This Old Mom, She Has Junk (lots of it!) 1

These empty frames were nearly-free garage sale finds. The large one sat in front of the fireplace while it waited patiently to be moved elsewhere. One day I decided to try it up against the opening. Talk about luck! It was an EXACT match. When I found the smaller one I thought it might look good in the middle. It's propped up on the edge of the insert against the fireplace curtain. The dirty-metal topiaries keep the large frame from sliding forward. It looks really pretty at night with the lights off and the candles lit.

We took the doors off an old pie safe to use it as a book/display shelf. (I need to come up with a good idea for the doors!) The mirror on top is from an old dresser. There are two old bed springs holding old glass insulators with tea candles inside. (an idea from one of the Junkmarket books) The flower arrangement on top is in what I've been told is an old glass wet-cell battery holder.

I bought a double sheet of old ceiling tin and had my husband cut them apart. I painted them white and scrubbed the paint off the raised parts before hanging them both like this on opposite sides of the pie safe. The green tins are new(er).

This is an unusual view of our living room (it's CLEAN!!!) It shows how I used suitcases to balance the different heights of our cabinets. They look dwarfed by the tall ceilings otherwise.

The square coffee table was a long oak dining table that was cut down to the right height. The two leaves became tops for other projects in waiting.

Looking at this online rather than live I realize how ugly hubby's old stereo speakers are. It's time for smaller ones we can hide!

Maybe I should print a large copy of this pic so my kids will know what "clean" is supposed to look like!

The wall with the two cabinets (TV & computer) made the room look lopsided. At our old house, we had this tree in an old crock in front of a long window for privacy. I found another tree and crock and put them in the opposite "corners" of this open floor plan room, behind a chair and this sofa. It adds some height and a bit of separation to this area. Now if I can keep kids from pulling the leaves off this time of year! (Does anyone know how to reattach them?)