Thursday, August 27

Thrifty Thursday-Where we spent the summer

The kids are off to school, which means I might actually get to use my computer and start blogging again! It's the most wonderful time of the year, when the kids are excited about school, and it's still summer for ME!


Notice Avery watching out the window as her siblings leave her. That's the only sad part- poor Avery has to wait THREE weeks for her school to start!



One of the things I love about summer is spending lazy Saturday mornings browsing garage sales, never knowing what crazy thing I'll find. I have collected lots of fun things for my Thrifty Thursday posts. But first let me show you what my handy husband did to improve our deck this year.

This table is where we eat our dinner every night, and it used to be an octagon shape but it was too small to accommodate our family and we had to have Avery on our lap. So Dave bought some wood and enlarged it to a square giving us much more room. I love what he did.



But then I needed more chairs cause we only had four. If I've learned anything, it's that SOMEBODY is selling exactly what you're looking for, if you know where to look. I found a couple of these chairs and a bench in the Thrifties that match what I already have almost exactly.



They just needed a little cleanup and stain, and Voila! I just doubled my patio seating for a real bargain.





If you saw this green candle holder with the pink candles at a garage sale for one dollar, would you buy it?





At first glance I thought it was ugly, but on my second glance, I saw a lovely outdoor chandelier for my deck. I spraypainted it black and changed the candles for citronella ones.



And so this is where we spent most of the summer, enjoying our new sitting areas.
Now I'll give you a preview of what else I'm working on. If you saw this at a garage sale, would you buy it? Do you see the potential?
If I recall, I think this was free. If you go at the end of a garage sale when they are cleaning up, they practically pay YOU to take their stuff. It just needs a little TLC and it will become a happy chaise lounge again. :)

8 comments:

Brent and Jessica said...

You are a very thrifty person...and find the cutest stuff. The kiddos looks so great...and I am sure that they are happy to be starting school. We need to plan a day to go to Lagoon!

Eileen said...

Oh how I've missed your Thrifty Thursdays! Welcome back!

Linda said...

Chanelle, you are so good at being thrifty. All I see at garage sales is junk. I need to learn your tricks! You are amazing!

Hayley said...

Chanelle, you already know how I feel about your backyard. It is such a lovely haven.

Your kids are beauties.

Joy said...

Hi Chanelle,
That cute candle holder would also look great holding things like apples or even cupcakes. Just take out the glasses and balance the apples on top of the loops.
My white rosebush is an iceberg(?). I love it because it blooms most of the summer. The blooms have a pinkish tint when they're old. I wouldn't recommend the red climber because it only blooms once in the spring. I've been tempted to rip it out and I probably will when I find something to replace it with.
Have a wonderful weekend!

Joy said...

Oh, and the pinkish/purple vine climbing on my garden door is a clematis. Just in case you wanted to know.

just the five of us said...

You need to come garage saling with my mom. :) she loves garage saling too! Last week we found Coach purses for a great buy, but we decided not to splurge (no regrets)

Candace said...

You are absolutely amazing! I want to garage sale shop with you. You can see the potential where I cannot.