Nesting In Springtime

This blog is a peek into the chaos of my brain these days. I have a lot going on, what with now being on the Board of my local quilt guild and our purchase of an out-of-town property near one of my children. To say nothing of my need to sell items I thrift on eBay for income, my desire to create quilts and art, and the importance of taking time for walks, climbing, yoga and friendships. The lists! I am a big maker of lists, complete with pencil and paper, as it  helps keep me organized (public service announcement: highly recommend Black Wing graphite pencils https://blackwing). And there is something remarkably fulfilling about crossing off “done” items. Old school, but it just is not the same on a dinky phone. While the paperwork is a bit daunting, my ‘fun’ has been planning the interior design of our condo purchase. I gave myself a $5k budget to find furniture and I have hit $5110, though that includes art and lamps I could not pass up. I decided to go all in on the 1970s vibe, though as is typical of me, I am a bit eclectic in my interpretation. All of the items I have found in the Chicago-land area, and entailed numerous trailer rentals, hiring of young men as muscles, and much grumbling from husband. Almost all have fascinating stories – either about the item itself or about the journey to retrieve said item.

A year ago we purchased a 14 foot camper and I did the same thing – “nesting” I have decided to call it. That space is very small, and I wanted to make it vibrant, fun and relaxing. We love the little thing, though we have not as yet taken major trips as we are waiting for retirement for longer jaunts. Now, however, I am tackling a 1300 sq. ft condo and the scale went up dramatically. There are so many wonderful stories, from meeting fascinating people, rescuing dogs, driving through Wisconsin and Illinois in the Springtime, and sending dear friends after remarkable treasures that I truly don’t know where to start.

I think the Navajo rug is likely the most important story so I will start there. It encapsulates the joy of this process: remarkable vintage, handmade piece, ridiculous steal, and the beauty of friendships. An estate sale listing the other weekend showed a number of interesting pieces, but I was ground to a full stop by the photos of 3 rugs. Nowhere in the write up did the sale discuss them, and they appeared to me to be Native American, and likely old, maybe 1950s or 1960s. I have virtually no expertise in such things, but my hunch was they were handmade. As I was out of town, I tried to tempt a few friends to head to the sale Friday morning. Being good sports, they did! The one I wanted for display in my condo’s living space cost $22. I wasn’t sure if I was thrilled it was so cheap or incredibly saddened that the beauty of these pieces was so unappreciated. The other two are also astonishing, so much so my charming girlfriend decided to buy those for her children. I was a tad verklempt as they are remarkable, but the fact they will be appreciated and displayed – with a lovely story attached – is more important. She also said if the kids don’t ‘want’ them, she will pass them along to me. Here’s to nesting!