I Saved Her Life!

lol...not too dramatic eh? It got you here!

So here's the story:

Once upon a time there was a bff who desperately wanted an antique dress form for her studio. I had secretly wanted one as well but felt we needed to find one for her first. Every time we headed out to a flea market or barn sale she would make her wish "Oh .. please let me find a dress form today!" ... but no... no dress forms came our way. Then one day on the way to the Rhinebeck Flea Market bff said "I am NOT looking for a dress form!" (She plays these little psychological games) I agreed that we were NOT looking for one, and with that mindset we met Pamela and started on our treasure hunts. I've posted all the other treasures we got that day but now comes the fun part.

There were hundreds of vendors outside with amazing and fun vintage and antique pieces but not the 'unmentionable'. The three of us decided to check out the inside market and the second we walked in the door what do you suppose we saw. (Just how big can Janet's eyes get?) A dress form! I dashed ahead to see if the price was prohibitive and couldn't believe my eyes.... $10?!?! I did a pivot turn and headed back to Pam and Janet with this incredulous look on my face which they interpreted as 'Oh my.. that dress form is VERY expensive!' Neither of them could believe that it was $10. Perhaps I'd read it wrong and it was really $100? But no, it was in fact $10 because on close inspection she was in deplorable condition.... some stretchy fabric disintegrating inside and out.... a missing head and a serious case of hip displacement... lol Janet looked and looked and debated and then walked away saying it would be too much work for her to take on... but she would think about it.

Okay, here is where I have to play it cool.. ( $10?!?!?!)

We walked around for another 10 minutes or so and I very calmly asked "Are you sure that it's too much work? Are you sure you don't want to buy it?" She said "No, it's more than I want to take on." to which I said... "The reason I'm asking is if you aren't going to buy it I am."( $10?!?!) All's well with the world... she said go ahead.. that it would be something I wouldn't mind taking on. So I dashed back before anyone else could buy it ($10!?!) and while paying for it I asked the woman if perhaps she might know of another dress form that would be in better condition. As it turns out she was a dealer and she did in fact have another dress form (with attitude) in lovely condition with a brass finial, but it was in an antique shop about 20 minutes away. Long story short we went down to the antique shop in Hyde Park and ...

Oh... that's right.... I was supposed to let Janet tell the rest of the story.... maybe today?

But I can still show you the pic of my little lady whose name is 'Mona'. I brought her poor little self home and cleaned her up, lubricated her joints and realigned her... even gave her a new/old head which was a wooden finial off an 1800's organ, then covered her with dress pattern paper for interest. She had a rough life on the poor side of town but now she is the queen of my studio.

Meet Mona...
$10!!!

Best...

Canace