WHY I LOVE CRAIGSLIST...

Reason 1,453,294.  

I picked these huge mounted antlers up last week.  For FREE!!!

I mentioned I've been stalking CL lately for some new chairs for my kitchen table, and one morning I was doing my usual search for "chairs", "rug", and "chandelier".  On a whim I searched for "antlers", thinking that it's time to decorate for Fall and wishing I had some more loose antlers to scatter around.

This was the first listing that popped up.  As I read the details, I noticed the words "free to a good home."  Well, I couldn't send that text fast enough!  I didn't even know how big they were, in the blurry photo they were just resting in the chair.

I was delighted when I made a special trip across town and picked them up to see that they were HUGE!  Mr. K. told me that the family story was that his Grandfather got these (on a hunt, I assume) in Alaska in 1910.  Mr. K.'s wife refused to let him hang them in the house, so he just wanted to get rid of them.  HUH? How do you get rid of 113 year old antlers with such a great family history?  Well, apparently some people don't have hoarding tendencies aren't that attached to their stuff, and he was happy to give them to me. 

I couldn't contain my excitement and shared with my Instagram friends...

The mounting plaque had a yellowish-shellac finish, but I thought the wood might be pretty with that stripped off.  It wasn't...still too yellow.  So, I just painted it black.

So thank you, Mrs. K., for not wanting these in your home.  I sure do love them.  One man's trash...

P.S.- The striped rug is back in the entry.  The chevron just wasn't working for me there, so it moved to my son's room.   Nothing like a good round of musical rugs!

Linking up with:

The Shabby Nest

It's Overflowing