There are those days and weeks that seem to drag on. Those times you feel like life is ready to kick you at every turn. Been having a few of those times here lately. Sunday I did a trip to Waco all by myself. Greg stayed home to take care of some really important stuff “FOOTBALL”. I enjoyed my alone time with my thoughts and a few healthy snacks. I turned up my running track, danced and sang all the way to Waco and back. I took care of business at BoHo Buffalo, Junky Monkey and Cameron’s. Watch for some exciting news about BoHo Buffalo. On my way outta town I stopped at one of my favorite thrift stores and it was a score. I got the most beautiful dining table . It was all alone in the back of the store with no chairs and lots of crap piled on top of it. I’m pretty sure I made the girl mad when I ask to buy it. After all she had to do her job and clean it off and help me load it. So sorry I ask you to stop scrolling FB and IG and earn your pay. She should count her blessings that she has a job and care enough to do it. Well that was a bit of a rant, but enough of that.
Treasure hunting to find those things that most people consider trash brings me so much joy, These lost treasure remind me of me. At a much younger age I always felt 2nd, less than and a bit of a broken girl. I wanted more out of life and I was determined to find more. Words were spoke to me that were unkind and uncalled for. I was treated in away that was wrong on so many levels. I was mistreated and mislead by misfit adults with sick minds and violent threats. Why in the world would I tell you all this to prove my point and say. I climbed a big mountain to get to this place of loving those and things that are climbing that mountain. Loving what is tossed out and giving life to things that no one wants makes me feel accomplished. Yes, I know so please don’t email me that things like old furniture don’t have feelings. No it doesn’t but it gives me the best feeling to save things. To offer a compliment to someone walking with their head down. Letting someone know I would pray for them. Yes! If I say on FB or IG I’ll pray for you I do right that very minute. I remember and not so long ago feeling broken, unaccomplished and less than. It was a struggle every day to just get up and take care of my family. Greg traveled and the kids were at school. I cried most days and as we all know I eat my way to 304lbs. I hated what those unfit misfit adults had made me into. It took me years to climb that mountain and love me with grace and forgiveness. If I didn’t start the climb up I was sure to slip deeper into the dark valley.
Trust me when I say life isn’t perfect. I have those days when I ask myself why do you drive yourself so hard, why bother. I bother because I was giving this life as a gift. I try to unwrap each day like it is a gift. Everyday is different and filled with good and bad. I have to make the choice to count my blessings and move forward. It is easier to just sit in your pity and not change. If you don’t change you don’t grow. If you don’t grow you slowly die even though you are alive. Living a dead life is painful and slow to choke you. I rise each day and go about creating things I love. Filling my stores and my heart with a little bit of love. My things are treasures that have been forgotten and tossed out. With love and a creative heart these treasure hold value once again. Much like that broken little girl I was so long ago.
A few of my trash to treasure make overs prove that nothing is lost it only needs love. This piano bench was robed of its lid that held the music. I found it in someones trash ready for the land field. With a little love and old wood also from the trash it has made a come back.
On a trip to an estate sale I bought this old bench. Greg rolled his eyes at this one and didn’t want me to buy it. I promised it had more to give I just needed some time with it. Greg had to help me brace the legs but I worked my magic with my sander and paint. A customer bought it for her lake house. Again, no hope but time and love proved it to be something pretty special.
This dresser was on the side of the road. Not in someone trash I think it was dumped there. I tossed it in my truck and away I went to my studio. The drawers were toast and the body was leaning. With Greg’s help we fixed it all and it’s now in a special customers home. This was the dresser I submitted to Rustic to get my booth there. I’m really proud of this piece. It really was past the gone stage when I found it, but now it’s restored.
The worst thing you can do in life is give up on yourself. There is no amount of money, no amount of failure and no amount of anything that you can’t over come. Giving yourself grace and forgiveness to change things. Big or small it’s change. Change is growth and growth moves you forward one day at a time.
