My sister mentioned in her blog that she was looking for another vintage metal frame bed for one of her kids. I immediately thought of my vintage blue metal double bed. It has been sitting in the shed all those years I've lived here. Every time we clean up and re-organize the shed, my dear senor always say something about it and I stubbornly resist and told him to leave it alone. He'd shrug and let it go. So when my sister said she was looking for one and I offered her the bed. She talked with her hubby and said she'd want it if I was sure about it. Then I told my senor that I offered my sister the bed and that she wanted it. That made him wondered and I grabbed this moment and told him shall I clean it up and set it up so he can see how it look and see?
I was soo happy at the prospect of finally using it or knowing that one of my nieces would be using it. It was very very dirty from years of sitting in the shed. I love cleaning it up and knowing just perhaps it will finally be put to use instead of sitting quietly waiting and waiting. I thought of stripping it of blue paint and paint it with rust proof paint then decide on the color but I told myself, just wait and let it be and see how it look in the kids' room.
I set it up all by myself and hoping that my senor would like it. Joshua came home and saw the bed and helped me try to see if the queen mattress would fit. It didn't. I measured across and it would have been over a few inches on each side. But I didn't think to measure the height laying down. It was too long. I was devastated and dismantled the frame.
Then all night long I kept thinking about the old blue metal frame bed. Then I suddenly realize that Mama Lola is sleeping on a double mattress. I asked my senor how about if I switch the mattress for I had already measure her mattress. He realize how much the bed means to me and told me to go ahead but make sure Mama Lola don't see what I am up to.
I was soo excited and look around to see if we had a wood plank board to put over the frame and then the mattress on otherwise the mattress would "drown" when laying down. So I did find the wood and measure and cut. Then I drilled and put on bolts. And then the mattress on. It looks soo good and I was feeling so happy to finally have it out and put to use.
My kids love the bed! They were ready to jump on the bed and hoo boy, I was very protective of the bed and told the kids that this old bed cannot handle it. And it will break and then Mommy will be sad and mad. I think they got the message???
Mama Lola never even noticed that she is now sleeping on a queen mattress.
I had bought the vintage bed frame years ago at a thrift store while working for the Post Office as a letter carrier in Herndon, Virginia. I was on duty when I saw the bed. It was asking $20 for it and if I take any furniture home the same day, I get 20 per cent off right there. They close at 3 p.m. daily and I don't get off until 5ish. And it was on a Saturday and the mail on Saturday are usually light and most of the businesses are close so the load of mails are considerable cut in 2/3 the daily loads. I went back to check my mail truck to see if I had room to take it with me and I did so I went ahead and load up the bed frames in my mail truck. Normally you are not allowed to do that. But I was thinking, how will I ever be able to pick it up after work since the thrift shop would have long been closed. So I just up and paid $18 for it.
I've never regretted buying the bed but I've always had this pang that this bed is not being used all these years. Now it has a home and being used by my kids. And I am soo glad.
I made the quilt years ago. I love the vintage flower pillow case. Now I am keeping an eye out for a bedskirt. I'm leaving the blue color on for now.
So Jenny dear, I'm keeping the bed after all and many many thanks for bringing it up in your blog and prompting some action doing for this dear blue old vintage metal bed.
