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Friday, March 5, 2010

Free For The Taking!

I was minding my own business, had just pulled out of our driveway to take our daughter to her pre-school and this is what I saw a couple of blocks away:


It was stuck to this sitting at the curb next to the matching love seat.


So I kept driving and took our daughter to school. A little while later as I made my way back home, I looked at the chair and love seat again.

I couldn't drive by!! I tried!!! I clutched the wheel with both hands and clenched my teeth but......
J-u-s-t   t-o-o   t-e-m-p-t-i-n-g!!!

I hit the brakes, slammed the truck into park, jumped out and shoved both pieces into the back of our SUV and then took off in a cloud of dust hoping that no one saw me.

Here is how the chair looks now after a thorough cleaning placed in the corner our daughter's bedroom.


The matching love seat is on our front porch where it will get new fabric for the cushions and soon provide a comfortable place to sit (if it ever stops snowing!)

This got me to thinking. With Spring cleaning on the horizon, I will be doing a BIG clean out at our home.

If there is something that you collect, tell me in the comments.  If I've got it, don't need it and can easily ship it, IT'S YOURS! On the flip side, I collect Fiesta Dinnerware (any color, any item, any age) and Old Jewelry. You got it and don't want it, tell me in the comments!


Let's help out the planet and each other by REUSING and RECYCLING together! 

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83 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, what a find! love your blog.

Unknown said...

Love the way the chair looks. Hard to believe that you found that sitting at someone's curb. I LOVE fiesta ware also. Have many pieces! Love this idea! Stopping by from Friday Follow!

Simply Suthern said...

Looks like you found some nice stuff there. Down south here you have to break a least one leg off the couch before you can put it on the front porch. You prop it up with bricks or rocks for the proper look.

adrienzgirl said...

That chair look fabulous in your daughter's room Deb! That's awesome.

raquel roysdon said...

Oh I left a box full of perfume in front of my mom's house. Full bottles of tresor, beautiful.
I picked up my sister to go to lunch and when we got back. The entire box gone!
I like this idea of yours. hmmm let me think.

Dual Mom said...

I can just imagine you peeling away from the curb with your "find" in the trunk! haha

Debbiedoos said...

Oh I love garbage picking, have done it often. Not too much these days since living down South, people do not throw out much here:)!!~ But in South Florida they did, and stuff that was like brand new, bar stools, tables, I had some good stuff I redid an painted. I used it for some decorating jobs, and they loved them!

Caution/Lisa said...

Most of what I see with the free sign is junk, although my boys got some great golf clubs that way. The neighbor told us she was hoping my boys would take them and I had to wonder why she didn't just come over and offer. Of course, no one in this house golfs.

I am a sucker for wind chimes and weather vanes - neither of which I've ever seen by the curb.

Anonymous said...

Awesome! In my neighborhood we have lots and lots of sightings like this. They don't put signs free on them but we all know that they are because they set the stuff out on trash pick up day, lots of times I have found great finds and refurbished the ones that needed alittle tender loving care. :)

Kat said...

OH hell, I would have stopped, too! Great find!

Unknown said...

What a great find! Isn't it funny how we don't want them to see us taking it even though it says FREE?! LOL! That chair looks really cute in your daughter's room.

VandyJ said...

Living in a college town, we often see furniture at the curb with a free sign. It's the easiest way to get rid of unwanted furniture. There is always some college kid who will take it and make it theirs.
As for collecting things, I like cookbooks. I'm a sucker for a flashy cookbook.

Unknown said...

Well too cool.. that is absolutely gorgeious in her room.. ummm stuff I collect.. Angels and ink pens lol.. I know odd collection.. Oh wait and the old brown glaze ware made by the same company that makes your Fiesta Ware Mccoy pottery company. Girl I am your hookup on info for McCoy.. My mom had over 800 pieces of the stuff when she moved here .. now THAT was one mother of a yard sale..I will have to take some pics of my stuff I saved from her co9llection and have in my house now..

Jackie said...

I love that you shoved them in and took off...I can totally see it! What a GREAT find though!

Jackie

Maureen@IslandRoar said...

Great idea and great find! I love wicker.

Remodelaholic said...

Just stopping in and looking around from Follow Friday! And just became your newest follower! Yea! Hope you stop by and return the favor!

My blog www.remodelaholic.com is all about interior design and remodeling there are some great tutorials so you can get the look you want on a budget! We also have a party every Friday to show off your stuff!!

Kitty Moore said...

The chair firs perfectly into the room - it must have been fate! x

A GAL NEEDS... said...

Haw Haw! I liked that. Who hasn't looked either way, shoved something into the car, and taken off! That was quite a find! Newest Follower!
AGalNeedsAtLeast2Blogs!

{ Mom of 3 Dolls } said...

What a great find! It looks great in your daughter's room.

I'm also stopping by for FF!

Hannah Gold said...

Happy Friday Follow! I am now following. Mine are numbers 166, 167 and 169.

I have no problems treasure hunting on the curb! I got my kids a 250 dollar keyboard that way and a pile of self-help books that I sold on Half.com in less than 24 hours! Such waste!

http://whatsfordinner-mommymommymommy.blogspot.com/

mommy_sammyk said...

I love that chair! It's beautiful in your daughter's room! Let me know if you have any furniture or anything that you might be getting rid of. I'm hoping to get an apartment to move into this summer and am looking for some furniture and decorations!

Chubskulit Rose said...

Just visiting from FF, already a follower.

SuziCate said...

One man's junk is another man's treasure...that adage equals recycling. What a neat concept to offer that on your blog. I need to Spring clean, too. You should (sorry if you have and I've missed it) do a post on your antique jewelry collection. I'll bet that would be fascinating. At a quilt show I recently attended, there was a vendor booth of jewelry made from antique buttons...very pretty and unique. I esp. like the ones made with wedgewood buttons into broaches...really cool.

Liz Mays said...

I have done that with other people's trash and I've seen them do it with mine. I think it's excellent. I also use freecycle! :)

Matty said...

If it was something I was interested in, I would have stopped too.

I like this idea. You might be onto something here in the blog-o-sphere Deb. Some sort of trading thing. I'll send you this and you send me that.

Maybe you should pursue this more, and see if there's an interest. Everyone has things they don't use, want or need.

KristinFilut said...

What an awesome idea, Deb!!!

Pink Haired Momma said...

DEB!! That is fantastic. Great find and FREE!! my FAV!!! I am very much into freecycle so I LOVE this idea you have!!

PS i can not wait to see the loveseat all glammed up!

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Great free furniture. I've done that with things here on the Ponderosa and they never sit in my front yard long and we have a dirt road! Heeeheehe! The chair looks adorable in your daughters room.

God bless and have a fantastic weekend!!!

Unknown said...

Friday Following! What a great find...now that's one thing I miss about living in the city. You just don't find so many great things in the country between the hay and corn fields!

~Lauri
http://knitsandreads.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

That chair looks great, it sure pays to watch out the car window!

Secretia

Merri Ann said...

I found my husband that way !! Someone set him out at the curb with a sign that said "Free to good home" ... I should have known there was a catch though when I had to take the couch stuck to his butt and the TV he was glued to ...

:))

Bev said...

Honest to Gawd, Deb. Your posts are so funny and so great I don't know why you're not writing a column for the local paper and getting paid for this. Great job as ususal!

The Four Week Vegan said...

What a great find and the chair looks perfect in your daughter's room.

TheFitHousewife said...

Wow, I love the look of your daughter's room! It is beautiful! No wonder you wanted that chair, it's perfect!

Aunt Juicebox said...

I think it looks great too! My neighbor gave me some great pictures to hang in my living room that match perfectly, when she saw the color I painted the walls.

I collect weird stuff - Nightmare Before Christmas items, sheep, old photographs (I scrapbook them) and a certain type of book that isn't exactly a pop-up book but more like a fake scrap book. If you've ever seen Pirateology, that's an example of what I'm talking about. lol I am also trying to decorate my kitchen in sort of a primitive americana.

Jestti said...

Great find!

Found you through FF. Following your blog!

http://householdcents.blogspot.com/

Corrie Howe said...

I picked up a toddler bed from a house which was foreclosed upon and they had dumpsters of stuff. I also picked up a dresser from a thirft shop and painted it Green and Yellow for the Green Bay Packer football team. My oldest has this theme in his room.

Linda Medrano said...

Great stuff! I love it when I find something cool like that!

Tell me more about what you want in old jewelry. I may have a couple of things I could send you.

Anonymous said...

That chair looks too cute!

Tiffanee said...

Wow! What a find. That chair looks darling in the room. I would love to happen upon something like that. You scored. Love the blog. Sounds like we have lots in common.
http://onecrazycookie.blogspot.com/

Grizzly Bear said...

Diggin that chair chica.. hello that is freakn awesome!

Buckeroomama said...

The chair looks just right in your daughter's room! What a find. :)

Stefany said...

The chair looks adorable in her room! Great find!

I don't collect very much... rosaries, crosses, and Willow Tree. Nothing too exciting. :)

I have been pining over Fiesta Dinnerware for the longest time! My friend said there is a place that you can get "slightly damaged" ones with marks on the bottom and stuff and I am all over that. I need to go!

I am your latest follower. Have a great weekend.

Betsy said...

Wow! What a find. We always joke that our house is early American garage sale...If it's free, it's for me is another of our sayings!!

I'm from Friday Follow! Looking forward to reading through your blog!

Come see me at www.zen-mama.com

Deborah Ann said...

What a cute little chair! Are you lucky or what?

I love that you offer to exchange treasures. If I think of anything I need or want to get rid of, I'll get back to you...

Annie Z said...

Lucky you had a big SUV that you could put them into straight away!! A great find!

Help! Mama Remote... said...

Nice to meet you and your blog. FF I'm following.

Anonymous said...

That is an awesome find and I wouldnt have been able to pass it up either! It looks great in her room!

Mamacita La Cuponera said...

It is in excellent condition! Lucky!!! It is gorgeous!

Anonymous said...

I love what you've done/are doing. I am a new follower from FF and am truly looking forward to future posts. Hope you check out my blog as well and let me know what you think.

Helene said...

Wow, it's like it was meant to happen! The little wicker chair looks perfect in her room!

It's things like this that truly make you feel like God is smiling down on you!!

Kinderbloom said...

following you from tag, your it ! :)

Kimberly said...

Hi Deb! I am a Friday Follower! I have taken stuff out of people's garbage! I know the feeling...sometimes I go once it gets dark so no one sees me!

Debbie said...

what a great find..and great idea!!!!

So Who Is The Crayon Wrangler? said...

What a wonderful idea of passing on good finds. I collect pill boxes (the fashionable ones of yesteryear, not the ones from Walgreens :))

Found you from FF and I am so happy that I did. Can't wait to look through your blog and see what else you got!

ZenMom said...

That chair is great. It looks great in your daughter's room.

I need to do a ton of spring cleaning myself. This weekend we're going to start with the garage. Wish me luck.

jules said...

Great find. I love when people give things away instead of just throwing them in the trash.

(I wish it would stop snowing here too)

Shannon K. said...

Still laughing over the conjured image of you peeling off in a cloud of dust with that stuff in your car. So funny.

Respectfully Yours said...

Holy crap. I love what you did with that. It looks great in the bedroom. Good find, I would have stopped too.

yonca said...

That chair looks perfect in your daughter's room.I also love the lamp. So cute!

Mixed Reflections said...

I love it when things you're looking to buy magically appear in someone else's giveaways. A few months ago, I was searching for a smaller table/chair set for our patio, not wanting to buy new. On my way to the store, I passed a house with the perfect set for sale in the yard. A quick trip to the ATM machine, and it was ours! Reusing something old--new to us--and much less expensive!

Hissyfits & Halos said...

What a great find!! I'm not above dumpster diving! ;) That's how I found 15 Christmas snow villages!

I collect Spode. I'm obsessed, and will spend hours shopping for pieces in antique stores, and discount retail stores. (like my faved TJMaxx!)

Good luck with the spring cleaning!

bizzimommiofboyz said...

I would have taken it too! Pretty!

Happy Friday Follow!

Following from....

Http://bizzimommi.blogspot.com

Hope you'll stop by!

JennyMac said...

The chair looks fantastic. :) And I collect nothing...except coats, shoes, and bags. LOL.

Kimi said...

How adorable is that chair! I love free things. Seriously I have no pride when someone asks if I want something they are getting rid of I'm yelling absolutely, lol

Sandra Wilkes said...

I love the idea! I would have grabbed them too. "Reuse, renew, recycle" is my mantra! I may try "FREE" on the roadside myself instead of Goodwill and just see who gets lucky.

Lissaloo said...

What a great find!
It looks just perfect in it's new spot :)

Susan said...

Why can't I ever find stuff like that??? Looks great in the room too:) I wish I had stuff to swap out with ya... sounds like you may have some good stuff!!

Loved your last post about meeting the other blogger...you are too funny:) enjoy your weekend!

Amy said...

that is a great find. I love the story it made feel like I was in the seat next to you. I love to read if you want to share any good books.. I have some too I could share. E-mail me..

Have a great weekend.

Take the shoe award I have.

Show Me Mama said...

Tag your it :0

Indi said...

Am all for recylcling! Ya been back to see what else there is?

Jen said...

I have gobs and gobs of Fiesta, new and original. I'd love to get rid of some of it, but my father would haunt me for the rest of my life. Sorry. Will go through all the old costume jewelry and see if there is anything worth salvaging. Lots of stuff from the 70's. Let me know if you are interested. Sorry, no working mood rings however.

Stephanie said...

LOL I can just see you driving away looking oer your shoulder and checking to see if you had been seen! It fits in your DD room perfectly!

Frugal Vicki said...

It looks great in the room! freecycle.org does something similar that helps everyone recycle. too funny, I would have done the same thing, hoping they weren't watching me out of the window!

~SHANNON~ said...

I'm your newest follower, I found you through Friday follow! Only it's Sunday now! Do I still count?

I hope you will come check my blog out as well!

Have a great weekend!
Shannon

KaLynn ("MiMi") said...

At my old apartment, I found a table and chairs for my daughter! She kept them for several years. I found a table for the back patio too! I love to find this kind of stuff!

I will keep an eye out for your fiesta ware! I collect K's and metal crosses, not ones that have ornamental stuff in the middle just crosses.

HeartsMakeFamilies said...

What a find. No you had to stop and get that. I actually was walking the dog one day and literally ran smack into my oven. Brand new. Just marked take it free to good home.

Rebecca S. said...

I would have put that in my van, too!
I love FIESTA dinnerware - have since the 80's. I only have a couple of bowls though, and you can't have 'em! (sorry) I do collect transferware, though.

Organic Motherhood with Cool Whip said...

That chair looks awesome in your daughter's bedroom. What a great idea. BTW I love Fiesta ware too. Great minds think alike, huh?

gayle said...

That chair looks great in your daughters room!! You are so lucky!!

Debby Carroll said...

Love the chair. What a great find. I do have some costume jewelry that I got from my Aunt Essie and don't have the taste to use or the heart to throw away. If you want it, it's yours. Send me snail mail address and you got it. In return, the only think I'm currently collecting is readers on my blog. Visit and subscribe if you like what you see. Thanks. :)

Anita said...

Wow! I'd have loaded that up too. :)
I can just imagine you peeking around for onlookers, then loading up.
Did you feel like a "Bag Lady" for a minute? :)

Heather said...

What an awesome find! Yeah, I wouldn't have been able to pass that up either.

I love to recycle, have ya checked out www.freecycle.org

I collect Green glass, Turtles, Frogs, Elephants, Coffee cups and clocks.