It is all about finding the right piece of furniture, a wood shutter or an old door, then the magic begins. Where do we find these pieces? Curb trash, dumpster diving, junk stores, flea markets, second hand stores, basements, garages, and Craig's List. Family and friend are great resources too. Especially the ones who are littering without thinking twice. They find an object that anyone else may see as trash, but know I will find a use for it by repurposing.

People wonder how I come up with my ideas and will ask me about my projects, " that was an old cabinet door, how did you see a chalkboard rack?" I can't explain it, I only know that I love creating and changing something ordinary into something unique.

What person wouldn't want a brand new remodeled kitchen? That person would be me, my favourite challenges are repurposing existing materials. Okay, maybe I should re-word what I just said, I would love to gut out kitchen and have all new, but until then. turning on an outdated kitchen into a bright workable space is a rewarding challenge for me. There is a certain satisfaction of changing the look of a space, indoors or outdoors, using a lot of imagination and little pounds.

I've learned from mistakes and experimenting. I may visualize one outcome and end up with another. I've found patience is required for fewer mistakes, for example, let a piece of furniture sit in a room for a while before repurposing.

Sometime it takes me a while to decide colour, do I paint or refinish, how exactly will I re-purpose an object. The idea may come before I have the object, so I have to go treasure hunting to find it.

Some projects can be a lot of work and time consuming to repurpose and others a breeze. It all depends on the condition and how I decide to repurpose. A project that I decide to strip away the old finish will obviously take more time.

I don't try to bring back a piece of furniture to it's original state to make it look brand new. I like the character furniture has acquired over the years. I prefer to enhance the character instead of correcting every ding.

I can't stress enough how patience is very important. Taking time and not skipping steps will save headaches later. You will have a piece of furniture to enjoy for years.

I'm an artist, the ability to create and mix colours come naturally for me. I understand that we are not all created equally and it may not be so easy for others. But before you call the rubbish removal company, give your old furniture a chance. Who knows what piece of art could come out of it?