Other people’s trash- vintage card catalog.
One of our elderly neighbors moved to Florida… His son came by and asked Paul to give him a hand moving some furniture down from the second floor.
When Paul came home, he was carrying a box.
He said – I brought you something.
I said – A BOX OF CATS?
But it wasn’t. It was a box of old glass juicers.
The Hoarder Troll hopped around spastically… because there is NOTHING more useless than TWELVE vintage juicers.
I said – I CANNOT believe you brought me all of these!
Paul said – I guess I really love you… plus, they were free.
Then he said – there’s something else in the car. It’s an old card catalog. I am not sure if you will like it, but I figured it was outdated useless trash, so I should bring it to you.
I cleaned everything up… And then left it in a pile on the dining room floor. Because once something is mine, that is good enough.
But also because I really have NO IDEA what to do with the juicers… Aside from a DIY-lemonade party, I cannot think of a single time I might think to myself– gee, I wish I had a WHOLE BUNCH of juicers.
Plus there is the added pressure of how obviously I must do something Pinterest-y… I’m pretty sure what I need here is some moss and a rustic wire basket and maybe some chipped old teacups and primroses?
Please use your imagination.
If I were a better blogger, I would fill the drawers with some kind of impractical, borderline-deranged vignette… Something that would make you question why you are not the sort of person who has whimsical vintage displays involving aged terracotta and antique silver bud vases.
But if you look closely, you will see a streak in the dust, and some cat prints on the coffee table… So CLEARLY creating whimsical vignettes should take a backseat to dusting.
September 30, 2014 @ 10:05 am
Your husband? I quite like him. Give that man 10 points for fabulousness.
September 30, 2014 @ 10:06 am
I’m kind of swooning over the card catalog drawers, I confess.
Many kudos to Paul for foraging for you! I think that’s entirely sweet….then again, I’m not the one trying to find homes for the juicers…
😉
September 30, 2014 @ 10:07 am
Save the juicers for party favors (cause who wouldn’t want to take home a free glass juicer to remember a great party?) and tuck secret spices or maybe Elvis’s favorite catnip in the card catalog.
September 30, 2014 @ 10:08 am
All of which sort of begs the question of why your elderly neighbour had so many juicers.
Seriously do love the look of the room where you have the catalogue drawers in the last photo. They fit in so well and the whole thing looks great.
September 30, 2014 @ 10:09 am
I BOUGHT a vintage card catalog last year because I wanted one! I use it in my craft room to store supplies. I loved that thing so much I boxed it up in Colorado and brought it home on the plane! They sell for a lot on ebay and I got a great deal, so that made me very happy. I think you should keep two juicers and then do a giveaway for the rest on your blog. I want one!
September 30, 2014 @ 10:11 am
First, that is so awesome that Paul brought those to you. Second, fall, cider, Christmas decorations? Fill them with DIY potpourri? Third, I think you need to start breeding Bookshelf trolls to find some shelves to display all these lovely things.
September 30, 2014 @ 10:11 am
A dozen juicers! Wow. Makes you wonder why he had a dozen juicers! If I has a small steel rod and slipped on each juicer and hung that rod above a sunny window, and spaced those juicers just so, the light would play so nicely when it shone through them. A “juicer valance!”
As for the card catalogue, what’s not to love about little drawers! the more the merrier! So nice of your DH to think of you and bring home things he knows you will love even though the wonder of it all escapes him.
September 30, 2014 @ 10:11 am
I’ve seen the juicers uses as small bird baths and seed feeders, hung by a wire in trees, kind of like a wire base with wire up to string (macramé ish) and they looked quite glittery in the garden. Really wish I had taken a picture but I tend to go comatose and drool when exposed to glitter rainbow sparkle things.
September 30, 2014 @ 11:26 am
Juicers as birdbaths! Brilliant! I already use pretty old bowls etc…but never thought of the juicers. Thank you!
September 30, 2014 @ 3:48 pm
really really really wish I had taken a picture now but they were so darn sparklie!
September 30, 2014 @ 10:11 am
I’m reading your blog when I should be dusting and creating whimsical Halloween/autumn vignettes.
September 30, 2014 @ 10:12 am
I’ve been waiting for the perfect card catalog cabinet for a very specific spot in my apartment to come my way via the deities of Justice, Bargains, and Useless Junk. Since I’ve only been graced by Expensive, Highend, and Custom, let me point you in the right direction: They make the perfect wine bottle holder.
September 30, 2014 @ 10:12 am
The card catalogue draws you could use for those extra thousand birthday cards you horde, or paint bushes and pencils or stensil patterns, the juicers would make a funky chandelier or if you use them hanging upside down a candle holder chandelieryou could use glitter paint to help them sparkle . Just a thought….
September 30, 2014 @ 12:36 pm
Oh my god! I just read your comment and opened the drawer on the 12 drawer card catalog on my desk and just stared amazed. You have changed my life!
September 30, 2014 @ 10:13 am
I’m sure this is too practical for your creative, foraging life……but you could sell them on ebay. Get money for more Craig’s List finds. Others will want them. Aren’t you just so pleased with Paul’s thoughtfulness?
September 30, 2014 @ 10:14 am
For the card catalog?
JEWELRY STORAGE!! Duh-uh.
I envy you that terribly.
You’re on your own for the juicers…but hang on to that man. He’s a gem.
October 2, 2014 @ 12:18 pm
The juicers would be great bedside jewelry holders too for rings/earrings/watches at the end of the day type things…. Loose change, etc. OR you could use a different juicer each month, since you have 12. Store them hanging on a wall in the kitchen or better yet somehow in the window as light catchers? Hooked on an Ikea rail S-hook track system??
Card catalogs are great for silverware, recipes, art supplies, cat toys, socks, notebooks, notecards, craft supplies, utensils, paint supplies, home improvement paraphernelia – think kitchen reno necessities hiding in plain sight….
September 30, 2014 @ 10:15 am
This: “I cleaned everything up… And then left it in a pile on the dining room floor. Because once something it is mine, that is good enough.”
Is how I know you and I were separated at birth. (well, one of the reasons)
September 30, 2014 @ 10:17 am
Yes! A vignette…..please And take 16 million pictures and post them on your blog! Seriously, thank you for just showing us the card catalog sitting on the table.
September 30, 2014 @ 10:17 am
I can’t believe you haven’t realized they would be fantastic Christmas gifts for special friends. I’d be delighted to receive one myself. I use an old ugly plastic one now.
September 30, 2014 @ 10:18 am
Also: Juicers are the new disco ball. Embrace them all, and do never share!
I want one/ten so bad, but think you should share none of them – they are suncatchers!
September 30, 2014 @ 10:20 am
Although i have grown extremely FOND of you and ALL you hoard….so proud! I do believe i truly LoVE LoVE LoVE your comments…..i first take in ALL of you…..then finish off the with the BEST of you….the comments…..x
September 30, 2014 @ 10:34 am
THIS, yes, a thousand times… my mother will actually call me to tell me which were her favorite comments.
xoxo
September 30, 2014 @ 10:21 am
A crystal water fall! I have seen indoor waterfalls where there is a basin with a pump that draws water up to the top of a series of smaller cups and then the water trickles down from the spouts, cup to cup. So what if you figured out a way to position the juicers at different heights, maybe by gluing them with the spout slightly tilted downward, to the top of cheap crystal candlesticks. Arrange them from high to low so that they pour into the next lower one. With some cool lighting, think of the reflections off all that cut glass! It really could be something pretty for a wedding or baby shower using punch instead of water.
I don’t know why but I am a sucker for anything with small drawers. The smaller they are, the more intrigued I am, even if they are too small to even store much of anything! So I love the card catalog and would use it to store old pictures or perhaps recipes.
September 30, 2014 @ 10:32 am
Like a special water fountain for Elvis!
Paul will be so excited to build it!
September 30, 2014 @ 10:21 am
What if you do a give-away on your blog and give away some glass juicers in a raffle? I want one!!!!!!