tools of the trade

When we go out Friday nights it's to a local auction house. Fun cheap entertainment :) McClains auctions are a local family that auctions off estates or things that people no longer want at an old barn that's been modified. They have an old 50 gallon drum that was modified into a wood stove to heat the place and great prices at their concession stand. It's the only place I've ever been to that you can still buy 20 licorice sticks for a dollar. The prices are great if you go at the end of the month and reasonable if you hit them at the beginning. I've gotten a few pieces there and Grumpy gets quite a bit of hunting and fishing supplies for a decent price. 2 weeks ago I saw a 3 piece wall unit from the 60's? Maybe early 70's. Each piece was 7 feet tall and 2 and 1/2 wide. Dusty, dirty and smelly...I loved them! and Grumpy hated them just as much! He was thinking that he would have to carry each. solid. wood. heavy. piece. twice. He was right :) Once to the truck and once into the house :D

I saw them and knew right where I wanted them. My bedroom. My unstylish 18x20 giant sized closet and storage room. I set a budget amount and started bidding. Unfortunately another woman had a similar idea and wouldn't keep her damn paddle down, but I was on a mission. I finally outbid her at 110 dollars :) Yep, they were mine!

They replaced 2 bulky dressers that never held all my clothes (on the few times that all the laundry was done) and allowed me to empty 5 totes buried at the bottom of my closet as well. For the first time since my first child I have a bedroom with a little style that's well organized. It actually LOOKS like a place to get some rest instead of a reminder of all things unfinished.

The really nice thing about getting rid of the totes is that I have easier access to my hobbys. These are some of my great great grandma's (and her mothers) photo albums that I'm in the process of documenting. Since I don't have to empty my closet every time I have some free time it should go much quicker. They now have their own spot in my wall unit. I swear this unit is like magic. I keep filling it up and later there's more room in it! Try THAT with a dresser.

I just wanted to share this picture. It's of my great grandmother taken in 1900. Isn't it amazing that something over a hundred years ago still looks this good? I can't wait to finish documenting and getting it all into a book to share with family, but that's another blog :)