Last week we happened upon a fun little grouping of yard sales.  We (the kids, my MIL and I) were headed to one of my favorite little “honey hole” shops at the time.  On the way back, we decided to stop.  I am so glad that we did.  I wound up with a basket full of goodies.  Yes…pun totally intended.  You are welcome. 🙂

Somewhere, once upon a time, I spotted a picture of a basket on an entry table.  I am pretty sure it was in a magazine.  Do you remember those?  Long before Pinterest or Instagram I was flipping through the pages of Martha Stewart Living and dreaming up all kinds of home projects.  I still love to do that and still subscribe to some.  Those are simple pleasures that I should actually make more time for.  Anyway, somewhere in my mind, it got lodged that I would love a basket in our entry.  I dreamed of antique quilts stacked inside.  I believe that the basket that I saw was wooden.  As you already know, the one in this story…is not.

While at this sale…I walked around this metal basket.  It was full of old board games.  I finally asked the man if it was for sale.  (It wasn’t priced.)  I asked him what he had to have for it.  He said “How about a buck?”  I calmly nodded and said “Okay.”  On the inside…I did a fist pump.  Not that this basket is priceless…but I don’t like to pay huge amounts for my “treasures.” That is part of the fun…the wheelin’ and dealin’.

The man at the sale told me that he figured the basket went in an old freezer at one time.  It didn’t matter to me.  Baskets of all shapes and sizes catch my eye.  Locker baskets, wooden baskets, egg baskets, bring me all of your baskets. 😉  I kind of have a thing for bowls too.  What is my deal with objects that hold other things?!  Blame my mother.  She is the same way.

At first, even this morning, I had it in my mind to spray paint this basket.  I was going for white. (Big surprise there.)  Then…the more that I gazed “uponst” it…the more that I liked it in it’s rough…freezer like…state.  Maybe someday it will get a makeover, but for today…I am pretty okay with the “antique silver.”

As you can see…there are no quilts in the basket.  If I ever buy some sort of sconce light or a pole lamp of sorts for the entry…that might change.  We use this little lamp all the time and I love the warmth that it adds to this area.  Who knows…this fall I may fold something “quilty” to tuck in there.

If I wasn’t going to use this basket in this way, it would have been a great tool for organization.  That is one reason that I started picking these up at sales.  They are amazing for bath toys if you have little ones.  They are also wonderful on shelves or in pantries to hold pastas or cans. (Then you just slide the basket out.)  We have actually used them before to hold shoes in our laundry/mud room.  Get creative, go wild.  ha!

I really hope that you are having a good day.  We are enjoying being together…with a few days of relaxing before school starts back up.  This week our pastor’s wife sent a text to me.  This is what it said:  Collect moments…not things.  I love that.  We are trying to do that at the Farmhouse.  Interesting fact…when I took the Love Language test…my primary love language is Quality Time.  I am good with that.

Love from our dirt road to yours,

Do you guys have a favorite room to decorate and to buy things for.  I do.  Can you guess which one that it is?  I’m sure that this isn’t hard.

Yes.  It’s our kitchen.  I love to go junking and find vintage kitchen “things.”  Now, that being said, I don’t enjoy clutter…so when you come to my house it’s not unusual for you to leave with something…because I like to keep my treasures at a minimum.

My newest love is the blue and white Currier & Ives dishes.  For years I have had a few blue and white pieces…but the Currier and Ives were made with a blue that captures my heart.  It’s a little more on the side of navy and a little shy from purple.  Does that make sense?  Of course it does.  My Dirt Roaders are smart.

What is it about blue that makes my heart sing?  It has always been my favorite.  Isn’t that a fun thing to know about yourself?  It’s always a little sad to me when someone says that they don’t know their favorite color.  I have several that I love (that is the creative in me) but I could answer “blue” without hesitation.

For years I didn’t really decorate with blue.  Isn’t that crazy? It wasn’t super-trendy for a while.  Shame on me.  I say that because of this one reason:  I have never been happier with my junking finds and my decor…than I am now.  I guess that I just needed to hone in on what I really loved and let the rest go.  This is a good place to be.  Sometimes…I think that it comes with age.  Eeeeeeek!  lol! Did I just admit that?  Please pass the Oil of Olay.

I know that I have asked you all a dozen times if you follow Miss Mustard Seed.  I love her blog.  I think that it was one of those moments…where you just happen upon someone that has similar tastes and you hear angels singing.  Okay…not really..but her style is amazing to me.  It’s such a mix of farmhouse style and elegance.  I love that.  Plus…it’s full of BLUE!  😉  Heavenly. (The baker’s twine that is wrapped around my butter paddle…that was inspired by her photos.  I always want to give credit, where credit is due.)

I hope that your day is lovely…after all…it’s Thursday!  My favorite!  If you have a minute…leave me a comment!  I love to hear from you.  Tell me your favorite room to decorate and go junkin’ for.  I really wanna know!

Living kinda cray-cray after all of these snow days,

Did I show you the turtle that I picked up at a junk store?  Hang on just a minute…while I go check.  I will be right back.  Okay…I’m back!  I had to look through my last few posts, because I couldn’t remember if I had shared the happy little turtle with your or not.  He’s so cute.  I named him Speedy.

He is probably someone’s creation from the 1980’s.  I cleaned him up and stuck a piece of Aloe Vera in him.  There is something about the little smile on his face that really perks me up.  God knew that I needed a little something on the day that I found Speedy.  Isn’t it amazing, the way that He works in our everyday lives…when there is so much more out there besides little old us?  I’m so thankful for a relationship with Him.

(I have just realized that I used the word “little” way to much.  I am past caring though…because we have a cold/flu bug going out here and I feel like falling over.)

We will survive!

Happy Friday all!  Are we excited?  Of course we are.  Today, I’m going to give you the” before” of my lovely bathroom cart.  You have already had a sneak peak of the “after” in my previous post…but today we are just going to visit about the “before.”  I gotta keep you in suspense…so you will come back for more.  

I’m sure that you have seen these little kitchen carts before.  I have always loved them…but I didn’t ever come upon one that I just HAD to have.  Well…this one…was only 3 dollars baby!  Can you believe that?  I was very excited…but trying to keep my cool, you know how that goes.

On with the story…I have been wanting a little shelf or rack for our master bathroom.  After much contemplation, (and a little hashing and brainstorming with a friend) I thought…”ahhh ha!”  I can transform that kitchen cart with a bit of paint and have my little, handy-dandy rack.

I can’t wait to show you the finished result.  Stay tuned for the “after” next week.  I’m pretty sure that you will be amazed at what a little imagination and a can of spray paint can do.  THREE DOLLARS!  Can you believe it?  I know.

I hope that you have a wonderful weekend.  I’m going to do some spiffing here today and then maybe run by a little junk place…where I spotted an old ski for $5.00.  I’m thinkin’ that it would look so cozy for winter.  I hope that it’s still there.  Oh my, the thrill of the hunt.  

Jesus loves you, Dirt Roaders!