I love to look around my local swap shops and transfer stations for great free items.  I am the kind of person who will go to the dump on a Saturday to see what is good enough for me to take home rather than for me to drop off.  It may seem odd to think that a person would actually like going to the dump, but most of the people I know do the same as I do.  Believe it or not you can get some great stuff, and best of all, it’s FREE.  I have seen people get Bicycles, Tables, Books, Machinery, Computers, Furniture, Kids Toys and so much more.  I could list everything I have gotten from my local dump, but it would be a very long list!

A couple of Summers ago I got a great find at my local swap shop.  Someone had dropped of an antique dresser.  As soon as I set my eyes on it, I grabbed it!  Not only was it in fabulous condition, but it was my style.  I am drawn to antique furniture and items, I just love it.  When I got it home I turned it into a diaper changing station.  All I had to do was give it a nice wipe down, get a few new knobs and put my changing pad on top, and voila, a great looking diaper changing station with lots of storage.

It has been used as a changing table for the past year and a half and it was now time to move it to my daughters room and use it as a dresser, but it needed a little updating.  I had lots of paint from previous projects, so I painted it a nice antique white and then I painted the knobs with purple and pink dots.  It fits perfectly in my daughters room and I think it look great.  Best of all it only cost me a few dollars for some wooden knobs, and I had a great looking dresser.

Below is the before and after photo of the dresser.

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If you like to make french toast, try mini french toast.  It is just like regular french toast, but mini.  There are several ways to make mini french toast and they are all very tasty.  Last weekend I prepared mini french toast by cutting a regular slice of bread into 4 sections.  The french toast pieces were small enough for dunking, dipping and eating in two bites.  My kids loved them and I did as well. I like to top my mini french toast with cinnamon and real maple syrup.

Below I have listed 3 recipes for mini french toast, give them a try and let me know what you think!

P.S. Don’t forget to add a dash of sugar to your egg mixture to make your mini french toast extra golden brown.

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If you have not done so yet, you MUST sign up for the Christmas Tree Shops email list.  You can do so right now by clicking here.  I have been getting lots of great deals via email from the Christmas Tree Shops lately, including the $10 off coupon below.  Print it out and bring it with you for your next shopping trip to the Christmas Tree Shops.  The Christmas Tree Shops has great gifts and so much more.  If you do not shop at the Christmas Tree Shops, you are missing out. Keep in mind this coupon is only good until 12/16/09.  Be sure to forward this coupon to your friends and family!

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