How to Show Your Family that You’re Not Crazy

At The Point
33 Comments

I can’t pass an estate sale.  Even though I don’t need anything and James might have me committed if I try to squeeze any more junk into this house…I still can’t resist.

Last weekend there was a HUGE estate sale with piles and piles of messes and garbage and I could not help myself.  I may need medication.

I picked up these three, valuable items.  I don’t have prices for each, but the total for all three was $4.

My whole family wondered what I was thinking.  Even as I was taking the pictures, Levi came over to see if he could figure out what was so interesting about this gathering of worthless objects.

In my mind I could see it….treasures!  I turned to my closest and most trusted friends, spray paint, glue gun and burlap.

I cut the burlap into 3″strips, thus assuring that my kitchen would be covered in tiny hairs and threads.  Then I started wrapping that weird frame thing in the strips.  First from end to end, then weaving it horizontally.

The burlap was shedding faster than I could weave, so I decided to brush watered down Elmer’s glue over the whole thing.  I don’t want to spread fine burlap hairs everywhere I go.

See how happy I am?  Why do they doubt me?

While the glue was drying I cut a base for the basket.  I found a box in the garage and cut it up.  Gee, I hope James doesn’t need that anymore.  I covered the cardboard base in burlap and brushed it with more glue.

In the meantime I rolled silver paint around in the tall glass vase/candleholder/whatever.  I spray painted the gold frame and played with a picture of the boys that Patience took.  The oil painting was too dark, so I white washed it with some acrylic paint that I watered down a LOT.

Here is the new and improved pile….no longer junk!

The family is ooohing and ahhhing.  I felt a bit like The Little Red Hen.  Who will help me buy the junk?  Not I!  Who will help me remake the junk?  Not I!  Who will help me enjoy the junk?  I will!  (OK, I that’s not completely true.  Patience helped me.)

My first effort at mercury glass turned out a little streaky, but I will try it again when I find another estate sale piece of junk.

The basket is my favorite.  It makes me happy.

Best of all, everything was completely free, except for the original $4.  I spent a day playing and creating, my family is happy and I don’t have to go to the funny farm.

Life is good!

The Girl Creative

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33 Comments

  1. OH thank you very much! I have a similar basket sitting our garage just waiting for a new life! It was a yard sale cast-off given to me for free… Yes even my friends are guilty of supplying me with, well, “junk.” Now to go break out the glue gun… 🙂

  2. Seriously! You disturb me. I go to estate sales and my mind doesn’t see the “what could be”. I feel a teeny bit inspired to create something now. You and my mom would be great friends.

  3. Peggy, really? Do you have any idea what the basket frame is supposed to be? I just saw it and thought I could do something with it, but it has to have a purpose that I don’t know about. I’d love it if you’d email me a picture of what you do with yours! Lisa~

  4. Autumn, you crack me up! I’ve gotta meet your mom someday. Then she and I can conspire to get you to do one crafty thing. 🙂 Lisa~

  5. ohh me! i know! the “basket” is a buffet server thingy! (technical, i know) you put sternos in the bottom (in those two little spots where the wires X), a deep water tray in and then one or two shallow trays filled with your food to keep it warm on a buffet.

    what do i win? :o)
    okay, i’ll just be happy with the awesomeness that you have created. i NEVER would have thought to do that!

  6. Lisa ~ You are amazing my dear! I LOVE the idea with the oil painting, I’m gonna try that one 😉 I’m trying to create mercury glass also…I think once I figure it out, it will be everywhere in my home!! Oh my and your burlap basket is so cute filled with towels!

    Hugs

  10. Hi Lisa, I don’t think you are crazy…just amazingly creative. I adore what you did with the picture and the basket. I never would have thought of transforming the picture like you did. Fabulous!!
    xoxo, Sherry

  11. Hi Lisa,
    Thanks for stopping by and leaving such a sweet comment on my blog! I love what you did with the basket…it’s adorable! And the photo…amazing!
    So glad to hear you saved yourself from being committed!
    Cheers!
    Theresa
    {Wow…I ended each sentence with an exclamation point!}

  13. You are certifiable….and amazing! Where did you come up with the idea for the basket? And using the painting like that? It looks so good!

    Maybe you should be a consultant…we can send you photos of stuff and you tell us what we can do with it!

  14. I never in my wildest creative dreams would have thought to make that basket or that picture. But I will be on the lookout for a big picture at the thrift store now. I want to do that for the big empty space over my couch. Love it!

  15. Ok…I thought you had redeemed yourself from the ‘funny farm’. (The garage sale re-do’s are the best ever…) BUT did anyone else notice that the e-mail notification for this blog post came in at 3:09 a.m. Now THAT is certifiable. Please tell me, sweet friend, that you were not up at that hour? I pray that you are okay?

  16. The picture is awesome!! I would have never thought to white wash it, the stick your pic on top. I may be on the look out for a painting now! I love looking at all your projects, I should put the computer down and go do some of my own. But we are in limbo now to move–not to move–, and since I got my newest little man, there have been no sales for me=(, but he’s worth it.

  18. I am so encouraged by your project. With wanting to fix my house up to be the peaceful haven I so desire it to be, but with little if any money to put towards “frivolty” (is that a word, lol), it’s such a blessing to see with very little spent you can make something from nothing with just a little creative ingenuity! You’ve made me look at things in a whole new light! Thank you!

    Blessings,
    sara

  19. I have to agree with EVERYONE, what you did with the picture was amazing! I’m always trying to come up with ways to just cover them up, but this was genius! Thanks for sharing:)

  21. Wow. I have to admit I’d never EVER think to turn a wire rack (of which I have 10,000 being the Potluck Queen) into a burlap basket thingie. You are inspiring!

  23. Hi Lisa,
    I’m glad you stopped by and said hi because I was loving this post. You did a great job on your little makeover treasures. I love doing that too. Right now I’m on a Red and White kick and my craft room is reflecting it A LOT! LOL!
    I see you homeschool. We do too. It’s challenging sometimes but I love it.
    I wonder when they are going to make the word homeschool an official word and it not have the red squiggly line under it. Either that or I’m spelling it wrong. LOL!
    Have a fabulous day!
    Kim

  24. Love your ideas and Redos! I am the same…can’t pass on an estate or garage sale! My husband panics and then when I bring something home says, “What are you going to do with that!” Love your blog and new follower.
    Have a blessed day,
    Denise

  25. Well, hey! If you do go down to the Funny Farm, you’ll be sure to find me there! But I can’t profess to have the creative spark that you have to transform those pieces. Incredible! I love how you whitewashed the oil painting and used it as a mat!
    The ‘basket’ is actually a rack that holds chafing dishes. Hubs is a caterer and we have a ton of those things. If you lived in California, I’d give ’em all to you!
    Would love for you to link up to Passion for Paint this weekend.

  26. I so don’t think your crazy (unless I am….ohhh wait I am never mind) I LOVE all of the projects but, the painting is my favorite!!

    Hugs,
    🙂 Heather

  27. Okay, are you kidding me!?! It is SUCH a gift to be able to do that! I love estate sales, too, but I always end up with junk – just junk! Next time I’ll send it to you and let you work your skills!

  29. Dear Absolutely Amazing,
    That is incredible! Those are the kind of make-overs I dream about but don’t usually get around to performing. I really gotta get my act together… I start to get stale in the head if I don’t do something creative now and then… Teddy bear shaped pancakes for my three turkey’s doesn’t count as creativity in my book!

    Love,
    Action Required in NE

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