Vintage Washboard Message Center and a Story

My garage sale weekend started out great with 
the purchase of an old washboard.

vintage washboard message center www.homeroad.net

The story behind it however is much better....You see the house where I bought this washboard had a few other interesting items too.  Obviously the woman having the sale had the same taste as me because right in the middle of the front table was one of my pedestal dishes!

Not just one that I happened to like but one that I made.
And she was selling my pedestal dish at a garage sale... !!!

vintage washboard message center www.homeroad.net
I looked right at her and smiled then proceeded to tell her that this was mine... that I made it. I checked the bottom and sure enough there it was my Homeroad stamp.  

vintage washboard message center www.homeroad.net

We were both more than a little embarrassed. So much so that I couldn't even look at her priceI was sure she had a $1.00 tag on my masterpiece. 

vintage washboard message center www.homeroad.net

She laughed all red faced and said she had bought it at a local craft fair. Yeah you did, that was me at that craft fair... selling my little heart our after I had worked well into the night to create my one of a kind hand made treasures.
And there it was... at a garage sale. {sigh}

So I left the garage sale with my washboard and what was left of my pride. 

But really, I had to laugh, what are the chances? Hopefully the next owner of my treasured pedestal dish will appreciate it... and the deal she just got.

Oh and the washboard? I removed the top piece of wood and replaced the galvanized steel with a piece of pre-finished chalkboard.

vintage washboard message center www.homeroad.net

A length of copper wire hangs the washboard and Scrabble and clothespin magnets hold notes and a note pad. The day was not a total loss after all!

vintage washboard message center www.homeroad.net


   Before you go please visit the Homeroad Amazon Shop for great ideas for Christmas gifts and craft products. You can follow Homeroad on Pinterest using the icons on the sidebar and sign up for emails so I can send my latest DIY tutorial straight to you!
Homeroad
Homeroad

I am Susan, the author and creator at Homeroad. I am a wife, mother of 4 daughters, and a grandmother of 5 and counting. I am a retired teacher, a DIY blogger and an artist at heart. .

Comments

  1. Oh no she didn't!

    Well at least you were a good sport about it. Hoping to see you on Friday!!!!!!! And. P.S. the pincushion I bought at your Suite Pieces booth, my mom loves and it will NEVER show up at a garage sale. ;)

    Jeanine

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  2. What a weird feeling that must have been! I was at an antique mall with a friend a few weeks ago. And there were my two red chairs!
    Brenda

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  3. I love that you are brave enough to share this story. If it's any consolation, last week I bought a chair and matching footstool I loved for $25 on Saturday and then donated the chair to a charity thrift store on Tuesday. Sometimes things attract us, but they just aren't right for our home.

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  4. I love the washboard and that is just crazy that you happened on someone selling one of your creations! I think I would have bought it back (at the right price) and sold it again. Can't let all of that hard work go to waste!

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  5. well... you could have bought it back and resold it! :) Hopefully you can laugh it off and keep creating masterpieces :)

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  6. Oh that had to hurt. I cannot imagine seeing something I created at a yard sale - mostly for the reason you said, the price. It just shows how much we as a society (myself included, always working on it) are such mass consumers. She saw it at the craft show, loved it, and bought it. Then she went on to Target and Pottery Barn and fill-in-the-blank and bought more and more and more. I think the tide is turning towards valuing the handmade but it is going to take awhile. I love the items in your etsy shop and I am sure many of them have found happy homes. :)

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  7. Been there, done that....I find things I made at the thrift store, white elephant sales, other craft stores, etc...But my very favorite was a snowman can I made almost 20 years ago that came back to me in an unusual way...I host a Christmas boutique every Christmas and invite a few local artists/friends... A couple years ago as I was carrying in boxes from one woman, I noticed a can that looked familiar. After she left, I asked my husband if he noticed the can in the box...."Yes. You made that..." I was super impressed that he recognized it. He said I HAD to buy it back... for $1 just for the story....I did. My daughter used to laugh whenever it happened to me...but then not too long ago, I saw a necklace SHE made at the thrift store too...I usually buy them back if they are ridiculously cheap...Keep in mind, she did buy it full price in the first place....Have a great day!

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  8. I'm with Joyce---you should have bought it back and resold it! That's happened to me. I've found things i've painted at yard sales a couple of times and at an antique store once! I bought them and resold them. Twice as much for me and their loss! LOL!

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  9. Ah life and it's little embarrassments and cute stories. Keeps us on our toes and gives us something to think/talk about. I always have to tell myself there's a reason for what happened. Doesn't always work but life goes on huh? I loved all your chalkboards/message centers. Need to go pin them all so I won't forget cause if I don't pin I will forget. Being 75 is predictable, I forget things no matter how hard I try not to. Happy week

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Susan