Week 26 ~ Diamonds In The Rough!

Diamonds In The Rough! is my weekly feature, where I show you the treasures that I find from garage sales, thrift stores and antique stores.

First, I will share the items I purchased at a deep discount at auction...Yet another chair to fix up.

A sewing cabinet that I had never seen before...full of vintage sewing supplies that I have yet to go through. The top drawer opens normally, the bottom drawer pivots around to expose areas to put spools of thread. Wouldn't this look fun painted?

Little Toile Stool & Funny Ad!

I have re-vamped a little stool with paint, tassel fringe and bird toile fabric. I think it turned out really cute and reflects my taste and style.

I originally purchased the material from Ballard Designs on clearance for either some pillows or a to make a new valance for my bay window in the dining room. However, when looking for something to use to upholster this stool, I decided to use

Fun New Home Decorating!

For the past five weeks, I have been helping a friend and client with pulling her new home together for a more cohesive look. I have blogged about this new home in July when they allowed furniture stores and decorators to come in (before they moved in) and use the house as a way to gain more funds for the Advocacy Network for Children. This tour was over and they moved in their own furniture.
This is where I came in...

I will show you areas of each room that I decorated.

First up, the formal dining room. My friend (the owner), purchased these triplicate art canvases online. I hung them on the wall, marked off a border area and a smaller outer boarder and taped it off. Took the pictures down and my friend painted the wall area the same brown as the alcove in this room. I then switched the area rug from the living room and we had professionally made drapes hung. The rest is all decor that we found at Hobby Lobby and other places in town. I also repainted her metal art that is hung in the alcove.

From Baby to Little Girl Room

I have been helping a friend and client with pulling her new home together for a more cohesive look. In their little girls room, which she painted green, I put a huge vinyl tree on the wall, purchased on eBay.

Initially the baby bed and dresser was lost in this very large room. (This is just one tiny corner, below).

Week 25 ~ Diamonds In The Rough!

Diamonds In The Rough! is my weekly feature, where I show you the treasures that I find from garage sales, thrift stores and antique stores.

This week was light in treasured finds until one particular sale. I will show you that at the end of my post. On to the treasures...

This globe is missing the base, but imagine this with part of the bottom cut away and made into a

A walk on the Wild Side!

A friend and client of mine has a new home that I have blogged about HERE. Originally, I showed you the house when it was staged for a tour. That tour is OVER and they moved all that 'stuff' out and now what you will see is all their personal furniture and decor.

She asked for my assistance in pulling her house together. In the living room, she had purchased new leather furniture. She already had the tables.  I felt that a bit of color was needed in the space, so I pulled in the rug from another room. I found the red pillows at Bed, Bath and Beyond. And then I talked her into living on the wild side...

Wall Flower Art

These plastic Wall Flowers are popular right now. Have you seen them?

I have a client that had these on the wall in her little daughter's bedroom. Since I was decorating this room, I needed this wall space for something else (I will share more on that in another post).

These flowers stick on the wall with peel and stick tape and it is very hard to get it off the wall without any wall damage. They can be purchased at Bed Bath and Beyond.

Sailing Baby Room

I have had a recent request to show children's bedrooms, ones that I have decorated or come across cute rooms via friends.


This bedroom was not decorated by me. I did make two canvas art pieces and a child's chair. However, I thought you would enjoy seeing this cute room.

I suggested to the mother that she should hang the quilt on the wall instead of using it on the bed. As you can see, she took my suggestion. I used this quilt as inspiration for the two canvas paintings that I did for her.

You may remember them from a past post HERE.

Week 24 ~ Diamonds In The Rough!

Diamonds In The Rough! is my weekly feature, where I show you the treasures that I find from garage sales, thrift stores and antique stores.

This week, I was so fun and I have so many small stories to share. As I always find that fall garage sales are some of the best ever!!!

Now is my time to share with you these treasures and stories. This first item is an old typewriter. The old guy (about 75ish) said that it had been his in college and he typed all his papers on it. I offered him $10 since it wasn't priced and he took it. My Hubby loves to collect, restore/clean these and display them in our home. So far we have six so he says that he will get rid of one that I will take to my booth. Only so many typewriters we can display, don't you think?

A Bunch of Before & Afters III

I decided to keep better track of my projects with combining each in a simple collage of Before and After. Here is a sample of past projects, Chapter 3. For past Chapters, look in my archives for Before and After.

Inlaid Table ~ Deja-vu

I just experienced Deja-vu, but this was REAL not an illusion of feeling. I am talking about two tables that have come into my life with-in a month of each other but miles apart. Here is my first one...

I am sure my blog followers remember this one. See the before shot? Notice the top and how the inlay was so far gone that it couldn't be saved? You also see my solution for its rebirth.

Well, little did I know that 180 miles away was an identical table, that I would cross paths with and purchase.

Week 23 ~ Diamonds In The Rough!

Diamonds In The Rough! is my weekly feature, where I show you the treasures that I find from garage sales, thrift stores and antique stores.

This week, I was able to nab some good furniture to transform this winter. Here's my loot for the week.

This will be a fun chair to transform. Don't kill me, but it had a matching side chair that I didn't get. Crazy, I know.

I will have fun with this pair!

White Bookcase Breathes New Life!

I found a Diamond In The Rough!

It was a vintage bookcase with bad bleed-through! It cost $35 and included the wood shelves, door and some new, unused glass shelves. It needed a lot of love. The lady had misplaced the original hardware, so I will have to find some replacements.

What do you do when you have bleed-through of the stained wood or knot holes through the paint? You seal the whole piece with two coats of Minwax Polycrylic. This will stop any bleed-through to the surface of the new paint.  Whoever owned this before didn't know this. I continued on and painted the bookcase white with two more coats of latex.

Around the House...Halloween and Fall Decor!

I used an antique yellow-ware bowl for a fall floral arrangement.

I have been working on decorating for the fall and some of my Halloween decor is out. I thought I would share with you what I have done so far.

Week 22 ~ Diamonds In The Rough! Part 2

Diamonds In The Rough! is my weekly feature, where I show you the treasures that I find from garage sales, thrift stores and antique stores.

This is Part 2 of my week of treasures! There was so much that I had to break it up for you. In Part 2, I will share what happened when I answered an ad in the paper for a night stand. Most of this will be sold in my booth!

This is what our CRV looked like after calling on the ad!

A Mirror of Roses!

On a recent treasure hunt, I found an old mirror that was made of some kind of plastic to look like real wood. I thought the roses were pretty and would look much better spray painted Heirloom White.

Week 22 ~ Diamonds In The Rough! Part 1

Diamonds In The Rough! is my weekly feature, where I show you the treasures that I find from garage sales, thrift stores and antique stores.

This is Part 1 of my week of treasures! There was so much that I had to break it up for you. In Part 1, I will share garage sale treasures and what I did with some of it already.

Flea Market Fleas

How many of us out there have been dreaming of doing something or going somewhere and think, "maybe someday"! Well that "someday" came for Hubby and me.  We have been wanting to

White Iron Chair

You may recall the post that I did on the black iron chair, but if you don't, this is what the finished chair looks like...it is for sale in my booth. I also have a matching white one...

Twin Night Stands

I have a special little friend. His name is Jace and he is so handsome. Meet Jace.

I have been helping his Mommy decorate their new home (I will share it all with you soon). One of the things that was needed were two night stands for Jace's room.  I found these two at a recent garage sale.

Week 21 ~ Diamonds In The Rough!

Diamonds In The Rough! is my weekly feature, where I show you the treasures that I find from garage sales, thrift stores and antique stores.

I had a good run this week...Check it out!

Two matching night stands to paint and transform.

Old books and a pumpkin.

Old Christmas Ornament balls.

Oh So Beautiful Dresser!

Boy, Do I ever have a Lovely to show you!!!

Framed Book Page Tutorial

I decided that I would treat you to a tutorial on how I make my framed book pages. Are you wanting to learn how I do it? Here we go...

A Bunch of Before & Afters II

I decided to keep better track of my projects with combining each in a simple collage of Before and After. Here is a sample of past projects, Chapter 2. To see more of my Before and After Chapters, look in my archives. 

Week 20 ~ Diamonds In The Rough!

Diamonds In The Rough! is my weekly feature, where I show you the treasures that I find from garage sales, thrift stores and antique stores.

I have really gotten just a few unique items this week...Check it out!

I got 8 of these sweet cups...Yes, I am working on another teacup chandy! It's going to be so awesome and it will be for sale!

A Bunch of Before & Afters

I decided to keep better track of my projects with combining each in a simple collage of Before and After. Here is a sample of past projects.

Love Affair

I have had a love affair for the past 35 years! It just spoke to me right down to the core of my soul. Maybe because it's been a part of my life since I was a very young girl. Then tragedy struck and I thought it was lost...Forever!

What could I be talking about? This...

Old No. 1 Stool

I was lazy a week or so ago and didn't take before pictures. Actually, I was overwhelmed with fixer projects that I just didn't take the time.

However, this stool is an old wooden stool that has a rotating two-step, step stool attached. It was painted a lovely light and happy green and my intention was to leave it alone. But upon closer inspection, it needed some small repairs which caused me to have to paint it.

Out came the Annie Sloan, Paris Grey Chalk Paint.

My Booth

I am sure that many of my followers know that I have a booth at our local antique mall here in Quincy, IL called Sullivan's Antiques and More.

Week 19 ~ Diamonds In The Rough!

Diamonds In The Rough! is my weekly feature, where I show you the treasures that I find from garage sales, thrift stores and antique stores.

We hit the Mother-load AGAIN this weekend. As I always find, at the beginning of garage sale season and towards the end of garage sale season, they tend to have better pickin's.

Solid Walnut display case, hubby was happy I found this, he drilled more holes for pins inside to hold more than one glass shelf. At $8, this was a good buy and he will display his collections in this.

Songbird Table

What did $1 get me? Hint...

 Oh but it didn't start out like that...but like this!

Hummingbird!

Okay, I am going to confess two things...I love hummingbirds and I have not been drinking!

Why would I confess such crazy things? Well, this evening, as I was washing dishes, (yes, I have a dishwasher but sometimes still handwash) I looked out my window and saw a hummingbird on our Thundercloud Plum tree. I ran and took this picture.

Table...Is It Too Far Gone?

That's what I asked myself when I first laid eyes on this table.


It's one of those cool old tall oval six leg tables that I am so in love with.


But, was it too far gone for a second life?

Morning Bath!

As taken from my dining room bay window...(no sound other than my dryer running)

Painted Hutch 2-Die-4!

I came across this hutch at a local thrift store. When I first saw it, I thought it was an old 1970's piece because it was so dark. Upon closer viewing, seeing the vintage drawer pulls and the dove-tailing on the drawers, I realized that it was an antique. I found two labels, one in the drawer and a metal one on the back that reads, "Lenox Shops Furniture, Canastota, NY".  I Googled this information and they were in business selling only high end furniture from 1893 - 1930.

I first shared this with you in a recent Diamonds In The Rough! post.

Before in Original Condition

 I realized that it was a shame to paint solid mahogany, but a painted hutch was the look I wanted, not the dark look that it was. The real shame was that I planned on using it for a display rack in my mall booth and not in my home.

However, last weekend when hubby was helping me set up the shutters in my booth and getting the hutch put together after I had painted it right in my empty booth for the past two days, said, "Boy, this hutch sure is nice and would look better in our home." I knew it would eventually make it there but we no longer had our pickup and couldn't haul it home. The thrift store had taken it to the mall for me since it was right around the corner.

Cool Iron Chair

Look at the newly redone cool iron chair!

I was lucky enough to come across two very unique metal chairs at an estate sale.


They are made with what looks like rebar with metal leaves.


One was painted white and missing the circle back part and the other one was painted black.

So let's start this story at the beginning...

Week 18 ~ Diamonds In The Rough!

Diamonds In The Rough! is my weekly feature, where I show you the treasures that I find from garage sales, thrift stores and antique stores.

We hit the Mother-load this weekend.  And it's a good thing since I have a bigger booth space to fill at the antique mall.

Are you ready? Here goes...

One new shade and the rest old. I have a surprise to show you what I do with these around Christmas time. Bet you can't wait!

Old Chandelier Turns Teacup Candelier

In Week 8 of my Diamonds In The Rough! post I shared with you a very old, very cool chandelier.

Week 17 ~ Diamonds In The Rough!

Diamonds In The Rough! is my weekly feature, where I show you the treasures that I find from garage sales, thrift stores and antique stores.

This was an unusual week, Garage sales were not good again, I think because of the heat. However, my girlfriend let me come over and pre-shop her garage sale items. And a got a wonderful hutch at a thrift store.

Here goes with the treasures.

To sell in my booth

To sell in my booth

Another Table...Painted and Mirrored!

I found this antique table on a recent garage sale expedition. I knew that I was going to paint it and probably not keep it because I don't have room for it but,



I so love to paint furniture pieces and give them a whole new personality.








To remind you, here is the before picture that I had shared

Nature's Bounty II

Begonias & Coleus

Earlier this week I posted garden beauty around my yard and called Nature's Bounty. You can see that post HERE.




This is a continuation of that post with more of the awesomeness that nature brings...

Black Eyed Susan's

Week 16 ~ Diamonds In The Rough!

Diamonds In The Rough! is my weekly feature, where I show you the treasures that I find from garage sales, thrift stores and antique stores.

Well, it hasn't been a weekly feature lately, has it? When it gets hot out, the garage sales seem to lessen and get lame. So I have not posted for a couple of weeks on great finds.

Hubby and I went out on Saturday and he really found something great! It was our 17th Anniversary after all! :)

Cute handmade cards! At 25¢ each, I can't make them for that!