Thursday, October 15, 2009

natural beauty and thrifty finds...

i photographed this beautiful scene on the way to a barn sale last week in a nearby village.


the equestrian reflections stopped me in my tracks.


i sensed this was going to be a good day for thrifting...


and it was. a friendly country couple had two dirty beat-up old chairs for sale. the old farmer was embarrassed that he hadn't yet refinished them. no problem. the bigger dark green chair had just the right amount of natural cracking of its old paint. $10=sold!


the smaller turquoise rocker with its missing rockers, perfectly time worn. $5=sold!


my initial thought was to paint them white, but after i scrubbed these babies with bleach and dish liq, they revealed themselves as the beauties that i new lie beneath! i stacked one on top of the other to bring them in the house and realized immediately they belonged that way. one on top of another.


together forever.


and how delighted i was to discover the colors were perfect for my entry, below one of my paintings and next to the robin's egg blue stairway that no one cares for (the color that is. too intense, i actually took a real robin's egg to be color matched, one inspired spring day, but that is another story.)

i love these little chairs and i'm glad to give them a home.

it was a good day!

and..........

as i was leaving the sale...over the old farmers shoulder i spotted this gorgeous color on the side of the barn and of course just had to take a snap of it.

the old farmer had no idea my interest in this...he'd probably never noticed the beauty here before. sometimes if you look at something for too long, you no longer see it.

yummee!
if you'd like to see other thrifty finds ...join the party at

9 comments:

Julie@beingRUBY said...

Dear Erin
I can hardly notice your thrifty bargains as I cannot get past your new banner, the horses and your gorgeous blue painting..

Thanks for all your lovely comments this week. It's great to feel like someone else gets what you do [i really like the plane rivets too!]
Have a fabulous weekend. x Julie

debra@dustjacket said...

First that picture of the horses and the water is just beautiful.

I adore the painting above the two chairs, gorgeous.

The last photo is so sweet and natural.

Great weekend to you,
xoxo

LenoreNeverM♡re said...

Humongous LOVE for the horse photo...the water reflection is so beautiful Erin! LOL on your comment you left! Cocktail Cheers to a fabulous weekend to you as well...it's time now -hee*

xo as always~

Linda@ Lime in the Coconut said...

Oh just look at those gentle beasts! What a gorgeous shot!

The kids chair is adorable. I have many. Can never get rid of the kidlets little chairs!

Beautiful, soulful photography.

Slices of Beauty... said...

Equestrian beauty is so me too, lovely.
What great finds!

Love your blog.

Unknown said...

The stacked chairs are a really cool idea. Thanks for sharing. I love your photos too!

Michelle
www.TrashToTreasureDecorating.com

AuroraSuzette said...

That blue is just that perfect, impossible shade of blue, isn't it? Lovely photos of the horses, too.

The Painted Home said...

So Cute! Love the layered chairs.

Carole said...

I love this story of you going to the farmers sale and been enamoured by the things he no longer found use and beauty in. It reminds me of my father in law....who actually thought of every old thing as junk!
Isn't comforting to know there are people like us who treasure the things others would throw away or look at an old barn with the colors of the fall as the foreground and gasp at it's beauty.
xxx...........C