Pallet Benches

AFTER

DURING

BEFORE

 

With a family reunion pending, and the inspiration of Pinterest, SW and I embarked on our first DIY furniture project. Pallet furniture seems all the rage, and why not?  Pallets are inexpensive and easy to work with. 

 

SW and I found our stack of pallets (all of them!) for $2 at an Estate sale.  Granted, they had been out in the elements for a long time, so the wood was a little rickety.  If you were planning to make pallet furniture and take apart pieces to reconstruct you would want newer pallets.  But we did not need new pallets! 

 

After carting the pallets home I printed out several photos from Pinterest to see which ones we might have the limited skill to reproduce.  This is the style that won!  We used a paint sprayer for the final paint job and we were done in time for the family reunion!

 

 

 

 

 

 

How does your Garden Grow?

Well, my garden grows when I am not here!  Been away for 10 days and came back to this bounty.  SO EXCITING!  Now to share before I go out of town again. I wonder if the local community center takes fresh produce?

Enjoyed a beet and carrot juice this morning, frothy and cool.  Now to look on one of my favorite apps, Yummly, for stir fry veggie recipies.  YUM! 

Wildflower Fever

 

 

Wildflowers are blooming in Southern Wisconsin!  I've been excited to see this patch growing from a bag of seeds we planted this year.  The bachelor buttons are so delicate and sweet!

 

They look especially dainty in this test tube stand, which I picked up at a flea market last summer.



Can't wait to see if there are other flowers/colors in this mix that haven't yet bloomed. 

Garden Fun

 

It's not just 5 o'clock somewhere...it's 5 o'clock in the Elevated Bag Lady's garden!  This is my first real summer at my Wisconsin farm, and gardening has been on my bucket list for years.  I honestly feel like I'm cheating.  In Wisconsin you just stick stuff in the ground and it GROWS!  It's really pretty amazing. 

There was a pre-established garden on the farm, but we decided to relocate it to be in front of this old horse lean-to.  It seemed like a fun place to have a potting table and a spot to get in out of the sun.  I picked up these Margaritaville chairs at a local nursery and they give the perfect "pop" to the area.  That's an apple ladder hanging from the ceiling, like a pot rack for watering cans and apple baskets. 

Happy Gardening!

Green Sweat Jacket --------> Vest

 

AFTER

BEFORE



 



BACK

 

The little green sweat jacket that grew up into something more fun!

 

I found this green jacket in a thrift store at an amazing BOGO sale, so the cost turned out to be $1.50.  I know, crazy, right?  I had actually seen a green "army vest" in a department store for mega bucks and I new I could fashion something similar from this green jacket. 

 

First I cut off the arms and the collar.  The collar was then split in half and sewn to the bottom of the front to give it a little more length.  I also cut off one of the cuffs on a sleeve and sewed it to the back for more detail.  I have an amazing assortment of vintage buttons that I've been hoarding collecting.  Should I use those amazing buttons on this piece or save them for something better? I decided to use them here.  If something more amazing comes along I'll just cut them off and re-use them. 

 

This vest can be worn with jeans or with a peasant or jean skirt.  

Engelbrecht Winery and B & B, Fredericksburg, IA

 

This adorable winery and bed and breakfast are on the Iowa Wine trail.  We stopped here for a tasting on our way to another place and really enjoyed the ambiance.  Try their Rhubarb dessert wine! 

 

Check out this winery sign from corrogated metal.  Not sure what they used to cut it, and it's probably sharp, but against the red siding it looks great!  I also like the combo paint colors on their porch...yellow, red and white (see that window?)  So cheerful! 

Elkhorn Antiques Flea Market

 

Elkhorn Antiques Flea Market

Elkhorn, Wisconsin

 

One of the Elevated Bag Lady's favorite pasttimes....Flea markets!  The Elkhorn flea market is one of the best.  The show is once a month (except for July) throughout the summer.  First one this year took place on 5/18/14.  Next three dates are: 





June 29, 2014

Aug. 10, 2014

Sept. 28, 2014

 

This market starts at 7 AM.  I arrived at the market with bag lady sister and SW (aka Mr. Elevated) before 8 AM and the parking lot was almost full.  You don't need to pay for parking but the entrance fee is $5.  It is well worth the $5, because this market is HUGE.  There was good weather on the 18th of May, but any Saturday in Wisconsin could be rainy, hot, cold...my point is:  dress in layers! 

 



 

 Fun Laundry Cart!

SW hauling a windmill to the car.

Door converted into a bulletin board/chalkboard/hook configuration.

Yes, those shadowy people are EBL and her sister.

Button Wedding Bouquet!

Spotted on the airport tram at Phoenix Harbor, this wedding bouquet was crafted by the bride from buttons, keys, and little locks. Someone has definitely unlocked her heart and this is a sweet and nostalgic way to say "I do". 

Getting ready for the farm, Country Girl Plaids

I keep thinking of all the clothing I've gotten rid of over the years, and all the ways I could have re-worked those clothes to be more fun and interesting.  This outfit started with a tan skirt and denim vest that, in my opinion, lacked excitement.  So much so, that they had been relegated to the "give-away" pile.  But since purchasing my farm in Wisconsin I've decided I need more "country clothes" and both of these items were good candidates for a make-over.

So this outfit is a combo of:

• one boring tan skirt
• one boring denim vest
• two boring men's shirts (plaid)

The vest can also be worn with knee-knocker denims or jeans. 

Details matter!

It's the little things in life that make a difference. Little Crepes shop in Cave Creek, AZ serves their hot chocolate with a little dash of heart. Have a great day!

Get there if you Can!

I put this directional sign together last summer, but still get a big kick out of it every time I see it.  After perusing Pinterest for ideas, and knowing basically what I wanted, I scouted about for pieces of wood that could be cut for this project. 

After finding various odd boards and having my "handyman" (AKA SW)  cut them to size I then scouted about for leftover paint.  Sounds like I have old junk lying around everywhere, doesn't it?  Well I DON'T !!  But I bet you do.  Haha 

So anyway, I first considered marking the distance to big cities.  But after some thought I decided it was more personal to mark the distance to people I love.  So when I look at these locations I think of specific people IN those places.  When you advertise that this is what you've done, however, don't be suprirsed at all the people who pop up and say, "but my town isn't on there, don't you love me?"  OIY, let's be REASONABLE people.  I love you all, but you can't all be on there. 

Ecru Jacket Lacy Make-Over

Some day I'm going to do and say everything I want to do and say, and if people don't like it I don't care."  --Scarlett O'Hara, from Gone with the Wind

I thought of Scarlett today as I was fashioning this lacy jacket from scraps in my lace bin.  Scarlett probably wasn't the first woman to turn a trying situation into a triumph through altered couture.  Her green velvet dress made from her plantation home curtains saved the day!  Sure, Scarlett was a little sassy, too.  Sometimes it takes some spunk to take a chance and come up with something original and one of a kind. 

Today's project was taking a simple Ecru jacket that I've had in my second closet for a long time and haven't worn.  Sure, it was nice.  Too nice to throw out, but also a little boring.  So I gave it some length and laced it up! 

After: 

 Before

Don't forget the back!

Clothespin Bag from Repurposed Child's Dress

This idea came when I spotted a vintage clothespin bag at an antique mall, fashioned to look like a child's dress.  Not wanting to pay the price, I quickly went home and sketched the design.  I put that aside but then recently found this little child's dress that I had made many years ago.  Not ever having a daughter, granddaughter, or any other little girl to give it to, I remembered the vintage clothespin bag idea!

This can be easily fashioned by sewing the bottom of a child's dress together, cutting the bodice down the center and folding back the "lapels" for easier access to the clothespins.  Child's hanger completes the look, easily hangs on a clothesline.

I'm taking this to the farm, where I LOVE to hang out clothes on the clothesline.

Reconstructed Shirt Dress

About 20 years ago I was purchasing recycled and reconstructed clothing at upscale boutiques in upstate NY.  The one-of-a-kind "artsy" look appealed to me.  Why I never considered making my own "rag bag" clothing is beyond me.  Not because I couldn't sew, more that I lacked the confidence to take risks.  I was an avid quilter, but the concept of going off the map without a PATTERN was more than I could fathom.

I guess with age and maturity you start to let go of some of that fear.  The above "dress" was actually inspired by one of the outfits I bought and loved 20 years ago.  It was constructed from a man's shirt, with an added patchwork skirt.  I wore that dress so much it almost disintegrated.  I kept it because I liked the design.  The skirt on this dress is the second time around....I cut it off the first one.  The suede-like shirt is my husband's.  For some reason we had matching suede shirts?? Neither one of us had worn the shirt for years. 

The important thing in this type of sewing is that there are NO MISTAKES.  If you don't like something you just change it. It's the person inside of the clothing that MAKES IT WORK.  If you like it, then it's good.  

This dress is loose and comfortable and not like any other on the planet.  I will enjoy wearing it.

Fruit Loop Donut, eh?

This blog is supposed to be about finding beauty in unexpected places.  I may have to change that definition to "finding beauty and/or humor in unexpected places."  So this donut showed up at work today.  WHOSE IDEA WAS THIS??  Does anyone think a Fruit Loop donut sounds yummy?  hahaaaa 

Thong way from Classy

Ok, these are a thong way from classy, but they made me laugh!  These Western gals lost their skirts, but not their boots!  These are actually bar stools, spotted at The Town Dump, Cave Creek, AZ.  I live in Cave Creek but I think I need these for my horse barn in Wisconsin.  I am planning to convert the horse barn into a "bunk house" and these stools would be perfect for those crazy sister get-togethers I am planning to have (don't tell my mom).  Now how to ship these?  They weigh a ton.

Chenille Jackets

These adorable little jackets were spotted at the Opera House Antiques Mall in Lake Mills, WI.  They are made from old chenille bedspreads and hankies (top jacket has little hanky triangles coming out of the pockets.) How CUTE, right?? 

Lotsa Meatsa, Meetsa Door Handle

Well this is an interesting idea, spotted at The Meatball Shop in Chelsea, NYC.  A meat grinder for a door handle!  For a meatball shop or butcher shop, sure, WHY NOT?  The night before visiting The Meatball Shop I had seen Sweeney Todd at Lincoln Center.  If you don't know the plot for Sweeney Todd there is a SPOILER coming up.  Here goes:  in the play they are grinding up dead bodies in the basement and then taking them upstairs and making them into meat pies and selling to unsuspecting customers. 

So The Meatball Shop/Chelsea, has a basement, too.  And while we were there people were running up and down the stairs for things.  And I kept thinking about Sweeney Todd.  Hahaa.  But seriously, the meat at The Meatball Shop was all yummy.  No reason to worry (probably). 

So back to the meat grinder....I think you could make an interesting door handle out of any number of heavy old implements.  Clever! 

Jaguar Chair

A pair of these cool chairs can be seen at the Club Monaco flagship store in NYC.  They were discovered by their buyers at the Paris Flea Market.  The seats are made from vintage Jaguar car seats.  I tried to get them to sell me the pair, but they only laughed.  Apparently they've had offers from other customers.  One woman actually said, "I'll pay you ANYTHING for those chairs!"  (that wasn't me) Well, they're not for sale.  So I will need to find myself some chair frames and an old Jaguar so that I can recreate the look. 

The Birth of the Elevated Bag Lady

I can remember the moment it all began. I was 12 years old and at an auction with my mom and her friends. This was a country estate auction, the kind where everyone stands in the yard of the poor deceased and the auctioneer stands on the front porch while antique dealers, neighbors, relatives, and other curious folk jostle and compete for ownership of the sad remains of a lifetime.

It had been a long, but exciting day, one which completely fascinated me. It was the end of the day and the serious buyers had either gone to settle their accounts or stopped taking interest in the few remaining boxes of junk. The auctioneer was determined to clear it all out, and when he was unable to rouse a bid for an odd box of glassware he pointed at me and said, "Would the young lady like this box for 10 cents?" Well DUH! Of course I wanted the box for 10 cents! Well that opened the floodgates.  After that I bought a few more boxes for a quarter. And, well, before you knew it I was the owner of a trunk load of glassware. I had NEVER felt such a rush of adrenaline and excitement!

Good thing I had a paying farm job of $1.00/hr., as that began my obsession with glassware, and indeed, a life-long desire to find and use what others had no use for. 

Over the years I've shopped garage sales, auctions, and thrift stores. I've picked things up off the curb on garbage day. I've sewn, glued, and reupholstered countless numbers of items and spent several years selling Antiques from my own store, wearing funny old hats around town to establish my identity. (That's the crazy lady with the antique store!) 

This blog will be dedicated to recycling, upcycling, repurposing, creating, and just generally finding beauty in unusual places. The name and idea came to be while dining at a fine restaurant in NYC discussing my son's fashion blog, The Modern Otter. What could be more fun than contrasting my style with his? 

So here we go. Thanks for joining me. 

PS I am pretty sure this little girl was me in a previous lifetime.  If she looks unhappy that is just an illusion.  She is secretly laughing her head off, but she'd really like some new clothes.