Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Garbage Pickin's


Hi everyone! It's finally fall in Georgia!! It was actually cold this morning - yippee! I feel so energized! I've felt like an exclamation point all day~giggle!



Well I promised I'd show what I found in the garbage so here they are. First, my wonderful husband dragged this perfectly good french door out of a neighbor's trash.



The hinges are all rusted but otherwise it's in perfect condition. Not one pane of glass is broken and it's a nice heavy door. I have a stash of windows and doors that I've been saving because one day I'm going to build myself a little greenhouse made out of salvaged windows and doors. OR maybe I'll use this one in the garden somewhere - wouldn't that be cute - a door to nowhere or somewhere!



This is a wooden valance. When I saw it I thought it would look so cute in my daughter's bedroom. I was going to paint it apple green because her bedroom is blue and apple green. Brought it home and it didn't fit! Tried it in all the windows, even the smaller bathroom one....didn't fit! So I was moaning to my daughter about how I have no place for it and she said "Mommy why don't you try it over a door?" That girl is brilliant if I do say so myself!



How cute is that! We tried it on all the doorways and decided this one in the kitchen was best.



Another place to decorate! Think of the possibilities!



I shopped my house and have my "ode to the rooster" display up there right now.


Anyway, I'm just thrilled with it! You can't beat free!


I hope you all are having a lovely day - I so enjoyed being out in the garden today and not sweating! More fall decorating on Thursday - I started fluffing up my screened porch for fall because we can finally eat outside without fainting from the heat!



72 comments:

Unknown said...

SO so so adorable over the door, its like it was made to go there. I love the glass french door. It would be cute against a wall with a cute berry wreath hanging from it with ribbon around it. LUCKY girl. Stop by and visit me sometime.. Larsenloves.blogspot.com Take care!

Jenni said...

Hi Manuela,
Those are two amazing finds! I love what you did with the sweet little shelf you found! It looks great above the doorway with all of your rooster decorations, too! I had thought of adding shelves above windows, but had never thought of doing it over a door! Your daughter is really onto something here! Hum...I wonder if my husband would help me make a shelf like that!

Happy Fall to you! Have fun decorating your porch for the season! :)

Connie said...

Hmmm, I wonder where your daughter gets her sense of style from? That apple didn't fall far from the tree. I LOVE the shelf above the door. Thanks for sharing your idea.

Becky said...

Just AWESOME! Your daughter I mean! Tee Hee!

Scrappy quilter said...

What wonderful finds. And your daughter is brilliant. I love it over the door...absolutely perfect!!

Amanda said...

Over the door, I would never have thought of that. It is the little things like that, that make me love your blog so much! I really like your cream rooster too!

Marla said...

That is so cute over the door. Wow your daughter inherited her mum's genes, huh? Good job as always and I know what you mean about the fall energy. Marla

Anonymous said...

Manuela, you always find the best things! That valance is just the greatest. At a shop near here they took two doors like that and joined them to make a 90 degree angle. They put them behind a chair and used it to hang pictures and things. Great for someone like me with limited floorspace!

Kim @ Starshine Chic said...

It looks perfect!!! I love it! And the door is pretty fabulous too. I can't believe the stuff that people throw away.

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

That door looks great ~ how about a door to "anywhere" your imagination decides to go that day! Love that valance piece. It looks made for that spot over your door. I was thinking it would probably work great over a bed as one of those canopy crowns, too.

Stephanie O. said...

The shelf is perfect above the door. Love the little gingham ribbon on the rooster...

Betsy Brock said...

I got my porch swing from the neighbors trash...only needed a fresh coat of paint! fun, fun!
Love your stuff...oh the possibilities! :)

Lorrie said...

wonderful ideas!

Darlene said...

Hi Manuela,

I absolutely LOVE that shelf over the door! What a fabulous idea! I also love your rooster collection up there...fabulous!!

Also, what a great idea for a greenhouse!

Tracy Watier said...

Very clever! And it looks great. You know, you could flip it upside down, place it on a countertop or work table up against a wall and use it for storage. Imagine jars of kitchen tools and small cookbooks or pens and paintbrushes and scissors.

Susie Q said...

Oh such cute finds! Just a little while back I found an old door sitting iut for the trash. It had a big *FREE* sigh on it so I pulled over and wrestled that thing into my van! I am thinking about just leaving it on my deck with a wreath on it...
Love,
Sue

Caro said...

How PERFECT is that?! Love it!!

Amber B. said...

I love the shelf over the door! Great idea!

Stacey said...

Great finds! I love the wooden valance. So cute!! And the endless possibilities of additional decorating space. You are good!

philben5 said...

What would we do without our precious girls' advice? Very cute!
Blessings
Roxanne

matty said...

Cute cute cute! Won't you come see me and redo my house??

Welcome, Autumn! Hooray!

Are you drying out??

Ally's Corner said...

Brilliant idea with the wooden valance and great find with the door.

Ally

Peggyann said...

I love, love. love what you do with decorating your house. I have been wanting a shelf like that! I have so much I can't display because I'm running out of room. I do have something like it over my kitchen windows.

Manuela said...

That is the perfect place for the valance. What a great idea! Beautiful finds!

Glenda/MidSouth said...

Love it! I would have never thought to put it up over the door. Looks great up there. Look who her teacher is! Decorator in the making. :-)

Confessions of a Plate Addict said...

Hi Manuela! Is that not the perfect solution! Kudos to your daughter! And that opens up a whole new decorating world!! How much fun! Isn't the weather wonderful?? I need to get rid of a bunch of old receipts, so I'm thinking fire bowl on the patio tonight with a glass of wine! lol Might as well kill two birds withone stone! Enjoy!...Debbie

Amanda said...

What a good idea... I immediately went to walk around my house and look at all the door ways for possibilities! :o)

Denise said...

Love the idea of a shelf over the door.

XXDenise

southerninspiration said...

that is delightful!!! Love it...and it fits right in!

Suzanne

Paula@SweetPea said...

Your daughter is a smart cookie! It looks great over the door and it will be fun to change out what you are displaying from time to time.

Bonita said...

Those are tremendous finds! I love what you did with the valence and so appreciate your sharing it because now I want one really badly. I'll be on the lookout now that I know what to do with it! Tell your daughter thanks!

I love the idea of a door to nowhere. That sounds so mysterious and inviting.

Please keep sharing your ultra creative ideas. They really help me!

mommynoodles said...

Love your free goodies and your doorway looks adorable now! I really love the plate behind the rooster.

Jen @ tatertotsandjello.com said...

Wow - you find the best things Manuela! I love that valence and it is so sweet over the door.

I hope you are having a wonderful day!

XOXO
jen

Beth said...

Yea for neighbors who throw away nice things! And your daughter for her suggestion! The wooden valance looks great above the doorway - I love it!

It was cold here this morning too...brrr!

Laura said...

Wow, now I want one of those!!!! Who would have thought to put that over a door! Brilliant.

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

That door will be fantastic as a greenhouse door! LOVE the valance. It looks wonderful over your door...Great finds, you lucky girl you!
xo
Penny

Anonymous said...

HI clicked on your blog off of one of my readers blog rolls. That is really neat. Wish I could find garbage finds like that. I think we have a lot in common-we blog about similiar things. You should come check me out sometime. This is my first visit to your blog too.
Staci www.designingandmotherhood.blogspot.com

Pat@Back Porch Musings said...

I love all your garbage finds! My favorite has to be the valance and how you used it over the door! Perfection!

Julie Harward said...

Manuela...that is so awesome! I love it over the door, that would be cute over several doors! I have a set of french doors just like that that we didn't use as we built out home. I don't know what to do with them...any ideas? (Come say hi :D)

Melissa @ Huckleberry Prairie said...

That looks PERFECT over the door... it was meant to be! Love it! :)

Scooterblu's Whimsy~Rhonda said...

Free is good, very good! :) Love the shelf over the door! ~Rhonda

Wendy said...

That shelf above the door is awesome! Never thought of that before. I beat you will start a new trend!

Salmagundi said...

Great idea! I love shelves up high - they are such a great place to decorate and draw the eye up. Makes the whole room seem like it has really high ceilings. Clever you and daughter!! Sally

Karen at Nittany Inspirations said...

You may have started something. I think everyone should have a couple of these over their doors.

cherry said...

OHH love your finds....great over the door too!

Nadine said...

What wonderful finds...and you can't beat the price!

I love the idea of the shelf over the door, I may have to borrow that idea!

Blessings!
~Nadine

Happy@Home said...

I would have to agree with you ~ your daughter is brilliant. That shelf looks perfect over the door.

We finally have cool weather here in NC too. I'm loving it.

GlorV1 said...

How smart of your daughter, but then look who she has for a mother. Manuela! I think that is a great spot and that french door looks pretty good too. Very nice and I felt the same way with the briskness we had today. Take care.

Eileen said...

Oh, I just love that over the door! What a great idea. I love the french door, too - it looks just like the ones I have between my living and dining room. I'm jealous of your fall weather - we're having a heat wave here, unfortunately. :(

Angie said...

WOW!!! Two totally awesome finds for FREE! I am so crazy - seeing your green kitchen makes me wish mine was green too, and as you know I have just painted it. That green looks so great with black and white. Where did you get that polka dot plate? I would love to have several of them!

Unknown said...

Love it.

M.L. @ The House of Whimsy said...

Goodness Gracious!!! That's darling there!!! And you're right...you can't beat free! : )
M.L.

Anonymous said...

Hi Manuela,
I've always wanted a greenhouse and I have seen doors in the garbage. What a wonderful idea! Wonder if I could ever make it work.
vickie

Theresa @ Take A Sentimental Journey said...

Looks great and I like your display too ! Good ideal!

Stacey said...

I hope we are all still blogging when you get around to building that greenhouse. Seems like I've seen pics of greenhouses built out of all salvaged windows. I love the look!

Now about that shelf - love it!!

Julie said...

I love the door! I can't believe someone didn't want to keep it. And the shelve over the door is so cute, your daughter has your decorating style!

Gracie said...

Well, your daughter had a brilliant idea! It looks so nice over there, it seems it was born for fitting it!

Melissa Miller said...

If this is not ever adorable! LOVE it! Your daughter IS brilliant. :)

Sharon said...

Good Morning Manuela!

Wow, what great finds! I love the shelf above the door, so charming!

The door is a great find too :)

have a great day and thanks for sharing :)

Sharon

Lisa said...

I love the valance above the door!!! What a great idea.

Moore Minutes said...

Hi there! :) I'm a new follower of your blog and I am so enjoying everything you have here!! This door shelf is so unique and beautiful!! I love it.

Also, I'm doing my first giveaway on my blog right now if you're interested:

http://www.mooreminutes.com/2009/09/pleated-poppy-giveaway.html

A Southern Rose said...

I love that shelf placed above the door! What a great idea! I'm gonna be on the look out for some now! I might even have one or two in storage! I love the door too! Nothin' beats free!

My Cozy Cubby said...

One person's trash someone else's treasures, right?! What a great idea for the greenhouse. If only I had a green thumb... Absolutely love the french door. I would probably want to use it to put black and white family photos, or some fun craft papers, or both!
It's fun to visit your blog and see what you come up with next!
Pamela

Karen said...

Now that turned out great! Hmmmmmm . . . wonderif it would work in my house somewhere . . . But I have 8' doors - they are so high!
Great job! This was a great post!!!! Love it!
HAGD!

Rosemary said...

Wow!
Great trash Manuela!
Rosemary

Becky K. said...

Your daughter is a chip of the old block...so to speak. Lots of great ideas floating around from your neck of the woods.

As to the cooler weather...I was rejoicing to get to wear a sweater today. Hooray! I love Fall!!!

Becky K.
Hospitality Lane

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

That shelf is so cute over the door, and you're right, getting a free shelf for more display space is wonderful! Oh, I hope you build a greenhouse with your doors. I've been wanting to do that, but haven't the courage to do it. Maybe seeing yours will give me some courage. laurie

cindy said...

That is adorable! Great idea!

Kathleen Grace said...

What wonderful finds! I love the shelf over the door. What a great idea!

Cindy said...

I love that little valance!!! That would look cute over a bed with fabric coming down and draped to each side! I've been looking for something like that for my room!!! It looks adorable over your doorway and another place to decorate is always good!!!

~Kathie~ said...

The wooden shelf looks perfect over the door! What a great idea your daughter had!!!

momto5 said...

i have a valance in my 70's bathroom that i despise, never once gave it a thought to reuse it in another way, i love it over a door, it's just darling!