Re-purpose

I have wanted to blog about this topic for awhile, but I didn't think I had enough material. Well, I'm just going to go with it and post more about my thrifty obsessions as I buy/salvage more. I know I have written about how I adore garage sales and rummage sales, but I also check out the several dumpsters around our apartment complex. When I thought about writing this post, I went around our place looking for things I bought at a garage sale, salvaged, or just used in a different way than it's real purpose.
Here is what I have come up with so far:

I love lamp. This little beauty I salvaged from the U-Haul storage unit. There was an area where people could dump stuff they didn't want, and I saw this and had to have it. There was a different shade on it. The shade on it now isn't what I would like, but I already had it, and it works for now. EW wasn't thrilled when I carried it into our storage unit. He said we were there to put our things in storage, not add to it. Well, it spoke to me, and I was so glad that it worked!

There are a couple things in this picture. The bookcase my mom got at a 2nd hand store for dirt cheap, it's a bit beat-up, but I can always paint it. The silver plate that the orange candle is on, I found at a rummage sale, for under a dollar. It is actually a fancy hot-plate, but I thought a big pillar candle would look awesome on it. I think it works!

Our kitchen doesn't have much cabinet space, so I really needed to find some shelves to give more space. I was looking at several stores, but all of the shelves that I liked were so expensive or didn't fit.

Then one day about a month after we moved into our apartment, I was walking Bandit, and had to take her doodoo bag to the dumpster. There were 3 of these white, wire shelves sitting outside, next to the dumpster. Seeing that they were in really good shape, I picked them up and made them mine! I'm so glad because they fit perfectly in my cabinets. I also have one on our dresser for a bit more space.

Not many people know what this is. It is actually a shoe holder. My grandma picked it up at the church rummage sale. My shoes are too big, but I knew I could use it for something. And that something is for all my junk in the bathroom. It's been in 3 apartments bathrooms now, and it really useful. It's a bit rusty, and I plan on painting it next summer. I'm thinking black...

Over the weekend, I had EW help me get the Christmas decorations down. We are saving the tree for this weekend. I just wanted to get a bit ahead, instead of doing it all this weekend. I got our stockings out and last year I thought I would get 3 when I bought them just in case we had an addition to our family. So glad I did, since we did get an addition: Bandit Blu. When I went to hang them up though, I found that I had only bought 2 holders...ugh. Not having any money to spend (seriously) I wasn't for sure what I was going to do. Holders can be $10+. So this morning I went to Goodwill to check out what they had. Thankfully, I found one that I really liked (the tree in the middle) and they had 2! Of course I had to buy the pair, since our family will most likely grow again in the next few years.

Here's a closer picture. I'm not in love with the color, so I'm thinking of painting them gold, to match the snow flakes. What do you think?

I really wish I had a before picture with this one, but I can't find one. This lamp I got for $5 at a rummage sale. The previous owners painted it white (you can see it was black). I'm thinking about painting it again, since you can see the black showing through in some spots. I really wanted new shades for this lamp. Before I painted them silver, they were yellow and blue striped. I really love how it turned out! I think the silver would really pop if the base was a different color. Ah, another project for next summer....

I have a few more items that I would like to share, but they can wait for another time.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

-Brina

Thanksgiving and Birthdays

This past weekend we went to my parents to celebrate Thanksgiving and my Dad's, Grandma's, EW's and my birthday. I was very excited, and so was Bandit. She loves going on rides, and going to Granma and Granpa's house. Friday night Bandit and I picked up EW at the train station and we were on our way. We rolled into Watseka around 7:30, so we had all evening to visit. Bandit, of course couldn't get enough attention and was bouncing off the walls. Good thing we didn't go to bed until 11 or so.
My brother was out and about, so I thought I would play a joke on him. I've already done it to EW a few weeks ago, and couldn't wait to use it on my brother.

That is not what it looks like. LOL, it's looks good though, right? It is actually a toilet paper roll soaked in water and tore up in pieces, then mushed back together. So easy, and really funny! And yes, that is on his bed. When he got home that night, everyone was in bed. He didn't freak, but did come out of his room to ask me if it was real poop. He said he picked it up and smelled it, and it didn't smell bad, but he wasn't for sure, so thought he would ask. HA!

On Saturday, my Grandma and Aunts came so we could have Thanksgiving. Our house is really small, and Mom doesn't care much for cooking, so we went out to eat. All of us got to pick whatever we wanted to have, which I love. I had soup and a big salad, and everyone else had Turkey or Roast dinners. The dinner was good, and it was great to be with family. Back at home, we had Cheesecake (at my request, since I can eat it) to celebrate all the birthdays. It was a great ending to a wonderful day!

Bandit loved sitting in Granpa's chair. When he wasn't sitting it in, she took full advantage!

This is were EW and Bandit spent most of their weekend. Hanging out, watching movies with Granpa, while my mom and I did some shopping.

This is Binky, and her spot for the weekend. Bandit loves Binky, and wants to play, but Binky isn't thrilled. She stays in my parents room, behind the gate. When Bandit takes a 'nap', she come out. Binky definitely loves to see us leave more than arrive.

This is my favorite picture of the weekend! Bandit was very happy she got to sit on Granpa's lap. Of course, a few minutes after this picture, she had to get off because she wanted to lick his face off. :)
Dad looks really good here, especially since he just had a hip-replacement just a few weeks ago!

 Granma got her a bacon flavored bone. She worked on it all weekend! Not to mention, Granma was giving Bandit little treats behind Momma's back. She sure does get spoiled :)

On Sunday, it was time to travel back home. It's always sad leaving, but I know we will be back. Hopefully the weather will be ok to travel at Christmas. While driving, I just had to take a picture of the open fields and the beautiful sky. Oh, how I miss this:

Hope everyone takes advantage of the beautiful weather,

-Brina

Halloween

I think I will just skim over the day before Halloween, even though it was my Birthday. This year we kept it pretty low key. EW and I went to church, then we went out for breakfast (at Denny's because we had a coupon...Mistake) and the meal wasn't that great. However, for dinner, we went out to Houlihans, which was really good! In between, we just hung out at the apartment watching tv. My gift from EW was taking Bandit outside all day. It was a great gift! All in all, a pretty good day.

Now Halloween was nice also. I spent the day with my lil pumpkin. She must have known we were going to have a big night because she slept all day long, which is out of character for her. So after laying around all day, we went and picked up EW at the train station. We came home and everyone changed. Bandit was not into her costume as much as I was.

No. I refuse to put it on...

Ok fine, since I get a goody bag filled with treats!

I am ready to hit the road!

We took her to PetSmart, but it was pretty dead. We just walked around for a bit, then headed back home and just hung out. It was a good ending to the day. We may not have went out and collected loads of candy, but there are many years ahead for that.

As the Holiday season nears, we are very excited to spend time with our families. Next weekend we are going to my parents house. I have a baby shower to go to, so we thought we would use the weekend to celebrate several birthdays, including mine, and Thanksgiving also. Bandit just loves seeing her grandparents, and knows she will gets little bits from my Dad when no one is looking. We are so thankful for everyone in our lives, and can't wait for all the get-togethers, laughs, and love with all of you!

-Brina

Fall

    It's been over a month since I have updated. I'm not really sure what my problem is, but I've been avoiding it. I'm pretty sure I have been depressed. Not sure what gives it away: not getting dressed all day, not getting up off the couch all day, crying over everything, or not giving two sh*ts that out apartment is a total disaster. Yeah, it's that bad....
    Not only do I feel depressed, but I have been having nightmares about how I'm not a good teacher, and how I have failed as a person. This self-doubt has increased so there are days that I feel utterly hopeless. I know that it sounds silly, even as I am typing this, but when you have hours every day to just sit and think about how your life is totally not working out like you thought it would, things get a bit heavy. For instance: This past weekend I had a dream about some high school 'friends' and Mel Gibson. Yeah...he ended up spitting on me and rode off with my friends, leaving me stranded. What does that tell you about what kind of place I am in? And that it bothers me when a now D-list actor spits on me in a dream.
    I have been on an interview and I hope to hear something good soon, so things could be looking up. It's 5 days away from my 26th birthday, so I could really use some good news. However, with it being so close to my birthday, I would think I would be a bit more excited. It must be the funk that I'm in that is zapping out all of my cheer. I guess 26 is just another number. Just another year.
    It must seem that I am just a Debbie Downer, but I really do appreciate all the good things going on in life. These are the things that seem to keep me going. Bandit is my companion every day, and EW has been great during my funk. He keeps telling me that everything will be ok, and lets me cry when I need to. He knows it been a rough year and a half for me, but just having him with me is such a comfort.
    Really, I just can't let myself slip into the past. That is where everything goes down hill. When I think about what could have been, it always ends up badly. I need to remember that things happened for a reason, and I'm in the present--here and now.

Anyway, now for some happiness...

I finally got around to putting up our family pictures. Love them!

It's that time of year again. Pumpkin muffins :)

One box of cake mix and one can of pumpkin. Mix. Bake on 350 for 10 min.

You can use a gluten-free cake mix, if needed.

Our little pumpkin.

She has found a new favorite place. I guess I take up too much room on the couch,

and she needs more room to spread out.

Hopefully I have broken my funk, and I will be updating a bit more often! Of course I'll have to do one on Bandit's first Halloween. Especially since she is dressing up!

-Brina