Thrifty Thursday # 1

Thrifty Thursday- if you like things glossy and new you wont appreciate this post. But you can't please every one and I don't try! ;)

Well, it is finally up, my Thrifty Thursday post. I know I have only mentioned it to you once but I have been planning  this for a while! Finally! Yay! The whole purpose of this Thrifty Thursday business is

a) if you know me you know I am a big secondhand shop and recycling yard addict. I love it, I think it may be part of my D.I.Y problem as well. But I love that too! So around this house and in our family everyone gets to marvel or laugh ( usually laugh) at my 'treasures'. I figured you might as well too!

And b) It is my blog and I wanna!

My  ability (or lack of) at using a photo editing program  is that of a primary school kid... actually considering they are all using computers in prep these days I'd say it is even less. So don't judge and I will get better I am sure! As I tend to ramble (yes, it is OK as long as you admit you have a rambling problem!) I will limit it to one or two finds a week. Which should also leave me with plenty of items to show you when I can't get near a second hand shop or the like! ( How horrible would that be?!)

When I had finished decluttering two weeks ago I realised I needed more space and threw out a lot of craft supplies to sure up space in the hall cupboard. It was around that time I decided I needed a filing cabinet or two. But they are expensive new and I couldn't justify the cost when the plastic storage tubs did the same job.

So when I had to meet My Beloved in town last week and I had some time to kill, I did what I always do, and went 'shopping' I didn't find anything that particularly stood out at me in the two second hand stores I like ( one is always good for furnishings and household decorating stuff, the other for really gorgeous one off bits with a bit of 'different' to them!) If you like to 'Thrift shop' you know which store seems to be a better place for the different kind of thing you may be after.

Whilst driving to meet My Beloved at his mothers house I decided to call in the recycle yard and have a 'quick' look. I saw many things! (eeeeeeek) but the filing cabinet really stood out to me. I opened the drawers and was happy to see a drawer full of suspension files. The drawers all worked perfectly and the whole unit was sturdy with a bit of surface rust.

 "OH YEAH" I thought. I could 'do' something to it and store all my paperwork, My Beloved's and most of my craft papers. Freeing up a whole shelf of my hall cupboard.... I was sold. When I was told $5 I happily paid there and then, even though I could not take it with me straight away ( I had to get My Beloved and the 4wd to pick it up...) I knew I should have taken the van that day instead of the sedan... stupid thing! ;p)



My Beloved was less impressed when I explained to him that he would have to get it on the roof of the 4wd. But he managed it and he was rewarded with comments regarding how incredibly strong and handsome he was. Hey! It happens to be true!

The filing cabinet and suspension files cost me a grand total of $5! :D

When we got home it stayed on the roof rack for three days, until I bribed the Man Child and Big Miss and my nephew and youngest brother-in-law to get it off and bring it inside. They did, bless them and I have placed it in my dining/lounge room so I can look at it while I decide where it goes and what I am going to do to it.

I had a planned to buy some metal effect paints and give it a bronze/verdigris look, but now I am not so sure. My Beloved wants to spray it in black kill rust and then go over it in gun metal grey.... ewwwwwwwwwwwwww.  Obviously he is not allowed near it! I like the rusted effect it has but I also want to change the main colour so I have taken a lots of photos so, if need be, I can recreate the look with a different colour. Though that last sentence should say 'so I can attempt to recreate the look!' ;)

My second treasure I will show you is this box of lamps. As is ALWAYS the case my photos are just not good enough and I must get a new camera... and I will! The pink, blue and green lamps are perfect shabby chic kind of colours and strangely the grey and white lamps will work well too (though the grey will MOST definitely be getting a paint job) the matching rough sandpaint effect lamps are spares, I don't particularly have a place for them but one day I am sure I will! Besides it never hurts to have spare lamps in this house.

I have lamps for the littlest four kids. And technically lamps for the bigger two but as they already have lamps I am calling them spares. You can never have too many lamps, in this house at least. With lots of kids there tends to be more lamp breakages! At least in my experience! 

I bought A LOT more but I think this post is long enough! So I shall start next weeks post after I have taken the Man Child to his second night of Navy Cadets! :)

Why don't you tell me what YOU would do to the filing cabinet?? (also taking suggestions on the dressing table next week... there will be better pictures then!)

Next time: