Clocked

E and I went to an Estate Sale one Sunday afternoon. I was familiar with the company doing the sale and also with the area it was being held so I was uncertain that we could find anything at a value. However, we were already out that afternoon and swung by. So glad we did! 

We went in the garage area first and I found a fabulous vintage clock that I knew would look great in my guest bathroom. It had a missing leaf but thankfully that leaf was in the same box as the clock! There was no price tag but I picked it (& the leaf) up and walked around with it. The guys managing the garage came over to me with a grocery bag, and said, "Everything that fits in the bag is $3." Whhhhhhhat? Well, since ya mentioned that (!) I did notice a few other items I was interested in! ;-)

Everything on the table in the below picture was from my $3 bag. Score! Since the clock was what I wanted, I consider everything else bought at "no cost." Highlights include....... a book for E, four books for my bedroom decor, a book for my parents (something like "deals you can't get unless you are over 50"), a clothes steamer (works wonderfully!), several vintage ashtrays, vintage clip-on earrings, place mats  a vintage stapler (those things run like $20 on Etsy!), a vintage RC Cola bottle opener, and a few Chinese bowls. Okay, maybe that was everything, not just highlights.

Here is the clock with missing leaf. Can you see how nasty this thing is? I honestly didn't think it was "that bad" when I bought it. I cleaned this clock over the course of two weeks. Thank goodness for Lysol wipes!

I could totally see the potential the whole time. (...... yeah, totally.......) 

Check out the finished product!

Ready for guests!

-get loh

Buffed

Shout out to E for buffing my headlights. Can you see the difference?! Looks much better. He understands my desire to be conservative with money and "things" and knew I didn't want to buy new headlights so he just cleaned them for me!

He used a buffer on his air compressor and a cream designed to help buff. (Okay, maybe I should confirm the cream name because that may be helpful if you want to buff your headlights.)

Good as new!

-get loh

The 7 hour roadtrip

My parents, Aunt & Uncle, and E & I went to Adairsville, GA to get "Character's Famous BBQ." They are only open 2 hours for lunch and 2 hours for supper (maybe) so we left Anniston about 2 so we could make the 2 hour trip and be there by 5:00 GA time. Character is a family name and a somewhat rare one so when my parents found this (how? who knows....) they were insistent that we try it! So - we were all hyped up and hungry (not a good combination!) and then, whatyaknow - they were CLOSED when we got there! :-( Super sad face. We think they close when they run out of food. After taking a bunch of pictures to document that we were there, we had to find a second option. 

Small place!  Check out this review to imagine you were there. It's what I do. 

Does your BBQ have Character?

We ate at an Inn in Adairsville. 

We didn't want to take the exact route back home, but in our excitement, we ended up going wayyyy outta the way, oh, about 4 times. We were able to get a shake from the Tasty Dip in Heflin before they closed for the night!

Yes.... It was adventure! ;-)

On a Mission to Mexico!

One of my dear friends has gone to Mexico the past couple of years and she brings me the sweetest trinkets and jewelry. I treasure them because they  are made in Mexico and most importantly, remind me of her adventure and her passion for the people and for God. She could tell the story much better than me, and possibly tell it for weeks! 

She says, "Its a place near and dear to my heart.... Words really can't express how much that place means to me and how much it has changed my life."

I've never been. I can't tell her story. But, I can share her passion. And her stories. And the stories of others who went with her. 

A couple of blog posts:

Baptism on the Canal

Traveling on I-40

Here are her favorite pictures from her time "on the canal"!

Matthew 25:40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

God bless the international missionaries. Remember them in your prayers!

Curtain Rod

The hunt is always turning up something I didn't expect. Case in point, 2 wooden curtain rods at an estate sale. They were originally $3 a piece but since I found them on the final day, I got them for $1.50 a piece. Helllloooo. :) Wooden isn't my current style. However, wood that is paint-able is my style.

The steps: 

Clean rods of any dirt and grime.

Give it a quick sanding.

Paint.

Gotta love a quick process. Unfortunately, the 2 rods didn't come with the brackets so I had to buy a pair at Lowe's. (like this one....) That set me back about $9 bucks but since my full cost thus far was $1.50, I didn't feel too bad about the purchase.

before

close up

after!

(I even impressed myself.)

Shout out to the b/f here. I told him I wanted them up.... and here they are. :) 

Now, the curtains are a yard sale buy from a few months ago. I loved the print and thought I would use it in my room but before I got them home realized I'd like them better in the guest room. The lady who was selling them made it sound like she was selling something her mother had made and my $5 buy was a steal. Guess she thought I wouldn't notice the tags on the curtains?? Annnnddddd, these are carried by Lowe's. See? :)

Anyway, don't look too hard - or you will see what I just saw when we put these up. The right panel has been cut and is significantly shorter than the uncut left. *sigh* It's always a work in progress!

Local Estate Sale Folks

Time to share the knowledge. I love estate sales, and the more I talk to people, the more I realize most folks do too OR they are interested in them. So, here's 2 local estate auction/sales houses and their websites. You can sign up for newsletter and updates from them so you can stay in the know about upcoming sales!

Gilbert & Company

A & M Liquidations

I am sure I missed some - surely there are more in the area, right?! Let me know who I missed!

-get loh

Welcome {Painting Chevron}

A few friends came over for a paintin' party. We usually try to get together and paint a couple times a year so we can have rotating art in our homes or make gifts. We planned it for a week so I had time to consider my painting. I couldn't think of anything new I wanted on the walls for decor, but I had been searching for a door wreath. Why not make a painted canvas for door decor?! I love chevron but hadn't yet jumped on the chevron decor trend train. I thought this would be the perfect time to put chevron in my life! 

So, at first I thought I could free-hand paint the lines. Thankfully, I convinced myself otherwise and found this tutorial. It was going to require way more work than I expected. However, I knew I would have to do it close to the instructions so it would look right! ;-)

I didn't know what specific colors I wanted to use, but the colors I picked matched wonderfully with a favorite ribbon! And, bonus............ I had everything on hand. Woot. Woot.

Taped off. It helps to have a guide for this!

I used a razor to cut out the design. I was very nervous that the cuts would puncture the canvas or be visible, but neither was the case!

Peeling away the tape.... It came off easily much to my delight! There were some bleeds (some of which might have been because of my cutting abilities and some just because I used painter's tape). I am nearly convinced I need frog tape.... That's the commercials where they advertise no bleeds. Isn't that the right brand?

It's not perfect, but it's chevron! 

The finished design on the door.
 < Welcome >

Here's a more realistic shot of the colors.

-get loh

Travelin' Table & Chairs

Sit back. Relax. This post will take you all over the place. 

So, I bought my house in November. It has a bar/island in the kitchen. Love it. There were 2 stools that stayed with the house. Odd, but I'll take it. They were wrought iron and had a rather ugly grape pattern on a faux stone in the middle of the back of the chair. I didn't like it. Chalkboard paint is a wonderful remedy. You can still see the outline but to me, it looks mucho better. Well, about 6 months after I moved into my house, my neighbor called. She asked if I still had the bar stools that were here when I moved in. Well, yes, I did. Then she said they were hers. <Gulp. Panic. Did she want them back?! They have been painted!> Then she went on to say she had a matching table. And did I want it. Ohhhhhh. I like the sound of this scenario much better than the one that I just played out in my head. And! She had an extra 3 barstools that she would throw in with the purchase of the table (at $40 - which she just wanted for the glass top because she bought it special for the table). Sch-weet. Now I have a table with 2 chairs that I will put out on my back patio/imaginary screened-in porch and 3 barstools. Of course, she had not painted the table top and it had that horrendous grape print on it too so I had to cover it in chalkboard paint. Check it out!

Ta-da!

Painted top!

Hanging out in the dining room. 

Grape lines. but barely noticeable. 

I have wonderful neighbors! 

-get loh