This simple wee pitcher is bringing me joy these days. It's just small enough for one tea-sized serving of milk. I bought it at Value Village for $3 and it was worth every cent. As I work through the stuff I've collected through the years, I have a new awareness of what I want in my home. The two guiding questions whisper in my mind: Is it beautiful? Is it useful?
In this case, the answer is yes. I hear people say that they "love" their iphone, or "love" their vehicle. I know that feeling, and always feel slightly materialistic and shallow for "loving" an inanimate object. Because objects that are mass-produced and widely available can be replaced.
But when you find some little item like this, at a thrift store or a yard sale, you know it is truly one-of-a-kind, and therefore, irreplaceable. This sweet little pitcher makes me smile each morning when I pour milk into my favourite mug, perhaps because I feel so lucky to have snagged it before anyone else did! The thrill is deepened by the fact that it cost less than $5.
It makes me feel kind of pampered in the midst of caring for so many others. I know when I fill it with milk, it is just for me. It's sole purpose is to make my tea perfect...for me. I carefully wash it each morning, and set it back in a place of pride on my open cupboard.
I'm pretty easy to please, non?
Do you have a simple household item with a talent for bringing a smile to your face? What little irreplaceable object do you cherish? Leave a comment!
*A big shout-out to you all for helping me reach my goal of attaining 300 fans/friends/followers! My second blogiversary will be on April 14. Watch this space for a giveaway!
We had a Value Village in Charlotte, NC. It was fantastic. I get a real thrill finding something wonderful that cost only a little, and I, too, try to make sure that things are useful AND lovely (was it William Morris who proposed that one should have nothing in one's home that one does not find to be either useful or beautiful?)
ReplyDeleteAnd congratulations on your 300! I've been hoping to hit that number for ages! But I am happy for the folks who actually find my blog interesting enough to drop in...
I adore a little cherry crock/cannister that I thrifted recently. Makes me smile every time I look at it. In fact, I think it's in the background of one of my recent posts. You have a beautiful blog!
ReplyDeleteAfter watching a Hoarders marathon on TV one afternoon in some hotel room after a long day at work, I came to the conclusion that when a new item comes into the house, something must leave. It has really made shopping that much easier. I ask myself if I really need it? Will it really be useful? And where will I put it?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on reaching 300! That is awesome and happy anniversary!
I picked up the exact shaped little pitcher[ different pattern] at my local Goodwill. I keep it on the stove filled with toothpicks,but I think I will move them and start using the pitcher for cream too.
ReplyDeleteMy handle-less tea cup for that I bought in Victoria, BC about 17 years ago. I love to make a small pot of tea and pour it into this cup that fits perfectly in my small hands.
ReplyDeletethe items that I truly " love" usually have a memory attached to them. It is often a reminder of the giver of the item or it's original owner who has passed on. This infusion of a function plus happy( and at times bittersweet) memory makes for a "priceless" delegation!
ReplyDeleteMy little jade green/brown sugar bowl that I bought at a thrift store. It has been dropped and broken and glued back together. It's a little rough looking but I love it.
ReplyDeleteI have a framed print on my wall of a little pioneer/mennonite girl sitting on a porch watching a monarch. I bought it when I was in a deep depression. It says: "Happiness is like a butterfly."
ReplyDeleteIt's always the small things you find at a yard sale and such that end up being the most precious. I have a vintage metal colander painted the perfect shade of sunny yellow (50 cents) and I've loved it for a long time. I'm certain I'll drain pasta in that thing for the rest of my life.
ReplyDeleteLast year I found a huge stainless steel funnel at Value Village. I literally leapt at it and showed the person standing beside me how great it was. It was $5 or so and I came home and told everyone about it. Nobody was quite as excited as I. I use it to filter out hot syrup into jars. We only ever do 10L or so, so it is a small operation - my funnel is perfect and doesn't get melty like the old plastic one we had. I used it today in fact. And I still love it every single time I see it. I've never seen such a thing before and to find it at Treasure Island - well that just made it all the more sweet.
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