This & That: End of Summer 2020

Summer 2020 will soon come to a close and, let's face it, like the beginning of the year, it's one for the record books.  Yard Sales and Estate Sales have been sporadic, but I have managed to find some treasures.  Let's start with them.....

My 'Fairy Godmother' started me off in May with Yard Sale Finds Without the Yard Sale and a few of those projects have already appeared:

The Oak Footstool

The Chair Table

Gossip Bench Makeover

What Do You Do With a Legless Chair?

And there are more projects to come from that haul, so stay tuned!  

But my Fairy Godmother's generosity did not end there.  In July, I found this mirror on my front porch:

I'm currently working on it and you won't believe the story behind it.  It should be done soon and there will be a new post about it.  

I saw this silverware box listed on a garage sale site and got it for $5.  The outside of the box has some damage, but it will be fixed and the box repurposed.  Since I've already made one into The Office in a Box and I'm just finishing a second one as a jewelry box (post to come), this will be the third repurpose.  The bonus was getting some new silverware for my collection:

Don't you just love the pattern?

While making a quick trip to the grocery store one morning, I saw a man putting out Estate Sale signs.  On the way back, I stopped, but appointments were being made and the next available was in 3 hours.  I decided to come back on the last day at the end of the sale since that's when you get the best deals and it's 'Less Peopley' which is really important to me these days.  Let me tell you, I was so glad I did.  Here's what I bought for $18:

When the man said I could have both chairs for $10, the first words out of The Enablers....I mean, my husband's mouth were: "For that price, you can't leave them here."  The rest of the goodies were $8 and I called it a good day.  The Outdoor Lantern and The Candlestick Table have already been shared in posts.  The others will be coming, except the silver ice bucket.  It currently sits on my kitchen counter with my new silverware in it.  

About a week later, there was another Estate Sale and I went on the last day, at the end of the day.  There wasn't much left, but I scored 3 wooden disks taped together and 30 pinecones for a total of $2.  

Pine cones are always a win and the wood disks are plywood and about 15" in diameter.  I'm sure I can think of something to do with them, but, dear readers, suggestions are always welcome! 

The garden is doing very well this year - no mildew and minimal garden pests!  My lovely ladybugs may have something to do with that:

The bees have been busy in the coneflowers, roses, and more.  Here they are in the sunflowers:

I raised another Black Swallowtail Butterfly...

...and we have lots of vegetables that are being processed and frozen for winter:

In addition to what you see here, there are cucumbers, zucchini, hot peppers, and herbs.  

The basil has done especially well this year!

But I'm most excited about the Birdhouse Gourds!

I've never grown them before and I hope I can dry them over the Winter for some Spring projects.  If you have any tips for me, shout them out!

One afternoon, a couple of weeks ago, I spotted another Estate Sale sign so I took a swing by.  It was late in the afternoon and looked pretty quiet, so I went in where I spotted this picnic basket for $3 - 'As Is'.  

I kept turning it over and over looking for damage.  There was none.  $3? As Is? What was the catch?  Finally, I found it when I opened the top:

The hinge pulled out of the wood - such an easy fix!

This will be tucked away as a good Winter project.  

I also spotted this pretty ceramic pumpkin for $3 and asked if they'd take $2.  The answer was 'yes', so for $5 I had a couple of wonderful treasures.  

Our public library also reopened this Summer, first with curb-side pick-up and now quick service, which means you can reserve items online and go in the building to pick them up.  On a recent visit, I saw the cart of free books and picked up these two:

Granted, they are copyrighted 1998 and 2000, but we all know Shabby Chic is still around and who doesn't want to see how designers decorate?  I look forward to perusing them this winter over a nice hot cup of tea.  

Otherwise, Summer has been rather quiet around the Cottage.  I do have a birthday this weekend that will be celebrated quietly.  It's a milestone and my husband really wanted to have a party for me, but, as we all know, that's really not a good idea.  So, he will make me my favorite dinner, we'll share a toast with some good wine and eat cake for dessert.  It sounds like a pretty good way to enter a new decade during a pandemic, don't you think?

Thanks for stopping by and come back again soon.  I have so many new projects to share with you!

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