thrifty thursday

Today I am taking a leaf out of my friend Catherine's book and doing a Thrifty Thursday post.

 Saturday was Second Hand Saturday in our area, and there were tonnes of garage sales to go to.

B4 and I hit the trail early, VCH had to work as they were having a sale at his business. 

 I bought these at a garage sale and paid $5 for them. 

The guy who was selling them is a collector so I was a little surprised at the price, but the coffee canister lid was a little damaged, (I started fixing it before I took the photo) so didn't think they were worth much.

On Monday I started painting them, then later as I was searching for some ideas for labels,
 I came across a set on eBay for sale for $60- oops!

 A metal peacock chair $5
I am debating about whether or not to redo the cushion as the cover is in perfect condition.
But if I leave it I will have to paint it in something that matches red.


This little table $3 from another sale, but I think I will do them up as a matching set.


A clock, I got it with the table.
It doesn't actually work, but am hoping I can fix it, or I will turn it into a cool piece of art, to go with the other two pieces.

 This cool trolley I got for $10, I am going to "redeem" it to hold things at my market stalls!

 Old magazine rack $5

 A paper towel holder I got this and a metal candle holder for $5,
 bundling as the American Pickers would say.

 I little table with storage underneath, $5

I just need to remove all the blu-tack from the edge first!

 $10 for this cute little trolley.

 A little kids deck chair $5, my two big boys had similar ones when they were little.

We paid $2 for this table and 2 chairs (not shown), the table top was chipboard that had swollen, with a laminate on top.
B4 has started to get the old top off for me.
Plus loads of other cool stuff, not bad for a Saturday haul.


This piece however was a Friday find.
I happened past an op shop on my way to get groceries and just thought I would pop in and have a look see, when I spied this beauty.
It has two drawers and is a lovely old timber piece, I thought by the wood on top that it may have been an old luggage stand, but I am not sure.
 I am hoping to be able to take those bits off and turn it into a cool ottoman.

Lots of work happening here at the moments getting ready for a Christmas market in a couple of weeks.
I will be back with some cool  makeovers, soon!

stop the press...

I have two other posts that are half complete but I just can't not share this with you now!

I have had to stop the press to show you this instead!

I got this gorgeous lounge the other day.

A girlfriend and I went to an op shop after an SRE course on Friday, 

I was looking at some chairs that another friend had alerted me to that I had been looking for.

We looked at them, but there were six and I really only wanted two - they didn't want to split the set, and because I am overflowing with furniture until VCH builds my shed I was reluctant to buy the six even though they were a decent price, I said I would think about it.

But while we were there we also saw an absolutely gorgeous old lounge with rattan sides and lovely curved legs,

 it was beautiful and I loved it, 

but I am no upholsterer and not much of a sewer either, 

so after a bit of deliberation I also left it there.

Monday I was going about my business when I got a phone call from a potential client, 

who would be wanting quite a few things and possibly a lot of chairs.

This led me to start to rethink whether or not I needed those chairs.

Bright and early Tuesday morning I hotfooted it into the op shop knowing that there was a good chance they were still there as they are shut on Monday's.

Yes they were! 

 I bought the six and then had coffee with my friend at the coffee shop attached and we debated about the lounge and debated and went and had another look, 

I rang VCH and asked if he would pick it up for me and after he said yes I paid for it.

How much you ask?

$35 

Yes you heard me right for the whole set, a three seater lounge and the two chairs.

VCH couldn't bring them home on Tuesday because he had a delivery to do, 

but they came home on Wednesday night and I took some photos yesterday.

So after my ramble I suppose you want to see the photos...

 ta da!!!!

 The fabric is quite worn, 

but the rattan is in perfect condition.

Now I just have to take for heart in my hands and actually sew some new slip covers, I am just waiting to see if my new clients want it and if so I will paint it up how they want, if not I am thinking soft grey paint and white slip covers.

some recent finds

Some photos of some recent finds and a couple of works in progress.

This was from a friend who was cleaning out and 

is my first Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint project.

I will be back to show you how it has turned out soon.

 These I picked up for 50c at a local op shop ages ago and found when I was tidying up my sewing room, inspiration hit and they are on their way to a new life.

 This was also a give away from a friend and because of cracking paint I ended up stripping it back as shown here with my new BFF a heat gun.

It is also getting some Miss Mustard Seed treatment

A $2 op shop find, love a stool project

 I picked up this stool at the dump the other day, I discovered the lovely red seat under some very badly upholstered burgandy panne velvet and foam.

 another chair from the dump

 and this one too. 

The three cost me $5 altogether.

 These chairs are for a client  who loved this red chair, 

and wants two the same, this time with pink fabric.

this little table came from said client.

I will be back soon with a recipe to share.

a month of finds

In my month long absence I have still been out collecting, 

so I thought I would share some of my finds with you.

 I picked up these two fabulous frames at an op shop one day, 

they are both quite large and once painted will be filled with a chalkboard.

The largest one was $10.

 

 This slightly smaller one was $2

 A friend was moving house and very kindly donated some lovely items to "redeemed"

This lovely cupboard.

This dressing table, that she originally found at the dump, it was missing a drawer when she got it, 

but I have plans!

This was also filled with lots of lovely craft bits and pieces that the kids have enjoyed.

This little folding table.

I have done two of these and I think both of them were the first things sold each time.

This little plant stand/side table was the last item for "redeemed"

  I have another very special item that I am keeping for me, I will show you that one another day.

This table and four chairs came from a local facebook group I am on.

 One of the four chairs.

 I picked up two of these chairs from there also.

 

As well as this coffee table, 

I thought I had taken a photo when I first got it (it was all black) 

it is on it's way to being transformed into an ottoman.

 This cute little picnic basket I have painted white from natural cane, 

and will finish it off with some stencilling.

These little metal legs were a dump find with a board across the top, 

I have painted them black and will put a padded seat back on top.

So there are some of my finds, some of them are already on their way to being "redeemed", 

I will show you them as they are transformed.

back on the trail

Remember when we pulled the cubby house and swings down I said I was after a swing set for the back yard?

 I had been looking on gumtree without success, 

 recently I have been using a local buy,swap sell facebook page with great success 

(I sold the kid's play kitchen through this page) 

and the other day a listing came up for a free swing set- I was on it straight away!

 VCH went and picked it up on his way home from work that very day!

This is the first time we have ever owned a conventional swing set and our eldest is 18 and our youngest is 6!

He also came home with this pink desk chair that the owners were also giving away- not quite my cup-of-tea but The Girl was thrilled!

Saturday saw me taking in a few garage sales before soccer and I managed to get these gorgeous yellow shutters for $5 for the pair. 

I just love the colour!

This old TV stand is going to be my next play kitchen project.

These lanterns are for my collection 

 

and these metal side tables are going to be spray painted and sold.

What colour do you think?

roadside finds

When we were on holidays it was the little beach village's turn for their kerbside cleanup.

We found some great treasures.

I was very impressed at the treasures that B4 and B5 came back with one day when scouring the neighbourhood- they know their mother so well!

Their finds included an old window, an old shovel and this rusty old brazier, which is in my new garden with a pot in it.

We also found some shutters and a good piece of guttering that VCH will use on the side of the shed, at the next door neighbours, and when we went for a drive around the village in the ute I spotted this fantastic sign.

It is gorgeous and shabby, I am sure someone will love it when I eventually have another market stall.

When we got home from our holiday it was our area's turn for the kerbside clean up so we had some more treasures to find.

This table and chairs was on the side of the road and when VCH went back to get them in the ute he found that there was only 3 chairs but the owner (who VCH knew through work) was out the front and said- "there is another chair in the shed I will get that for you too!".

We needed to do some minor repairs to a couple of the chairs and one edge of the table and it is now getting painted.

We had great success in finding lots of metal bed ends.

Here are three that I am using in my garden that plants will grow up and trail around.

Another set of bed ends VCH is turning into a bench for me.

We also scooped the pool with shutters galore!

One of the wood ones came from the beach, the white set on the left I pulled off the side of the road in pouring rain.

The gorgeous red ones a dear friend found on her morning walk and dragged them home with her,

 it is so cool when friends find me treasures!

I am thinking of getting VCH to turn the large one into a potting bench or hall stand for me to sell.

It was unfortunate that it was raining at the time of the pick up which meant that lots of stuff was wrecked before we could get it and that VCH's work ute had to go back so that they could still do deliveries while he was on holidays which also meant some big things had to be left behind. 

But that being said I still think we got a fantastic haul and I there were plenty of little things I haven't bothered to show.

Freebies on the side of the road are the best!