French Inspired Home

Every since I first learned of a little business called French General, I have loved their products and their ideas. It was fun to look through Kari's book of ideas. I have listed it as one of my favorites. It is available on Amazon. Click the links on the right and it will take you to Amazon for prices.

Garage Sales, Flea Markets and Thrift Stores

I love what I do, and I do what I love. There is something so fulfilling to me in purchasing for personal use things that are worn, in need of repair or needs a little updating. There are so many bargins in shopping second hand. I love anything that is more beautiful because it has aged. This blog is actually dedicated to my pastime. I have found ways to earn extra income from reselling many of the items that I purchase. I love that one of a kind or vintage look that I can achieve from shopping what some would call secondhand merchandise. Since I am an artist/designer it is so fun to find that one piece that needs a fresh coat of paint to become a truly cherished "new" item for my home. I have never been intimidated by a little fixing up, a little painting or maybe just a little cleaning. One of the really great things about Flea Market decorating is that we are recycling good usable items, keeping our landfills from being overfilled with many things that are still of value. Be bold and fearlous about shopping secondhand, but buy what you can reasonably use. Remember that while an item may seem like a good deal, it can become a burden on available storage space in your home if you really don't have a use for it. There are a lot of good magazines on the newsstands and in bookstores that will give you some great ideas for using or recycling home decor items.
If you have an item that you need help with, leave me a comment and I can certainly give you my opinion. Thanks for stopping by! Deb

Great Site for Flea Market Decorating

http://www.countryliving.com/homes/makeovers/flea-market-baroque-0205 I thought I would pass this link along to those of you looking to do Flea Market Decorating

Flea Market Decorating

Decorating with flea market finds can be fun and challenging. Fun when you find something that works as is, challenging when you need to refurbish an item. If possible look for things that can be used with little to no repair. Repairs and updates can be as simple as cleaning or painting. Other repairs or refurbishing can include new electrical wiring, altering an item or general repairs. So before you commit to flea market decorating make sure you have a few practical skills and a lot of patience. The results can be an exciting and beautiful home for a fraction of the cost of new furnishings. Also a visit to your local bookstore can be a valuable tool also. Decorating magazines are full of ideas how to restore old furniture and accessories. There are wonderful books filled with pictures of flea market finds. Good Luck on your Flea Market Style experiences.