My California experience...

Sorry I have not been on by blog in awhile but I went on a little vacation to LaJolla, Calif. to visit a good friend of mine. While there we did some great things, San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park, Coronado and the San Diego Symphony...it was amazing to see even so far away...there are lots of antique stores with great stuff! Some shops were a little pricey but then there were others that were pretty compatible to where I live. My friend, Julie, use to tell me that she could not find the same things I had in my house in LaJolla (maybe the country craft stores) but when we went shopping she realized that there is a lot out there and she did not realize the variety of things you can find in co-ops and antique shops. Let me share some of my wonderful finds, now keep in mind, I flew out there so I was limited on what I could bring home

Threes........

I love to put things in threes....all around my house you will see, I put things in multiples of three. These garden frogs I just picked up this weekend at a flea market for only $10.00! Wow!! I know you are thinking why? I just love them, there shape and who knows I might even use them! The colored boxes show above I stacked together in threes on my cabinet shelf...they were also a great find for only $6.00 big ones!!! I know they are not old but they look great together. Some other ideas.... small houses shown in threes on top of a small cabinet, you can stack small benches, glass cloches on a table top or three small chairs hung on a wall.... the ideas are endless!!!

Couldn't find the sale

I just need to sound off....I did my usual ritual looking at the newspaper on Wednesday morning to find the best sales...things are getting pretty grim with the end of the summer sales and back to school sales but I did find one ad that intrigued me, it was only on Thursday from 8-5 about 26 miles from my house. The ad read: antiques, collectibles, old Disney items and NO CLOTHES!!!I hopped on my computer and googled the address so I was all set to go! ..anyway, I counted my stash and got myself up early that day so I could give myself plenty of time...you know Time is the key to getting the good stuff ...It had rained that night so it was pretty gloomy out when I headed out for my adventure..and what an adventure it was!! I was able to find the street but unfortunately part of the road was closed for construction!! Yikes!!! My palms started to sweat and my heart was racing..where was this friggin' sale???? I was out on stone roads in the country looking for this SALE..I wanted to SCREAM! I circled around two roads I knew to see if the sale was on the other side but NO, IT WAS NOT THERE..I was so upset at this time, WHERE WERE THE FRIGGIN' SIGNS????? No signs anywhere for this sale, people have to understand that if you put an ad in the paper, you must put up signs so people can find the friggin' thing! I rode around for 1 hour looking for this sale, wasted my gas and time for NOTHING! I was soooo disappointed, my weekend was heading for a downward spiral.....

Last weekend fab finds

Here are some fab finds from last weekend sales

Freebies

There is nothing better than getting something for free! I was at a neighbors house and admiring these chairs..they were black and white with a lot of chippy paint, he wanted $15.00 for them and I kept himming and hawwing about it, I really did not need them so I did not care if I got them or not, well...the next thing I know he is giving them to me...he said he had to downsize and wanted to clean things out. I said okay, I liked the style of the chairs but did not really know what to do with them ( I already had chairs for the back yard). I thought about giving them away but to who? After a couple of days, I went to Wal-mart and checked out the paint section, this color caught my eye, it was colorful enough for summer fun! Then, I decided to stop at Home-Depot, they had all their outdoor pillows on sale....voila! I picked these cushions up for $6.00 a piece. I think they turned out pretty good! See what a little paint can do? I spent about $5.00 on the paint so I have invested just $17.00 I have a new look, I have seen these chairs at flea markets for soooo much more. The white table was also FREE....I helped a friend of mine price her things for a sale and we bartered, the table for my help...it is a great way to get items without a price! I just love it in my back yard! The small three drawer was given to me by another friend of mine...she was going to burn it and I saved it! Nooooo, I knew I could give it a good home, the drawers had some painting of small houses on it, I just painted them over with some yellow mustard paint (I have some really good paint but it is expensive-Olde Century Colors, have you heard of it? Great stuff! it comes from North Bend, Indiana and goes on smooth...sorry, for getting off track) I put it in my kitchen and goes with my colors. It is true that best things in life are FREE!!!! Try the barter system with a friend, saves so much!

Garage Sale Grabber

Yes, I have decided I am going to write a book on garage sale etiquette!!! Where I live we have a person that goes around the sales and grabs things from you! There has to be rules for someone like that....first of all, she always goes to the sales early even if the ad says, NO EARLY BIRDS, then she grabs all the good stuff and piles it! She circles that pile like a hawk and if you touch it or accidently pick it up...good grief, she will come at you! I only heard stories about this person until last weekend when I saw this $8.00 bird bath, it was kind of cute and I thought it would be nice for my birds. I asked the young man there if the bird bath was already taken and he told me no, so I picked it up....BOOM...here she comes, like a vulture, and grabs the bird bath from my hand and says, "that's mine"! I didn't think it was that great so I let her have it. I didn't want her to EXPLODE or anything and it was only a BIRD BATH! She could of been polite but no, she added to her pile and continue her search going from table to table. I could see she was really turning others off by her greadiness! I will be showing the pictures from my finds later...Stay tuned...

More Makeovers....

I picked up this spice rack at a garage sale for $10.00, it was not painted but I could see the character in it and it was in good shape..no cracks or marks..I repainted it in a puddy color and added two new black knobs, now it sits ontop of my buffet and I am just waiting to fill it..any ideas? (At left)The candle holder was missing the middle glass piece, I put and old saucer in the middle and placed the ceramic green bird on top..I place in my small glass house and it makes a perfect display on my repainted table, I bought at a garage sale for only $20.00! I left the top as is and repainted the legs (they were a black speckled texture) with my favorite puddy color!

I picked up this small chest at the Raleigh flea market along with the little rocker. The rocker had a seat made of yarn but I liked it without it so I can either put a planter in it or just leave alone. I could not take the colors spray painted on the chest so I had to immediately sand, scrap, and resand to get it all off but it was worth it when I finished repainting.... check it out! (some old toys, that I also collect (on top) will fit nicely displayed in the drawers)...I just love when I can connect things together!