Garage Sale-ing

Oh how I wish that this title meant that I was merrily skipping up and down other people's driveway hunting for treasures.... instead it means that I am currently knee deep in stuff in our garage sorting to host a garage sale.

Crummy camera phone pic, sorry but camera battery is LOST! ahhhh!

***sigh***

On the one hand:

I am tired, sweaty, covered in dirt and while the finish line is near.... I'm still not done.. and it feels as thought it may never get done!

On the other hand, I can look at the bright side:

My house and garage will be clutter free, I may make a few bucks at the sale and I have learned that in a case of extreme emergency I can kill a spider on my own.... if I absolutely have to and there is no one else around to save me from the heart palpitations and girly screams. No, I am not afraid of spiders... I just really really really don't like being near them and may or may not have a slight aversion to them. 

So, all that to say that this week we will be gearing up for this sale with lots of sorting, clutter control, and the best part of letting stuff go.... moving furniture around and redecorating spaces! Our bedroom furniture got shuffled around last night and we are LOVING the change. More on that later... when I find my camera charger... that's a whole other story.

Any time we have a garage sale, there are a few little things that help make the day easier:

~ Make sure we have plenty of change. Dimes, quarters and ones and fives are what we usually get. And we don't wait till the day of the sale to get the change either... no matter how much time we may think we have, it is never enough. So someone always make the change run the night before.

~ Super clear, easy to read signs. It really makes all the difference. Same goes for prices too. It is so annoying to go to a garage sale and have to keep asking over and over how much things cost.

~ Plenty of bags, left over bubble wrap and  newspaper to bag up and wrap purchases. Some people want it wrapped up others won't - either way it is a friendly gesture :)

~ Windex or wipes to shine up glassware such as candle holders, lamps, vases, etc. Basically anything that will not be used for eating.

~ Lunch in the slow cooker - soup, stew, picnic roast, chili for hot dogs, etc. Every garage sale, we'll be going along just fine... then we sit down for a break and it hits us just how tired and hungry we are. With lunch all made in the slow cooker, there is no need to wait for takeout. Just serve up some soup, add a piece of french bread and grab some fresh drinks.

~ Make our bed. Even if no one is going to see it and if it is so messy a biohazzard team wouldn't approach it with a ten foot pole - make the bed. That way after a long day all we have to do is wipe off the dirt and climb into a freshly made nest. ahhhhh, heaven!

~ Have a plan for hauling off all the stuff that didn't sell. For us, that means extra boxes, bags and a securing the little trailer from hubby's work. Goodwill is only a few minutes from our house, so as soon as the signs are down and it's packed up we take it all to the donation center....

......................and then we pull around to the front

and take a quick run through the store

to see if there is anything we just absolutly can't live without!

oh wait , did I just admit that out loud?

oops!

Shameless I know :)

What are your best garage sale tips?

Linking to WFMW with "We Are that Family"

Follow Up

As promised in my "Return to Blog-Land" post, I am making good on my New Years blog resolution and following up on projects in the works from last year's posts.

Remember this beauty? Yes, I know it was a long time ago. Reach deep into the memory bank... or click here for a quick refresher. It was a beat up old Welcome sign purchased at a garage sale. After removing the worn vinyl lettering, a light sanding and a few coats of 50 cent Oops-paint, it was ready for some freehand lettering and design.

All I did was download a free font that was swirly and unique, draw a light line to get the letters straight, and then freehand drew the letters lightly with a pencil. I then used paint markers to fill them in. One was regular size and the other was a fine tip. I just love paint markers. I have them in every color I can get my grubby paws on. But that will have to be a post for another day.

(don't know why this picture is so dark...)

The scrolly thing below didn't come out as even as I would have liked... but repainting and waiting to redraw it was just out of the question. Why? I wanted to use it right away. Simple as that. I was too excited to use it in my harvest tablescape. Maybe someday I'll get around to repainting it. But for now, it's imperfectly beautiful!

I'm linking this post up to Cottage Instincts "Make it for Monday," 

Between Naps on the Porch "Metamorphosis Monday," and Making the World Cuter Monday.

Be sure to head on over and check out these lovely blogs!

Photos from top to bottom: old welcome sign pre-transformation, the finished result, & the harvest display in our home from Fall 2009. (And yes that is a bunch of junk next to the table. Please avert your eyes. )

The Best Is Yet To Come

What happens when a craft-loving housewife gets her hand on 5 sample cans of paint - all colors she loves or needs - for .50 EACH?

After doing a happy dance, she proceeds to paint everything in sight!

So stay tuned to find out what amazing projects these sample paints have been used on!

In the meantime, I'll leave you with this little tid-bit:

Next time you see this sign, it will be completely transformed!

Garage Sale Finds

As promised, here are the wonderful garage sale finds from Saturday.

The credenza, everything in front and on the credenza (excluding the lamp) was either from garage sale or thrifted. Ahhh... what a day!



So come on in and take a look at the "new beauties" (and some "uglies" that will soon be "beauties").

I just love this frame and the possibilities that come with it! Should I put a mirror inside? A chalkboard? A print/painting? Or hang it just like that? Any other ideas?

A few weeks ago, I saw this post at Sugar Pie Farmhouse about Chalk Ink Markers. Since then, I have been on the hunt for a chalk board. This little beautie was at Goodwill for $1.99. Just right! After a good cleaning and paint job on the frame, this little number will be gracing my walls. Be sure to check back and see how it turned out!

(by the way, Sugar Pie Farmhouse has a fun Blue Ribbon Product Review Page. Check it out!)

OK. I think I have a serious problem. I love baskets and have them everywhere. Not just for looks - they are being used. Nevertheless, I probably didn't need any more. But this one was such a unique shape, big and priced just right at .25 that I couldn't pass it up. Look, I already put it to use holding the books we bought today for .25 apiece. That justifies it... right?

Two chair pillows for .50. Can't beat that! hmmmm... should I recover them? or leave as is?

This little number was free. And although it looks pretty bad now, the plan is to turn it into a beautiful Spring/Summer wreath. Keep those fingers crossed!

Stay tuned for the reworked chalkboard and wreath.

By the way, I'm adding this post to the Monday Treasures over at Southern Hospitality. Head on over and check out the fun finds!

Happy Saturday

Today was a spectacular day here! The sun was bright and cheery, the breeze was softly blowing, and there were garage sales EVERYWHERE!!! Woo Hoo!

The Hubby and I set out with a cup of iced coffee to hit a few sales, get a car wash, and soak up some of the lovely sunshine. Little did we know that we would be coming across some of the best garage sale finds of the season. I wish I could post all the pics right now, but I'm sneaking in this post between cleaning and rearranging to make room for the new find.


In the meantime, I'll leave you with this tid-bit:

This is Hubby.

Carrying our FREE ficus tree.

Away from our car.

Down the street.

3 blocks away.

Yes there is a story behind this photo. I'll post about the whole adventure later tonight. Right now I'm off to vacuum the Coca-Cola Room. See you in a bit with tons of new photos!