First I found these plastic bread crates on the curb just down the street from my house. I have a few things in mind,, but would love to hear other people’s ideas!  I just know they can be made into something totally cool.

Later that same day I found this kitchen chair – clean and not a single thing wrong with it (except for the fact that it’s kinda ugly) – sitting on the curb a few houses down from where the crates were.

The next day I grabbed this…bench? foot stool? from the roadside. It’s really beat up, but regardless of its original purpose, it will make the perfect step stool for our bathroom. The one we have now is about 3-inches too short for K (who’s 3) to reach the faucet, so despite the fact that she’s a very proficient hand washer, someone has to turn the water on and off for her each time.

??

Then, yesterday, I struck junker’s gold. The girls and I were headed to the vet to pick up the (insanely expensive) cat food that one of our cats must eat (and therefore, they all eat), when I spotted something sitting next to the dumpster in an apartment complex parking lot and swung through to check it out.

What I had seen from the road turned out to be junk (literally), but when I glanced behind the dumpster I found these two soon-to-be beauties.

glider chair

baker's rack

The only downside is that (with a small house and no garage or basement) we’re fast running out of room for all of my to-do projects. But I can’t wait to get started on these!

Dresser ugliness

Only one of these was purchased new, and it’s a cheapie that we bought in college. Two are from craigslist, one’s a hand-me-down from my parents, and I found two of them on the side of the road.

And lest you wonder if we don’t believe in drawer handles, I just forgot to take the “before” pictures prior to removing the hardware.

———————————————————————————————————————————–

So I recently began “operation: dresser rehab” around here.

Changing hardware is the simplest, easiest way to freshen up a piece of furniture, and since (between all of the dressers) I had so many different kinds, I figured I would just paint it and switch it around instead of buying new hardware. (I even included our kitchen cabinet hardware in the exchange, and handles from two of these dressers are currently adorning our cabinets. I’ll share those later.)

———————————————————————————————————————————–

Completed Dresser #1 – Chalkboard Dresser

You might notice that a few of the dressers are drawn on (mostly by my preschoolers, but I was bemused to also find things obviously created by a 32-year-old man )

Overall I’m pretty laid back about this kind of stuff, and this in particular was no big deal because I’m planning on painting all of the dressers anyway. In fact, the drawings inspired my first completed dresser – a chalkboard dresser for my daughter’s room (using the paint I had leftover from the chalkboard table.)

I got this dresser for $10 from craigslist when I was pregnant with my younger daughter. I had just wanted something small and sturdy (and cheap) to hold baby clothes, which this is. I had planned on painting it a long time ago but never got around to it – so it’s remained a scuffed-up white with bright yellow knobs for, oh, just over three years.

Dresser before (after knobs removed)

Me demonstrating what the knobs looked like before

I spray painted the drawer fronts with 3 coats of chalkboard paint and painted the rest of the dresser a bright pinkish/coralish color that I got from the mis-tint section at Lowe’s.

Since I didn’t have any other single-hole hardware (and I didn’t feel like patching all of the single holes and drilling double ones) I decided to reuse the original drawer knobs. My first idea was to paint a variety of smiley faces on them, but then I figured – why do I get to have all of the fun?

So I brought the knobs over to my parent’s house and had my mom, dad, brother, husband, daughters, and myself each paint one (actually, my older daughter, whose dresser this is, painted two.) I love the idea that P. can look at things created by those who love her, everyday.

The last thing I needed was somewhere to store the chalk and eraser, and P. suggested using a little ice-cream carton that she’d decorated with tissue paper.  I was planning on attaching it to the side of the dresser but she requested it be on the front so she could see it better

The finished product

The knobs that family members decorated:

Now it’s on to the next ugly dresser!

In the past week (or so) I picked up this TV cabinet (soon-to-be my sewing/craft desk)

this nightstand (which I’ll be painting and using as an end table)

and this poster (perfectly clean, just in a cracked poster frame)

Then, a few nights ago I had the biggest chocolate craving ever and made a 11pm trip to the gas station for M&Ms. On the way home I spotted what looked like a large painting leaning against a trash can just down the road from our house. I stopped to check it out, expecting something ugly, but figuring that I could at least use the frame.

Instead, I found this – a Cincinnati map, circa 1933, titled “A New and Accurate Map of Cincinnati, the Queen City“

The pictures aren’t great (per usual) and it’s rather dim and a bit difficult to read even in person. But the level of detail is amazing – each street is labeled, buildings are named, and the border is filled with renderings of Cincinnati landmarks and quotes about Cincinnati. It was made by two guys named John Becker and Stuart Ball, and oddly, the only thing at all that I’ve been able to locate online about the map is the copyright entry. I did find out that these two ‘gents went to UC, and even got to see their pictures in the 1925 University of Cincinnati yearbook.

The TV cabinet and nightstand are already undergoing my renovations, but other than perhaps a fresh coat of varnish on the frame, I’ll be leaving this one untouched!

My Dilemma

The dismissal caught me very much by surprise. One day I was a slave to the computer working long hours to make enough money to support my sojourn through Canada; and then without much notice I was minus my main source of income. Without any substantial resources at my disposal,  I had to use my wits to get throught the crisis. The fact that my financial difficulties were a result of my failing to  heed a whole bunch of warning signs was now immaterial; I had to resort to a different strategy in order to survive.

The Long  Walk

The first thing to go was my 30 dollar a night bed in the Winnipeg hostel. I felt kind of strange, when I left my place-to-stay at 5 pm and started walking without any solid destination. Fortunately, it was a warm August night so I walked out of the city and found a place to sleep east of the city. Here, is the scene that greeted me the next morning as the sun rose across the Manitoba prairie. In some ways my misfortune had a silver lining, for I was now able to make pictures that I would have ever have attempted. I learned that being in the right place at the right time is often essential to a good photographic image.

Colorful butterfly left along the side of the highway nby high-speed traffic

The Way Back Home

My first day on the road, I walked all day long. I was total oblivious about trying to obtain a ride, I just wanted to figure a way out of this mess; and the best way to do that was by walking. Even despite my solitary frame of mind, two kind souls stopped their vehicles. In both cases, I accepted the offer; and in the second situation, I obtained a ride to a nearby town, where I could acquire some much-needed water, as the prairie sun had turned the day into a real scorcher.

Observations 

Walking along the side of the road gave me ample time to observe things I would never have noticed – like this roadside butterfly. It is also gave me a chance to ponder my situation. Eventually, my walking decreased and I started to stick out my thumb in order to hasten my journey south. I learned about the kindness of strangers, as I occassionally received gits in the form of food, supplies and on one occasion – money. My journey eventually took me across the border and into Minnesota, where I found temporary shelter for several weeks and work.

Another view of the Manitoba prairie

When driving my car around my country, I had sometimes to break my car and to stop to take photos. Here are some of those things which stopped me. Need the name of photo? Well, just move mouse pointer over the photo and then You have it with number. Photos from 2 to 10 show the forgotten memorial of the bear hunter Sipo, who killed a bear with his spear.

En español:

Al conducir mi carro aquí y allí en mi país, tuve que freanar mi carrito azul y sacar fotos. Aquí están algunas de las cosas que tomé. Fotos 2-10 muestran a Ustedes el monumento olvidado del Cazador de Osos llamada Sipo, que mató a un oso con su lanza.

En francais:

En conduisant ma voiture autour de mon pays, j’ai dû freiner ma voiture et de s’arrêter pour prendre des photos. Voici quelques choses qui m’a arrêté. Photos de 2 à 10 vous montrent le monument commémoratif oublié du chasseur d’ours appelé Sipo, qui a tué un ours avec sa lance.

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Findings by the roadside / Hallazgos al borde del camino / Trouvailles à côté du chemin

Relax

Giant Slide at the Minnesota Fair

First Time Visitor

The Minnesota State Fair, one of the largest in the nation, just ended this week. I had the pleasure of attending the popular event. Unfortunately, it was just for one afternoon and evening, but I enjoyed the whole show very much. Following are a few snapshots I got off from my cell phone camera. Enjoy!

Cotton Candy at the Minnesota State Fair

The Expected

What would a state fair be without cotton candy? This fair from this large mid-western agricultural state had everything you would expect and more. Here, is a cotton candy booth. Other treats included corn on the cob, corn dogs, bratwurst, foot-long hot dogs, homemade root beer and flannel cakes. Sometimes, it’s nice to enjoy the simple things in life.

Booth for Deep Fried Twinkies

The Unexpected

Then there was the oddball assortment of food like the deep-fried Twinkies pictured here. Actually, they weren’t too bad – and next door another vendor sold a dessert that appeared and looked like dirt. In fact, it was called just that, “dirt”. I didn’t try any, but many did and everyone seemed to come away quite pleased. Each dish even came with a few simulated corn-syrup worms.

Cakes for judging at the Minnesota state fair

Contests

What would a state fair be without judged contests. These events were everywhere and included livestock, food items, art work and many other agendas.

Prize winning corn at the Minnesota State Fair

Hope you enjoyed these pictures. So if you are even in the Twin Cities area in late August or early September be sure to check this event out. It is enormous, fun, immense and only cost around $10 to $12. Best way to get there though is by local bus.

Manitoba Buffalo Road Sign

Buffaloes Are Everywhere

The Canadian province of Manitoba has adopted the animal silhouette of the American bison as its official symbol. All across the prairie province, visitors and travelers will find signs like this. If perhaps you are wondering why the use of this symbol came about, then perhaps a short look into the survival and near-extinction of this large grazing animal is in order.

Electrical towers now cover parts of the Manitoba prairie.

Prairie History

While its true that the Southern Canadian prairie was once covered with large herds of Buffalo, today the large herbivores are also gone and in their place visitors will find large areas of agricultural growth or sometimes, just a long stretching network of metal towers. However, since the Winnipeg area did once support one of the few surviving herds of bison, the symbol of the animal on the highway signs are definitely apropos. During the 1870′s large hunts nearly wiped out the prairie bison. According to General Sheridan, the attrition was a premeditated effort to bring the Plains Indian onto reservations and civilize him.  So successful were the buffalo hunters that by 1870s only a few score of the once populous animal remained. One of these places was Winnipeg, where two ranchers, James McKay and Charles Alloway maintained a small heard. As it turned out this group of rescued calves turned out to be one of the major surviving gene pools.

Manitoba Today

Today agriculture is more important than ranching in Manitoba. Traditionally, wheat and other grains have been grown here, but a new product, canola beans has come into its own. All across the southern end of the province,the yellow flower comes out during the summer months and turns the fields to a brilliant hue of yellow. At first glance, the plants appear to be mustard, but it is the legume from which a cheap oil is made that provides the bright hue.

Canola fields in Manitoba

Monarch Butterfly By the side of the Road

Unexpected Delay

My journey took an unexpected delay, when I found out there was no bus service from Winnipeg to Minnesota. My response was to hoof it. This took a quite a long time because I decided on a rather untraveled route that lead Southeast to the American town, called Warroad and the nearby Lake of the Woods. The one benefit of this lengthy journal, was that I had lots of time to examine things left along the side of the road. It was remarkable how you could sense the presence of a nearby town by the great increase in of certain types garbage such as beer cans, soft drink bottles, coffee containers and plastic wrappers. And then the opposite effect would occur, as you passed through town and headed back for the wide-open rural spaces. And sometimes vehicular traffic has the habit of creating its own objects at the edge of the highway.

Common sulphur butterfly of Minnesota

Roadkill Insects

There is a lot of beauty and tragedy expressed by these flying insects that lie motionless along the side of the road. Though I doubt they amount to a significant portion of the butterfly population, it still seems a loss to find just one of these flying beauties sitting on the road shoulder. The marvelous little insects seem frozen in time, for their delicate bodies are so well preserved. Most likely these insects are not the result of a direct collision, but instead, they were probably overwhelmed by the heady winds created by larger vehicles. In fact, quite a few could be seen still fluttering the wings and very much alive, but unable to fly.

The Arctic Fritillary is associated with the peat boglands of extreme northern Minnesota

Different Varieties

Interesting species such as this arctic butterfly dwell in the bog areas of Northern Minnesota. Here, just south of the border this colorful Lepidotera is at the very southern limit of the range. Still the northernedge of this state sits very near the Great Plains and the northern birch-maple woods, so the diversity of habitats is significant. Pictured below is a butterfly of unknown identification.

Another roadside butterfly

Naturally I went across the street without hesitation, and he gave me this:

Pete gave me his old cart! Very timely too, since just the night before I was contemplating buying one. Funny how that works, eh?

I’m able to fit a ton of my gear in there and she rolls like a gem. Pete and I went on to talk for about half an hour, and then we went our separate ways. He was a little camera shy, and didn’t want his picture taken, so you all can’t fully experience his awesomeness. Real genuine guy.

Thanks, Pete. You took a big weight off my shoulders…literally.

In all seriousness though, these energy shots are getting out of control. First there’s 5 Hour Energy, then 6 Hour Power. When I’m done with this walk anyone want to go in on a little joint business venture…I’m thinking of something along the lines of 7 Hour Crack in a Bottle…any takers?

…and trust me, there are lots.

Will there be chairs and boots laying around the sides of roads all the way across the country? I can only hope.

Found these little guys within 10 feet of each other in the grass behind Target. An employee taking the edge off during lunch break? Retail…it’s a rough world.

First entry into a category that I’m uber-excited about…Roadside Finds! If my find is small enough and awesome enough I’ll take it with me.

Found this notebook in Orono. It looked interesting, but my Espanol has gone downhill over the years. Translation anyone?

The Former Frame

Don’t you just love road-side bounty?  I found a discarded picture with moulded ornate frame and quelle tragique faded print by the road the other day, and decided it needed a new home.  I discarded the print then spray painted the frame with abandon, replacing 0h-so-faux gold with benign and self-effacing cream.

When dry I plonked it on a spare nail to frame a rotating gallery of works on paper by young and upcoming artists:  It’s a pop-up gallery of kiddy masterpieces – the kind that only a mother could love but with added the gravitas of a frame.

The Final Frame

Last year I wrote a post about one of my favorite photographic subject: Route Artifacts. These are interesting things that I find on the road or path while riding my bike. My goal is to shoot the subject and leave it as I found it, keeping the picture as my only souvenir. I usually avoid shooting ordinary objects, trash or dead things, but sometimes those objects might tell an interesting story as well.

I started a photo set on Flickr over a year a go with just a few pics and now I have over 60. If you have a moment, you should go check them out. I’ve also started a Flickr Group so that others can share their own Route Artifacts – you are welcome to contribute. Here are just a few of my favorites:

I actually donated this to the church it was in front of.

Found this on a quiet suburban street.

I never turned over that other card.

Elephants

Found these near home..

Also, you will see another item found in the Roadside Boutique.  What a nice machine.  Please be sure to click on the photos to really appreciate these finds…

I’m not so sure the coverlet will ever be for sale, but the sewing machine certainly is.  It works great, beautiful stitches.  It’s not as quiet as my Singer 201 but no machine can hope to reach the heights of the 201, right?

I have some photos of items available for sale in our various shops as well.  If you’re interested, don’t hesitate to ask, buy or make me an offer!

I call this the Barbie Suit--$35 plus shipping, accessories sold separately

Polka Dot Princess Love, size 4T--$10 plus shipping

Cinderella Baby,12 months, Castro and Co.--$20 plus shipping

]]>