Oh, my favorite topic and I love the projects pictured here -- nice work all of you! Legacybuilder, for me it's either I have something and want to re-purpose it, or I want something and can't afford it so I fake it. Sistersunnie, I would hardly recognize that 'throne' -- you did a great transformation. Alison, all of your projects are just yummy and you have such wonderful taste. I remember when you did that door. I love what you did with that computer desk - totally unrecognizable. Justgotabeme, I clicked on each of your pics and I marvel at your creativity. I never would have looked at a door and seen a corner cabinet - very clever. Franksmom, great lamp find. That little table came out so nice, the finish looks perfect. Amity, from microwave cart to vanity, who'd a thunk it? Good going, and it looks great. I hope you'll post more pics when it's finished. Inspiredisabel, nice job on the little dresser. Free is my favorite price too. lol Les, that sounds great. I was just thinking about you last night. You've helped so many of us and I was wishing to see pictures of your house and the things you've done. Could we talk you into starting a thread on that with pix? Zipdee, what to say? I love all of your projects. I have saved so many pictures of your work you wouldn't believe it. You are so clever. That turquoise dresser/pillows and the polka dots are SO cute. Did you sew the duvets at the foot of the beds? Did you paint the lampshades, or find the right fabric to cover them? Just wow. Nicole, wow on that lamp, it looks great. Your slip cover fits like a glove and is so pretty. Good sewing. I tend not to take before pictures (I'll try to be better in the future). This little bookshelf was a thrift store find many years ago. It was painted white and green and in my kid's room. I needed something for this spot and found this in the lawnmower shed. Sanded, primed, painted black, and bought the black baskets for it. The lion head handles were salvaged from the guest bath in my old house. They were rusted, so I wire brushed, primed and painted them. Sorry this pic isn't great: This was an old thrift store find, pretty dinged up and scratched, and the base was rusty. I fixed it up: The lampshade I made from a wire frame and a pile of fabric: I made this part of the beaded ringe myself (there are 3 of these on the lamp): When I found these two pieces in the deep dark basement of an antique store among things they had not fixed up yet, they were covered in the ugliest fabric imaginable and were FILTHY. They must have come out of someone's barn. I stripped them down and reupholstered them in this (which you see worn out in these pics): The sofa cushiones were covered w a flannel sheet and old crocheted afghan because the dogs had chewed off the piping. Here they are redone. I found the mohair velvet cheap on eBay (it normally goes in the hundreds per yard). This time I had them professionally redone because both pieces had serious structural breaks/problems that needed things like 7' clamps I didn't have. I got this piece through the Little Nickel years ago. It was covered in something that fought with the tones in the wood. I redid it in this: Last year it also needed structural help so went in for a pro reupholstery job because it clashed with my "new" sofa, and I picked this: There is more around here, but that's enough for now.

I've just found this thread. My best treasures from yard sales fall into 2 categories. - one is decorative things that completely matched the bill of what I was looking for, and had been unable to find at any price. I have a den that has an African/international theme. I wanted large art for the walls that had certain unusual color combinations and fit the feel of the room. AFter years of exhaustive searching in galleries and catalogues, I found a wonderful Eastern European batik - it's looks more African - yellows and reds, looks like a man and woman facing each other (similar profiles to some African carvings), with some fertility-like symbols. It was $4. I would have spend 100 times that and couldn't have found anything more perfect. Then a few years later, I found an Asian cloth painting - probably from Thailand. Again, perfect colors and fit. It was already framed and cost $5. Lastly, we were looking to replace an ugly offwhite accordian lampshade, with colors to match an atypical combination in our LR. Looked in lots of lamp stores, catalogues, art fairs. No avail. Then found one that was tailor-made - can't remember if it was $1 or $3. Hand-painted, colorful, but washed colors (like Alexnadra Julian watercolor sheets). - The other categories of great finds is all the toys I've discovered for my daughter (whose 5). At less than $1, I can afford to buy many things to find the few she might like. It's a great money savings. But mroe importantly, I've discovered toys I didn't know existed and some which are no longer made (like the English Bluebird polly pocket compacts). I love everything about yard sales. Exploring neighborhoods, talking to people, getting bargains, and finding treasures I might never have found elsewhere. pp.s. Oh, and boxes and boxes (hundreds of dollars worth) of Christmas village decorations for $20.

I have an old wooden box that has Shredded Whole Wheat Biscuit with the address also written on the side sitting beside my husband's recliner being used as an end table...2 six pane windows with the glass replaced with mirrors hanging on the wall..an old wooden shutter just leaning against a wall..haven't decided what to do with it yet...found it floating in the lake... I have 3 wall shelves made out of boards from an old chicken coop from when I was young..several pieces of different sized drift wood decorated and hanging on the walls..an old bird cage hanging from the ceiling..a fruit crate I nailed to the wall(bottom against the wall) that I use for a shelf, with old bowls sitting in it..I also just set one on the floor with a lamp sitting on top.. a log that was also found at the lake that is hollowed out that I set a hanging vine planter in sitting in my living room...and the last project that was just finished before xmas, we cut small trees for curtain rods and wrapped grapevine all around them and made wooden brackets to hang them with, these are above my dining and living room windows..and then I hung little wooden and rustic stars, hearts and angel ornaments from them. Vicki

I have thoroughly enjoyed browsing all the photos and reading the stories of your collections here. Such beautiful pieces and wonderful, touching stories. To see most of mine, you'd think my home was full of antiques, which is far from the real deal, but these seem to be most of my most interesting non-art things. However, some of you have given me some ideas for things I could do in the future with things I have stored! This is a small collection of silver vases, albeit in need of some polish right now. My collection of miniature tea sets. This started with my aunt giving me her much-used Mickey Mouse set she had used back in the 30's as a child and a then-new set when I was about 8-years old (the blue and white delft set). The rest is a mix of old and new I picked up along the way as an adult. I also have a lot of old hankies that belonged to my grandmother and great-grandmother, and yes I use them at weddings and funerals. They made some of them, including the tatting on the edges. Gallery hallway of family photos (old and new) To honor our home states (Alabama and Ohio) I started looking for old maps of our states and regions. This is one of Alabama and of the Eastern US in our breakfast room. The next one is an Agricultural map of Ohio. I think I've posted enough. Thanks for viewing. BTW, those clocks are awesome! And I adore that mirror, and I can't say enough about that belly cast!