Organized Clutter

I love upcycling chairs, even these little metal child's folding chairs. I am also sharing 15 other chair upcycle projects that I have completed in the past!

Last time I was in Dollar Tree, I discovered that they now sell art canvases. I purchased three 8" x 10" canvases at $1 each, And one three pack of  4" x 6" canvases for $1. I would much rather paint and stencil on found thrifted items , but this year, it has unfortunately been really hit and miss on great finds.

I purchased this old wooden ironing board a year ago at a garage sale for $5. I gave it a makeover and so it can be use as a decor piece, and not in the laundry room either.

This unfinished picnic basket is one of my Goodwill Black Friday finds in the Twin Cities. It was in great condition! It had a little shelf inside to create two layers in the picnic basket. (Update: A reader informed me that this is a pie basket. I didn't know!)

 I found this oak Lazy Susan at a Goodwill in the Twin Cities last August. I paid $6.99 for it. Although it was in very good condition, I wanted to give it a farmhouse style makeover.

 My aunt gave me several bags full of small wood parts, like these little hearts. I brushed a couple of coats of Dixie Belle Chalk Finish Paint in Drop Cloth  onto the little hearts.  Also in the photo above, I painted the lid and ring from a canning jar with Fusion Mineral Paint in Fort York Red.  

 I purchased this framed fabric wall art with shaker pegs at the thrift shop this week for $6. Besides having a water stain, it's just pretty tired and needs a makeover!

 This vintage wastebasket with decal was a recent find.  I shared it along with other November finds  HERE.   I'm sure it was homemade.  Made from plywood and laced up on the sides with leather laces.  The laces were  disintegrating.   

Normally my stenciling is crisp and neat. But when I decided to try stenciling on a stuffed buffalo check fabric pillow, and not a pillow cover, my results were less than stellar.

I am giving a couple more of my previous projects another makeover!  Sometimes they don't sell, or I just am tired of the first look. From this photo you can't tell that this platter is 21 1/2" in diameter.  It's quite large, (and heavy).  I found this primitive style resin platter at a local thrift shop.  I used to be a huge fan of prim country, but lately I have lightened up my decor and adopted farmhouse style.

 I found this rustic wooden arrow at a garage sale a few weeks ago for $3. I couldn't pass it up!

 In a blog post about my July garage sale finds , I shared this set of three vintage suitcases I purchased for $10. The biggest one was actually in the worst condition, with a little corrosion on the locks, damage to one of the corners, and other wear and tear.   Orange is not one of my colors.  It used to be.  Like in the 70's and early 80's, along with rust and gold.  I do still like orange for fall decorating however, and decided to repurpose the suitcase as fall decor.

 Do you pick up little stools at garage sales and thrift shops?  I do. This one is from the thrift shop. This one was from a flea market. Both get a makeover, AND I am sharing a round up of my other blog stool upcycles here too.

 In August of 2017, I acquired this garage sale plant stand. It was grayed and rustic from years outdoors. I added a Hobby Lobby hook to the plant stand, and decorated it with blue enamelware, and a blue license plate.   It was pretty cute.  But...

I purchased this buffalo check tea towel at Hobby Lobby (Spring Shop #5895214) earlier this spring.  It's 16" x 26". I ironed the wrinkles out of it before I began my project.  

I purchased this little wooden, unfinished Easter bunny at Hobby Lobby. It was marked $3.99, but you can almost always purchase them in the store for 40-50% off.  It's in the Easter crafts section of the store, item #5176482.

I found this rustic box sign at a thrift shop a few weeks ago. This was the back of the sign. This little sign received a fun re-purpose.

  The other day I was wandering around our local Menard's Home Improvement Center, and I spotted these 23" Basswood  Country Planks with live edge (or bark on the sides). Tables with live edge have become very popular.  I think I will make a sign.

About a week ago I purchased these two Toastmaster vintage lap trays at a local thrift shop. I paid 59 cents a piece.  The first tray was painted with Dixie Belle Chalk Finish Paint in CAVIAR , and stenciled with a fern stencil and a gold metallic paint. Now to the upcycle of tray 2.

Hobby Lobby has an 18" x 18" knit red and charcoal buffalo check pillow cover .  (18" x 18" is the standard sofa pillow size! No need to buy pillow forms, just change out your sofa pillows to change seasons or decor) It is currently Out Of Stock online, but I found mine at the Bemidji Hobby Lobby Store, when it was 50% off or $7.49. The online description says the pillow cover, with bottom zipper, is red and gray.  The gray is more of a charcoal color, closer to black than gray.