West Coast Ellavines

Whimsical Bookcase

2011-05-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

I picked this up at a garage sale a couple of weeks ago for a song! This is a solid wood, sturdy little piece of furniture and I couldn't wait to get started on it.

I thought it would be perfect for a little girl's room...for books and toys, so I went very girly and love the results!

Pale Yellow with a Floral backdrop! Gorgeous :)

Barn Red Country Bench

2011-05-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

You might remember a project I was working on this fall that went horribly wrong. This project was no match for my butt...see end results... (pun intended, hee hee).

You also might remember that I did repurpose the legs from this unfortunate incident and made a vintage window table that turned out pretty cute and sold pretty quickly.

Sooo, early this spring I found a sturdy wooden base at a junk store and knew that it had potential.

Now I can put this tragic accident to bed...I have used every piece I could off of this poor broken table and I am super happy with the end results. Now off to the shop with you!

Pretty Picture for a Pretty Price!

2011-04-27T11:38:00.000-07:00

Girl with a Marmot

Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732 – 1806) is often associated with images of frivolity, but he was also an enormously gifted Rococo painter. Fragonard created religious subjects, historical and mythological themes, breathtaking landscapes, portraits and intimate scenes exhibiting a keen sense of human folly. He earned an associate academy membership at the esteemed Salon, but opted out of a career in history painting. Instead, Fragonard chose to paint polished, lighthearted, erotic scenes for private clients, including members of the court. After his marriage, he concentrated on painting scenes of family groups. Fragonard's work is displayed in many respected museums, including Paris’ Louvre and New York’s Metropolitan Museum.

Found this fabulous print at Union Gospel Mission a couple of days ago and picked it up...I love the colors especially her pink cheeks and rosy lips! Yesterday I found the frame at Goodwill and thought it would do the trick, and Viola! Perfect!! Time for the shop pretty lady :)

Old Door Hall Tree

2011-04-15T08:52:00.000-07:00

Today is a very, very busy day. Today I have to make up my Mind! There is this old door that I bought on Monroe st. that needs my attention. This particular FABULOUS door is going to become a Hall Tree.

Here are a few ideas...

I am leaning toward door number 3...simple, pretty and space sensitive. Time to get busy!!

Pretty Potting Bench

2011-04-12T17:51:00.000-07:00

Today was a beautiful, sunshiny day and I enjoyed every minute of it! Breakfast with Mom and Tanner, a little thrift shopping and an afternoon project. Tomorrow all my goodies are heading to the shop...hopefully it is a busy weekend :)

Shabby Chic Storage Cupboard

2011-04-11T19:55:00.000-07:00

This piece has been in my spare room for a couple of months now and I was going to donate it to the local thrift store because I thought it was hopelessly ugly. It has a twin and they flanked a desk which was cute in it's day but sorry, not cute today. Well the other day inspiration struck! All I needed to make this piece cute was a yard of fabric, some oops paint and chicken wire...viola!

Cost of 2 cabinets...free (my sister gave them to me)

Paint

$3.00

Fabric

$4.00

Chicken Wire

$2.00

Retail Price $159.00 (not bad for a days work)

TheThriftShopper.Com National Thrift Store Directory Listing Charity Resale Shops

2011-04-01T13:57:00.000-07:00

This is a great resource to all my fellow Thrifters!

TheThriftShopper.Com National Thrift Store Directory Listing Charity Resale Shops

Vintage Decor & More

2011-03-30T15:45:00.000-07:00

Had a busy day at the shop today reorganizing and restaging. The owners thought I was a little bit crazy when I drug a 14' tree branch through the doors this morning (one vendor even said "only you would bring a tree in"). I guess I will take that as a compliment :) I think my neighbor also thought I was a tiny bit nuts when I rang her doorbell yesterday and asked if I could have her broken tree limb!
Four hours later...old window pane is hung from the ceiling and makes an attractive space filler shelf and tree limb is hung on the wall which adds texture and helps hide the hideous pink walls (sorry Spencer's, they are ugly)

I do have some exciting projects in the wings I just need the time and a little of my husbands muscle. Stay tuned for a repurposed farm door hall tree (if it turns out how I imagine it to...well, it will be spectacular)!

Thrifty Makeover Projects on a Rainy, Snowy Spokane Day

2011-03-02T12:54:00.000-08:00

Time to get started on a couple of projects because if I don't I will lose my mind. I think like most people in Spokane I am suffering from EXTREME cabin fever and long for some sunny, mild weather so that I can be outside and not cooped up with the same four walls bearing down...sorry, I lost it for a moment.

Anyway...I will start working on this cute little nightstand this afternoon as soon as I figure out what color it should be. Followed by pig and footstool which should keep me busy until dinner. Hmmmm, what should I make for dinner?

Thrift Boutique

2011-02-26T08:57:00.000-08:00

I had a lot of fun with this table (even with a foot of snow and frigid temperatures) and was very pleased with how the finish turned out on the top. This piece has been sitting in the garage the whole winter and originally came with four director's chairs. Unfortunately my son (who is in woodshop this semester) decided to practice his mad skills on the director's chairs and they are now kindling wood. Thank God I had those two chairs laying around that I could make into a set.

These are now in the shop at Spencer's Antiques...so cute!!

Thrifty Bedroom Makeover

2011-02-22T09:31:00.000-08:00

Finally decided on the direction I wanted to go with my bedroom after I found the necessary accoutrements at my favorite local thrift shops. I bought the bed, dresser, armoire and nightstand a couple years ago at a junk shop for $135.00. I couldn't fit the armoire in my teeny tiny bedroom so that piece had to go (at least it is still in the family).
The bed skirt is made up of 2 1/2 valances and I used the leftover material from that to make a pillow for my bed which cost me around $10.00. The drapes ($30.00 which are around the corner) have a coordinating pattern to the bed skirt and make the room so cozy!
Since the pattern is colonial I had to go with a couple of barn stars ($34.00) to finish it off, and found the duvet set on eBay ($96.00) in a perfect shade of butter.
The ladder shelf I picked up at an estate sale last year for $10.00 (pulled it from the shop yesterday) so that I could put my t.v. and chochkies on it.
All in all my whole room cost me a little over $300.00 and it is one of a kind!
Looooove it :)

Spokane Thrift Stores

2011-02-20T08:43:00.000-08:00

I have good news and bad news... The good news is I had a wonderful week at the shop and sold a lot of my furniture and even a display item. The bad news is that I cannot find items to replace the ones that have sold! I am in kind of a panic because we still have about 6 weeks until garage sale season begins and it is getting down to the nitty gritty.

I have learned a lesson though...I will definitely be stockpiling A LOT this summer so that I will be able to make it through the lean months. When my sister and I started it was in October and we had already gotten rid of a lot of stuff at our garage sales and did not have a back-up supply.

So today with the sun shining and a good cup of coffee at hand I will try not to be a pessimist and will definitely view my cart as half full.

2011-02-18T13:44:00.000-08:00

I think I'll keep it...for now :)

Burlap Painting in a Thrifty Frame

2011-02-18T09:35:00.000-08:00

Found this huge frame at the Goodwill (used to be a mirror) and had to have it! The mirror has a wood back that screws into the base so I stretched some burlap across it and painted up a storm last night. I am really pleased with the results and am wondering if I should hang it in the living room or send it to the shop...we will see what mom says :)

Happy Valentines Day!

2011-02-14T09:33:00.000-08:00

You heard right! Burlap Pillows are all the rage...

2011-02-13T19:36:00.000-08:00

So I was out and about and I happened across a swatch of green burlap. It is about the greenest burlap I have ever seen and I had to have it. Well for .89 cents I couldn't pass it up :) So I whipped up a pillow and I absolutely LOVE how it turned out. I wish you could see it with your own eyes...pictures never do the piece justice.
I have enough for one more pillow and off to the shop they go.

As for the shop...what a day! I ran in to do a little re-arranging and ended up selling about a hundred dollars in goods while I was there! Can't wait until garage sale season so I can find some fun pieces to work with.

Ooooo La La

2011-02-11T17:19:00.000-08:00

I love love love this piece!! Found it at the thrift shop today and had to have it. I think I will turn it into a pin cushion.

Looks Sew Easy...

2011-02-10T18:08:00.000-08:00

Since the thrift stores are empty and it is too early for garage sales and I am sick of making pillows, I have decided to try my hand at embroidering. Since I know nothing about embroidery my mom came over with lunch today and showed me how to do a couple of embroidery stitches that I will use on this clever little pattern that I found on the internet.

I am now signing off of the computer, going downstairs with the boys, finishing the laundry and doing a little embroidering (sounds deliciously domestic).

Ta Ta

Fab Fabric Finds

2011-02-09T09:14:00.000-08:00

I can't wait for garage sale season to begin...the thrift stores are EMPTY!! Needless to say, I did find a few things to work on for the next couple of days. A pair of chairs for only 2.50 each that will get a make over and a neat bundle of fabric that will transform a chair or pillow. I also received a package from my sis in Maryland filled with treasures! The best being a couple of yards of Ralph Lauren fabric which I cannot wait to use!

Fresh New Face for Old Couch Pillows

2011-02-07T20:08:00.000-08:00

I cannot let anything go to waste so today I used up the brown fabric at the bottom of the fabric bin. Not my favorite color (must have bought it cuz the price was right)!

Anyway, I think these are pretty cute and will hopefully fly out of the shop!

ReUse RePurpose ReCycle

2011-02-03T12:57:00.000-08:00

Last fall the wind blew down my mother in law's fence and of course she had it replaced with shiny new wood. I asked her if I could help myself to the junk pile before it went to the dump and of course she said yes. I also rummaged through my father in law's shed and found some neat little this's and that's from Charlie's garage sale days.

Today it all came together in the form a key rack
(or whatever kinda rack you want it to be)

Pretty awesome (if I do say so myself)!

Spencer's Antiques Spokane Washington Space 725

2011-01-31T10:25:00.000-08:00

I decided to break out the stencils and paintbrushes for this little number last summer. I really thought it turned out awesome and put it in the shop expecting it to fly out (pun intended)!! Well, it went over like a lead balloon so I had to pull it out of the shop. I stuck it in my garage and there it sat for a good part of winter until I decided to give it another shot.

So, here it is before...

and after...

We will see how it does.

Vintage Old Antique Window Project

2011-01-29T12:39:00.000-08:00

Finished the last of my old window projects! I really like how this turned out and I wish the picture did it justice. I need to run to my local little hardware store and get a pane of glass cut for one of the sections. I called them and it will only cost me $3.80 (love River Ridge hardware).

I wasn't ready to start on this project right away because I didn't have legs, turns out I forgot about a little project mishap this fall that involved a table and my butt (see picture below) and yippee, I was ready to make a coffee table!!

Like Mel's Nursery...only cheaper!

2011-01-27T09:45:00.000-08:00

While thrift shopping with my mom I found this huge print at the thrift store for .99 and picked it up. It had been laying around for a couple weeks when I had a light bulb moment. I cut it into sections and framed it in this old window. I just love how the yellow in the wood popped when I put the picture in!

While thrifting with my oldest son I ran across an unfinished project and picked it up for very cheap! I added shelves and finished it by turning my other old window into the cabinet door. A little sanding, some paint and voilia!

Local Thrift Shop Find

2011-01-20T08:46:00.000-08:00

Found these great old windows the other day and knew they had great potential!! I think I will turn them into tables for the living room...should be a very fun project!