I realize that this is an extremely lame blog post. But it is meant to demonstrate that I am extremely lame about finishing what I started. Perhaps you share the same m.o.: All excited, get a super fun project started, but then… your interest fades, you move on to the next before you finish the first. And then it’s December and you see you have… 20 unfinished projects. If you weren’t afraid to count. This little series is meant to keep me focused on finishing that darn Mahalo Lounge, one stinkin’ day at a time. Perhaps it is inspiring you to finish stuff, too?
Oh. I went 10 months without a door knob on the door from the hallway into the living room.
Cheat: My husband put the doorknob back on, on Sunday. He was excited. We actually close this door every single night and open it again every single morning.
We couldn’t figure out how to get the escutcheon to fit. I admit: I didn’t work at it too hard. I was so disgusted with myself. Just get that knob on.
It wasn’t as boring a project as you would think, though. The first time he put the knob in… he put it in “backwards”… there’s a hole in the other knob, where the locking mechanism had once been… previous owners took the locking mechanism out. Anyway. So at first it was in backwards (knob with hole facing into living room). and I was going to accept it as is, I was just grateful the job was done. But then, I closed the door… and it was locked… and we could not get it to unlock. So DH had to remove the whole knob set in place and figure out how to unlock it internally. He then reinstalled it, holey knob facing the hall. This whole doorset is pretty icky — not “fabulous original” — so some day we will replace it, we decided. Buhahahahahah. As if.
Meanwhile, I couldn’t stand all these house projects taunting me. So I went shopping at one of my favorite local vintage shops, Finders Keepers in Lee, Mass. I only bought a few things… but took photos for you!
Onward.
Neil says
The tall yellow wood lady thing is a napkin holder. You fold the napkins just so, stick the folded edged in the long slits, and they make a tres-fancy full-length skirt.
Mary Elizabeth says
“But then, I closed the door… and it was locked… and we could not get it to unlock.” That is truly the thing about old houses. You may someday find yourself locked in the bathroom (as was my child once in my 1936 house) or locked out of a bedroom. Just hang in there, and it will sort itself out! (Hopefully without fire fighters having to break into your windows.) 🙂
Jamie says
My antique/vintage mall had almost zero vintage Christmas I was so disappointed!
Hubby is the 90%er here and I am “the finisher” lol.
Carolyn says
OOPS! I’m guessing the yellow girl is a whisk?
Carol says
Pam, Your stories are never lame! We enjoy them all.
Fnarf says
That weird yellow thing is a napkin holder, according to the patent number. I guess you slide a napkin into each of the slits, making a skirt around the figure. Google ‘patent USD159005’ for the original patent doc.
Pam Kueber says
Yup!
Chad says
Door hardware is really important to me. I collected vintage bits that suited my house, sent them out for restoration (by a coworker’s curmudgeonly elderly uncle), and then… left them in a box for years
Pam Kueber says
And I have a vintage lighting store in my attic.
David in Marietta says
My vintage lighting store is in my basement next to my vintage clock store!
Karen says
Pam you have startitis. I have it too only mine is usually with knitting projects and sometimes sewing projects. I go gangbusters on a project until something new and shiny catches my eye. Before I know it, I have 12 things started. Good for you for getting another item marked off your list. Crossing something off a to-do list is very satisfying.
GlenEllyn says
Startitis! I believe I have this, too! I don’t want to even think about how many projects I have that aren’t finished yet. Heck, I don’t even know how many lists I have. – they get left around the house, set aside or whatever, and I find them two weeks later. If I’m lucky, I get to cross something off a list. Oh well, better luck in the new year, I hope.
Carolyn says
My daughter (who is old enough to know better) freaks out at” Made in Japan” stuff but even I was startled by the elves/fairies/what the hecks? Are those bugs? I don’t see the shell art as much anymore but thought the card players were clever. I think I’ve been relying too much on thrift stores and estate sales and should haunt some antique stores to see what’s “new/old”.
Maybe the excuse for the doorknob was that you had to wait for the paint to dry? Come on, work with me here!
Yeah, shopping to clear your head of cobwebs, I’ve done that.
Lynne says
Okay, so what IS the yellow doll thing? I agree with Karin, not a lame post at all.
Pam Kueber says
Napkin holder!
Carolyn says
Wasn’t there one on a table in a post this past year? A bunch of kitchen and dining rooms? Home décor or design or something? Once it was identified by Fnarf, I remembered seeing the doll with her skirt and thought “How cute?!”
Because if I didn’t see it here, where in the world would I have?