my studio Open House and just haven't shared them with you yet.

 My Uncle Bill brought me a stack of windows that he saved from going to the landfill.  Thanks Uncle Bill!

My dear, sweet friend Lynett brought me a bunch of items she'd picked up for me.  Isn't this beefy headboard and foot board great!

 I love this headboard with it's classic shape and can't wait to turn it into a bench...maybe one with storage.

 Lynett also brought me this Jenny Lind high chair.  It's in great shape!  I can't wait to paint this one and put it in my studio.

 And then there was this baby.  It was a little pricey and needs some work, but I couldn't resist it.  It's missing some trim pieces, but I think I can recreate them.

I believe it had been a stereo cabinet that you had to open the doors to expose the speakers.  I can't wait to work on this!  I'm planning on replacing the top because it is warped and I don't believe it is original to this piece based on the hinge marks on the base that are not on the top.  Then I think I'll add another shelf to the space on the left so it can be used as a buffet or TV stand.  But all of these will have to wait for a while.  As I'm getting ready to begin work on a remodel in my bathroom, more on that later.  Have you found any great items lately?  Thanks for stopping by.

Recent find...

Hi Everyone!  I am busy putting the last details on a long list of projects but haven't taken the time to photograph anything yet.  I thought I'd show you the latest headboard I picked up.  I got this one from my mom.  It was in her guest room.  Ten years ago I picked this up and transformed it for her while they were gone because the guest room had no headboard.  It had ugly wood panels in it that I removed, cut a new piece of wood and then upholstered.  After ten years of use, it's time for a remake.

Mom is decorating her guest room and I gave her a headboard from my stash to use and I got this one.

I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do with it yet.  What would you do?  Now I have to head out to the shop to finish my to list for the fair.  Thanks for stopping by.

Recent finds...

Hi Everyone!  I thought I'd share some recent finds with you.  My dear, sweet friend Lynett picked up some items for me while she was out thrifting!  Each time she came across something she thought I'd like or could use she'd call or email me about them.  And I finally had a chance to meet up with her to get most of the items she'd picked up for me.  She also has two headboards for me, but they wouldn't fit in her car...I'll get those at the fair next month. 

This is what she picked up for....

 I just love this stool!  When Lynett sent me the picture, I said "Uh, Yes Please!"

 It's in perfect condition....and I can't wait to add a bit of color to it!

 And she picked up these 10 mason jars...3 half gallon and 7 quart jars for $8.00.

Then she called to ask if I still wanted yardsticks.  She was at a garage sale where there were a bunch of yardsticks....so she got them all for me.....all 21 of them!  Now I have about 40 of them...I think it's time to make something with them!  Thanks so much Lynett!  I have great friends and family that keep a look out for things I might be able to use.  But before I can do anything with those yardsticks, I need to finish the two custom orders I'm currently working on and then I HAVE to get BUSY finishing up items for the fair next month.  It's a month away!  Thanks for stopping by.

Recent find...

Hi Everyone!  I hope you are enjoying your weekend.  I've been busy in the shop this weekend but I took a break from building yesterday and stopped in at the local junk shop to see if he had anything "new" and look at what I found....an antique stool.

It's a little rough and needs a little tightening up.....

 ...the seat comes off to reveal a little compartment...

...it reminds me of  a piano bench for one...

...it definitely needs a makeover...and the price was fantastic...$2.00!  I can't wait to get started on it.  What have you found lately?  Now I need to get back out to the shop.  Thanks for stopping by.

More recent finds...

Hi Everyone.  I thought I'd show you a couple of things I picked up this past weekend.  The junk store in a town not far from where I live reopened this past weekend and this is what I picked up...

 ...I spent $6.25 for all of it....

 ...I got these three wooden frames for $0.75 each....

...I got this larger frame for $2.00...

....and I got this stool for $2.00.  One of the legs needs to be reattached, but it's nothing I can't fix.  And I like the turned legs.  So it was a great little shopping trip.  Thanks for stopping by.

New junk!.....

Hi Everyone!  This past weekend I went to the Weston Primitive Company's Open House.  They had some really amazing things and this is what I came home with (after two trips).

 I saw this wheel sitting outside their building and thought it was really cool.  It's red, white and blue.

 I have no idea what it went to and neither did the gal I bought it from but I thought it would look great in a flower bed or on the side of the garage.

I also picked up these windmill blades.  My idea for these is to bury them into the flower bed on the front side of the farmhouse directly under the large picture window.  That flower bed needs something of interest in it and I think this fits the bill nicely.  But I think they need to be painted a bold color so they stand out.  And these are appropriate here on the farm since our windmill was destroyed many, many years ago in a storm.  The bottom of the base is there, but the rest of it came down.  I can't wait for spring to get here so I can work on the landscaping around the house.  Thanks for stopping by.

Recent finds...

Hi Everyone!  Today I thought I'd share some recent finds with you....My friend Lynett rescued this headboard and foot board from the roadside for me....Thanks so much Lynett!

 A couple of weekends ago, I had my first Saturday off that didn't involve a holiday or a craft fair...

 ...so I did a little shopping at a couple of junk places and came home with this antique dresser...

....I just love these legs with the casters!....

 ...I also found 15 pint jars...

 ...for a $1.00 each...

  ...and at another place, I found these.  The two half gallon jars are clear with the slightest hint of pink to them.  It was a nice little outing and the perfect way to commemorate not having to work on Saturdays anymore.  What have you found recently?  Thanks for stopping by.

Recent finds...

Hi Everyone!  I am out working in the shop today trying to get ready for the first fall craft fair.  But I need a break and wanted to show you a couple of recent finds.  My mom picked up a couple of frames (thanks Mom!) and I picked up the other three last weekend.

 I don't know exactly what I've going to do with the two standing up but I have an idea that the large one will be turned into one of the wire/clip message/picture frames that I make for the fairs that always sell quickly (I need to come up with a better name for them).

The top two of these frames are a matching pair.  I got these three for $2.50.  A little more than what I would normally pay for frames this size but they are solid wood and in great shape...and they match.  I needed two matching ones this size so I was happy to pay the $2.00 to get them both.  I have already used them and I'll show you what I did with them later this week.  But now I need to get back out to the shop.  Thanks for stopping by.

Mirror, mirror and new finds....

Hi Everyone!  I hope you're all ready for a great weekend.  I will be working on my studio.  I need to get this finished so I can get back to work!  I'm getting behind on building up my inventory.  Plus I can't wait to have the chaos done.

Last week my co-worker Keith (the one that rescued the athletic baskets from the dump, you can read about that here) asked me if I wanted an old, large mirror.  Uh YES PLEASE!  He is remodeling his bathroom and took down this mirror and didn't want to just throw it out and he knew I might be able to do something with it.

 It's attached to some plywood and is in excellent condition.  I'm going to add some beefy molding to it.  I just need about 8 more hours in each day to get everything done.

 A shop opened in town recently that has used stuff.  It used to be a junk place that was too packed to walk through and where they left things sitting outside in all kinds of weather.  But now a new owner has come in and cleaned it all up, inside and out.  My mom stopped there the other day and told me I had to stop.  So I did on my lunch break.  I got this headboard/foot board for $5.00.  It's really short so I think I'll piece it out instead of making a bench with it.

I also picked up these six yard sticks for $1.00 each.  I've been looking for yard sticks.  I think I might have enough now to make something with them.

 The two tall ones are 48" sticks from Earl May Seed and Nursery.  If you're from the mid-west you might have heard of it.  Earl May Seed Company was started by Earl May in Shenandoah, Iowa (which is where I live) in 1919.  Shenandoah was the epicenter of the seed and nursery business back then.  Earl May's family still lives here where they still run the family business which has Garden Centers in Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas.  A little bit of history there.

Now I need to get back to painting my studio.  I hope you have a great weekend.  Thanks for stopping by.

What a pile....

....of windows that is.  Hi Everyone!  I hope your week is off to a great start.  I wanted to share with you the windows I got this morning.  Most of them do not have glass in them which is okay with me.  I have ideas for those.  And the four on the bottom of the pile have their glass.

 I had to put three of them (not in this pile) in the dumpster because they were so far beyond repair.  They all need to be cleaned up because they've been stored in an old barn for YEARS! 

These two are my favorites.  Don't you just love the size of them.  The tall one is a little more than 5 feet tall and it really was a window.  It still has the points in it that held the glass.  And there weren't any hinges or holes for hinges...I checked.  I can't wait to work on these.  I have a few ideas but I'm curious to hear what you would do with them?  Thanks for stopping by.

Recent finds....

Hi Everyone!  I hope your week is going well.  I've had this post done for a week but accidentally left it as a draft instead of publishing it.  Duh Holly...you have to click on the publish button.  I have several others that are drafts too that I will finish and get published soon.

  I wanted to show you what I picked up over Memorial weekend with my parents.  We were on our way back from the city and went through a tiny town that was having a yard sale.  So I picked up these for $1 each.  They are old, clear mason jars.

This one is my favorite.  I love the star on it.  And even though it's clear, it does have the slightest hint of blue to it.

I also picked up this little cutie...for $1.

 I picked this up too for a $1.

We almost didn't stop but I'm sure glad that we did.  And if you haven't linked up to the All Star Block Party you can still link up here.  Thanks for stopping by!

My new great finds....

Hi Everyone!  I hope your weekend is going well.  Yesterday I made a trip to a "junk" shop in a nearby town that my mother told me about and I have to show you what I got.

 Pulleys.

 They are old and dirty and heavy!

 This one is really heavy and large.

 This is a medium size one but I just love the way it looked.

 And this one has a wooden wheel on it.  It's my favorite.

But I love 'em all!  I spent a little more than I wanted to ($23 for all three of them), but I just couldn't leave them there on the floor.  We of course have some of these around the farm but they are all in service and I don't think my dad would appreciate it if I took them down.  

So now I have my own.

I also picked up this white, wooden frame for $3.00.  They had a lot of frames so now I know where I need to go when I'm looking for frames.  They also had the top of an antique mantel with a mirror in it that I just loved, but I wasn't sure how I would use it.  I'll have to do some thinking on it and if it's still there next time, it just might have to come home with me.  

Now I need to head out to the shop.  There are things to be done today!  Thanks for stopping by.

And don't forget about the All Star Block Party that begins Wednesday!  Click here for details.

New finds...

Hi Everyone!  I hope your week is off to a great start.  I am in the process of getting ready for my first ever Spring Craft Fair.  I've only ever done fall shows so I'm having a bit of trouble deciding what exactly to make and take to this fair.  It's one I've never been to (not even as a shopper) so I really don't know what I'm getting myself into.  And it's a two day fair.  Again, something I haven't done before.  So I also don't know how much stuff to take.  I am trying to make sure I have enough inventory and a variety. 

On that note, one of the things I've been taking to all my fairs are my version of a message/picture board.  Which I've shared with you here and here.  On my lunch break today, I stopped by one of the antique/junk shops to see if he had any frames available..and this is what I walked away with.

 I could make them, but why not recycle existing frames, if I can find them.

 Some of the time the frames are very ornate, but this time they all have simple lines.

 But I like the variety of shapes and sizes.

 This one needs a bit of work but I couldn't pass up the price.

 And this one is oak, but I have no problem painting it.

So with some paint, wire and clips, these will all be turned into my version of message boards or for pictures or art work.  There are just so many possibilities.  I will show them to you once I'm done. 

If it doesn't rain tonight, tomorrow my dad and I will be putting fertilizer on all the pastures.  We won't be getting calves this year due to the high cattle prices, so instead we will be putting up hay.  And since Spring arrived so early here, if the rain holds up, we should be have several good cuttings of hay. 

This is a picture from last year.  So hopefully we'll see sights like this several times this year.  We're hoping for a good hay year.  And the part for my saw will be here later this week so hopefully I'll have some new projects to share soon!  Thanks for stopping by!