A Pine Hutch, #5 Crazed Jug, Antique Scale and a Strategy

Spending a few hours cruising one of my favorite antiques malls is always an adventure.  I am never bored and no matter how many times I walk the aisles, I see thousands more interesting things.  One strategy that I employ is once I have completed one run through, I do an about face and walk backwards through the mall again.  No, not actually backwards.  That would make me look insane and I might run into someone. I am still putting one foot in front of the other facing forward, just headed back tracing my previous steps.  Why do I do this, you ask?  Well, I have had amazing fortune using this strategy because many mall booths are so crammed full of treasures that sometimes coming back at them in a different direction can cause your eye to catch something that was missed on first passing.  I once found an amazing dough bowl at a spectacular price that I would have missed otherwise. 

Yesterday, I spent a little time strolling the aisles and looking around for treasures.  I was shopping just for me and my home....not The Homeless Finch or any other bird.  Sometimes, you just gotta have a little 'me' time. I have been trying to find a vintage all white chenille bedspread. I stopped and looked around in this booth pictured to the right.  The gal has done a super fine job putting her space together.  You can tell that she has an eye for design, display and merchandising.  I would be completely remiss, if I didn't show you something that I saw in her booth.  A group of shoppers actually stood there and discussed these little.....well.....baby head items.

Have you ever seen anything like them?  There were all sorts of opinions expressed.  One woman thought they were super creative and sweet, another person wanted to run away quickly.  One woman said.....and I will quote her, "There is just something that makes me uncomfortable when a baby's head is served on a plate."  I hadn't even noticed that because, to me, the dish was more of a collar on her outfit in my mind, then a ....well, plate.  At any rate, I just had to show you guys the most unusual find of the day.  No, I did not buy one.

Random image from the mall.

 The real order of business was to finally make a last ditch effort to get my little paws on this piece of pine furniture that I had been 'pining' (cough cough) over for months.  I have sat and watched the price come down within an affordable range and I just felt like I needed to either go for it, or get over it.  About two weeks ago, as I was nearing the booth, I shielded my eyes and scooted past it hoping that I could forget about it.  I actually, physically did this....  What the heck was I doing?  Jogging past a piece of furniture in order to avoid seeing what I knew was sitting there calling for me?  "Come on, Lesley....what the heck is wrong with you. " I thought as I peaked around to see who else thought I might be nuts too!  Today....yep, today....would be different.  I was going to confront that 4 foot table with hutch once and for all.



My new Pine Hutch!

As I rounded the corner and headed to the booth....there it was.....sitting waiting at the end of the long aisle.  "Yes!  It's still there." a whispered victoriously.  Then, something amazing happened.  The booth keeper came out from behind a bookcase and I couldn't believe my eyes.  I knew this guy!  He worked at a retail store for years where my husband use to buy his suits.  We greeted each other and I told him that I had been checking back on occasion (only divulging a small ounce of my obsession) to see if this piece was still available. I had noticed that it was getting buried behind other items and I hadn't been able to get a good look at it for sometime.  He moved the stuff out of the way, including a super cool iron bed, and let me put my hands on it.  Ahh....heaven.  We talked about the work that was needed to bring this little pine wonder back to life and he struck a great bargain with me right there on the spot!  I bought it!  Oh my! 

My best friend, Ted is going to help me get this little baby home today.  Did I just call this thing a baby?  Yep, did.  Sometimes the wait involved in finally scoring one of these little treasures makes you feel that way....

I got some other pretty cool treasures while shopping around the mall.  I found 6 glass electric insulator caps in one of my favorite aqua blue colors.  I also scored a creme colored vintage metal scale complete with awesome rustiness.  I dragged home a super duper heavy white jug with an aged, crazed glaze and the #5 stamp on it and  a primitive handled wood tub along with  a blue colored enameled bucket.  Some days.....it just goes my way....or maybe it was the 'backward' strategy that helped.  Who knows, but I'm stickin' with it.

-The End-

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