Since I opted not to have chemo, I still have hair....so decided I really needed a cut. Harrold, my hairdresser, is in Salem, and on the way home from there, I saw this big garage sale sign on the highway that pointed back towards some farms and country properties. Needless to say, I pulled over, turned around and went back.
The first sale was OK...found a few books and a few things I could use in art. As I was paying for those items, they mentioned that their neighbor was also having a sale, but that it was "mostly antiques". I almost didn't bother to go, envisioning a garage full of furniture (which we don't need) and high-priced items.
Ah, but no....this was a "pickers" dream come true. Fran (yes, we were quickly on a first-name basis) was closing down the family farm since the death of her father and husband. Her dad had bought the place 60 years ago, and you know what that means....lots of old rusty stuff and wood. And Fran herself was a bit of a packrat who loved collecting weird things, interesting decorative wood pieces, frames and more.
In fact, Fran is a tuffet maker!! Now how weird is that? Did you know that the word tuffet is not used anywhere in literature except in the nursery rhyme (and references to it)? And I had just read that the day before I met Fran. So she collects wonderful old legs, fabrics, and buttons to make her tuffets.
The minute Fran saw me digging through a box of weird wood things, she said, "OH, is that what you're looking for? Then come with me..." And off we went to the assemblage artist's dreamland of wooden stuff. I started picking up things, and she was saying, "Oh, 50 cents for that....a quarter for that." and I thought "oh, yes....."
And here's what I got....and she charged me a total of $40! Not bad...and you can't even see all the little things that are in there. I'm already busy taking things apart and figuring out what I am going to do with them.
Go Getter
6 months ago
4 comments:
what great finds! i only wish i could have been there. can't wait to see what you do with all these treasures.
I have plenty to share, Rebeca. Wish you had been there too!
A lot of it went into storage down at the old studio until I need it.
When I looked at all the frames, I planned to take 5 or so, but then she said, "Oh, $5 for all of them." How could I not take them all?
And the two old crib pieces (in the background)....50 cents a piece!
Lots of goodies. I started tearing apart the lamp (reddish thing in the middle) yesterday. Will post pictures.
Thanks, Rebeca!
Wow! Beautiful stuff! Isn't it great connecting with other collectors of weird stuff? All the sweeter since our kids and neighbors think we're just neurotic junk hoarders. (I can tell by the resigned expressions and rolling of eyes at any display of my latest finds...)
I wouldn't have recognized the awesomeness of the lamp until you started taking it apart. Way cool.
You are so right! It's fun having everyone think we are way off.
One of my favorite quotes is: "Masquerading as a normal person day after day is exhausting."
And one of my dearest friends told me I am the only person she has ever known who didn't think she was weird!
It's fun being an exceptional person, isn't it?
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