SAFE SHOPPING.....CRAIGSLIST SCARE!

Okay this is my public safety announcement.....


Im a HUGE Craigslist fan and shopper and have never had any issues or problems............UNTIL NOW!

The other night my junking buddy Liza and I traveled about 30 minutes south so that I could pick up another antique sofa (yes another one....and this one was free)

Upon arriving at the home....the man came to the door and we stepped through the doorway and were taken back.   The room was practically empty except for the antique sofa, a recliner, a box with a laptop on it and a beautiful secretary that was filled with junk.   I almost passed out from the smell and immediately made eye contact with my friend.  It was a horrific combination of urine, stench, old stale and whatever nasty smell you can think imagine.

The man is standing there in shorts and a t shirt but is looking at us kind of weird.  It was like a Jack Nicholson  in The Shining....you know "HERE'S JOHNNY".  

My first words were "oh I dont know if it's going to fit" and I looked at my friend.   So my friend asks the man if he has a tape measure....thinking we can run out.  (We were right in front of the door and didnt enter into the room any further).  He says oh maybe in the car and was going to go behind us to his door....NO WAY WERE WE LETTING HIM BY THE DOOR AND BEHIND US.     

So my friend then says...."dont you have one in your car?  I say "I think I do, lets check and we can measure the back to for the length".   He says okay.... and we walk out go to the back of my minivan.

"So are you ready to run.....she says.   I say OMG...is he watching us.  We jump in the van, start it up and I back out of the parking lot as my hatch is still closing. lol

IT'S REALLY NOT A FUNNY SITUATION...WE LAUGHED AND MADE FUN THE WHOLE 30 MINUTE RIDE HOME AND WHEN WE TOLD HER HUSBAND AS I DROPPED HER OFF AND MINE THE NEXT DAY.  BUT IT'S NOT FUNNY!!!!

Nobody knew the address where we were going and this guy could've really been dangerous.

I have a houseful of things from Craigslist but realizing now that most of them have been picked up by my husband.   The ones that I have picked up have never been indoors....either from a porch or a garage or driveway.

The antique sofa I got last week was picked up inside but it was from a young wife and mother who was holding her 1 1/2 yr old daughter.  I was actually surprised that she let me in the house and left me in her living room as she went up and changed her daughter's diaper.   I guess she like me....thought I was a trusting person.    Thankfully for her that I am..because it's very dangerous to let a stranger in your home.

I wanted to share this story with you because I know a lot of you shop Craigslist and also sometimes junk.   Just be aware of your surroundings and never go alone if at all possible.

I definitely will be more cautious next time, it only took one incident to make me realize the danger I put myself and my friend in as well.   We are both mother's and furniture is great but not worth getting hurt of losing your life over.  And besides we have her living room makeover to complete on Thursday night. lol

Had to make a little haha in this serious post people.....but do know that Im serious and this is a true story!

BE VERY CAREFUL AND SHOP CRAIGSLIST SAFELY!

ARTISPHERE

Wanted to share with you some of the artist from the ARTISPHERE festival held down in Greenville, SC last weekend.

You all know how much my family and I enjoyed ourselves there so I will just let the pictures tell the story.

Artist's tent

Glass artist demonstrating

My kids(on the right) watching him at work

They were really into his demonstration

The kids were fascinated by this artists displays

Love the #7 piece

This was an awesome display

This was so amazing...its make from plastic cutlery

the street

Greenville scenery

Church in Greenville (I believe it was Baptist, but I can't remember the name)

I just loved how this looked as we sat at the traffic light.

-MJ

FRIDAY FINDS.....AFTERSCHOOL SCOOP

Today I went to pick my daughter up and as I was waiting outside her high school all of a sudden I see these men come out of the house and start putting stuff out on the curb.  I didn't want to embarrass  my daughter in front of her friend...who is a boy. lol

So before they made their way to the car I explained to the man that I was picking up 2 kids and had a baby in the car, could he put the things aside in the driveway and I would come back in an hour. He agreed because he just wanted to minimize the pile...in our town you have to pay $30 for a bulk garbage pick up.

And so he put the small side table, lamp, rocker aside for me.   When I came back, he had put out everything else you see here plus more.  But Im only picking items I know that I will paint and resell, or that I will use in my own home or for projects.

Still looking for a small storefront on our Main Street downtown area but rents are outrageous.  I have a plan and hoping to make it all happen this summer while still here in NJ.

Here is my scoop from today (yes I had to make 2 trips) but so worth it.

This is actually a flip top table

matching end tables (hardware for the one on right is in drawer) lol

Footboard

Wood stool

leather top table

Solid wood rocker w/ gold accent design

HAPPY JUNKIN WEEKEND EVERYONE.

For those of you heading south to Virginia for the Luckett's event.   Make sure to stop by and see Marion....Miss Mustard Seed herself!   Im sure her pavilion will be filled with treasures and I know she has 2 more spaces where see will have her goodies for sale.

Joining up to this fabulous partys:

THRIFTY THURSDAY....MY GREATEST FIND YET!

Okay Im going to try and contain my enthusiasm, BUT OMG.....this has got to be one my greatest find yet!  Do I even need to tell you that I found it on Craigslist...yep sometimes my addiction pays off in a fabulous way (at least thats what I tell Big Daddy J) lol

Isnt he beautiful...I would say she but it has a masculine touch to it I think

Love the matching bolster pillows and the wood frame.

Here is the bottom detailing

This sofa is over 93" long and it fit in my mini van (i hated buying one but have come to discover a new found love for it)  She serves my junking trips very well.

The center cushion has already been reupholstered in a very nice green chenille fabric.  They wanted to reupholster it all but then decided to buy a new one instead.

Isnt the side detailing so pretty

This is the fabric and it's in fairly good shape...the cushions need some TLC but the fabric on the frame is OK.

I love the side wood detail too.

This is the back of the sofa...she how good he looks.   Dont mind the big tarp...we got rain yesterday and it is on my front porch so I had to protect him from the weather.

I just want to say that Im so happy that the owner D was so sweet enough to hold this sofa for me while I went away and let me pick it up yesterday.    It was her grandfather's and she wanted it to have a good home.  You all know that I love to find treasures and re-purpose them and sell them to new owners...but this handsome specimen will be staying with me.  I've wanted a long sofa w/wood detailing for ever and to have been so lucky to get one like this I cant even think of letting it go.

-MJ

FALLS PARK......... GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA

Falls Park

Big Daddy coming down one of the pathways

A fountain area that local kids were enjoying...so I let the kiddos join in.

Building on the water ( I love the Lion King so I had to take this pic)

From the side area

Another shot of the rocks/water

This building was just too cool not to photograph

The trees down in SC just have great shapes

So beautiful

The kids were begging to go down and touch the rocks....but not on this side. lol

Beautiful..it was so pretty and peaceful

View of the walking bridge

Kids on the overlook deck (minus the baby who was napping)

Big Daddy and I on the overlook

Name sign

View back up the fall

Such pretty views

Beautiful Hydrangea bushes ... I had blue ones at my old house :( 

What an amazing hillside landscape

I just loved the texture/color of this wall (kids thought I was weird for taking pic of it)

Big Daddy J and "Maya J" walking in the falls on the rocks.

"KeKe was down for the count...she slept almost the whole time we were there...woke up as we headed to the car.  Yay!

This little guy was very friendly after I shot this, he walked right up to the kids feet.

"Xander" & "NiNi" were dying to touch the water

My "too cool" teenager let me snap a photo (she asked me not to post it...hehehe)

"Xander" posing for his Mama

There are these cute little swing areas all around...I took a pic of my kiddos (baby still napping. lol)

I strongly recommend that if you are heading into the Greenville County area, you visit Falls Park it is truly a sweet little paradise in the middle of downtown.  Kind of reminded of Central Park in NYC. 

We happened to be very lucky that there was a festival going on called Artisphere (I will be posting about this next) such amazing artists showcasing their work to the public and the whole area was just filled with music, food, art and culture.   

YAY!  GREENVILLE....you definately showed us a GREAT TIME!

-MJ