Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Shopping the Avenue

The streets were thick with junk this evening, and I went out shopping those avenues, drives and boulevards looking for fantastic hardware for the chest of drawers I've been working on. However, all that came my way was an array of wood knobs attached to the drawers of a dresser that was way too big for my backseat, and round wood knobs were not the kind of fantastic I was hoping for.

Family is coming over tomorrow night so dragging anything home that would impede our ability to function in this already small house of ours wasn't going to work, especially since I've been frantically shoving as much as possible out of sight the past two nights. That means a little sewing room and bathroom are crammed to the gills. There's still stuff where stuff doesn't belong in a normal living scenario, and there is more furniture to move out of the way tomorrow. The backyard can hide some things for a few hours if needed though, right?

Even with my spacial concerns, on the way home today, I was thinking I wanted to try and find some metal before the guys with trucks come around and snag everything (thinking the metal I want would be flat things that could hang on a wall or slide behind other things or lie flat for inconspicuous storage). Then my neighbor across the street and over a few houses just happened to put this out to the road:

 So much for flat and inconspicuous!

One of the wheels was rusted off, but someday, somehow, I could certainly find a way to fix that, right? What a great display cart! For now, the wheel has just been set back on so it doesn't look like a train wreck. It's not sturdy, but at least you can see its potential. If it's too much of a pain to fix, the parts could be used separately for other purposes.



The wheel makes a nice accent all on its own, don't you think? And who knows what the flat metal part of the cart could become. Certainly time would tell, and broken into parts, this piece would be less obtrusive as well. Hmm... I do like the wheels!

So what do you think, fix it and leave it as a cart or disassemble it for parts?

Oh, and just so you know, I could have also had an older barber's chair on the way home from work today. Seriously... there out by the curb at someone's house. I've actually had my eye out looking for one, but then when I passed it, I couldn't justify bringing it to live with us right now. It was really grungy looking and the arm was broken. I'm sure it was fixable, and I have wanted one for quite some time, but again, there will be people in the house. Sometimes the timing is just not right. Anyway, surely by now the metal hunters have taken it. I should put it out of my head. Then again, I usually cut my kids' hair myself. We could really USE a barber chair! What was I thinking...or not thinking? I never originally thought of getting it to actually use for our own haircuts. I just wanted an old one because they are cool. Dang, I'm all about practical finds, and besides, practicality is a great excuse to bring home junk, especially if it's cool and free!

It's official. I should have brought it home! Now comes the junk REMORSE.

Don't think I haven't contemplated going back to check on it even though it's late. I'm really curious to see if it survived the evening, although it is highly doubtful.

Note to self...remember to pick first and ask questions later. I can always toss it back out if I decide it's no good. Wouldn't be the first time. So why can't I seem to remember that in the moment? I suppose it's the competing thoughts that are always swirling through my head, which include making sure not to run a stop sign or worse, among other things! I'm thinking I need to create a cute little reminder motto that could be posted on my dashboard...

Pick first, toss later!

That's right, just what I need... another project.

Mop it Up Mondays @ I Should Be Mopping The Floor
Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home
Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage
Fridays Unfolded @ Stuff & Nonsense

18 comments:

  1. ha ha, this is funny. I always say that you never regret the thing you bring home only the one you don't.
    Love the cart,I can see it loaded with summer blooms like the nurseries do, painted white of course. x

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  2. Junk remorse, I like that! Look forward to seeing what you do with the cart Liz.

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  3. It's a cute cart but even the wheels are decorative against a fence or wall if you can't fix it.

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  4. The cart would look good intact as you can also place decors on it, but if there is no other way to fix it, the wheels do make good accents on a garden :)

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  5. This cart is cute. I might be tempted to paint it and leave it as a cart but also, the wheels make interesting wall art and the tray top would make a great table tray outdoors. A great find! Pamela

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  6. I would leave it as it is and fill it with loads of pots and trailing flowers. :)

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  7. I vote to leave it as a cart! Maybe paint it so it shows up better?
    It would make a great "tea table" for outside. In fact, I could use it in my gazebo!!!?????

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  8. I'm torn - at first I'm thinking painting and use it outside as a bar cart (see that alot in blogland). But then I'm thinking - the wheels look great as accent pieces and I bet the top would be wonderful as a huge tray - put some handles on it and paint it an awesome colour.

    And you're right - never leave anything on the side of the road. My mother always used to say "don't look a gift horse in the mouth - you can always make glue from him later". Same rule applies to junk.

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  9. Hmmm...as I'm looking for something relatively thin, ornamental, and unobtrusive to hang on the fire wall behind my wood burning stove...I'd have to go with break that baby down and use the wheels and punched metal as wall art! Cause...that's what I want.
    But...also being the own of a welder and married to a welder...I'd have to say. Fix it ~it's so cute!
    The barber chair? Why? why didn't you get it if you knew you'd been wanting one?
    It's family for crying outloud... they know how you are! Don't they?
    ...unless they are coming over there for an IN.TER.VEN.TION. ...I mean well, Pat

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  10. I so hate it when I pass something up and then regret it later. It is the worst feeling because you just know it won't be there when you go back.
    I vote to use it as a cart :)

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  11. I have that exact cart on my back deck. I inserted a piece of plexi-glass in the tray (for easy cleaning)and use it as a beverage cart when entertaining. A huge hanging basket of flowers (without the hanger) occupies it the rest of the time. I kept mine black as it fits in with the rest of the uot door furniture.
    I vote to keep it as a cart!!

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  12. Can't wait to see what you do with the metal cart...and yes I wish you could have gotten the barber chair also...teeheheh

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  13. I've solved your problem Liz -- you should start upcycling/refinishing doll house miniatures! :) Good luck with cramming all that stuff into a closet! :)

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  14. What great finds! I can't believe someone just put an old barber shop chair out for the picking. I am sure you could have fixed it up BUT knowing you and your luck, another one will cross your path. Enjoy time with your family.

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  15. I bet you will find another barbers chair in better shape at a better time for you too!

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  16. Love the cart. I'm sure you'll figure a way to fix the wheel. It'll be great.

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  17. I love the wheel - what a perfect garden accessory!

    Melissah

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