High Hopes for a Hamper

It was fun just to get out of the house after a bitter cold snap but

I was also hopeful I'd find something on my wish list
as we scouted out a little town north of Denver called Lafayette. 

I didn't have much luck in the charming town, but, as we were leaving
we spotted a little antique store and pulled into the parking lot.
It didn't look very promising on the outside but the inside was filled with lots of
tiny rooms filled with goodies. Even the basement was jammed with treasures.
I had a good feeling.

I saw it almost right away. 

I'd been watching for a vintage hamper for some time.
I knew exactly what I was looking for:  

about a foot tall, woven base, wooden lid and curved side handles. 

I didn't care what color it was. I could always paint it. 

Except for the horrid Easter-egg-green paint on the top, it was just what I'd been looking for. 

I kept going back to look at it and the owner said: "That piece is calling your name."
And it was.
Lucky for me, I get my bargaining skills from my thrifty mother

and from living in the Middle East where bargaining is the norm. 

After a short conversation, I got the price down from $32 to $20. Sold! 

I think this little beauty is from the 1940's, maybe a child's hamper. Adorable.

 I vowed to paint it the next day which was forecast to be clear and sunny. 

I thought it would take an hour at most. It took about four. 

Masking and then removing the tape because I forgot to take a "before" picture. 

Putting the tape back on and realizing it wasn't sticking so I had to put fresh tape on. 

All the little nooks and crannies took time with a small artist's brush. 

Fortunately, the cream-colored sides didn't need painting.

Finally, after two coats of white paint then sanding and re-painting the lid 

where the hinge gunked up the paint, I left it in the sun to cure. 

I couldn't wait to bring it inside and figure out where to put it. That's half the fun.

I finally decided on the foot of the daybed in the guest room. 

It's the first thing you see when you enter this room and it creates a cheerful, welcoming feeling. 

Of course, I could always use it as a guest hamper but it's much more fun to fill it with flowers!

 Love it! Check that one off my wish list!

Sharing with:  Shabby Fu Fu, Thoughts from Alice, Our Southern Home, Rustic & Refined, Dwellings, Karen's up on the Hill, Between Naps on the Porch, Cozy Little House, Coastal Charm, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll thru Life, Bella Rosa Antiques, Elizabeth and Co., Savvy Southern Style, Knick of Time, Maison de Pax, From My Front Porch to Yours, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, A Delightsome Life, The Vintage Nest, Poofing the Pillows, Peonies and Orange Blossoms, Adirondack Girl at Heart, Hawthorne and Main, Rooted in Thyme, Charm of Home, French Country Cottage, Shabby Art Boutique, The Cottage Market, D.D.'s Cottage