Feature Thanks!

The Yellow China Cabinet we painted a few weeks ago was featured over at Redoux this week!

Show her blog some love

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White & Grey Cedar Chifferobe

My husband always helps me when he can. He helps with the prep work, repairs, etc. However, I'm sort of a control freak and would never let him paint. That apparently threatened his pride just a little. 

So, after this chifferobe sat in our garage for MONTHS I finally told him to have at it. I already had everything picked out, all he had to do was paint.

 I did the the hinges, stenciling, and put on the hardware.

 I guess I'll promote him to painter :)

Here's the before:

ewwwwwey!

Thanks for reading!

Audra 

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Feature Thanks!

Thanks to Lindsey at Better After for featuring me yesterday!

You can view the post HERE

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An Auburn'd Antique Dresser

I'm not like most people down here in Alabama when it comes to football. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy football season, but really it's a good excuse for me to spend time with my friends, fire up the grill, and maybe have a nice cold drink. The last football game I remember sitting through was in high school as a majorette. My allegiance, however, is with Alabama. 

I don't care what the quarter back's name is or who they are playing this week. I don't even care to watch most of the game. I'm just happy when they win. Especially when they win against Auburn... & when they win the National Championship 

(say that in a quiet, mumbling, not trying to rub it in voice =)

I know people that would lose friends over a football game.. much less paint a dresser with the rival teams colors and put their name on it.

 Good thing for the Marks family, I am not one of those people and when I was asked to do this piece I was more than excited (even though I'm a little partial to crimson and white).

Here are some before pics that Regina emailed to me for a quote:

It had gotten eaten up by something. Not quite sure what.

Here are a few progress pics:

(She needed a lot of Simply Salvaged love)

(after the 1st coat of paint...not bad, huh?)

 And after all of the love:

 Heavy distressing.

Alabama fan or not, I'm happy to have my name stamped across this piece and I'm so thankful that Regina pulled it out and let me bring it back to life for her family to enjoy for many more years.

Thanks for reading!

Audra

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A blog for you.

I've received some emails over the past couple of month from folks looking for inspiration, encouragement, direction, and things of the sort. So, I decided to write a blog and hopefully answer some of the questions some of you ladies have. I don't know how helpful it will be but I'm going to make an attempt...

  I never EVER EVER EVER EVER would of thought that I would be doing what I'm doing at ANY point in my life. I have to be honest as say that painting furniture was never part of the plans I had for myself. I was really happy where I was at the hospital doing registration in the Emergency Room... making roughly $13/hr. The day I turned in my notice, I sent a heart felt resignation email to all of my higher ups and I meant every word of it. I almost cried. In fact, maybe I did shed a tear or two. I planned to eventually go back to college for Hospital Administration or something along those lines so that one day I would be the ''higher up''. I also tampered with the idea of medic school or nursing (which would of been a horrible idea as I actually have a very weak stomach). 

But- if you'd told me 5 years ago that I would work in any part of the medical field for 3 1/2 years I would have laughed in. yo. face.

I originally went to college for Interior Design. After I officially became a college drop out, there was a year or so that my job history became very abundant to say the least. I worked at Hibbetts in high school, from there I went to Superior Bank where I was a teller, then to Sprint, then to Verizon, then to Liberty National. After Liberty National I worked in a small E.R. in my home town until I moved and went to work in Huntsville Hospital's E.R.

Anyways, Simply Salvaged is helping me make my way back into my original territory (Interior Design, in case you lost track). I had been tampering with the idea for about a year- thinking, studying, dreaming. Then, after our wedding in Oct 2011, I was in dire need of something to do. That's when Simply Salvaged was born. Everyone who knows me, knows that I fly by the seat of my pants with pretty much everything. It's gotten me in trouble a few times, but for the most I've been able to wipe off my boots and come out doing pretty well. I didn't have a business plan for SS, fiscal goals, or an Excel spread sheet =), or a budget, or contacts in the industry. I'd never even thought of those things. I just had a few pieces of furniture & some paint.

I hadn't thought of all those important things a business owner should think about because I never thought I would see the day that those things would be necessary. In only 4 months, Simply Salvaged has been overwhelmingly blessed- thanks to all of my customers & fans, I now have to deal with budgets and stuff!!

On a weekly basis by mind goes back and forth between the 2:

1. Cons: (no job is perfect, so I've been told)

At night I pick paint out of my hair and finger nails.

My back hurts from hours of sanding.

I get intimidated and want to give up.

Some days I don't know where to start- or if I even want to.

2. Then I think about some of the things I love about my job:

I get to work outside (Mother Nature willing)

I get to listen to all of my super awesome music all day.

I get to create something special for someone everyday.

I get to meet new awesome people all the time, I've even made a few friends.

I thoroughly enjoy painting, and learning/ trying new techniques. It's fun.

I love shopping for inventory- but I love finding it even more.

The most satisfying (honestly) is seeing a happy customer. I do a really good job of masking how excited I am, but don't be fooled, on the inside, it's there. 

 I still have a lot of learning to do and this journey has been uphill all the way, but it's all been worth it. Regardless of the cons, I really really love my job.

My advice to you:

Never let fear take a good opportunity from you. 

Make a decision and go for it. All you have to do is put one foot in front of the other and deal with the curve balls as they come.

I also suggest my friend Mandie's ebook. You can download it for $10 from her website Altard.com She has made quite a good name for herself in this industry. She's a genius. and a saint =)

Thanks for reading!

-Audra =)

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For Keeps Sake.

I thought I would share some things I brought home this weekend.
These are not for sale.

March has been good to me so far!

-Some jars- 

My obsession with jars and bottles is slowly growing. 

In our living room, we have a floor to ceiling window corner that holds my collection. I love the way all the different colors look in the window pane

-Some canisters-

You can never have too many.

I scored both of these for $5

-Vintage Aluminum Tumblers- 

I had to have these. Had to.

I got the set for $15

I can't wait to put them in the kitchen with my vintage Pyrex set =D

That awesome stick was compliments of our Magnolia Tree =)

Happy Junkin!

-Audra

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Black & Grey Knee Desk

This was a custom order for Mandy.

 Is is odd that to love color so much, I'm very partial to black {& grey} but mostly just black in general.

In fact, black is my favorite color...

(I think only because it was so hard to chose between the rest of the colors)

But really, I love black.

  This was my 2nd order with these colors.

 

I can see why. =)

You can see the 1st order HERE

Here's the BEFORE:

  

Thanks for reading!

Audra =)

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Before and After {China Cabinet} {Inspiration}

This was a custom order for Ashley & Paul.

Here's the BEFORE:

 (I forgot to take my own before pic so I stole the one they emailed me for a quote.)

Here's the AFTER:

 I have a China cabinet very similar to this one...

I am now considering painting it. In fact, I may paint it yellow. 

I love working with them =) and they always pick fun colors!

You can see the last piece I painted for them HERE

Thanks for reading!!!

Audra =)

 

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Feature Thanks #2

I just wanted to say THANK YOU to Gail over at My Repurposed Life for featuring our Chippendale Style Chairs this week!
That was so so very sweet of you!

Pay her blog a visit!

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One thing I love more than the HUNT is the FIND.

I wanted to share some things I've acquired this week.

It's not very uncommon for me to find old windows. 

Over the past 4 months about 40 windows have come and gone. 

BUT last night I found these...

What's so special about them, you ask?

They date back to the late 1800s/ early 1900s.

What an awesome piece of history!!

This door was torn out of the same home the windows came from

(excuse my mess.)

...and some awesome old wooden crates.

I love my job.

Happy Junkin!

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