Tuesday 23 August 2011

Look what I found ....

I find the residents of our hamlet are often chucking away perfectly good household goods with their black bags each Friday.  Over the last few months I been lucky enough to pick up (having asked the owner's permission first of course) many useful things that would otherwise end up in landfill.  To date we have an ironing board (left out with a sign "to a good home" - it replaced my 25 year old board and I suddenly realised it wasn't my iron at fault, it was my threadbare board not doing a good job!!), a good size mirror (now in Katie's bedroom), a Z-bed (perfect for Katie's friends for when they stay over) and, my latest find, a set of drawers on wheels.
Ellie's Treasures
Before ...

This latest find was quite an exciting one.  You may remember some time ago a post I wrote about a box that housed the majority of my sewing stuff.  The particular box had started life as a baby changing box for my son and had always had a use (it's now in the Landrover for holding our flasks and picnic goodies).  The box was beginning to overflow with sewing stuff so much so that it became a mega task to find anything.  The chest of drawers on wheels is a crafter's life saver.  I came across it, thrown out with the black bin bags, a few weeks ago.  It looked in perfect condition so I knocked at the relevant house and asked if I may have it.  The lady was more than happy for me to take it away but said it was all broken up and probably of no use to anyway.  After a clean up and quick inspection, the only breakage I could see was a tiny split on the runner of the bottom (of 4) drawers.  As all my sewing stuff is relatively light this wasn't going to cause a problem at all.  Now I have drawers full of on-going work, felt scraps, new felt, buttons, gems, beads and ribbons all together in one place that I can wheel around from room to room, and my sewing box sits nicely on top - perfect. 
Ellie's Treasures
and after.

2 comments:

Janice Ashworth said...

Great find, isn't it strange how people throw out perfectly good things or ones that could be easily fixed.

Elaine, Ellies Treasures said...

Thanks for dropping by Janice. It is strange! I'd love to have a nosey around the Recycling Centre some time - remember managing to bag a wonderful large wicker basket once in perfect condition (I'm still using it too).