MIA...

but I'm back now.  Between weeks of packing and getting ready for a move and then a week of vacation, this summer has been somewhat of a blur.  But, now that the suitcases are unpacked, it's time to get down to the business of settling in and making this house our home. 

I don't have to tell you I'm thrifty {not to be confused with cheap}.  I love the thrill of a bargain-especially an unexpected one.  Which, of course, is why my latest Goodwill purchase made my heart pump doubletime.  I stopped in because I had walked away from a steal of a cupboard the day before that  I should have purchased for a mere $19...but I didn't.  Upon further consideration, I decided the next day to go back and find it...of course, it was gone. BUT...as "luck" would have it, someone had just slid the sweetest bench out the back door- it wasn't even priced yet!  You can believe that I drug that thing with me all the way across the room to ask someone to price it for me!  Shallow, I know, but I couldn't just let her sit there and risk her being taken to someone else's home, now could I? 

Besides, there was no need to justify this purchase, since she was priced at $12.99 MINUS the 20% discount I pulled from the basket at the register. 
CHA-ching!

I had some help from my mom and my daughter {she looks thrilled, doesn't she?} dragging her out to the backseat of my car....

She now graces the end of my bed. 

she's not in perfect condition- you can see the small tear on the left side- but, she's been well-preserved by someone.  I'd love to know her story- she's quite old- stuffed with horsehair or something similar {making her less than comfortable to sit on, but that's not really why I bought her, is it?!}. I imagine she graced the home of an older woman for many years, then was donated when the woman passed on- the family seeing her as just an old piece of junk, rather than the story-teller that she is.

I have a dozen more projects that involve paint...but I'm on a painting sabatical...not sure when I'll return. 

This piece was finally finished just before the move. 

 It's amazing how a can of paint can transform something. 

Remember when it looked like THIS?

I think it needs clear glass knobs now- the original ones might be a little too dark, but I'm waiting for a sale.

The sideboard sits in my diningroom now- along with a miss-matched table and chair set that also got a white paint job.  I already had all of those pieces, so it cost me the balance of the can of paint.  The chandelier came from the old house, too.  I have a large empty wall that needs something {like the cupboard I passed up!}, but I'm willing to wait till the right bargain shows up.

I have another large space in need of a bargain.  I've got my eye peeled for a small scalloped edge table that seats about four.  I know exactly what I'm looking for, but haven't found it yet on the thrify-circuit.  I thought I found it the other day at an antique shop for $40, but it was too worn and warped.  I'll be stopping by all my local thrift shops often until I find her...and I will find her! 

She looks something like this...only not so "la-de-da"...mine has the same shape but probably needs a good coat of paint. 

I'll probably be back from paint sabatical right about the time I find her...