Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Vintage Treasures, Rubbish, and Rusty Stuff


For the Category of 'Complete Rubbish'

I thought I'd start with the OSHA-approved gas can.  Do you get the feeling that these people sit in their offices and dream of ways to make our lives more complicated??!!  Do you remember the days when all you had to do was easily take the cap off the nozzle and pour gasoline into the lawn mower - the days when we were expected to simply be responsible and not stupid? (And this one isn't as bad as some I've seen!)


On to the Rusty Stuff

 Remnants of modes of transportation



Train cars on SS

I have always liked trains. Maybe it stems from those days when I was a kid, and would ride my bike down to the bridge to watch the Blueberry Train go under the bridge.


And now for the Identity Parade:

What is it??

Whatever else it is, it is beastly heavy. I can't figure out if it is for various letterheads or what. Got any ideas? OR, if it were yours, what would you do with the thing. I know that you're a very creative bunch, so I thought I'd ask, (and 'Pitch it' is an acceptable answer. I won't be offended.) :-)


***

I did manage to put gasoline into the lawn mower and need to get out there in this sunny, breezy, warm weather and trim the grass in the backyard.

 'I could find those worms a lot easier if she'd ever cut this grass!'

Okay, okay, I'm going!



***

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Although I usually forget to do it, there is a chance that this post will be linked to one or more of these great linky parties: Inspiration Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and  Making the World Cuter Mondays and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Artsy Corner Thursday and Treasure Box Tuesday and Rubbish Tuesday and Tuesday with a Twist and  Knick of Time Tuesday (vintage)  and   Tweak it Tuesday and Adorned From Above  and All Things With Purpose and Home & Garden Thursday and Good Fences on Thursdays and  Time Travel Thursday and Freedom Fridays and Junkin' Joe and Vintage Inspiration Friday and A Favorite Thing Saturday

40 comments:

Mike@Bit About Britain said...

Hi Judy. An eclectic mix and great images! I think your mystery object is, as you say, a tray for printed letterheads and other stationery - which few people have these days. Wish I could think of something more exciting - a framed window vent? We still put petrol straight into mowers in the UK...but I like your can - whatever it is. Hope you enjoy this week's castle!

Trace4J said...

Very cool old treasures.
I'm not sure what it is but..
I would figure out a way to display my wool in it..
Woolie hugs

Roan said...

Sadly, all of those less than brilliant people learned how to sue the manufacturers, thus all the complications. A retired commercial liability adjuster here. :) Love that old wheel and the train. Love anything train related. Thanks for linking up!

Jackie McGuinness said...

I agree, for types of letterhead.
I have various types of printer paper perhaps you could use it for that.
All great photos!

Pamela Gordon said...

Wow, you found some great rusty stuff today Judy! I love the old car fender. I wonder if the tray this might be for sheet music or writing paper. I hope the robins can find the worms now. :) Have a great day.

Debby Ray said...

Great "junky" images! I agree it has to be for papers of some sort...sort of like one of those stacking bins like you can purchase today.

MadSnapper said...

must be an antique desk organizer.. looks like the wire or plastic we see now... love love love the train shot. and the red can would look good with my rusty propane sitting in the ferns.. a pop of color...i remember when daddy would put a little gas in a glass vinegar gallon jug.

Diane said...

I agree-- some sort of desk/paper sorter. I thought maybe it's supposed to standing "up" with the openings facing upward??? Like the train shot!

Cheryl said...

It looks like a paper sorter to me. A lot prettier than some of the newer plastic ones I've seen.

Your robin made me smile! :)

Primitive Stars said...

Morning, looks like a sorter of some sort to me... Love the pretty Robin and the rust of coarse, Blessings Francine.

Susie said...

Great photos. Well it is an organizer, I think. for letters. Blessings, xoxo,Susie

TexWisGirl said...

do you scrapbook or use craft paper or anything? that's what i'd use it for, even if it takes up space. :)

loved the old gas can.

Stephanie said...

Fabulous pictures, Judy. I love how you were able to capture old and not so pretty items on the camera and you made them lovely :)

Now sure what the wood shelf is. . .it looks like a paper holder of some sort.

Have a beautiful day! Hugs

Ruth Kelly said...

Why was it called the blueberry train?

Oklahomaredhead said...

What wonderful finds. As for the little paper holder. I used to see these all the time before computers were the thing. They were used for different types stationary in each section or each slot used for different depts to pickup their work. Love that piece so I definitly wouldn't pitch it! You could also use it to hold scrapbook paper.

Cranberry Morning said...

Ruth, I put a link in (from a previous post) to explain the Blueberry Train. Thanks for asking.

Vee said...

Why, it's a sheet music organizer! Whatever it is, it looks as if it would come in handy.

The bike bits and bobs looks like a modern art display.

Tanya Breese said...

i love that last photo and ugh, i dread when i have to fill the gas can and then it leaks everywhere when i try to pour it into the mower. i was thinking a bill organizer like felicia!

Heide at ApronHistory said...

Love your newest mystery find! Do you think it would be for a doctor's office to hold the day's patient notes? That is my two cents.
As to what you could do with it, will it stand on end, so the slots are up? I would paint it a nice British phone box red and store your collection of English maps in it. If it were mine, I would store my collection of vintage sewing/knitting magazines in it. Or maybe sewing patterns......

Amy Burzese said...

You always have the best old and rusty stuff! I think that piece is for holding paper like you guessed.

Daniela @Frugal Aint Cheap said...

It's fun to find things that we have no idea what they are...makes it for an interesting piece

Denise said...

I always enjoy your pictures.

Terri D said...

Without reading what everyone else said about the very heavy sorter-looking box thingamajig... probably for papers but you could use if for magazines. I'm not real creative about repurposing - I can do CASE studies (copy and steal everything) but rarely come up with a good idea on my own. I would probably pitch it (or donate it). Love your photos (always!).

Patty Antle said...

I love your old rusty things! Be careful out there - it's really hot and humid here where I live in the midwest! Thanks for visiting me today.

Patty Antle said...

I love your old rusty things! Be careful out there - it's really hot and humid here where I live in the midwest! Thanks for visiting me today.

Hootin Anni said...

Wow you've shared some real treasures here today. Love the composition of the tire and wheel well. Well done.

Karen @ Beatrice Euphemie said...

I love the photos of all the rust! Did I spy bed springs in there - or maybe they are seat springs. They are fun to play with for decorating! Love the letterhead tray - I am always looking for ways to store scrapbook paper and bits of this and that. That would be great for that - or sheets of pressed flowers or even large black and white photos, or magazines. It would look great painted cream or some other soft color. I could have fun with that! Can't wait to see what you end up doing with it. xo Karen

Tom said...

Let's a great gas can, I've got two like that one. The newer ones are awful. Tom The Backroads Traveller

Nonnie said...

I love the title of your blog. any special meaning? I'm new here. thanks for visiting me. I find it hard to throw anything that has compartments away. I'd probably use the item to hole different colors of small scrapbook paper.
I think that the government has stepped in so many areas of our lives because our society has turned to suing to pay for people's stupidity and unwillingness to accept that there are consequences for not using good common sense.

Anonymous said...

You found a lot of great 'rubbish'! :) I have not seen a gas can like that before, but we have used an electric lawn mower for almost 20 years now.

As for the wooden box, I'm not terribly creative, so I would use it for letterhead or file folders that I access frequently. Crafters might like it for colored papers. I'm sure a school teacher would have some good uses for it, too.

Actually, I'm more fascinated by the lovely grain in the table top on which the wooden box is sitting. :)

Thanks for your visit and comment on my RT post.

~Lindy

Empty Nester said...

There is a show on HGTV where a girl makes use of all things antique looking. She would love your finds! I could see using it as a place for students to turn in their work. Let me know if you ever figure it out. OH! Scrapbook paper???? LOL

Kelly said...

I think that thing looks like something that belonged in an office for different forms or something. To be honest, I don't mow our grass. My husband does, so I've never even given a thought about the gas can. LOL!

marilyn said...

your mystery piece made me think of the old victrola's and the shelving inside that would hold the records....a really great assortment today....

September Violets said...

Well, I'm a little late to this post, but enjoyed it all the same. The tray is definitely for office use (I used to have one where I worked in a lawyer's office). Letterheads, carbon paper, onion skin ... there used to be different coloured onion skin paper to be filed in different locations (before computers of course). My husband made something similar just recently for stacking sheets of sandpaper in his workshop. Wendy x

Cynthia said...

Hi Judy, you always find the best stuff to take pictures of, like t he first one the best.

Cynthia

Anonymous said...

You have some great shots. The paper sorter would be good for separating colors of card stock. Great shot of the robin.

Unknown said...

Oh I could never pitch that paper storer in a million years - isn't that fabulous? I'd hang it up and use it for magazines - love it!!!
xoxo

Debby@Just Breathe said...

That gas can is so retro, I love it. Nice examples of rust, also something that excites me!

J_on_tour said...

I laughed when I saw the last picture and caption, reminds me of my garden... I don't know where the birds come from after I cut the grass :-)

Your state seems to specialise in dilapidation and things about to fall down :-)

My interest with trains definitely started in the local park when we used to run from the swings to the fence that backed onto the then freight railway. It was the thunderous noise from about 1km away that was the attraction. It's strange that most of these locomotives are scrapped or retired, but I still occasionally chase the surviving examples for the ride in preservation at various diesel galas on a national scale.

Donna said...

Love the collection of rusty stuff. Yes, the wooden item was used for various types of stationary or else files, and probably was used in a business office. You could use it for specialty papers too, though it looks like it would take up a lot of space.

I am thinking about ordering some soap from you. Are any of them especially good for dry skin? DH's skin has gotten terrible since the latest chemo regimen, and I would like to get him some nice soaps for the shower.

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