Proceed With Caution

My husband loves his nightstand but it has only
a teeny tiny drawer for storage. I tried to solve the storage problem with a collection of boxes
that I painted and numbered. But they ended up looking too big and clunky for the space.
So I went to Plan B.

I had this great, vintage basket that was a thrift store find.
It was nice, but not all that masculine. A nice coat of gray spray paint helped, but it still needed a little more.
Since my husband did service in Germany in his youth I asked him to pick a German word that he thought would be appropriate for the basket. I printed off the word in a font that resembled one found on old shipping crates.
Then I cut out the letters to make a stencil. Next I sprayed the paper with adhesive and placed it on top of a piece of scrap wood that I had already painted the same gray as the basket.I spray painted the stencil and when the paint was dry I aged the sign with a little sanding and a light top coat of stain. Then I attached it to the basket with wire.I love that the basket now looks like it came from an old ship, complete with the German word for CAUTION. It fits perfectly under the nightstand and is a great storage solution for hubby's odds and ends.

His Favorite

It all began with a piece of slate that was destined for the garbage dump. I found it in the corner of my in-laws storage room as we were de-cluttering and packing for my MIL's move to a smaller home. It was a piece left over from the entry floor of the house that had been their home for several years."Why do you want that?!?!" my hubby asked as I carted it to his truck (you would think that he would have learned by now that his wife has an eye for good junk).
He rolled his eyes as I gave him a list of reasons.
When we arrived home I hauled my newly acquired piece of slate into our home and plopped it on top of another junk find, an old sewing machine cabinet that hubby had picked at the thrift store. Amazingly the slate piece was the PERFECT size!We cut and nailed molding to the top of the cabinet so the slate would rest inside. I painted it the same blue-gray as the slate.It's now my husband's night stand and his favorite piece of furniture. It's a beautiful reminder of the family memories made in the home of his youth.

He Said I Should

I spotted this huge tray at the thrift store for $1. When my husband questioned my choice I told him that I wanted a big tray for our coffee table and we could either build one or I could invest in this one for a dollar. He said I should spend the dollar (I'm sure he just didn't want to have to build anything in this summer heat.)
The tray is over two feet wide---it's an ugly old restaurant tray that it's previous owner gave makeover using contact paper.

That's one way to improve it's appearance.
But as any good DIYer knows,
spray paint is really the ultimate fix!Now that dollar tray looks at least ten times the price!

A Thrifted Nook

I have an unusual little nook in my family room. It's a small spot in between the fireplace and the hall. One of my first furniture thrift store purchases for this home was this bookcase. I fell in love with it's shape and size the moment I saw it.

It was the perfect piece for this nook. I filled it and topped it with more thrifted items. Yes, everything you see here (with the exception of the large finial)
were thrift store bargains costing no more than a dollar or two. Even the beautiful framed photograph of doorways
was a thrift treasure. It just proves that
it doesn't have to cost a lot to decorate
even the most unusual spaces in your home!

What 50 Cents Can Buy

My passion for thrifting has had to take a back seat lately with finances so very tight. But the other day I had a design appointment in the big city and thought that it would be nice to browse through a few thrift stores on my way home. After venturing up and down the aisles with nothing wonderful to be found, I spied a little package wrapped with cellophane and tape. Upon further inspection I noticed that it contained two small white ceramic quail, with a price tag of fifty cents. I laid down my change and adopted them.They are now nesting happily, basking in the light in my bookshelf.They seem right at home in the midst of all the white pottery.

Lilac Love

My lilac bushes are abundant in blossoms. I thought I'd bring some of that beauty and aroma indoors.

I found that the blossoms last longer if you hammer the ends
of the branches so that there is more surface to drink up the water.

I pulled out this old thing to help weight the vase down and camouflage the stems.

You just can't beat a homegrown bouquet!

You're So Vane

I found these vanity benches at different times years ago at thrift stores. I bought the second thinking that it was an exact match to the first. It wasn't. The legs are different but fortunately the size is the same. They sat in my storage room until I found this darling fabric. It's too light weight for upholstery fabric so I knew that if I were going to use it on a piece of furniture it would have to something that wouldn't be used every day. That's when I remembered the benches. I knew that with a little makeover they would finally find a home.With a little Mediterranean Blue spray paint to unite them, and cushy new tops for comfort, those worn out benches now look fresh and new.
They now reside at the foot of the bed in the guest room.

They finally look right at home!(And I might have just enough fabric left to cover that small pillow!)

Blossoming Inspiration

Inspired by Susan's surprise and a trip to the dollar store,
where I spied these poppy bouquets,
I decided to create a new door display of my own. I began by rummaging through my
thrift store orphanage/storage room and discovered this
charming metal hanging pocket. I was naturally drawn to it about a year ago because
it replicates old ceiling tins.
I was thrilled to be finally giving it a purpose in my home.
I think it's the perfect poppy container! They both conjure up feelings of years gone by,
so what would be more appropriate than to finish them off with
a little burlap and vintage lace.

Bowl-d Over

One of

my favorite thrift store treasures

is my huge, wooden, bread dough bowl.

I just happened to be at the right place at the right time when they brought out this little beauty. It was one of those finds that everyone in the store commented on when they spied it in my cart. That's when you know you have a real treasure!
I love every inch of the wear on this bowl. Even the large crack down the center makes it unique.I adore the way it was repaired with nails and strips of metal.This bowl is in constant use at our house. It usually sits on the kitchen island or table. In the fall it's loaded with pumpkins and gourds. The rest of the year it's usually laden with fresh fruits.

I thought I'd give it a little vacation from it's usual kitchen duties.
I brought it into the living room and filled it full of glass floats and Christmas ornaments that I've gathered over the years on clearance and at thrift stores.

I think it's enjoying it's little vacation and so am I.

This Little Light of Mine

I have a soft spot for lamps---especially small, unique ones. So when I found this vintage glass beauty a while back at the thrift store I felt the need to adopt it. Sure it needed a pretty shade and to be rewired, but that didn't stop me. Lamp kits are available at hardware stores for not much money and rewiring a lamp only takes a few minutes. As for the shade I just kept my eye out at the thrift store until I found the style and size I needed.

Now my adopted little sweetheart has a new home
in the bookcase in the living room. I think it looks right at home there.

I would be thrilled if you would take a minute to
click here to Jackson Design and Remodeling.com
to vote for Joys of Home.
Voting ends Thursday the 15th
Thank you!!!

Thrift Store Scrolls

On a recent trip to the thrift store I spied this
scroll-y work of art. It was one of those thrift finds that
one picks up,
looks at with curiosity,
tries to figure out whatever could be done with said item,
puts it back,
and then repeats the process
several times
until
inspiration finally hits,
curiosity is resolved
and the item is purchased.

Do you ever do that with any thrift store finds?

Once home I decided to make my inspiration a reality by first cutting and painting a piece of MDF the length of the scrolls.Next I found a font on the computer that I liked and printed the word "Welcome." I rubbed the backside of the paper with chalk so that I could transfer the image onto the MDF by tracing over the text.I painted the letters---three coats were needed in order to cover the deep red base coat.A couple of wood rosettes were added to each end of the board. Then two small holes were drilled to thread wire through in order to attach the board to the scroll. Sometimes it pays to pick up a curious thrift store item several times until inspiration hits!