Junk Sophisticate

My World

2011-02-25T16:33:00.000-07:00

While sifting through a few boxes of buried treasures, I came across this vintage metal globe I purchased a few years ago. Sure, it had a bit of rust along it's bottom...but who really cares, right?
Apparently Pippa liked it as much as I did, prancing around the shiny blue ball - becoming all "fluffed" as if it were a prize she'd caught.
Funny thing is...I could relate.
Hope you enjoy the weekend in your world!
Taking junk to another level.

Do Something Different

2011-01-03T13:29:00.002-07:00

Do something different.

Of all the articles I've read and the shows I've watched on the subject matter of the new year - that saying sticks with me most. My family's recent relocation gives me a good jumping off point to do something different, but where do I go from here?
We've stood atop a mountain which was definitely different for me and I loved every minute of it. We've gone walking and biking in December...something else that was different for me since I've only known Ohio-living before now. I decluttered considerably which was very different for me and I feel a bit of relief with that.
But to me, to do something different means so much more than that.
I will do something different by reaching out and nurturing closer friendships in real life. Friends I consider strictly "party friends" no longer fit with my lifestyle. (Although I still love a craft brew every now and again). And let's face it, "facebook friends", while enjoyable - most won't be there if or when I really need them most. And why should they? I haven't established a close bond with many of them since high school or I may just be acquaintances with some of the others through another facet of my life.
I will do something different by creating more alone time for me and my husband. This has to be a priority. Over the last several years Hubs and I haven't done much of anything together outside of the home. With that being said, I already have a "date night" scheduled for early February to get the ball rolling. Yes, February. (That's not so bad when you consider we haven't done anything in over a year.) Haha.
I will do something different by taking my health more seriously. I hit the big 4-0 in the third quarter of 2010, and that number got me motivated like hell! One reason is my mom suffered her first mini-stroke at approximately 41 years of age. And with this extra 50 pounds jiggling around my butt, thighs and gut, I need to get to steppin'...as on a stair stepper! Seriously though. Better health in 2011 for me.
I will do something different by placing importance on prettying myself up. I will no longer put off my hair cut, or covering my grays, or buying clothes or that special makeup I like. I will also look into having my teeth professionally whitened, possibly a microdermabrasion for my face, I will get semi-regular pedicures and maybe a manicure here and there. Oh, and I will definitely splurge on some of the yummy fragrances I've been catching a whiff of in the magazines. (We don't often spend money on a lot of extras so I will have to budget this carefully.)

So for the year 2011, I can not only DREAM, but I can DO (something different).

And let the sun shine down on me...

Taking junk to another level.

We Have a Winner! Happy Tuesday!

2010-12-07T06:56:00.001-07:00

Congratulations Angela from The Service Family blog! Angela won our American Pickers giveaway and will receive the Season 1 DVD! Thank you ALL who participated!

Taking junk to another level.

'Tis the New Season of American Pickers Giveaway

2010-12-02T12:38:00.002-07:00

Hi folks! We finally completed our journey that began in Ohio and ended in Arizona. (As you can see, our kitties already staked their claim to a certain spot in the new place.) Yes...the Allens are officially transplants and we are ready to get in some junking in these parts (or pickin' as some of us say). I just hope The Grand Canyon State is ready for us! (I'm hearing there may be slim pickins this way but I'll just have to decide that for myself.)

With that being said, what about that giveaway I mentioned in the title of this post?!?
Are you like me and love the boys of American Pickers? Mike and Frank are about as genuine as one can get. And although they are businessmen, I feel they have a great balance of being respectful and fair to the non-business person when it comes to sifting through their treasures.

I'm excited to say the new season of American Pickers begins Monday, December 6th at 9/8c on the History channel. Trust me, you won't want to miss it! Imagine my delight when I was contacted to give away a complete set of their season 1 DVD's on the Junk Sophisticate blog!

So, whether you are just hearing about these guys for the first time, or you'd like to relive the hilarious and drool-worthy stops Mike and Frank made on season 1...this giveaway is for you! ($29.95 value)

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post OR write on Junk Sophisticate's facebook wall referencing the giveaway for a chance to win! Add a link to my giveaway on your blog or facebook business page and receive additional entries! (Be sure to note where you've done this in your comment so I can locate it). Feel free to add something about a favorite episode or quote from the show in your comment so we can all enjoy too. Drawing to be held Monday, December 6th at approximately 4pm central time. Winner will be announced and must contact Junk Sophisticate with contact information.

About “American Pickers”:
"As professional “pickers,” these childhood buddies comb through memorabilia and artifacts, hoping to find treasures among the trash. Sometimes they make a few bucks; and sometimes they walk away with little more than the history of an item."

**Be sure to check out American Pickers' new season premiere on Monday on the History channel to see where they'll be heading out this time around. I also highly recommend you 'like 'em on facebook...that way you can keep even closer tabs on 'em. ;)

I must say I am truly enjoying the weather thus far here, and am really getting used to the 77 degree temps in December I've heard so much about. And like everyone also says, "if you want to see snow, make the trek to Flagstaff".

I'll be sure to update you on my junk pickins in the state of Arizona and hopefully into California! I'm going to make the most of the new year coming...guaranteed!

Taking junk to another level.

Reuse Time - Halloween Costumes

2010-09-29T11:30:00.002-07:00

This isn't anything new but I wanted to share how simple (and cheap) it is to shop thrift stores for Halloween or dress-up costumes. Daughter #1 (my 6th grader) will be attending her first Halloween Party/Dance this Friday and gave me some ideas of what she wanted to dress up as. Well I went to my favorite thrifting *haunts* and came across something FABULOUS for her - will share it in a later post. I also found my two other daughters adorable costumes as well. All the costumes you see above were $28.30 TOTAL - just under the $30 cost of ONE new costume. These tend to rotate around the family too which is an even bigger savings!

I'm curious which daughter will like their costume the most?
The 6th grader?
...the 2nd grader?
...or the kindergartner?

I'll keep you posted.

Taking junk to another level.

Middlefield Market

2010-09-27T20:10:00.002-07:00

It was such a great Monday for me. I got the girls off to school and decided to take a little road trip for myself. In a short 35 minutes, I entered Middlefield, Ohio, which is home to the fourth largest Amish settlement in the world. I love this town and will definitely miss seeing these hard-working families on a semi-regular basis following our move. I'll always keep the memory of the little blond boy with a "Dutch boy" haircut (who couldn't have been any older than five), walking a horse to its stall - very carefully following Dad's instructions. He had to have been one of the cutest little boys I'd ever seen.

I'd taken my girls to Middlefield quite often in the summers since they have one of the nicest "spraygrounds" around. But I'd also taken small jaunts on my own to stop by some of the local consignment/junk shops there. Little did I know I had been missing out on so much.

Lucky me to have come across Middlefield Market today which is basically a flea market with junk and antique shops surrounding the venue. You can't get any better than that! The flea is open on Mondays 8am - 3pm and Saturdays 9am - 3pm year round. It is also home to Sale Barn Auctions.

Unfortunately I left my camera at home. You are actually stuck viewing photos from my phone...which does not have a flash. Ggrrrr! So many photos had to be left on the dark room floor. - This is what I could salvage. :(

I really loved this Coca-Cola sign. I'm not a collector of the brand, but even I can recognize a unique piece of collectible history. It was an enamel-coated iron sign that probably weighed a few hundred pounds...given its 5-1/2' frame. For $600, it can be yours!

Ahhhh. These printer typeset drawers were phenomenal! The colors were fantastic with all their greens, grays and browns. The wide variety of handles were pretty cool too. $10 a pop was as cheap as I've ever seen them before. Excellent value.

A neighboring food vendor saw my interest in them and filled me in on the whole printing and publishing trade in Cleveland. I found it fascinating since I'd never heard this information before. The older gentleman, claimed he and his high school classmates were required to take printing and type setting classes since there was such a big market for it back in the day. This lasted many, many years according to him. It's pretty amazing what you can learn at a flea market, isn't it?

Isn't she a beaut? This meter was one of the best pieces I came across all day. As a matter of fact, I originally thought it was a foreign meter which made it even cooler to me. Foreign, you ask? Yes, French. Do you see the word voila on the red tab? Me too. Never mind the English words you see all over the rest of it because it has to be French, right? That explains the $125.00 price tag. Time to move on...

It wasn't until I took the photo and started walking away that I noticed there was more to the v-i-o-l-a word than I originally thought. Let me see here...it says, (spell it out, please) V-I-O-L-A-T-I-O-N. Violation. Violation? OMGosh! Violation! Bahahhhhaaa! I cannot believe I thought it was French...as if when the meter time runs out in Paris this red tab appears like magic...voila!

And better yet...why, oh why, did I just admit this to all of you? Go ahead and laugh at me...I really deserve it. :)

Taking junk to another level.

Simplify. Enough Already!

2010-09-17T09:28:00.004-07:00

I've had all I can stands, I can't stands no more!

Simplify. It's tough to do when you are a lover of all things old, crusty, worn-out and used. To me, those treasures look beautifully grouped together in my warm and comfortable space. But for others...it may come across as clutter. Well, I've finally maxed out my simplifying quota, preparing for our home to go on the market today. It's nearing the time to relocate. (You can read about it here.)

I must admit,however, I am really enjoying the clean, crisp look of everything in its fresh state. The new carpets...the freshly painted walls...the lack of "stuff" on every flat surface.

It's been a lot of work, but the day is finally here. Hoping for the best...
Taking junk to another level.

A Sweet Ride

2010-08-26T09:02:00.002-07:00

I'd like to share a unique and fun way to celebrate a birthday or special occasion. This past weekend we attended our niece's birthday party and her parents had an ice cream truck from Shelbi's Sweets and Treats parked in the driveway during a portion of it. Each guest could then choose whatever sweet treat they desired as part of their party treat! Why this ice cream truck is EXTRA special is because it's main goal is...

"bringing happiness to families dealing with childhood cancer. ” All proceeds go to doing just that.
Shelbi Martin (her sweet little face appears on the side of the truck) lost her 15 month battle with cancer when she was only five years old. The dream of helping children and families with similar struggles was quickly born and family and friends dove right in to make their dream a reality. An ice cream truck! Who doesn't like an ice cream truck? Read more about their story here and see how it all began.

Check out how fun this is! The special child of the day gets to hand out all the cold treats to his or her guests.

And such a fun variety too...something for everyone!
And one of the best parts is fun party music is played the entire time the ice cream truck is parked. As you can see, my girls loved every minute of it!

So if you're looking to have a party with a little added flair and that includes a wonderful charitable cause, check out Shelbi's Sweets and Treats in Massillon, Ohio or look for a similar venue in your area.

And always remember, "it's not about the ice cream..."

Be well,

No Cost Moss As Home Decor

2010-08-16T10:42:00.004-07:00

We've been quite busy lately, preparing to relocate and all. One of the major parts of our move is getting our home prepared for this lovely real estate market of ours. Eep! Chris and I have been busting our tushies decluttering, cleaning, finishing landscaping projects and everything in between. You name it...we're doing it! We want to squeak every dollar that we can out of this house without spending a lot of money doing so.

Imagine my surprise, hearing Chris' claim of salvaging the brightest green stash of REAL moss found deep inside our home's gutters. Realizing he just finished cleaning them out, I never thought they could produce such bounty!

Note: Most do not produce these types of "goods" when they are cleaned on a more regular basis. (Not a knock on my husband...we just seem so busy to think of these things sometimes.)

Once I saw all that I had to work with, I gathered a couple containers from around the house to use for my budget-friendly plantings. Nice!
To make it easier for drainage and cleanup, I inserted small glass dishes inside the pots. They were then filled with mini pebbles and rich home grown soil derived from leaf compost from our gutters.

Then, the planters were topped off with that gorgeous green moss my husband saved for me. Wow! I love them.

And him.

It's nice having someone that "gets" you, isn't it?

So, what do you think? Do you try to use nature's goodness in your decor? I'd love to hear how you include it in your home.

Taking junk to another level.

Consider Me a Southwest Junker

2010-08-11T11:04:00.002-07:00

Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights.
~Pauline R. Kezer

I am happy to share one of the reasons my posts have been so sporadic lately. After nearly forty years as an Ohio girl (from birth), my family and I are moving to the southwest! Specifically Arizona, baby! My husband recently accepted a new position within his company that offers great opportunities. Relocating our family to the Chandler, Arizona area is part of the deal. Knowing how thorough my husband is regarding the purchase of a new toaster, I knew what a move like this would entail for him (thankfully). He and I would gather every bit of information we could regarding the area and the new position prior to his offer acceptance...hence our trip to Chandler this past weekend.
We enjoyed staying at the historic Crowne Plaza San Marcos Golf Resort in downtown Chandler for the weekend. A simply gorgeous place and just steps away from great shops and restaurants downtown. It's funny I had the misconception I wouldn't see anything but a bunch of cacti in the landscaping!

While Hubs spent Friday getting familiar with his coworkers and his new position at work, it was my job to cruise the local areas with the relocation specialist assigned to us. However, I found myself with three hours to kill before meeting her. What to do?...What to do?

I know what to do! (You can see where this is going, right?)
Of course I went in search of the local thrift stores, antique, and junk store hot spots. I mean, really. If I wouldn't have come across any...well...that would have been the deal breaker for us relocating for sure. Certainly you would agree.

Thankfully I came across a few! One in particular was called Merchant Square Antiques & Home Decor. Allow me to take you on a little tour of it...
This place stopped me dead in my tracks at times. So much to see...yet not enough time!
Old jars and wooden spools...
This pretty little red and white display of chotchkies.
The most perfect chippy and rusted iron gate...

An array of fans...

Touches of old white enamel all around.
And then of course, you're in Arizona, so cowboy boots are a requirement, I do believe.

I am so ready to build my brand in these parts and it looks like I can do it easily.
So as you can see, I didn't struggle very hard with trying to feel right at home. (Having fabulous views in the neighborhood isn't half bad either.) I gave my thumbs up...it matched my husband's thumbs up...so we'll be on our way to Arizona sometime very soon...

Although this midwesterner will miss so much about her home state, she knows deep in her heart that...
change is good.

I Saw The Sign...

2010-07-22T11:49:00.002-07:00

...and it opened up my eyes. I saw the sign.

And oh, what a sign it is!
As luck would have it, this old sign was still hanging in a Chagrin Falls antique shop that I strolled through a couple weeks ago. I was on the loose that day, so to speak. Free from squealing girls in tow, free from responsibilities other than to myself, and free to do as I pleased for three entire hours! That is when I saw it.

I had to leave it behind that day though, to mull over the purchase, knowing full well how these sort of things go.

Here today...gone tomorrow.
I was worried. But that's the risk you take (and appeal) of shopping vintage and antique stores. I was willing to take that risk as I peered over my shoulder at it before leaving the shop.

Fast forward a few weeks later and you see that it is now on my front doorstep! Ready to be hung in just the right spot in my home. Measuring 2' x 3', I'll figure that part out.

But this time, however, I get to mull over the decision with no additional worries.
Black and white
with numbers and letters.
Chippy and old.
What could be better?
Take care and have a great day! Please stop back and join me in taking junk to another level!

As They Say...It's the Little Things

2010-07-14T10:40:00.002-07:00

How can a refrigerator convey love so powerfully?

When you ask your husband if he can empty it while you head out the door to the market, knowing there will be room for a fresh batch of food to fill it's shelves and bins when you return.

But upon your arrival home, you not only see your refrigerator devoid of all leftovers that have been long left over...and that the bins no longer hold the former lives of fruits and veggies you were unfortunately not able to put to use...

...you also see, a completely spotless fridge.

Cleaned to perfection.

Top to bottom.

Bright as sunshine.

I'll take that over flowers any day.

The Procrastinator's Planters

2010-07-12T16:26:00.001-07:00

I'll be first to admit that I can be a procrastinator at times. Not necessarily out of laziness, but rather out of having a constant nagging I have so much to get done, I need to push this one thing off yet another day feeling in my brain. The problem is, those days can turn into weeks, which can then turn into months. You will, however, always find me working on getting my priorities straight, but I just can't seem to get everything done that I want to...the right way and at the right time. Am I being a little hard on myself today? Possibly. But today is the day I actually got something "extra" done and wanted to share.

Remember the galvanized metal rectangle crates I purchased during Oronoco Gold Rush Days during my trip to Minnesota last year? Well, I thought they would make for perfect garden planters whether it be on my deck out back or as window boxes in the front. So please allow me to show you how to pretty them up for summer...even if it is almost mid-July. ;)

I couldn't have picked a nicer day weather-wise to pick up where I left off. (The flowers were purchased over a month ago and have been sitting next to the house all this time). Ohio has been in the 90's this past week but I was lucky to be basking in temps measuring in the low to mid-70's while planting my heart out. Sweet!

So let's get started.

For those that know me and my budgetary beliefs on EVERYTHING, I chose to use a piece of a plastic garbage bag for the bottom of each of my planters instead of the more expensive sphagnum moss. Unless your planter will be hanging and the underside viewable, it really isn't necessary.

Be sure to cut small holes in your plastic bag for drainage.

Next, mist sphagnum moss with water so it is more pliable for use. Start removing small handfuls of it and line the bottom couple inches of the crate's interior. That way, an inch or two of soil can be added to get things rolling.

Here's the dirt on dirt: I chose a premixed potting mixture this time around. The added expense seemed to actually be worth not having to mix my own and not having an excess amount left over. Plus, you could even say it was a time saver. I mean really. I'd waited a month to plant the flowers as it was, why add another ten minutes doing any more mixing?

As you can see here, it is all coming along nicely.

Continue to add a few inches of height to the interior with the moist sphagnum and fill the soil near the same level while doing so. By doing this, everything is held together quite snuggly and will not fall apart.

Loosely place plants inside so you get an idea of what the end result will be.

Then, place plants firmly into very moist soil. Your planter will blossom beautifully in no time!

Oh, and just so you know. My motivation to get these planters finally completed before the weekend was because I am hosting a mini-reunion for my 68-year-old mom and her four siblings this Saturday. Unfortunately they had lost touch over the years but due the powers of Facebook, I was located by my Aunt's daughter-in-law who was searching for my parents to reunite the brothers and sisters. Isn't that fantastic? So for all you naysayers of Facebook out there...realize there can be a lot of good that comes from it.

Have a great day everyone! Join in on taking junk to another level with me!

That's Rubbish!

2010-06-23T11:38:00.002-07:00

I am one step closer to confirming the origin of my metal basket garage sale find from my previous post, thanks to a comment I received when I requested information about it. It just may be an old wire burn barrel used for burning trash back in the 50's and 60's. (Sorry I can't thank you personally, but I really do thank you!)

I have been scouring the internet ever since to find photos and more information about these burn baskets. Unfortunately I'll need to dedicate a little more time to it.

The funniest part about being enlightened is that I thought to use it on my deck as a cool garbage can even before getting any responses. Ha! Looks like I'll be taking it back to it's roots people, and will post about it at a later date.

But for today, I removed wallpaper from my mudroom this morning and am spending the rest of the afternoon out back and at the pool with my girls. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer and thank you to those that responded about my junk! It is very appreciated!

Name That Wire Basket

2010-06-17T09:02:00.002-07:00

Hi all! I have been away quite awhile, haven't I? Sheesh! Well, we returned from Disney, I participated in a community garage sale and I am currently getting my house together (and life since I'm approaching 40). So a lot has been going on. Let me start off by telling you how grateful I am to have you in my life! After reading the comments from yesterday's post, it gave me an even better sense of how caring and loyal you all are. You do not know how much it really meant to me. You couldn't possibly know.

I'm going to get right back in the swing of things by reaching out to all you savvy junking folks out there...the thrift store shoppers...the garage salers...the flea marketers and the antique dealers. You know who you are.

You see, I had the opportunity to shop our community garage sale recently, and came upon this cute little wire number below. Well, maybe she's not so little at 28", but she sure is cute!

What exactly is it? The woman who sold it to me had the word French? written on the price tag. (Complete with the question mark.) She was once told it was a baguette bread basket from a French market but admitted she didn't know if that were really true.

I am loving the little s-hook hinges. Aren't you? And look closely at the photo below. I had to share the bottom portion of the basket with you to show the required corrosion on an item that is necessary for me to make a purchase. :)

So fire away with your answers or even guesses! And trust me...I won't be hurt by any comments that claim this is a repro or a knock-off that could be purchased at any local department store. That's what I love about junking. You buy what you love and if it ends up being worth something, that's simply a bonus!

Take care,

-- Taking junk to another level --

June 16, 1990

2010-06-16T06:00:00.003-07:00

It was nearing the end of the day that Friday when I received her call at work. I picked up the phone and knew immediately who it was. “Hey! I have great news!” she said. It was my high school best friend and college roommate, Carey, and she had a real excitement in her voice. She started off by telling me that the financial decisions she made recently were finally squared away. She was beyond happy and it seemed as if a big weight had been lifted off her. I was very happy for her too.

After chatting about it a few minutes, she mentioned that she, our roommate, and a few other friends were heading to a neighboring college that evening to attend a party. Knowing it was my turn to make the trip to my boyfriend’s family’s home that weekend, she asked “Why not call Mark and tell him to come here instead? That way we can all go to the party together!” I must admit I seriously gave it some thought those few moments, but knew Mark and his parents were expecting me to arrive at their home within the next few hours. The change would have been very last minute and it probably wouldn’t have gone over well. “I wish I could, but I better just stick with going to his place.", I told her. "Don’t have too much fun without me though!”

After spending a whirlwind day and a half with Mark, I cozied up on his family's fold-out couch in the den. He went off to his bedroom to get some sleep. I was exhausted, but eager to spend Father's Day with him and his family the next day.

The sunlight peeked through the windows in the early morning hours, attempting to wake my body...but I would have nothing to do with it. I rolled away from the sheer-covered window to avoid having to actually get out of bed. In my haziness, I could hear someone in the adjoining family room mention the words "Carey" and "her car was so small"...I thought it was part of a dream I was having.

Mark opened the door to my room and I knew it must be time for my butt to finally wake up. I rolled back around to see that he was carrying a newspaper and had a look on his face I'd never seen before. "I don't know how to tell you this..." his voice cracked, as he handed me the paper. I looked at the front page and saw Carey's name immediately, even before reading the headline. "What?! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" I wailed. "That's not right! It can't be real!"

The headline read, Three Die in Wrong Way Accident .

I continued to read in confusion and disbelief to see that Carey, along with our good friend Jeff, and my roommate's boyfriend, Frank, had all been killed by a drunk driver in the early Saturday morning hours as they headed home from the party. Two others, my good friend Kathy and roommate Carm, were left in critical condition. The drunk driver had unknowingly entered an exit ramp of the highway and headed westbound into oncoming eastbound traffic. My friends were one of those heading east.

I found out later that day, I wasn't contacted sooner with the news because those that knew where I was that weekend, were all in the car.
It took nearly three years for me to be able to tell Carey's story, or to even bring up her name for that matter, without getting a huge lump in my throat - without having tears well up in my eyes. It was very similar to what I am feeling now as I write this. We were inseparable.

So to Carey, Jeff, and Frank - We recognize greatly twenty-one-years-old is way too young to be taken away from us.

Twenty years later you are all still loved and very missed.

Enjoy Your Weekend

2010-04-24T18:02:00.000-07:00

There aren't enough days in the weekend. ~Rod Schmidt

I took this photo today at the Geauga Maple Festival in Chardon, Ohio while enjoying time with my family. At days end, I knew our weekend plans were a hit once I heard my five-year-old proclaim it to be the best day of her life!

It made me smile...a lot.

My Three Daughters

2010-04-19T13:23:00.003-07:00

If you haven't met my girls before, I'd like to introduce each of them to you. We're all friends, right? I, myself, have four sisters and no brothers so honestly, having only girls in my family is all I've ever known. I am happy to say these three sweeties are the main reason for my absence in blogland most times. As many times as they drive my husband crazy, they melt his heart 100 times more.
Meg
My baby, Margaret, is the most "talkiest" little thing you'll ever meet. Apparently she has a lot to say. She is my *girly girl* and absolutely refuses to wear anything but a skirt or dress on a daily basis. This five-year-old tiptoes everywhere in her invisible high heels and tries to keep her thumb sucking habit away from our eyesight. (She's working hard on conquering this addiction.) Whatever you wish to call her - Margaret, Meg, Meggie or even Megert - she'll make sure you won't ever forget who she is.
Ellie
Elisabeth is one six-year-old who knows what she wants. This could lead to a really successful life for her later on, but you can imagine the regular *debates* that occur here. ;) Ellie Bean (or E.Claire as she's also known) is extremely loving and quite sensitive, and she always shares the most beautiful smile. She currently takes swimming lessons, enjoys spending time with her kitty, Domino, and is looking forward to Art Camp this summer.
Maddy
This ten-year-old may be small, but she packs a lot of punch! Madeleine is my firstborn and definitely got my curls...which she HATES. She is my over achiever and does well in almost everything she sets her mind to. Being accepted into the gifted 6th grade program for Fall/2010 and excelling in gymnastics competitions are only a couple of her accomplishments. I will be very interested in seeing what Maddy wants to do with her life.

So now that you read about my girls, I hope you understand why I am not blogging as much as I used to. My husband and I recently surprised our girls with vacation plans that we knew they'd be really excited about. We'll be headed to Orlando next month to meet the Mouse! (And for some, more importantly, the Princesses.)

I am happy to share my money-saving tips for a Disney World trip for you and your family! So please, check back often for future budget friendly posts. I don't just "junk" you know! ;)

Rogers Flea Market - Rogers, Ohio

2010-04-13T08:51:00.002-07:00

As a mom with young children, it can be tricky getting away without kids in tow. Thanks to my husband, I was able to spend this past Friday any way I chose. Somewhat of a "Candy Allen's Day Off" sort of thing. I'm sure it won't surprise you which direction my van ending up pointing. To the local flea market!

New to me, but not to Ohio, Rogers Flea Market boasts 1600 vendors for their open air market every Friday and also holds weekly auctions on various days as well. Check out their website for full details. http://www.rogersohio.com/ Let me tell you this place does not disappoint! Just like with any flea market, get there EARLY so you miss some of the crowds and have a bit more elbow room to shop.
Isn't it funny anytime you come across a booth selling vintage signs, that song immediately pops in your head? You know what I'm talking about.

How sweet is this? I ogled quite a bit over this metal 4-1/2' sign. In fact, I was drawn back to it sometime later to give it another once over. Or would that be a "twice over"???
Understanding and abiding by vendor rules is always important. I made sure to follow this particular vendor's #4 rule, but I think he may have been sorry I did.
I purchased this awesome carnival game sign and posted about it on Facebook during my "flea" time. Amazed at my ability to lug it approximately 1/4 mile to my van by myself, I estimated it to measure 7' x 1' in my status update. Imagine my surprise finding out it actually measured 8'3"! Haha! No wonder my arm muscles were a wiggly mess hours later!

Old ribbons are a lot of fun for projects, don't you think?

Let me tell you, I could have curled up on this daybed (made from an old crib) and taken a nice, long nap! And might I add how much I loved the beautifully coordinated fabrics. Just gorgeous!
What do you think of this neat cupboard/buffet? The fresh color combo would make for a fun jumping off point when choosing a style for your room!
The crowds were out in full force, here in Ohio. With temperatures reaching the mid 80's, this flea was the place to flock to.
Chippy, rusty goodness. Need I say more?
Okay, I will say more. Chippy, rusty goodness in a can.
I guarantee you'll be a fan of this place! So much to do...so much to see!

Peel-n-Stick Letters and Numbers

2010-03-29T18:16:00.002-07:00

This post has E-A-S-Y written all over it. Well, not exactly. It actually has a *C* and an *A* and the letters B-O-X and a number of numbers written all over it, but you will see what I mean about the easy part the further you read.

I came across these cool black vinyl letters and numbers in varying sizes at a closeout store recently. And at a price of only $1.69 a pack, how could I go wrong?
These slick beauties do a lovely job reminding me when a box is a box...
...and add numerical flair to my otherwise plain white vintage doorknob.
But what I appreciate most is their Grade A performance on my ironstone.

So all that is needed to update an array of vintage collectibles, is a nice dose of alpha-numeric peel-n-stick stickies! How easy is that!

I guarantee, if you decide to attempt this project, you won't be stuck on it for long. Please come back and share your results with us!

Thank You for all the Response!

2010-03-16T08:43:00.000-07:00

I'd like to take a moment to thank all the bloggers that responded to my Looking for Blogs to Fan and Follow post. Many of the blogs that were listed, I recognized, but I realized I hadn't visited them in quite a while. What a great reminder of what I've been missing out on! And the blogs that were new to me have really been so much to look at as well!

I wanted to highlight those that responded so everyone would be able to see what I came across. Here are the first ten that were listed.

MrsAtch - Rustic & Sparkly

KarenSue - Sue Bees

Sherrie - A Conversation at Goodwill

Deb - Retreat Style

Cheryl - From the Pines

Sarah - A Simple Country Girl

Missy - The Little Green Bean

Rose - Second Hand Rose

Rachel - A Little Bit Vintage

Malisa - Moonlight Hollow and The Renaissance Chick

Thank you again. There will be more to come!

Dining Room Redo {Part 1}

2010-03-15T03:14:00.001-07:00

My dining room is slowly being transformed from a traditionally decorated room to one with more of a rustic industrial feel. Here is one of the shelving units I used to give you an idea of where I am going with the room style-wise. (Follow up posts to come).
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Well, this beholder thinks this is definitely a beauty!

By the way, I found this metal shelf by the roadside. The homeowner even helped me load it into my van! Gotta love that!

This shelf became the perfect piece to store my favorite vases. I love the vintage green one shown. Found at a thrift store for only $0.50.
Mason jars with zinc lids come in handy in the dining room. I've added all kinds of doodads inside them and they simply add the coolest charm to any area in your home.

How do you like my $0.99 white African Violet?
I've had the shimmery vintage ice bucket shown below for many years now. Not only does it add great style at parties, it also brings a shiny bling to my shelf display when not in use, wouldn't you say?
This vintage military loaf pan works hard in this room. Each section is fantastic for holding dining room necessities like candles, their holders, cloth napkins, and more! Check out more fabulous loaf pan uses at Miss Mustard Seed's Creative Blog. You'll love them!
Some of you may recognize this burlap sack wall art piece from a previous post of mine. I decided it looked a hundred times better in this room so I moved it right in! Movable junk is always good.

So there you have it! The kickoff to my dining room redo actually came about because of the help of one man who loaded his roadside freebie metal shelf into my van. What a guy!

Have you ever had someone help you take away their "junk" before? What kind of stories can you share with us? I'd love to hear them!
And thank you all so much for providing so many blogs for me to take a look at! Some are new to me and many I recognize. I can't wait to stop by for a visit! If you'd like to share your blog with me, click here to leave your url.

A version of this post was featured on JUNKMARKET Style titled,
All the Pretty Junk.

Looking for Blogs to Fan and Follow

2010-03-13T09:33:00.000-07:00

My apologies for being away this past week. My desktop computer is having troubles and I admit I am not a big fan of creating blog posts from my Netbook. I am, however, looking forward to sharing upcoming posts with everyone. I have been a decluttering machine lately which leaves more time (and space) to complete some long overdue junk and vintage-style projects.

In the meantime, I would LOVE to find blogs that I haven't had the pleasure of coming across yet! If you would like to help me out with this, just leave a comment listing your blog url. Oh, and I would love to become your Facebook fan or friend too. Just let me know how to find you there. If you are not sure if I am a follower of your blog or not, no worries, just leave your url and leave it all to me to check! Besides, other posters will be able to take a peek at your site.

I am most interested in vintage, modern country, budget decorating, shabby, industrial, retro, foodie, junk, flea market, thrifting, garage sale-ing, DIY, family, and eclectic-style blogs but am not limited to only these types.

Thanks so much for providing more inspirational blogs to my search! I would love it if you followed and fanned me as well! You can kindly do that on my sidebar if you choose. :)

Take care and I look forward to checking out your neck-of-the-woods soon!

Door

2010-03-04T08:03:00.000-07:00

"When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us." - Alexander Graham Bell
"Guilty." - Candy Allen

Ironstone Platter & a Giveaway!

2010-03-02T10:28:00.003-07:00

Good day to all! I wanted to share my latest find with you. Will you join me in my excitement? I found this gorgeously crazed ironstone platter during a not-so-thrilling shopping experience yesterday. Thankfully I was able to come away with this beauty in hand.
Measuring in at 16" x 11.5", it's a pretty decent sized platter. According to www.thepotteries.org, my lovely ironstone has the markings used between 1890 - 1907. Cool, eh? I won't reveal how much I paid for it though. It's somewhat shameful how cheap it was.
Don't you think this J&G Meakin platter is crack-a-lackin', but without all the cracks? (It does have a lot of crazing though, which is definitely my thing.)

See the neat little "14" impressed on the bottom? It's about the details, folks. It's all about the details. ;)
That's enough about me and my fabulous find...now onto the real goodies! Kathy of Sylvia's Vintage Daughter is celebrating her 1 year anniversary as a blogger! Yippeeee! Congrats to Kathy! Take a stroll on over to check out her giveaway! It ends Saturday, March 5th, so don't miss out!
See...she's calling up folks to tell them about her giveaway as we speak! And if you don't know her already, I guarantee you'll love her!

As always, take care and keep on junking!

A Simple Fixer Upper

2010-03-01T12:40:00.001-07:00

Okay, folks, get ready to roll up your sleeves for this fixer upper project. I just hope everyone can keep up with me on this one. ;)

I found this blue mason jar at a rummage sale, complete with acrylic garden art attached. Since this type of artwork doesn't really fit in with my decor, I continued to examine the jar and determined it had good bones..er, glass. So I turned it rightside up to read the price tag...

$17.95!! The junk gods must be crazy! Hmph!
(But it does have good glass, right?)
Actually, the price for me was $0.25. It appears the church rummage sale where I found it had received donations from a local antique mall. I guess the bargain gods stopped in that day.
Okay, back to the fixer-upper part. Check those sleeves of yours to make sure they're rolled up!

Supplies needed:
acetone nail polish remover
paper towel
Gently pour a small amount of acetone onto your paper towel and get that elbow grease working by rubbing it overtop the acrylic paint. Aren't you glad I reminded you to roll up your sleeves? This is hard work, people!
Whew! Thank goodness my $0.25 investment worked out or this post would have been embarrassing, wouldn't you say?

Now that I know what I am capable of, I think the next project in line will be resurfacing the kitchen cabinets. What do you think?

Home Inspiration

2010-02-27T05:51:00.002-07:00

all photos source: Country Living
Do you ever find yourself dreaming about a home you've never stepped into, never driven by, never seen in real life? The kind of home that's so special that no matter how much love you put into your own home's decor, it just doesn't quite get to the level of that home? For me, Monique and Keith Keegan own "that" home in Granville, Ohio.

Found on the pages of Country Living magazine and immediately into my soul, their home transformed my decorating style completely. I guess you could say I had an "aha! moment", ala Oprah, when I saw the first photo. It has been my inspiration, my goal ever since, to create a home as unique and comfortable as the Keegans'.

Due to the positive response from guests entering Stonehill (the name given to the home by the Keegans), Monique started her own design practice, Enjoy Co.
And don't get the impression the Keegan home was move-in ready when they purchased it. It was actually a labor of love and took three years to complete their vision. Read more about their journey here and here in Country Living magazine.

JUNKMARKET Style - Art & Architecture

2010-02-25T06:25:00.004-07:00

Who: JUNKMARKET Style - Art & Architecture

What: An event beyond compare!

Where: Art & Architecture, 3338 University Avenue S.E., Minneapolis, MN

When: Thursday, May 6th - Sunday, May 9th (Mother's Day weekend)
(Charitable event Wednesday evening, May 5th)

You've seen her on HGTV and the Today show. You've read her books and contributions in a variety of printed publications. And you regularly log on to her unprecedented junking website, JUNKMARKET Style.
Now is the time to meet her!

Junking and styling expert, Sue Whitney has partnered with Jim Schmitt of Art & Architecture in his historic loft space, for a one-of-a-kind event that will be pleasing to all.

Here is what Sue had to say about it -
"It is with great pleasure that I announce the collaboration of Art & Architecture and JUNKMARKET Style in a retail affair of unrivaled quality. The inaugural sale of the dynamic duo is scheduled for May 6th, 2010 through May 9th, 2010. A charitable kick-off gala will be held on the evening of May 5th, 2010. Our goal is to provide uncommonly good vintage furnishings, stylish art and re-designed accessories for your home, finery for your garden, and many other embellishments to suit your fancy….all under one roof. In addition, classes will be available for those of you who want to be in the know. The event will be housed in the historic Art & Architecture building located at 3338 University Avenue S.E,, Minneapolis, Minnesota. A full floor of architectural salvage, an outdoor garden annex, an artist’s loft filled to the brim, and classrooms with character all await your arrival. There will be something for everyone…. from stuff in the rough for the do-it yourselfers to turnkey designs and everything in between. Mark your calendars now and stay tuned to JMS for details as they unfold. This is an event you will not want to miss!"

So join me, along with fellow JMS contributors, select local and nationally known artists and many other talented folks as we make our way through this fabulous arena. More details to follow.
Hope to see you there!

The Man On The Spoon

2010-02-23T09:08:00.002-07:00

"If you believed, they put a man on the spoon...man on the spoooon."
Well, I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes! While loading the dishwasher last night I found this "man" looking back at me. (Make sure to click on each photo to enlarge.)
Sure, many folks will just see the remnants of my pot-of-coffee-a-day habit, but I see much more than that. Why on Monday, February 22nd, would my coffee stirring spoon reveal a face to me? "Why, oh, why??", she asks in a nervous, inquiring tone - looking up to the sky with arms stretched out above head.
Think it's possible Jerry Garcia is upset I was never one of his followers? Hmmmm.
R.I.P. Jerry.

$0.99 African Violets Never Looked So Good

2010-02-22T12:47:00.001-07:00

"The flower that follows the sun does so even on cloudy days." - Robert Leighton
Who can resist a cheap little $.99 flower from the grocery store? As you can see, I cannot. After bringing home a fantastic jar from the thrift store recently, I thought it could be the perfect haven for the little white African violet.

I filled the jar with clearance polished stones from Home Depot, removed the white pretties from the ugly yellow plastic container from whence it came, and placed the floral configuration on top of the rock. Although I am uncertain how long my botanical beauty will survive, I will make darn sure my $0.99 investment lasts as long as it possibly can.
Check out the "C" jar, given to me by the lovely and talented Sue Whitney of JUNKMARKET Style. It is probably one of my favorite pieces.
Interested in time pieces? Kathy can direct you to where her clock stash is. I purchased this amazing face from her with a handful of other ticking treats last year. Trust me, her inventory does not disappoint!
Scrolly, creamy white metal thingies make anything look good, don't you think? These three stands were a thrift store find that I had plans to sell. Unfortunately I fell in love with them before they could get out the door.

So if you have an extra buck or two, I challenge you to make something pretty! And don't be surprised that something so simple and inexpensive can actually brighten your day!

Metal and Glass

2010-02-17T11:17:00.000-07:00

I was actually able to get a little thrifting in today sans children. I love the little buggers but they can sure put a damper on my thrift store addiction. (Or maybe, they are really keeping it in check.)
Care for a puff ball on a platter? This fluffy thing is really an end piece from the strings attached to a fuzzy hat from the 60's or 70's.
Did anyone have a hat like this other than me? I remember wearing it but think it was after it was already out of style.
I purchased the crusty corbel you see here at a flea market last year but didn't feel like lugging the thing around just to get a few thrift shots in. Please pretend it isn't there.
I haven't figured out what do with the mini movie reels and cases, but thought something nifty could come of them. What do you think?
Isn't this baby galvanized bucket wonderful? I thought it had such a nice sweet simplicity to it. So much better looking than mass produced department store wares.
Care to share some of your thrift store finds with me? I'd love to hear about them.
As always, take care and keep on junking!

Not-so-Fat Tuesday

2010-02-16T08:31:00.000-07:00

Well how about that, folks! It's Fat Tuesday today!
Any big plans?
Me? Not so much. These days I prefer to stay home on a Tuesday night...staying all comfy and warm, safe and sound.

How about we at least share a drink together? If you read my previous post where I mentioned my weight loss journey you know it has to be a healthy drink!
Here is what I've been making most days, and it's helped me move right along:
Strawberry Smoothie
Mix following in blender:
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup non-fat plain yogurt
1 cup sliced frozen strawberries
2 TBSP honey
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Handful or two of crushed ice

I hope you like it!

Cheers! And thanks for celebrating Not-so-Fat Tuesday with me!

She said. She said.

2010-02-15T07:33:00.002-07:00

Overheard. An argument between two of my daughters over a beloved baby doll.

Six-year-old: "That's MY baby!"

Four-year-old: "No it's not! I pooped her out!"
Teehee.

Sugar Free Valentine Wishes

2010-02-14T07:13:00.000-07:00

Since I have started the I-am-going-on-vacation-soon-weight-loss-plan, I thought I should send some sugar free junk love your way. Thank you all once again for visiting my blog and for leaving such wonderful comments. You do not realize how much your words fill my heart. :)

(And if you're interested...I am minus ten pounds on my journey! Woot! Woot!)

Sewing Cabinet Coat Rack

2010-02-11T11:44:00.006-07:00

Looking for interesting and functional ways to add style to your home? This sewing cabinet top turned coat rack can help you with that. And it makes for a great personal style. Vintage. Rustic. Simple. Cool.

There she sews! Well, not anymore. When I found this old sewing cabinet at a local Goodwill last year, she was completely empty.

Materials required:

•Sewing cabinet top
•Corkboard
•Burlap Sack
•Coat hooks (I heart coat hooks)

Additional supplies such as a stapler, glue gun, ruler and dare I say...(gulp) a power drill, are also needed.
Once I removed the lid from the top of the cabinet, I immediately envisioned a frame of sorts. Simply add hooks to each side using your power drill.

Measure twice, cut once. Be sure to add an additional 1/4" on each side of your corkboard to allow for the added bulk of the wrapped burlap. (Psst. My pencil is trying to tell you something.)

There are ways to acquire coffee bean and general purpose burlap sacks very inexpensively. I found a box of sacks at a barn sale for about $.25 each, simply because they had been sliced open along the side seam. Therefore workers could easily "spill the beans". I'm so glad they did. ;)

Cut your burlap to fit the piece of corkboard, leaving an extra inch or so to wrap around and secure it to the back. I used a stapler as a temporary hold, then applied hot glue with my gun.

The indentations from the lid hinges give it a nice natural detail.
A sewing detail remains. Look closely and you can see a measuring ruler along the one edge of the frame. Love that!

I will NOT be like my mother. I will NOT be like my mother. Growing up, my mom could never find her keys. Argggh.

I love my mom. :)
Looks like my board is ready for grocery lists, notes, and to-do lists to be added! What do you think?

You can see the first couple of projects I created from this sewing cabinet here and here.

I have also included this project on the following sites and/or blogs.

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Wow! Look What I Got!

2010-02-02T09:10:00.004-07:00

I just had to share my little purchase with all of you! Can you tell I am just thrilled?!
This necklace was created by jewelry redesigner, Gretchen Schaumann from Mimi-Toria's Designs. According to her website, Gretchen's pieces are created by "using vintage, found treasures and special new elements to design and create beautiful functional art". What do you think? Extraordinary, right?

And the tag "Junker Girl"?! Get outta here! Could this be any more perfect for me? Coming from someone that doesn't spend much money on herself, I am beyond happy with my little gift...to ME, from ME!

Make sure you check out her blog to see what other designs she has available. They are all so unique so you may have a hard decision to make! I can also attest to her integrity and believe she is one of the kindest people I know.

Now let me grab that necklace and put it on! I've got vacuuming to do!

**I haven't forgotten about my dining room either, so that will be posted soon too. :)

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Junk Swap? Sign Me Up!

2010-01-28T12:29:00.000-07:00

Life is like a box of junk. You never know what'cher gonna get!
Please join me on JUNKMARKET Style and add your name to the growing list of junkers ready for a good ol' fashion junk swap! Doesn't that sound fun? Included is a sample of Sue Whitney's junk pile to REALLY get you excited, but know there are many other piles out there ready for swappin'! Are you in?

Check out the details here and I hope to see you!

Rustic Industrial Dining - Preview

2010-01-14T12:39:00.000-07:00

It is all coming together. My dining room is now CLEAN and I was happy to find a pretty decent vintage table and chair set underneath all the mess. I am going for a Rustic Industrial look which might not be for everyone, but I am really liking it!

Stay tuned for more photos. I am in search of a fairly large tree branch but everything is covered in snow right now. I am also hoping the husband can look at our badly working vacuum cleaner before taking more photos. And who knows, Cassie from JunkFest may have convinced me to share *before* photos. Eep!

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Just Tinkering Around Today

2010-01-13T07:43:00.001-07:00

Unfortunately toys won't be involved. I am actually organizing the dining room today! Since it isn't used very often due to having an eat-in kitchen, objects tend to pile up quickly in this room...similar to the open storage concept except a dumping action occurs here. Boo.

Wish me luck!

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Rusty Crusty Bottle Capper Shines On

2010-01-09T08:08:00.001-07:00

Have you ever come across a cool piece of junk that just screams BUY ME!, knowing that you really don't have an immediate use for it? Well, of course you have! This is one of those junk pieces that convinced me to take it home.

I found this old bottle capper for just three measly bucks. This well used...well loved metal piece measures 21" in it's current state but can stretch in length another 4" if I choose. Junk-items-of-size are the best, because they allow you to edit your decor and not crowd every surface of your home with a bazillion little junkies. (We all love junk, but you don't want your home to look "junky".)

I then purchased a new glass cylinder with candle for around $2.50 total at The Flower Factory. Cylinder vases can also be purchased at garage sales and thrift stores on any given day. They are everywhere.

And there you have it! A fabulous candle holder that really catches the eye! I placed it alongside an industrial bin holding our house wine and it looks right at home.

Wouldn't it look fantastic next to a bin of micro or home brew? Recap your beer if necessary. (And the capper works as a great candle snuffer too. Well, not really.)

The rusty metal really gives some tooth to this piece, don't you think?
As you can see, you can use just about anything as a candle holder. What kind of junk do you use for candles?

-- This piece is also featured on JUNKMARKET Style. --
As always, take care and keep on junking!

The Year 2010

2010-01-01T06:01:00.000-07:00

The year to create with no leftover clutter.
Happy New Year to all of you and thank you for sharing your time with me!

Sign of the Times - Holiday Mantel for Less

2009-12-18T12:11:00.000-07:00

I decided a couple things for this holiday season.
One - Continue celebrating the holidays on the cheap, without sacrificing anything.
And two - KISS! - Keep It Simple Sweetie! ;)
See how I dressed up our mantel with a few pieces of junk, clearance items and recyclables? The vintage stamp holder was a gift from my friend Kathy at Sylvia's Vintage Daughter. I added freebie glass cigar tubes to it along with a few candy canes for mere pennies. The J-O-Y stocking holders were a Target clearance item a couple years ago for just $5.00.

I found this rectangle galvanized metal crate during my travels to Minnesota for Oronoco Gold Rush Days. I paid $16.00 for it and actually bought two. I filled it with varying sizes of glassware from my recycle bin in the garage that included spaghetti sauce and salsa jars. All free, of course.

Gimme an A! Kathy from SVD once again came through for me. I purchased the cast aluminum letter A below from her and she in turn sent me the letter C to go with it! Rah! Rah! What a gal!

The vintage snowman head was purchased at a thrift store for $2.00. It is one of my all time favorite pieces! Another glass recycled salsa jar houses more candy canes for an inexpensive festive decoration.

I was thrilled to find these simple red felt stockings last year on super-duper clearance at Joann Fabrics. The detail is awesome and even appears to be trimmed by pinking shears. $1.00 each is as good as it gets, don't you think?

I hope you feel I stuck to my plan of keeping the holidays cheap and simple! I'd like to share more so please check back!

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Sue Whitney LIVE on Gorilla Glue Facebook!

2009-12-15T07:20:00.001-07:00

Have a junk project that you're not quite sure how to complete? Well, now is your chance to receive excellent advice LIVE from one of the most well-known junk experts around! Author and President of JUNKMARKET Style, Sue Whitney, will be answering your questions on Gorilla Glue's Facebook fan page, Wednesday, December 16 at 12:00pm EST.

Sue is known for using Gorilla Glue on many of her projects. In fact, she actually made me a believer in their products as well, and my family uses the super glue, wood glue and the duct tape on a regular basis. Love them! - And no, I'm not being paid to say that. ;)

Come join the fun and bring along your photos to share! RSVP to the event and hope to see you there!

Family First

2009-12-14T06:23:00.000-07:00

Hi all! I won't make excuses for my absence and claim how busy I've been (everybody's busy, right?), but thought it only fair I'd share with you why I've been away.

Things have finally caught up with me in my household. As some of you know, my husband is completing his MBA in addition to working full-time in his job which includes some travel. This leaves me and the girls on our own quite a bit. Let me tell you, I now have a GREAT appreciation for single parents raising their children well. Admittedly it has gotten really tough keeping up with my three children, their homework, activities, house cleaning, disciplining... well, just parenting. It's especially rough when you do not have much (any) extended family support.

Sooooo, after reviewing everything that needed to be done in my day, I decided to take a break from blogging and posting online much. My house is slowly being put back in order, my girls are happy to have more fun with mom, and I'm feeling much better about things.

Best of all...hubs graduates in about 12 weeks! Woot! I am hoping to get back in the swing of things with some junk projects so stay tuned!

So in the meantime, here are a few things we've been up to...

We had a "hands-off" Thanksgiving by traveling a few hours south to Columbus, Ohio. A waterpark hotel was in order! We stayed for three days, two nights...
enjoying a wonderful Thanksgiving feast that was prepared by the hotel staff!

We attended a couple of Christmas programs...

The girls enjoyed their free-to-decorate-how-they'd-like candy-themed Christmas tree.

They did a beautiful job!
And we baked sweets for the holidays including chocolate chip bars, jumbles, hundreds and thousands, bark and Hollywood Squares.

Thank you to those that visited my blog and continued to follow during my absence. I am really looking forward to catching up with all of you as well as spend time with my family. Love to you all!

No Fuss Ceiling Tin Project

2009-11-11T11:02:00.001-07:00

Are you looking for a project that's cheap and easy? Well, look no further. All you need is an old frame with glass, a rusty crusty ceiling tin and some leftover clear adhesive dots (from card-making or scrapbooking).

Place clear dots along the front edges of the ceiling tile making sure not to touch them with your fingertips or it may compromise the sticky factor. Only use the paper strip provided with the product. I used eight dots to ensure they could withstand the tin's weight. Press the tin against the backside of the glass allowing it to stick. Omit replacing the cardboard backing of the frame and use the wall color as your matte!

Not bad for a $2 church rummage sale frame and a $2 ceiling tin from a flea market, eh?

As always, take care and keep on junking!

A Junky Halloween Movie Festival

2009-10-30T09:59:00.001-07:00

The Shining...Bowl (1980)
As I head into this fright-filled Halloween weekend, I leave you this list of some of the most top-rated scary junk movies out there. BEWARE!!! THEY JUST MIGHT SCARE THE JUNK OUT OF YOU!

Grindhouse (2007)

The Hound of the Bassettvilles (1959)

Invasion of the Burlap Sackers (1978)

What Ever Happened to Baby Coke? (1962)

The Lube Witch Project (1999)

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Dr. Dominos and Mr. Doorknob (1931)

JARS (1975)

Misery (1990)

What other scary junk movies have you seen? I'd love to hear about them? Have a wonderful Halloween weekend everyone!

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Emerging from the Lab-OR-atory...

2009-10-25T04:27:00.002-07:00

Emerging from the dark, dusty Dominos & Doorknobs Lab-OR-atory, is the deranged Junk Sophisticator...waiting, just waiting, to amass all its curbside findings from YOUR home. Yes, YOUR home! BEWARE THE JUNK SOPHISTICATOR. There is no stopping it. Bwah ha ha ha....

You Have Been BOO'd!

The air is cool, the season is fall,

Soon Halloween will come to all.

Ghosts and goblins, spooks galore...

Tricky witches at your door.

The spooks are after things to do,

In fact, a spook brought this "BOO" to you.

The excitement comes when friends like you,

Copy this note and make it two.

We'll all have smiles on our faces,

When we see who Boo'd who's places.

I was Boo'd by ALVN@WhisperwoodCottage. Now...

The following 4 ladies have been officially BOO'd...

Kathy@SylviasVintageDaughter - Wonderful junking buddy and expert vintage stash and junk locator.

Marybeth@DownHomeDIY - Designer and rehab/repurposing extroidinaire!

GariAnn@TheUndomesticatedWife -Fabulous pet lover and thrifty garage-saler with a witty personality, teetering on the edge of being domestic! ;)

Janis@JunkDreams - Proprieter of pretty things, creator of lots of bling. This blogger is classy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This BOO party was started by Toni@The Tattered Cottage. Please keep the fun going by following these instructions.

1. You have 24 hours to work your spell

2. Copy and post the Halloween Boo Poem with the instructions for playing.

3. Pick 4 blogs you enjoying visiting and tell why you enjoy visiting them, with a link to
their blog and remember to link back to me.

4. Go to the original BOO Party post at the Tattered Cottage and add your MckLinky.

5. Let's see how fast and far this spreads between now and Halloween.

This was fun! Happy Halloween to all!

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Krispy Kreme Offers a Sweet Break

2009-10-17T06:13:00.002-07:00

With the girls having the day off from school due to NEOTA day (North East Ohio Teachers Association), I wanted something simple and fun for the them to do. As soon as I realized there was a Krispy Kreme in a nearby city, I knew that's just what our sweet teeth ordered!

This yummy donut shop was especially fun because we could actually see the workers making, decorating and packing the donuts! The manager even stepped away from all his duties to provide the girls cute retro Krispy Kreme caps, and asked if there were any questions regarding donut making. I thought that made our little trip even more fun!

A day off from school is always good, but a day off from school with a yummy, warm donut in hand is even better!

For the entire month of October, this Middleburg Heights, Ohio store is wonderfully decorated for Halloween...doing a perfect job coordinating with their donuts, don't you think?

We made sure to order enough for leftovers. Krispy Kreme even provided microwave reheating instructions on their box so we could have a warm, yummy donut at home!

Cute minis! 20 to a box and perfect for the minis in my home!

Definitely a great treat for the girls on their day off...or any day for that matter. I enjoyed it myself too, thank you very much. ;)

Have a great weekend everyone! As always, take care and keep on junking!

Store Candy Display Turned Spice Rack

2009-10-15T07:18:00.001-07:00

Old store displays are always fun to find. I was happy to grab this particular candy display rack for a song during Peddler Day in Peninsula, Ohio recently.
Who am I kidding? I just about went BONKERS when I saw it! And when the vendor explained he just wanted to "get rid of everything", I almost popped! I know that phrase generally means great stuff on the cheap!

The best part is I knew just how to put it to work! Here's a little secret I need to share with all of you...
My spice drawer has organizational issues. It has become such a mess that it has actually spilled into a basket in the kitchen cabinets as well! Shameful! Well, not any longer!

What do you see here? I see organization! ALPHABETIZED organization too!
And it fits on the counter nicely between my gas range and the refrigerator. Perfect!
Now I can go back to living my life the way I've always dreamed. The old spice drawer had been keeping me up most nights, but not anymore! Have you organized with junk? We'd love to hear about it!

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Shop Junk Sophisticate

2009-10-13T09:36:00.005-07:00

I am finally open for business and officially a "shopkeeper"! A shopkeeper is the title given to me by Secret Garden's owner, Diane Wilbur. (It's another name for vendor, however, I will work there a couple days a month so essentially will be keeping shop during those days). My space is quite small, but I wanted to get my feet wet before I really took a major plunge.

My space will be filled with many of the vintage style and junk decor wares you've all seen in my blog posts or on JUNKMARKET Style.

My shopkeeper number is #11 and I have placed blog cards in my space if you'd like to grab one. I bet you'll be able to tell it's my stuff though, just by the look of the space. ;) Junk Decor baby!

Secret Garden - Located in picturesque Aurora, Ohio - 196 South Chillicothe Rd. Shop hours currently 11am - 5pm seven days a week. Effective November 1st, shop hours change to 10am - 5pm M - F with extended hours on Thursdays to 9pm.

Next door to Chet Edwards Home Furnishings.
And just two doors down from Three Elysabethe's French Country Shop.
You can visit The Baby & Kids Shop located behind Chet Edwards and Three Elysabethe's!
There is also fabulous shopping 1/4 mile south of us at Aurora Farms Premium Outlets which ironically used to hold one of my favorite flea markets in the area. It is gorgeous now!

If you've traveled far, and you'd like to rest your weary head, make sure to reserve a room at the beautiful historic Aurora Inn which is now owned by Mario's International Spas & Hotels. (I had my wedding and reception here and it's lovely).

I hope to see you at Secret Garden...and please shop Junk Sophisticate!
As always, take care and keep on junking!

Great American Barn Sale

2009-10-11T09:22:00.002-07:00

My four and six year old went along with me to a sale that claimed to be a "GREAT AMERICAN BARN SALE" this weekend. At least that's how it read in the newspaper and on craigslist. Let me tell you , they were not kidding!

Unfortunately I had not budgeted properly for my junk purchases over the weekend, however, the homeowner and his helpers/friends assisted with that by placing extremely reasonable prices on EVERYTHING! Check out what I was able to bring home with me.

Isn't this iron bed fabulous? I don't know what it is about rust but I can't get enough! I have plans of spraying it with a couple coats of polyurethene and calling it a day. Love it as is! Make sure you click on each photo to see all the great detail.

The frame may end up in my space at the shop I've been telling you about. I'm meeting with the owner this evening so I hope to have more information regarding the open house ASAP.

Here is another beauty. It came with the headboard and footboard, but without rails. No worries though. I'll think of something for it! A closeup shot of the center of the headboard is in the first photo of this post. Such a great look for Fall!

I grabbed some ammo boxes. They read, "AMMUNITION FOR CANNON WITH EXPLOSIVE PROJECTILES. I thought it nice to keep a couple of those handy.

This iron cart on wheels' original purpose looked to be some sort of grilling station. Well, you know me and my thoughts on repurposing. I'll be looking at it in a whole new light. You'll see...

I always love vintage coke bottles...or any bottle for that matter. Nestled inside a Dodger Cola crate, these bottles will make a great centerpiece for a spring or summer event.

More burlap sacks? Yep...maybe it has become an obsession. But with so many easy projects that use burlap, don't ever pass them up.

I really loved the sacks with the simple blue striping down the center.
Glass electrical insulators are just cool to look at, aren't they? Great for projects too.
Needless to say, the sale was great. Complete with popcorn, drinks, and a burning fire pit to take the chill off. I hope the girls of the sale stay in touch so they can enjoy vintage style and junk decor as much as I do.

As always, take care and keep on junking!

*Edited to add this post was submitted to Flea Market Style's "I'm a Flea Marketeer" Linky Party!" Make sure to check out all the other great submissions.

Dish Rack Repurpose

2009-10-10T04:36:00.006-07:00

Photo from Etsy WTF
I received a great deal of response from my retro orange dish rack post from a couple of days ago. One commenter even asked what she should do with her old dish drainer, and for a second I dreamed of having a "Dear Candy" column in a magazine nor newspaper for those seeking junking advice. ;)

It read:
I need your help, I'm asking because you are a genius and will know the answer. I have an old rack sorta like yours, but really old and rusty. (I love it!) How can I decorate with it? Everywhere I put it, it doesn't look quite right. It just kind of looks like a dish rack misplaced. Show me some ideas...please! :)
-Jill with Barnes Yard

And I said:
Jill, you have a a wonderful blog filled with family, junking and funny quips throughout. I am sure you're quite busy and can appreciate organization. Why not make your rusty dish rack a functional piece and not just decor?

First, spray your rusty piece with a few coats of clear polyurethene. That way it keeps all rust intact so it doesn't leave marks on everything you place inside. My first thought for you was to use it as an organizer on a desk or work space like the photo above. Add file folders, little tea cups as containers to hold paper clips, pens and rubber bands.

Or what about an herb garden?
Photo from Inhabitant
Add cute little potted herbs using vintage forks pushed in the dirt as sign posts telling what herb it is. You could also pot the herbs in teacups, but make sure you have proper drainage.

These are just a couple of ideas I had off the top of my head. I have a busy day ahead of me so I must run! Thanks for the question, Jill, and I hope everyone has a great weekend!

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Friday. My Day.

2009-10-09T02:32:00.001-07:00

Filling up my vendor space in Aurora with more inventory this morning. Details of my grand opening to follow...

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Orange You Glad It's Thriftday?

2009-10-08T05:17:00.005-07:00

I had a so much fun thrifting while my little ones were in school yesterday. It was like a marathon! Come to think of it, I probably covered 26.2 thrift stores during the morning so does that qualify me as completing a marathon? All that excruciating training may have finally paid off!

Here are a couple of my finds...

Isn't this vintage orange dish drainer fabu? I remember having one just like it when I was a kid in the 70s. Or was ours yellow...or maybe it was tan. Brown maybe?

And then I came across these vintage restaurantware coffee mugs. Made by USA...but made for me. I have slowly collected restaurantware as I find inexpensive pieces. The mugs were in perfect condition, were a full set of six and the price was right on! All reasons deserving of a purchase.

What kind of finds would you like to share for Thriftday? Leave a comment below so we can all visit your blog to see!

Knock. Knock.
Who's there?
Thriftyday.
Thriftday who?

Knock. Knock.
Who's there?
Thriftday.
Thriftday who?

Knock. Knock.
Who's there?
Orange.
Orange who?
Orange you glad I didn't say Thriftday?

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Vintage Stamp Carousel Bouquet

2009-10-07T11:17:00.002-07:00

Oh my goodness. My good friend and online junking pal, Kathy Stantz of Sylvia's Vintage Daughter, presented me with a fabulous vintage stamp carousel when we met this past August. It even came with an AIR MAIL stamp hanging from it. Why I was so touched by this gift is the fact she somehow remembered seeing an old post that I had written on JUNKMARKET Style telling anyone who would listen that I wished I had one. (I was actually replying on someone else's great post...my intentions weren't to sound too desperate though.)

Needless to say I was thrilled with my gift and realized that my first impression of Kathy online matched the Kathy that sat next to me. She is one of the most thoughtful people I know and I appreciate her as a friend. So what did I do with it?...

I added glass cigar tubes and a small bouquet of lighted-sprayed Queen Anne's Lace. I love it!

I highly recommend you stop by Kathy's blog if you love vintage style and finds. She is one of the best! Kathy (AKA Shabbychick) is also a contributor on JUNKMARKET Style and you can see her postings here. What a sweetie!

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Burlap Sack Art

2009-10-06T09:40:00.004-07:00

Do you have an abundance of burlap sacks just waiting to be part of a project? Well, here is an easy one for you. For a ridiculously low amount of money, you can create your own piece of art with them. Remember the wood "things" I brought home from my parents' house this past spring? If not, you can see the story here.

Supplies needed for this project:

- Burlap sack (coffee bean, potatoes, black eyed peas, onion, flour, etc)

- Wood frame or artist's canvas - Check thrift stores for these items. You'll be covering them anyway.

- Heavy duty stapler

Remove seam from sack. Cut to fit wood frame. Stretch over frame snugly. Staple.

I chose to staple my project along its sides to give the piece a more rustic feel. However, for a more finished look, staple to back.

And at just $2.00, I'd call this junk project a success! You can also see this project featured on JUNKMARKET Style.

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Monday. Tuesday. Wednesday. THRIFTday!

2009-10-01T06:56:00.005-07:00

Does this look like it came straight from a saloon, or what? Today's THRIFTday post shows how easy it is to find a piece in one store, then walk into another store and fnd its mate!

I found this beauty for only $4.49 and boy is she heavy! It was 1/2 off day at this particular thrift store so my heart skipped a beat when I held her in my hands realizing she was all mine.

Check out this set of glassware I purchased at another thrift store just moments later. The store originally marked it at $9.95 for the box of six, however one broke and the set was discounted to $3.95. Cha-ching for me! I thought easy enough. I could always mix it up with other mismatched glasses if necessary.

The insignia is military with black and gold detailing. Very nice.
The glasses include a little drinking song on the back. See if your guests are interested in livening up the party by singing away!

For about $10, you too can create a thrift store compilation that your friends will oooo and ahhh over. There is definitely no use for cookie cutter decor in my home! :)

Time to share your THRIFTday finds everyone! Just post on your blog, leave a comment below...and don't forget to link back to Junk Sophisticate!

As always, take care and keep on junking!

From Card Table to Wall Art

2009-09-28T10:04:00.005-07:00

While driving along minding my own business recently, I came across a pile of vintage card tables sitting by the roadside. Well you know me and how this whole junk decor thing works...so I did a little turnaround of the van to check these goodies out. I couldn't leave them all stranded-like, ya know.

I loved what I saw. The tables were definitely vintage, some with wood legs...some metal. But most were decorated with unbelievably cool designs that you just don't see anymore. Then I spotted the superstar in the group!

Check out this black and white plaid baby! She was all nestled in among the group of brown and green tables, but I knew immediately what part of my home she was meant for. My foyer.

The foyer has a 17' ceiling so it requires larger pieces of artwork for the walls. Larger pieces of art means large amounts of cash most times, hence the walls in this area have been bare for the last 2-1/2 years...that is, until now.

From the curbside to my entrance wall. And best of all...I could cut out the middleman.

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Chalk Festival 2009

2009-09-19T03:57:00.000-07:00

I have been so busy getting my house ready for my husband's 40th birthday party lately, that it has left me with no time to have fun with my blog. Everything from painting the foyer and completing the dining room, purchasing new furniture (yay!), purchasing my first stainless gas stove and over-range microwave (double yay!), having the carpets cleaned, finalizing the menu, ordering the drinks, planting flowers, getting the lighting for the back yard purchased and designed (cool string lights), buying a fire pit, power scrubbing the deck, yard work and all the cleaning, cleaning, cleaning and more cleaning!! I still want to enjoy the non-school days with my family so while my husband and his buddy went to the Browns game last weekend. I took my two youngest daughters to the Cleveland Museum of Art's Chalk Festival 2009. And boy was it fun!

To keep it simple - I only included photos in this post with no text for your viewing pleasure. (Don't forget to click on the ones you love to enlarge). If you've never been to a chalk festival, you must! And be sure to check out the last photo. Hilarious!!

And this guy wins the "Greatest Dad of the Year" award in my book..or at least the most fun dad!!

As always, keep on junking...or in this case - keep on chalking!

Celebrate with Junk Photo Displays

2009-09-12T05:09:00.005-07:00

In just a few short weeks my house will be filled with guests celebrating my husband's 40th birthday. He gave me strict orders of, "NO THEME!", so I will go along with that, however he never said, "NO JUNK!", so you know where this is going. After sifting through mounds of childhood photos of him, I went in search of junk pieces within my home that could be used as photo displays during the party. Come see what I've found so far...

I recently acquired this old gas or oil can over Labor Day weekend. While returning home from a visit to my parents' house, my husband didn't even balk when I asked to stop at a roadside yard sale. So unusual for him. ;) Maybe he knew his cute little face would soon be plastered on it with a magnet.

I actually used a photo similar to this one on his party invitation saying, "This little man has waited 40 years to party!" Heehee. I thought he could pass as having a little green thumb (or as a leprechaun) in this photo, so I pinned it to a vase of sunflowers. It coordinates quite nicely I must say.

Attaching a photo to old books reminds me and the girls how hard daddy works and goes to school to make our life better. Come graduation in March 2010, we will have him all to ourselves...finally!

I purchased this piece at a garage sale of a former dealer last week and met a fantastic family. When I told them I have a blog called JunkSophisticate.com, the man of the house immediately replied, "meet two junk sophisticates right there", pointing to his wife and adult daughter. I loved that! His daughter has already contacted me and I am hoping to see her around here more often. Hello if you're out there Michelle!

The frame is a former carbon-copy receipt holder. Or do they call them cc: receipt holders now?

I paired a photo of my husband's first early steps with a cute little nest retrieved from our front yard. Tucked inside the nest is a perfect seashell acting like an egg. The setting represents to me, the beginning stages of life.

Well, my hubs was the engineer of his own train back then...and I suppose he still feels that way now. I used the girls' train set and simply adhered the photo to one of the cars. This display would be great using a vintage model.

When I found old photos that showed food such as his birthday cakes or snacktime, I paired them with kitchen items and placed them in a grouping.

This is only a sampling of the photos I have ready for display so far. (I am being nice with these ones. Heehee). I wonder how he will feel once I get all his junior high and college photos out!

As always, take care and keep on junking!

The Curb is Superb

2009-09-04T11:29:00.003-07:00

I'm not exactly sure what is going on around here, but I have had the best luck with curbside finds as of late. Remember my Junk Decor Tour post? I commented how Lani uses vintage fish tanks in her home as part of her unique style. Linda and Dixie of The Funky Junk Sisters even wrote, "We too love the fish tanks!", after viewing the photos.

Well, guess what? I finally got a vintage fish tank today! And from the curb no less! Measuring 20" X 10-1/2", it appears to be a medium-sized tank. I haven't decided how I am going to use it, however, it already had a bleach bath and I have taken photos of it. Somewhat telling how excited I am, wouldn't you say?

Just wanted to share my curbside find with all of you! Hmmm. Now what to fill it with. Any suggestions?

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Vintage Aqua Dresser - TGI THRIFTday!

2009-09-03T03:25:00.008-07:00

It's THRIFTday again! Want to join in? THRIFTday is all about sharing our recent thrift store finds, and providing ideas on how best to use them.

Check out this beauty of a dresser I found a few weeks ago and knew I wanted to show you. Chippy, aqua enamel paint at its finest!

Clean it up and ship it out or to find the perfect spot in my home. Where will this find go?

This gorgeous vintage dresser has been marked for resale. It sits in my "holding tank" presently, but I just wanted to share what kinds of original furniture pieces can be found at thrift stores at excellent prices!

Love. Love. Love.
What have you found while thrifting lately? Please share your finds with us today and we will take a looky-loo! (Make sure you include the exact url address to the thrift find in your comment...not just your homepage url.) Can't wait to see!

As always, take care and keep on junking!

I Heart Lucy

2009-09-02T07:25:00.004-07:00

Have you ever come across an animal or pet that you immediately connect with or relate to in some way? Maybe that is how you chose your own pet. You were drawn to it and you knew he or she would be the perfect fit for your family. Well, it happened to me recently while flea marketing.

There was something about this old gal, Lucy, that I was completely enamoured with. So much so that I felt the need to stop her owners and ask if I could take a few photos of their baby. She reminded me a lot of my favorite childhood pet from the 70's named Lady Bird, in honor of former First Lady Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson. Our Lady Bird was a Beagle-Basset mix, with identical features of a full-blooded Basset with the exception of only slightly shorter ears.

After being hit by a car when she was only a couple years old, we always knew Lady Bird was nearby due to the awkward little clickity clack sound of her toenails scraping against the pavement or hardwood floor. Her slight limp made her distinguishable from all the other dogs in the neighborhood.

Gosh, I loved her. Sadly, she needed to be put down at the age of 17 due to failing health. It was the first time I saw my dad cry.

So, yes. I felt a connection to Lucy as brief as the encounter may have been...but I truly did. She had a sweetness in her eyes that flooded me with memories from long ago.

A few weeks after meeting her, I was on a buying excursion and found this beautiful vintage paint-by-number of a sad-looking little Basset tucked away among other junk on a shop floor. Was it some sort of sign?

Well, I bought it and brought it home with me.
And sorry...it is not for sale.

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Kick Off My Junk Decor Tour

2009-08-30T19:30:00.004-07:00

Meet Lanette Lorsung. Fellow JUNKMARKET Style contributor and creator of Cottage Elements. While visiting her home recently, I quickly realized this sweet junk sister not only has an amazing signature style complete with elegance, sophistication and junk, she is also the hostess with the mostess! Come see what I mean.

Lanette's home is filled with natural light...making it all the easier to ogle over her junk treasures. (Be sure to click the photos if you'd like to view them in detail.)

The perfect mix of vintage style with an industrial flair fills each room. Lanette is known for her creative approach with cloches.

Rust. Vintage pottery. Farm pieces.

One thing that immediately caught my eye was Lanette's usage of vintage fish tanks. This one is filled with a school of beautiful old door knobs, while the other is filled with wooden shoe forms in another part of the house. (Fish for it within this post...I bet you will like it.)

Seven is definitely Lanette's number...and I would have to say she IS one lucky lady! This fantastic numeric display was found in her office area. The perfect spot for crunching numbers.

Time to head into the kitchen and dining area. I should have told Lanette she could call me anytime to hang out at her place. (The trek from Ohio to Minnesota really wasn't that, ahem, bad.

Isn't the dining table amazing? It's clean, modern, industrial lines work perfectly in her home. The old street sign centerpiece was featured on JUNKMARKET Style recently. Make sure you check out the post and read more about it's origins. Such a brilliant find!

Beautiful! (I see shoe forms.)

Now that you've witnessed Lanette's gorgeous decorating style...let me show you her hostessing style! When Kathy, Sue, Gretchen and I arrived at her home, Lanette had the most wonderful salad luncheon waiting for us. Complete with tortellini, chicken and fruit salads including a grand finale of cheesecake! Loved the pink drink too! Yummm!! Doesn't she look just like a modern day June Cleaver?

We all left with full bellies and smiles on our faces. Her cat Indy even looked satisfied with the day's events...

...and decided to take a nap just as we were leaving.
Many thanks to Lanette for being so gracious for allowing me to photo her home. I was thrilled to be invited over during our stay in Minnesota.

Hmmm. I wonder who's next on my Junk Decor Tour? Stay tuned!

As always, take care and keep on junking!

No Loafing Around These Parts

2009-08-28T03:09:00.006-07:00

After returning home from my trip last week, I was welcomed by a wonderful bounty of tomatoes from my garden. A tidbit of information about me...I loves me some SPICE! What better use of tomatoes than a hot and spicy salsa!

I loaded up my multi-functional military loaf pan with all the fresh fixings needed to make a good tortilla chip dipper, and headed out to the deck, toot sweet. Talk about a time saver! No running back and forth to and from the kitchen to haul all my different veggies outside. My preschooler could play in the yard then while I prepared. Let me tell you, the salsa turned out fabulous!

Unfortunately I trusted my photo-taking skills a little too much and ate all my salsa BEFORE I viewed the photos of the completed spicy goodness. They were all a blurry mess! Ggrrrr. Enlarge if you must. :(

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, THRIFTday...

2009-08-27T04:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Thriftday to you! Since thrift store shopping is one of my favorite pasttimes, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and highlight every Thursday, (or THRIFTday, if you will) some of my best thrift store finds from the past week. Each post will consist of only one or two finds and will include ways I've incorporated the pieces in my home. It will also showcase my best thrift store bargains and I will let you know which items were purchased strictly for resale too.

We all enjoy viewing other people's treasures and sharing our own, don't we? I know I do and am looking forward to all the THRIFTdays that lie ahead! Ready to take a look?

I spotted this vintage pottery lamp with its sad little lampshade this past Tuesday.

I took a closer peek at its glossy khaki paint color and beautifully crafted floral pattern and immediately fell in love.

I could see it was true vintage by checking the underside and wiring, while making sure there were no viewable chips or bad wires. Consider it sold! Best of all, the entire contents of the shop was 50% off that day!

I brought it home, replacing the lampshade with a more modern one purchased at a local department store. It now sits in our family room providing light to a previously dark corner. Love. Love. Love.

Do you have a thrift store find you'd like to share? Include your link in your comment so we can all oooo and ahhhh over it! (I'm currently working on adding a linky-loo to make it easier, but I appreciate your patience until it's completion.)

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Hunt & Gather

2009-08-25T05:57:00.009-07:00

One of the biggest highlights of my trip to Minnesota, was visiting Hunt & Gather in Minneapolis. I was so happy Sue included it on our agenda all along! Even though I'm an Ohio girl, I have read multiple articles about this shop as well as its cool owner, Kristi Stratton. Boy, does she have a fun style! Take a looksie at my snapshots to get a small taste of this place. There's no doubt you'll add it to your "places to go before I die" list.

We were finally able to get Sue off this thing once we hid her quarters.
Don't you just love seeing a "lower level" sign when you're in a shop you love?

Little did I know Renee from the beautiful blog Cottage Lifestyle lives just blocks away! During my visit, I remember making comments about how adorable all the houses were in the surrounding area so it didn't surprise me!

Have I introduced you to this "must see" shop or did you already know about this cool little gem? I definitely could have spent HOURS here, but unfortunately the clock was ticking. On to our next junk jaunt...

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Boy Scouts of America Backpack for Mum

2009-08-24T04:10:00.007-07:00

Here's a simple little project for you...
Add one Boy Scouts of America backpack and old railroad lock (found mine in Oronoco)...
...to an old rusty metal stand. Fill with potted mum.
The result. One All-American floral display!

Boy Scouts of America...filled with tradition!

Take care and keep on junking!

Glad it's Sunday

2009-08-23T06:52:00.004-07:00

I purchased this bouquet of gladiolus for you today, to show my gratitude for each and every one of your kind hearts. Thank you so much for taking the time to visit Junk Sophisticate. I am honored to be part of your day.

Book Nook - The Final Haul

2009-08-22T08:11:00.005-07:00

Books with a rusty patina are a wonderful gift for junkers.
While driving through a neighboring city the night before trash day, I spotted an enormous pile of books all tidy-like along the roadside. One problem; this particular city has a law that does not allow pick up of trash items without the owner's permission.

Unsure if the books were for a charitable organization, or if they truly were meant for the garbage man, I decided to go knocking. The sweetest elderly woman greeted me at the door and told the story of keeping a family friend's books at her home for years as a favor, until his passing earlier this year. She and her daughter chose a few books they liked, but didn't know what to do with the remaining. She made it clear she was THRILLED I stopped to inquire about them - even having her adult son help load them into my car.

Our Chrysler Pacifica's lease is at it's end and we are turning it in this Tuesday. It has served me well during my junk hauls over the last 3+ years, but it is now time to say goodbye. Thank you for one final AMAZING haul! You've done me proud.

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Junkologie Blog Party - Oronoco Gold Rush 2009

2009-08-20T07:29:00.015-07:00

Man, oh man, did Amy host one FABULOUS blogger party! Good friends and bloggers, good junk and good eats are the perfect combo, and she did it up big! It appeared to have gone without a hitch.

Sue Whitney of JUNKMARKET, set up shop using the coolest boogie board table ever! I believe they were props from Amy's Junkologie booth. Perfect for a good book signing I thought.

Kimberly Melamed from JUNKMARKET was the sweetest thing ever, just as I had imagined!

Sue shares some junk tales with Kim Adams of Rockler Woodworking and Hardware along with Kim's daughter.

I got to share some time with Marge of Emma's Nook and Granny, including time around a campfire later that evening! Good times.

I know, I know. You're thinking been there, done that. But how can you resist striking a Junk Angels pose whenever Cheryl with Tomboy Tools is around with all those cool pink tools? Here she is with with Sue and Kathy...ready to take on the all bad junk in the world! (Is there such a thing?)

Sorry for the mini photos, folks, but my twitpic decided to mess with me while twittering over the weekend. If you squint, you can see the Kountry Junkers with Sue and Amy as well as Amy inside her booth.

A sampling of the fabulous JUNKMARKET Style contributors - Kathy, Lani, me and Gretchen!

Isn't this an amazing piece of gas pump junk? Sue found it at a young junker's booth and snatched it right up! It was definitely the hit for photo opp props.

Let's EAT! Amy organized such a wonderful junker's potlock, I tell you. Bloggers were asked to bring along a snacky snack placed inside their favorite piece of junk. Boy were there some great ideas!

The Kountry Junker's claim to fame during the potlock was the coolest salsa and chips spread I've ever seen. Their food was fab and the old grill they used as a table was equally fab!

The Pfarkel Sisters provided everyone an amazing rice and bean salad. Check out the chilled wines underneath. Very nice!

Kathy with Sylvia's Vintage Daughter also won a wonderful prize for her creation. It's a vintange lamp with an old glass globe used as the dish. Lovely!

Cheryl got many chuckles with this one (check out the close up). Let me tell you her zucchini bars were TO DIE FOR!

She definitely keeps things clean.

There was also a cool little tray of cookies from JUNKMARKET that was so versatile.

And then there was my conconction. I didn't realize it until later I may have stolen the flowers from the Pfarkel sisters. Oops! Sorry ladies. Thought Sue bought those at the store when she picked up our goodies!

So as you can see, fun was had by all. Check out my 2-minute snippet below that I took during the party. You can hear the cool music Amy had playing! It all rocked!

Oronoco Gold Rush Days Stash

2009-08-19T03:15:00.018-07:00

My trip to Minnesota this past week can be best summed up using Darren with Junk Mafia's favorite word.

Whooodawgies!

I will share a series of posts in the coming days detailing my experience across state lines. There was just way too much going on those five days to fit everything into just one measely post! The first in the series focuses solely on my AWESOME finds from Gold Rush Days and some of the sweet junky gifts I was given during my stay.

Speaking of gifts, in addition to her offering the amazing comforts of her home, the genuinely kind Sue Whitney of JUNKMARKET Style, provided me this, ahem, keychain. (Don't you see cool pendant written all over it?) This "fitted-jean" chica knows how to make a person feel welcome and I hope to one day be able to exchange the hospitality.

Got me a great black and white sign at Amy of Junkologie's booth! I'm hoping to confuse the heck out of people when I use this sign in the coming weeks. ;) I bought a few other junky pieces from her amazing booth (which was seriously one of the BEST booths in the entire place) and I made sure to purchase one of her awecome ijunk tees! Head to her website to check them out after you finish up here. Very, very cool!

Fellow JUNKMARKET Style contributor, Gretchen, was such a sweetheart and gifted me one of her beautiful creations. I didn't remove it during my entire stay! Her blog, Mimi-Toria's Designs features some of her gorgeous jewelry which is a must see! I can't recall hearing so many people talk about a designer's jewelry as much as I heard this past week. Way to go, Gretchen!

I was in search of feed or burlap sacks to use with a couple projects and boy did I hit the jackpot! The price was right so I snagged up all they were selling except for two. Finished project to come...

These brass letter press stamps were the coolest things ever! I was particularly drawn to the "9s" since the #9 is our family number. (It stems from my birthday being 9/9 and my husband's 9/27).

Can you see using this SPARE PARTS ROLL for an M14 as a fleamarket tote? I can, and it was a nice little freebie a vendor included with my purchases.

This street sign says Junkologie all the way! Amy gave me the pick of the litter as a gift and of course my 10 year old agrees with me this is the coolest thing ever!

My road trip friend, Kathy of Sylvia's Vintage Daughter, was sneaky and remembered a previous post of mine online that said I'd love to have a vintage stamp holder but I felt they were always so spendy. Along with a bunch of other little goodies, Kathy included this cute little number that I'm just dying over. Love it!

So these are my goods from Oronoco. How'd I do?

I'll have more posts to come. I'd love to hear from others that attended Oronoco Gold Rush Days and hear what your experience was! My first time was amazing!

Back from Oronoco...so much to share.

2009-08-17T10:47:00.003-07:00

Will post soon. Seeking medical attention after five days of nonstop get-up-and-going. ;)

Hitting the Road

2009-08-11T04:14:00.006-07:00

Photo by BRAYDAWG
Well, folks. The day has finally arrived to pack up and ship out. Tomorrow morning Kathy and I will be rolling down the highway headed straight for Minnesota! From Wednesday to Sunday, we'll hang with the ladies of JUNKMARKET Style...

Sue and Kimberly really know how to grab hold of like-minded junkers and keep them coming back to their site day after day! Can't wait to meet them!

Another highlight of our trip will be attending Oronoco's Gold Rush Days which is an amazing fleamarket and antiques show! Woot! Woot! Joining Kathy, Sue, Kimberly and me will be Lani and Gretchen. We've made plans to stroll through Oronoco's junk-filled streets throughout the day Saturday, making Amy's booth our destination! Amy is hosting one heck-of-a blog party, complete with a junker's potlock and book signing from Sue Whitney! Won't you join us?
(Check out Amy's site for more details.)

It's a rare treat for me to be able to enjoy extended time with friends, so I will savor every moment of this trip! I'm just hoping my family will remember me when I return.

Follow me on Twitter to read snippets of my junk travels.

Meet My New Table

2009-08-06T04:44:00.003-07:00

I know. It's not my store display, however, I wanted to let you know that that project is still in the works. With my kids starting back to school in twelve days, and me being gone for five of those during Oronoco Gold Rush Days, I'm limited on time to get everything prepared for school as well as fun times left for the kiddos. I hope you understand. How about I provide two clues for what one of my racks will be used for when I return?

Clue #1 - mud
Clue #2 - room
Boy, that'll keep you guessing!

Okay, on to this cute little dirty thing I came across yesterday. Found among a pile of side tables that had a sign hanging from them saying "all small tables $5.00". Measuring 38"x24", I was actually surprised she was included! Great potential for only being five buckeroonies though, don't you think?

I'll be spending some good, quality time cleaning this one so that it will be safe, once again, for inside use.

Now back to counting down for my trip to Minnesota! Never been! Check out ALVN's countdown as well. Looks like she's planning a good time for all of us at her blog party! Make sure to stop by and say hi!

The Drop Was Made

2009-07-30T13:54:00.005-07:00

And my newly adopted babies were released to me.

Aren't they just precious?

What? You can't see them very well?

Well what did you expect? I found them on the curbside, people, and they look like crap! Give me some time.

Sheesh.

My Junk is Being Held Hostage

2009-07-29T13:17:00.003-07:00

And I am not happy. After dropping my daughter off at gymnastics yesterday, I spotted two vintage metal store displays along the curbside and tossed them in my van while enroute to the car repair shop. (Our van's air conditioning went on the fritz.) Let me tell you these shelves are such a cool vintage blue color and have awesome graphics! Ever since loading up my finds, I have been thinking nonstop how best to use them!

I just received a phone call moments ago from the dealership stating the A/C repairs won't be complete until tomorrow! Ack! Therefore, my amazing curbside finds remain trapped...inside the van...inside the shop...for yet another day.

Excuse me. I think I need a moment.

Get Your Mind IN the Gutter

2009-07-24T19:12:00.001-07:00

Gutter guards. A very useful tool for homeowners when they are in their prime. (The gutter guard, that is, not the homeowner.) Here is just one way to use all those rusty, metal pieces that some people deem junk. And thank goodness they do!

Hanging Floral Arrangement

Necessary supplies:
rusty gutter guard
twine, jute or ribbon
cylinder vase
key / embellishments
pencil or dowell
flowers
hosta leaves

Determine desired size of vase holder and double. Add an extra 8" (to be rolled later) and cut. Fold metal in half - long end to long end.

Roll metal edges around pencil / dowell to create a curled edge. Make sure to use gloves since those edges are sharp!

Fold gutter guard in half, slightly bowing each piece outward to allow room for the cylinder vase.

Roll bottom up as if it were a paper lunch bag.

Attach sides together with twine, jute or ribbon using a cross stitch or any stitch you wish.

Have you heard of Eddie Ross? If not, he is a truly talented young lifestyle designer that I "follow" online. One tip he always recommends is to use hosta leaves inside cylinder vases to hide the ugly stems. Love that! (His are much neater than mine, but you get the idea).

Insert vase inside gutter guard with flowers and POW! It's complete!

If you're thinking this is just a ridiculously simple project...you're right.

"Oh, I love your floral display, Candy. Wherever did you get it"

"What? This old rusty thing? Why, thank you."

What a pretty mesh. Move her around your home. She seems to fit right in anywhere.

Though she stands alone, a wallflower she is not.

Could I get any more kooky than using an old gutter guard for home decor? Let me know what crazy things you've come up with using "unique" junk!

As always, take care and keep on junking!

So Like Candy

2009-07-21T09:43:00.009-07:00

Photo courtesy of JUNKMARKET Style
I must confess. I get a bit giddy whenever I see my name somewhere...maybe it stems from childhood. All of my friends had "normal" names like Jennifer, Amy and Melissa. We'd go on field trips for school or Girl Scouts and while there, would enter the doors of gift shops, always in search of the most impressive of souvenirs. Keychains. Not just any keychains, but ones with our names on them.

Amy always seemed to find hers first, most likely since her name was at the beginning of the alphabet and pretty easy to spot. Melissa snatched hers up pretty quickly too. But I was most envious of Jennifer. Jennifer always had a choice to make. Hmmm...she'd say "should I pick Jennifer, Jenny or Jen?" Then came my turn. Candy. My friends were always nice and helped look for my name, periodically squealing "I found CandACE!" Unfortunately, I'd have to say "but I'm a CandICE". The rack could only spin around so many times before I resigned to buying yet another Cool! or Cute Girl keychain.

Photo courtesy of JUNKMARKET Style
So, although the ridiculous thrill I feel whenever I see my name could stem from childhood, it cannot be proven. I suppose it's as good of an excuse as any.

Go to JUNKMARKET Style to check out Sue's fabulous Projects from the Pages of a Book and allow her to inspire.

As always, take care and keep on junking!

Headed In The Right Direction

2009-07-20T10:24:00.003-07:00

Well, howdy-do friends! I hope you are enjoying your Monday! It's been a good day for me, I suppose. Mainly because I have a new header for my blog! Woot! Woot! It all started when I saw that Amy over at Whisperwood Cottage updated her blog header with a fresh new look. Jealous that I was, I knew I needed a change as well. The problem was, I'm not as savvy as many of you bloggers out there with this computer techie stuff, so I had to find something pretty simple that even I could handle.

Enter Vanessa with V and Co. She provided exactly the answer I was looking for by recommending a site that makes mosaic headers. Yippee ki-yay! And, yes, even I could do it!

A big thanks to Amy and Vanessa for the inspiration! Now how do you think my little junky header turned out?

As always, take care and keep on junking!