Sunday, May 10, 2009

My New Favorite Word...UPCYCLING




Ok, I'm gonna be honest here...I'm totally addicted to yard sales!!! I love the thrill of finding fantastic treasures in other people's junk. Things that were most likely trash to someone else, find a new home...a new purpose...and are loved once again. How great is that? I learned a new term recently called "upcycling". Have y'all heard of this? I found an awesome article that summed it up pretty well. This is a quote from Primer Magazine by Justin Brown :





"To upcycle is to take a product and reconfigure it into something different yet somehow more useful - generally by hand. Basically, it’s “Frankenstein-ing” seemingly useless stuff into things that are awesome.
Upcycling is considered an art as much as it is a form of conservation (or whatever “green” term you would like to assign to it). It generally is motivated more by nostalgia, needs, and creativity than it is some desire to merely save money. That being said, upcycling does really deliver, in terms of cost feasibility; the stuff you’re going to be improving generally will be either something you already own (and were about to get rid of) or something you bought for cheap at a thrift store or swap meet, intending to rebuild it like Steve Austin."





I LOVE this!!!

Enough with my "green" rant. Here's some of the stuff I scored this weekend. This little black cabinet is in perfect condition and was $3. Ummmmm...I'll take it. I was nervous the lady was going to change her mind about the price. It took all the self control I had not to RUN to the car. Yes, I know...I'm such a freak!


Just when you thought it couldn't get any better...there's a cork board on the inside of the door, 2 deep shelves, and 2 little drawers. Oh, and the front of the door is a magnet board that I want to paint with chalkboard paint.

SCORE!


(3) 10 x 13 frames in an antiqued silver finish. Only 2 of them have glass, but for just a few bucks I can deal. These lovely frames WILL be spray painted satin black. I have a freakishly long hallway that I'm slowly turning into our family picture gallery. To unify the space I want all the frames to be black. So I'm collecting them here and there when I can find them for CHEAP and going to town with the spray paint!



Ok...scary kitty picture. No, I do NOT have kitty collectibles. But I thought these would be ADORABLE with my vintage inspired Halloween decorations. I am ALL about decorating for Halloween. I CAN'T WAIT TILL OCTOBER!



And last, but CERTAINLY not least...we have this beautiful, sparkly, gem of a yard sale find...$2. I am planning on hanging this little treasure in my girls' room.

I mean really, how CUTE is that?

SO.STINKIN.CUTE.



Now hop on over to Ms. Rhoda's place and check out all the yummy yard sale goodies everyone scored this weekend. You might just decide that you want to join in on the fun too. And let me tell you...once you go cheap, you can NEVER go back.
You'll be hooked.



44 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Amanda. Thanks for stopping by my blog. You got some great treasures too.

Linda (Nina's Nest) said...

Great shopping with some real bargains! Linda

Confessions of a Plate Addict said...

Ohhh...love the kitties...Yes, perfect for Halloween! And the chandelier in a little girl's room...so princessy (Is that a word?) Good shopping!!...Debbie

Kristina P. said...

That chandelier is awesome!

Ruth Ann said...

Awesome finds! I'm addicted to yard sales too! I love those kitties! I would have picked those up too! And the chandelier is a steal! A couple glass crystals alone cost that amount! You're soo lucky!

Melissa Miller said...

Amanda you really have found some amazing treasures.

Your daughter's new lamp is just precious! :)

Carmen @ Life with Sprinkles on Top said...

I am so addicted too!!! ;) You found some wonderful things! I sometimes wonder why people are getting rid of this stuff in the first place. Ya know?

The Tattered Cottage said...

Great finds!! My favorite are the kitties, I love to decorate for Halloween and this year I have been finding vintage Halloween items. Can't wait till October.
Toni

Allidink said...

Wow nice chandelier. I like the sound of upscaling :) lol

All the best,
Allison

Anonymous said...

Wow! you found some great stuff and I love, love, love the kittys. I look forward to Halloween starting Nov. 1, lol. It is such a fun and creative holiday. All the things you found are great! Madeline

Unknown said...

I'm addicted too!
but you REALLY scored on these items. I can't believe you got that piece for $3! I would have fought you for it;)
xo
Chrissie

Manuela@A Cultivated Nest said...

That little chandy is so pretty! You really did score on all that stuff. I had never heard the term upcycling before!

Manuela

Kelly said...

Awesome finds, especially that little black cabinet. I would have grabbed it and run too!!

I'm sure you already know but at home depot you can get glass already cut into the standard sizes for frames. The glass in one of my frames was broken and it was only 2-3 dollars.

Jen - Balancing Beauty and Bedlam said...

You and me, girl. I so wanted to get my treasures up for Rhoda's party but I am far behind in life....so unfortunately, my post will have to wait. Such a bummer.

Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality said...

Oh, yeah sistah! Once you start with the yardsales, it will spoil you for retail, that's for sure. I don't even feel comfortable in the mall anymore. :) Now, that's sad! Great score on the little black cabinet, and yes, it could be a match to mine (which I think now came from Pottery Barn, according to someone). How cool is that? I had no idea it was a PB piece. And your little chandy, yes, too stinkin' cute!

Betty Jo said...

Everything you found is super awesome. Love that cabinet especially! ♥

SarahJarnagin said...

Great finds!!! The little cabinet is an awesome deal at $3! Loving the frames as well! Great job!

Debbie said...

I do the same thing with frames. The color unifies everything. Love the light for your girls room too. Debbie

Michelle said...

Love the *scary kitties* for Halloween! Very cool!

A Southern Rose said...

You got some great deals and some awesome stuff! I love the cabinet! The chandi is precious too! I love going to garage sales. I got a couple of great things the other day too. I will have to post about them. Oh and we wnt to Hattiesburg for Garrett's birthday this past Friday night. We took him to Chuckie Cheese. He had a ball and I got to stop at Target too!

Janis@HomeStyle said...

WOW you got some great stuff!!! LOVE the light, it'll look so nice in your little ones room.

Glenda/MidSouth said...

Great finds. Love the chandelier.
Glenda

Amanda @ Serenity Now said...

Oh, I am so jealous!!!! I would never have looked at those cats and thought "Halloween." I would have snickered and thought "haha, old cat lady decorations!" But when you mentioned what you were going to do with them, it sounded perfect! Great frame find too. :)

Patricia @ ButterYum said...

Great finds! Love the box and the kitties!

Vanessa said...

Hi, I stopped by from Rhoda's party. You probably already know this, but Home Depot and Lowes have glass already cut to size for frames. In fact, I just bought one for a glassless frame I had not long ago and I think it was a 10x13 also. They are only a few dollars each. Love the chandelier, by the way!

Unknown said...

Wow, girl, you scored some fab stuff! Only a southern girl would yearn for Halloween, did you know how close Halloween is to WINTER up here? Please, let's not go there. :)

Shannon said...

You got some great finds!!!!

Ashley said...

Gorgeous stuff! I love the cabinet!

Vivienne @ the V Spot said...

Those kitties are brilliant. I always shop with an eye towards Christmas. Thanks for the Halloween reminder!

★Carol★ said...

Oh my. That li'l chandelier is cute, cute CUTE!!

Anne Marie said...

TOTAL SCORE!

Hello btw, and it's super nice to meet you!!

mary said...

$2 are you kidding me?????? I have got to go to some yard sales!!!

CJ'SMOMMY*KIMBERLY said...

Of course I love the black cabinet but those kitties ......they are the winner! I am not a kitty fan but as soon as I saw them I thought HALLOWEEN! I,too,love decorating for Halloween.I'm actually having a vintage Halloween party for my son's birthday this year.His birthday is at the end of Sept. but we will be in Disney World on his birthday so I'm waiting until first week of October.One of my favorite memories is a Halloween party my church group threw in a barn when I was like 5.I lovedddddd it!
Ok sorry for the book but I'm going to your archives to see if you have any past Halloween pics.

Thrifty Decor Chick said...

Oh my goodness, those area all fab!! That little cabinet is awesome. Filled with little surprises. I think those cats will be FREAKIN' PERFECT for Halloween -- what a great idea. (I'm already thinking about fall/Christmas...I wish I could just enjoy the summer.)

Jen @ tatertotsandjello.com said...

I love that word! And what wonderful finds. That chandelier is adorable!!!!

XOXO
Jen

Mandi @ Sweetly Home said...

Do you want to hear something crazy? I have a very similar cabinet thing that I bought...complete with the two drawers and cork board. Only my corkboard is on the outside. I bought mine retail for $25. What a steal you got yours for!

Melissa said...

Girl, you got some goods! I love that cabinet (for $3??) and I would have picked up that little sparkly gem as well. Thanks for letting me know that I'm an upcycler! Another reason to go to yard sales and feel good about it :)

Mandi Shandi said...

Hey friend! I love everything you found, but that chandelier is awesome!! Way to go on all those bargains, and I just know that hallway picture gallery will be to.die.for!

edie said...

Oh I am most certainly an upcycler. Great finds!

trish said...

You really have some great finds there! I have been on the hunt for huge picture frames to spray paint. Your cats are way too cute!! The chandelier will be adorable in your daughters room!!
I have not forgot about a little thrift shopping in Mississippi! :o) That would be fun.
Have a great day!
Sincerely ~ Tricia Anne

Girly Stuff said...

Put a Mod Podge leopard knob on the black cabinet!

The kitties are my fave!

Unknown said...

Sweet finds! Now I really want to go thrifting instead of cleaning bathrooms! Thanks ;)

WhisperWood Cottage said...

Thanks for leaving a comment on my Junkologie blog! All of your finds are fabulous! Those cats will be great for Halloween decor. And that chandelier?...Jealous! And for $1.00? I'm speechless! Great score!!

Amy

Molly Anne said...

The little chandelier had me squealing in delight! Now I want to know how come I never find cool stuff like that. :)

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