reuse, remake, restyle--antique flea market finds

Last weekend there was an antiques flea market in our neck of the woods. In other words, local antique dealers holding a garage sale to get rid of stuff they've had too long. We got there early and we were not disappointed.

One vendor had items she had refurbished, repurposed, and restyled. Simple changes like a coat of paint made them look so chic! We were totally inspired and went wild, buying up tons of diamonds in the rough.

Check out our finds!

Some of these items had already been "restyled." Can you guess which ones? We have great plans for some of the others, like those old windows and the crocheted-edge pillowcases. Watch for them in a future post! Sometimes all it takes is a little inspiration.

There's an amazing place called The Salvage Studio in our area run by three friends and artists who take other people's cast-offs and turn them into art. Their slogan is "We rescue good junk" and they tout the studio as a "place to gather ideas, collect supplies, foster creativity and promote a sense of community." They hold classes and card swaps, and do demonstrations at the local libraries. You can't help but be inspired every time you walk through their doors.














Maybe that's why we were so inspired at the vintage flea market. We already took a $1 frame and came up with a unique way to hang your earrings. Also, if you make and sell jewelry this would be a great way to display your wares. The mesh was already stapled to the back. All it took was a coat of turquoise paint. Stunning!

With all the focus on living "green", it makes sense to recycle things in all aspects of our lives. Look around your own home for items that could be "reused, remade, or restyled." Or go garage-saleing this weekend and rescue some junk. Then apply a little creativity!

Happy hunting!