Toboggan Winter Photo Display

Happy, Happy New Year junk friends! Are you looking for ideas on what to do with your sledding equipment when not in use? Well, look no further because I have one for you.

Supplies you'll need; Cup hooks, decorative papers and cardstock, personal photographs, glue or tape and a hole puncher.

Oh, and don't forget the toboggan! This one is a four-footer so it's perfect for a wall display.

Affix photos to your favorite cardstock and pretty paper. Punch two holes on each photo's paper "frame". Screw two cup hooks into horizontal pieces of wood on toboggan and use as hangers for your photos.

Now they're lined up all nice and pretty.

The best part is if you tire of your junk photo display, you can always snatch the toboggan from your wall and skidaddle out into the snow with it!


Keep on junking throughout the New Year everyone!

JUNKMARKET New Magazine and DVD!!

Hello junk friends! I was so excited to receive an email from Sue Whitney, President of JUNKMARKET Style, announcing the release of their fabulous new magazine and DVD set available on newsstands tomorrow. As a Contributor on the website, I am thrilled to spread the word about this newly produced material. As a long time fan, however, I'll be first in line to purchase...so watch out!


See what Sue has to say;

Yay! Fresh off the presses and video camera comes a JUNKMARKET dynamic duo. This is so exciting. Let me give you the skinny on this product. The magazine is a 48 page excerpt from my current best-seller, Junk Beautiful- Room by Room Makeovers with JUNKMARKET Style, highlighting the best of the best from the book. It includes 5 room makeovers along with many of my favorite step-by-step projects. If you don't already own the book this will leave you yearning for more and there is indeed plenty more where this comes from. What's totally new and fresh? Something that we here at JUNKMARKET have never done before....a DVD. Woo hoo! The DVD includes a flea market shopping experience including all the tips and tricks, a style file, three different bathrooms three different ways, a creative workshop section with me, Kimberly, and our new Junk Hunk, Brandon, a video version of my daughter's bedroom makeover, and a personally guided tour through the "House That Junk Built". That would be my home! I have to say that this may be one of my favorite junking experiences ever...and that speaks volumes. We had an outrageously good time, shooting, writing, creating, and producing this DVD for you. I hope you have as much fun watching it as we did making it! The cover price is a bargain at $12.99. The contents will totally give you an upper-hand on how to cut costs and raise the coolness meter at the same time. Now that's a two-fer.

This will be released December 30, 2008...tomorrow!

Where to Find It:

You can pick this treasure up on newsstands in locations such as: CostCo, Target, Lowe's, Home Depot, Menard's, Borders, Barnes & Noble, Grocery Chains and many other outlets.

Thanks again!

Be Well,

Sue

Decorating With Thrift Store Finds

Fill your home with junk that makes it pretty and functional. This happy kitchen is loaded with pre-owned pieces that make it special.


This fabulous vintage drink cooler was found at a charitable thrift store. (Another plus regarding many thrift stores are the funds they raise for charity).

A vintage banana split glass holds a votive and a few pieces of nature's seasonal decor.


Here's the scoop. Found at a thrift store for $1, this gorgeous vase that resembles sundae glassware is filled with seasonal greenery and berries. Paired up with a 49-cent red-handled ice-cream scoop and you've got a pretty sweet bouquet.


A tricycle tire gives this kitchen something whimsical and funky to look at in an unexpected area.


I find these jars between $.99 and $2.50 each at thrift stores and garage sales. As you can see we need our hot chocolate accompanier and Twizzlers within arms reach at all times.


This $3.00 mini cake plate, found at a barn sale a few months ago, may be small in size but it really works big in my kitchen. It stands between my stove and coffee maker so it holds all the important things we need to make life easier around here.

The only items I purchased new are the matching pepper grinder and salt shaker. The rest can be found at thrift stores, garage sales and flea markets on any given day for cheap, cheap, cheap!


And finally, soup and vegetable cans can be inexpensive, yet pretty, items to decoarate with. They are also quite handy gathering pencils, scissors, crayons, clothespins, magnets....



Do you shop at thrift stores or flea markets on a regular basis? What are your favorite things to find?

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Tutorial - How To Make Simple Fire Starters

With family and friends heating their homes with wood burners and fireplaces, fire starters seemed a natural gift idea. The added bonus is they are a fun craft to do using junk materials found in your recycling bin and lint trap of the dryer.

Supplies needed are cardboard egg cartons, lint from your dryer trap or vent (preferably cotton), leftover candles or wax, a coffee can and cooking pot.

Break candles into chunks and place into coffee can. Add water to your cooking pot and use the coffee can with candles as a makeshift double-boiler. (Do not melt wax without using the double-boiler method since it can burn quickly and could be a fire safety hazard.) Watch the melting wax carefully. Fill each egg carton holder completely with lint.

Carefully pour melted wax over each lint-filled egg holder approximately halfway. There is no need to fill completely, just make sure all lint is wet with wax. Set aside or place in refrigerator to harden quickly.

When wax has completely hardened, break apart each egg holder. Each of these pieces is now a fire starter that can be burned easily as-is. Just place in fireplace or wood burner and light the cardboard carton.


Since we are giving these as gifts, we decided to wrap each fire starter with a piece of burlap and include a special message with "warm" quotes. That way each time they use one of the starters they will get to read a warm and fuzzy quote or just a special message from the Allen family. Quotes can be found on sites such as ThinkExist.com or Brainy Quote.



Tie each off with a piece of twine or rope and attach the tags. Looks like Santa's sleigh is ready for take off with these little bundles of warmth for the season!

Be sure to instruct the recipient not to place directly in the fire's path when not in use (as you probably know), since these can be quite flammable. They should be set in a safe place. Ho! Ho! Ho!



As always, take care and keep on junking!

How To Make A Hot Cocoa Station

Want to warm up your guests this holiday season? Create a "go to" spot in your home that includes a hot cocoa station.


Start with an old wood box. Add primer and a couple coats of paint (Chalkboard paint is a bonus! You'll see why.)



Add a vintage thermos or two filled with your best hot chocolate, a generous amount of your favorite mugs and add a message in chalk to show your guests you mean business about your cocoa.


Don't forget to collect the 25-cents. ;)


Mmmmmm! Now we're toasty warm and I topped mine off with marshmallows!


What kind of "station" do you create that serves your guests wants or needs? It's fun to share! I'd love to hear your comments!

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Inexpensive Wreaths - Rusty Pulley - Junk Inspired

Welcome to my home. I've included a few junk inspired wreaths I made for this holiday season.
If the shoe fits...then you will no longer need your vintage metal shoe stretchers. Convert them into your next wreath hanger. By gluing vintage buttons to the end piece of the stretcher, you provide just the right amount of pretty.


If you don't have access to free tree greenery, check your local nurseries to see if they have "boughs for a buck". What these places do is sell the trimmed pieces from the trees they have for sale for only a buck a pop. Great idea for those of us that don't have it available in our yards. Great variety too!


Remember this pulley from a previous post of mine? Well I wanted to show you what I came up with. Given to me by a barn sale employee during their sale, this wreath as a whole cost less than $2 since the wreath form was only 49-cents and I took advantage of that "boughs for a buck" deal. Can't beat that! I absolutely love the look of it.




It greets our guests at the driveway. Add some snow on top of the soggy, decomposing leaf-filled ground and the scenery will be gorgeous!

Anyone can find old wire wreath frames at a thrift store for very cheap. Why I like them is their green paint is usually a bit worn and chipped, and most likely bits of rust have made their appearance. (You know me and rust.) This wreath cost only $1.50 to assemble. This style wreath causes little obstruction of the view through the kitchen window. On those cold, wintery snow-filled days, we just love that.

I would love to hear about your wreath ideas...junk inspired is a plus but not a requirement! Happy junking to all!

Inexpensive Junk Holiday Photo Cards

Happy Holidays everyone! Since I had such great feedback from my vintage typewriter photo display last month, I thought I'd incorporate that idea into my family's holiday cards this year. It was as easy as taking a photo of my display...


...select your favorite photo developing source. I chose to make 4 x 6" photos with a matte finish. A matte finish provides a more vintage, classic or retro feel to your photos. I purchased my envelopes separately from Walmart.

Mail your junk photo cards as-is or hand write a personal message on the back for your family and friends.

I was able to create this unique holiday card with envelope for only 35-cents each! Make it even cheaper by drawing a line down the center of the back of the photo and mail it like a postcard without the expense of the envelope. Be creative and take photos of other pieces of junk in your home. This type of card could be used for any occasion so the possibilities are endless!

Have a wonderful holiday season and keep on junking!

Friend or Foe?

(Enlarge photo) Is Meg enjoying the hug from her sister, Ellie, or is she getting ready to throw her over her shoulder and do a body slam on her?

Exciting News! Joy To The Fishes...

Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me.
- Three Dog Night
Hi everyone. If you've ever read my posts in the past, you know I am a JUNKMARKET Style junkie. I've read and/or own every book or magazine that includes projects by Sue Whitney, President of JUNKMARKET Style, (and former partner Ki Nassauer, now with Junk Revolution) and continue to be inspired by them daily.

When I came across Sue's new and improved website (and FREE by the way) back in August I was thrilled and signed up immediately as a member. So many like-minded people in one spot has been enjoyable and enlightening! There are many talented junking folks out there, that's for sure.

To make a long story short I was asked to be a contributor for the JUNKMARKET Style website. Yippeeee! To quote my husband regarding junking and being asked to contribute, he said "I don't get the whole junking thing, but I can respect when an expert in any field notices you, it's pretty cool". Thanks hubs. Sue and I chatted on the phone last week and I had to admit to her I was a bit "starstruck". I'm sure it sounded silly, but it was true.

So there you have it. I've been on cloud nine ever since and it has actually got my butt in gear at home. This Joy to the World project is the first one I contributed to the site. I hope you enjoy it.

I used a window insert from an old broken storm door. A few panes of glass and wood frame were missing. I removed what I had to to acheive a symmetrical look.

My husband attempted to sneak this map from his childhood into our garage sale. Does he not know who he is married to? Do I not visit thrift stores, flea markets and rummage sales weekly for this kind of stuff? Good grief!

These silver letters say it all.

Three vintage bottles sitting in a row. One falls off and watch mom blow!

My David Copperfield moment: String vintage bulbs with fishing line and amaze all your friends and family with their floating appearance. Oooo...aahhhh.

Snap off the end of the greenery rope you bought for your mantle or outdoor display and make a mini-wreath. Easy enough.

So come check us out over at JUNKMARKET Style...specifically me. Ha! Become a member and you'll be instantly addicted to the junking lifestyle too.