Ditty of the day

I live in the Tinman's house

For the past month i have been looking online and driving around for a new place to live.  We were thinking about finding a house to rent closer to Jeremy's hospital, but we just aren't finding much.  Although, we like the loft that we are currently living in now.  It was just in the winters it was a far drive for Jeremy in all the snow.  Since we haven't really found anything that meets our criteria (cheaper, closer, and a fenced in yard) we are thinking about just staying where we're at now.  We are wanting to get a unit with a balcony.  The girl in charge told us there may be one available in a couple months. 

In the meantime we have been watching the TV show Hoarders and was starting to feel all nasty and had to clean up and declutter!  Our loft doesn't really have much storage space, cabinets or counter space so before we had things stashed away here and there.  When we first moved in we went out looking for an island for the kitchen and some sort of storage thing.  We found this metal work table and tool box thing and ended up getting it since it went with the utility/metal look already in the loft and cheaper than some other things.  This past weekend we ended up getting rid of some furniture and buying some new things.  We got a new TV/media stand and another big metal cabinet.  I've also been wanting a new desk with storage and Jeremy found this work bench that went with the rest of all the metal stuff.  I don't think i would want all this stuff in a house or anywhere else but because it all matches and goes with the place i don't mind so much.  We could really use it again in a garage or basement.  Jeremy was already eyeing my desk while i was setting it up.  I'm still in the process of getting rid of stuff and decluttering.  I've been going around taking notes of where and what i could do to freshen up the place. 



Before the new desk




New desk. 




New media stand and cabinet.





This is a little nook in the hallway.  Added the curtain to cover the rack at the top



Like I said...still a work in progress

Brass lamp redo

Last night i was looking at our lamp beside the couch and noticing how much it needed an upgrade.  So i went out and bought a new lamp shade and some spray paint.  I cant decide if i like the lamp in the flat or if i should have gotten the gloss paint. 

sunflowers

and Ziva says Hi

We hit the motherload

A couple years ago my mom was riding her bike home from work and had noticed a big dumpster full of stuff.  When she got home she asked me if i had wanted to go back out with her to check it out.  Now being brought up with a mom that is a picker/dumpster diver or always pulling over to pick something off the side of the road, this came to no surprise to me.  So we jumped in the car and drove over there.  At first glance there were just a bunch of boxes and a few pieces of furniture visible.  We were leaning over trying to see what was in the boxes and trying to dig around.  After we found some really cool things...we got inside the dumpster.

We believe that it must have all belonged to a doctor or dentist that had passed away and someone just threw out a bunch of his stuff.  There were all kinds of things in there.  It looked like he must have traveled a good bit because a lot of the pieces looked like they were from a different country.  After awhile it had started to rain a little and the car was starting to get full.  We went back home unloaded it and the rain had stopped.  We decided to go back and finish looking.  After we had finished and had gotten all that we thought we wanted (there wasn't too much left), went home and looked at everything we had gotten...





The chair is a little wobbly but i think its cool for decoration.
The bench was just plain, but i put the mosaic on it.

 


The statues arm was broken off but i found it.  I think i like it better without it though.
The other guy is made out of metal.

 


I have seen these coal bucket things at antique stores before.
The vase has a big chip in the back, but its still usable.





The tray in the back



These are my moms lamps.  She pulled them out of a box and they were in good condition!

 


This one is mine and it works too!  I made the lamp shade.

 


2 little birdies.

Candlesticks

 
Those are just a few things we got.  There was also a Jerry Mahoney ventriloquist doll (which gave me nightmares), this Mexican pig/dog statue thing, an accordion from Germany, Matador Bust, a rocking chair, some other vases/planters, plates, a wooden bowl, a teddy bear, a wooden wine rack, mens suit rack, and probably other stuff I'm forgetting.  Me and my mom split some of this up.   We also found this little packet crammed down in one of the vases.  It was wet, but we opened it up carefully and it was the mans boy scout papers from like 1918 or something. 

So anyway, we definitely hit the right dumpster.  I like it when i see something we found in an antique store for some outrageous price and knowing that we got it for free.

TFA

Over the weekend we found this cool store called TFA. When we pulled up we were expecting it to be a thrift/antique store. But when we walked in everything was 50's, 60's and 70's only.  It was like we went back in time.  Even the people working there were all decked out.  They had everything from furniture, kitchen ware, clothing, games, and decorative items.  And the stuff wasn't junky or broken or damaged either.  You could tell that it had been taken good care of.  While I've never really thought of having furniture and stuff from that era, I did see a few things that i liked.  I now know if i ever need anything from the 50's-70's i know where to find it.



 Plus its just down the street from Ted Drewes, a frozen custard place that has been there since 1929.  When we went back home someone was telling us that we should go there. We happen to be driving around and saw a massive amount of people standing by the road.  I had recognized the name and so we had to turn around and get some.  It was amazing. And cheap too.  Better than any Mcflurry ice cream thing from McDonald's or Dairy Queen.  Lets just say we've been back a couple of times since.

Meet Me in St. Louis

It all started about 10 months ago.  Jeremy and I got married September 18th and by the end of the month we were making the big move from a small town in South Georgia to St. Louis, MO.  It was really the first time leaving home for me and i was ready to get out of town.  Little did i know what i was getting in to. 

St. Louis has had its ups and downs for me.  Mainly the weather.  I was not used to snow or tornadoes.  In south Georgia it's pretty much just hot 3 out of 4 seasons. Spring and Fall usually last just a few weeks. So getting to see the trees change and having it last for awhile was nice.  Although the winter was kinda rough.  People kept telling us that the winters weren't usually that bad...I'll have to see for myself.  But after buying a new super warm coat i guess it wasn't as bad. 

The first couple of months were a little lonely and exciting at the same time.  It was fun going out and seeing the sites.  We live downtown and can see some of the Arch from our loft apartment, which is cool.  We were mainly just trying to get settled in and get familiar with the area.  It is pretty different then from what I'm used to back home.  You usually have to take the interstate to get anywhere and i was scared to drive on it!  For the longest time i wouldn't leave unless i was with Jeremy (and also because i couldn't...it took forever to get the parking lot gate opener thing).  After awhile though i ventured out and it was kinda exciting!  It did start to get a little lonely but not too bad.  I usually wanted to go out and do things with Jeremy when he got home from work but he never did.  So i got tired of waiting and started to go out by myself.  

Back home i had had 3 (part time) jobs leading up before the wedding and moving.  I worked at a restaurant, babysitting and a dance teacher.  So when we moved here i had no job.  I still have no job.  Which has been kinda nice.  Although when people ask me what i do i feel like I'm taking the walk of shame and say that i stay at home, even though there is nothing wrong with that.  So over the past several months i have picked up several art projects and crafts (Jeremy sometimes calls me witchcrafty) and have loved making things of my own.  Sometimes i get ideas on the internet or see something and just think "Hey i can make that!" So i do. Its been a lot of fun.  So thats one reason i wanted to start this blog.  To share the things that i make, photos i take, things that inspire me and just events going on in my life. 

Oh yea, i forgot to mention, in December we got a puppy.  A siberian husky named Ziva.  She is definitely a handful, but we love her.  She has also gotten me out there and i have met some people, wheither it be just people in our building, the dog park, or petsmart. 




Ziva on Christmas day a couple weeks after we got her

 


Ziva at about 8 months

 

hello!!

Scope for Imagination is a place where i can share my projects, inspiration, events in my life and the things i find along the way. 

Hope you enjoy!

Hilary