By Sherry — how is it already July?
One of my favorite things to do is take something old that I’ve found at a garage sale or antique store and do something different with it. So it’s no surprise that Sarah Winston from my books does the same thing. It also made me think about repurposing life experiences for books — more on that in a bit. Here are some things that I’ve found a new purpose for:
I love old utensils with wooden handles, but only buy them if I can think of a way I would use them. I thought these dough blenders would be great for holding vintage postcards or photos. When I posted a picture of them on Facebook, Edith said they’d also be great for holding recipes.
I found a wooden trivet at a garage sale but thought it would look pretty on the wall.
When we lived in Monterey I found a little bookcase at an antique store in Santa Cruz. It first housed my collection of cobalt glass but now holds my collection of vintage tablecloths.
I found this old wooden box at a garage sale and fell in love with it. It might be from a library but I use it to store bookmarks and business cards.
This Victorian breakfast tray was at a show called The Big Flea. With the help of a couple of books it became a tiny end table.
I found a piece of vintage fabric at an antique store in Fort Walton Beach Florida. It wasn’t very big but my mom lined it and made it into valances for me.They hang in my office.
This old trunk was in my grandparent’s basement. My sister restored it and gave it to me. It now houses cds and albums.
I spotted this old cranberry scoop at an antique store in Annapolis. It now holds the newspaper.
It’s so much fun to do this and I realized I do that a lot in my writing too. One example is the opening and part of the plot from Tagged For Death the first book in the Sarah Winston Garage Sale mysteries. I was sitting in an airport a few years ago and a guy was pacing around near where I was sitting while he talked on the phone. I couldn’t help but overhear his conversation and thought some day I’m going to use that. I also used a crime that occurred when we were stationed at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in the plot of The Longest Yard Sale. There are so many ways to draw from life experiences and repurpose them in writing.
Readers: What have your repurposed in your life?
I haven’t repurposed it but I do have that same trunk…and I’m using all those “old” kitchen tools – in the kitchen!
The trunks are beautiful. I love that you still have and are using the utensils, Gram!
Great finds, and even greater repurposing! I don’t know that I’m repurposing anything around here – other than conversations I’ve eavesdropped on, of course.
If people only knew, right?!
Fun blog, Sherry, and right on the money. Similarly, no writing is ever wasted. I’ve repurposed almost every one of my failed efforts into something that sold . . . even if it did take a decade or two to figure out the right way to use it.
Wow! I’m impressed! I still have two novels in the drawer…
Wonderful finds! I’m jealous. I’m much more likely to see my own finds as potential murder weapons–like my dozen vintage choppers, which hold a really nice sharp edge and would make quick work of severing a jugular vein, or my traveling cast iron shoe repair last (that one’s Irish), which weighs about fifteen pounds and is really easy to hold–could crush a skull with no problem. Hmm–do you think I need professional help?
LOL! We were touring an ancestral cabin in Novinger, Missouri and I kept seeing things that would work well to murder someone. It must be an occupational hazard!
Beyond repurposing upholstery fabric for clothing? Book cases to pantries, clothespins to bag sealers, zip lock bag to protect music from downpour (ukulele gig), odds and ends into vases and/or planters.
I use clothes pins for bag sealers too — so much cheaper than the plastic ones they sell at the store. And I love that you do ukulele gigs!
I’m not that creative. I tend to use things for their intended purpose. Wait, I do have an old typing table that is being used to pile a bunch of stuff on now. Then again, any flat surface then to wind up holding junk at some point.
LOL — I have a hard time finding a flat surface that doesn’t need something piled on it!
I enjoyed reading this post!
On Thu, Jul 6, 2017 at 1:28 AM, Wicked Cozy Authors wrote:
> Sherry Harris posted: “By Sherry — how is it already July? One of my > favorite things to do is take something old that I’ve found at a garage > sale or antique store and do something different with it. So it’s no > surprise that Sarah Winston from my books does the same thing. I” >
Thank you, Linda!
Great post, Sherry! Love what you’ve done with your finds. The repurpose of the dough blender is brilliant!
Oh, thank you — it is one of my favorites — she says modestly.