Recently a few blogging friends and I tried a playful, slightly risky idea: we each visited a local thrift store or Goodwill, chose a random item, and mailed it to the next person on our list. The twist was that we didn’t know what we’d receive in return. It sounded like a fun creative challenge — and also a little nerve-wracking. What if the item I received was impossible to use?
Luckily for me, Laura from Finding Home sent something with a lot of potential. It arrived a bit worn and tired, but it clearly only needed a little care and creativity to shine again.
She sent me this sweet piece. At first she looked like a little lady who had seen better days — faded, a bit battered, and in need of attention. I considered many directions: a bold new color, dramatic makeover, or totally different purpose. In the end I decided she didn’t need to be reinvented. She simply needed to be cared for and refreshed.
I gave her a thorough cleaning, a fresh coat of glossy white paint, and a renewed sense of purpose. The transformation was immediate — she looked refreshed, polished, and ready to be useful again.
Now she has a new home atop an antique cabinet in our bedroom. My husband uses the cabinet for books, and this petite accessory adds a feminine, elegant touch to the display. A few carefully chosen accents — some jewelry and small decorative pieces — let her shine and complete the vignette.
Isn’t she lovely? That little sparkle she lost is back, and she now contributes charm and function as a jewelry holder and decorative accent.
You might be wondering what I sent to the next blogger in the “She Sent Me WHAT?” series.
Did I play it safe, or did I challenge my friend with something unexpected?
I’m excited to see what she created. Head over to Ashley at The Handmade Home to discover how she transformed the random item I sent her and to enjoy more creative reveal ideas from the series.
Enjoy the party and explore each linked post to see what everyone received and how they repurposed their treasures.
Jennifer Rizzo
Funky Junk Interiors
My Sweet Savannah
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Four Generations One Roof
Home Stories A to Z
Today’s Creative Blog
Jeanne Oliver Designs
French Country Cottage
Finding Home
The Inspired Room
The Handmade Home
Eclectically Vintage
Makely School for Girls
East Coast Creative
Infarrantly Creative
At Home on the Bay
Thistlewood Farms
Serendipity Refined
At the Picket Fence
Not Just a Housewife