Classy Ladies

If you know me and my business, you probably know that although I like to use my tools, junk, and imagination to make stuff, my REAL vision for Refunction Junktion is that it be a place where people can gather to make creations of their own. Last night was just such a night.



Two sisters treated their 4 daughters, 1 daughter-in-law, and even 1 son-in-law to a night of mosaicing.



Of course one of the best things about mosaicing is getting to smash the tiles and plates.

Everyone came with their own projects -- 2 clay pots, a wine and cheese tray, patio table, trivet, table top, address display, and a bar stool. So much variety and none of it was planned that way.

Even the tile designs themselves were very varied. This design was very shabby chicish.

Time to get busy!

A bit of tile mastic and a plastic knife seemed to do the job.

Probably the most complicated design of the night! (It was no problem for Justin)

It was hard to believe that none of them had done this before, they were all naturals!

These ladies made it happen and had a good time all the way through!

Laying the pieces is usually the most time consuming part.

Here's a close up of that shabbly chic patio table entitled "Beautiful Garden". I say "Beautiful Table!" (Notice that she included scrabble tiles, a faucet head, broken china, seashells, and spoon pieces).

Ah, yes, more fun -- GROUTING!

Still more grouting!

The finished products looked so great!

All in all I would say that the night was, well......

SUPER!

Midge

Blessing #8

Friday night our church's youth group held their annual all-nighter and being one of the leaders, I had chaperone duty (okay, to answer your question, no I didn't make it all night. I had a little "rest" from 1-3, otherwise I was good to go but I am getting a little old for this stuff). Around 8:30 p.m. the storms starting rolling in and by 9:00 we had lost power. So my Blessing #8 is:
POWER OUTAGES!


Okay, I realize that there are some people who have to have power for health reasons and hopefully those people have backup generators. But for the majority of us, we rely too heavily on all the gadgets that are powered by electriciy. The picture shows our sanctuary with only auxillary lighting working. Our first reaction was "oh, no, what will we do?" No cooking, we can't see much, and...OH, NO... NO X-BOX! But the kids were real troopers and were able to occupy the next 3 hours with no power. It actually worked in our favor. The highlight of the night was a grueling hour of capture the flag. (After losing several times, my team won the last round when I implemented "OPERATION FAKE INJURY". I've tried it before with no success, but Friday night as I rolled around the floor screaming, and with my opposing team son yelling "Ignore her, Ignore her!", my teammates zoomed in to capture the flag and win!) We ended just in time to greet the pizza delivery man.

Anyway, it reminded me that several years ago when we first moved out to the country, we seemed to lose power a lot. We always used those times to play charades or other family games together. They were some really fun times and we got to where we almost wanted the power to go out. Forced isolation seems about the only way to pull us away from t.v.s, computers, and video games. Maybe it's time for us Moms to implement "OPERATION FAKE POPPED MAIN FUSE". Our families might just end up with a few more victories. Peace out!

Midge

A Salute to Father's Day

This is my second Father's Day without my dad. But I certainly am not sad today. He lived a full life, and after spending his last years suffering from Alzheimer's is now spending eternity in Heaven with HIS father. I had an awesome dad who raised me right, loved me very much, and always let me know how proud of me he was. I feel very blessed to have had him for a father and that he lived as long as he did (82 years). I hope you feel the same about your dad.

But sadly, I know that many people do not. If you are one of those, my hope and prayer is that you do not think that that father, who's a product of a broken and sinful world, is an example of what our Heavenly Father is like. Our Heavenly Father loves us more than we can even humanly comprehend, but here are some quotes from and about Him that might help us get an inkling:

Genesis 5:1 When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them.

Exodus 3:7 The Lord said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey

Deuteronomy 10: 17 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.

Psalm 27:10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.

Isaiah 40:11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his heart; and carries them close to his heart

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, " declares the Lord "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Luke 6:36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Luke 11:11 Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Galatians 4:7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

I John 4:9 This is how God showed his love among us; He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

Just a small sampling of verses I found flipping through the Bible. It is filled with examples of our Heavenly Father's love and care for us. Happy Father's Day!

Midge

I'm going to a Party!

There's a party going on over at Me & My House and I'm heading over to join in the fun. Consider this my RSVP. If you want to come along, just click on the badge below. Hope to see you there!



Most of my junk is not redone, or reused (though it happens occasionally), but is redesigned. That means I usually have to break out the tools and put in some work, but I'm able to use a greater variety of junk and definitely can get better prices on things (often free). I've been junking longer than blogging so here are some of my favorite projects that otherwise might not have been posted. Here's what I'm bringing to the party:

One of my earliest and BIGGEST projects when I began junking a few years ago. A couch made from doors.

A candelier made from............okay, you guessed it, from a coffee table bottom turned upside down.

Who says hall trees have to be elegant?

I waited all day to get this iron wheel from the auction (ended up paying $1) because I knew it would make an awesome mirror. It did.

Those vintage wheels don't just hold photos, they really spin!

Say "cheese"! Or maybe I should say "Can you turn off the light?".

Kind of Pottery Barnish, but it's really pure junk.

I've got the world by a string! Well, at least the birds do, anyway.

Office organization, AND JUNK? Oh, yeah!

Who doesn't love tin ceiling tiles? There's always a way to put good junk to use. And I always have fun doing so.

That's it. Besides, I've gotta go. I have a party to get to!

Midge

Happy, Happy, Tag, Tag

Tag! I'm it!

At least that's what RedNeckChic says. She happy tagged me.



What does that mean?

It means that I have to list 6 random, insignificant things that make me happy. Here goes (in no particular order) --

1. Getting a "pull-through" parking space.

2. Any commercial with William Shatner cracks me up (that guy has taken self-mockery to a new level).

3. Thinking that I'm out of pop and then discovering a forgotten one in the car.

4. When I pull into the driveway and our dog Samson plays "Surprise". He "hides" behind a bush, waits til I start to get out of the car, and then springs out with a smile on his face. (He is over 100 pounds and I can totally see him when he is "hiding").

5. Rocking out and singing loudly, by myself, (if not at the start, certainly by the end) to good music -- usually contemporary Christian, occasionally classic rock.

6. FINDING A GOOD PILE OF JUNK! -- you didn't really think I'd neglect to include some junk did you?

Thanks to RedNeckChic for the tag -- that also made me happy. Be sure to click on her name and check out her blog.

Now, TAG, YOU'RE IT....

artsyfartsy

chiccottagejunk

junkinjane

sassytrash

sewhotmitmot

vintagesue

so, list on your blog 6 things that make you happy, and then tag 6 other blogs and let them know.

Midge

A Tale of Two Kiddies

Anyone who's read my blog knows just how much I LOVE junk. But what I don't mention very much is that even more than being a junker, first and foremost I'm a mom. And I felt very much in mom mode this past weekend. A lot of driving people here and there, a lot of "Mom, I need...", and a lot of "Oh mom, can you...?" The job of parenting is a mighty one. But what really put the parenting thing on my heart over the weekend (and I'm having trouble shaking it -- thus the blogging) is what I observed in a few other families over the weekend.

Saturday night I attended Dan's ceremony of becoming an Eagle scout, one of the highest honors and biggest achievements a young man can attain. Dan, a friend of my son Andrew and a member of my church, graduated from high school a few weeks ago. His mother, a friend of mine is currently unemployed but doesn't make a lot even when she is working. There are two younger kids at home, one special needs (and one high maintenance). The dad has been out of the picture for several years, rarely contacts the kids and provides no support--emotional or financial. The family now lives modestly in our local mobile home park, but has moved around a lot. Dan had to work very hard and overcome a lot of obstacles to become an Eagle scout and seeing him recognized for it, I couldn't have been prouder.

The other family has a son who is friends with my 16 year old son. The mom is also a friend of mine (as well as being a fellow junker). This family is a very stable one and has always lived in their cute victorian house. Both parents grew up in our small, family-values town and they have been married since shortly after high school. They have passed their strong Christian faith down to their 4 sons and are loving, attentive parents. Sadly however, I spent Monday afternoon attending the funeral of their second oldest son (older brother of my son's friend). He should have graduated with Dan and Andrew's class, but the week before went into a coma from overdosing on meth, never recovered, and passed away last week.

Parenting is a blessing and a task from God. It is wonderful, exhausting, fun, interesting, frustrating, sometimes triumphant, and sometimes tragic.... and always unpredictable.
I am praying to work on being a better parent. And of course I'm also praying for Lisa, Jerry, and the boys.

Thanks for letting me share.
Midge

P.S. I'm not very comfortable with the serious, heavy stuff -- much better with fluff, and junk. So I promise the next post will be soon and will be fun. Peace.

Quick and Easy

Okay. I realized that I was falling behind on my blogging and I didn't want that to continue. Sooo... time for a quick and easy post, but I wanted it to include a completed project or two. So I did quick review of my photos to see if I neglected to post any. And, sure enough, I'd posted about disassembling the piano I got, but I never posted any "after" pictures. Well, here are a couple (but I still have some parts for a few more ideas I have).....


The biggie. The piano all put back together. It looks like your everyday piano.

But lift the lid and you'll see it's REALLY a home office. Shelving and plexiglass cover the keyboard area for storing a "keyboard" and other office supplies. The top section houses the monitor, printer, etc. That piece does lift up, but you can also open or close the doors. Down below, another door hides the computer.

The piano is a shell of its former self and on casters, so it can easily be pulled out for accessing the back area. File cabinets drawers and other supplies could be stored there.

Another project from that piano. The piano was a player type and this mechanism was inside. I

mounted little photos onto it and you can make them bob up and down by turning the handle. The tag is from the player roll I found inside.

That's it for now. Afterall, nothing says quick and easy like REDOING A PIANO!

Midge

Put some Junk in your Trunk!

For some people the whole question of dumpster diving is still debatable. But for a true junker, it's a no-brainer. The more items we can keep out of landfills the better. And, of course, you can't beat the price.


Check out this dumpster I came across on a recent drive. Isn't it obvious that they WANT someone to take some of that stuff? That's why they place it front and center.

My getaway vehicle! Can you see what's missing?

Who would throw away a cutie like this? This was the start of yesterday's acquisitions. I had no agenda or map, and I didn't set my alarm. Just a few side streets while I had to go into town anyway.

Lots of chicken wire, and already just a little bit rusty. Useful for so many projects! Okay, this one I admit was actually IN the dumpster, but I didn't have to go rooting around inside or even open the lid. It was setting on top in a pile, just begging to be taken (you can tell).

This was leaning against a dumpster. Couldn't they have easily put it INSIDE it? ..... Of course.

But they obviously were hoping that someone could find a use for it.

That someone was me! Even broken garden tools can be put to good use in the hands of a junker. The handles alone are good to have on hand to be used like dowels. The heads can be used for garden art. But one of my favorite projects using garden tools is an easel.

Here's one I made using the shovels as the legs. (Please disregard the mess behind. One of these days I will reorganize and tidy up my shop. That will be a BIG post.)

I was already pleased with what I got on my simple run into town and was on my way home when I spotted these. So I hit the brakes and the flashers! 11" across and about 55" high, I'm not quite sure what I'll do with them, but my first thought was some sort of floor lamp. But I think I'm not thinking outside the box enough. What if I cut it in half horizontally, or vertically, or slices, or cut out little windows. Hmmm... A local business has something similar but even larger that they set out on a regular basis. I do have a few of those, and if I paid attention, I could have piles of them. Hmmm, again......

This was picked up a different day on a different run into town. I don't think I know ANY junker who would have passed it up. Stuff like that is very typical in a garbage pile, but is so basic to the junker's stockpile of goodies.

I guess what I'm saying is: DON'T BE AFRAID TO PUT A LITTLE JUNK IN YOUR TRUNK!

Midge