So I tackled the blank entry way wall.  Everything you see on this wall was a huge bargain.  So much so, that I feel compelled to discuss each piece!

The panoramic image at the top is a vintage 1901 photograph of Chicago, and has some water damage in the corner.  But it was love at first sight at the antique store, so I bought it anyway.  And I think we all know by now that Chicago has my heart.

The frame to the right of it was a creation I did for The Art is Found using a $1 picture frame (that I painted) from Goodwill and inserting a $1 record (just the cropped cover, of course) inside of it.

Next to the album art is a pocket watch style clock that I also snagged for less than $20 at an antique mall.

The first frame in the next row is framed crewel work piece I picked up for $12 at an antique mall.  The very same antique mall where I found the square framed mirror to its right.

that would be the mirror, not a photograph of myself.  ;)

Next is the Try A Little Kindness crewel work piece that I found when I visited Vanessa.  The $3 price was written on a bandaid on the front of the glass.  And I thought it was hilarious last week when Elsie posted about her love for the very same exact piece!

The round frame below was purchased from a little antique shop in Hartville.  I replaced the vintage photo with a clipping from the back of an Anthro catalog.  Or I should say THEE Anthro catalog!

The last two frames were thrift store finds and the letter J is brought to you by the Archivers clearance section.

The one thing I haven’t decided about this wall of frames is whether or not I want to keep adding to it.  Or should I just leave it the way it is?  What do you think?

Where were we a year ago from today? Oh yes… we were dry-walling and painting- very happy to have subfloor down so we didn’t have to leap from floor beam to floor beam. Looking back to those days makes me awfully content with our circumstances now. It’s nice to remember and to appreciate. So reminisce with me, won’t you? :)

I remember the sense of accomplishment when we finally had all the drywall patched up and painted. My brother (who owns our the home- we live with him) was away on vacation and I couldn’t wait for him to walk inside and WOW all over himself. It was quite the week of painting. And I think you might know a little more of the relief I felt after looking at these two pictures:

That’s what my brother’s house looked like when we decided to move in with him. A leap of faith? Oh yes. But it was also very inspiring to see the space looking like that and knowing that you will be living there in 30 days’ time.

So, after the walls were finished, we layed the flooring and began to move in the furniture. Our lease was up in a few days. How exciting to have furniture in the house! Any kind of furniture! Just somewhere to sit. It was so exciting seeing the new things come together.

Around the time school was starting up again, we were accessorizing and actually maintaining a clean living room and dining room.

So that’s where we were 6 months ago. But slowly I had been collecting things. Pillows from Etsy. Table legs from ebay. Furniture from thrift stores. And my brother brought home excellent craigslist finds. So, today we enjoyed relaxing in a very different living room from that room of a year ago. And it’s awfully fun for me to look back and compare those pictures with this room now.

And look there, still work needing to be done on the fireplace wall. But I’m beginning to learn that the work is never done, and things are always changing. And that’s why living in a house is just so much fun! Don’t you think?

(In case you didn’t know, Wednesdays are 50% off Family Days at the Salvation Army.)

I love Wednesdays, and am bound to find something at one of the local thrift stores. Last week I found the funkiest hanging light! Right now it’s covered in dust and pink $1.00 stickers, but someday it will be hanging in a breakfast nook in my future home. :)

I think it would go quite well with a set of these chairs and the pillow I snatched up from Jamaica‘s etsy shop, don’t you think?

Now if only I had Eero Saarinen’s tulip table, the cozy corner would be complete. Perhaps one day I’ll stumble across one at a thrift store? Impossible? Never know what you’ll find! Anything’s possible.

So, what’s your favorite thrift store decor find?