Salvage finds

The high/low challenge from HGTV was fun -- if you're into that kind of stuff -- which, if you're reading, you probably are.  Look at these four sets of items and choose which one has the lowest price tag:

Then find the answers here!  This was that contest I won... or well, at least won a HGTV t-shirt or something! :)

----        anyhooo.... back to reality....     ------

There is this 'surplus' or 'recycle' store that I've visited a few times now - called Construction Junction.  Sometimes there is a lot of junk, sometimes there is a lot of cool finds -- like this one:

AND I found TWO of them!  Perfect!  I have two open holes next to the guest bed windows.  They look period-specifics (at least to me... 1930's that is...).  Actually I found these a year ago and just haven't used them yet.  I believe $8 a piece or $8 total.  Yes, not a hell-uv-a-good-deal but that's okay.

They have some paint on them, so we polish it off AND find some brass!  Perfect!  

We'll just peel the paint away (sanding, polishing, or soaking in a slow cooker on high with dish soapy water -- then peeling it off) and then we'll have a beautiful brass fixture!

Or not...

There is a yucky steel under this paint.  Blech.

So, we found some hammered nickel spray paint so that will look well with the ceiling fan.  Spray painting is the easy part -- wiring it is not!  That is on our to-do list this wknd... as well as too many other things :)

Hopefully I'll be able to share a picture of these installed... soon... (Tom?)

On a different note - I am in serious need of covering or 'dressing' my windows. We have far TOO many windows, truly (38 windows?  Tom?).  We MADE some curtains on Saturday - yahoo!  MAJOR thanks to my amazing mother-in-law!  (and then that night, she watched the kiddos while we went out for our anniversary!!)

Check them out!  Still need to add some more hooks to make it sit against the window better.. And now I also feel like I need to add something up top!  That will be a wayyyy later type of project...

A couple weeks ago I had an interior designer here, Kay.  She's not very good with using email, but she definitely has the designer 'look' going on for an older woman! 

She was with Caldwell's Windoware.  I was impressed actually (despite thinking I might not be after a few conversations...  She brought some awesome samples though!

I believe we will go with one of those 'bamboo' looking shades with a valance up top - that way I don't hide the beautiful woodwork we took so much time to strip/sand/stain last year.  I think our living room will be our project for the next spring/summer/fall.  We need to close those holes in the fireplace, paint that, install a beautiful mantle, fix the french doors - DRESS the doors and windows... and probably get new furniture to fit.  Thats a LOAD of work - but enough work for the entire year I think! :)

Do you spy what I spy?  :)  Besides the mess of course...

Reduce, reuse, recycle,

Heather