Trash to Treasure ~ Thrift Store Chairs

I have been marveling at how many of you take ordinary thrift store objects and turn them into marvelous prim treasures ~ things that I wouldn't have even given a second look during my treasure hunts.

So I decided to try to look with different eyes on my next visit to my favorite thrift. And I came upon these peach chairs for $10 each. Yes, I said peach. Now I'm sure they were just lovely in someone's home however peach doesn't quite fit my decor. But we needed some chairs so that we could all sit on the front porch (at the same time) and also have extra seats that could be moved indoors when friends and family come to visit.



Well when I spied these two "beauties", I really did think they were perfect. I love the shape and how the arms wrap around the seat. They're constructed of very heavy wood and appear quite old with metal support rods and plates. And they feel so nice when you sit down in them ~ like you're being hugged.

So I had Walmart mix up a nice charcoal paint and I went to work on my first painted project. I'm so pleased with how they turned out. Though I would like to prim them up a bit, I haven't the courage to use the sand paper yet. I'm afraid the peach paint would show through too much and spoil them. What do you think?



We have a really long front porch and so I put together a little game area using an old crock as the table. Not 10 minutes after those chairs were good & dry my boys were reclining and playing a game of Chinese checkers. What fun!





While I was out there, I took photos the rest of the porch. It really needs lots of flowers in containers but that was a project that I didn't get to this year. I hope next year it is blooming, colorful and fragrant as well.



The old pot-bellied coal stove was a flea market find that Jeffrey got me for my birthday. I was born in coal country and love this reminder of my Appalachian roots. The man who owns the market has his own old-fashioned blacksmithing shop so he shared a bucket of coal with me as well.



The swing and rocking chairs were a gift from my dad & mom. That swing has brought us hours and hours of pleasures. It is my very favorite place to be. It is so soothing and even Colton will sit with me for hours as long as the swing doesn't stop gently rocking. In autumn, we do our some of our school on the front porch surrounded by God's creation. It is such a joy.

Thanks girls for the inspiration! I have already found a wooden trencher bowl for $1 that I just know will be perfect with a little of my leftover paint!

Be blessed,
Lea

Free Frugal Fun

I don't know if you've visited this Walmart link yet but it is a great little link for free sample products. They offer all sorts of trial size goodies from shampoos and shaving cream to laundry detergent and diapers. I sign up for most of them. Most I use. Some I take on trips. Others I keep in a small drawer in my bathroom for guests.

Just last week I had a visitor who needed a diaper and wipe. And I was able to open my handy, dandy sample drawer and get exactly what she needed. Frugal and fun!

So give it a click. Right now there are eight products being offered. Just click the ones you're interested in and another pop up window will ask for your mailing information. As a privacy & identity issue, don't forget NOT to use your actual birthday. Personally, I always make myself 10 years younger! LOL

Have fun,
Lea

The Pleasures of Stitching

This piece hangs behind my stove so I can enjoy it while I cook or make soap.

As I've visited some of our blogging friends lately, my love for stitchery has been rekindled ~ Friends like Pam From Bear Creek and Kathleen of Yesteryear Embroideries have shared some beautiful examples of their handwork.

Dani of Eagles Wings has even created a darling stitchery blog called China Lake Newsletter with some of her lovely stitchery work, wonderful links and even treasures for purchase as well. You can visit her shop now for a nice giveaway !

This piece hangs above my bed.

Stitching is my first love in the old arts. My sweet friend, Diane, taught me to stitch when we were teenagers. I still recall my first little one inch stitchery of a rooster that I did back then.

For many years, I spent all my free time just stitching away. All my coffee breaks and lunches at the office were spent with needle and thread. That's probably why I weighed only 85 pounds! LOL Guess I need to stitch a lot more now!

This piece finds its place in our family room.

Many of my stitcheries hang in the homes of family & friends. But these are a few that I've kept for our home.

This piece hangs above my quilting & patterns bookshelf.

And so, I've poured over patterns this week and sorted floss and searched for just the right piece of linen to begin a tiny Thanksgiving sampler. I'm finding that my eyes and back have undergone some changes in the last several years ... could it be that I'm aging? But I won't let that stop me. I'll just get out the magnifier and some fluffy pillows and keep stitching!

Smiles,
Lea

A Special Blessing

Look what I found on my doorstep yesterday! My friend & neighbor, Tami, shared the joys of her harvest with my family. Thank you, Tami! Thank you, Lord!



Rejoice in all things,
Lea

Thrift Store Treasure

One of my favorite past times is visiting our local thrift stores. Now I never shop at the mall or even department stores in town. They're just not my style. But give me a well stocked Goodwill shop with shelves piled with goods or even a huge yard sale and I'm one happy gal!

I do try to be very selective about the "treasures" I bring home. I don't want to clutter our small home or put stress on our already tight budget but I do enjoy browsing. It is like a treasure hunt! So much fun. And once in a while I find a gem.

Well last week while I was in town, I stopped by the Goodwill for a little browsing and came home with this lovely hand pieced, hand quilted log cabin wall quilt. And all for only $2.99! I was so excited. I have been planning to make some little quilts for my wall and this was such a great start for me.

So like any prim lover, I brought it home, washed it up and then dyed it to look old and worn. Now you shabby chic gals are probably thinking that I absolutely ruined a perfectly good piece. BUT we prim lovin girls know it's just not finished until it's grubbed or sanded or beat really well with a set keys! You know what I'm talking about! LOL

Before


After




Smiles,
Lea

From My Kitchen ~ Blackberry Cobbler!

It's that time of year here in West Tennessee when wild blackberry bushes are loaded with plump fruit. Every morning, new berries are ready to be picked for jam, cobblers and canning.

So on 4th of July morning, I went out early and picked some nice fresh berries to make a cobbler. It was so good and thought you might enjoy the simple recipe as well.



Simple Blackberry Cobbler
1 cup self rising flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
3/4 stick butter
1 cup blackberries (or just whatever you have ~ sometimes I even throw in 2 cups!)
1 tsp vanilla

Melt the butter and place in a 2 quart baking dish. In a separate bowl, mix flour, sugar, milk and vanilla. Mix well. Then pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Toss your fruit right on top. Again do not stir.

Bake at 350 degrees until crust rises and browns.

You can substitue your fruit too. I've used peaches and heard others say they have used apples or plums and of course all the other wonderful berry varieties.

This is especially yummy served with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!

This batch is all gone. I think I'll go bake another!

Enjoy,
Lea

An Unexpected Surprise

It was just your average Sunday afternoon after church. My husband suggested that we stop at a little flea market on our way home. By the time we got there, Colton was falling asleep in the back seat so I decided to stay in the van with him while Jeff and boys enjoyed a few minutes of browsing.

Well it wasn't long before there was a peck on my car door. I rolled down the window to see Luke outside saying "Boy, do we have a surprise for you!" Let me tell you, my mind went wild. What could they have found? An old stoneware bowl? Maybe an antique oil lamp? Or dream of all dreams, a vintage quilt top that someone else had overlooked?

Closing my eyes in keen anticipation, I opened them to find:



Oh my was I EVER surprised. Now I love the farm and enjoy the animals immensely. I talk to them all and make over all the kittens and even the chicken gets lovin'. But I have never had an indoor pet. We had talked about it recently and I agreed that our Luke really needed to have a dog right now, but I wasn't expecting to take one home that afternoon. So I was REALLY surprised.

Well, this little 1 1/2 pound puppy has stolen my heart. He is the sweetest little thing. He is an apple head Chihuahua and will get to be about 4 pounds. After pouring over names like piranha, Little John, jaws, Zorro (I can't wait for a girl so I can name it Buttercup, Emma or Princess) and many, many others, we decided on Napoleon ~ the little general.

And so the adventure begins ...

Have a blessed Sunday!
Lea