Use and Re-use the Junk You’ve Been Collecting

 

One recent morning, I booted up my computer, started looking through my email and my eyes landed on this:

 

Smart DIY Uses for All the Junk You’ve Been Hoarding!!

{Is that an email for ME or what?}

 

However, I do prefer the term ‘collecting’ over ‘hoarding’ I must say! 

It’s sounds much more normal….

um, okay, on that note shall we proceed?

-----------------------------------

I’ll admit, I do have some extras around

Keeping it real… here is some evidence of some of my
piles of junk
errrr….carefully curated vignettes!!

warning – some of these are pretty bad!

Now, granted, these photos may or may not have been taken when things were massed together (perhaps painting one side of a room so everything was pushed together into one spot or swapping stuff out for the change a seasons but still - it’s bad!!)

it’s actually making me hyperventilate a little

stuff I was getting ready for the shoppe

too much stuff is making me
uncomfortable

my problem is that I like all this stuff

I like each birdhouse, I like each little shelf, I like the gardening supplies,
I like each individual component a lot!!

perhaps, it’s just that I like them all too much

here’s the root of my problem:

I say to myself ‘oh, I can use that later in a project’

or

‘what if that is THE piece that pulls a look together down the road?’

 Are any of you in the same boat?

oh boy!

so what’s a junk-loving, crafty, home décor blogger to do?

EDIT EDIT EDIT!!!

Sadly, the magazine article in the email above didn’t really help me in this scenario…it was more about tips & tricks (like using old yogurt containers and dental floss for household uses)

I’m proud to say, I don’t have too much dental floss (really who does?)and I don’t keep yogurt containers amassed for potential future use
(yay for me!)

apparently, my problem of hoarding collecting is
on a whole different scale!! 

In my defense, my junk is the good junk - not new junk but good OLD junk - like step ladders, vintage kitchen goods, garden furniture etc.

{I sense a bit of backsliding in this last statement – uh oh!}

but I do need to EDIT

So here I go….off on an

edit adventure

I’ll show you some of my results here soon!!

 

Chat soon -

NORTHERN COTTAGE
(click here for Northern Cottage main page)
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new flirty apron

loving a new little addition

to my

 

Apron

Collection

I picked up this baby and

have been wearing it

all

the

  time!!

to do dishes, to vacuum, while folding laundry, while blogging…

It just makes me feel

pretty

{I feel like June Cleaver!}

 

It’s the little things that can make
all the difference in a day!!

Chat soon -

NORTHERN COTTAGE
(click here to follow or go to Northern Cottage blog home)

Check out my Pinterest Pins/Boards here

A Good Summer Day

This past Saturday was a good day

---------------------

Started off visiting with some of my favorite people

(my sister and her family stayed overnight with us – we always have fun together)

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We got up and had some breakfast

{made raspberry coffee cake - mmm}

---------------------

and then

off to a local flea market

where I snagged a few goodies

{a poor broken little windmill}

{fresh sunflowers}

{vintage metal molds}

{vintage canisters}

{shelf cabinet}
gonna paint this baby up – hmmm what color?

{vintage lunchbox and enamel bucket}

I just love the color of these

{drawers and the crystal knobs}

who can’t use some additional
{wooden boxes!?}

I have plans for this stack of
{metal trays}

a
{towel bar}
that will be refreshed

---------------------

Afterwards, I got a lot of organizing done

around the house,

---------------------

I also got to play in the garden

---------------------

went for a bike ride with the kiddos,

---------------------

we all went swimming in the local watering hole

and

---------------------

came home for a quick, easy but entirely
yummy summer dinner

 

---------------------

yep!

a good summer day, indeed!

Chat soon -

NORTHERN COTTAGE
(click here to go to Northern Cottage blog home)

linking to:  someday crafts * at home with k * today’s creative blog

Treasures to Share

I’ve got…well…let’s say…. a bountiful amount of treasures that I’m ready to see go to a new home. 
{Although now that I see them in pictures they LOOK SO TOOTIN CUTE!! }  Maybe I should keep them…..I think my hubby might not love THAT idea as much!
 

As I was cleaning house this morning – I set a just a FEW things on the kitchen table as a landing spot…..but the COLLECTION….KEPT…GROWING.
I guess we’ll have to EAT OUT!
    

And. I. have. MORE….in the man cave above the garage (aka storage right now)!
hmmm…I think I have a problem….maybe I should stay away from garage sales/auctions/estate sales/goodwill for awhile!!
I’ve been toying with the idea of having a little spot in an area antique shop but don’t know if I will or not….
Hope you’re having a WONDERFUL Summer so far!!!
Chat soon -
NORTHERN COTTAGE

Cleaning the Kitchen Sink

Not the most enjoyable thing TO DO but it is so nice to walk by a clean kitchen with a spotless sink…serious satisfaction.  Wow I must be old if that is a great part of my day. 

ah well – simple pleasures – we have to take what we can get!

Here is how I clean my kitchen sink & just love the results while it lasts:

1. Fill the kitchen sink with HOT water. 

I just do one side of the sink at a time so I have the other side free if needed.

 

2. Add a cup or so of bleach

3. Let sit for an hour (or three if you get sidetracked with other stuff!)

4. Empty & do any little bit of wiping you might see as needed

5. Wipe dry

6. If possible, I keep it wiped as much as I can & it really limits the water droplet stains, buildup, etc.

ooooohhh sparkly!

One spot of shinyness to enjoy through the day….ah now if only everything else could be picked up, put away, organized, cleared, scrubbed & taken care of with just a few steps like this!!!

Someday I’d adore having an apron farmhouse sink like this – someday!

country living

One thing @ a time!

Chat soon -

NORTHERN COTTAGE