Best Find EVER! pt II

Alright, so right after that last blog I wrote, I was so excited about starting this project that I began right away. I used a fabric that I had gotten for free from a family friend, which is a very nice printed upholstery fabric . I had just, and I mean just enough fabric with no room for mistakes. I had to remove each panel from the dress form one by one, pinning fabric stretching it and stapling it down make sure to get as little pulling possible, which is rather difficult when your fabric has no stretch whatsoever. I spray painted the stand to give it a fresh look, used some bias tape ( which isn't tape, it's a hemming strip) to finish off the shoulders and tied a ribbon around her waist.. And the pearl necklace adds a nice touch too I think. Best find ever? I think so.

Before

removing each piece
one at a time

adding fabric to each piece

and placing each piece back on

Voila the finished piece

the before once more

The glamorized with light
version

Best Find EVER!

Yesterday, my husband and I were taking the dog for a walk and he noticed something on the ground. It took me a second to realize what it was. Just then, it started to rain and without thinking I ran home to grab the laundry off the line while my husband ran the other way to make sure the dog got at least around the block.
And a short while later he came back with the dog and the treasure. Fritz says he's taking credit for this find, however I think it's mutual because I'm not too sure if he realized what it actually was.  I guess I still haven't mentioned my self what it is.

It turns out that we found what I'm pretty sure is an antique dress form. She's in a bit of a rough shape, with stains and holes on the fabric and some rust, but the old mechanics of sliders and wing nuts is complete. I have never been this excited about a find. I have always wanted one of these, but they are pricey items, and yet here we found one on the side of the road, like it's meant to be.

I've been trying to find the actual value for her in her present condition. I have found a couple on line and they range form $100 to $800 but those ones are in pristine condition. I don't know if this one will even reach the $100 mark due to her condition, but I have great plans for her.

I would like to to replace the fabric for starters, give the legs a fresh coat of paint and completely clean her up. I can't believe I found an old dress form! This has to be my all time favourite find and I am sooo excited to fix her up and display her and I will make sure to post the results when I do.

The new treasure, in rough shape,
but so much potential!

high/low/subterranean

I have this mind set that I can always find an item for a better price. It might not be the exact same item but I'm a person of constant change and so I don't want to spend an arm and a leg on items. One of my favorite magazines is Style at Home. I don't subscribe to it though because I just stand in the aisle and  read it. I save $7.90 per magazine that way. Usually they have an article called High/Low. This article shows two rooms, they look very similar in contents but one room is usually decorated with very beautiful, but very costly items while the other, looking  VERY similar costs only a  fraction of the price. And yet I look at the "low" room and I still think "they spent how much on a table?"

So in this blog I want to show you how you can make a"low" costing room even lower.

high: $20,893

low: $4,408

This is the outline of items and cost for the Low room.

Trendline sofa in Dash Ecru, $739, G.H. Johnson's Trading Co.

Glass-and-chrome Como coffee table, $895, Elte,

Cotton Skruvsta swivel chair in Almas Red with steel base, $199, IKEA,

Oak-and-leatherette chair, $329, Most,

Wool rug, 5' x 8', $600, HomeSense

1960s teak sideboard, $995, Zig Zag

Green ceramic table lamp with white polyester shade, $79, Shelter Furniture

Indian rosewood Pawn side table, $298, Morba

Turqoise hand-blown glass Calypsobowl, $43, Crate and Barrel,

Crosley stainless-steel-and-plastic radio, $68, Urban Outfitters

Plastic picture frames, 4" x 6", $2 each, Dollaram

White ceramic vases, $15 (tall), $6 (short), Bouclair Home

 Cushions(from left): cotton with fibrefill, $20, HomeSense

cotton floral appliqué, $45, Pier 1 Imports

silk Ikat Border cover, $34, with feather insert, $14, West Elm, westelm.com;

green appliqué with polyester insert, $23, HomeSense, homesense.ca.

cusions total: $136

Okay now keep in mind, I cannot/don't want to create an image that has a layout like this room using the items I have found. Instead I am listing the items picture and price, you can match the images, most will be obvious

dining chair with blue seat $25 for 4
(I would probably sand off the ugly red stain)

lamp (paintable)$20

lampshade $5

Antique radio $40

red accent chair $100

glass ball ( couldn't find a bowl) $5

round glass coffee table $50

rug $75

sideboard $80

side table $30

white vases $5 for both

couch $50

black frame $2 X3 ($6)

insert $2.99 X4 ($12)

fabric 7.99/m need~$20 for 4 pillows

So now if I add up my items, most of which I found on Kijiji, I com up with a grand total of ... drum roll please..... $523

So for the above room, I could pay a) $20, 893 for probably very high quality one of a kind items b) $4,408, for very similar items of less unique quality but still just as nice, or c)$523 for mostly re-run items that are still of good use.