This photo is a bit washed out due to the sun streaming in the window. Curtains were a rummage sale find and the dresser scarf used as a valance I purchased on eBay and hung with curtain clips. The little white shelf was a $1.00 deal that just needed a few coats of paint, the little cups came from yard sales too. The headboard I bought at a garage sale about 25 years ago. It has been pink and several shades of white at various times. The matching footboard was made into a bench which is on my front porch. Image link:

There are many bargains at auctions, estate and yard sales, etc. I got several part-balls of wool (and other material) in a bag at one for $1.00 that I'll use during this winter to darn some heavy work socks, etc. And some others that I can't remember at the moment. Careful when you're at an auction, though ... don't get into a bidding war and end up paying about double what you would have paid in a store! That happens sometimes ... and a person feels really stupid when thinking what a dumb trick one played on one's self! The best deal, though, is shoopping at the roadside clearance place. I've picked up cupboards, shelves, wood, running shoes, etc. Plus a good crib blanket on the street in town last Sunday and some good sheets on the freeway ... in fact, I picked up a light jacket (CVS logo - and "Donnell"), almost new in northern Ohio on the freeway about 4 years ago - that I'm wearing at the moment, as a matter of fact: it's 60 degrees in here. There's a U.S. flag at the top of one sleeve, that I've never bothered to remove, though I can't qualify, being true-blue Canadian ... but my kids can, as they have dual citizenship, their late Mom having been an Iowan ... and daughter has worked in AZ for several recent years. Some folks on this thread got a good laugh about six years ago when I told how I found a good chesterfield a couple of blocks away, went to son's apt. downtown and pressed him into service to come out to carry the other end as I slowly drove home with one end in the back of the car, with the hatch open ... ... asking him several times whether I was driving too quickly. And he answered ... that I wasn't ... between puffs of breathing. I took a vanload of pop cans, most intact, when I helped a friend move a trailerload of scrap iron to the scrap metal dealer's about three years ago, yielding $90.00, most of them picked up on the roadside, at summer festivals, fall fairs and other joyous gatherings, when I took my son to be an entertainer. Plus quite a few dollsrs' worth on other occasions. And I've taken a bunch of beer cans and bottles, about 1/3 - 1/2 of them originating at a friend's house who likes to drink but has no vehicle, to the beer store, where they pay me 10 cents each for them, that has netted a number of dollars, as well. Being cheap - pays!! Enjoy your weekend, everyone. One of the perquisites of retirement is - every day is weekend! ole joyful ... thankful to be in good health at 80

Charinky and Jodifay, don't know if you are into decorative painting or not, but the August 2006 issue of Painting magazine had lots of wine bottles, grapes, etc. in case you want to check it out for ideas.

Been browsing around these sights for a long time and this was just calling me to tell my story. If you have not made the connection, we do drive a '57 Chevy. We were on our way to a car show one Friday evening. Well, as luck would have it we broke down. I decided to walk up hill about 5 blocks to my folks house. As the fellows were fixing the car. Here is where the luck comes in. I happened on a big dumpster in the driveway of a home that the resident had passed away. The family was cleaning out the house and I saw the greatest bike sitting on top of the pile. I was so excited when I got to my folks, i had to patiently wait for DH to get back. When he arrived I told him that we had to go back down the hill to get that bike out of the dumpster. My father almost disowned me and my mother said she would not be accepting any phone calls. They thought I had lost my sanity. Well, all we had to drive was the 57. The bike fit perfect in the trunk!! I was as of that moment the proud owner of a 1950's Montgomery Wards 24" bike in almost new condition. I am a treasure hunter!!