thrift store art

Today my son spent the afternoon with my parents. I had full intentions of simply sleeping as long as I could while I was alone, but I had an order to ship out. Once I was dressed and ready, I was feeling kind of ambitious and after the post office I went to the Salvation Army and picked up five plaques on which to create new art. Then I went to Craft Mania to pick up sandpaper and paint, and THEN (yes there's more) I finally re-registered to vote because I was cutting it dangerously close. *knee up, elbow down* Yesssss!

I may also have a cup of coffee to thank for my energy level. Coffee gets me pumped.

At the Salvation Army, I was interested in a really fancy framed mirror on which to paint some pretty black silhouette, but when I picked it up I was disappointed (and grossed out) to find the back, once nicely felted, was scabby and grimy. I'll just keep my eyes open for other mirrors.

These are the plaques, now in my ownership, and destined for great (hopefully?) things:


I dusted and cleaned them, and sandpapered the edges of the smallest one, and packed up an order that was placed while I was gone, all before my parents and brother arrived back with my son.

The only bad part about this is that I sandpapered a hole in the skin on one of my knuckles. I am still not sure how I did it but it hurt like mad and it doesn't look pretty, either. I don't have any bandaids. This needs to change. Because, ouch.

While I was sanding I thought (again) about my grandparents' house in Bethel, and how it stands empty now- the house, the garage, the workshops, the porches, the field- and how I wish I could live there and make my Grampy's old workshops and my Grammy's old work/supply room my own. I wonder if they are still covered in the dust from his woodworking and the smell of her fabric and yarn.

Tomorrow my son spends the afternoon with my parents again and I would love to come back and have new things to post! Wish me luck.

xoxo Courtney Quiet City