I {heart} shabby chic

Taking something old and bringing new life to it is a fabulous way to save money on decorating. Whoever coined the phrase "shabby chic"... thank you, thank you, thank you! You've made it "in" to add "used" to our home decor.
One of my fave pastimes when I have free time is flea market shopping! I love to see what others have "breathed into" an old piece of furniture.

Here are a few of my finds...

I needed a book cabinet for a certain space at our lake house and found this old pie safe painted green. I painted it white and then sanded the edges to let the green show through a bit.

iron pieces I found, all with a touch of rust for character!

all flea market finds for a bedroom wall grouping

this hand painted chest was quite a find, by an artist named "Kemp" in 2000

I didn't have to do anything to it except fill it with board games!

Here are a few recent pieces I've found, but didn't buy,
no place to put them, but I love their look!

I've seen them paint light fixtures on all the home shows, just rough up with sandpaper and spray paint, voila!

I do want to add a stencil like this to something I already have
or maybe paint it as a wall treatment.
I love these colors
Are you a shabby chic kinda gal?

just shabby ol' me!

talking about stuff...

Well, it turns out I'm not the only one with too much stuff. People move and find they can't or don't want to use something again, or just want a change. "Downsizers" need to get rid of stuff, and generally have some pretty nice things to get rid of. An opportunity for all you newlyweds and first time homebuyers!
The other day I stopped at the "Queen of Hearts" Antiques and Interiors here in Atlanta. It's what I call a "junk" store where vendors have a booth and sell their wares. Some of it's antiques and some of it's just knick-knaks or old furniture they don't want anymore. You have to weed by a lot of junk, but there are always great finds and interesting pieces too. It's a great way to get ideas and find some character pieces to decorate with and cheaper than buying new.

I love this idea:

it's a bread tray, but great as a centerpiece for your table or on your mantle

shabby chic dining table and 6 chairs for $450, wow
so easy to redo the chair cushions!

a good looking bisquit jar by Raymond Waites for $24

my fave find... I'd love this chest for my own bedroom

repainted & reupholstered useful side chair to fill an empty space find an old chair and DIY

cute mirror and pictures for the nursery

I'd paint the picture frames pink too for a little girls room

and... what Flintstones lover's kitchen should be without this cookie jar!

you'll find a lot of fun and quirky stuff like that

happy hunting & decorating!