“I’m so glad you didn’t see it,” My husband said.
My head snapped up in surprise.
“What? What didn’t I see?” I said.
He smiled and tilted his head towards the window.
And there they were.
Two oversized pieces of cardboard, hand-painted in vibrant colors, read a vintage yard sale sign.
The next morning, I was ready and waiting for the sale to begin. We pulled up to the curb, and I looked longingly out the window at the yard that was strewn with vintage baskets and furniture and metal lampshades and wooden coat hangers.
My nose started to tingle. And if you’re a yard seller – you know what that means.
I smelled a bargain.
Bargain, my friends.
Awesome, awesome, awesome bargain.
You’ll never guess what I found.
A vintage cigar box.
When I showed up at the yard sale, there were stacks and stacks and stacks.
Cigar boxes with state names.
Cigar box with shelves and pull-out inserts.
Cigar box with the most beautiful typography.
I spent about 15 minutes going through the entire collection and picked my favorite to use as an organizer in the office.
I also got this teapot set.
It is a set of two mini flat teapots on a tray.
I’m not sure exactly what to do with it. Maybe you put hot water in one teapot and then tea in another teapot? Has anyone used anything like this before?
It was too beautiful and too unique to add to my collection in the butler’s pantry.
In a daily effort to be fancy, I think I’ll have tea with this set every night while I read my book.
This also came home with me.
I’m not sure what this is used for, but my best guess is a serving tray for appetizers.
It’s a really good size (about 3 feet tall), and it’s in rough shape. I’m going to paint it gold, clean the shelves and use it at parties.
I love his lines (Doesn’t that sound like the 70’s) and I’ve never seen anything like it.
(Total aside: That’s the joy of shopping at a yard sale – you find things you’ve never heard of before, and then you can’t live without them).
I found this super unique vintage sign.
It was used to rent office space and the sign has a blank space where you can write your phone number.
There isn’t much room to write phone numbers, probably because everyone around here only uses 7 digits.
You don’t need to add an area code to your number or anything like that.
I love vintage picnic baskets for storage.
Especially when they have wooden lids (And especially when there’s nothing painted on the lid).
I found two really good sized picnic baskets, and I use them for storage in the butler’s pantry.
Just look at that vintage patina and layers of texture and those handles.
Many seek.
It was a good distance.
But wait.
You thought it was over?
Yard sales are a whole other chapter in the story.
Remember that cigar box?
Remember that collection?
I couldn’t stop thinking about it. We left the yard sale and went to a coffee shop a few blocks away, where I immediately began researching vintage cigar box ideas and projects and DIYs.
what?
have you seen
have you seen
The possibilities are endless.
And after about 20 minutes of research, I sighed, took a deep breath, and turned to my husband with a smile on my face. I held her hand and asked so sweetly.
Can it? Will it? Should he? Go back to the yard sale and get the rest of the boxes.
He laughed out loud and told me he knew I was going to ask and he went on his mission.
(An aside: I think he has a PhD in KariAnne after all these years of being married to me).
Fifteen minutes later, he came back.
Apparently, the yard sale lady offered him such an amazing deal that he couldn’t refuse.
And finally?
Why buy a vintage cigar box?
While you can return to your wife like a yard-sale-winning hero with 38 vintage cigar boxes.
(Total aside: do you see why I love it so much?)
Now this is the point in the story where you ask yourself: What in the world is she going to do with 38 vintage cigar boxes?
Well.
I’m so glad you asked.
For starters, I’ll make this into a purse (Can you see it—doesn’t it look like a wooden handbag)?
I have already ordered the vintage bamboo handles to use for the top.
And this one?
I’m going to turn it into a master planner.
I am adding some hooks and then I will hang it on the back door.
The box?
I think I will make them a side table.
My vision is to cut a square piece of wood, add legs and place four of these to make the top.
Can you imagine it?
Isn’t life wonderful?
One day, you are considering your own business.
And the next day, you are the proud owner of a complete collection of cigar boxes.
Good thing someone understands.
Good thing someone did a PhD in me.
Good thing my yard sale is a knight-in-shining-armor….
…understood the assignment. 🙂
PS Stay tuned for all the projects.
// Thistle of the Month Box //
The PPS June Thistle of the Month Decor Box drops today.
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