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The Dream is Free, The Hustle Sold Separately

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GMC Hidden Treasure Adventure

August 13, 2014 by Bethany Sy

Nick and I just returned from the most amazing, exhausting, rewarding, stressful, memorable week of our entire lives. After being in 4 different airports, driving 1,105 miles, sleeping in 5 different hotels, having a cancelled flight and lost luggage….ummmmm we’re ready for a nap.

A few months ago, we were asked by GMC to participate in adventure with a beautiful cause behind it. Along with a group of other bloggers, we would be flown to Atlanta, and spend 4 days driving along the World’s Longest Yard Sale… picking up treasures along the way to fix up a home for a family in need (in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity).

127 Yard Sale {Sawdust and Embryos}

Nick and I were outfitted with a fully-loaded 2015 Yukon Denali… talk about luxury!

Our GMC Habitat Adventure! {Sawdust and Embryos}

Once we all met in Atlanta, each blogger drew a room out of a hat. I got the kitchen/dining room and Nick got the little boy’s room. We were the only couple along for the adventure, so we just decided to do these rooms together instead of as individuals.

Being given a budget of $250 each, we had to FULLY furnish these rooms. That means dining table/chairs, dishes and small appliances for the kitchen, bedding/dresser for little boy’s room, ETC ETC! There was no time (or money) to waste!

world's longest yard sale

If you’re not familiar with The World’s Longest Yard Sale… it’s basically 700 miles of country highway where people bring their stuff to the side of the road to sell. IT.IS.INSANE.

aug14 183

Which ones do we stop at? Should we buy this dresser or wait for a better deal? What makes people think someone is going to buy a mason jar for $35 dollars? …all questions that went through our heads daily. Some yard sales were legit homes with their belongings in the yard for sale. Others were vendors that would bring a truck full of junk treasures and think they’re going to make a killing. Some were downright nasty. #justsayin

aug14 185

We realized just how big a deal this all was when Nick was interviewed by the local Cincinnati Fox News station. He totally killed it. You can watch his newscast here. I was without makeup and feeling a little janky, so I got outta there like a jack-rabbit eating a Dilly Bar on a hot summer’s day.

aug14 205

After each 10-hour day of ‘shopping’, we would spend our evening in hotel rooms fixing up a few of our purchases that needed attention. Nick re-wired some outdoor sconce lights to be hanging pendant lanterns, and I took a very neutral piece of artwork ($2) and gave it some color. What? You don’t carry a tiny paintbrush in your purse?

world's longest yard sale2

We knew that we would only have a handful of hours on the last day to get the furniture pieces fixed up and ‘aesthetically pleasing to the eye’ ..as Nick would say. Heh.world's longest yard sale1

Our BFF’s at Rustoleum gave each blogger a $50 Home Depot gift card to help with some of the expenses. We picked up paint and supplies and unloaded everything into the parking lot at the Marriott to get busy.  This is what a parking lot full of DIY bloggers in the middle of the night looks like.

IMG_20140810_240613_921

In one evening, we built a headboard and started/finished TWO dresser transformations… among a few other smaller projects.Sawdust and Embryos

I was running on adrenaline, and refused to look at the time… because I knew it was late. We ended up going to bed at 2:30am, and awoke at 5:30 to load everything up to head over to the family’s home. We hadn’t seen the house yet (only pictures), so all the designing had been going on in our imaginations. We would have a total of 6 hours to finish all our projects and completely transform our two rooms to be beautiful and feel like HOME for this family in need.

Habitat Home

 

Click here for Part 2…

Sawdust & Embryos

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About Bethany Sy

Nick and Bethany Sy are the creative free-spirits behind DIY/Lifestyle blog, Reality Daydream. They recently purchased a historic mansion and have been documenting the ups and downs of renovation and making this home their own... all while sharing tips and tutorials along the way! When they found themselves in the trenches of infertility, they started a journey that would prove to be their most important DIY project ever, and have 3 beautiful girls to show for it. <3

« Murphy Table for the Tots
Habitat Reveals {Dining/Kitchen, Boy’s Room} »

Comments

  1. 17

    Amy Huntley says

    August 19, 2014 at 12:52 pm

    So much fun! So glad I was a part of it and got to know you two better! Great post and your rooms turned out fabulous! xo

    Reply
  2. 18

    Nicole says

    August 14, 2014 at 2:29 pm

    Nick did such a great job! I wish they had given him more props as a DIYer instead of just assuming he tagged along for the ride. Such a nice long clip about it though! YAY Nick

    Reply
  3. 19

    Lisa says

    August 14, 2014 at 7:08 am

    SO cool!!!

    Reply
  4. 20

    Christy says

    August 13, 2014 at 8:23 pm

    Very cool. I so wanted to go to this but couldn’t swing it.
    What the deuce is a dilly bar?

    Reply
    • 21

      Bethany @ Sawdust and Embryos says

      August 14, 2014 at 7:18 am

      Haha! Don’t you live near a Dairy Queen?! They’re a classic ice cream bar on a stick!

      Reply
  5. 22

    Katie @ On the Banks of Squaw Creek says

    August 13, 2014 at 4:10 pm

    This sound like SO MUCH FUN! Can’t wait to see the reveal!

    Reply
  6. 23

    Danielle says

    August 13, 2014 at 11:31 am

    Hope you guys have caught up on sleep 😉 and found your lost luggage! I can’t wait for everyone to see your a-maz-ing rooms!!!! Oh, wow, I can’t believe the picture of that truck with all the junk falling out. We certainly saw some amazing sights – some breathe taking and some um, not so much… x

    Reply
  7. 24

    Aleasha says

    August 13, 2014 at 10:10 am

    Ahhh! The suspense might kill me! 😉

    Reply
  8. 25

    Renee says

    August 13, 2014 at 9:37 am

    What!!!! You are just plain mean to let us hanging like this!! I cannot wait to see the finished results. I am sure the homeowners were thrilled to death!

    Reply
  9. 26

    Leanne Barley says

    August 13, 2014 at 9:12 am

    You two are so awesome! I think I would crack under that kind of time pressure. The midnight refinishing in the hotel parking lot is epic though!

    Reply
  10. 27

    Lara says

    August 13, 2014 at 8:52 am

    What an adventure! Excited to see the results!

    Reply
  11. 28

    Pamela says

    August 13, 2014 at 8:21 am

    I am exhausted just reading about this adventure, and you and your little preggers self just kept going like the Energizer Bunny. After watching the news clip, I think Denise was more than a little condescending about a male’s ability to shop. Nick was very polite and agreeable, but we know he offered a lot more than just muscle.

    Reply
    • 29

      Bethany @ Sawdust and Embryos says

      August 13, 2014 at 8:30 am

      Haha! I agree Pamela! He did just as much or MORE than I did!

      Reply
  12. 30

    Tina Plumstead says

    August 13, 2014 at 8:05 am

    Can’t wait for the reveal! PS…I love love love those whiskey barrel planters in the pic of Nick during his interview. I may had had to just find a way to bring a couple of those home..;o)

    Reply
  13. 31

    Cassie says

    August 13, 2014 at 8:05 am

    Ahhh! You left us hanging! I can’t wait to see the reveal tomorrow! What a fun adventure!

    Reply
  14. 32

    Mary IN NY says

    August 13, 2014 at 8:01 am

    You big tease! Can’t wait! So happy for you guys. Thanks for doing that. Mary

    Reply
  15. 33

    Pam @ Over the Big Moon says

    August 13, 2014 at 7:54 am

    You guys are awesome! What an adventure! Can’t wait to see the full reveal tomorrow!

    Reply

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We are Nick and Bethany! Welcome to our blog, Reality Daydream where we share our DIY adventures!
Click here for lots of art projects using only wood stain on furniture!!
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