Why I save things/junk.

Our dining room, after the previous owner moved out.

I had a hard time even finding this picture. I first looked in my 2007 pictures. Then I realized we'd taken these in December 2006. John's parents bought this house from the lady who had lived here for 30 years. We bought it from them in June 2007. John's Step-Mom had the carpet pulled out the day THEY closed on the house. It was that bad. Ugh. John tore out the baseboard heater and the corner "cabinet" before we moved in so that the carpet could be replaced. Notice the "cabinet" doesn't have a back to it.

"Can you scoot over, Ellie?"
"This okay, Mommy?"
"Sure."

We saved all the parts to the cabinet to use a scrap wood. This door has been sitting in the shed for 3.5 years! I am so glad we saved it. (Currently kicking myself for trashing the chandelier even though a couple of globes were broken. I so could have replaced them and spray painted the darn thing!)

I decided to use the door finally. How funny that it is the first thing our guests will see. I also got a new lamp (need to hide the cord!), centered the table, and got the doorknob installed. Still need to put up the new light fixture.

The lamp was $12 at Big Lots of all places. It is mercury glass and super cool looking. The wreath is a Dollar Tree novel that the girls and I tore apart and stained with coffee to make the paper look old. Apparently there was a similar wreath (not for sale I don't think) in a Pottery Barn catalog a while back.

I think this room is my favorite in the house now.

Next up: Ellie's room. I have paint chips for the walls and her dresser. I have curtains and a little cork board that I fancied up with fabric and ribbon. Kicking her out of our room is bittersweet, but the poor thing doesn't even have a room of her own. It's currently the junk room.

My friend Karen says I need to get to Christmas crafting, but I'm ignoring her and doing more house stuff!