ALY ALLEN | THE BLOG

if you're new around here, you might not know that i used to write a lot more. there weren't as many craft/decor posts, there were a lot less photos. i mostly just used to write. i happened to be scrolling through some old posts and found this one. i wanted to post it again today in case any of my new friends never got to read it: every time i buy something from the thrift store [which is very often] and repurpose or spray paint it, i can't help but think that Jesus would have been a thrifter/repurposer. he was a carpenter, yes, but i think he would've enjoyed finding old stuff, fixing it up, painting it, and giving it new life and a new home just as much as he enjoyed creating something from scratch. He wouldn't walk into Pottery Barn to buy the brand new, expensive sofa table. no, i think He would set out on a mission, searching from thrift store to thrift store, until He found  just  the piece He was looking for. and very likely, it would be the piece t...

ah, the joys of spray painting. i literally have a hundred picture frames. i've just collected them over the years. usually black or some sort of dark metallic. but since that doesn't really fit my decor style anymore, i'm embracing the spray painting  addiction  trend that's taking hold of the [mostly blog]  world. my husband thinks i'm nuts, until i place everything back into the house and he loves me again because it looks perfect. i even spiritualized spray painting/repurposing here . yes, i really did. this is my little bookshelf. given to me by my mom. the corkboard is from Homegoods. the other items i've had for years [except the lantern which is a $1 Goodwill find, painted black]. the "a" holds up my books, "j" holds my husband's, and "r" holds my daughter's. she knows that she can only touch her shelf but she always talks about ours.  the crate might be sprayed to match the [krylon "jade"] frames. not sure...

every time i buy something from the thrift store [which is very often] and repurpose [or spray paint] it, i can't help but think that Jesus would have been a thrifter/repurposer. he was a carpenter, yes, but i think he would've enjoyed finding old stuff, fixing it up, painting it, and giving it new life and a new home just as much as he enjoyed creating something from scratch. He wouldn't walk into Pottery Barn to buy the brand new, expensive sofa table. no, i think He would set out on a mission, searching from thrift store to thrift store, until He found  just  the piece He was looking for. and very likely, it would be the piece that no one else wanted... the worst of the worst with chipped paint. it would be falling apart, on its last leg. the dented and broken piece in the back of the store that might as well be cut up and used for scraps. something that needed lots of fixing up. but He wouldn't care. He would know how beautiful it would be once He was finished w...

i thought i'd lighten up a little and post about something else that i'm really passionate about. i am a frequenter of goodwill, ross, tj maxx, homegoods, marshalls, etc. i love finding deals. it's such a rush! we just moved into a larger house. i'm not kidding, our old condo's entire contents fit into one room... so, needless to say, i've been having fun filling it up! but we're on a tight budget. [i'm talking $15 a week for discretional spending money]. here are just a few examples of things i've picked up over the past few months: * HUGE disclaimer * i know these photos are absolutely hideous. please humor me and don't worry about the quality! focus on the great deals. i promise i'll break out my NikonD50 and start experimenting with the manual settings really soon :) [i think you may have to click on these to enlarge and see all the writing. sorry!] [yes, my inspiration for the white dishes filling up the hutch IS none other than the nest...