Thrift Deluxe

Over Thanksgiving, we were driving by the grounds of the Mother Co-Redemptrix when I spotted "stuff"! Stop the car I cried when I saw a real find! The Vietnamese Fathers and Brothers often set out old chairs, desks, and file cabinets that are no longer needed with the idea that someone in the community might have use for them. What I saw was an old library card catalog. Now, I know that is junk to some folks, but I love the old library tables, catalogs, and chairs. No computer desk, ipad, digital card file will ever have the warmth of those old oak pieces where folks' thumbs flipped cards, where fingers and wooden #2 pencils jotted down ideas, facts and figures.

Much to our son's embarrassment, his folks were out on a busy road backing the van over the grass to cabbage onto this find. Within five minutes someone else stopped wanting whatever we did not take. DH and son unloaded the very heavy piece into the shop. The piece was actually two pieces and DH had fun separating and searching and fiddling with the parts. The drawers looked like cherry so he  remade the top with a piece of cherry in his wood pile. Things were looking good.

Okay, WHERE was I going to use this thing and how? I had no idea; I just knew I loved it. But we did not want to put a lot of money into it so DH used a lesser wood from his stock pile and made a small stand for the drawers to set on. Wow, isn't it pretty for a junked piece? We toted it into my office area, shoved things around and found a place for it. I know it is crazy but well, I love the piece.

The remaining piece of the same size DH was going to take for screws, nails and such in his shop without refinishing. However, once he saw this finished piece, he has decided to find more cheap wood for a stand, strip the drawers, and redo nicer for his own use in his office over the shop.

You won't find my home in House and Garden or Modern Home. There is no bonus room, great room, or whirlpool bath, and no one would long to own this 60 year old ranch. But you got to admit, this place is a conversation starter with pie cupboards made of barn siding from the family farm barn (complete with holes drilled by Kansas wood bees!), bathrooms with doors to the deck, wall paper applied sideways, a carpenter's tool trunk used as a coffee table, a plate rack built into the wall between studs, and now a library card catalog...and it was free!

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In the fall, I gave a friend an extra set of glasses I had. Look how she decided to use the stemware.

I got one of her gifts back and isn't it lovely? The fragrance is a delightful cinnamon.Thanks, Pat!