Since our regular Repurposeful Monday was on Memorial Day,
let's make it a Repurposeful Tuesday.

Julie Grandstaff

It's getting harder and harder to find vintage sewing machine

stands but this one paired with an old wagon is darling.

Funky Junk Interiors
Who doesn't love vintage pedal cars?!  And how
clever to transform this one into a chandelier.

Confessions of a Curb Shopaholic

Yard sales are probably the best sources

for finding rusty old tool chests.

  Source

 While we're on the subject of rusty old things, how 'bout
turning a battered tea kettle into a cozy bird condo?

 Get 'er Done
Make  teeth brushing a little more interesting
with the help of a friendly brontosaurus!

Katrina's Design
The next time you run across an egg cup at a
thrift shop, think of it as pin cushion material.

Heavy gauge feed scoops are excellent for holding candles at
your next patio party.  You can find them at Tractor Supply.

Source
And, if you're going for the rustic look, go whole hog!

 The Detailed Decorator
Am I the only one who's never thought of this?  It's brilliant!

Sorry today's post is so short - spent time with family
yesterday and neglected the chores.  See you tomorrow!

Memorial Day, 2013

Since 1868, Memorial Day has been a holiday to remember those who have given their lives in the service of our country.  Not only do I say a silent prayer for those who have perished but also a prayer for their families and loved ones who survived.

The Sullivan brothers on board the USS Juneau; from left to right:
Joseph, Francis, Albert, Madison and George.

Do you know the story of the Sullivan brothers from Waterloo, Iowa?  During World War II, the 5 brothers - George, 27; Francis "Frank," 25; Joseph "Red," 23; Madison "Matt," 22; and Albert "Al," 19 - served together aboard the USS Juneau (CL-52).  When it was sunk on November 13, 1942, during a ferocious enemy attack off the Solomon Islands, all 5 Sullivan brothers perished.

For national security reasons the Navy did not reveal the loss of the Juneau for almost 2 months.  The parents of the brothers were not notified of their deaths until the 12th of January, 1942.

Historically, the tragedy has been referred to as the legacy of the Sullivan Brothers.  I also think of it as the saga of the Sullivan Sons.  How their parents withstood the loss I can only imagine.

Following the tragic loss of the Sullivans, the U.S. Navy changed the policy under which siblings are deployed - no longer were they allowed to serve on the same vessel.

The unimaginable loss of the Sullivan Sons directly affected my family.  My father and three of his brothers - Bill, Bud, Glen, and Ray - also served during WWII and were not allowed to serve on the same ship.  For that reason two of the brothers joined the Air Force instead of the Navy.  Thankfully, and almost unbelievably, all four survived the war.

Although I was born a generation after WWII, I grew up listening to my father recount the tragedy of the Sullivan family.  Every Memorial Day I think of my family's fortune and the Sullivan family's tremendous loss.

I don't know about you but I need a little Before & After inspiration

to get ready for the weekend.

   Before                                                                              After

 

Country Girl Home

These windows look so much more polished and complete now that they're
framed, don't they?

You're right - it's not time, yet, for our Mid-Century Modern talk.  I just

want to showcase a few spectacular projects from Trevi Vintage Designs:

Before                                                  After

Don't be afraid to give MCM pieces an updated look with a touch of paint.

Before                                                                   After  

Before                                                        After

Trevi Vintage Design

Who would have thought that such a gorgeous credenza

was hiding underneath that brutal flat black paint?

Betsy at My Salvaged Treasures found a small children's desk at a flea market
and transformed it with a decoupage treatment:

 Before

Photos and pages from a vintage children's

writing book were 'elementary' ingredients: 

   After 

Betsy gave the little desk a professional make-over by also decoupaging the desk drawer.


It took an experienced eye to see the potential in this pitiful yard sale cabinet:
Before                                                            After

Southern Living

You couldn't ask for a more beautiful campaign chest to grace your home.

Repurpose a closet by removing the door, hanging wallpaper, adding a drape,

and installing a desk:

   Before                                                        After

Real Simple

This last project makes me sad and kind of mad, too.  Whoever thought
that painting a beautiful old church with "street art" needs to have their
head examined.  It's a crime against architecture!

Before:                                                     After:

 

Daily Dawdle

If you can stand it, click here to see a

pictorial progression of the end result.

Well, it's Friday and I'm off to yard sale shop.  Hope
 you have a fun and relaxing (or productive!) weekend!

Aging Rock Stars and vintage decor!

In 1970, Life magazine featured a photo

retrospective of rock stars and their parents:

Frank Zappa and his cat hosting his parents, Francis and Rosemarie,

in his Los Angeles home.  Love his outfit that matches the color scheme.

David Crosby with his father,  Floyd Crosby,

an Academy Award winning cinematographer.

Grace Slick, of The Jefferson Airplane, poses with her mother, Virginia

Wing, in the Palo Alto, California, home in which she grew up.  Grace's

baby daughter was born a few weeks after this photo was taken.

Musician Richie Havens, best known for opening the show at Woodstock, is

shown with his parents, Richard and Mildred Havens, in East Flatbush, NY.

Woodstock Music & Art Fair

August 15 - 17, 1969

Rose Clapp raised her grandson, Rock-God

guitarist Eric Clapton, in Surrey, England.

Elton John poses with his mum and step-father, Fred and

Shelia Fairebrother, in their suburban London apartment.

(LOVE the groovy Crocodile Rock boots!)

It seems that the 1970 Life photo spread and accompanying article were an

attempt to show that the leading rock stars of the day came from 'normal' parents. 

'Normal' is so over-rated, isn't it?

Oh, Craigslist, I love you but . . . . . . 

. . . . . this is NOT an antique display cabinet.

The ad should have said: nice Queen Anne style entertainment center.

 

And this is NOT an antique dining room set (the decal was a dead giveaway).

Hmmm . . . a "classic antique velvet sofa"?

Again, avoid posting a photo of the manufacturer's
label when you toss around the term 'antique'.
My ad would have said:  Vintage Velvet Dream!

. . . having a hard time believing this is a "Mid-Century

sideboard" given the 1990's hardware:

 

Amazing!  An "antique Regent's bar" that was "made by

The Bombay Furniture Company, purchased at Kirkland's":

 

If you're going to say that your item is "an awesome
antique bookcase" don't post a picture of the hardware:

Nope, not a "high end antique Irish pine cabinet" as the drawers

are not dove-tailed and were put together with a staple gun:

An "antique entertainment center"?  Seriously?

But it does look like a lovely Eastlake
cabinet with a marble top.

An "antique end table"?  Hmmm. . . looks

like Ashley Furniture's 2004 collection:

"Antique Vintage Wooden Children's Chairs":

I don't think so.  Looks more like a set for Goldilocks and the three bears.

"Antique maple coffee table - REAL wood":

                              Call me a pessimist but I'm just not buying it.  Literally.

                                  "Vintage sectional sofa" - oh, no, no, no.

You can find some nice pieces of furniture at reasonable prices on

Craigslist but there should be a required tutorial for sellers which

explains the terms 'antique' and 'vintage'.  On reflection, this post

should be titled Caveat Emptor - buyer beware!