Garage Sale Makeovers

I love finding old pieces from garage sales...just being able to see the previous owner makes the hunt even more nostalgic than the thrift store. Plus I get to do a little evil laugh to myself thinking how awesome I am going to make their "junk." If only they knew the potential...they would have to fight me to the ground for it. Yes, Mr. $25 hutch...it has a value of around $300 now! hehehehehe....suckers.... ;)
Anyways, I found these fun little hot pads at a garage sale and though "vintage" so not my style! The one on the right is pretty cute...but I am more of a red and teal girl than green and purple. So anyways, I had big dreams for these babies.
The same garage sale was also selling a handful of blank white tiles...perfect! So it took me months to figure out what I wanted to do with them...I thought about stamping...writing something clever but "food" is all I could come up with...or "hot." Lame...but then I thought...
...monogram! Perfect!!! I love them soooo much! So cute...so personal...so much more modern with a vintage feel...and so thrifty! ;) And yes, I wrote these free-hand...I have heard some think it is a gift...it's second nature...like spray paint...and not paper crafting! One is hung on the oh so favorite Ikea towel racks...along with a few pans.
The other is hung between these two deliciously juicy red hot plates on the wall...yum!
I also found these old birds...and failed at the before picture...sorry. I tried to take this one which was before the final coat of spray paint...think ceramic brownish yellow bird perched on some wood...
With a fresh coat of paint...these babies look much newer, fresher, and hipper...all the birds around the block are going to be jealous! ;)
I got the idea from a magazine that also suggested buying old ceramic vases with embellishments and painting them all one color to make a unified look with them all clustered together...genius! Love it!