Showing posts from August, 2015

Zucchini Chocolate Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

August 30, 2015
Chances are you will receive one or two zucchini squash from your gardening friends or neighbors about now. I am not a spice cake fan, but I have a recipe from one of my coworkers for chocolate zucchini cake that is WONDERFUL !


Use What "You Have" Vignettes

August 27, 2015
I have been crazy busy here lately with new hardwood floor installation, work, a new consignment shop booth, and getting my daughter off to her first post-college job. I just changed up my dining table vignette and coffee table vignettes with stuff I found around the house.  Since it's already getting cool outside during the overnight in northern Minnesota, I brought my  upcycled sewing machine drawers with soup cans of ferns  inside.  I also moved my garage sale terrarium with blue and white dishes to the dining table, along with vintage metal flower frogs.


Why I Chose Shaw Engineered Hardwood Flooring for my Living Room

August 25, 2015
I am so pleased with the new hardwood flooring I had installed in my living room last week. I chose a  Shaw Engineered Hardwood, "Jubilee", in the color Honey spice .  An engineered hardwood has a hardwood veneer or wear layer, but is not solid hardwood, making it an economical choice.  Engineered hardwoods can be re-finished just once or sometimes twice, but at 59 years of age, that sounded pretty much like a lifetime to me!  


Four Minnesota Rustic JUNK GARDEN Tours

August 16, 2015
This year I had the privilege to share not only my junk garden tour but also the tours of three of my friends as well! First, my annual Organized Clutter junk garden tour.


Kitchen Chair Update

August 15, 2015
I have had four antique oak chairs with vinyl seats around my antique round pedestal table for many years.


Another Repurposed Photo Holder for my Gallery Wall

August 14, 2015
I picked up this Ritz wooden foot scale at the antique shop yesterday for $6.


Chalk Painted Vinyl Tiles

August 08, 2015
My husband is gone on a fishing trip for a couple of days.  I hate this old floor in our foyer.


Thrift Shop Wooden Notepad Holder Repurpose

August 07, 2015
I purchased this wooden notepad holder at the thrift shop a couple weeks ago for $2.  The framed top portion looks like advertising for Casablanca Bar and Grill.  The wooden piece across the middle holds the notepad in place with bolts and two wingnuts.


Dana's Fun Outdoor Junk Decor & Gardens

August 05, 2015
Remember when I purchased two old gears with my birthday money last month?  I got them from my friend, Dana.  Dana and her daughter own and operate West Tischer Cottage , a fabulous occasional shop in Duluth, Minnesota.  West Tischer Cottage sells vintage, upcycled and repurposed items as well as painted furniture. Well, when I went to pick up my gears, I fell in love with all of Dana's outdoor junk vignettes, and returned last night with my camera.  This old fence vignette is situated on one of her garage walls.


Rummage Sale-ing and Junkin'

August 01, 2015
I haven't had much time this summer for junkin' or upcycling or repurposing.  The truth is, I changed jobs.  I quit my job selling furniture, (at 59) and went back to my previous job at a real estate title company.  It's termed part time, but during the summer, it can turn to full time on any given week.  I didn't have too hard of a transition, however, I am 10 years older than I was when I used to be a closer, and I am not as good as multi-tasking as I once was.  Evenings are busy tending to flower gardens. I decided at 7:45 this morning to check the newspaper for garage sales.  I left the house with little primping five minutes later, and headed for the first sale. Although these are still made, I think this Brannock Device is vintage.  I bought this for 50 cents and JUST for fun.