Monday, November 2

a thrifty tale...

once upon a time...
in a far off land, there lived Tif.
she lived in a shed surrounded by an acre of moss and now it would appear at least 10 different species of mushrooms and toadstools. why this is Tif does not know, she can only imagine their appearance has something to do with 'pesky gnomes' all over the globe 'planning and a plotting' to descend this christmas upon Tif and her shed.

Tif was an avid thrifter and would often take a trip, leaving the shed and it's contents behind, to go forth into the 'real' world looking for treasure.


one such day, Tif found herself in the furniture department of her local thrift store, now Tif knew this was usually a total waste of her thrifting time. only twice had the 'angels chorused all around' upon discovery of 'items with potential'.
once with her little sewing stool
and
once with her little set of drawers.

Tif thought perhaps her dearest readers may not believe her tale of 'furniture crappity crap department' woes and so armed with camera she recorded the evidence. knowing that even a jury and a judge would have to record a verdict of 'guilty' to the crime of 'articles with over priced tags for what they are'.

and so it was that Tif wandered into the area of 'crime', knowing she would soon be wandering out but then something caught her eye. piled high with other 'discards that stood little chance' she noted legs worth noting.
mid century legs no less...
"i see... a table shaped like a coffin", quiped Tif's second eldest child, as she discovered her mother pondering the little table

Tif looked at the table and the table looked at Tif.
the table tried hard to look like 'potential' and not a mini coffin lid,
Tif noted the table was trying hard and so she tried hard to find the 'vision' inside her head of what this little 'please take me home' table could become.
but she only saw a glimmer of potential,
trying not to notice the tables heartwrenching sobs, she shoved it back under the shelf and left empty handed.

the next morning Tif awoke in her shed surrounded by her clan, her critters and a 'vision' in her mind of what the table would become.
making her excuses she left the shed and it's contents to figure out their own sunday breakfast and headed back to the thrift store, hoping that no one else in the meantime had spied those good looking legs.
the little table sat just where Tif had left it, the coffin top all beat up and stacked high with other 'horrors' for sale.
"i'm back" Tif whispered, "i'm sorry i doubted your potential"
the little table smiled
(actually it didn't, but i think if it could smile it would have, so let's just say it did)
Tif paid her $15 and took the coffin table home


of course she had to listen to the usual "what is that?" and "why? seriously" questions for the rest of the day but she just smiled a smile to herself and went about her usual sunday chores.

and so it came to be a few days later, with the help of her trusty paint brush, a dwindling supply of glossy white paint and four coats later,
the ugly duckling with 'little potential' became a swan


Tif is most happy with her table and her table is most happy with her.


the end

and the moral to this story being, do not figure a 'chorus of angels' will appear every time and do not under any circumstances doubt your instincts in a thrift store, if you see a glimmer of potential, then that is all one needs...

she sees the sun is out, but alas that is not going to help one 'pesky sick' squirrel doing his dying act outside her studio window ~ Tif

37 comments:

Hear Me Roar! said...

The new table does look quite lovely with its new coat of paint. Is it wood, or that shiny laminate stuff?

And OH PLEASE TIF, tell me that you are NOT using that beautiful sheet as your painting drop cloth. PLEASE!

wood & wool stool said...

Always follow your instinct ;))

dottie angel said...

tasha, my little table is wooden through and through...
and yes despite causing you 'fainting' issues whilst at work, that little bedsheet is indeed my drop cloth!
i knew it would take an eagle eyed reader to spy the crime i have commited to a thrift store bedsheet :)

Lola Nova said...

Sage words my friend and a ripping good table as well!

Seems it's 'thrifty tale monday', I have rambled about it over at Lola's too.

Believe in the potential!

A Bun Can Dance said...

Well, before I even mention the table, I have to say that your 'collage' in the first photo is just so absolutely dandy! I am most impressed with your IT skills in creating such a collage of thrift-life.
And now onto the table - it looks perfect painted white, really quite the Ugly Duckling prior to your paint brush activity. Well done you! Great thrifting!
As for me, instinct of the 'it's a good shape but oh my is it ugly...' sort, always accompanies my Charity Shop expeditions.
Happy days with your table!
D x

Em. said...

Lovely little table, yay for finding a new home.

Meanwhile, the green chair up high in evidence photo two appears to have potential to me..... I imagine painting it up for a lovely outdoors chair. Hmmmm, if only I weren't so far away..... :)

Tracy x said...

my oh my ......
i feel slightly queasy at the sight of those awful chairs - they may never find a new home :(
thank goodness for your glossy paint - the coffin table is simply lovely x
t x

dottie angel said...

ha ha, i knew that some of you would study those 'evidence' pictures in detail. i do believe on closer inspection one or two things may perhaps have potential, especially if wearing rose colored spec...

and of course we must remember each to their own :)

Anonymous said...

Just follow those feelings...!

Vic said...

Oh your wee table DID have potential, & you've helped it realise it in the most lovely way!

As Lola said, it must be Thifty Monday indeed (well, for me, it was yesterday...) as I did post myself about my opshop (or thriftshop) recons - I won a little competition you see, and was wildley excited.

I loooooooove finding 'a diamond in the rough'. I love that I didn't even know I needed whatever it is until I see it and then oh do I NEED it! I love giving it's transformation my undivided attention until it is complete.

I also love the way you write. Thank you for a grand story of thirft.

Callies Cottage said...

You are a wonderful story teller! I love reading your blog Thank you!
Warm Winter Wishes,
Cally x

Floss said...

It works, doesn't it? I have thrift shop (troc shop) crises, too, as the troc shops charge about twice as much for furniture than Vide Grenier sellers, and I usually go off in a huff. However, as winter apporoaches and the Vide Greniers stop, I have been known to buy from the trockers...

ami said...

your table is quite lovely. it resembles very much my own living room set. though, sadly, mine is not coffin shaped...but it does have a drawer!

I am worried about the squirrel you mentioned--is he really sick or playing you for treats? The squirrels in my yard tap on the kitchen window.

dottie angel said...

ami, it is with great sadness i must report little pesky squirrel was not 'pretending', for alas he has gone to the great las vega squirrel kingdom in the sky... i knew he wasn't his usual pesky self today :(

Vanessa/NessieNoodle said...

just found your blog and I think I have a crush.

ami said...

oh, lord, Tif! I'm sure some of my little guys have passed thru the years, but so far I've no real proof of it...I don't think I could take it.

my condolences on your loss...

Mary said...

I love how you found the beauty in the beast :) The table looks fantastic!

Hear Me Roar! said...

It didn't occur to me until AFTER I purchased a lovely little bit of yarn for you today while doing my lunchtime thrifting, that you may have already passed over the exact same yarn many times before. We may have to divide up the local thrifts Tif!

chloejessica said...

Oh I can't believe you painted over that sweet sheet too! I just LOVE your home! You are so thrifty! I think the table looks great! :)

Bobo Bun said...

Looked and loved your orange top with grey, admired greatly your coffin table with beautiful yarn adorned and then worried about the dying squirrel. Now I know he wasn't attention seeking, but needing someone with a lot of style to carry out his funeral arrangements.

Mrs Bun x

Sarah - Red Gingham said...

My word girl, were you born with a paintbrush in your hand?!! Your painting is amazing! I couldn't get a paint job to ever look that good I'm sure. That table is a remarkable piece of work now, well done. I bet everyone's looking at her now.

Now tell me, do your op shops really have shopping carts??? I may well have to move to England, second hand life here is just crap.

I see another card in the making with that thrift shop shot!

Cadi said...

I'm joining the challenge!

dottie angel said...

hurrah! welcome to the challenge cadi, lovely to have you join in :)

Maggi said...

Tif, this has nothing to do with your new found gem of a table, but more to do with your boots. Every time I see them I think 'my goodness those are some fabulous boots'. I just wanted you to know that I covet your boots.

Seeing green.

Maggi

~ Junkyard Jennifer said...

The table turned out so pretty. Now I want to paint!

I love that you stood on a bench outside the thrift store.

~ Jennifer

Rubyred said...

My it looks gorgeous! I do love a happy ending!
Rachel x

Maureen said...

Re: your toadstool and mushroom issue.

Many, many years ago, when I was about five or six, I was out for a walk with my childhood saviours Aunty and Uncle, on a moor near their house.

I looked under a fat fir tree and I saw - this memory is very vivid for me - a large mushroom with tiny plates and cups and saucers laid on it.

It was surrounded by toadstools to sit on. I know they were waiting for fairies to come along and have their tea.

No one would come and look at it, they just laughed..... But I know!

Unknown said...

do you know miss Tif, i saw two such tables a couple of weeks ago... both the same as your new addition, just a wee bit smaller, and both looking slightly worse for wear... but i just knew you would see the potential in them, and if you weren't thousands of miles away i would have been on the phone in a jiffy telling you to go pick them up!
i must say i too saw the potential in them, but i also knew that there wasn't an inch of space in my piddly wee flat for them... :(
but i'm also sure someone else would have seen them and fallen in love, and they would have got their happy ending... :)
speak soon my thrifty buddy,
emma
x

Pomona said...

A very inspiring tale, and a window into a whole new world of squirrel love. I have a book with a recipe for party squirrel - would you be interested? I am a vegetarian so I haven't tried it out, but possibly a thrifty way of dealing with a potential surplus?

Pomona x

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

What a great find and the white paint made it cheery and lovable. I adore your previous post about yarn envy. I love yarn. It is coming from every cupboard, drawer and trunk in every room in the house. My skills are limited. Too many instructions and I shudder. So I stick with what I know and do the simple things I can master. But I love crocheting all the same and I still get giddy when I see yarn in so many colors. Your little tale of yarn envy was hilarious! I so can relate. Best wishes to you, :) Tammy

SRA said...

Lovely tale of transforming the discarded into the heart's delights! Well done!

kittymodern said...

true about instinct I walked past a lamp at a thrift store and it haunted me for a week before I went back and lo and behold it was still there...thank the thrift fairy!

dottie angel said...

maureen, you are amongst friends here... do not fear we would never laugh and we totally believe you :)

thanks for sharing your memories...
"i do believe, i do believe"

Jen said...

Isn't it amazing what a lick of paint will do - it looks perfect beneath your window!

Devon said...

Oh I am so glad you went back for the little table..it looks beautiful..beautiful blog..

Julie said...

I think you should name her (the table) "Snowball".

Penelope said...

Sometimes when I'm in the thrift I'll hear a little voice in my head say 'turn around' or 'look under the table' and something will slide into view, so I know the moment!

Although to be honest, I can find something in every one of those evidence photos to do something with. 2 in the last one. :)