23 May 2010

Magpie May Ten



The last time I walked into an antique store before this month was November of Nine. There are a couple of reasons. I tend to binge on antique stores. Having gone into one, I fret about what I might be missing in all the others. It is usually a flurry of visits followed by return trips to buy that thing I couldn't get off my mind. After a wild week of shopping, I have too much stuff and that feeling of 'ahhh, ughh, shouldna' done that.'

Also, from January through April, I emptied my mother's house. She lived there 49 years and while I have mentioned this before, I will say again, I did it single-handedly in a flurry of fear and anger, driven to accomplish it before mother died. Now it's a blur and I do not know how I did it. I got rid of things I would buy. I just sort of did not want my mother's things. To be sure I kept more than I know what to do with, but not more than a full car load really. It has too much ennui associated with it.

But now, just a month later, I am back to buying other people's crap. And here is how that started. I took just one hit, a trip to the school estate sale. I thought "maybe someone brought in some sewing notions." I spied with my discerning eye the a cardboard box. It was filled over flowing with bags of buttons sorted into colors.


Indulge me.

White, pink, ochre, coral, crimson and black...



Be reverent and enjoy the plate of teal buttons.


And this little dear gal who sorted all her buttons into colorways also saved....
bless her heart....
her buttons cards.


And friends, four dollars later, all of the above was mine. I am glad they went to me because I do believe I share that little lady's joy in these buttons right along beside her.


A stolen hour last weekend with Sparkle the Esquire and I own these matchbooks. Why?
Not sure but Kimmie bought the other bag and I had to have them.
That is a 1969 copy of a 1908 Sears catalog. And a chemistry text, of course.


Also a cool box of blocks with which I could spell Thomas.


And May's last booty...


I will sit with mother today and make a necklace from those beads.
Why does someone else's junk offer up possiblity while my own childhood stuff just holds melancholy?
I guess that question is the answer...

9 comments:

  1. Can you spell "drool"? I must find a rag to wipe it....a very LARGE rag! :-}

    ReplyDelete
  2. How awesome that she organized the colors and saved the cards they went on?!?!? Score! ~Shelley

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oooh....ahh....I love it. I cant resist an antique mall. sifting through the utter crap to find that perfect gem? what a thrill. I totally get it. And doesnt it warm your heart to feel that you've 'rescued' something once so dear?

    ReplyDelete
  4. robin,
    i just love the way you word things, i get it, i really do get it. the buttons and their cards are just beautiful, reverence for the teal especially. there is something rewarding about the rescue of something that meant so much to someone else................franc

    ReplyDelete
  5. I do get it. I was mad for years because my dad threw out my mom's things and, looking back, there wasn't much I wanted, though I loved her dearly. I think it would have only made me sad. I wish I had her wedding picture but I do have the newspaper version (still wish I had it). And I also get the antique store addiction. When Kat and I make jewelry, it always seems like it is "too good to use." After all that.

    Guess we have melancholia!

    I am writing from the cafeteria of the Mayo Clinic. My fifty-five year old bro is two years out from State Four Esophageal Cancer (no smoking). I let myself have lots of sugar when I am here, though everything is crap!

    So...we will meet with his doctor at 3:30...saying my rosary (not really, but I have always had Catholic longings!).

    ReplyDelete
  6. Alrighty then Robin...
    Thank you for making me jealous on this Glorious Memorial Day ;)
    I love all of your "other people's junk"
    But I must tell you, I'm most jealous of the beautiful necklace that you made...even though it took a "lifetime"...it was well worth it!
    :)))

    ReplyDelete
  7. I can totally relate to your thrifting addiction. I just started working for an estate sale company, and I can already tell it's gonna be baaaaad. I love the fact that you referred to going shopping as "another hit". Lol, it reminds me very much of a hopeless drug addiction. Not that I know anything about that...

    ReplyDelete
  8. I can so relate to others stuff looking better than our own! Guess that's why I keep buying. Have fun. Take care, Riki

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh, I just came back for more button love! Mmmm, button cards.

    ReplyDelete

You have no idea how much this comment means. I really thank you for taking time to connect with me. This is why we are here, isn't it?

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...