I hit the neighborhood garage sales today. On my way home from my son's Little League game (which they won- GO Red Sox!), I was lured in by the arrows and the signs scattered throughout the neighborhood. "I'll just go to one and then I'll head home" is what I told myself, but an hour and a half later, I had the trunk filled with treasures and finally pulled in the driveway.
Not only did I find some great stuff, I met some interesting people - a couple down the street who publish a
literary magazine for young girls and a sweet couple on the corner who have lived in the neighborhood since it was surrounded by avocado groves. They were selling the contents of his brother's home. He had been a hoarder and it is taking them years to dispose of his belongings. "He liked his things more than people", they said.
When R and I headed back out, the house at the end of the street had a "Free" sign in their driveway and we picked up the old STOP sign for her room. Now that's my kind of sale!
I noticed two themes running through my purchases today. One was a modern mid-century vibe. I was drawn to the color orange and found some funky canisters and a beautiful pillowcase with a Scandinavian feel. I also found an amazing Red Wing bowl with beautiful clean lines.
The other theme was definitely shabby. Some vintage linens caught my eye, a quirky old shoe form, a red painted box (I LOVE boxes!), a pair of odd looking cats, a very sweet metal soap dish and my favorite find of the day, an antique bird cage.
Now comes the hard part, what will I sell in my
etsy store for someone else to treasure and what will I keep?
I don't NEED anything else cluttering my house, but my two favorite finds are the pillowcase and the birdcage. I could paint it and buy a bird, or I could leave it as is and put a plant inside and hang it in the back patio. What should I do?
Well, I love my stuff but have learned over the years to hold it loosely. In the past couple of weeks we have had one friend flooded out of their home and two other friends' homes broken into and robbed.
These are horrible losses and not to be taken lightly, but it helps to keep things in perspective. If we don't cling too strongly to the things that we own, they won't end up owning us.
"Don't store up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can break in and steal them. Instead, store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy them, and thieves cannot break in and steal them. Your heart will always be where your treasure is."
Matthew 6:19-21 CEV
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