A few stencil projects and my Big Heap finds

There's not a lot of storage space in this house with not having a basement or a garage.

I'm constantly using my ironing board to press my rug hooking backings but I don't want it sitting out  and had no place to put it so I searched the internet for an ironing board hanger idea.

So simple and super easy to do!

I picked up 2 hooks at ACE and positioned them on a leftover piece of wood that I painted. Attached them and did a simple stencil.

First I did the stencil in blue but it just didn't look right so I sanded and touched up the base paint and did it over again in grey. Then I lightly sanded the stenciled part to make it look a little used.

It now hangs behind the door of my sewing room, completely out of the way and super easy to access.

I purchased the fabric and sewed my own 'pretty' cover.

Onto the next stencil project, again super simple. I needed a liner for my vintage flea market cart.

I took a canvas drop cloth and pre-washed it because I know this will get dirty and will need laundering.

I measured the inside dimensions and added 1" to all sides (allowing for 1/2" seam allowances) Except for the top, I added 1 more inch so I could hem the top.

I sewed all sides together and then sewed the bottom on, next hem the top.

I was in a hurry to finish this seeing as The Big Heap was the next day. I cut off the hemmed sides from the canvas and sewed them to each corner to use as ties to secure the liner to the cart. 

A super quick project.

The Big Heap report...

It was fun and I would go again. There were a lot of people and a lot of selling.  If you saw something and hesitated for even a half minute someone else would grab it. I've never seen stuff move so fast!

I'm sure the people organizing it were happy with the turn out but I hope they have more vendors next time because it was very small...approximately 30 vendors.

I do not need more stuff so I was very well behaved this time.

The old enamel light fixture will be a perfect pendant light in the bunkhouse kitchen and there is not a chip anywhere. Mr. Wild can rewire it for me.

Not sure what the scrolly metal thing was but I have a place for it in the dining room and I hope to take pictures of what I've done so far in that room and get them on here.

The 3rd thing is a newer piece of cast iron but a fun piece for the garden.

Then while driving the freeway on the way home...I must be getting a keen sense for junk...I spotted a building with a lot of junk...yes JUNK outside. I took a quick second glance and saw the name Gerson's!

I saw them advertise on TV last winter but never got there and didn't really know where it was.

I took the next exit off the freeway and found my way back to it and while driving there I was on an old road I believe it's the Old Benson Highway. It was lined on one side with old motels! They looked like abandoned motels...like the owners walked away and left them and they have been slowly deteriorating.

The really old mom and pop kind with the neon signs...just so cool and there were so many, at one time this must have been a main road through town before the freeway. There was even an old trailer park with a few trailers still sitting there...empty and all vintage!

I have to go back with the hubby some day and take pictures.

I found this turbine at Gerson's (used building supplies, I was looking for old doors).  I guess I kind of have a thing for old industrial stuff and this is an old and heavy turbine, in excellent condition, no dents, no bullet holes. I love it!

I can so well see this in my garden with rocks holding down the base (it even came with the original base!!!) I'll plant flowers all around it and it does still spin with the wind!

The following day, Sunday, was awesome! It was cloudy and only in the 60's. I spent all day outside planting. I put in a pink rose bush, gardenia, hibiscus, oleander, a succulent and a cactus. It was a perfect day!

Yesterday we had a brief downpour. It thundered, rained and then a big rainbow appeared, it smelled so good outside!

One more flea market coming up and I am feeling quite saturated with flea markets.

I think I'll be good for a long, long time!

I still want to finish a few projects here and then it will be time to pack it up and head back north and onto the next adventure!

Thanks for visiting, I'm sorry I mostly post my obsession with junk collecting, that should change soon!