Thrifty Thursday -Meet Candy the Chandy!

If you've been following my blog, you know that I've found some pretty amazing things by the curb lately. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING prepared me for what I was about to find.

For months I have been searching for the perfect chandelier for my very formal Dining Room. I looked almost everywhere - Craig's List, Ebay, Lowes and every high-end lighting store - I knew this was going to be a splurge purchase. I've seen some amazing chandy's on many of your blogs and I knew exactly what I wanted - a very ornate, very formal chandelier just dripping with crystals. As some of you know, last week I celebrated my 40th birthday. Hubby wanted to get me something extra special for the occasion, so I decided this was the perfect time to splurge.

Three days before my birthday, I was out with my BFF when we stumbled across this chandelier ON.THE.CURB. !!!!!

Yep, you heard me right. Someone left this amazing piece of eye candy for the garbage men to haul off to a landfill.

It was surrounded by a huge heap of trash, but I zoomed in on it from the next street over. I barely waited for Denise to pull over before I jumped out of the truck, hyperventilating, and shamelessly threw myself over it, not about to let anyone else within 2 feet of it. Now keep in mind, Candy the Chandy was in need of a little TLC. Okay, ALOT of TLC. Her brass lost it's luster years ago, what few crystals were left had been covered in grime and the top pieces were broken. None of this stopped me from scooping all 50 lbs of her into the back of the truck.

Right about this time, the homeowner pulled up in his own truck, carrying a huge dollhouse HE had just trashpicked for his granddaughter! This wonderful man got out of his truck, walked over to us and I will never forget what happened next. He asked me if I wanted the rest of the crystals! I was speechless with my jaw on the pavement, so Denise graciously stepped in and said, yesyesyesyesyesyesyes! He went into the house and came out with a bag that was at least 20lbs. and full of the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. We thanked him profusely and asked him if he wanted anything in return. Astonishingly, he said no. I will always think of this as God's gift to me on my 40th Birthday. Rich and I were in no position to splurge at this time and deep in my heart, I knew it. So my wonderful husband's gift to me, was helping me bring Candy back to life. It took several hours and a couple bottles of brass cleaner to bring back her luster and the crystals just needed to be left in some soapy water for a while. We were up very late that night, but I wouldn't have been able to sleep anyway. I hung each and every crystal with care, marveling at their beauty.


I couldn't have picked a better way to spend my 40th birthday and I couldn't have picked a better gift.


There are bound to be more treasures just waiting to be discovered on some street, in some town, on some curb at the end of some driveway. But there will never be another Candy.


Somehow, some way, Candy and I were meant to be together. She was meant for me and I was meant for her.


No go visit Leigh at Tales From Bloggeritaville for more Thrifty fun!