Tuesday, August 14, 2012

The Man of My (Thrift Store) Dreams …


For those who follow my lifestyle blog, LandlockedCottage, you will already know the news that I married this summer in true thrifty-style. My love of vintage was never more fun than pulling together a short notice small town prairie family wedding. In the whirlwind of planning and excitement one thing I did manage to take time for was creating the most unique of bride’s bouquet to showcase my love of vintage jewelry (pictured here).

I must say it was a highlight of the occasion as were so many other little vintage touches, a simple cake with a vintage topper, wrist corsages made from fresh flowers, vintage linens, the town square gazebo we were married in, and so much more. Best of all was that the positive response, well wishes and fun comments on the day showed me that thrifty isn’t just a trend, it is a simple welcomed lifestyle that is here to stay.
Enjoy below the re-printing of the blog I wrote in anticipation of the event and pulling it off vintage-style.


The Man Of My (thrift store) Dreams
Is it just me or have you noticed a trend of late on the new man? For those who also follow my antique & collecting blog Thrifty Diversions you already know that thrifty is “IN” in a big way! But for those who get a more subtle message eventually and enjoy the slow dance you may have picked up on a gentle shift in all that is circling your history channel viewing pleasure of late.
It turns out the men of the much watched History Channel shows, the Pawn Stars, American Pickers, American Restoration, Cajun Pawn Stars, are the new sexy! Yes ladies you are not only looking for mister right – you are now hoping for mister into-great-junk! Women of a certain love-for-vintage age are wanting a man that will go picking and troll thrift stores and yard sales on a weekend. No elegant late Saturday morning yuppie coffee shop dates anymore, we just want a man who pulls up with two paper cups of no-name steaming coffees and an empty truck bed ready for some weekend action – auction action! A man who travels with a little be-prepared essentials rolling around under the seat of his pick-up next to his fishing gear – ropes, big garbage bags, gloves, multi-head screwdriver, hammer, crowbar, shrink wrap, an old-furniture blanket and the likes as you never know when you might come across an old abandoned barn door to liberate or have to dismantle a century old armoire at an auction to get it in the truck.
Yes ladies we want a man who loves long back road drives in the country at dawn’s first light … looking for good junk! How do I know that to be true? I’m marrying one of those guys this coming weekend! Not only did he come to love the thrifty collecting lifestyle I exposed him to early on he has become a great picker himself, even worked the front counter of my antique store to great success on his weekends off the day job, and an expert tie-down man who can make anything fit in the back of a truck. As I am writing this he just texted me pics of a typewriter he is standing in front of at a thrift store he popped into while he is on the road to see a client – “works $8?”- like sexting to a collector – we call it thrift-porn.
Our wedding is as simple as our love of a thrifty vintage lifestyle, all happening in a small prairie town at our shack of a cottage with no frills, but surrounded by family and fun.  Saturday afternoon ceremony in the town park gazebo, my minister brother marrying us, and a few blocks back at home we will be swinging open the old double carriage house doors to expose the tacky man-cave garage bar surrounded by vintage chrome stools.  The yard will be full of guest campers, reception on patio tables covered in vintage linens surrounded by lawn chairs on the dirt driveway. Food will be plentiful simple family fare off the grill, fresh cut garden flowers all around in mismatched vases and stuffed into cream can urns, wine and beer out of iced topped galvanized pails, vintage mismatched dishes, and even the traditional, almost tacky vintage bride & groom cake topper on a simple real get-eaten white cake. There will be fire pit sing-a-longs, crib tournaments, lawn croquet and best of all a celebration of a perfect match.
If these auction loving, junk-hunting, pickup truck driving, rugged haulers are the new man – can the up and coming round of Mountain Men, Shark Wranglers and Swamp People filling up airways be the next great man to snag? Move over American Pickers – trends don’t lie.
Thanks for all the wedding wishes everyone!

(originally run July 26/12 on LandlockedCottage blog)