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Hometown Tourist: Deer Creek Junk

Upcycling items has been a popular way for people to create statement pieces in their homes and make a living out of reviving old antique items and giving them a modern twist.

We take you to Deer Creek Junk in East Jordan for Hometown Tourist to meet a woman who has made a career out of her passion for the art of upcycling.

Karen Brennan is a mechanical engineer turned upcycling guru.

You can find an endless line of unique creations in her shop, .

And yes, even the shop is repurposed.

“The building that imp in used to be an old ambulance garage. I really wanted junk in the name. Just using the cast offs that would most people would consider junk, but turning them into something that gives it new life so that people can appreciate it again,” said Brennan.

Giving new life to antique and industrial items is the name of her game.

You’ll find her working away in her workshop creating a new masterpiece from furniture for your home, or even lighting.

“We do everything from soft things like pillows, from vintage linens, to harvest tables with wood some industrial tables. We’re getting into doing a lot of lighting as well, so it really runs a real wide range. We have everything from finished items that we’ve created, or that are just we’ve cleaned up and can be used as is, to what I call the misfit pieces, and parts to create do it yourself projects that are becoming so popular and things that we design,” said Brennan.

For those that may wonder what some of her finished pieces or items in the shop look like, they bought the house next door to serve as a staging gallery, and, a rental to stay the night.

“We have been in the process of redoing the house and turning it into an extended showroom, and also a staging place to show people how to decorate with this kind of style,” explained Brennan.

Finding the odds and ends and putting in the elbow grease to create finished pieces is a passion for Karen.

She loves the beauty in giving new life to pieces that have been cast away.

“I really enjoy being able to rescue things and give it a new life a new purpose and help it survive. I really enjoy seeing the craftsmanship and the intricate details. I’m constantly amazed at the amount of workmanship and craftsmanship that has gone into certain pieces,” noted Brennan.