Julie Tibbs shows her kitchen table, one of her favorite finds. (Photo by Zach Gray).

Julie Tibbs on video.

This little guy was on the curb by the OK Museum of Art downtown. He was starving, covered in fleas and his little paws were burned.  Just like all my treasures, he cleaned right up and got a second chance. (Photo and cutline by Julie Tibbs).

Article by Helen Ford Wallace ….Photos by Zach Gray and Julie Tibbs…Video by AJ Sinker

Julie Tibbs is helping the environment one chair at a time. She is also single- handedly holding down landfill additions by bringing home curbside rejects such as sofas, chests, lamps and re-purposing them for her own home use. She takes things that nobody wants and turns them into things that everybody wants.

Recently on a trip to Austin, she found a darling blue chest of drawers on the curb. Some of the wood from the drawers were missing, and the entire chest really needed a good scrubbing with soap and water, so she cleaned it up and it was ready for use. Tibbs just has a flair for continual re-decorating with yesterday’s furniture. She always finds something usable in her quests.

She also found a lamp and turned it into a nature work of art. It is covered in bark, moss and pine cones. It’s one of this curbside forager’s best finds of discarded material.

An old chair needed a little repair and she upholstered it with an old pajama top. She also used one of her skirts that she loved and could not part with as fabric for one of her projects. She “found” a leather love seat and a kitchen table and chairs, which have places of honor in her Nichols Hills home.

Her daughter, Claire Tibbs, lives in Austin, Texas, and 80 per cent of her house is furnished with family antiques, vintage items or curb finds “We found fabulous things in Austin recently. They have ‘Trash Day’ two times a year,” Tibbs said. Another daughter, Bonnie Tibbs, does not share the “reclaiming objects” passion.

Actually Claire started finding broken things that were easily fixed when she lived in Chicago. She found them on the curb while she was walking home from work. “Most of the items needed little repairs, but the people didn’t know what to do with them so they threw them out and Claire and I started appreciating these discarded objects,” she added. “She got me started on collecting.”

The recycling project is addictive. Julie Tibbs and Claire Tibbs call it “pickin.” Julie’s mother-in-law, Ann Tibbs, has joined the fun. “It’s always a work in progress, “Julie Tibbs said. She also added that you must have no shame in collecting. “Pride does get in some people’s way, so it’s not for everyone. You must have open eyes and must train your eyes to see things you might want as you are driving by.

Tibbs noted that some of her best finds are in the worst neighborhoods. In many places, people sell their furniture on Craig’s List when they want to get rid of it or have it hauled off to the Salvation Army. Most of the high-end neighborhoods don’t have a big “Trash Day.”

“I am not into garage sales since that is out of my price range and I am used to finding stuff for free, “ Julie Tibbs noted. Many of the items in Julie and Brian Tibbs’ home are family antiques from her grandmother and his parents, she added. “And Claire took some of those home with her too.”  At a recent party the Tibbs decorated their backyard with some of the curb items, including a bed, table and chairs and a television. Their garage was a pretend living room with a sofa, lamp and chairs. Strings of lights added to the ambience.

When asked how she got into the “Trash to Treasures” mode, Julie Tibbs answered: “Claire and I grew up with hand-me- downs.  I got stuff from my older sister and Claire had hand-me-downs from her cousin. Claire did have a “new” prom dress (a heavy detailed fabric slip) that we got at a vintage shop and it was beautiful. We just think older is cooler than new,” she said.

Another table in the Tibbs home with mis-matched chairs. (Photo by Zach Gray).

This is my pride and joy. I found a old lamp on the curb and covered it with things I picked up in the country. (Photo and cutline by Julie Tibbs).

I  found these rockers, spray painted them and add some hand me down pillows. Nice. Right? (Photo and cutline by Julie Tibbs).

Again, doors make good tables. (Photo and cutline by Julie Tibbs).

Pretend living room that I staged in the garage. (Photo and cutline by Julie Tibbs).

I think I need to find an upgrade for this chair and return this one to the curb. The foot stool is a little camel saddle that was in a dumpster. (Photo and cutline by Julie Tibbs).

I even found a screen door. I love the way it slams. It is the door to Brian’s man cave but that’s a whole other story. (Photo and cutline by Julie Tibbs).

If you find an old window, it can hold some photos. (Photo and cutline by Julie Tibbs).

Gave this dumpster ” find” a new life. (Photo and cutline by Julie Tibbs).

Pretend bedroom in the yard for a party. Notice the vintage tv with rabbit ears. (Photo and cutline by Julie Tibbs.)