the contents of an old hardware store? yes, please

The Craigslist ad was so delicious it seemed it couldn't possibly be true:   Lot of (89) Primitive Antique Wood Drawers. One of a kind wood drawers with metal labels, filled with assorted antique hardware and tools.

But true it was, and I took home 4 of my very favorite.  It was no easy task choosing the prettiest boxes with the coolest contents, but I'm pretty sure I did.  Probably the only reason I didn't end up with all 89 is that I drive a Mini.  My barely contained glee rewarded me when they threw in a red painted level and a bunch of tools for free.  It was especially cool to hear that all of my treasures were from a long-shuttered hardware store in Far Rockaway, NY, where my grandmother lived for many years.  I wonder what the owner would think about my excitement over what I assume he considered to be purely utilitarian items, and if he'd find my repurposing clever.  

And that, my friends, makes the hours of walking past bins of plastic shower curtains and tables full of coffee-stained mugs worth every minute.