My love for junking can never be quenched, at least I don’t see how. There are so many ways you can reuse an item, even to the point of dismantling it and putting it back together in a different form. One man’s trash is another (woman’s) treasure, right?
When I pulled out this particular treasure (or better yet, trashure – treasure from the trash!), I knew exactly what I would do with it. Do you ever do that? Find something and it speaks volumes to you before you can blink an eye? Treasure out of trash, I tell ya.
This very rustic and vintage drawer would become a place where I could find some remembrances of my grandmothers. Two very different ladies in one aspect, but both shared a love for the creative arts.
STORY-TELLING
Hard as it is to say goodbye to the ones you love, it always special when you can keep something of theirs to remember them by, and to share a piece of their lives with the next generation. I like to keep little tidbits and photos around to remind my children of their ancestors and how hard they worked so they could be here today.
Do you see what my treasures are? Sewing notions, tools, perfectly vintage eye candy!! My paternal grandmother was a seamstress and I wish I could have picked her brain more to learn all the secrets of the trade. She was an amazing woman who handled life gloriously even though she was deaf.
My maternal grandmother (my bapcia – Polish for grandmother) was the toughest lady I have ever known. Dealing with the Nazis and making it to America to give her children a better life. She was such an “energizer bunny”, she just kept going and going! I think that I’m like her in some ways because I don’t sit still very often. Imagine that. {wink, wink}
I love being able to touch and look at these artifacts, and I have also been able to add a few things I’ve picked up from thrifting, garage sales, and estate sales too.
Thrifted patterns. Don’t you just love the sunbonnet with matching apron? Retro rocks!
GOOD OL’ DAYS
I am so envious of a generation that was absolutely thrifty that they thought to wrap their binding, ribbons, etc., onto cards that could be turned in to a child’s toy. Amazing!! This is Bob Bunny, that is printed on heavy stock paper and is meant to be cut out and then the head and rear are added to a wooden spool to create an adorable toy!
Isn’t the poetic advertising genius?
These edgings and lace are just scrumptious!
My drawer shadow box is mounted above a curbside mahogany dresser I found that was missing a drawer front. Big thanks to my hubby who built a new face for it. All I did to dress this lady up was took off the drawer length brass pulls and auctioned them off on ebay (yes!), and added some chalk paint with wax. I bet you can’t tell which drawer is the new one.
This dresser was the answer to my prayers of a need of somewhere to store my sewing goodies because I love to sew!
One drawer is dedicated to my vintage patterns. Who knows if I’ll ever use them because I’m more the draft-it-yourself type, but they sure are fun to look at! I like to draft my patterns myself because the store-bought variety just never seem to fit right.
STITCHIN’ FUN
Aside from sewing, I also love to crochet. I took an unfinished peach basket and stained it, then washed it in a lovely yellow paint. The handle is a light aqua with distressing. I want a basket that I could easily access my hooks and take my yarn with me wherever I went, so I made a liner out of a vintage sheet to make that all possible.
It’s been one of the best projects for myself that I’ve done in a loooooong time. I tend to make stuff for everyone else and never do anything for me.
To top if off, I made some stitch markers to add even more fun to my crochet time. Is that possible? If you don’t know how to crochet or knit you are missing out on therapy!!
I hope you’ve enjoyed a small tour of my corner of the house. Likewise, that I’m inspiring you to take some cast-off items and make them your own. Decorating your home can be very inexpensive and fun! So, take a look around, pick out a spot in your home that could use some lovin’, and then head out to the trash to snatch up some created-by-you décor.
If you liked this repurposed post, then I know you’ll love these!
Your treasures and stories of your grandmothers are wonderful. I love how you transform castoffs into wonderful things you love, that are useful, and that look great in your home. I like that bunny card from a package of ribbon. You’ve found some wonderful trims. That pink one is especially cute! I like your stitch markers too. Very cute! 🙂
So nice to “meet” you Larissa! We do have LOTS in common don’t we? Love your drawer shelf full of wonderful memories and treasures! So glad you stopped for a visit so I could find you again too. I’ll plan to stop back and keep in touch 🙂 Laurel@chippingwithcharm
I love it, Trashure. That’s great! Thanks for sharing! Stop by my Friday’s Five Features and link up this post (and others)! http://diy-vintage-chic.blogspot.com/2013/08/fridays-five-features-no-5.html-chic.blogspot.com
Visiting from FJI. How lovely! You accessorized it so nicely.
I love how you are sharing your history with your family and your styling is fabulous!
What beautiful items – eye candy – my favorites are those fabulous patterns and that yellow basket!
XOXO
That’s the cutest vintage collection I’ve seen in quite some time. Love the individual pieces in your collection and how cleverly you displayed them.
Great collection! I’d love if you’d link up to The DIYers. http://homecomingmn.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-diyers-and-last-weeks-top-three.html
So charming!! Thanks for linking up at Feathered Nest Friday!
so adorable and charming.
hope you’ll visit me back.
michele
http://hellolovelyinc.blogspot.com
That bunny binding card is genius! The entire display is wonderful and the fact that it is full of memories makes it even better. I bet it makes you smile every time you walk by it. I love finding trashure!
Adina
Isn’t it though? It is one of my treasures for sure, and a reminder to not make waste of what we’re given.
Hi Larissa,
I love your posts. I get lots of blogs from people who redo furniture and stuff, but yours is my favorite. When I don’t have much time, I will look at yours and skip the others. You are so creative. I thought I was creative, but I don’t think I would have seen the possibilities that you do sometimes. I love to use what I have to make things or redo. I love to redo clothes and make them into something else or resize things. I just wish I had more time to do that! You are doing life right. Thank you for all your wonderful ideas.
That just made my whole month…really! Thank you, Sarah. It’s not only fun to create, but sharing it with folks who enjoy it as well is the icing on the DIY cake for me.