Renewed Table

A friend found this old table and thought I might like to restore it.

Here is a close up of the top, all pealy and yucky.

Here are the drawers.

The whole table was really weathered. We decided to spray paint the black parts black and stain the top.

Here is it half sanded, already looking better.

Now, ready for the stain. It already looks so much better!

I kept some of the old paint on the edges to give it more of an older antiqued look. It didn't quite turn out the way I wanted, but not bad for a free table.

We also got new knobs for the drawers.

I love the color of the stain on the top!

Much better then before. Now I have a table to work on my sewing projects. I can cut standing up instead of criss cross apple sauce. 

Kristen

Rag Rug

Well, it's a work in progress, but I finally got my rag rug started. Here is my long braid. I love all the different colors.

Usually I will knit on a long drive and last week we went to the Grand Canyon. Since I have been dying to get one of these made, I decided to do this instead of knitting on our drive.

Unfortunately, I ran out of fabric so I couldn't finish with 4 hours left in the drive home. But, when I am done, it will go great in my 70's kitchen. I feel like if you can't change it, just go with it.

It will be a while before it's done, I need scraps to make it. I feel like it's a waist to buy beautiful fabric and cut it into scraps, I have make something with it first.

I really like the way the browns turned out in it.

Kristen

Pallet Coat Rack

I saw this really cool coat rack made from an old pallet and I wanted to duplicate it. Here is how mine turned out.

I don't know where the original one came from because I only found it on google images and when I clicked on it, it was other bloggers putting it in their blog because they liked it too. I never found the owner. Anyway, I can't give proper credit. Mine is slightly different.

Anyway, here is what I started with. I only have a hand saw and a little box to saw with.

Here is the almost finished shelf. It doesn't actually look bad like that. It would be perfect with some words carved in the top piece of wood.

But, I liked the pictures on the original one. So, I did that. Besides, I only just thought of the words thing just now as I was typing.

L had to get in the picture with peanut butter on her face and all.

Thrifty Finds

I have an old friend that moved back to CA from Canada and now I have someone to garage sale shop with. It's so much more fun with a friend. We went this weekend because one of the cities has certain days a year that their sales are and I thought it was this week. Well, we got out there at 6:30 and there was NOTHING! We got home and were told about an Estate Sale around the corner from me, so we quickly left for that one. Yeah!

Here is what we found.

I never got china when I got married. I thought it was a waist of money. But I have always wanted plain white china. I really can't stand my dishes, but back then it was slim pickings if you didn't want lead in your dishes. So, when I found this white china, 12 place settings minus 2 mugs and 1 large bowl, I was so excited. I was a little hesitant about the $65 price. I was just looking at it then, I heard the lady saying EVERYTHING is 50% off. I said, "Everything?! Even this china? All of this is $32.50?" She said, "Yes." and I took it! It included 2 large serving bowls and plates.

There are dinner plates, salad plates, big and little bowls (I don't know what for), mugs and serving bowls and plates. These suckers are coming out for Taco Tuesday.

Another thing on my list that I have been looking for on Craigslist for a while now is a picnic table. I have wanted one for the garden, but they are ridiculously expensive. But when I saw this for $5, I snatched it up.

Then I remembered 50% off again. That's 2.50 and they found the bench in the back of the house for me.

It needs a little sanding and staining, but I love my $2.50 table.

I also have to take the staples out from the carpet they stapled on it.

Remember that friend I told you about? Well, we were actually shopping for her because like I said they just moved back. They actually sold most of their furniture instead of moving it. So, she needs new. No luck on the furniture, but she did get this cute bedding and lamp for her daughters big girl room.

I know, not a great picture, but I will take a better one, once their house is painted and the bedding is all cleaned up and on the bed.

Their new house they bought is a nice fixer. Mostly dirt and grime then paint and floors, but lots of work none the less.

I just love the colors on the back of the bedding.

Oh, and this lamp for, I think $5.

Kristen

Thrify Dress

Another refashion. Well, can you call it an re-"fashion" if it came from a sheet, not another piece of clothing? I don't know, so that's what I'm going to call it. Remember this sheet?

Well, I got started on a little pillow case dress. I found these cute ribbons at Michael's for a dollar each. My original plan was to get thick black ribbon with white polka dots for the bottom of the dress. But, these were only a buck each so, I decided to use them going down the front of the dress.

Then, I decided to have some fun with the stitches on my machine for the first time. I liked the way it turned out. L did too, but she didn't want to admit it.

It would have been nice if I looked at the fabric before I cut the arm holes because I did the dress upside down... oops. If you look, all the butterflies are flying upside down. Oh, well. Nobody noticed today at Lego Land.

See, L does like it, she is still trying to act unhappy about it though. That didn't last long.

I can still use the black and white polka-dot ribbon because I can make 2 or 3 more dresses out of this sheet. I have 2 cut already. Nice easy gift. I think I will do thicker ribbon on the sleeves though.

Kristen

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Apron to Dress

Remember this little apron I got at the thrift store not too long ago?

Well, I mentioned in that post that I knew exactly what I was going to do with it. I have been dying to make L's little summer dress out of it. I needed just a little bit of that white islet, but haven't had a chance to run to the store till now. So, made her little dress this morning.

Here is what I did...

I cut arm holes then got that little lace embellishment and used it for sleeves. I found those cute flowers right next to the lace and had to get it for the dress also. It went so perfect and is so springish.

Then I cut off the bottom and used part of that for the bloomers and the other part as bias tape for the arm holes. I had just enough for both arms.

There wasn't enough for the bloomers so I had a little white islet fabric for part of the bloomers.

I love the way it turned out!

It's light, airy and summery. Oh, I added some more flowers to the back of the bloomers, partly so L knows which side is the back and partly cause it was cute.

There is L in her new dress and her little friend E. They have so much fun are are just the cutest together! I brought blood oranges to Angel Day for Little League and there is already a stain running down the front of the dress. Nothing a little stain remover and wash won't get out.

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Thrifty Finds

I've seen people do this and I love it, so I've decided to do it myself. Today, I went to 3 thrift stores looking for sheets. We have this bird that comes every spring to mate. This spring it decided to fight the reflection of itself in my bedroom window or mate with it. So I needed to make a curtain to cover the window until we wake up. It starts pecking the window, literally at sun rise. Before the rooster even crows! So this is what I got at the thrift stores.

The shelf was not from the thrift store, my mother-in-law had it in her shed and it was just getting old and yucky so I asked if I can have it for my porch.  That one was free, the best kind of deal. At the stores I found a few cute plant holders, some sheets and an apron.

This plant holder was 99 cents at the Good Will. I usually don't buy from the Good Will because I find them to be highly overpriced. I have found Big Lots price tags still on an item and the Good Will is trying to sell it for more then Big Lots was. But this little bucket was perfect! There was no price so they gave it to me for 99 cents.

My other Good Will find was this little basket. Paint has come off in a couple of places so I was going to spray paint it, but I like how it looks on the shelf in this green.

This basket with "The handle that doesn't work" as L informed me when we got in the car, was at the Charity Thrift Store in a little strip mall by my house. It was $1.09 after tax. I thought it was cute for my shelf.

The last stop was a thrift store that supports the local christian college. I have heard about it and my MOPS mentor mom this year volunteers there. I have been wanting to go check it out for a very long time. There was a lot of cute stuff, but I had already gotten a couple things I was not looking for so stuck with the sheets.

I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with these vintage looking sheets. If you have any ideas for me, please share them. :-)

This sheet, I know exactly what I am going to do! It will be perfect for a few pillow case dresses with black ribbon. 1 for L and the rest for friends, unless I actually do get an etsy shop up and running.

Well, I said I was going to stick with the sheets, but this old apron was just screaming at me to buy it. There is a dress that I want to make L and I just haven't found the perfect fabric. That is, until now. Now I have the PERFECT fabric.

So there you have it, these are my thrifty finds today. I spent $9 and some change on all of this. Very exciting.

I will be making that little yellow dress very soon, but you won't get to see it till next week. I will not be blogging till then. So, have a great memorial weekend and I would love to see your great deals you get over the weekend.

Kristen