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Saturday, August 11, 2012

this is not a lamp.

Picture me at Salvation Army.



Picture me on a mission.  A mission that includes me seeking out some ugly lamps.  Ugly and brassy …


… but with some great potential.  Good bones.  Interesting curves.



Lamps whose true potential will be revealed once they are hit with some bright orange spray paint.



You see, I keep seeing these amazing lamp transformations.  They start out ugly.  Hideously ugly.  And then with a few squirts of spray paint they are transformed into show stoppers .  Like this one … and this one



Now picture my sad face when I don’t find the perfect pair of hideously ugly lamps for a good price.



Now picture me picking up this tray …



tray-table-from-salvation-army

… this $2.99 Salvation Army tray.



Picture me thinking I could use this tray to rest my laptop on …



Now picture me resting my laptop on this tray and realizing it’s not very sturdy.  And there is no place for the mouse.  And picture me admitting that this was a really dumb idea.  Not at all well thought out …



Now picture a light bulb going off over my head …


… a light bulb in the form of bright orange spray paint …


tray-table-from-salvation-army-primed


… and now take a gander at this picture of my newly transformed tray table…


breakfast_in_bed_final


Not too bad for a $2.99 Salvation Army impulse buy.



P.S. You'll have to wait until I get back from vacation to learn more about that tray ... yes, there's more to this story.  And it's a good one, if I do say so myself ...


P.P.S.  Just because I'm on vacation next week doesn't mean the blog will be on one too.  Not at all.  The blog will be hard at work.  I've got a line up of some funny blogger friends guest posting while I'm away ...

... it's a week of funny while I enjoy the sunny.


Let's keep in touch ...

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Sharing ...

* The Cottage Market  *  I Heart Naptime * Flamingo ToesNifty Thrifty Things * It's So Very Cheri * Southern Hospitality * Under the Table & Dreaming * Between Naps on the Porch * The Shabby Creek Cottage House of Hepworths * Savvy Southern Style * At the Picket Fence * French Country Cottage * Common Ground * Redoux * Funky Junk Interiors *

32 comments:

  1. Linda,
    Nope, not bad at all for a $2.99 purchase. Really like the pop of orange that you painted it. Would make anyone smile in the morning.
    I picked up a bed tray also about two weeks ago at a yard sale for $2.00, it's waiting to be transformed at the moment. Hope to get to it soon.
    Enjoy your vacation :0)

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  2. girl, you are making some good use of your orange paint! Love it!

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  3. Loving the orange paint. Talk about some much needed Vitamin C. :)

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  4. Very, very cute- I love the bright pop of color- xo Diana

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  5. Loving it! I wish I had a guest room to transform a bed table! I'm looking for a cute (or soon to be cute) coffee table something, someting!

    Cindy (mommyseverday.blogspot.com)

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  6. How FUN!! What a way to wake yourself up in the morning!

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  7. No body does orange like you! Wow that tray has never had it so good.

    Hope you are enjoying your vacation!

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  8. I have yet to find one of those great potential lamps, but I watch for them every time! I'd like breakfast in bed on that tray, for sure! Now in fact. Please.

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  9. Love that! It now looks like something you'd be excited to find in a catalog! Hope you are having a wonderful vacation, Linda!

    xoxo,
    mk & Little G

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  10. i love it in the bright orange! have a wonderful vacation, friend!

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  11. Your kids better cast a wide berth or they may be sporting some orange spray paint! First your sons room, then fish, now a tray! What can't some good old fashioned orange paint solve?!
    Kelly

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  12. if I could one get my hubby to bring me breakfast in bed...
    LOVE the brigh pop of color

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  13. Your laptop tray turned breakfast tray is brilliant...what would be more brilliant, someone to serve you breakfast in bed, on that tray :)

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  14. Love that color...that would sure to "wake up" someone in the morning with a smile!...

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  15. Great color Linda. Lol - totally understand why you had to come home with SOMEthing. Story of my life...

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  16. It might not be a lamp now, but with a little ingenuity it could be.

    ~Bliss~

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  17. Hi Linda, so nice to meet you. I share your lovely name. Wonderful transformation on your purchase. The color is vibrant and perfect. I am your newest follower. I
    hope you pop in to say hello.

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  18. Love that tray, looks like something I would see in Crate in Barrel for a lot more than 2.99! I love ugly old lamps too. They call my name when I visit thrift stores. Have a great vacation!

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  19. Isn't it amazing what a jolt of color can do? Orange sure works for you. I found a pair of old ugly brass lamps at a tag sale. Hubs agreed to paint, but I'm pretty sure orange isn't on the horizon. Just got a piece of furniture he'll "let me do anything I want with", he suggests off white. oy. Have a great vaca!
    Janet

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  20. I love the bright orange paint! You took something from incredibly bland to brilliantly beautiful! Coming to you from Southern Hospitality. Have a blessed week! I am your newest follower.
    ~Nici

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  21. That tray is darling painted orange! Can't wait to hear the rest of the story!

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  22. Love the bright color! Useful and pretty, too.

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  23. Great tray makeover. I love the fun color.

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  24. The tray is so funky and cool and perfect. Love how deliciously it's styled too. :)

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  25. OUTRAGEOUSLY AWESOME in ORANGE!!! WOW...what a POP of color!!! You sure did breath NEW life into the tray my friend!!! Now...you have to have that egg breakfast in bed! ; ) hugs and thanks for sharing at Junkin Joe! : )

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  26. Don't give up hope; when it seems like the impossible dream I bet you stumble upon some super ugly lamps to transform. The tray is a nice time filler meanwhile. It looks great.

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  27. Awesome! As much as I love bold color, I would have never thought of using such a striking orange. But it works great and it's perfect for the upcoming Fall season :)

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  28. This is gorgeous! I've been looking for table trays forever now... please send some goodwill vibes my way in hopes I can find one at my local store, too!

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  29. This is a great impulse buy! It looks beautiful in that orange. Megan

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