My Old Repurposing Life

From 2005-2007, my friend, Shelly, and I had a little junk antique shop called Retique. We hosted occasional sales out on a farm in a little converted chicken coop. It was my first experience with repurposing and reclaiming old things, and it really changed my life. So much so, that I can't imagine not continuing the recycling effort in my graphics business, hence my eco-friendly stationery shop.

We had such fun scouring garage sales, thrift stores, flea markets and curbs for old "junk" that could be turned into something clever and/or useful. My kids even learned to go along for the ride and to find some treasures of their own.

I converted old cement trowels into candle sconces, bed springs into vases, and a mop wringer into a message pad, to name a few. What I did most of though, was create new uses for old windows. It was creatively fulfilling, but also very stressful to get ready for each sale. So, we mutually decided to hang up our paint brushes and tools a year and a half ago. But I still do some consignment at a darling shop called Betty Lou in Stone Lake, Wisconsin.

Here are a couple of windows I'm sending up there today:

1. Piano bench with hinged window for storage


2. Window wall hanging with shutter shelf


3. Screen door window message board