Duck! Don’t worry — nothing’s flying at you. We’re just showing off our latest thrift-store find.
It may look like a duck, but it’s probably a goose. We haven’t decided where it will live or what color it will be painted (yes, that was an intentional flight pun). We liked its character and thought it would be fun to bring it home. I actually suggested it — although my wife has a well-known fondness for faux animals — and this old-school wooden bird just called to me this time. Sherry wasn’t hard to convince either. Maybe it’s the start of our own little collection of colorful birds. Pink is on someone’s radar, but I’m leaning toward lime or navy, and Sherry mentioned a bold glossy plum earlier. Any of those could look great.
We found our feathered friend while thrifting on Richmond’s northside. Our original mission was to find nightstands or a dresser, but instead we came home with the goose and a silver quatrefoil tray that reminded us of a mirror we bought recently.
We haven’t decided where the tray will end up, but Sherry likes placing trays on stacks of hardcover books, dressers, console tables, and nightstands to corral things like lip gloss, hair ties, jewelry, or keys. She also liked that it’s not ceramic and therefore not breakable — part of our effort to make the house more kid-friendly. We’ve been moving delicate ceramic animals up to the built-ins to keep them safe from curious toddlers. The goal is to feel comfortable hosting extended family without worrying about every little item getting knocked over. Of course, anything could become a toy if put in the wrong hands, so we’ll keep the wooden goose out of reach for the littlest visitors, but it should look great on a console or dresser.
Both pieces together cost less than $12 — a small price for a bit of art and a touch of organization. For local readers who asked: the wooden goose came from Pass It On in the Lakeside Towne Shops and the tray was from Consignment Connection on Lakeside Avenue.
That’s the backstory in case you spot a small goose migration in the background of our photos soon. A wooden bird fits nicely alongside our collection of white ceramic animals — the menagerie lives on.
Psst — if you like organizing, check out this week’s BabyCenter post about Sherry’s system for storing outgrown baby clothes, blankets, and maternity items.