My Mission Week 2

I don't expect all my items to sell every week, but I hope at lease one or two will--and they did.  The black bench went very quickly!  I also finished my friend's chair.

I made $240 last week, minus the $135 in expenses.  That makes my total $105.

Here are some more projects I finished this week, and a few more I have yet to refurnish:

 I picked this one up at a garage sale for $10  It hardly needed any work at all.  Just a fresh coat of paint.

This is a goodwill find for $5.99.  This one needs some TLC.  I plan on sanding down the scratches, and painting it a creamy white.

I got this one off Craigslist for $30.  It's pine and I hate working with pine.  I'm not too happy about this one, but I'm hoping to make something better of it and come away with a bit of a profit.

Here is another Craigslist rescue.  Can you believe I got this one for $10?  It doesn't even need much work! Just a light re-staining should do it.

I am in love with this one!  It's so unique and has soooo many possibilities!  I think I will try to sell it as is first, then maybe if it doesn't go, I'll get my hands on this with some mod podge or stenciling.  

This week's expenses: $66

My Mission Week 1

Okay.  Week One.  Here we go.  These are my finds for the week.  Most of these I picked up at garage sales or Goodwill.  Almost all of them are already refurnished and for sale, so I guess I got a head start this week.

This is my friend's chair that I'm redoing for her.  It was her grandfather's chair.

This week's spending: $135

The Call

Excuse me for a moment while I brag on my awesome son, Ricky.

He is my oldest, and my only son.  He is such an amazing guy and such a gentleman.  He is an excellent singer, ballroom dances, ran track in high school, is a sharp shooter with a bow and arrow, and currently works at Dairy Queen (I don't know how he does that and still stays so skinny!).  Sorry girls.  He's not available right now.  Ricky is saving all his money to serve a proselyting mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Well, Ricky just got his mission call!

Ricky opening his mission call

  He will serve in  the Honduras San Pedro Sula mission.  Look how beautiful this place is!



Ricky will report to the Missionary Training Center on June 20th of this year, and will be gone for two years.  What many people don't realize is that although these young men who go on missions sacrifice two years of their lives to serving Christ, they also have to pay for it themselves.  The cost to serve a mission is roughly $10,000.  Ricky has been working for almost a year to save up enough money.  He's getting close, but has a way to go.

I am so proud of him and his decision to serve a mission. Of course, I want to do all I can to support him.  That's kind of where my idea to restore furniture came into play.  It was something I was inspired to try to help with finances while still being able to be a stay-at-home mother.  So far, Rescue Me Furniture has been a blessing, and not just in a financial sense.  It has allowed Ricky and me to work side by side, spending time working on furniture.  He is my big strong muscles that transports all my heavy pieces.  He is my handy man when I need something hammered or drilled, or glued.  He even enjoys being my photographer, taking the pictures of finished pieces to list on Craigslist.  He really gets into that and has such an eye for detail.  I am really going to miss his help when he leaves!

Just had to add another adorable picture!

I was discussing Ricky's story to a couple of kind and dear friends recently, and they suggested I make a goal of how much I want to raise before Ricky's mission, and keep postings of it here on my blog.  Not only will it give me a purpose, it will help me be accountable for my funds and motivate me to continue to rescue furniture.

So, with a deep breath, and fingers crossed, here it goes!!!  My goal is to make $3000 by the time Ricky leaves on his mission.  That's $1000/month.  To me, it seems a little lofty, but I really really think I can do it.  I plan on posting my finds and finished products weekly and keep tabs on my earnings. I will post my first one on March 20th.

Wish me luck!

This Little Light of Mine...

I've been searching for a chandelier to hang above my bathtub, and when I found this awesome chandelier at a church rummage sale, I knew I had to take it home.  I showed it to my family and told them what I was intending to do. They just shook their heads and must have silently thought I have finally lost it.  Little did they know rescue plan brewing in my head.

I started to take the whole thing apart.  At this point I was almost convinced that I really had lost it.  This was not as easy as I had imagined.  These things were well built!  The only way I could take all that awful glass and brass off was get the pliers and remove each pane, piece by piece.  I tried to be as careful as I could and not break any glass.  I'm sure I could make something out of these, right?  Near the end, I just started breaking them off though.  I just wanted the darn thing finished!

Then there was this big brass ornament on the top that HAD to go.  This is when bored kids come in handy.  I told my son I had a project for him.  He is so good at things like this.

Here is what it looks like before paint

Next came the fun part --- paint!!  I used Rustoleum Metalic Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint.  This sticks to anything, including shiny brass!

Now, I thought I was cool and could do this project all by myself, but I don't know the first thing about electricity.  So, again, I called on my helpful son to do the job.  I was impressed.  He has never worked with electricity before.  In no time he hung a can conversion kit and wired the chandelier to it.  Easy, right?  Well, that's what we thought until we blew a circuit and lost power to that side of the house.  I give you lots of credit for getting this far Ricky.  But time to call in the Big Boss--hubby.  He saved the day again!!!  Thanks honey!

Again, let me show you the before:

And the after:

It's hanging over my tub and so pretty now!  I sewed a simple black cozy to hide the ugly chain, and I got that ceiling medallion at a garage sale for 50 cents.  I'd show you the rest of the bathroom, but it's a rescue project of its own.

Stop! In the name of Yuck!

While out garaging this past weekend, I happened across this bright red dresser.  It was a blaring red that could be seen 100 yards before I approached the garage sale.  I parked my van and was immediately drawn to it like a moth to a lantern.  I examined it as I contemplated its' potential.  It was solid wood and in great shape. It just needed a color other than an octagon stop sign.  Then I found the price tag:  5 bucks!!  That price was enough to make me stop in my tracks.  Sold!!  

With lots of TLC, I gave this poor thing a makeover, turning it from traffic stopping red to go ahead green.  I finished it off with a nice glaze and new glass knobs.  Rescued.