Your junk... My treasure

I have recently taken up the garage-sale torch this summer. Just for a couple of weekends now but it's been really fun figuring out where to go, leaving the house early and searching for treasures.

Mostly, there's just lots of junk and sometimes I marvel at what some people pay real money for to take home... pure junk. But I learned today that maybe the things that I fall in love with might just be junk to someone else. A friend of my Mom's from Canada stopped by today to pick up something she'd had mailed to my house (no shipping to Canada from Amazon) and she noticed the new pieces of furniture I'd purchased over the past couple of weeks. The dining room and entry are now mostly redecorated except for a couple of accents and pictures. I was feeling really happy about it all...

And then she asked me if I liked the table I had moved from another area in my home. This table was $25 and I consider it a "steal"... I think it's pretty and funky and fun. So of course, my answer was yes. Her response was this: "Well, I think that is the most ugly thing I have ever seen in my life." Awkward silence.

You know when you have that shocked moment after someone says something you didn't ever expect? Well, I had that moment. Ever heard of a filter? And I was most surprised because this friend of my Mom's is a dear, sweet woman and quite nice to talk to. She just hates all my furniture. (insert laugh here) Her friend was also along and she suggested that I paint all the things I've purchased recently. I like to paint furniture and maybe I will someday but it will be because I want to change colors, not because there's something terribly wrong with these things. So I changed the subject and sent them on their way.

And then I called Suz (aka, friend, hubby step-mom) to ask if my taste was terrible. She said it's an age thing... Sometimes older people (not, ALL) around 65 or older just don't dig this style (and it's fine if you don't!) and not to worry. So I will introduce you to my happy new treasures and not worry if you're gagging and laughing because I like them!

This is my entry. The chairs were $2 each. The dresser was $10. I used to have a big black clock in that corner but it's in our dining room now. The brown frame was a throw-away from an old tenant of ours and I'm going to staple in burlap or brown linen and make it a frame for 2 black and whites on the wall behind. 

The toolbox was $1. It's waiting for some little pots of flowers. 

Little tarnished silver dish: $2. Love.

The little table: $25 It's perfection to me.

And here's the ugliest thing on the planet. My table. We've been together for almost 8 years now.

So I know I've just shown you pictures of all sorts of older things. My whole house is not like this. I've got modern thrown in and contemporary staples too. I just like some old thrown in for charm and whatever else. And hopefully, when I get to go hunting for treasures again, you will not like the things I want and leave them for me to find! 

But apparently, furniture is banned from any future trips, according to my husband. I beg to differ.