Haven 2012 was awesome. I enjoyed every second of it. Some of my favorite moments were meeting Miss Mustard Seed and sitting in on two of her classes, Advanced Painting and Hobby to Business. She was amazing. I also got to meet my Instagram friend Ashley of The Handmade Home. Ashley and I have never meet but I feel like we are long lost friends just from watching her life though Instagram. Have I told you how much I love instagram!?!? Have I told you how much I love Ashley Mills? Check out her blog, she is amazing! I also loveddddddd spending time with my roomie and friend the Nester. I knew we had a lot in common but never did I realize just how much we are alike.
Nester and I live 4 hours away from Atlanta, however it took us almost 8 hours to get home. Why you ask….. because we got a little wild and crazy!!! We stopped at any and every thrift store, Goodwill, Habitat Store, and Salvation Army we came across. At one point we actually got off interstate 85 and took the back roads to Anderson, South Carolina for over an hour. It was so beautiful out in the country and I felt totally spontaneous and free for the first time in a long time. It was probably the most fun I have had in a while. Not having a clue where we were going, stopping anywhere we wanted, and not having to worry about time.
It was fabulous.
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My scores from that amazing day!
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2.99 beautiful pink Samsonite luggage. It even has polka dots on the inside…see below!!!
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$3.00 original painting, 4 embroidery hoops $1.00, birds $2.00, fabric $3.00, and white mirror $1.00
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I stocked up on some wood pieces! Fish $1.00, bird $.49, large fork $1.00, wood bowls $.49 each, wood box $1.00, pack of little wood houses $.25, and 2 butterflies $.50!
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Don’t even ask what I am going to do with these giant spools of thread!!!! I will probably use them for an Anthropology like display in my sewing room. $2.00 each.
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Trying not to add to my closet, this was the only piece of clothing that I couldn’t pass up! $3.99 and
necklace 2.99!
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We came across a Hospice Thrift Store in the middle of I have no idea and they had all these little owls!!!! I couldn’t choose between them so I bought them all! The cheapest was .25 and the most expensive were the owl bookends at $2.50!!!
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I love all my new little friends but some of their eyes were starting to scare me, so I pulled out all of my almost empty spray paint cans and got busy!
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Before
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After!
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Win one of these sweet trash to treasure owls!!!
All you have to do is leave a comment with your email address and you will receive a owl surprise in your mailbox! Giveaway ends Wednesday at 6:00pm and will be announced Thursday morning!
Good luck!
My name is Angela Statzer and I love to incorporate just about anything into my artwork. Ranging from recycled materials, vintage items, wood, jewelry, other people’s junk, buttons and fabric, my style is fun and diverse. You can find me smiling at any yard sale, thrift store or flea market. I am a momma to two amazing kids and wife to one hot husband. 
my 2 yr old loves owls and would love one for her owl themed room! and you're right…they look much less scary painted!
baldwash at gmail
Yes Ashley! Paint can be a very good thing! Oh and how i have thought about another baby just to do an owl themed room!hahaha ok totally not serious about that!
xoxo
Angela
Those Owls ROCK!!!!
Mary
*your long lost Plunge friend
mhandrews@bellsouth.net
I love the owls!! The transformation of a little paint is amazing! Thanks for the giveaway.
I've got a thing for owls too, and I so love your talents (& your blog)! Thanks for sharing! ~Connie
cmh esh at yahoo dot com
I am drooling DROOLING over your finds! Iwould love to win a sweet little owl
Kristen
WHOoooo wants to win an cute owl, MEEEEE.
O= Outrageously cute
W=Whoooooo meeee
L=longing for one
All you finds are sooo cute and I can't believe the deals, people charge $10+ for cute suitcases. I wanna shop where you shop.
Hi Angela! so cute! you find the best little treasures!ohhh and PICK ME! PICK ME! Heathere
Love the owls! And all your other thrifting goodies. Thanks for a chance to win…
Great transformations! What a score of owls!
SO glad you had another great weekend. LOVE your finds! I had a painting-furniture-blue and using on-hand fabric re-upholstering, no cost re-styling Angela weekend here. Thought of you much. : P
I need one of your sweet owls to watch over me while I'm far away from you!!!! Miss you, my friend!!!! Xoxox
I love the upcycle you did on these owls. Owls are a special symbol in our family. My parents saw an great horned owl on their first (blind) date.
kerrid45@comcast.net
Love reading your adventures with nester!! I love the paintings you have hanging, and am very jealous of your owl finds!!! Glad you had fun at Haven.
kchamps
Yes lots of fun at Haven! Thanks so much!
xoxox
Angela
My long lost Plunge Friend!
How are you Mary!?!?! Hope to see you very soon!
love
Angela
Kathy Moody!
Thanks so much!
lots of love
Angela
Connie
Thanks for your sweet comment!
lots of love!
Angela
Kristen!
Drooling, hahaha you cracked me up!
xoxoxo
Angela
Cindy
Love it!! You made me laugh out loud! Hmmmmm I need to come there and sell my suitcase! Not sure what I am going to do with it! But I loveeeeee the color and the inside is just tooo cute, I couldn't pass it up!
xoxoxo
Angela
Thanks Heathere!! I find some good stuff every now and then! I guess as often as i go I should find some good stuff!hahaha
love
Angela
You are very welcome Julie!
lots of love
Angela
Thank you Jackie! Hope you had a great weekend!
lots of love
Angela
Dawn
We need to get together for a little painting fun! Are you still working at Sanctuary?
love you!
Angela
Ohhhh Tracy
I miss you I miss you I miss you! Hope you guys are doing well and getting settled!
love you lots
Angela
Kerri D
That is so awesome! Do they collect owls?
xoxox
Angela
Amazing, as usual! Please enter me.
koenemann@cablespeed.com
Love your thrifting finds on your way home from Haven! That luggage is TOO cute and good for you with all of the owl finds! Have a great week!
Love the red suitcase! Why can't I find one like it???
WHOOO but you would think to paint owls to make them less scary??? My MIL was a collector of owls. I have them in storage. Can you use more??? Like 100 more???!
I love owls. Would love to win.
Really great finds, Angela! I've reverted to the 70's and am loving all the owls I see! Would love to have one to keep watch over me as I type!
LOVE the white-painted owls. It's on my own craft to-do list now.
I live in an urban area outside of Detroit, and an owl was spotted in our yard just last week! I love them.
Autie Patch!
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you email me!?!? Are you serious!?!?!? Please tell me you are for real!!!
love
Angela
So fun. Does having all those owls make you any wiser? If so, could you please send me all of them?! I am needing some in a bad way. Three teenagers. Nuf said.
Blessings!
Patty
I live in Pickens sc Not far from Anderson
You were probably in shops that I frequent! Would love an owl. Thanks!
Wow, those are all so adorable! I would love to win one:) The big white one on the desk is one of my favs..the teal and green ones are super adorbs too!! megham14@yahoo.com
Sounds like you had an amazing time at the conference! So happy for you! And then such a great thrifting adventure to boot!! I love everything you found and I have a thing for owls too! I always love to see your transformations and creativity!
I had the BEST time with you, friend. loved every second of it!
Great finds! I'm so glad I got to see you at Haven
I love these owls….. Would love to win….
angieaccoun@aol.com
Love the transformation of the owls!! Note to Self…always hit up thrift stores B-4 Nester & Button Bird Designs!!!
Would love to win! cindy lynn
What cuties!! I love them painted! How fun! I wish i had your eye for stuff like this! (Ok, I wish i had both eyes…just one would be creepy
lol) Glad to hear you had a good trip. 
brittencm@gmail.com
Wow, it's amazing what a little spray paint can do! I love the owl bookends.
LeeLuCreations@yahoo.com
My sweet Mama collected owls my whole life, her house was just overflowing with them. She passed away in January, and even after all of the kids and grandkids had picked out there favorites to decorate our own homes, there were DOZENS, if not hundreds, that we donated to the local thrift shop.
(I gotta add that where we kiddos thought it was a quirky collection, we found out after her death that her grandkids – ranging in age from 7-27 years of age – thought the owls were quite freaky & it scared them to go to sleep at night? heehee)
I love seeing how you makeover the owls into beautiful new creations – every time you have an owl craft, it makes me think of my mother and how much she would love all of your work.
PS I think I see at least two of her 'collectibles' in the before picture you posted, lol! One of which I believe I brought home and put in my hutch to remember her by.
It was so great to meet you at Haven, Angela! I can't believe you got all that great loot on the way home. The only place I stopped was McDonald's–not nearly as much fun.
Love love love that pink suitcase! Too cute!!
LeAnn @This Southern Girl
Hi – I have been reading your blog for a while now, and I love your art! I am a musician, currently a SAHM for 4 kids – 3 of which are on the autism spectrum. We do alot of “hands-on” activities, and I continually find inspiration in your art. Thank you for sharing your gifts, and for inspiring me to look at the most of humble of objects with a new set of eyes.
“Even a brick wants to be something.” – Louis Khan
Best,Laurie
I love the owls and would love to win!!
how fun to find so many in one day!
That sounds like my idea of the perfect day! Glad you had fun. I love the owls…what great finds!!
Cindy Lynn!
This made me laugh out loud!
xoxox
Angela
Laura
Thank you so much for sharing the story about your mom. My grandma had scary dolls in the bedroom that I had to sleep in! I was always scared to go to sleep. Again thank you for taking the time to share your mom with us.
Lots of love
Angela
Laurie
I loveeeeeeeeeee that quote!!! Do you care if I use it!?!?! Thank you for your sweet comment!
lots of love
Angela
I LOVE owls:) That looks like a fantastic project!I think I'll try that sometime, if you don't mind me doing so.
crochettopia@yahoo.com
I found you thru The Nester and love love love your style! So jealous of your fun shopping trip thru GA
Can't wait to read more 
-Kari
love the owls!
Thanks Meghan!