Sunday, November 15, 2009

Dream-Cart = Dream-Hubs (Read on and you'll get it...)

Picture courtesy of Vintage owner, Angie's, Twitter "tweet" about
me buying this piece today...
Here's what her "tweet" said:
Industrial seed cart gets the beautiful life.com in new home. Can we get visitation rights? http://twitpic.com/pjwch


It all started almost a year ago when my
hubby and I finally made the time to go check out
wonderful vintage shop I'd
read about for months.

BIG TROUBLE.

I wanted EVERYTHING in sight.

{Don't you hate when that happens??}

One of the very first things that made my jaw drop when
I walked through the door of the shop was this
unbelievably unique, super HUGE object in the middle of the
floor.

It was chippy, rusty, and well,
PERFECT.

I asked and found out that this mysterious piece was a VERY OLD industrial seed cart from Iowa.
{HOW do you find something like this?? I know I have
NEVER just stumbled across a giant seed cart!}

But there it sat -- all huge and great and chippy and fabulous.

The owner, Angie, had plans to add a top and turn it into a
kitchen island.

OH MY WORD.

When I heard that, I knew I'd found my dream piece. I loved it as it was, but to think of repurposing it as an island or really large work table.... oh that was pure heaven.

But...
Purely out of my budget.
So, I and my dream cart parted ways that day last January.

Over the last year I've gone into Angie's shop to check out her other incredible "finds" and always got to stop and "visit" with my Dream-Cart.

The top had been added and the price increased (as I recall).

Each time, upon leaving her shop I'd bid my Dream-Cart good-bye again, dreaming that one day I might be lucky enough to find another piece even somewhat like it whenever we might get around to renovating our kitchen.
All the while, inwardly knowing that pieces like this don't just "show up" when you're ready to buy them.

No, things like these are a "now-or-never" purchase.
And for about a year now, for me, it's been a "never".

UNTIL TODAY.

My daughter and I made another one of our treks to Vintage,
Angie's fab shop, and there was Dream-Cart again.

I walked up to it, as I always did, and this time something caught my eye....

Could it be TRUE??

It was...

Dream-Cart was now being offered for
50% OFF!

I had to force myself to NOT start jumping up & down.

Okay. Remain calm. Even "dream sale" on
Dream-Cart was probably still not gonna happen, so just
walk on by...

Keep walking...

Wait, I said keep walking, you're turning around...
Hello.... okay somehow now you're back at Dream-Cart.

I was a gone-er.
I called
the hubs (who shall going forward be known as
Dream-Hub) and told him the GREAT news!

ME: "Hey, honey, whatcha doin'?"

DREAM-HUB: "Whadya buy?" (ugh...he knows me TOO well!)

ME: "Oh, nothing! Just calling to see how you are. Whatcha doin'?"

DREAM-HUB: "What. Did. You. Buy?"

ME: "Nothing! Really! But remember that huge cart in Vintage??? It's 50% off!"

Long story short:

ME: (On my second call about 45 minutes later)
"So... whatcha doin'?"

DREAM-HUB: "Did you buy it?"

ME: "Well, no. But...Oh honey it's just so amazing and it will only cost $XXX.XX. And... "

DREAM-HUB: You're the decorator. Well, you gonna get it?"

ME: "OH HONEY! REALLY?? Okay, I promise, this will be my Christmas present! I don't want ANYTHING ELSE! EVER!"

DREAM-HUB: "Oh stop. Just go ahead."

ME: {Well, I don't know how to type what a loud shriek and joyous scream sounds like, so.... }

We did it! We got the cart and it's top to our house and onto the porch,
where it sat for a bit while we figured out where we could put it inside!

Bugsy, one of our three cats, wasted NO time
hopping in -- within seconds....

My daughter and I managed to load up Dream-Cart into my vehicle (for the record, I was caught just last night saying to Dream-Hub "You know, I've decided that whenever I get another car, I'm downsizing back to a sedan. This thing is just way too big for what I need...")

Open mouth and insert foot here.
Guess I'm glad I didn't downsize the car just YET! :)

So We managed to haul that giant thing home
(it is 70" x 37" x 37"!)
and it now (for now) resides in our newly-painted kitchen, looking all grande and chippy and worn and old.
And PERFECT.


As for Dream-Hubs... Well, I had to stop and just
take inventory of just how blessed I am to have that guy.

Here is a copy of how he updated his Facebook status (unbeknownst to me) when we got home with the cart and started playing with where to put it:
"Wife just came home with a large,old cart...looks like a mine cart from the 1800's...of course it has a custom top made for it and is now sitting in the kitchen....she's excited, I'm confused! Let the furniture re-arranging begin!"

Too funny!

He lets me have pretty much free-reign around our homes, doing with them whatever suits my whim at any given moment.

The items on top of the table are NOT as they will be... this was taken after we'd just thrown everything on top that was already on another table that is not OUT of the kitchen...

Over the years he's smiled and nodded and lived with SO MANY different colors of paint on walls I will never be able to recount the number, including my terracotta (pumpkin) entry way walls (which still makes me cringe to remember), Kermit-the-frog green living/dining room, funky-shade-of-blue bedroom and all manor of furniture and decor that have come and gone through our 25 years.

Even Olivia predicted spot-on what her dad would say, as I began to dial my phone to call him from the store...
"He'll say what he ALWAYS says... 'You're the decorator; you know more about these things than I do. If you think we can use it, get it.'

She had him pegged right down to the last word.

So, I'm going to sleep tonight with Dream-Cart no longer residing in a far-off "never" land, but rather in downstairs
in my kitchen.

And to you, Dream-Hubs...
well...
I can't thank you enough for once again
making the granting of a HUGE wish in my heart
look like it's no big deal and all in a day's work.
{And this one may cost you a day's work... sorry!}

You're the best hubs a girl could have.
Well, THIS girl anyway.

:)

It's a pretty tight fit in the kitchen... this is meant to serve as a large island and here I've just put it up against a wall like a sideboard... We'll keep it here for now, and if we decide before long that it really is too overwhelming for this space, I already know where it'll go...
Well, sort of.

Either in my office or in our living room.

Either way, you CAN'T LOSE!

24 comments:

mari said...

That is one awesome cart and one awesome husband!!!

Claudia said...

OMG! It is absolutely perfect! I love a story like this one, Ruth! You love something and have a dream of owning it...you visit it...and visit it - and then one day by chance...it is yours! What a wonderful husband and daughter you have! I really love it.

It looks as if it was made for you.

xo
Claudia

Brynwood Needleworks said...

Very cool cart...and very cool husband. Aren't we lucky girls to have such great guys? (well, yeah!)
I'm launching my 200th Post Giveaway tomorrow. Hope you'll stop by and enter.
xoxo
Donna

Lana Manis said...

Oh my ~ that piece is to die for!
See? It was MEANT for you... just hanging around for a sale and for you to pop back in. ;)
Have a lovely Sunday!

Rebecca Lewis said...

Gorgeous LOVE it! Always tell my customers ~ If you love it and it calls to you...get it now cause it may not be here when you come back....but if it is well it was meant to be for you!!!!
Merry Christmas!!!! ;-)

~ Rebecca

KayEllen said...

I love it!!
Beautiful re-purposed!!

I have an old metal cart in the garden..my wheels are spinning to bring it inside now!!
EEkkk!

Smiles,
kayellen

Beadboard UpCountry said...

Hi Ruth!
I just love it! The gray color is perfect and with the top and how you tweaked it...You know I am a firm believer that with furniture, if it's meant to be....Your husband sounds like a great sport...:)

Cathy said...

Oh my! I would have hosted a bake sale for you if Dream-Hubs had said "no"! [I'm smiling thinking of my bake sale signage: "Ruth Needs Industrial Seed Cart from Iowa: Please Give".] It is more than dreamy! Woo--hoooo!

home stagers Toronto said...

Wooow, thing like this is veeery challenging. Only few people can see a worth of it, especially when it is covered with tons of dust and dirt somewhere on the old attic. I love your ideas...they are always inspiring, what all is possible to create :-)

Gaia said...

Positively dreamy cart...and Hubby : )

Cathy~Mille Fleur said...

I agree with Mari!!! You are so lucky in so many ways!!!

It is a good thing you saw that stunning cart first or it would have been mine!!! I LOVE IT!!!

Enjoy you furniture re-arranging;)!!!

XOXO
Cathy

Laura @ 52 FLEA said...

How lucky to have a dream cart and a dream husband! Great story and fabulous cart!
Take care, Laura

The Kramer Angle said...

You're right, it's fabulous, and I'm so happy it ended up in the right home!

Unknown said...

I ♥ ♥ ♥ what you did with that cart! It makes one adorable table! Your hubby is pretty fabulous, too!

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh....I am so jealous! That cart is phenomenal. I love it and it looks amazing in the photos. Congratulations!!!! It is in a home where it will be well loved.

Unknown said...

Oh you luck girl! It's amazing and worth the wait. Sleep well!

Faded Plains said...

Your Dream Cart is gorgeous...and your Dream Hubs...wonderful.

Debra@CommonGround said...

The cart is incredible, but the real prize is your wonderful Hubbs. The phrase my husband always uses is..."You better just get it now, otherwise we'll have to come back for it!" Just love these kinda guys!
The weathered top on this just makes it. Have fun with it wherever it lands. It surely is one in a million, just like your man!
Debra

Tracie~MyPetiteMaison said...

It is a gorgeous one of a kind piece!!

You are very, very blessed, Ruth with wonderful people in your life.

Happy week ~ That cart is going to look great dressed up for Thanksgiving!
xo~Tracie

gigiandoliver said...

I love it! And what a sweetie your hubs is...aren't they the best!

Moore Minutes said...

lol, this post was so fun to read! I loved it! :D Congrats on your patience. You scored. And your husband's a keeper too!

What a lovely job you did decorating with it in your home.

The Flying Bee said...

Ruth! This is GORGEOUS! I love it! I am so happy for you! I can just feel your excitement! It looks perfect in your place!

Yay for dream-cart and dream-hubs!

xo,
Adrienne

Tracy said...

Hi Ruth! I'm a new reader to your blog. All I can say is OMG! I love your new table! It is beyond fabulous! I'd also like to commend you on your choice of husbands. He is definitely a keeper! Tracy

PCovi said...

Oh Dream Cart is more than wonderful!
I love the french word for cart:
charrette :)
You are gonna think I'm crazy...oh well...but READ the Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charrette
I just think it is so cute about the architect students and the little cart! (I learned all this recently :)