One down - 10,000 to go...

Remember this little dresser? It finally has been cleaned up and given a more feminine skirt, complete with top ruffle. It's now in Elizabethton (Corner Nest).

Okay, maybe it only seems like 10,000 repairs, cleanups, repurposes, etc. to go. I've had this old white coffee pot for several months and have finally put it to good use, too. I think it makes a really cute holder for this Valentine bouquet I made, don't you think? The silk flowers are part of one of my yard sale finds. I bought a huge box (the box came to my knees) of silk flowers and greenery last summer. Some had never been used, but most had been salvaged from past floral arrangements. All had been cleaned. I made some lace-and-bead-trimmed hearts, sewed them to stems and added them to the bouquet.

My studio is filled with various items that I've kept aside for absolutely no known purpose. The coffee pot is an example. These items linger with me because they're either pretty, interesting or just plain intriguing to me. I have no idea what some of them are. But I know that some day I'll discover a real need for them. Right now, I'm thinking that the some of the ones that could possibly be used to hold something will be turned into valentine bouquet vases and given to friends.

Now that the holiday rush is over, I'm hoping to devote some time to our Disaster Closet. No, it's not a closet stocked with first aid supplies, water, etc. It's a closet stocked with, well, things that someone else might deem as being disastrous to have in their homes. Here's a peek:

Look closely and you will see a child's vintage riding toy, an old medicine cabinet, a homemade storage box and probably some cobwebs. They're all waiting their turns to be picked up and somehow reworked by either my hubby or myself.

Here's an old side table that we're currently working on. Note the wooden pegs in lieu of nails. This is a piece that is in dire need of a good cleaning and oil massage. We won't do anything to ruin the integrity of the piece. I can't help but wonder what it's first home looked like and how many families it's gone through. One thing is for sure: It's outlived many of those people and deserves some respect.

Lisa Railsback once explained to me that Indians respect everything that has ever had life, as the spirit of that life remains behind. This little table is made from wood and is a descendant of a living tree. It would therefore be respected by the Indians.

I may not completely agree with that philosophy but unless someone shows some sensitivity or respect to such pieces, we could lose touch with such simple little bits of history except for those few times we may wander into a museum and marvel at them. What a sad thought.

By the way, here's a site you may want to check out: http://www.createanddecorate.com/RecycledTreasures/index.shtml The readers of Create and Decorate Magazine are sharing some of the ways they have recycled or repurposed items.

Tomorrow (Monday) will be spent restocking the shops from this weekend. I also get to have my monthly bloodwork done for my RA meds, do a little grocery shopping and a few other little errands. With some luck, I'll have lots of time this week to play in my studio.

Thanks again for dropping by! Your visits and comments mean a lot to me! See ya later!