During my trip this past weekend to “the county”, for those non Maine-ers out there that’s Aroostook County, where I’m from, I fell in love. And I fell HARD. I was up for a bridal shower for one of my high school friends but I also got some serious momma time in. I love momma time! We usually do some shopping, chatting and eating (some of my favorite activities). My mom took me around town and was showing me some of the new shops in town, including a slew of antique shops/thrift stores. My new personal favorite, the antique store on Main Street in Presque Isle. The place is AWESOME! It’s called Hand Me Down Antiques & Used Furniture and you can find them on Facebook.
Lately, I’ve been big into thrift-ing, yard sale-ing, and antique-ing. I’m a big fan of finding things cheap and transforming them into something beautiful and totally unique. One of the things I’ve been searching for has been a dining room table. The goal was to find an old, solid wood table with a distressed look to it, preferably something round. Then I wanted to find four or more chairs that I could refinish with a coral color for a cottage look. Boy did I hit the jack pot at Hand Me Down Antiques this weekend. Check out my find:
It’s an old Ethan Allen table that includes two leafs for major expansion and six (yes six) chairs all of which are in great condition. AND my girl Eva (she’s the owner) hooked me up with the whole set (which in the end included 8 chairs) for only $200! Such a great deal! This is why I like shopping in the county. If you take Eva’s store and place it in Bangor, the same table would have cost $500-$600. But not at Hand Me Down Antiques. Their prices are actually reasonable. Oh, and have I mentioned that they deliver? Jack pot!
Let’s have another look at this amazing table:
Now, before you start thinking this was a Staples situation (think “that was easy”) let’s step back to the point of discovery. Mom and I walk down to the basement level of the store, discover the table, and I fall in love. I’m thinking, we’re in an antique store, I can’t afford this, let’s move on to Salvation Army. Mom asks the price, Eva responds $200, I think, “WTF mate, this can’t be right? I have to measure it and I have to measure it now!” We run back downstairs to measure the table to see if it will fit in our small dining room. 53 inch diameter without a leaf. I frantically call Colby, Colby responds, too big, keep looking. Temper tantrum would have been thrown if I wasn’t a respectable 27 years old. We move on. After a morning of shopping, I still love the table. Damn you dining room for being so small! So I frantically re-call Colby and text Colby until he finally picks up. Me reaching annoying girlfriend state begins to explain how amazing this table situation really is and he must remeasure! It’s gotta fit. I give him the diameter of 53 inches again, “oh, 53 inches you say? I thought you said 58 inches” Oy! Do people say oy anymore? I’m bringing it back! My reaction: “it fits it fits! Oh happy day! I’m buying a table, gotta go, bye!” I frantically call said antique store to buy the table over the phone before they close and arrange to pick it up. Hang up, change my mind, run down to the store to get my receipt and ask for it to be delivered on Monday (when it wasn’t raining). Yes! I have a table! Let’s look at it again:
After all that “business” I proceeded to call Colby back, not to apologize for being an annoying girlfriend as I should have, but to gush about my new love affair with our new table. It was comparable to a 13 year old girl talking to her BFF about her middle school crush. I love the table and would actually make out with the table, after it was properly cleaned of course. It’s all I ever dreamed of! It actually might be the thing I love the most….shhhhh…don’t tell Colby.
Hello lovah:
My table was delivered this afternoon to my parents’ house where it will be held in foster care until I am able to hijack Colby’s truck and retrieve it. I also need to finish up the dining room. Hmmm…extra finish the dining room motivation courtesy of love affair with a table.
