I heart Craigslist

Hello all! Hope you have a great weekend planned!

I’ve had a little obsession that’s grown over the past six months or so…and I never thought it would happen. My obsession used to give me heebs and totally freak me out. But I’ve learned to love -- Craig and his list. :)

The heebs I used to get were actually more about selling than buying. And I’m still not a big fan of the selling part. :)

But I’m a complete convert on the buying part. Gah. I’m hooked. Part of the problem is it’s so accessible with my iPhone app – it is AWESOME. Just like Facebook and Twitter, I only use it on my phone, never on the computer. It’s so convenient – you can save searches, save preferences, and the best part – the pictures pop up in the list. It’s SO easy to use! And it was FREE. Score! (You’d think I was paid to say that, but no. It’s that good.)

I usually spend five minutes every day or two scrolling through, even when I don’t need anything. That’s how they get ya. :)

Last summer, Craig had me at hello when I did some searching and found this (Drexel!) dresser for only $100:

It was a perfect fit in our family room! I absolutely LOVE it.

I had hoped that dresser would fit in our foyer, but it was too long, so a short time later, I searched again, and found this buffet that ended up in our foyer:

Sahweeet! I was starting to fall in love…with Craigslist. :)

I’ve since bought a few more pieces, (one for an absolute STEAL – I’ll show you soon!). I mentioned last week that there was a dresser I saw for my office that made my heart go pitter pat. That particular one sold before I could get my hands on it, but the seller had another beauty she hadn’t listed yet:

I love her, I do.

The dresser, not the seller. But I’m starting to love her a little bit too – she’s the one that sold me the buffet in our foyer. ;)

I love her pretty detail:

Her little legs and curvy lines:

And all of her STORAGE. :)

Awesome!! Isn’t it just calling out for some beautiful glass knobs?

She’s old and solid cherry wood with dovetail drawers. There’s a medallion inside marked Huntley Furniture, which I had never heard of. (I did some research and found out the company started in 1906 and phased out around 1961.) I’m finding part of the fun of these finds is researching their history. :)

I don’t know yet if it will stay black (although I think just about any room can handle one black piece). I’m going wait a bit, see how the room comes together, then decide.

The two lamps on top are from Target, and I got them just today.

I’ve passed by them over and over for about two weeks, and drooled over them each time. I mentioned it on Twitter this morning, and I tell you what – it’s like having hundreds of girlfriends shopping with you, with their “Get them!,” and “Go now before they’re gone!” (put the fear in me) and “Do it, you totally deserve it!”

OK, I may have added the last one myself. Whatever.

Anyway, they are absolutely STUNNING. The pictures don’t do their pretty aqua color justice – but oh my, I adore them:

Thump to the chest at ya, Tweeps!! :)

I’ve learned a few things in my short time as a Craigslist convert that I always follow:

1. I email first, using an old email with my maiden name. Call me crazy but I don’t want anyone to know my first and last name unless I’ve communicated with them a few times. Actually, I still don’t tell them my last name, even when I buy. :)

2. GET DIMENSIONS (save yourself a drive, gas money, time, etc.)

3. If you go to check it out, bring someone with you, or at least tell someone where you’re going. And I never bring my son with me.

4. If you don’t like it, if it’s not right, if it’s the wrong size, you DON’T have to buy it. :) Just tell them it’s not quite right, and go on your way. If you feel weird, just say you need to check some measurements at home.

5. I always ask if the piece is wood. Especially with something like a dresser, where sometimes the top is laminate, the drawers are wood. I want something I can paint (fairly) easily and that’s a sturdy wood piece.

I found a few treasures just waiting for a redo on the Indy Craigslist that I wanted to share with you!

This vintage dresser would be absolutely stunning painted in just about any color:

Wouldn’t that be gorgeous in a small foyer or mud room? And it’s only $40!

I love this mid-century piece:

It’s possibilities are endless – perfect for an office, as a TV stand, even just a dresser. It’s priced at $250, which is a little steep, but the seller says it’s a Miller Desk piece. I hadn’t heard of that company, but a quick search tells me they were based in High Point, North Carolina. And most times, High Point equals high quality. :)

This one is very similar to mine, just a tad simpler:

It’s got great, deep drawers. The price for this one (wood throughout, vintage, dovetail drawers) is only $100! Just think about what it would cost to get a dresser with this quality and size at any furniture store – you can’t beat it! 

I found a few tables I loved too – this sofa table could be gorgeous!:

And people, it’s only $20!! Five and a half feet long and $20? A coat of paint and it’d be good to go. If only I needed a sofa table. :)

This one looks like it came right out of the Pottery Barn catalog:

I LOVE it’s shape – so unique! And only $60. THIS is why I a Craigslist convert!

And this one is stunning as well:

Look at that detail! OH my. Wouldn’t that be a fantastic craft table? I’m drooling. It says to make an offer – and who knows what you could get it for? It’s way down on the list, which means it’s either sold and they never removed it (hate that!) or it’s been a while since they posted and are really ready to get rid of it! :)

So there you go – one of my latest treasures from my friend Craig, some tips from a newbie, and some fantastic inspiration to get you to just look already!! :)

Sooo…what fatabulous stuff have you found from Craig? Do you sell and a buy, or just browse (and occasionally buy) like me? Do tell!

P.S. The (free) app I use is called CraigsPro. You can pay to upgrade it, but I haven’t found a reason to do so. It rocks.

I heart Craigslist

Hello all! Hope you have a great weekend planned!

I’ve had a little obsession that’s grown over the past six months or so…and I never thought it would happen. My obsession used to give me heebs and totally freak me out. But I’ve learned to love -- Craig and his list. :)

The heebs I used to get were actually more about selling than buying. And I’m still not a big fan of the selling part. :)

But I’m a complete convert on the buying part. Gah. I’m hooked. Part of the problem is it’s so accessible with my iPhone app – it is AWESOME. Just like Facebook and Twitter, I only use it on my phone, never on the computer. It’s so convenient – you can save searches, save preferences, and the best part – the pictures pop up in the list. It’s SO easy to use! And it was FREE. Score! (You’d think I was paid to say that, but no. It’s that good.)

I usually spend five minutes every day or two scrolling through, even when I don’t need anything. That’s how they get ya. :)

Last summer, Craig had me at hello when I did some searching and found this (Drexel!) dresser for only $100:

It was a perfect fit in our family room! I absolutely LOVE it.

I had hoped that dresser would fit in our foyer, but it was too long, so a short time later, I searched again, and found this buffet that ended up in our foyer:

Sahweeet! I was starting to fall in love…with Craigslist. :)

I’ve since bought a few more pieces, (one for an absolute STEAL – I’ll show you soon!). I mentioned last week that there was a dresser I saw for my office that made my heart go pitter pat. That particular one sold before I could get my hands on it, but the seller had another beauty she hadn’t listed yet:

I love her, I do.

The dresser, not the seller. But I’m starting to love her a little bit too – she’s the one that sold me the buffet in our foyer. ;)

I love her pretty detail:

Her little legs and curvy lines:

And all of her STORAGE. :)

Awesome!! Isn’t it just calling out for some beautiful glass knobs?

She’s old and solid cherry wood with dovetail drawers. There’s a medallion inside marked Huntley Furniture, which I had never heard of. (I did some research and found out the company started in 1906 and phased out around 1961.) I’m finding part of the fun of these finds is researching their history. :)

I don’t know yet if it will stay black (although I think just about any room can handle one black piece). I’m going wait a bit, see how the room comes together, then decide.

The two lamps on top are from Target, and I got them just today.

I’ve passed by them over and over for about two weeks, and drooled over them each time. I mentioned it on Twitter this morning, and I tell you what – it’s like having hundreds of girlfriends shopping with you, with their “Get them!,” and “Go now before they’re gone!” (put the fear in me) and “Do it, you totally deserve it!”

OK, I may have added the last one myself. Whatever.

Anyway, they are absolutely STUNNING. The pictures don’t do their pretty aqua color justice – but oh my, I adore them:

Thump to the chest at ya, Tweeps!! :)

I’ve learned a few things in my short time as a Craigslist convert that I always follow:

1. I email first, using an old email with my maiden name. Call me crazy but I don’t want anyone to know my first and last name unless I’ve communicated with them a few times. Actually, I still don’t tell them my last name, even when I buy. :)

2. GET DIMENSIONS (save yourself a drive, gas money, time, etc.)

3. If you go to check it out, bring someone with you, or at least tell someone where you’re going. And I never bring my son with me.

4. If you don’t like it, if it’s not right, if it’s the wrong size, you DON’T have to buy it. :) Just tell them it’s not quite right, and go on your way. If you feel weird, just say you need to check some measurements at home.

5. I always ask if the piece is wood. Especially with something like a dresser, where sometimes the top is laminate, the drawers are wood. I want something I can paint (fairly) easily and that’s a sturdy wood piece.

I found a few treasures just waiting for a redo on the Indy Craigslist that I wanted to share with you!

This vintage dresser would be absolutely stunning painted in just about any color:

Wouldn’t that be gorgeous in a small foyer or mud room? And it’s only $40!

I love this mid-century piece:

It’s possibilities are endless – perfect for an office, as a TV stand, even just a dresser. It’s priced at $250, which is a little steep, but the seller says it’s a Miller Desk piece. I hadn’t heard of that company, but a quick search tells me they were based in High Point, North Carolina. And most times, High Point equals high quality. :)

This one is very similar to mine, just a tad simpler:

It’s got great, deep drawers. The price for this one (wood throughout, vintage, dovetail drawers) is only $100! Just think about what it would cost to get a dresser with this quality and size at any furniture store – you can’t beat it! 

I found a few tables I loved too – this sofa table could be gorgeous!:

And people, it’s only $20!! Five and a half feet long and $20? A coat of paint and it’d be good to go. If only I needed a sofa table. :)

This one looks like it came right out of the Pottery Barn catalog:

I LOVE it’s shape – so unique! And only $60. THIS is why I a Craigslist convert!

And this one is stunning as well:

Look at that detail! OH my. Wouldn’t that be a fantastic craft table? I’m drooling. It says to make an offer – and who knows what you could get it for? It’s way down on the list, which means it’s either sold and they never removed it (hate that!) or it’s been a while since they posted and are really ready to get rid of it! :)

So there you go – one of my latest treasures from my friend Craig, some tips from a newbie, and some fantastic inspiration to get you to just look already!! :)

Sooo…what fatabulous stuff have you found from Craig? Do you sell and a buy, or just browse (and occasionally buy) like me? Do tell!

P.S. The (free) app I use is called CraigsPro. You can pay to upgrade it, but I haven’t found a reason to do so. It rocks.

Before and After Party: A private pantry

Hello there! Welcome to the Before and After Party for November! (Can you even believe it’s November?) I can’t wait to see what you’ve been up to! But first, I wanted to show you the pain-in-the-booty project that I am SO GLAD is done.

Remember the pantry door transformation I showed you?:

I was lucky enough to get this beauty for FREE with some help from an Amex Points promotion. But, like always, I saved some cash by installing it myself (with Dad’s help!).

It wasn’t the easiest project ever. Actually, it was really quite annoying. And the part I finished up this weekend didn’t help it’s cause. Sheesh!

I mentioned I wanted to cover the windows on the door with something – I originally bought window film -- but it wasn’t the texture I was looking for. (I ended up using it for the ghost in our foyer!)

So when I posted this project, a few of you mentioned you had used plain old contact paper to get the look I was going for. Bahhhrilliant!

I admit I was a little teeny tiny bit doubtful – I picked up some clear contact paper at Target, and when I got home I tore it open, I was expecting it to be perfectly clear.

Well…you Squeezies were right (I know, I should just believe) – it was exactly what I wanted! A very soft, hazy look – just enough to let light in, but block the view to the canned goods. :)

What you lovelies didn’t tell me was it was a TOTAL AND COMPLETE pain in the booty to install. Gah. OK, maybe you did. I may have blocked it out. 

I started with my supplies – not much needed:

I tried a few things, and the pan scraper worked best for this project by far! I cut out a piece of contact paper, slightly larger than the window pane. When I installed it, I used a razor to trim the contact paper so it would fit perfectly in the pane.

The problem was…1.) the contact paper is supersonic and I tried four razors and not one would cut it easily 2.) when I would push hard to get through the “paper,” the knife would grab at the painted trim around the panel and little itty bitty flecks of black paint were coming off and getting stuck under the plastic:

It was driving me batty. I tried everything possible, and finally gave up. I decided to just cut a piece that was the exact size of each window pane, so I wouldn’t have to do anymore cutting with the contact paper on the window.

It was a lot of trial and error. Lots of cutting, holding it up, cutting, holding it up, cutting, realizing I had cut it too small, starting over. :)

When I would finally get the right size, I’d make sure it was perfect one more time:

Then I soaked the window with window cleaner:

You can try to do this without soaking the window but you will realize quickly it’s next to impossible. :)

When it’s wet, you can move it around and make it fit just so:

Then use your scraper (or any flat surface) to push out the bubbles:

You’ll want a paper towel handy to soak up the cleaner as you go. Lots of pushing, wiping, pushing, wiping.

It took FOREVA. Mostly because I would cut it the wrong size, or scratch it when peeling it off the backing. I lost my mind a little more with each window pane. :) I think it took four days of me tackling it whenever I had a few minutes to tackle it. FUN stuff.

Did I mention I couldn’t use the same size cut out of the contact paper for every window pane? You’d think they were all the same size, but amazingly – NO. Most were just a tad different. How is that possible? Because it’s a Sarah project, that’s why. :)

BUT. Dare I say it…SO worth it!!

It helps just a tad that I decluttered and moved some items around in the pantry:

I adjusted my little labels so they were centered on the shelves:

And I LOVE it.

But I wasn’t done yet. :) Remember how I wanted to light up the inside of the pantry? Dad and I talked and figured out how we’re going to do it – but for now, I rigged it up with an extension cord just to see how it would look:

SWOOOOON. Exactly how I pictured it in my head all those years ago when this project first popped in my head. ;)

I used rope lights around the door frame to get the “glow” look. And now I can see to find my sour cream and onion chips at night:

Awwwww yeah. All is right in my world.  :)

**The instructions on the rope lights say to not put them in an area with no ventilation, as they get just slightly warm. I called the hotline on the package to confirm a pantry is OK, and the man on the phone had no record of the product number – the product they make – so he was zero help. But I have talked to two people experienced in wiring/lighting, and they said it’s absolutely fine. When the manual says the lights get slightly warm, they mean slightly warm.  :) 

The contact paper idea would be perfect for any smallish window where you want privacy but don’t want to block the light – for cheap! The roll was $5 and even with all of my mess ups, I barely used half of it. This would be a great solution for windows above tubs, sidelights by a front door – whatever!

So there’s my before and after for this month…I don’t have a before, before picture handy of the white door we had up initially, but here’s the new door unpainted:

Here it is painted:

And here it is all soft and purdy and lit up:

And here’s all of our food for the world to see before, and the softly lit after:

It makes even wire shelves look pretty. :) This wasn’t an easy project…but totally worth it. And only five bucks for the privacy! (Which, by the way, is WAY cheaper than the window stuff you can buy.)

I am one happy chick!! :)

It’s time to see your before and afters! Remember to only link to the specific post – not your blog. I’ll leave this open so you can link up till next week!

Link it up yo!

Before and After Party: A private pantry

Hello there! Welcome to the Before and After Party for November! (Can you even believe it’s November?) I can’t wait to see what you’ve been up to! But first, I wanted to show you the pain-in-the-booty project that I am SO GLAD is done.

Remember the pantry door transformation I showed you?:

I was lucky enough to get this beauty for FREE with some help from an Amex Points promotion. But, like always, I saved some cash by installing it myself (with Dad’s help!).

It wasn’t the easiest project ever. Actually, it was really quite annoying. And the part I finished up this weekend didn’t help it’s cause. Sheesh!

I mentioned I wanted to cover the windows on the door with something – I originally bought window film -- but it wasn’t the texture I was looking for. (I ended up using it for the ghost in our foyer!)

So when I posted this project, a few of you mentioned you had used plain old contact paper to get the look I was going for. Bahhhrilliant!

I admit I was a little teeny tiny bit doubtful – I picked up some clear contact paper at Target, and when I got home I tore it open, I was expecting it to be perfectly clear.

Well…you Squeezies were right (I know, I should just believe) – it was exactly what I wanted! A very soft, hazy look – just enough to let light in, but block the view to the canned goods. :)

What you lovelies didn’t tell me was it was a TOTAL AND COMPLETE pain in the booty to install. Gah. OK, maybe you did. I may have blocked it out. 

I started with my supplies – not much needed:

I tried a few things, and the pan scraper worked best for this project by far! I cut out a piece of contact paper, slightly larger than the window pane. When I installed it, I used a razor to trim the contact paper so it would fit perfectly in the pane.

The problem was…1.) the contact paper is supersonic and I tried four razors and not one would cut it easily 2.) when I would push hard to get through the “paper,” the knife would grab at the painted trim around the panel and little itty bitty flecks of black paint were coming off and getting stuck under the plastic:

It was driving me batty. I tried everything possible, and finally gave up. I decided to just cut a piece that was the exact size of each window pane, so I wouldn’t have to do anymore cutting with the contact paper on the window.

It was a lot of trial and error. Lots of cutting, holding it up, cutting, holding it up, cutting, realizing I had cut it too small, starting over. :)

When I would finally get the right size, I’d make sure it was perfect one more time:

Then I soaked the window with window cleaner:

You can try to do this without soaking the window but you will realize quickly it’s next to impossible. :)

When it’s wet, you can move it around and make it fit just so:

Then use your scraper (or any flat surface) to push out the bubbles:

You’ll want a paper towel handy to soak up the cleaner as you go. Lots of pushing, wiping, pushing, wiping.

It took FOREVA. Mostly because I would cut it the wrong size, or scratch it when peeling it off the backing. I lost my mind a little more with each window pane. :) I think it took four days of me tackling it whenever I had a few minutes to tackle it. FUN stuff.

Did I mention I couldn’t use the same size cut out of the contact paper for every window pane? You’d think they were all the same size, but amazingly – NO. Most were just a tad different. How is that possible? Because it’s a Sarah project, that’s why. :)

BUT. Dare I say it…SO worth it!!

It helps just a tad that I decluttered and moved some items around in the pantry:

I adjusted my little labels so they were centered on the shelves:

And I LOVE it.

But I wasn’t done yet. :) Remember how I wanted to light up the inside of the pantry? Dad and I talked and figured out how we’re going to do it – but for now, I rigged it up with an extension cord just to see how it would look:

SWOOOOON. Exactly how I pictured it in my head all those years ago when this project first popped in my head. ;)

I used rope lights around the door frame to get the “glow” look. And now I can see to find my sour cream and onion chips at night:

Awwwww yeah. All is right in my world.  :)

**The instructions on the rope lights say to not put them in an area with no ventilation, as they get just slightly warm. I called the hotline on the package to confirm a pantry is OK, and the man on the phone had no record of the product number – the product they make – so he was zero help. But I have talked to two people experienced in wiring/lighting, and they said it’s absolutely fine. When the manual says the lights get slightly warm, they mean slightly warm.  :) 

The contact paper idea would be perfect for any smallish window where you want privacy but don’t want to block the light – for cheap! The roll was $5 and even with all of my mess ups, I barely used half of it. This would be a great solution for windows above tubs, sidelights by a front door – whatever!

So there’s my before and after for this month…I don’t have a before, before picture handy of the white door we had up initially, but here’s the new door unpainted:

Here it is painted:

And here it is all soft and purdy and lit up:

And here’s all of our food for the world to see before, and the softly lit after:

It makes even wire shelves look pretty. :) This wasn’t an easy project…but totally worth it. And only five bucks for the privacy! (Which, by the way, is WAY cheaper than the window stuff you can buy.)

I am one happy chick!! :)

It’s time to see your before and afters! Remember to only link to the specific post – not your blog. I’ll leave this open so you can link up till next week!

Link it up yo!