How I Cured Myself of Thrifting
Say what? Cured of thrifting?
How on earth did I do that?
Easy peasy. I’ll let you in on a little secret.
Every now and then I go off the thrifting deep end, and something completely off the wall gets me so excited that I can barely contain myself.
What was it this time?
Monkey was asking that very same question.
It was the guts of an upright piano.
Not a pretty word ‘guts’, but I can’t think of any other word to describe it… because it wasn’t very pretty at all. But there was something quite magical about it.
I can’t explain it… even to myself. I don’t even play the piano.
Does this sound at all familiar to you, or is it just me that this happens to?
Sometimes my heart brings home these treasures and my head just looks at them in disgust. lol. Sort of like when one of our cats proudly lays a dead mouse at our feet. We always pat them on the head and we say ‘good kitty’… but we don’t really mean it.
My head was not quite as polite to my heart.
But I didn’t care. I just ignored my head… like I often do… because I was still in the throws of the excitement from the thrill of the thrifting moment.
You should have seen me when we drove by this thing. I almost jumped out before John could stop the truck.
Seriously… I couldn’t get out fast enough.
After 26 years of marriage John is still the best enabler ever, but I’m absolutely convinced that one of these days when I bring home one of my thrifting “treasures” he’s going to pat me on the head and say ‘good Tuula’. It’s going to happen.  I’m sure of it.
I’m surprised it hasn’t happened already.
Once I collected myself Monkey and I spent a very hot afternoon on the kitchen porch out front… enjoying some shade while I removed all the bits and pieces… one at a time… with a hand held screwdriver.
Sometimes when I’m feeling all light and lazy I do things the old fashioned way. It slows time down, and is much more relaxing and peaceful than rushing through with a drill.
It was way too hot to do anything else anyway.
Here’s all my loot.
So what did I do with it?
Absolutely nothing……. .nada…….. zilch…….. zero. The wooden pieces were in terrible shape, and the piano hammers were all dried out.
I was hoping to repurpose these pieces somehow, but I found out very quickly that my brain had no room to deal with this loot. The truth is I probably already have enough stuff for projects for the next 5 years. lol.
That, my friends, is what cured me… and I hadn’t done any thrifting since then.
Until three weeks later… my head was slightly less occupied and while I was looking at these pictures I could literally feel the creative brain cells coming back to life.
I knew exactly what they were thinking.
“Hmmm… those feet are pretty sweet”.
I see angel wings. Be still my junkin’ heart! Do you see them too?
And then I felt it. That little flutter of excitement that tells me that I did OK, and I could feel my head coming back on board. I was going to salvage something from this “incident” after all.
My brain’s cogs are churning, and after my head made its apologies to my heart all was right in my world once again. And just like that I was cured of my thrifting cure. I was starting to worry it was going to last forever.
My thrifting break was good though. I used the time going through my stashes purging (donating) and reorganizing my craft room and greenhouse/storage area. It felt good to freshen things up a bit.
I did some thrifting this past weekend, and I’ll show you what I found later in the week… as soon as I can get that post together.
Now I have to spend some time in my junk stash. Yay! That’s one of my favourite things to do. It keeps both my heart and my head happy… at the same time! I love it when that happens!
Thanks so much for reading and until next time…
keep on keepin’ on!
XOX
Whew! Had me scared there for a moment! What a shame about all the little bits and pieces….seems like they would have been fun. But you are right about the legs! Can’t wait to see what wonderful thing you come up with!! Dona
Thanks Dona! I scared myself for a little bit too. It’s nice to be back to normal again… whatever that means. lol.
I see reindeer! And your post makes me sad in a way. I tore apart my old piano a few years ago and threw it away. Now I wish I’d looked at it more closely. NO, NO, NO! I HAVE to clean this place out. There’s no room left in my home or my brain to be creative!
Sorry about that Ginnie, but I know exactly where you’re coming from. My little break has taught me to be much more selective with what I bring home. I only have so much space. Now that you mention it I see reindeer too. You’ve got a great eye. They are quite adorable actually.
At least you will be able to use something from your find.
If we all just have enough patience; something will pop into our brain. Good thinking about using the feet as angel wings.
Can’t wait to see your finished angel.
I know exactly what you mean! I bring home stuff all the time with the greatest of intentions and then NOTHIN’!!! I am trying now to go through things and do something with all the “treasures” I’ve drug home. Then my goal will be to not bring anything else in (that needs work anyway) until the other stuff is completed. We’ll see how that goes! lol!
Can’t wait to see your angel!
Tania
Tuula you are so cute. You are such a good re lover of things so I know you will make something great out of those sweet legs. Angel wings I can see it!!!!
Kris
I’m not sure what you plan to create with all these lovely piano parts but I would have done the same thing as you did – got it!!! And then hope that something creative would come to mind. I so look forward to seeing what you create.
I see things you could make with the bits a pieces.. how about fairy furniture?
Also if you want to send them my way … I could do just that.. I have a fetish with beads, beads and more beads.. love to re-purpose broken jewelry into something new and exciting…
Fairy furniture is an awesome suggestion Chere! Maybe I’ll take a look at this loot again when winter comes and I have more time. Thanks so much for sharing your idea. If I decide not to use these bits and pieces I may just take you up on your offer and send some your way. 🙂
As soon as I read it, I knew that cure wouldn’t last!! I’ve sworn off buying things a few times now…just can’t do it! I think you can do something creative with the now naked guts! Can’t wait to see the angel wings put to something cute. I have sworn off buying large items to sell and large fragile items. I had to make two large boxes today to mail items out and it was not easy! I have had too many large fragile items break en route, no matter how secure I pack them. I am over it!
I’m with Ginny……I see reindeer, too!
And I, too, have an enabler husband! He loves it when I come home from thrifting and show him all my ‘finds’ and treasures. We are both blessed to have husbands who “get” it!
I agree Holly! Enabler husbands are the best.
Sorry, Ginnie, I misspelled your name……
you just needed time to marinate your thoughts, and it worked! can’t wait to see what you make with the angel’s wings. I, too, like to do things the old fashioned way, slowly, its therapeutic. especially during a busy season, it is nice to just sit and move slowly.
‘Good Tuula’
😀
LOL!! One of these days has arrived. I knew it would. lol!
Thanks Honey. You’re the best!
I loved it just the way you found it! I sell a lot of organ and piano pieces. It is always good to take a short break from junk. Today I actually went into a real department store for the first time in a year. Did not buy a thing, but it was quite the experience.
That is so cool. I momentarily saw bench legs or a planter! I am waiting to see what you see. I know it will be brilliant! Cheers. P.S. Thrifting cures are overrated!
It looks as if I keep good company! I too have taken the “cure”. Just when I think it’s taken hold, “WHAMO!!!”I go on a junking binge and I find something really cool (wonder what I missed during the cure) and my junking heart is so happy. All those bits and pieces would look rather smart in big glass jars. Because you know if you toss them out you will need them later. I also see a heard of reindeer. Have a lovely week ~ Mickie
lol. I know just what you mean Mickie. It wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened to me. I’ll hang onto them until winter at least and see if any light bulbs appear. I think I’ll have to share these feet between angels and reindeer. Stay tuned. 🙂
I’m with ya every step of the way here!! I laughed all the way through this because I see myself doing the exact same thing. I’d be overwhelmed with excitement at finding this old treasure too. Can’t wait to see those angel wings take shape. Thanks for sharing at Vintage Inspiration Party.
Yep, I can see exactly why you had to bring this home! Sounds like you had quite the adventure. At least you salvaged something you can use…. I’ve bought stuff only to take it back… (and even bought stuff back that I’ve taken but don’t tell anyone about that 🙂
What a story!! Of course, it broke MY heart to see the whole keyboard broken/taken apart, since I am a piano player from way back!! Anyway, I wanted to tell you that the soft parts which are about 1/2″ thick ARE useful……last year, my student gave me the prettiest tree ornament made from one. As soon as I can get to my Christmas box, I’ll get it out and take a picture and send it to you……enjoy the feet in the meantime! I mean “angels,” and YES, I can see them too!!!!
I’d love to see that ornament Mare! It would be great to repurpose more of these parts. As a repurposer I reuse things that others discard. When I saw this at the dump I had to rescue it. I was sure that I could repurpopse its good bits and pieces, but many were in bad shape. There are some really good bits though and I’ll hang on to those and see what the future brings. I make other Christmas ornaments so that sounds like a fun idea.
Looking forward to seeing what you do with it. I know it will be a WINNER!! Thank you for sharing it with us at my party.
Blessings,
Linda
I’m glad you are “back” as I just found you through Funky Junk Interiors! I was so intrigued by what I was reading here that it took me nearly two hours to stop long enough to actually subscribe to you! lol Lots on my list for today so I have to close this for now but I look forward to working my way through your site.
Thanks so much for subscribing Debbie! I’m so glad to have you along. Feel free to visit anytime. My site is always open. lol. Tuula 🙂
Okay, you were so right to jump out and get this! It’s awesome. You are going to be hit by a lightning bolt one day and create the best thing EVER. I look forward to that day! LOL I would have joined you and kitty on the porch!
lol @ you and saying your husband is the best junk enabler. Mine is one too!
And, bless our hearts, we are definitely kindred spirits……..
I have your piano parts in my shed right now. Only difference is that we actually took it out of the piano. We had the piano in a shed for years. It was left at the old house my hubby was living in when I met him. I told him right off the bat……….I’m not selling my place, you’ll have to sell yours.
He didn’t argue since he had 5 acres and a really old house on it with neighbors all around. At the time I had a mobile home, but knew I was going to be building a house on my 27 1/2 acres in the country. We have neighbors, but our property is 1/2 mile long with nobody behind us but woods and old gravel land.
We ended up taking the piano apart one day when it was wet and yucky. Still need to get it up to the house and am going to make a desk out of it.
I see what you did with your piano part, but I’m not sure what I want to make with mine yet.
It was a great and lucky find. A desk sounds like an awesome idea!