Fantastic Friends Help!

So I just got back from an amazing long weekend trip in Barry's Bay, ON. I went fishing, hiking, ate lots of food, and went to a redneck stag and doe. I saw tons of people I hadn't seen in ages too.

Now, Kijiji, garbage day, and freecycle websites aren't the only way to get free things.... Friends come in handy too! 

I was visiting my best friend who just moved into a house and had a few things she didn't need anymore. Because she is so amazing, she offered them to me!!! 

Look at what I got. 

A cute glass teapot...

Some stunning vintage lamps!

And a beautiful gold paint rimmed mirror.

Some great finds if you ask me. Thanks Ellyn!

Now, my friend Yan won a pretty sweet basket at the stag and doe. Yan's motto is to keep downsizing and he lives as a minimalist so he gratefully offered the contents of the basket to Ellyn and myself. Wow :) 

Look at what I got.

A BBQ utensil set

A silicone baster and a small saucepan

Some cups, napkins, and paper plates... 

A grill basket, and some BBQ seasoning!

As you can tell, I've had a pretty successful freebie weekend. 

I'd like to give a quick shout out to all my wonderful friends who were so generous this weekend. 

Keep up the freecycling!! 

It's Patio Season! Burgers and Steaks Galore

My hunt continues for free items for my new apartment. Since summer is coming, I had to find one of the most essential items needed to make it amazing....

A good ol' barbecue!

I searched the free section of Kijiji and stumbled upon a fully functional barbecue that was in need of a facelift.

Here's a look at what it looks like for now.

So the outside of the barbecue needs a good coat of paint. But the side tables look great! and the burners have been replaced within the last 4 years. (SWEET!) As you can see, we'll also need to find a propane tank but that's an easy task! 

The top grill of the barbecue is totally fine. It just needs to be cleaned up! The only thing that will need replacing is the grill under the barbecue stones. Perhaps some new stones too... We're also thinking of purchasing one of those top grills, where you can place food that's ready to go, or toast some buns at the same time as you're cooking. 

She'll be ready to fire up in no time!

I'll put up some pictures of the finished project when we fix her up.

Now I just have to find some patio furniture to use while chowing down on some juicy steaks and burgers. Mmmm

That's all for now. Keep on freecycling! 

Family Hops On The Freecycle Train!

Well, I think my frugal lifestyle is rubbing off on my family!

My dad has now come home with two major items for my new apartment. So awesome!

Earlier this week i hear my dad yell into the house "Mel come down here!" so I think to myself he needs help or I'm in trouble... Turns out, I was wrong.

He calls me into the garage and shows me a soft white rug that he found on the curb at the neighbour's. COOL!

The rug is put away, but I tried to give you an idea of its colour and how clean it is.

Then, today, he walks through the backyard door carrying a practically brand new ceiling fan. No way! It will most definitely keep my bedroom cool throughout the summer's heat. 

Take a look for yourself--

Now, not only has my dad found me some awesome things thrown to the curb, my parents are also very interested in donating items to the upcoming freecycle event "Really Really Freemarket".
(Be sure to check it out. It should be a blast!) 

Well, now that my family is on board, who knows what other awesome things I may get for my apartment.

Good luck on your next scavenger hunt. Free stuff ROCKS.

Ottawa Freemarket Find & DIY

So this past weekend there was an amazing event run by Ottawa Freecycle  called the Ottawa Freemarket. Clothing, furniture, household items, and even plants were brought to the event for others to take home. What a great way for items to be reused and re-loved! Did I mention all items were FREE? 

Here's a picture of what the event looked like!

There I am, dead center in the hot pink jacket! I'm standing next to my exciting free find! 

Here's what I got!

A set of bar stools for my new apartment's breakfast bar in the kitchen. (I also got a knife block, as well as two of those plastic mugs you put in the freezer)

Now, they definitely needed a face-lift and this got my creative juices flowing. 

I went on a hunt to Value Village and found a beautiful blue floral pillow case for $1.99 and used it to reupholster the stool's cushions, using a staple gun. It's quite simple actually! 

This is how they turned out! 

Talk about a drastic change! The once sad stools have been revived, and are waiting to be used by mine and  my boyfriend's butts! 

Any questions about the DIY? Feel free to ask! 

Keep up the frugal

-Mel

Oh Yes! It's Free

Now that I've introduced myself, time to post my first free find!

Since I am moving out July 1st with my boyfriend I have been looking for furniture for the new apartment.

I have been known to scower and search the Kijiji free section here in Ottawa and was lucky enough to find a goldmine of a find today!

I found...........

A FREE black leather futon!!! I could not believe my eyes when I saw it. It looks practically brand new. It was originally from The Brick and has been barely used since it was previously bought. The only thing it is missing are legs (which I will be buying from Amazon for dirt cheap).

This is going to look snazzy in my new living room!

Who wants to come for a sleep-over and test it out? 

Stay tuned for more free finds and diy's! 

First post!

Hey everyone!

Welcome to my blog! I'm so excited to finally start something like this. I guess I should introduce myself. If you couldn't figure it out through my blog's title, my name is Mel; short for Melanie. Not Melissa, not Melinda! Let's keep it simple though, I go by Mel.

People keep telling me how amazed they are at what I can find for free or cheap. I guess you could call me a freegan! I love to shop at thrift stores like Value Village and Salvation Army, and you will always find me in the sales section of any store. Magnetic force-field perhaps?

I'll be posting my free and cheap finds here for you to see. Judge for yourself whether my finds really are as awesome as everyone tells me.

Not only do I LOVE free stuff, I'm also super creative and love DIY projects. I'll also be posting my Do-it-yourself projects on here for everyone to enjoy. I don't want to keep my ideas secret, I want to share them with the world.

Sit back, hold on, and enjoy the ride!