What To Do With an Old Book

We just got in these great old books.... 

upcycled old books

 With a beautiful butterfly print

glued on it....

Carefully done to give life to discarded books..... 

Great for your library....

but  perfect for stacking 

& making creative displays in your home!

A Tale of Two Chairs

"It was the best of times....

it was the worst of times..."

Ok...it's not a Tale of Two Cities....

but, it is a story!!

Last year I was driving down the street,

minding my own business, of course....,

When all of the sudden,

CHAIRS

6 of them

Just sitting on the side of the road

with that beautiful sign on them

F R E E

ahhhhh

(this, you might call...was the best of times!)

Our neighbor down the way MUST have known

 that I needed

chairs down in our "craft" (ok...junk) room

I only needed 4 down there...

the other 2 - well, they would be perfect

at the ends of my dining room table

soooooo

I took them & brought them home...

where,

there they sat

and sat

and sat

(this was the worst of times, I guess!)

Well...for the next year I searched for a fabric to cover these lovely chairs with,

and while I searched, I had them painted a lovely golden yellow...

and distressed by Miss Jill FFF

(Favorite Faux Finisher)

Well, wouldn't you know that one night I was putting a table cloth

(that I got at TJ Maxx for $12 several years ago)

on the table

and I looked at the chairs,

looked at the tablecloth

(it was like a tennis match there for a bit!)

And

I decided that that $12 tablecloth was cool...

but

would look so much better on those two chairs!

Would it fit?

I measured...

YES!

Not only would it work,

but I wanted to add a ruffle around the bottom,

and....

if I cut the long end of both sides of the tablecloth,

that could be the ruffle

which meant

NO SEWING!

and

the center of the tablecloth could cover the seats...

(this, was the best of times!)

After attaching the fabric to the seat, I just started to

fold and staple the ruffle on to the chair....

AND....

It is DONE

finally!

What a happy little story - 'eh?!!

A Window of Opportunity...

 It's simple...really!

When Life gives you windows....

(lots of old, broken windows)

 

You hang them from your

Pine Trees

Presenting a very Lovely

Window of Opportunity!

Nothing is so often irretrievably missed

as a daily opportunity.

~Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach

Tag along with us as we join Debra

@ Common Ground

for Vintage Inspiration Friday!

Now We're Picturing It!

One of our lovely customers, Carolyn, purchased this reclaimed piece of wood at the store several months ago.

She sent us a picture of what she did....isn't this darling? She inserted a picture from her wedding day...and will hang it above her bed.


It is so wonderful to see what happens to a piece when it leaves the store.

Thank you for sharing some inspiration Carolyn!!

A Well Played Lamp

Well...
you've seen it all now, haven't you!

I played the clarinet in Jr. High and part of High School before switching over to the percussion section. So, naturally, I have this clarinet and it's time for my daughter to choose and instrument... "anything but the clarinet" I told her!

But what to do with my old clarinet? Sell it? Let a friends daughter borrow it to squawk and squeak all over the neighborhood? Well...this is it! We found this lamp on Ebay ~ I think the neighbors would like seeing this in the window ~ don't you? {can't be any worse than the neighbor's leg lamp down the street!}


Well...it's time for Junkin' Monday...with those crazy junkin' sisters over at Nice and Easy Antiques! Although we didn't get a junkin' moment in this past weekend, we did bring a funny idea - 'eh girls?

Sweet Dreaming

It was 1904 and Mr. Halter was building his home. He furnished it and brought his new bride home and she loved it. Upstairs in the bedroom was a grand and beautiful bed. fit for a queen, and Mrs. Halter thought she was the luckiest lady around!

The bed lived in the house until Mr. Halter died. Several years later, Mrs. Halter rented the house out and put the bed into storage in the great attic upstairs. There the bed stayed until.....the attic needed to be cleaned out because the newest owners decided to create a room up in that big, old attic. Now....what to do with that headboard that had been in the house for 105 years?

Well....the bed is Karla's, and it has been moved several times from one side of a room, to another to endure work in the attic, and now we are happy to say, that there may be a happy ending to our story! We have thought that this headboard would make a great headboard for a king sized bed...how do we utilize the foot board?

Well, Monday we're taking it over to the wood repair shop and are going to finally see if the dreams we have for this headboard will really be able to happen! We need to make it bigger, paint it...and maybe we can add fabric...we've scoured the Internet on information about making a full headboard a king sized, but haven't found much....but we did dream quite a bit with some fun ideas for headboards - so come along and do some dreaming with us......



We just love, love, loved this idea {of course we tend to collect old doors here at The Summer Kitchen!}
How cute would this be - an old door, on it side with trim work above, painted and distressed - perfect and easy to do...not adding those little lamp holder on the side - quite creative, don't you think?

photo courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens

Goodness....we've died and gone to heaven - isn't this mirror gorgeous? What a great headboard this makes....we can't imagine what it would cost us...but it is sweet to dream girls, isn't it?

photo courtesy of Country Living





When we saw this picture in Better Homes & Gardens we squealed with delight! We love old hankies - and just how darling is it to frame them and put them above your bed...or anywhere for that matter!

Also love those snare drums - what a fun end table for a room {and be sure to take notice at all of the fun vintage things at the end of the beds in all of the pictures posted.....great uses for fun pieces!!}





We love old shutters - and think this idea is a fabulous one - that doesn't need anything but a good wash down and some nails to secure above the bed! What a fun idea to bring the outdoors in!

photo courtesy of Curbly.com





How about windows? You can find plenty of them laying around the neighborhood. See anyone replacing their windows? Ask if you can take some of their old windows and create a unique headboard. Here they took out the panes of glass and inserted boards covered in fabric that compliments your room.

{wouldn't this make a great screen for your living room too???}

photo courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens




Now...hanging art above your bed is great - but hanging ART above your bed...large art with a light above it....how great is this?

{Not to mention the great mirrors on either side of the bed...and the lamps....!}

photo courtesy of HGTV




We love how they took an old headboard and insert fabric into it. If this could somehow work on the headboard after it is done - it would be fun....but we will just have to wait and see how it comes together first!

photo courtesy of Country Living

Isn't it exciting to figure out something fresh & fun - while utilizing something that you have at the same time?!

Look for the final results of Karla's headboard....sometime down the road {we're not fast workers when it comes to our own homes ya know!!}

Sweet Dreams!

Garden Junk

Old base to a table....

Rusty

Forgotten

No one wants it....






Wait....


An Idea!




Old Table Base

Rusty, Forgotten
+ Old Galvanized Tin Tub
____________________
= new planter

Way better than anything we saw at Lowes!


Can't wait to fill it with some flowers this weekend.....stay tune for a picture of it finished!

Trash 2 Treasure

Today is the big day...

Kari & Kijsa have invited everyone to show their creativity in making ordinary, discarded things into beautiful & desirable things.

We love this...and thought we'd show some fun things to do for your Easter table {it will be here before we know it!}

We've decided to invite the girls over for a tea party at Karrie's house {we are known for our tea parties you know.....} and we'd like to discuss a new tea flavor with our dear sisters.....it would taste like diet coke {now you see how we would get those poor girls to come see us!}

Amongst the hand-me-down china from grandma, we have vintage plates that we have been collecting. Things that have been discarded and marked down so low....even at the junk stores....we just had to save them!


Well....on those darling plates that will hold our tea cakes....we have a party favor for our guests......let's see what they are....

Hobnail votive cups....pick them up in any junk store, flea market, or garage sale - not just for holding candles anymore! Take some ribbon and tie it around your votive cup. Embellish with buttons or rhinestone pins {also found objects from your favorite hunting spot...could even be in your own jewelry box!} Stick some Easter grass in them and top with an egg - voila! An Instant favor for your table!

Our last treasure that we want to share today is the name plate holder....

That's right...just some old window pulls - we just strung some ribbon through the screw's holes and made the cutest spot for the place cards to sit!

Oh....how much fun we've had - do stop by and visit Kari & Kijsa today and see all of the great Trash 2 Treasure ideas there! Thanks for popping in today....now ahhhahmm....back to figuring out this diet coke tea....

Treasure Hunt

So.....all this talk about the Round Top in Texas the past month has not only made us jealous, it has made us itching to go junkin'....so Sunday my daughter and I had to run an errand, and it just so happened to go through Elmore and we just had to stop at Once Upon a Thyme and the 5 & 10 - shucks!!










We picked up some fun things there - she is taking Collectibles in 4-H and found two dog figurines - very cute, some salt and pepper shakers and a little dog plate - very sweet. I was so excited to find this runner! I have wanted a vintage runner for my dining room, however the colors are not jiving with the white ones I always come across!! This was perfect, and I was all too happy to take it home. I found some tin trays that need cleaned up for serving lemonade and tea this summer on the "veranda" and some picture frames with some vintage ladies in them (I'll have to snap their picture for you later - as they are not here to take a picture of). Yesterday Mom and I went to another antique store and junk barn. Here I got the best deal of all - I found these "old master's" pictures - the frames are awesome and I can't decide where to hang them. Go ahead- - - guess how much???? Try $7 for the four of them - isn't it crazy??!! The thrill of the hunt!!


















While we were there we were looking at this old wicker chair - it was in great condition, in need of new upholstery, but really fun!! (might have to go back for that one!)How about the first picture up there - look at that old door!! It still had the winding doorbell on it - and it worked - how fun would that be?? We are looking for an old door for mom's new bathroom - we had a great laugh when we thought of using that door (of course we would have put some privacy glass in) and of the door bell going off - and breaking because all of the grandkids would be messing with it all the time!! Last of all - is the ironstone gravy boat - I kept on coming back to this and had to bring it home with me. I don't have a lot of ironstone at all - can't even say that I have or want a collection - but this sang to me!

It's time to have a treasure hunt of your own - get out there and see what you can use in your home! Our big thing at the Summer Kitchen is bringing those antique and junk finds into your home. You'll have an eclectic look that no big box store can give you. It looks as if you've had things for years - when it could be seconds!! Most importantly, it is a fabulous and fun way to recycle - use what is already here!!

Joys of Junkin'

Well, I wanted to share with you one of my favorite "Junkin'" spots! I can't
help it ladies, but this is fun stuff (most of the time!) People are always wondering where did we get this, or that display piece in the store, or something in my house, and most of the time it comes from my "local" favorite shop Lene's Web in Oak Harbor. Marlene is the owner of "the junk barn" as my children like to call it, and she has an abundance of stuff - - and I do mean abundance! On the bottom of Lene's sign it says "Treasures and Trash" and she is not kiddin' - there's a lot of diamond's in the rough out there - but it is well worth the trip! It never fails, that when I go I find a chair that I just have to have!! Check out these pictures that I took this summer........













Lene's Web is located at 11313 West Elmore Eastern Rd, Oak Harbor, OH and the phone number is 419-898-4699. When you see the big red barn - you'll know you are in junk heaven!











Chairs - gosh, I can't get enough of them! I think that my husband will croak if I bring home another.....but can you blame me? I believe that I have purchased seven chairs from Marlene over the past 3 years, pretty crazy! But look at these beauties that just need a little attention and new fabric - gorgeous!










I love the dressers that you find at Lene's Web. They are painted, or not, and they have such character! Sure, you may need a new leg, or a new paint job, or a good cleaning, but - you'll have a keeper that, for the money, will be a better piece of furniture than something five times the amount you spend here!













Just recently I've been hunting for vintage linens. With all of our tea parties and, just a frustration in finding really different tablecloths, I've started searching the piles at Marlene's. This was a great find - check it out when it's open. Won't that be pretty layered on top of another tablecloth? There were two, so I gave mom one to see if it will work on the navy checked sofa for her "Williamsburg room"

I spy a couple of cool plates to hang on the wall somewhere......hmmmmmmmmmmm.....
















Kind of an odd piece at Lene's was this Greek frieze of a Chariot and soldiers....I'm thinking that I should have picked this up for the garden somewhere (I'm hoping that it is still there, I have a gut feeling that it will go somewhere, sometime........but I'm not sure when!) This last little table went home with my friend Cheri the day we went here - it's on her front porch and it is cute as a button on her porch, against her white home, black wicker furniture and red geraniums - very cool!




Well, it's going to be a great weekend, so maybe you can hit up Lene's Web - check and see if she'll be there first!! If not, you can always come visit Karrie and I!

This week we have been getting everything around to do our yearly trek to S.C.R.A.P. (Sandusky County Restorers of Antique Power) at White Star Park in Gibsonburg. If you are looking for something to do this beautiful weekend, besides Junkin', and you like to look at tractors (I know that might be pushing it for some of you!!), come on out for some inexpensive entertainment and great food. Go get some of Mary Groweg's famous homemade ketchup, have the kids/grandkids ride the "train" and make a rope, and keep time with some fancy fiddle playing! For more details on S.C.R.A.P. click on the link above!