My Dear Trash

Lucky by Alice Sebold: A Book Review with some Questions?

2012-01-27T08:02:00.000-08:00

When a book has the following as the first sentence:

"My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie."

It sure does get your attention, it did mine anyway.

Because from the very first line author Alice Sebold makes it clear the main character, Susi Salmon, is no longer living. In the book, The Lovely Bones, I instantly bonded with 14-year old Susie Salmon because of her innocence and sweetness. I just loved her and as the narrator of the book she was vibrant and descriptive and funny, but she was dead. Early on in the book I knew how she died, a horrible death that still leaves me cold inside, but I found myself wishing I didn’t know she was dead. My reasoning behind this is I wanted the chance to think she could not be dead, so I could have some relief; so I could hope. Maybe they’ll find her, maybe she’ll escape – Nope! I knew she was dead and as the reader, it was heartbreaking to deal with her parents search efforts and belief that maybe they would find her alive.

I was very taken by the book, The Lovely Bones, but truth be told, this is the only book I’ve every thrown away. Once I finished it, I didn’t leave it on my bookshelf like a trophy, I didn’t offer it to family and friends like I do other books I read, I threw it in my outdoor black city garbage can because I never wanted to think about such horrible things again. The book itself was a visual of something I never wanted to remember again.

Although . . .

I will say I was very intrigued by the author, Alice Sebold. Who was she? As a writer, how did she get to such a dark place? Was she herself Susie Salmon; young innocent rape victim?

As a writer myself, I had I to do some research and I found a book I had to read: Lucky, Alice Sebold’s experiences of being raped and how the experience shaped the rest of her life.

(image found here)

Why the title Lucky? Because when she reported the crime to the police, they remarked that a young woman had once been murdered in the same location. Thus, they told her, she was "lucky." Lucky had me hooked from the start. Ms. Sebold so graciously allows the reader into her mind. She doesn’t hide what happened to her, she doesn’t sugar-coat it and she never apologizes for the vulgarity of it. So, I have to ask myself; is this how she was able to write as rape/murder victim Susie Salmon? Do authors need to have some sort of personal experience to be able to write the stories they want to share? In other words, can I write about something I've never personally experienced myself?

I’ve thought about his more then once. When I read the“Twilight” series, I remember thinking Stephenie Meyer must of have had a pretty healthy childhood. No mention of abuse or trauma. Bella is never looking back at a difficult life. Other then Bella’s parents divorce, we don’t know much about Bella “pre-Edward”. I’m convinced Ms. Meyer is a hopeless romantic who wanted to write a powerful love story and that’s most certainly what she did. Ms. Meyer needed to write, but not for the same reason Ms. Sebold needed to write or maybe the reason doesn't matter because both authors found what they were looking for: an escape.

Still, I think writing is so therapeutic for the author. When I write on my YA novels, I get to explore shady places, reveal deep inner-thoughts and travel places we’ve never been. In fiction, I don’t have to reveal my sources unless I want to. I commend Alice Sebold for her accomplishments in The Lovely Bones and Lucky. Both stories needed be told. Ms. Sebold took a risk, she put her heart on the line in hopes to help other rape victims, and for this, I thank her. She shared a difficult story that took hold of the reader’s heart. So now I know. When I was reading The Lovely Bones, I wasn’t just rooting for fictional character Susie Salmon, I was rooting for the very real Ms. Sebold’s justice as well.

Vintage Victorian Wedding Reception

2012-01-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

I've spent the last several weeks preparing a victorian style wedding reception for a friend's daughter. So many fun projects- Here's a peek at the lights and overall look... The mother of the bride took paper lanterns and glued paper doilies to the outside. With the light showing through it gave a gorgeous lacy effect. Let's start at the entrance...
Grandmother of the bride donated her antique sewing machine for the outside entrance. We also had a poster print of the bride and groom, candles, flowers wrapped with lace and a "Happily Ever After Starts Here" sign. Here's a closer look...
The sign was made by just spray painting over an old picture that had a beautiful frame. I then applied vinyl lettering. The font is AdineKirnberg. Next we have the entrance doors...
A custom vinyl treatment was easy to remove at the end of the reception but made a big personalized impact.
In the foyer a picture of the Arizona temple- where the couple were sealed- hand painted by the mother of the bride and a little telephone table we decked out in royal purple- one of the wedding colors.
In the foyer we also hung a swing and personalized a watering can for a little vintage charm.
The bride hand carved the couples initials into the seat of the swing.
Last stop in the foyer is the sign-in table. A french dresser taken straight out of my daughters room and set walls covered with embossed wallpaper and then painted that same Royal purple. Here's a closer look...
The Mr. & Mrs. banner was made by the bride's aunt.
For the vintage typewriter I took a snippet from a letter the groom wrote the bride when he proposed. I used American typewriter font and it looked just like it could have been created with the keys.
Each table was dressed in black with vintage books (covers removed- middle book covered with "little black dress" scrap book paper) lantern, key, vintage bottle with flower, picture of the bride and groom and a personalized western union telegram.This picture shows just how striking this couple looks together.The idea for the western union telegram came when I found a few originals at a garage sale. I figured I could recreate some using real stories about the bride and groom's courtship. I started with a blank template of the telegram that I found online. I printed it, downloaded telegram font and then typed up the stories shared with me by the bride and groom. I then found an old age paper image online and placed it behind the text so that the strips of paper would look aged. We printed the lines, cut them into strips and glued them onto the blank telegram (this is actually how they used to do it) If guest went from table to table (each telegram was different) they could get the full story of the bride and groom.

Here was a little vignette to help hide some of the "basketball court". Two french doors with a shutter door in the middle. We painted the chair and table and then left the upholstering up to the professionals.
Next stop was the gift table. Another piece on loan from the Grandmother of the bride, this fantastic 10 foot table was fun to decorate and held the many gifts the couple received. The printer drawers were an auction find and looked great behind the vintage luggage. The "love" scrabble letters were such a fun project- I plan to make a few sets for the shop. Here's a closer look...Simply made using a 2x10 piece of pine. Lots of sanding, then natural stain and vinyl. I designed the letters using the font: Univers LT 47 Condensed. Another personal touch was the chalkboard door...

Difficult to see in the picture, but the couple printed out how they met, when their first kiss was, the proposal etc. I love that the guests can read more about the couple as they approach the receiving line.
For the receiving line we used 16 feet of set walls (same ones we used for my daughters 50's diner backdrop here) treated the same as the sign in walls. We collected frames at garage sales and auctions for a fun geometric backdrop.Now onto the food display...

I so wish I had a better picture of this- it was my favorite element of the reception. We took 2 10 foot tall glass doors- painted the sides black, braced them and then attached a 14 foot board across the top. We draped 5 different types of fabric (cut into 1 and 2 inch wide strips) to create a fabric backdrop. In front of the back drop we had a two tiered table (borrowed from a friend) 2 french dressers (purchased at auction a few weeks ago and painted black) and a vintage vanity we painted black. That held the ingredients to the pasta bar and salad guests enjoyed. Here's a little closer look. After food guest were greeted by out spirited bartenders...

serving up 7 different flavors of Italian Cream soda. We built the bar (which folds up easy for storage) and framed the flavors using an ornate gold frame. Here's a closer look at the backdrop...A paneled door and 2 shutters helped cover up some of the block walls. Now, onto the sweets...

Two black french doors and a purple paneled door framed the cake, cream puffs and chocolates. This cake was incredible. Take a closer look...Individual white chocolate flowers and ribbons of icing from dark purple to white. The toppers were the perfect crown.Two birds made by the mother of the bride.The water table was jazzed up with a little metal chair, iron, vintage books and a miniature version of the "love" scrabble letters.

I created a screen for the video of the bride and groom by taking a huge frame and tacking a white sheet behind it. Here's a better look...
We projected the movie from behind to hide all the equipment and cords.
On the way out guests were greeted by a vintage church pew and another custom banner from the bride's aunt. Such a fun event! So much so that the Brides mother and I are thinking about dabbling in the wedding planning business. Another fun adventure. Let me know what you think. Love, Kelly.

Cream is in.

2012-01-24T07:33:00.000-08:00

I found this dresser a few weeks ago and listed it on craigslist.

I had an offer for $75.00, barely making me a profit.

Should I sell it as-is?

Or should I paint it cream and then try to sell it?

The kids, and our neighbor and the dog played right next to me in my parked car while I worked on sanding, then painting. I had the stereo on, cookies passed around, it was a grand time.

What a difference the cream-colored paint made!

It sold within 24 hours for $175.00.

So, what did I find this weekend?

These cream distressed bar stools (they came this way) were $5.00 each and thanks to craigslist, they are already sold.

This French dresser is amazing as-is, but I'm wondering if I should paint it cream too.

And what about this high-boy? Cream might make it a "for sure" sell.

I love this cream bookshelf with wood shutters. I'm not sure what to price it at.

And this bookshelf, with this emblem is pretty cool.

Imagine it cream?

The kids would tell you their favorite weekend trash was this race car track I found at Goodwill.

This Weeks Garaging Finds!

2012-01-23T09:09:00.000-08:00

A late start was had this weekend due to the wedding we decorated for Friday night- got home after midnight and didn't wake up til 9:00am! We still found some great stuff though, here's a peek...The little step ladder was $2
This cheese dome will look great glued on top of a chunky wood candlestick and painted up- it was also $2
Love me some pool balls- these sell for $3 each at the shop. We picked up all 16 for $3. Can anyone tell me what the little black balls are for- I assume some type of variation on the traditional pool game- do you choose and that number becomes the new 8 ball? Leave me a comment if you know.
This bent wood canister set is so modern and fun- I had to have it for $5!
The roll of lace was just .50- couldn't pass that up, even if I don't have a need for it...yet.
And 2 scrabble games and a set of dominoes- all for the shop. How'd you do this weekend? I'll be posting all the pictures of the wedding later this week- so be sure and check back. And don't forget to enter our Trashy Weekend Give-away! Love, Kelly.

My Little Picasso

2012-01-19T22:11:00.001-08:00

I sell a lot of frames at the shop. Sometimes I use them to make chalkboards- like this tall cream oneSometimes they become chicken wire frames

And sometimes I just sell them as empty frames

Most of these frames come with some type of artwork in them- so what do I do with the artwork? I donate them to my little girl...

While I paint my furniture, she sits outside and makes amazing creations- sometimes for hours.
And it makes her happy. And that's what it's all about- right? Have yourself a happy weekend. Love, Kelly.

The Wedding Blender

2012-01-19T11:09:00.000-08:00

While I was engaged and finishing up my last year at ASU, I worked as a nanny. The family I worked for had the sweetest Grandma named Ruth who occasionally stopped by and spent time at the house while I watched the children. Ruth was delightful, very soft spoken and gracious. When Ruth found out I was engaged, she offered me a special gift.
“Let’s go to Williams-Sonoma and you can pick out anything you want,” she said.
I’d never been to William-Sonoma and didn’t even know what it was, but I looked forward to spending time with Ruth
Ruth took me to lunch and then we went shopping. When we arrived at Williams-Sonoma, I was blown away at the amazing selection. Everything from bake wear to kitchen appliances to pots and pans. Should I get a juicer? A nice skillet? A mixer? Then I saw the blender.

I had never owned a blender, but I recognized this was the same blender the family I nannied for had. It was super for making smoothies. The Waring blender was what I wanted more then anything in the store, but it was $169.00. Actually, it was cheap compared to what most items in the store cost, but I couldn’t believe that Ruth was willing to spend that much money on my wedding gift? I looked for something cheaper, maybe a cake pan or something, but Ruth insisted again I get what ever I want.
“I saw you looking at this blender,” she said and kindly urged me to get it.
The joy of nannying is being introduced to new cultures and ways of life. Growing up, I was lucky to have an extra $5.00. Ruth’s generosity was overwhelming. My heart was so full, I wanted to cry. I was so grateful and amazed to be given such a beautiful gift.
When we checked out, the cashier pointed out the blender had the motor of a lawn mower, plus a lifetime warranty.
“If for any reason it stops working, just bring it in and we’ll replace it for free.”
I couldn’t wait to try it out. The blender was just what I needed for not just smoothies, but blending up pinto beans for the best refried beans ever, homemade salad dressings, blending zucchini for bread, pureed soups and so on.
Our first year of marriage, the counselor and I purchased a little 3 bedroom home in downtown Mesa.
I continued to get more nanny work and babysat for many different families. One Saturday night, I was babysitting a little girl named Sophie when Derek called around 9:00pm to tell me he’d just returned home and called 911; we’d been robbed!
“Everything’s been torn apart, the mattress is overturned and the drawers are all pulled out. The TV, stereo and speakers are gone,” he said.
I sat for a moment, than had to ask. “What about the blender?”
“The blender?” he replied.
“Yes, is the blender still there?”
I really do love my blender that much and thank heavens, it was untouched by thieves!
My blender and I had a beautiful relationship until one day I tried to make pesto. I added a little fresh basil leaves, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic and parmesan to my blender and turned it on when the glass picture started making a funny noise. The basil steam had caught on the blade and pulled it apart.
I called Williams-Sonoma to inquire about getting a new picture.
“We only replace the base as part of the life-time warranty,” the clerk said. “A new glass picture runs around $65.00.”
Well, I loved my blender so much I forked out the $65.00, only to have it broken again a few years later. I once again, purchased the glass picture until last month; Payson dropped it on the counter. When I heard the crash, I just knew it! I ached for my little blender.
The blender base has sat on the counter, unused until a few weeks ago. I was shopping at Goodwill and saw this beautiful blender picture for $2.99. The thrifting God’s are soooo very good to me. I brought it home and it was a match made in heaven, hence the story of the blender lives on. It’s the wedding gift that keeps giving.

My New Favorite Color

2012-01-18T06:38:00.000-08:00

I picked up this spindle leg table for just $4 at a garage saleI wanted to try a fresh bright color on this one, so I pulled out the left over gallon from my daughters wedding and here's how it turned out...
It went straight to the shop this weekend- priced at $65.
Can't wait to see if she's sold. I'll let you know next week. Also, a little update on Mr. Rights, "What Real Men Do On the Weekend" post. Only took him 3 days to discover he was the subject of my post- He does read my blog :) Have a great day. Love, Kelly.

Debbie of Top This Wedding Dresser Make Over

2012-01-17T14:19:00.000-08:00

Last year, I was out taking my son Chandler to his basketball game when I saw a yard sale.
"Please don't stop," Chandler begged and since he needed to be early to his game to warm up, I dropped him off and drove back to the sale.
From the curb, I saw this dresser.

It was in pretty bad shape, with no fixtures, lots of scratched wood and water damage on the top. This dresser looked a little bit like I feel on certain days; stressed, past my prime and aging faster then I'd like to be, but with a little help, I knew it could be beautiful again.
The dresser was $50.00. I paid for it and got back to the game before Chandler made his first basket.

Hooray.

The dresser sat on my back patio. I had plans, oh did I have big plans for this dresser, but I was a little overwhelmed. I'm still somewhat new at redoing furniture and I lacked the confidence. This piece seemed to need more work then I was comfortable with, so after a few weeks I decided to put it on craigslist.
I didn't get a single call, because as-is in a photograph, it's not that special. You can't see the lines, the amazing wood work and it's potential just yet.
My friend Debbie was over, bringing me goodies for my birthday when she saw this dresser. Her heart about stopped!
"This is just what I've been looking for," she said and I was happy to sell it to her, re-coping the money I was certain I'd almost lost in an old junky dresser.
Fast-forward a few months later. Debbie is a wedding designer and helps set up for weddings. Her company is called Top This Wedding. She has an incredible eye and makes amazing pieces of art out of trash.
Check out her brooch bouquets. Aren't they amazing.

image found here

You can find them and so many other things in her etsy shop.
So, I attended a wedding she had designed for and there it was,

the dresser,

in it's glory.

And I realized it's all in our interpretation. It's all in the potential only we can see. Sometimes we need help to see how amazing life is, how beautiful things can become. I knew the potential was there, but it took Debbie and her amazing talent to make it possible.

This Weeks Garaging Finds and the Shop

2012-01-16T10:19:00.000-08:00

Not many garaging finds this weekend, so I thought I'd show you a few pics of how the shop looks this week...We were finally able to hang the black shelf- which used to be the top to a hutch. We moved the door backdrops over from the old space and they were study enough to hold the shelf. The "Superior" sign makers kit sold the day after we set this up- for $100.
Here's more furniture in the Incredible hulk green (love this color) as well as a new chalkboard in the back. Now onto a few garage sale finds- and they were all .25 each!
This little black bingo game with gray balls is so cool- .25
These enamel sap buckets say "made for Eddie Bauer" on the bottom and were just- .25 each. They're sitting on top of a table in another new favorite color of mine- more on this piece wednesday.
I don't know if you can see them, but I purchased 2 of these cream metal card holders- .25 each- they look great holding a vintage bingo card. Other than a few pieces of clothing- that was it! Three day weekends are always a little sketchy for garaging- lots of people out of town- so next weekend should be amazing. What did you find this weekend? Leave us a comment and let us know. Love, Kelly.

A Two-Toned Desk

2012-01-13T08:59:00.000-08:00

I was looking through the current issue of Phoenix Home& Garden and came across a picture of a 3-drawer dresser. The drawers of the dresser were green, while the frame of the dresser was stained wood.

A two-toned dresser?

I’ve seen them on blogs and such, but something about seeing this in print gave me the courage and inventiveness to try it on my own.

I’m so glad I found the desk the other day. It’s perfect for my little experiment.

Remember, up until just a few months ago, I’d never even painted furniture before, so I’m still very new at this.

It is so rewarding to have an idea and see it come to pass.

I worked on a few other pieces too.

An old wood garbage

can turned shic.

And a little nightstand

with a makeover.

I'm going down to the shop at QcumberZ today and can't wait to set up the space.

This Weeks Garage Sale & Auction Finds and The Shop!

2012-01-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

Garaging is a little slow in January here in Mesa, but thankfully we attended some great auctions. Saturday afternoon was spent refilling our space at Qcumberz. Here's an overall peek at the space...
(you guessed it- cell phone pics- sorry)
Here's the other side- This sweet little settee and matching chair just sold today for $345.00. And now a few pics of this weeks finds- some went straight to the shop before I had a chance to photograph them.
The large picture is a Tarkay print and was just $5.00- The little dresser below (with the linens in the drawer) was $30.00 and sold in just one hour for $125.00!
Here's another Tarkay also $5.00. Now onto some auction finds...

This box of vintage books was $7.00 and will be used in a wedding I'm decorating next week- can't wait to show you all the fun stuff were doing- Purple, Black and Gold- Victorian Wedding- LOVE.

This piece of art work is 5 feet by 4 feet- HUGE! I'm not really into the artwork part of it, but the frame is to die for and will be an amazing feature at the Victorian wedding. A splurge at $50.00- but I still think I can turn a profit on it after the wedding.
This little spindle table was just $4.00 at a garage sale.
I was so anxious to start this piece that I began to disassemble before taking a before picture. Another auction splurge at $100.00- but I think it will be a $395.00 beauty for the shop when I'm done- we'll see.
And finally, if you've been reading My Dear Trash for a while you know I love me a french style dresser- what could be better?
Two french style dressers. I picked up these matching beauties at auction- one for $50 and the other for $55- I've already painted them black with light distressing and will be using them for cake and food at the wedding next week- but I'm sure they'll bring in $150 each at the shop when that's over. Things are a little crazy right now- but crazy is good, right? Let me know what you found this weekend. Love, Kelly.

Finally a mint green dresser!

2012-01-11T06:24:00.000-08:00

Thank heavens this retro dresser made it out on the dirty, scuffed linoleum showroom floor of my local thrift store because let me tell you, I was thrilled when I first saw it, but then I almost passed on it.

It was in super bad shape with a broken drawer and lots of places it had been banged up, but priced at $14.99, I knew I could take a chance on it. After all, it was real wood and super sturdy.

Seriously, I couldn’t wait to give it a go. Last night I dreamt about re-doing this dresser a color I’ve been in love with since my trip to New York City.

This mint green copper color was on many New York City penthouses and I was lucky to pick up a quart at Home Depot for $2.00 because it was oops paint! Score!

My brother Tadd told me about these sponge paint rollers. At first I thought I could tough it out with my friendly old familiar paint brush, but I finally caved in because I really wanted to see if they were all that . . . and let me tell you, they are ALL THAT!

I have to be careful because if I set my swifty roller down while I’m working, I have a couple little ones that are happy to pick it up and help me out.

First, I use some Gorilla Glue and a hammer to fix the drawer. That worked out well.

After sanding the dresser down, I apply my first of three coats of paint. After it drys, the real fun begins: Distressing

You know me; I can get carried away with distressing. I could distress furniture all day long. It’s so much fun because the furniture really comes to life at this point.

Not bad for a $14.99 investment, huh.

More thrifting finds from this weekend?

This rod iron wood shelve with glass shelves was in pretty bad shape too,

but a little stain and it cleaned up nice. It will work great for someone as a plant stand, bookcase or in the kitchen.

And another Baby Bjorn. A few months ago I found one for $10.00 at a garage sale and later sold it on craigslist for $30.00. This Baby Bjorn I paid $2.50 for and have it listed for $25.00.

And my favorite find (other then the $14.99 dresser) was this Pottery Barn cork board map I found for $5.00. To keep or not to keep, that is the question.

Congratulations to my boy almost teenager Chandler who was ordained a Deacon in my church on Sunday.

His responsibilities include passing the sacrament, volunteering in service projects and just being an overall amazing young man.

He told me “Mom, this is the happiest day of my life.”

What Real Men Do On The Weekend!

2012-01-09T20:34:00.000-08:00

What do real men do on the weekends? Relax and take a nap? No way! Not in a house with 6 daughters. Let's take a closer look...
My two year old and eight year old girls gave dad a little make-over...
He seems to like the hair, so let's work on the toes...
Perfect!
Sometimes Mr. Right reads this blog and sometimes he doesn't. Let's see how long it takes before it gets back to him that I posted this. I'm so grateful for Mr. Right and his willingness to let our girls have a little fun with him. I'll be back tomorrow with my garage and auction finds and some updates on the shop. See you then. Love, Kelly.

Thrift Stores in Heaven? Pretty Please!

2012-01-08T23:12:00.000-08:00

I saw this couch across the way at my favorite thrift store and couldn't get to it fast enough.

Heaven; with yellow and tan flowers. Yeah, they better have thrift stores in heaven or else I'll complain!

(I'm just kidding about the complaining part. I do fear the Almighty!)

Payson's begging to keep this rare find. I love how his 9 year-old mind works, as he tries to convince me it will fit in our living room.

The fabric is spotless and although it does smell a bit funky, it will do great for resale.

A few days earlier, I'd found this little dresser

and it miraculously turned into this.

(Don't you love the Anthropolgie knob. Clearance for $3.97.)

I always have plenty of help from my little angles when I work on my next project.

Sometimes a bit too much help

but as long as no one gets hurt it's all good.

We have plenty of clothing accidentally brushed with paint. Jeans with a bit of paint on them is quite trendy, so it's all good.

Reef's helping me with a nightstand I found.

The top is a mess

so it's perfect for a re-do.

Currently, I'm painting on a china hutch for a client. For weeks, I've been looking for a china hutch with a certain flare, that's cute and vintage enough for her kitchen.

I finally found it, brought it home and gave her a call. It was love at first sight and she asked me to paint it red.

It should be done in the next few days.

Next comes distressing and staining. I'm going to try Briwax for the first time.

I'm sure I'll have plenty of helpers while I finish this up.

Can't wait to show you the final look.

How was your weekend? Any "straight from heaven" thrift store/yard sale trashy finds?

Chalkboards

2012-01-06T11:44:00.001-08:00

I can't seem to keep my chalkboards in stock at the shop so I whipped up three new styles. Here's a peek...Two are frames and one is made from what I think used to be a footboard on a crib? This one is my favorite...
I mod podged antique sheet music along the edge and I just love the square shape. I'll be going down again tomorrow- so I'll let you know if any sold. Don't forget to enter our give-away- leave a comment (on the give-away post only) each day until January 31. I can't wait to find out who the winner will be. Have a great weekend. Love, Kelly.

Star Garden - My Christmas Gift from Santa

2012-01-05T11:53:00.000-08:00

The morning before Christmas, the counselor wakes up and tells me he has one more gift to purchase.

Really!

“We’ve done it all,” I tell him, not wanting him gone with so much left at home to do. “The toys, bikes, stocking stuffers, all the goodies we need for Christmas we have. Everything’s done.”

“I need to get one more thing,” he insists as he laces up his shoes and runs out the door.

“Alright,” I say to myself and start the morning routine of baby bottles, diaper changes and breakfast.

Over an hour later, the counselor returns home with a bag hidden under his shirt and a smirk on his face.

“Is the wrapping paper in the bedroom still?” he asks, but he’s already shut and locked our bedroom door.

Christmas morning was perfect with happy faces and lots of surprises.

After the kids all opened their gifts, my oldest son Chandler handed me a package from underneath the tree.

“Here, Mom,” he says. “From Santa.”

My other children wanted to go outside to ride their new bike/scooter/skateboard (with 5 kids, take your pick), but I sat back to open this mysterious gift from Santa.

I tear the paper open and gasped.

I looked up at my husband with grateful eyes, amazed at how well he knows me.

A book.

He’d given me a book.

The 3rd book in Nancy Turner’s series from These Is My Words.

“I know you just finished Sarah’s Quilt, so I wanted to get you Star Garden.”

“This is what you ran out to get yesterday?” I asked touched that he’s aware of what I’m reading and anxious to find me what I want to read next.

What a wonderful gift and I’m not just talking about the book Star Garden, although I can’t wait to start it.

Our New Solid Wood Kitchen Table

2012-01-05T06:03:00.000-08:00

I finally finished painting my new table that Mr. Right built me for Christmas. Here's the before...
And here's the after...
I painted it with a black satin finish, sanded the edges...
and then applied Briwax in clear to protect the top. Mr. Right was worried about using a poly coat- because it does chip and yellow. On our wood floors we also chose not to use a poly- we just applied tongue oil and they're holding up great. Only problem?
Now I need to redo all my chairs! Those darn fancy jeans my girls wear- tear us the seats of my chairs. Let me know what you think. Love, Kelly.

To Paint or Not To Paint?

2012-01-03T22:51:00.000-08:00

I recently received the following email about the below dresser I sold last week:

I bought my first piece from my dear trash this past week! You weren't there I met "The Counselor" and a few of the kiddos. Wow what a garage, like a small thrift store with only the good stuff!

Anyways, I just wanted to thank you for not painting your thrift store finds. I find too many vintage pieces on craigslist already 'refinished' and I was glad to find a great piece from you unaltered. I thought I'd show you how it ended up looking in my place.

Hello Interior Decorator!

I wanted to share this email and photo because it proves a great point. I sell plenty of dressers as-is because many of my customers either want to paint themselves to suit their own taste or want it unaltered. Many times, I simply post my furniture on craigslist as-is because I've had customers buy the piece, then request I paint it to their specific taste (that's my favorite thing ever).

As an artist, I love the drama of painting a beautiful dresser. It’s so satisfying, but I’m happy this specific piece of vintage furniture found a good home. Doesn’t it look gorgeous!

Now, I do have this dresser that's sat in my garage for almost a month.

Since it hasn't sold, it might need a little drama to get a bit more attention. To totally prove the exact opposite point, I think I'm ready to paint this dresser something fierce. I just can't help myself.

The Incredible Hulk Buffet

2012-01-03T19:07:00.001-08:00

I've been itching to paint a piece in a nice green similar in shade to the incredible hulk.

I watched that show faithfully. (please don't judge me) I do a lot of black and cream (because its more neutral) so I was ready to dig into some color. Then along came this buffet.
Sorry, I didn't think to photograph it before the drawers were out. I purchased it from a friend for $75 and it seemed the perfect piece to experiment with. I chose Martha Stewart's Bay Leaf as my green and spent an afternoon sanding, painting and waxing- LOVE the result. We took it down to the shop the next day- Here's the after...

A closer look...
Pretty close match to Mr. Incredible- I'd say. Well, it sold today (3 days later) for $250- I'm glad to see someone else appreciated this fabulous color. She fit perfectly in the space.
And now we'll need to redo it again! I'm completely out of merchandise right now so wish me luck this weekend as we try to stock up. Let me know what you think. Love, Kelly.

My Dear Trash 1000 Follower Trashy Weekend Give-A-Way

2012-01-02T21:24:00.000-08:00

We've reached 1,000 followers and it's finally time for our trashy weekend give-a-way. The winner and a friend will need to find their way to Mesa, Arizona- but once you arrive everything will be taken care of. First choose your weekend (Feb. 16-18, Feb. 23-25 or March 1-3) Next: Customize your itinerary. Let us know what you'd enjoy most. Here's one possible itinerary:

Thursday:

Arrival

Attend Goodwill Dollar Day

Dinner at Tia Rosa's

Auction in Scottsdale at 6:30pm

Friday:

8:00am Garaging in Mesa

9:00am Box Lot Auction

12:00 Lunch at Sweet Cakes ( a local favorite)

2:00 Visit Qcumberz and see first hand how to style a retail space

Visit local thrift stores

Dinner on the run

6:30 Mesa Auction

Saturday:

Garaging in Mesa

Breakfast at Crackers & Co.

Afternoon of Turning Trash To cash: Learn paint techniques, crafting, or how to list items on ebay.

Lunch at Divines

Departure

Lastly, Pack you bags. Winner and a friend will stay at the Biggs' home. All you need to do is make sure you're a follower then leave a comment telling us what you'd do with your trashy weekend. (answers will not effect chances of winning) You may enter one time each day from January 3 thru January 31. After your first entry, just post, "I want to win" as your comment. Winner will be chosen by random generator and announced on February 1, 2012. If you're unable to travel to Mesa, Arizona or not available during one of the three listed weekends, please do not enter. We are so thankful for our followers and wanted to show our appreciation with this trashy weekend give-a-way. Good luck. Love, Kelly & Laura.

The Perfect Dresser

2012-01-01T23:23:00.000-08:00

Ugly dresser

turned super hip with a little help.

Black paint never ceases to amaze me.
This dresser is already sold.

Old desk

painted to look new again.

This desk sold in a flash.
This dresser I found this weekend needs nothing done to it.

No paint, no touch up, no make-over.

Because it's perfect as-is.

She's an antique, 80 inches long and weighs a ton!

I found this beauty at a garage sale in an old part of town. I've never seen a more beautiful piece of furniture.

I paid a small fortune for it, but I think a small fortune can be made from selling it too.

Perfect dresser, I'd like you to meet craigslist.com.

Let's see what happens.
Linking up to:

Christmas Review: The Crafts & The Turducken

2011-12-30T16:41:00.000-08:00

With one of my daughters newly married, it was a great opportunity to make a few crafts for her home. Following the directions I found on Shanty2Chic, I created a photo art sign that spells out their last name: Hallsted...

This is 4 1/2 feet long and is meant to stand up on its own. I also made her a Home sign- if you missed the tutorial on that one you can see it here. In return, my girls did another surprise photo shoot and then created a pvc frame-LOVE this. However, right when they gave it to me, the bottom row broke- so Mr. Right will get it all figured out and fixed. Here's a closer look at the photos...In each individual shot, they're holding a letter. When put together it spells out "FAMILY" and then there are 2 group shots. This one was a tear jerker- nothing better than a handmade gift with pictures of my gorgeous family. The crafting bug didn't stop there. Two of my daughters also made personal journals for their friends and sisters- Here's one of the favorites...Those girls of mine are creative I'll tell ya. Speaking of creative- have you ever heard of a Turducken? It's a turkey, stuffed with a duck, stuffed with a chicken. We were the recipients of one Turducken this year- cajon style (meaning it was stuffed with rice and crawfish and shrimp) Let's take a peek at this bad boy...The big reveal...swimming in grease it was- I guess that comes from the Duck. Here he is all carved up...And a closer look at those 3 layers...The Turducken may be why people become vegetarians. Luckily, we served prime rib as our main dish, because this guy tasted about as awful as he looked. There was one person in the family that didn't complain...

Give that girl a turkey leg and she's happy! Well, that's it. All the highlights from our Christmas. Did you make any presents this year- or have ever tried Turducken? Leave us a comment and let us know. Love, Kelly.

PS: We'll be starting the Trashy weekend give-away on Tuesday- check back for all the details and have an amazing New Year.

Christmas Review: Mr. Right Got it Right!

2011-12-29T08:23:00.000-08:00

Mr. Right grew up celebrating Christmas very differently than I did. I'll never forget our first year together we headed to his parents and I was shocked as his mom brought out gifts for his brother and sister, who were just 9 and 12 at the time, in black garbage bags- UNWRAPPED! Now granted, my family went completely over-board for each Christmas- but I had no idea there could be such a difference in the way families celebrated. With that history in mind, I'd be fibbing if I didn't say I've had a few disappointing Christmas' from Mr. Right. Generally he'll ask me a few weeks before, "What do you want for Christmas" To avoid the past disappointments I'd say- "let's not worry about getting gifts for each other this year" which would be followed by a year where I literally got no presents from him. Then we moved on to choosing a present we both wanted- last year it was a new bed. After ordering the bed, but before delivery, we actually cancelled the order because we read bad reviews about the company (it's a closeout company) online. So what did I get last year- NOTHING. Don't get me wrong- there have been years where Mr. Right made me cry because his gifts were so thoughtful. There was the year my sweet 3 year old looked at me and said, "Jesus is in the attic" I gave her a puzzled look. "Not the real Jesus" she explained, "The glass Jesus" I quickly realized the Lladro Christus statue I'd admired must have been purchased for Christmas and hidden in the attic. Or the year he purchased an old trunk for me and hid a gift in each little compartment. This year, when asked, "What would you like for Christmas" I told him a new table top. We have a 60" square black table with an MDF top that has seen better days. I love the table, but wanted a real wood top- that wouldn't bubble up each time our kids spilled a little water. Mr. Right worked on the table each night and remarkably placed it next to the tree on Christmas Eve. Not a surprise gift, but a handmade one that we will use everyday. Here's the picture I took on Christmas Eve...

(I'll tell more about the sign sitting on it tomorrow) Isn't it amazing- smooth as a babies bottom and ready for paint. I know some of you are cringing- thinking, "Don't do it. Just stain it." We've already looked at pictures of stained tops with black bottoms and it's really not my style- so I'll be painting it soon (I'll show the after shots next week) With my solid oak topped table under the tree I went to bed so grateful for a hard working, handy husband. Imagine my surprise when I woke up to this...
My new table was covered with surprises. I'm not sure if you know that I collect wind up toys- but I do. I display them in jars and they look like bright pieces of candy. Mr. Right had secretly won a lot of wind-up toys at an auction he attended (without me). It's difficult to see in the picture, but he spelled out MOM with them. Next to the toys I found this...
No, it's not a bowl of dead flowers. They're hydrangea plants (my favorite flower) in their dormant stage. I'm not sure if we can get these to live through our Arizona summers- but this spring we should have some beautiful flowers. And finally- a gift I have been looking to find at a garage sale...
A cuisinart food processor! Let's just say it was a very merry Christmas at our house. So what did you get for Christmas. Leave me a comment- can't wait to hear. Love, Kelly.

Loving Rachel

2011-12-28T23:36:00.000-08:00

I have the most beautiful sister named Rachel.

Her she is with my beautiful brother, Tadd.

She lives in Utah, but is spending Christmas vacation here in Mesa.

You may remember Rachel from a blog post I wrote last year about the ugly jeans.

I found the ugliest pair of 1980’s high-waist, pleated, tapered-leg Guess jeans at the thrift store for $1.00. I purchased them as joke to see if they would sell on eBay for $9.99.

Much against her will, I convinced Rachel to be my super model. Even on her hot bod, they still looked like the ugliest pair of jeans ever.

But, they did sell on eBay for $9.99 to some lucky girl and I thought that was pretty hilarious.

Anyway, it was so wonderful to have Rachel over Christmas morning.

She spent her time with my kids, playing and having fun.

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-DaySaints, Rachel has decided to serve a mission. She is called to the Argentina, Nuequen mission.

This Christmas has been very special, spending time with her knowing February 1, 2012, she’ll be gone for 18 months. Many times through out her visit, I’ve had to hold back the tears, especially when I saw her so lovingly playing with Eden and Reef.

Yesterday, we went hiking in the Phoenix Mountains. Leave it to Aunt Rachel, to be the first one up the the mountain with 8 nieces and nephews following her.

What an adventure they had.

I don't think any of us will forget this day with Rachel.

I hope my kids continue to follow in Rachel's footsteps. I am so proud of her.

One of our family traditions is for birthdays or special occasions, we have that person sit in a chair and we all go around, sharing favorite stories and/or advice for that beloved family member.

Later that night, after dinner, Rachel was honored to sit in the chair (purchased for $4.99 at my favorite thrift store) while each one of us expressed our love to her.

(Notice how Eden put her little chair right by Rachel.)

We all miss her already and she's still here. How is that possible?

I'm so grateful for her commitment to Jesus Christ and her desire to love and serve the people of Argentina.

Christmas Review: The Gifts

2011-12-28T07:53:00.000-08:00

After our Christmas Eve celebrations, all were asleep as we filled the tree with surprises...The stockings were filled...
And ready for the morning chaos to begin...Typical stocking stuffers in our home include necessary items like: underware, socks, gum, razors, toothbrushes, Ferrero Rocher (something we consider necessary), DVD's, make-up, hair products and small toys for the little ones. With cinnamon rolls baking in the oven, we move on to the gifts. Years ago each child would receive 20-25 gifts each- I thought that was how everyone celebrated Christmas- until one year when a group of my students helped load all of my wrapped gifts from my storage closet into my truck (before I retired from teaching I would store all of the girls gifts at school) The students were shocked at the number of gifts there were and asked how many children I had (it was 5 at the time) "Well how many gifts do they each get," one asked "some where between 20-25?" Now mind you some of these gifts were small items that I would pick up at yard sales. I asked my students how many gifts they received and the answers varied from 3 to 10 (and I taught at a very affluent school) That year I noticed how overwhelmed my kids were- presents were every where and by the end of the year more than half of those gifts were in our next garage sale. I decided our next Christmas we would scale down to 15 gifts per child. Each year I've noticed that it's still too much- the real meaning of Christmas was being lost- so we tried 10, then 8, then, 7, then, 5- each year still feeling like there was too much stuff. Last year, while discussing this dilemma with a group of friends- each sharing how many gifts they purchase for their kids- one said- "We buy 3 per person, because that's how many gifts the Savior received, and who should get more gifts than the Savior?" This made so much sense to me, so this year we gave it a try. 3 gifts. 3 quality gifts- items that wouldn't be found in our next garage sale- items our children would take care of and use. I have to say this was the perfect number for our family. It made me really think about what would be the best gifts- quality not quantity. Here's a little peek at some of the favorites...A beach cruiser bike for the 8 year old
A ukelele for the 13 year old.A cell phone for the 14 (this is the minimum age for a cell phone in our home- and they have to be able to afford to pay the monthly bill)A keyboard for the 19 (she has missed playing piano while away at college- this she can play in her dorm room- with headphones of course) And for our first married couple?Twelve dates for 2012: A separate envelope for each month. Each with a gift card or cash and the idea for the date. Some include: Gift card to Gymboree for a shopping trip for our first grandchild due in April, outback steakhouse, walmart (to buy their favorite treats and have a pig out night) Joe's bar-b-que (amanda's favorite restaurant), frozen yogurt, jamba juice, bahama bucks, etc. They absolutely loved their gift- a tradition has been born. So, how did craigslist save the day? Our little 2 year old wanted a "Horsey" for Christmas- "Not a real horsey, " she would explain, "a one that goes high" We were relieved it wasn't a real "horsey" but shocked to find out those little spring loaded ones sell for $200. I turned to craigslist and found several for $125- some faded and worn - still around $100. When I found one I thought was Okay I would call and find it had already sold. For 6 weeks I became a craigslist rocking horse stalker. Finally- just a week before Christmas at 9:00pm on a Saturday night- a new posting. A NEW in box liberty rocking horse with sound-$100- the only problem- it was 45 minutes away, it was late Saturday night and we don't shop on Sunday and it was raining. I quickly sent an email (no phone number was listed) asking if the owner would take $90 (the 10 was to pay for the gas) and if I could come right NOW! Surprisingly, the owner immediately called, accepted my offer and gave the address. The only problem? They had opened the box and put the horse together in case anyone was worried parts were missing- not a problem for me. We arrived back home after 11:00pm with the perfect gift...

I think she likes it.So worth the trouble! The last gift to be unwrapped on Christmas morning was our family gift. Each year we try to find something everyone will like- last year a Wi- previous years included: a trampoline, swing set, etc. This year it was a little black suitcase set hidden at the back of the tree... When the first suitcase was opened it revealed...
an envelop with "Pack your Bags" written on a paper inside.

After a bit of a struggle over who would open the next suitcase (see girls do wrestle) They discovered another envelope

"We're going to..." and finally after the last suitcase was opened...
The itinerary for our 5 day cruise to Cabo San Lucas. This spring our entire family (minus our eldest who is expecting) will travel to Cabo! So excited. And this my friends was a complete Christmas paid for with trash. Between estate sales, ebay, craigslist and our space at Qcumberz- we raised the money for Christmas. I'd love to hear about your christmas- leave us a comment or link up to a post. I'll be sharing what Mr. Right did for me tomorrow. Love, Kelly.