Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Cultivating My Image As Someone Who Loves Free Stuff

In my circles, I am known as somebody who is happy to take unwanted stuff.  This isn't a culturally popular image, right?  But I'm finally middle-aged enough not to mind.  I am reducing trash, saving money, and staying home where I want to be instead of shopping.


How I cultivate my image:

1.  Take what's offered, even if I don't think I personally will use it.

2.  Check to see if the giver wants it back if I can't use it.  If the giver doesn't want it back and I decide not to keep it, then I donate it to a thrift store or check with other people I know who love freebies.  (We've got a hotline and a password - shhhh, don't tell)

3.  Make sure the giver knows how grateful I am for the stuff. 



The benefits:
1.  Useful stuff!  That I don't have to track down in some shopping edifice!  I think most of my fabric stash is pass-ons from other people.  If you are one of those people and you are reading this post, thank you, again!  You rock.

2.  One person's trash is another person's treasure, right?  I am so pleased when something marked for the trash turns out to be useful to someone.

3.  The warm community feeling.  Makes me feel like sharing my stuff too. 

4.  Creatively, life is more interesting.  I sometimes confine myself to the things people give me because it's an exercise in thinking outside the box and finding solutions.


And yes, these curtains.  My mother-in-law did not need these curtains which came with their house 2 years ago.  She offered them to me.  Perfectly serendipitous, as I was wanting plain curtains in our bedroom. 

But I like to have light sometimes, so the curtains needed tiebacks.


I pulled a delightful assortment of fabrics out of my scrap bag - some from this pillowcase, the cuffs from my bathing chemise, and some leftover stripes from the brick wall comforter (which is on the bed).  Bias-tape loops. $21 for three curtain rods. High-up hooks so the light can still get in when the curtains are pulled back. 

I'm very, very pleased with the functionality and the way the curtains fit right in. 

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6 comments:

  1. AttilaDecember 21, 2011 at 10:33 AM

    I live right near a charity shop and such is my junk-accepting image, lots of friends will call by me on the way to donate their stuff! People are often embarrassed to offer others their cast-offs, but it's often wonderful, so I try to be positive toward their stuff. So I get fabulous things, like two good quality, nearly new skirts that a friend gave me, knowing they were too big for me, because she would know I would remake them.

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  2. AnonymousDecember 21, 2011 at 11:11 AM

    The curtains look wonderful and the tie backs too! It looks like you're getting ready to paint. What color are you going to use?

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  3. MargoDecember 21, 2011 at 7:51 PM

    We just patched a water leak - the plan is to use the grey-blue again on the walls. My husband would like to go darker and greyer. We'll see.

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  4. LisaDecember 21, 2011 at 9:57 PM

    I hate to sound like a broken record, but - you have so many nice ideas. I enjoy coming here.

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  5. AnonymousDecember 22, 2011 at 6:25 AM

    I love the color of your walls. Fantastic job on the tie backs and I love your thrifty attitude.

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  6. MargoDecember 22, 2011 at 1:33 PM

    Lisa, how kind of you. thank you!

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