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 I am not sure if you will like it, but I figured it was outdated useless trash, so I should bring it to you.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 @ 4:38 pm
I LOVE tiny drawers! Isn’t your life full of bitty things that need a home? Presumably, the drawers have that long slit along the bottom. Just cut mat board to fit, and they’re ready to receive any little thing you can throw in there.
September 30, 2014 @ 5:08 pm
Make stacks of the juicers and put them in a kitchen windowsill as art pieces. Unbroken vintage glass of any sort is never wrong or useless. And yes, the “retired” card catalogs make wonderful storage!
September 30, 2014 @ 5:10 pm
I have a valance of reamers in my kitchen window. I have them strung on fishing line of different lengths so they are not straight across. Mine are different colors, but you’ll notice yours have some different patterns on the rims so were most likely made by more than one company.
I’m sure you’ll find something creative to do with them, and we will all enjoy reading about it when you do.
September 30, 2014 @ 7:32 pm
You came to the right person to ask about what to do with a card catalog! And by “came to me” I mean, my email said you had a new post, and by “ask” I mean, “I’m sure you wanted my opinion.”
I have a Pinterest board on card catalogs! Here it is… http://www.pinterest.com/mpv61/card-catalogs/
I have a wonderful modular card catalog which has a total of 60 drawers (four 5X3 units) as well as 6 pull-out trays (three units of 2-trays each). It’s like the biggest, best, utility drawer ever. In the drawers, beautifully labeled are things like: candles, flashlights, tools, index cards, school supplies, marbles (doesn’t everyone need a marble drawer?), staplers, recipes, etc. Some people use their card catalogs in their dining rooms. Besides wine which someone already mentioned, the drawers are great for: cloth napkins (or paper), napkin rings (if you use them), silverware, and candles, again.
I also have two 2 X 2 units (a total of 8 drawers) that are bigger; each drawer is about 9″ wide and 6.5″ high but still the standard 14″ back-to-front. I’m going to use those in my sewing room for my fabric scraps; the labels will simply be the color of scraps in that drawer.
I wish I actually had pictures of my card catalogs on my Pinterest board, but my act isn’t that together.
Someone mentioned your card catalog was metal, but it looks like it might be wood to me. Please let us know. Also, what does the little label say between the top 2 drawers?
October 1, 2014 @ 12:00 pm
You need to add this one to your boards… It is maybe the neatest one I have ever seen? http://www.pinterest.com/pin/172403491960524874/
And yes, it is wood. For some reason I have this aversion to correcting people in comments. Like, who wants a response telling them they are wrong? (I do realize how ridiculous this is, but there you have it.)
There is no label, it’s a small lock. Doesn’t work, since I do not have the key.
October 1, 2014 @ 12:57 pm
You’re right, that’s a wonderful card catalog! The library it comes from is gorgeous, too! I’ve added the card catalog to my cc board, and the library to my books and bookshelves board. 🙂
I wouldn’t worry about correcting someone when they’re basically saying, “it’s too bad it’s not wood,” because when you tell them it is, they get feeling of “it’s so awesome it’s wood!!” 🙂
September 30, 2014 @ 8:27 pm
I vote for the gift basket idea, then a blog giveaway but then I thought of gluing them to a mirror frame… Or all over a window to make a window you can’t see through! I’m so excited in big being articulate but YOU, Victirua Elizabeth Barnes, will understand! Perhaps a bathroom door! Or a transom somewhere.
Carry on. I’ll just glide gracefully down onto my fainting couch.
September 30, 2014 @ 10:50 pm
Love your new card catalog! I scored one (of sorts) last year from my neighbors garage. It’s actually two wooden mailbox sections (circa 1940’s? 1950’s?) from Kansas. I love loved LOVED it from the moment I saw it! And offered to take it off if his hands if ever he decided to ‘clean house’. I’m a woodworker of sorts (which is to say my wonderful hubby humors me & helps me realize the visions in my head.) He helped me make a oak top, and I added prefab legs and voila I have an awesome table/ storage thingy for my family room. It makes me smile every time I look at it. :-).
Hopefully the link works
https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154302362030198&id=792560197&set=a.281346155197.323418.792560197&source=43
October 1, 2014 @ 1:22 am
Link isn’t working. Is it correct? Is it designated to be shared with “public”? Would love to see your creation. It sounds marvelous, especially when you said it made you smile every time you saw it. That’s a very good sign.
October 1, 2014 @ 11:55 am
is your photo private? Link isn’t working…
October 1, 2014 @ 12:09 pm
Oops…the audience was limited on that pic on Facebook.
Try this:
https://m.facebook.com/?hrc=1&refsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2Fhr%2Fr&_rdr
October 1, 2014 @ 2:30 pm
obviously that 2nd link didn’t work either.. LOL
Hope third time is a charm..
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0IZsmbdw4ZuHFA
it worked when I clicked it 🙂
October 1, 2014 @ 11:47 pm
The last link works! Nice cabinet! 🙂
September 30, 2014 @ 11:23 pm
Too many comments. Hope I am not repeating. I’d put a battery operated tea light in the bottom to illuminate the hump and fill the trough with flowers, or anything. Arrange on table(s) for dinner parties. I have much respect for your husband. He is cool. Also, he dances. You chose well.
I have a juicer like this buried somewhere in the hoard I am guarding jealously (also thoroughly sick of). It’s good for a juicing half a lemon, etc and cleans easily. For a bunch of lemons, oranges, whatever, it gets tedious. I use an electric one, though it’s more work to clean.
They could be part of a Breakfast gifty basket with a bunch of juice oranges.
October 1, 2014 @ 5:05 am
Just the other day I was thinking that I could use a glass juicer! Too bad I live a zillion miles away from you (Phoenix) or I could invite myself over and you could give me one!!!!
October 1, 2014 @ 8:15 am
When waiting, I create stories for each human around me. Perhaps the story of this wonderful retiree, is she broke her juicer. When learning of this, friends/family either provided a replacement out of love or finally had found a home for their multiple juicers. She being blessed with loving family/friends remained silent of her new multiple juicers, so each would believe, they had provided the replacement.
Another thought. What if, like the urban myth of fruitcakes, ( limited number recycled for generations), juicers are limited in numbers? You could corner the market in juicers how exciting. My suggestion, place the juicers in a safe location.
October 1, 2014 @ 11:49 pm
I like your fairytale! 🙂
October 1, 2014 @ 10:55 am
Have a giveaway for your loyal and enlightened followers and have the prize be one of the juicers. You would definitely make 12 people happy. I think they are lovely! Use to have one but it has disappeared. As I’m IN FL now I guess it’s not one of your neighbors.
October 1, 2014 @ 12:31 pm
One more juicer idea…if you have the sort of coffee filters that look like a basket, you could put the stack upside down over the juicer. Doesn’t everyone need a juicer-turned-coffee-filter-holder? I don’t remember if you like coffee, though; I’m clearly a bad follower to not remember that.
October 1, 2014 @ 8:38 pm
As someone who possibly lost custody of my original thick glass juicer in a bad breakup (he did love his cocktails), and have been consoling myself with IKEA plastic that won’t hold up for many more southern california citrus seasons . (and happily married for two dozen years now so should not be mourning lost kitchen items) . . Juicers. Don’t give all but one away, keep a few in reserve. The thick glass means they are less breakable than you think, but they do chip and lose juice capacity. Thought the Harriet the Spy functional tree pulley fantastic .. .
but me, mostly they would be my go to house warming basket stock.
Or, a collection starter .. . .a hoarding troll is no longer a troll with a collection.
Thank you for your restraint on the card box and tray. Sometimes a thing is just fabulous by itself. A holiday will come along and then you can make blogger whoopie.
October 2, 2014 @ 2:00 pm
Of COURSE, Victoria, whimsical vignettes take a backseat to dusting! DUH! Hey I have a great use for those juicers…you can make “Toomer’s Corner Lemonade”!!!
http://confessionsofapickyeater.com/2013/04/toomers-corner-lemonade/ . Please make it before Saturday…maybe it will help Auburn beat LSU this weekend. You can drink it while watching the game on ESPN Saturday night….hope Auburn is not embarrassed on national TV.
p.s. you can add vodka to the lemonade if you want to like me..it might make the game easier to watch
October 2, 2014 @ 9:10 pm
I’d probably give my family juicers for Christmas but on an offbeat note, maybe you could decorate a Christmas tree with them? Like a tree in the Kitchen or Breakfast Room?
That’s what Martha would probably do.
October 4, 2014 @ 8:33 pm
SHOES! I bet you would put four pairs in there.
October 8, 2014 @ 12:17 am
Love the card holder ~ so many uses. Even in the bathroom for hair stuff ~ clips, bobbie pins etc. As for the juicers, you can never have too many. Remember the old coffee mug holders? Your juicers look like they have handles so why not hang them on one of those holders by a window? So happy your husband has finally figured out if you can’t beat them then join them. My hubby of 46 years brings home the most amazing stuff.
October 10, 2014 @ 8:48 pm
Take a glass juicer, turn it upside down. Apply E6000 glue.
Take a glass bud vase, apply E6000 glue. Wait one minute.
Affix the two bottoms to each other, press together and hold for another minute.
After allowing to dry for 24 hours, take outside and slide overtop of a post in the ground. Could be rebar or wooden dowel.
Now you have a nice little bird feeder or butterfly bath. Here’s one I made out of a vintage light fixture.
http://www.hometalk.com/1778417/repurposed-glass-light-shades
I like your style and your husband is a keeper!
October 11, 2014 @ 10:22 pm
Can you string them together by the little handles and make some kind of glass wreath?
October 27, 2014 @ 4:23 pm
OMG you have an inner hoarder troll too! It’s almost like we are twins separated only by genetics and continents that unreasonably divided millennia ago! Sadly, my Paul (that answers to Rob) doesn’t aid me in my quest to store items that I will never realistically use. In fact, he texted our friends the day I tossed out a car load of cardboard (but not my fabulous collection of empty shoe boxes) and my dozen adorable purple-lidded Cadbury drinking chocolate containers, in my view too overjoyed with the resulting clear space, that I had finally come to my senses. Ha! However, what he still hasn’t spotted is that I later RETRIEVED those dozen adorable purple-lidded containers! Oh frabjous day! 🙂
November 10, 2014 @ 7:05 pm
Juicers as chandelier – love this! Or, you could use them as individual pendant lights in a row. Just use a small LED bulb.
You could also hang them in a tight grid pattern on a wall in your TBD kitchen.