Are you a treasure hunter?

Do I have some fellow treasure hunters out there? I simply CANNOT resist stopping at yard sales, flea markets, and thrift stores. I know, alot of people would never want anybody elses "junk", but there are some real treasures out there mixed in with the junk! My mom, who is 79 years old, is the Queen of the yard sale. I believe that there may be some gene that I have inherited from her that compels me to look for treasure amongst everyone else's castoffs. Now, take a look at this footstool...I can't claim to be the one who found it, but my mom found it at a yard sale for $30. She didn't need it, but knew it was too good to pass up, and that I happen to love, love, love unusual old oak pieces. I should have taken a "before" picture of it...it was very black looking with old varnish, and the fabric on it was worn, faded and very stained. Just a few hours of stripping, sanding, staining and recovering, and I am now the happy owner of this little oak footstool. Isn't this absolutely the ultimate in oak cuteness?



An added bonus to this little footstool, is that the top cushion is actually a hinged lid which swings open, and I can use it to hide all my hand-quilting and applique supplies that I like to use while watching t.v.