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Here a Treasure, There a Treasure

I seldom blog on weekends, but I'm just kicking back to watch the Packers, and I'm sitting with my laptop which seemed like a good reason to send my blogging friends a note. As I look around my home from my football watching chair, I can't help but notice that there is almost nothing in my home that I purchased at retail. 95% of what's hanging on my walls came from second hand stores, yard sales, and cast-offs from relatives.
  • End table-yard sale
  • Grandfather clock-castoff
  • Faux fireplace-my junk wood bin
  • Giant mirror-yard sale
  • TV armoire-2nd hand shop
  • Coffee table-sawed off rustic kitchen table from grandma
  • Curtains-2nd hand store and ugly drapery makeover
  • Book case-$1 at a yard sale
  • The shelf, the footstool, the chandelier-all second hand
You get the idea. I could go on, but I've realized that my years of frugal decorating is probably why we've been able to survive on one income (plus a little extra I've brought in with speaking, writing, and selling crafts). But when I was working as a registered nurse and our first baby was on the way, I knew I had to do something to make it possible to say home with him. That wasn't my original plan, but I just knew towards the end of the pregnancy that I didn't want to go back to work and leave him behind. So we had to figure out how to get by without 2/3 of our income.

That was 18 years ago and we still have the same couch we bought before that baby was born. But instead of replacing it, several years ago, I recovered it for about $30.

And the lamps we got as a wedding gift 21 years ago? Yep. Still have them. But I gave them a paint makeover last summer.

Now that my babies are 16 and 18, I don't regret for a minute my decision to stay home and give up the ability to walk into a designer store and plunk down $3500 or more for a furniture set. We don't care that my husband still drives the same 1992 Jeep that used to be our family vehicle for so many years. Wish there was some T2T magic we could work on it though. I don't care if the only new thing hanging on my walls is a pair of photographs of my boys.

The other stuff is all trash, whether old or new, in light of the two treasures that have captured my heart and brought me more joy than anything a VISA card could buy. Yep. I love trash to treasure, but mostly because it represents something even deeper than decorative value. It represents the desires of my heart.

4 comments:

  1. Amen my trash to treasure sister!

    This is exactly how we have been able for me to stay home for the last 14 years and homes school our now 15 and 13 year old children... Our homemade treasures represent our desire's to a live close to home and each other and live a creative and inspiring life!

    Keep up the great work! I've got some new things coming up for spring as well!
    Deb

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  2. Amen! We are of the same mind. I love staying home with our girls, but know that we couldn't have done it had my husband and I decided we wanted to have the latest and greatest of everything at retail prices. I wouldn't trade the "sacrifices" we have made for having "stuff". It's really a lot of fun to see what I can get for little to nothing and then bring it into our home and enjoy it. :) Love your blog!

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  3. Michelle, that is so inspiring. I just quit my part-time job and it feels a bit odd some days to not be working. But your post was a great reminder to me of the importance of staying home with my little boy! He is such a joy and I want to spend as much time as possible with him. I don't have artistic talents like you but I know that other ways of saving (like couponing) are really worth it for the amazing reward of being able to raise my child!

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  4. Thanks Deborah Jean, Susan and Alison. Nice to know I have "sisters" who understand.

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