Trash to Treasure Decorating: June 2011

Transformation Tuesday- Window Sash Fireplace Screen

I stumbled upon this great project when I was browsing the internet, and I'm thinking this would be a great project for my faux fireplace. It's great for a real fireplace too!

Diane, from In My Own Style has many wonderful trash to treasure transformations. She turned this window sash into a fabulous fireplace screen. She started with a plain window.


Photo belongs to Diane at In My Own Style

Then, she used shelf brackets to make it stand up. You'll find the full and fantastically detailed tutorial on her blog post. She used mirror paint (which she shows in the tutorial) to make the glass reflective. Isn't this great?!

Photo belongs to Diane at In My Own Style

I think this might be a way to use some of the artwork I've made from old window sashes. Thanks for posting your great idea Diane!

Muted Monday - Photo of the Week

Can you guess what this trivet is made of? It shouldn't be too difficult if you look close. It's a great T2T project!

Transformation Tuedsay - Before and After Vanity

Last week, Jessica sent me some before and after pictures of a writing desk that she made over into a vanity for her bedroom. She found it at a yard sale for $5 and purchased paint for $14. Then she spruced it up even more with new knobs from Anthropologie for $24. Her grand total was $43 and it fit perfect with her budget for a vanity. Thanks Jessica for the reader mail! I love your project.

Now, the moment you're all waiting for...the transformation.
Before:

And after:

I love those knobs! They add a lot of character. Here they are on the Anthropologie website Gardening Indoors Knob

Readers, if you're doing a similar transformation on your furniture and you have an even smaller budget, you might be able to find a little bit of leftover paint in your basement from another project. And you might also find knobs at a salvage store. Sometimes, I live with the existing knobs on a piece until I spot the perfect ones on sale somewhere. Or, some of you may be crafty enough to make knobs using polymer clay and glass beads right over the old knobs.

Muted Monday - Photo of the Week

Best Times to Shop Flea Markets

As you head out for those flea market and thrift sales, yard sales, and resale shops, do you know when the best days and times are for shopping? With this shopping guide from About.com's flea market decorating guide, you'll be prepared to find the best trash to treasure decorating objects.

Leah French tells how to get the best bargains and best selection in her article: The Best Times to Shop Flea Markets and Yard Sales.

What Would You Do Wednesday- Antique Buggy

I saw this on my local Craislist and although it's out of my budget, it did get me thinking...what would I do with it? So, I decided to pose the question to my readers for WWYD Wednesday. Leave your comments telling what you would do with an old baby carriage. Where would you display it? What would you put in it?

Transformation Tuedsay - Entertianment Center Turned Bench

Browsing around on the net, I find so many wonderful bloggers. This week, I ran across a blog for the first time and I have to feature one of her ideas. Kelli, from Random Thoughts of a Super Mom feature a before and after project last summer that showed exceptional vision.

Most of us would just paint old furniture, or smash it up and use it for firewood. But Kelli made this old entertainment cabinet look new in a way I'd never have dreamed.