Yard Sales: What to Look for and What to Avoid

26 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Edward Stuart, Guest Posts, Shopping

Tags

antique, art, artwork, china plates, clothing, dishware, frames, furniture, recycle, reuse, shopping, used, vintage, yard sales

Going to yard sales can not only save the money in your wallet, but it can also give you tons of inspiration! You know what they say—another man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Going through yard sales can be frustrating at times, especially when you aren’t specifically looking for something. However, I got some top things to look for at yard sales, that’ll keep you on your toes, and inspire you into creating your own designs for your very own home.

Photo Credit: 92.9 Jack FM

Frames
Usually at yard sales, there is plenty of art work that they are trying to get rid of. Now, try to not pay attention to the art work within the frame (unless you really like it), and just look at the frame itself. Reusing old and unique antique framed art can really dress up the look in your living space.

Furniture
Let’s be more specific—wooden furniture. This way, you can aspire to decorate and design it in whichever fashion you like; even if it’s just refurnishing it. This is a quick and simple fix up, and something that can look great in your house: a dresser, a kitchen table, a night stand—you name it!

Dishware
This can include Tupperware, mason jars, or even china plates! You’ll be really surprised at some of the dishware found at yard sales. These are all things that are valuable and usable. If you’re able to get your hands on china plates, all the more power to you!

These three items can really help you narrow down what you’re searching for at yard sales, and can keep your eyes focused on the prize. These items can also be easily reused for decoration and design for your own home, resulting in overall happiness between seller and buyer. Even though there are great finds at yard sales, there are also things you want to stay away from.

Sleepwear
Now, this can all be up to you. Usually however, bugs like the home of used mattresses, sleeping bags, etc. There is a reason they are trying to sell this—and it’s better to stay away from it, rather than rack up exterminator fees.

Electronics
If they are selling any type of electronic (dvd player, mp3 player, etc.) it’s either because it’s out of date, or doesn’t work. Stay away from these!

Clothes
Unless the person you’re buying the clothes for is with you, then I would suggest not buying any sort of apparel. These clothes (even though you can find great deals) are loose, and were eventually formed to fit the seller. If you’re going to buy apparel, make sure and check the size, and the size of the person you’re buying it for.

Yard sales can be fun—you can find great deals, and amazing things to decorate the home. Just because someone else thinks it’s unusable, doesn’t mean you can’t recreate it to make a masterpiece of your very own. Get creative, and have fun!

Written by Edward Stuart

Repurposing Canvas Art

02 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art & Design, Edward Stuart, Guest Posts

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Tags

art, Canvas Art, canvasgalleryart.com, design, Edward Stuart, frames, home decor, Repurposing, Starry Night, Van Gogh, yard sales

The economy is down and our bank accounts are deflated, but that doesn’t mean we have to go without great art. The major difference is that we can’t afford supporting good artists to get it. Obviously that’s pretty harsh since we should want to promote good art, but if you can’t afford it then that’s that. Instead, here are a couple of ways to make bad art good or to find good art for cheap.

Enhancement
There are few better feelings than walking into a thrift shop and finding a great framed piece of canvas that you already have a plan for. These bargain basement values will often set you back little more than $5. I like to take the content in these frames and use that as a jumping off point, creatively. For instance, I’ve often seen framed art that has a nautical theme to it, be it an ocean landscape or maybe a lighthouse safely guiding ships in with a beacon of light. Take those boring images and use some acrylic paint to add a sea monster ravaging some fishermen, a dragon terrorizing a village, or an alien space ship hovering above the beach. The problem with a lot of this cheap art isn’t that it’s particularly “bad” so much as that it’s boring. If you’ve got the necessary painting skills (or not if that’s how you roll) you can take cheap generic stuff and make it your own.

Purposeful Ruination
This is exactly the same thing as the above category, except that it involves using prints of extremely good but overplayed pieces that just about anyone is liable to recognize like this awesome blog showing a variety of altered versions of Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”.

Photo Credit: Popped Culture

Stencils
Yes I know, stencils are for amateurs, if you’re that awesome you can use a paintbrush. For those of us who are awful at typographical things, we will cheat. Hip boutique stores sell framed art like this for far more than it’s worth, but you’re smarter than that. You’re savvy. Take a forest landscape and stencil “Vintage Solar Cells”, or “Carbon-Emission Free Energy before it was cool” across it. If you’re not into the hipster thing, stencil something inspirational over the classic evergreens and mountain lake as a pick me up for a rainy day.

Yard Sales
This isn’t so much repurposing as it is simple reuse. If art modification makes your skin crawl then yard sales are for you. The fact is that a lot of people can’t tell the difference between good and bad art. That means some people overprice bad art, but it also means heavily underpriced good art. If you go around every weekend and look through local yard sales you will absolutely find some priceless stuff at absurdly low prices all because someone didn’t know or care that grandma was an art aficionado.

{Edward Stuart wrote this on behalf of canvasgalleryart.com.}