Catch Of The Day
by Mavis Newall

When I enter a secondhand store, or am at a garage sale, I think of myself as a fisher, trolling the aisles and tables, hoping my glance will catch that extra special article I'll want to brag about later on. I'm not fishing for something I can take home and use immediately; I'm seeking a secondhand treasure that I can take home to my craft table and transform into something uniquely mine -or uniquely suited to a friend or family member.

I like the heady rush when my glance catches something that's just perfect. Perhaps a gorgeous picture frame that has a corner separated and is a little battered. A perfect catch! Fix the corner, sand and patch, add a splash of paint and a generous dollop of imagination and that picture frame will look even better than the original. Better still, it will perfectly match your décor because you chose the colours and the theme.

It's fun to stretch your imagination when you go trolling. That picture frame doesn't have to be used to frame a picture; it might make a handsome tray when a bottom is added, or a frame for a mirror. It could even be attached to a wall or a cupboard door, painted a colour to match, and voila! a totally new look! There's no limit to the possibilities.

So many good catches are lurking out there, waiting to be found in secondhand stores or a nearby garage sale. A fisher's heartbeat accelerates in anticipation before entering the premises or stepping out of the car. The catch of the day might be a pair of elegant candleholders, or an especially pretty glass bowl, a wooden tray or small bookshelf, or a lamp that can be remade to the height of fashion at little cost.

Next time you're in a secondhand store or at a garage sale, try a little trolling. See if you can find an article that has the potential to become extra special with the application of basic craft skills and a few hours of your time. And remember, many items a crafter uses to enhance a special find may also be waiting to be caught: an interesting fabric, ribbon, lace, old calendars, pictures, and craft materials themselves.

I know I'm not alone in trolling the aisles and tables, looking for items to refurbish with a little craft know-how. You may have been fishing for years. If so, how about sharing your ideas!Fishers love to read tales of triumph. That's what gets them up and out trolling at the crack of dawn; the next catch might be the BIG ONE!

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