Junkers Paradise Found

A couple of weeks ago my hubby and I spent a few days up at Big Bear Lake (in the Southern California mountains) for our tenth Anniversary.  While were driving down the main road just before town I saw this huge yard completely full of cool junk.  At first I didn't know what it was, I didn't realize that it was an actual place of business.  I just knew that I had to go and check it out.

As we first walked onto the property I was drawn in by seeing so much vintage stuff... Then as we started walking the property, it just continued on and on and on.  It had to have been at least an acre full of vintage goodies.  To some people much of this would have looked like trash... But to those of us who love junk (including me) it was paradise!  I couldn't believe how much junk (rusty old items and antiques) they actually had.  At every corner, in every nook and cranny and even in all of the western looking little sheds everything was full of treasures.  It looked like someone spent a few lifetimes collecting all of this stuff.

The prices were a bit high for me since I am a major bargain shopper... but this place pretty much had everything possible when it comes to cool junk and it was all in one place.  I especially liked this sign - "If we don't got it, you don't need it" (pictured below).

I will let the pictures do the talking...  Here is a small sampling of what all this place had.  Enjoy :)

I was so engrossed in looking at all of this great stuff that I didn't even get the name or a picture of the front of this place.  But if you are ever in California and up in Big Bear, just ask any local where the place is that has all of the junk outside and I'm sure they can direct you.  If you are like me, you won't be able to help but notice it as you are driving by on the main highway heading into town.  It's pretty hard to miss!

Blessings,
Diana
   

Confessions of a DIY Addict - But It Was Practically FREE

I have decided that I am a somewhat boring blogger.  Yep, I admit it.  Sure I do nice projects most of the time.  But I tend to just show and tell you how I did the project and I keep it simple (and basically boring).  Well, I've decided it's time to be 100% real... and  from now on I'm going to tell it like it is!  The good, the bad and the ugly, all of it... So here goes:

In my mind I truly believe that Anyone Can Decorate and Anyone can renovate... We can do it all! Right?  Why not?  Haven't you watched the shows on HGTV?  It all looks so easy!  Have you seen what they can accomplish in under an hour?  I can do it too... Can't I?  And if I can't then surely my husband can.

I have something like 4,782 projects in my head that I want to do.   I would guess that we have about 40 projects in progress at some level or another.  I seem to have this little problem... I start a project get halfway through and then have another amazing idea... I get completely sidetracked and then its on to a new project.

Then i might visit the flea market or a yard sale and find an item that I just can't pass up... The item literally calls out to me, "rescue me, fix me, please take me home".  My husband used to say things like "are you sure?  It's ugly.. what the heck are you going to do with that?".  But now he just says, "yes dear".  I think he finally figured out that if i say it needs to come home with us, then it is going to come home with us.  It really is so much easier when he just agrees from the get go!

Whatever my newly rescued treasure is, it comes home and now it's another pending project.  Of course if I absolutely love  it, I might want (have a dying need) to get started on it right away.  Hence my problem, I have way too many projects and not near enough time or energy to give to them all.

Our house has plenty of space for all of my beautifully envisioned treasures when i someday finish them...  but right now I think our house is the messiest it has ever been.  It's not pigsty messy... Rather it's project messy.  Many of the projects aren't pretty yet... Not even close!   I can't believe that I haven't driven my husband crazy yet.  When he promised to love and cherish me for better or for worse, I am so lucky and blessed that he actually meant it!

He (my husband Jim) helps me with my projects whenever he can... And he is mostly supportive of all my craziness.  But he works full time, has other obligations (like Toastmasters, softball and such), and he has managed to lose 60 pounds in the past three years with an amazing dedicated exercise regimen. Note: This is Something I know literally nothing about!!!

Weekends are the only time he can help me and lately we've been so busy on weekends going to Baseball games, taking a vacation to the mountains for our 10th Anniversary and doing other fun stuff, that not much (or nothing) is getting accomplished around here.

I'm beginning to think this little problem I have may be a bit larger than I had previously thought... It's an obsessive addiction really.  I am always finding great items that need a bit (or a ton) of TLC and I have no problem envisioning how amazing they will be once they are transformed.  The bad part is, that I seem to be lacking on the follow through and I'm struggling to actually finish but a few things each month.   

I think this may be a somewhat common addiction to those of us who like to upcycle junk and transform trash to treasure.  Don't all DIY'ers have a pile (or a garage full) of our many someday projects?  Please admit it!  Then I won't feel so bad.  Maybe there is a support group for this sort of thing.  Oh wait, I don't have time for a support group.  I have too many projects to finish :)

If I could only afford to hire someone to help do my dirty work... hehe.  Or wiggle my nose and have the ability to instantly transform an item (okay, dreaming a bit here)... But wouldn't that be so cool.  

Anyways, I've decided that I am going to attempt to avoid any and all Flea Markets, Yard Sales, Thrift Stores and Craigslist Hunting for the next several weeks.  This is going to be hard and I'm not sure how much will power I will have...  But I need to try.  And I'm going to try to make actual progress on the many items and projects that I (we) already have that are awaiting some attention.

Please wish me luck...  Lord knows I need it!

P.S. - I started this post the night before last,  and then yesterday I ventured into a Thrift Store...(ooops)   I hadn't posted this yet, which means I hadn't actually admitted out loud that I was going to avoid my treasure hunting addiction for awhile.   I seriously thought I could just go in to the Thrift Store and look around for a few minutes.  That is completely harmless right?  No big deal!!!    

And then I saw it.  A beautiful old oval gold gilded mirror.  Not one of those cheap plastic molded type.  This was the real deal, super heavy with an old wood frame and amazing ornate details.  It wanted to come home and live in my stairwell (it spoke to me).   Among a bunch of totally useless crud (notice in the background: a baby gate, folding lawn chair and some ironing boards) then there was this gorgeous old mirror just sitting on the ground and it needed rescuing...  And it was up to me to rescue it.  Plus, it was only $8.00. Seriously, eight dollars.  That is practically FREE!!!   

You can guess what happened next...

Yep, I couldn't help myself.  I'd like to think that many of you would have done the exact  same thing!

Until next time,
Happy treasure hunting :)

Diana

Sharing this week at -
Savvy Southern Style

The Brambleberry Cottage

Ivy and Elephants

Flea Market Fun Finds - Look What I Found

We hadn't been to our local flea market in several weeks.  I'm so glad that yesterday morning we decided to make a trip to see what we could find.  I found two vintage beauties... and the amazing part is I spent only $35.  It was only ten dollars for the old wood and gesso frame and $25 for the dresser.  I believe they are both antiques.  They both need a little TLC, but I got them for a steal!

The frame has beautiful ornate details.  It is currently painted an ugly high gloss white and some of the antique gesso is chipped off.  I will give this beauty a makeover by painting it Heirloom White (with a satin finish) and then give it an antique glaze to enhance all of the details.

I haven't decided exactly what I will do with the dresser yet.  I have a few ideas, but I'm thinking I might try something new with this one.  I usually go for a shabby cottage white (safe), but I'm thinking of maybe putting some color on this one.  Possibly aqua :) 

I love shopping at flea markets!  You never know what you will find and there are so many great deals to be found :)

Until next time,
Happy decorating!

Diana

Decorating With Architectural Salvage Finds

I love architectural salvage yards and stores!!!  It always amazes me how much beauty is in so many of the old pieces I see there. Something like an old iron gate or vintage window can be used a beautiful piece of wall art.  An old corbel or a iron clawfoot from a vintage tub can be used as a bookend or as a decorative piece on a shelf. As I look through all the great stuff the ideas are endless! Each item has a ton of character, age and tells a story.  If you haven't been to an architectural salvage store yet, check the yellow pages or a local directory to find one in your neighborhood... Also, keep in mind that shopping salvaged items is considered "green" because you are repurposing (reusing) vintage items.

Flea markets are another great way to find vintage pieces and often great prices.. but at an Architectural Salvage store you get to see a large collection of beautiful and unique items all in one location.

My favorite architectural shop in Southern California is Architectural Salvage of San Diego.  It is located in downtown San Diego. It is an easy visit since it is located just off of the 5 freeway near downtown. The above photo is from their store.

I like this nicely detailed old radiator cover. With this piece I can imagine putting a wood top on it and using it as an entry hall table.  It would be so stunning!  It could also be used in a dining room as a small serving table.  If you were decorating a small space, you could use a glass table top.  The glass wouldn't feel as heavy in the room since you would be able to see through the glass to all of the beautiful scroll details. Vintage and antique radiator covers are often found made of metal or iron usually with a nice patina or painted with aged chippy paint (great for the shabby cottage chic look).  The aged look adds so much character. Just wire bush off any loose paint or debri and then I recommend sealing old items with a clear polyurathane.

Old barn doors..  I love them! Some would look at these and think they are junk... but they make great interior barn style sliding doors... and they add so much charm!  Use your imagination and take risks in decorating. It can be so much fun...

 

Shopping Architectural Salvage can give you ideas for things you may never think of when shopping your local home decor or hardware store. Just be willing to open up your mind and think outside the box. There are many unique treasures to be found.  Most vintage items can be mixed into any decorating style.  Mixing old with new is in!

 

Until next time,

Happy decorating!

Diana

$1 Flea Market Frame - From Drab to FAB

I absolutely love shopping at the flea market, thrift stores and yard sales.  I love finding things for just a few dollars and then turning them into something spectacular!  I recently found this frame for only $1 and I completely transformed it from drab to FAB!!!  

Below is the frame as I put it into my garage paint booth.  I painted it with Rustoleum Aqua Satin spray paint.

This paint is awesome because it adheres to plastic, metal or wood.  This frame is a 1970's molded plastic so the paint worked perfectly without any need for primer.  Also in the picture below you can see another larger frame that I am working on too.  It is a wood and gesso frame which this paint works on too :)

The aqua color is quite bright, in fact it's almost a turquoise color.  I was looking for something a little softer so I pulled out some translucent color glaze that is made by Valspar (color Mocha) and a couple of other colors of aqua paint to blend if needed.

I used a sponge brush to apply a little of the glaze directly over the paint onto the frame.  It definitely softened the look and I started falling in love with the color blend!!!  The glaze knocked the color intensity down a few notches.  I didn't need to use any of the other aqua paints since the glaze did exactly what I wanted it to.

I allowed the glaze to sit for about 5 minutes and then I wiped it with a damp paper towel to remove any excess glaze.  


I found this cute saying which is on a thin piece of board and has a magnet on the back.  It was intended to be a refrigerator magnet,  but I really wanted to frame it!  This saying was in our kitchen my entire childhood, so when I found this magnet a few years ago I had to have it.  I just  never knew what I was going to do with it.  My vintage frame came with glass and a backer-board which I put back into the frame after I was done painting it.  I put a piece of dark brown craft paper behind the glass to serve as a border to the saying since the board is smaller than the frame opening.  I used two sided craft tape to attach the magnet board onto the outside of the glass (it is too thick to fit under the glass)...

There you have it.  I love how it turned out!  It now sits proudly in our kitchen and reminds us how very blessed we are!

Until next time,
Happy Decorating!


Linking up:
My Romantic Home

$1 Flea Market Find - Before & After

As I was walking around the flea market last weekend I saw this vintage little step ladder and it was calling me from across the aisle.   It said "Diana, take me home... You want to fix me up and give me new life".  I approached the vendor, glanced around their space, acted like I wasn't really interested, and then casually asked "how much for that" as I pointed at my new must have friend.  He looked at it then looked at me and said "How about one dollar".  What??? At first i thought I had heard him wrong because nobody sells stuff for only $1.  I would have paid $5 to $7 for it...  But, yippee, my new little ladder was coming home for a much needed up-cycle  makeover!   And I can't believe it was only $1.

It sure was sad looking when I got it, but we all know what a bit of paint can do, so when I got it home, into my paint booth it went.  I decided to spray it yellow.  I don't have anything yellow in my house and I've been wanting to do something yellow so this was the perfect piece.

Just like that, instant update... Well, I did dust it off and lightly sand it first, then sprayed it and lightly distressed it once it was dry.  But it was by far my fastest project transformation ever. 

Okay, so my little ladder no longer talks to me, but if it did, I think it would thank me... because it is a beauty now!

Until next time,
Happy decorating!

Diana


Linking up -
Bowl Full of Lemons
Brambleberry Cottage
Somewhat Simple
French Country Cottage
Savvy Southern Style
Funky Junk Interiors