Two'fer One~

Its a two'fer one post....and.....

I am making over my front patio area for the upcoming summer months. Most everything on my patio is from thrift stores or yard sales! Here is the messy/unkept before photo~ Here is the after photo..... It doesn't show up well, but there is a huge flower ball hanging from the center of the gazebo :-) Alright, it is not a HUGE difference... but I did do a lot. I added stuff, pulled the weeds out of the brick, built an arch/planted some climbing roses.... and added some fabric to the table! Scroll down to see the photos :-)I don't do anything to the porch area during the winter months as it is toooooooooo cold for me to work out in the yard! I purchased the round gazebo a few years ago from Big Lots for only $200 buckeroos~ The white chairs are from a thrift store.... (I once had them inside my house) The metal table was another thrifted find ($40 bucks) All the "extra" odds and ends and doo-dads are things that I don't really want anymore-- and wouldn't be to terribly upset if they were stolen misplaced. I used a duvet cover from the Pottery Barn to make a table cloth and I also covered some pillows and covered a small bench and used some of the fabric as ribbons on some of the statues.... I think its cute. Again, my thoughts are "more is better" The little metal fence pieces I picked up for $1 buck each. I got a total of 5!I used wire to attach them to the gazebo and then I covered the wire with a torn fabric ribbon-- caute! This little angel I wired directly to the small rose bush as our paper boy man is probably a retired pitcher from some baseball team because he seems to hit everything I put outside. The bird bath was $15, the bird house was $2, the 2 miniature rose bushes with the pottery pots were $3 each.This cement urn was a dollar at a yard sale.... I added the nest, moss and the dried flowers & eggs...Here is a bunny wearing a matching ribbon made with the same fabric as the table & bench~ (I bought 5 bunnies for a dollar each) the white wire bird cage was $10 bucks (still working on straighting that sucker out) The "welcome" sign was $2 bucks...Here is a little rusty tricycle given to me by a friend that I spruced up... I don't really have a place for it just yet...but it will work its self into some little spot. The basket was $1 buck lolThis wooden "object de'art" for lack of a better word is just filled with more odds & ends. All of this "stuff" was free or nearly free. The broken shovel head says it all "Garden of Weedin" A rusty wagon also given to me by a friend..... filled with stuff sits in a planter near the gazebo... all the pots also were given to me~Here is a little half table that has no place inside anymore...so out it went onto the patio. (yes, thats dirt on the top of it, it just recently rained!) The rose in the pot was $1, the metal candle stick with the glass top was .50cents, the bunnies with the pots were $2 bucks (I have two) The heart wire bird cage was $3 bucks, the table itself was $3 bucks... the metal bird feeder on the ground was $7, the blue flower pot was $3~This two balled wire topiary form is one of 3 that I picked up for $1 dollar each. I just used some silk ivy greenery I had stashed away to make it come alive~ see my two wooden cats in my window.... I love cats.This wrought iron bakers rack my dad made.... now it holds a lot of my overflow from my house. The white truck behind it is a 1964 (year I was born) Falcon truck it was a gift for one of my birthdays from my hubs.This white basket was a freebie at a yard sale. It is perfect for holding long stemmed roses and cuttings from plants that I can easily transport to my gardening bench. (which is the table lol) this summer I will cut a piece of wood for that big whole in the middle. I think I'll drill around the wood circle and lace it to the metal basket with wire~This white metal stand was $5, the bird house $1, the vintage wooden 7-up crate on the bottom shelf was $1. The large blue pot was $5-- which holds another one of those 2 tiered topairy forms ($1)

I picked up the wire tray for $1, the wire teapot was .50cents, the wire cups & saucers .25cents and the metal plant stand $2 .....and just attached everything together with wire for this little vinette. The black garden thingy was $1.If you would like to see more make-overs stop over at Jens blog "Sanctuary Arts at Home" she is hosting a monthly Mr. Linky for make-overs! *woot-woot*

If your wanting to see other peoples Thrift store finds check out the Mr. Linky over at Dianes blog "A Picture is Worth a $1,000 Words" If you have linked here and wish to view more of my blog you can click here!

2nd Time around Tuesday~

This week I am sharing a bowl and matching candle stick set I picked up this past weekend for a mere $5 bucks for the three piece set. It is kinda hard to see the "before" photo of the set as I've got it up against a bunch of "clutter"--- but hey, my house is full of clutter, so anywhere I put it you'd get the same look! I took the hanging crystals off, took the bowl off of the center stand.... placed tape over the white marble base and simply spray painted the set white. I cleaned and rehung the crystals, reattached the bowlie...and taaaa daaaaaa instant caute!If you'd like to see more 2nd time around treasures please visit Diane and her blog "A picture is worth a 1,000 Words" If you have linked here from Diane's blog and wish to view my blog you can click here I just posted a fabulous recipe for Apple Muffins-- YUM!

Hall tree~

This hall tree I have had for about 5 years. It was originally a dark-dark wood which I painted white. I closed in the bottom part and made it into a cat bed :-) It has been like this for a looooooooong time. Never quite finished.... I've dragged it out to sell at yard sales...I guess $30 bucks was to much to ask for it...cause I always had to drag it back in. Now that I've added some brown paint to it making it look a little more "shabby" and of course covering the cushion for the cat bed (not that they have EVER slept in there) I'm liking it! and its no longer for sale lol

Here is a close up of the cat bed.... it doesn't look so "obviously" distressed with paint in person!

Centerpiece party~

With 3 indoor cats...a 22 month old grandson and my grandaughter's impending birth tomorrow! and worst of all...a "hashy-husband" this is all I could muster~ I'm keeping it super-simple! The candlesticks are my favorite! They are heavy metal that have been painted white.... I know, kinda dismal~ but things are hectic right now! lolCindy at "My Romantic Home" is one of the hosts for this centerpiece party. Susan who is in Between Naps on her Porch lol...is also hosting this party! If you've linked here... you can view my complete blog here.

Playroom~

I finally got around to hanging up my shabby chic curtains in my computer/play room :-) I think they look darling~If you look on the wall to the right, I created that wall treatment :-) I saw a photo in a magazine once, tore out the picture as a reminder... and I just whipped it out. It truely was easy-peasy. (this has been up for quite sometime) I first found the center of the wall and nailed the first board up with paneling nails. Here is a view to the left.....I just measured, cut, and nailed it all together. I did add those square doo-dads as well. I got a bag full of them for $3 bucks. (I think at the hardware store they are $3 bucks each) I then added the shelf to the top of it to house all my extra "stuff" that I buy from from various places. I then just painted it all white, everything looks better with a fresh coat of white paint! Here is a view to the right..... I need to take down the wreath...it is centered over one part of my sectional couch, but it looks kinda out of place now lol-- it is the glittered balls on it that speak to me..."keep me up" they say lol