I think that is the best way to describe what I love about fabulous flea market and garage sale finds. I don’t just ‘collect’ junk, but always make sure the item has a purpose in my home.
I use old milk bottles as straw dispensers…

I turned old crates into a fully functional bookcase…

An old, wooden ironing board into a coffee table…

An old door into a headboard…

So I don’t just buy ‘junk’ and old stuff for the sake of having it or storing it. I buy only what I know I can make use of in some way and in some respect, to skip purchasing IKEA mdf and particle board furniture. Don’t get me wrong. I love Ikea…just not so much their furniture. For the same price and most times less, I can find an item to do the same job at a flea market or garage sale and chances are good it is made out or real wood! Why real wood items as opposed to particle board or MDF? Because I can paint it any color I desire or typically, lot’s of colors and then distress or what I like to call ‘un-paint’. I posted the process of ‘up-painting’ here a couple of years ago, but basically, it is the art of applying multiple paint layers in distinct contrasting colours and then removing the paint in the ‘distress’ areas to reveal the multitude of colours underneath.
My fascination with ‘re-purposing’ doesn’t end with furniture. I truly believe I love sewing so much for the same reason.
I can take this…

and turn it into this…

It’s the end result which is most satisfying. Turning something into something else. From furniture, to fabric to a lump of yarn, it’s like a mini reward everytime I complete a project which keeps me creating more and more projects.
Thanks for stoppin’ by and hope you have a fabulous day!