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Flagstone Patio Summer Project

9/29/2016

We love being outdoors and enjoying our yard, but when we moved into our current home we gave it up. Apparently, in 1950 when our home was built, the owners didn't have a love for the outdoors. There is no patio or place to read in a morning breeze or enjoy a cocktail while listening to crickets. Patio plans became a must-do project!

We began this project by replacing the back door (which was actually a front door?), removing the old decking steps and building a more inviting set of steps that will allow access to both the sidewalk and also the new patio.

We decided to make the patio using flagstone and gravel, keeping it more organic feeling and less formal than stamped concrete. Our driveway area has old stacked stone walls, so a stone patio would also keep it feeling like it could have been original to the home.
Next step, layout a design and shape for the patio area as well as the landscape area that will surround it and add some privacy.

Now comes the back breaking part!
Working over two more weekends we kicked butt (and in 95 degree temps!). This involved adding 5 yards of soil, spreading and leveling 3 ton of crushed limestone as a base, 2 ton of sand for leveling stone, 2 ton of flagstone and 35 bags of pea gravel. Did I mention a whole bottle of ibuprofen and a tub of Icy Hot?

Next and final step was the landscape layout, and after another couple of weeks it was finished and we were celebrating!

Sunday breakfast, evening fires, drinks with friends.... have enjoyed each one over the last month and can't wait to enjoy it every summer - minus the work!

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Rent Out The Rust ( & Found)

7/31/2016

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Do you love an inviting atmosphere?
Shiplap walls. Rustic metals. Warm woods.
Are ambiance and mood important to you when entertaining?
Warm industrial lighting. Vintage rugs. Unique details and character.

Imagine having all these characteristics in one space for your event!
This winter (late December, January and February) you can!
During our closed winter months we
are going to offer a large part of our shop for event rental.
Host your Bridal shower or baby shower.
Hold a workshop or open a Pop Up Shop.

About The Space:
The first room you enter is warm and inviting, with a natural
wood ceiling, shiplap walls, a wall of rustic metal roofing tin,
unique industrial lights and vintage lighting.

Up a few steps and you will enter the second space, which is set up perfectly
for food and drink service. Our large check out counter made of
reclaimed butcher block and rustic metals is an amazing place for
your appetizer and dessert display. Additionally there is an antique
workbench just waiting for your beverage offerings.

The final room is a great overflow space for more seating,
gift tables, or merchandise.
Warm string lights, vintage doors and rustic metal
add to the cozy feel of the space.

                                               Additional Amenities
~ We will provide 2 dining tables. These will be either vintage
   or reclaimed depending on our finds and designs at that time,
   as well as provided seats for at least 14.
~ Plenty of space for additional tables/seating.
~ Rugs and unique decor accents throughout.
~ The rustic metal walls are perfect for using our provided
   magnets to hang photos or decor to personalize your event.
~ Parking lot.

For more information and rental details, please email rustandfound@gmail.com

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Our Day With Chip & Joanna!

6/9/2016

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Ok, ok...not with Chip & Joanna themselves, but a day with their vision! Did we love it or were we disappointed?

Let's back up to last January. We get the dates for our daughters graduation from Air Force, held in San Antonio, and I begin to think maybe we could do a little junking in the area so I grabbed a map. I've no idea of what is where in Texas, and then I saw it. Waco is only 2.5 hours away! What?? Well that was a no brainer. Our trip was immediately extended to allow for a road trip.

Jump back to this week. We hit Waco Monday morning and what do I see before me but NO LINE! The place was packed but we lucked out and didn't catch the hour wait to get in that we had read so much about. Whew! Lucked out, but we later find out why.

Once in the door the hardest part was figuring out where to start! I didn't want to miss a thing!
I'd been well informed and knew that we weren't going to grab any "Joanna Finds" here. No "one of a kind" pieces from her junking trips. Those items were pretty much limited to the displays pieces. Amazing industrial tables and unique buffets. And not for sale. The days of shopping at Magnolia for "unique finds" were over when they moved from the small original store. This store was for the masses. 25,000 shoppers a week to be exact!

What I was excited about was to see the process, feel the vibe and to hang out with my bestie! Sadly she wasn't here. Apparently she has other work to do like design houses, open a bakery, film a TV show. So I hung out with Chris instead. My other bestie!

Let me tell you about the part that amazed and impressed me. The vignettes and displays never empty, always look perfectly staged, and all while hundreds of people are inside with us snatching things up! How?? It took me a few minutes to notice, but each area has IT'S OWN PERSON! That's right! A person that perfectly positioned those wooden spoons after I played around with them. And when I selected a ceramic colander from this display... one appeared in it's place within seconds!! These displays were never empty or picked over, never out of place, and that was just mind blowing considering the amount of people inside that were purchasing or picking things up. But there's more....

....after stepping down into this beautiful larger room, we noticed an enormous space on the left side that was open for viewing, but "employees Only". This was the supply room for all those displays out front! There were busy young people walking in and out with lists and carts, pulling items that needed refilled in the shopping area so that it looked perfect!
How smart! We were in awe of the process. Even Target doesn't have full perfect displays at all times, and I doubt my Target has 25,000 people a week shuffling through.

Where we were both the most impressed was when we exited the lower level into the "community park" area. This place was booming with kids playing ball, moms pushing babies in swings, community vegetable gardens being tended, and plenty other activities that seemed to be local people and not necessarily shoppers. I'm sure this was Chip and Joanna's plan all along. A place to BE.

Food trucks, plenty of picnic tables and ice cold bottled Coke. We devoured several amazing crepes and enjoyed some people watching.

There were only a couple of disappointments that day.

1. I had a list of all the antique and vintage shops where Joanna finds some cool things and that had been recommended to me by several people. But why one earth are they closed on Mondays?! Most local stores were, and this is the reason I feel we didn't have a long line to wait to get in. It's not the best day to visit Magnolia Market if you have options. We didn't. Our flight home was Tuesday so I knew going in we wouldn't get to do a ton of shopping. We did find some fun picking back in San Antonio though.
2. Sorry Clint, but Clint Harp Studio was the other disappointment. After seeing all the "made for the masses" items at Magnolia I was excited to visit Clint's studio and grab a small made by hand item. Maybe a little cutting board or a turned candlestick. Something to take home that was made by someone we love to watch.

We saw Clint and a few other guys working out back, but as we entered the shop I was so let down. It was more mass produced home decor. What? Why? Why is Clint selling little notebooks, pillows and ceramic bowls? Nothing he made. I wouldn't have minded if the shop had been half the size but only carried some small handmade items. At least it would have had something to do with wood working. We left here empty handed and after only a few minutes. I just didn't get it. But we still love you Clint.

Was the 5 hour round trip drive to Waco worth it? Absolutely! Honestly, I bought nothing but a ball cap and a T-shirt. There wasn't anything in Magnolia that I can't purchase from my wholesalers. But it was the "experience" we went for. Inspiration, motivation, a little obsession and to stalk... I mean visit my our best friends, Chip & Joanna. Too bad they had other plans and couldn't hang out with us! :)

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Maryland and Virginia - Junkin' & Road Tripping

5/19/2016

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What a perfect weekend to head out on a new picking adventure! The main destination/event, Lucketts Spring Market, isn't until tomorrow but somehow our trailer is already half full! Our stop today was in Frederick Maryland at Chartruese & Co. Several barns and outside vendors were stocked full! We made it there an hour before they closed but still managed to do a huge amount of damage. We hope to head back Saturday to see what need treasures show up.

Day 1

Doing the blog from my phone tonight and can't seem to get links working. apologies for any crazy photo sizes 😄
See you all tomorrow!

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Happy Anniversary To Us & A Giveaway For You!

5/11/2016

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May celebrates our 3rd Anniversary! We've made so many new friends and memories during these years and can't wait to see whats coming up next for the store and for us. It's flown by so fast! To celebrate we are having an amazing giveaway during our Weekend Open Event this month.
BONUS: 3 years =THREE WINNERS!

THE PRIZE:
The winner(s) will receive a VIP Shopping Party for 8, the evening of Thursday July 7th (prior to our open event). Your shopping experience will include drinks & appetizers and 2 hours to hang out with your friends as well as the other winners and shop with no rush.

Here’s the scoop in 4 EASY STEPS:
1. Visit us during our May “Weekend Open Event” and take your photo in our photo booth!
2. Post your photo on Instagram or Facebook
3. Tag us “@RustandFound”
4. Be sure to add the hashtag ‪#‎rustandfoundanniversary‬ to your description so we can find you.
We will see your tag and hashtag, then add your name into the giveaway!
Simple as that!

Mark your calendars for the
27th 11am-6pm, 28th 11am-4pm, 29th 11am-2pm
and stop in to enter!

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Picking In The Dark

4/26/2016

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There is something so fun about junking in the dark! There is a chill in the air, and a buzz as vendors are setting up, but there is a downside; things can look better in the dark!
Our April picking trip to Norther Kentucky was a great success! This flea in Burlington opens at 6am so we try to get there by 5am with flashlight in hand. There are often a few purchases made before sunrise that aren't quite as perfect as we thought once the sun rises. Lessons learned.

There are favorite vendors that I hunt down right away, and then do a once around at a quick pace looking for larger items. Once those pieces are found and purchased the pace slows and it's time to start taking in the details and looking for small items. Oh and hunting down food!

While it's still dark here, it's great when a vendor gets place under the lights. Look at all the industrial and rustic goodness!
(some of that came home with us)

Put up some great vignettes and you've got me! Pretty displays take time and these vendors have been working hard to make their treasures look perfect.

The picking and junking season is just getting started, so get out there and have some fun!

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Grab The Glue

3/28/2016

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I am always up for any DIY project that can be done sitting at home during a relaxing evening or on rainy day. These creative projects from ThistlewoodFarms fit the bill perfectly! This is one of the many blogs I check in with frequently for great inspiration, and I couldn't resist sharing.

Drift Away Mirror

Slice of Time Clock

Cork USA Map

Burlap Family Tree

Steampunk Seat Hanger

Industrial Bookends

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Kitchen Refresh On A Budget

1/19/2016

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Small cost + a little time and muscle = fresh updated look! We went from a space that was sad and depressing to a bright and cheery kitchen that I now enjoy being in.

Our small 1950 kitchen when we moved in last year... tired cabinets, beige tile and sparkly beige laminate. We chose to take on some other more necessary remodel projects for the first few years, and since the kitchen is basically in good shape that remodel will be last. It will be a total gut job eventually, but not for at least 4 or 5 years. In the meantime I need to at least want to be in there!

Quite honestly, I was cooking less and just didn't like to be in there, so it was a no-brainer to at least do some easy low cost updates to make it a space to enjoy. The first step was the counter top update last spring. You can read the blog post about that process here.

I purchased this tile paint product online and although it was super smelly (open the windows!), it only took two coats to make the beige tile and grout bright white!

Next was new hardware. Cup pulls for the drawers, for a little cottage/industrial feel. Knobs for the cabinets doors meant filling in the current handle screw holes with wood filler. That process took all of 5 minutes to fill them in, and an hour later sanded them smooth. So easy!

The final change that made the biggest update bang for our buck was the cabinet doors! I removed the flat panel doors, then measured and marked for the opening that was going to be cut out. I did add a small piece of trim inside the opening edge for a more finished look, and then used clear silicone to attach the glass before reinstalling the doors. The cost here was less than $10 a door! Lastly, all the cabinets got a fresh coat of paint.

It's finally a cheerful place to grab a glass of wine and do some cooking! Not depressing at all, and for a very minimal cost. The most expensive part of the process was the countertop product, but that being said, the entire process ~ paint, countertops, hardware, and glass was only around $400. Even with the lack of counter space, and doors that won't quite close, this will last me for quite some time!

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Needing A Lighting Make-Over? Try This!

1/11/2016

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Boredom forces me into being creative. Is that a thing? Thanks to boredom we now have two new light fixtures! Two evenings working in front of the TV turned out to be pretty productive.
Why so bored, you ask? (commence whining.....)
It's been weeks since I was put back into a boot for my ankle injury, back onto crutches and using a rented knee scooter. If you know me you know this would make me insane. I've run out of projects that don't involve much standing and have become a grump, and let's just say that hubby is happier when I come up with a "sit at a table" projects to entertain me. So am I!! So back to the project....

My Inspiration Light

After shopping online forever for lights to replace all the domed lights around the house, (we refer to them as "boob lights". You know the ones.) this look became my favorite. I found several variations and all of them around $200+.... not happening!

My Version

This is my completed version. I decided to do a different pattern and to leave it more open to allow more light to come through. It's at the bottom of a stairway that needs good lighting. We also liked seeing the clear bulbs. When making more for rooms upstairs I'll fill them in more since there is other lamp lighting available.

The project:

You'll need to start with one of these bad boys. Mine was especially gross with it's bright brass shine.
If you don't already have one installed you can more than likely find one at a thrift store or Habitat Restore.
Shut off the power, take it down and throw away the glass.

Grab your spray paint in whatever finish you prefer. I considered off white but decided on dark bronze so my wooden beads would really pop. Make sure to stuff something inside the sockets to keep paint out. Next take a sharpie and mark your drill holes on the little center cap. Then make the same number of dots on the fixture itself. I used my dremel to make the holes.

You can find your wooden beads at a craft store in a variety of sizes. Have fun here with your pattern. I used wire head pins to link the beads the way crystals would be linked. You could also string them on beading wire for a more solid look like the inspiration photo.

Loving The Look!

I couldn't stop there! I had beads left and an even uglier fixture off my kitchen that lights the top of a stairway...

A small touch of glam was added to this light by mixing in some glass beads.

The shadows when lit give off such a romantic pattern.

The total investment in enough beads for two lights (using some coupons) and a can of spray paint was around $50. $25 a light!! Now take down those boob lights and get creative!

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What A Way To End The Year

12/22/2015

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Amazing. Overwhelming. Blessed.
Exciting. Exhausting. Fantastic.
The list of words that describe the past two months could go on and on.

When we found out we had to move the first thing that scared me was "will our customers follow us? Will they find us?" Wow was that a worry I didn't need to have! Not only have we seen so many familiar and smiling faces but we have already welcomed more new ones than we could have imagined. Our grand opening was a sight to be seen, and our December open weekend was like no other.

Our new location has already brought us record amounts of shoppers and you can't imagine how appreciative we are! We have heard "we love the new location" or "this is my first time at your store" more times than we can count. I think I smiled until my cheeks hurt!

If you've shopped with us, you were probably helped by one of my amazing friends who donate their time to have some fun with me and get us through our busy mornings. After the craziness of our Holiday Open House and the December show we found time for a nice "shop girls" dinner and had a wonderful evening. Thank you Lynn, Jill, Kim and Jessica! Jess also helps with the staging of the shop before we open each month.

I wanted to share a little of what we are getting to do in our down time since the whirlwind of the past 4 months. We rewarded ourselves with a long weekend away for some quality family time with our two kids.

Our son Cameron lives in NYC and makes it home only a few times a year, but we are lucky that at Christmas he has a week or more here. Our daughter Haley lives in Columbus and will be leaving in a few months for basic training. She'll be gone for about 7 months with the Air Force National Guard. This past weekend was also a chance for the two of them to have some good quality time together before she leaves.

We took a break to head for a cabin in the woods (Hocking Hills) and had 3 days of down time. Lots of firewood was burned (glad we had a cold spell!), books read, movies watched, and cards played. Every family needs a chance to regroup and time to really talk and share... a lot of which was done in the hot tub with wine in hand!

As for Rust & Found, our closed month of January allows us time to regroup at the shop to make changes, finish projects, and begin our picking for the new year. February will begin our trips south for new treasures as we plan to head back to the Carolina's for some great junking. I'll be sharing on Facebook as usual while I collect and create pieces that will head to the shop for our next opening. I promise to get those dates posted here on the website soon!

We want to say thank you for continually supporting us, boosting us up, sharing your photos and projects, spreading the word about us, and becoming our friends. We hope you all have time to relax and regroup during this busy holiday season! Have some laughs with friends and family.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year,
Chris & Becky

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<<Previous

Flagstone Patio Summer Project

Rent Out The Rust ( & Found)

Our Day With Chip & Joanna!

Maryland and Virginia - Junkin' & Road Tripping

Happy Anniversary To Us & A Giveaway For You!

Picking In The Dark

Grab The Glue

Kitchen Refresh On A Budget

Needing A Lighting Make-Over? Try This!

The project:

What A Way To End The Year

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