This is a free Dremel that I got from the DIY Network.
I know what this looks like. Like I’ve broken our no-free-swag rule. But this was given to me back in 2003, long before our self-imposed policy took effect (hence its worse-for-wear appearance). Heck, it even pre-dates our blog, our first home purchase, and even our relationship (we didn’t meet until 2004, and didn’t start dating ’til 2005).
So now you’re probably wondering what the single, 21-year-old, apartment-dwelling, college student version of me did to deserve a free tool from a home improvement network. Well, it’s because I was currently rocking the prestigious title of “intern.”
That’s me in August of 2003 on the last day of my summer advertising internship in New York City – coincidentally the day before the big citywide blackout. Clearly I was conducting myself with the utmost maturity by, yes, hugging the giant bubblegum machine in our building’s lobby. I actually worked in the same building where Big was filmed. Our office was the toy company where Tom Hanks worked – so you could say there was a bit of playfulness in the air.
I was a “Television Media Buying Intern.” For those who aren’t fluent in advertising-ese, it means I worked with the people in charge of negotiating the cost and placement of commercials with the TV networks. Which means they get schmoozed by the networks, sometimes a lot. My supervisors were always getting free stuff, being taken out to nice lunches, and going out to special events. And considering that I was working for free, they occasionally threw some swag my way too. Especially when they didn’t want it. Enter the Dremel, stage left.
By the end of my interning stint, I had racked up a copy of E.T. on DVD, a beach towel with The History Channel logo on it, tickets to see the Goo Goo Dolls tape a concert special for the Oxygen network and, of course, my handy DIY Network Dremel. I guess since my team was made up entirely of women, they figured their male intern would know what to do with a power tool.
Well, I didn’t. Best I could tell from the picture on the box, that whatsiedosie was for people who whittled chairs. Whatever it was, I figured it had no place in my life as a college senior – nor my expected future as a city-dwelling advertising professional. Never did I think I would become interested in DIYing, let alone have it become my actual profession. So I did what many non-tool-using-sons would do: I gave the Dremel to my dad.
Recently, he gave it back (as part of his purge-before-moving process). I happily took it. Not because I need a Dremel – in fact I got one last year as a Father’s Day present from Sherry (seen below – clearly they’ve updated their look since 2003) – but because it was a funny symbol of the weird turns that life can take. Perhaps that old Dremel was an omen of my future and I was just too young and gumball obsessed to notice?
Ok, maybe I’m reading too much into it. Hopefully my complimentary DVD of E.T. and my History Channel towel aren’t prophesying some future as an alien abduction victim or, I dunno, an old historic sunbather? So even if my free power tool of yesteryear isn’t responsible for my present occupation, I can at least give credit to that internship which led to a full time job, which led to meeting a copywriter named Sherry, which led to… well, you know the rest.
Have you guys ever regifted a tool only to re-encounter it down the line? Or been given something random that turned out to be some “symbol” of the life you would somehow grow into? Have you ever cozied up to a giant gumball machine or laid out on a History Channel towel? I figure I can’t be the only one.
Psst- I’m looking pretty tan in these old photos of yore, but Sherry and I are now blindingly white suburban parents. Proof here and here.
Kara says
I just peed a little seeing that there were no comments… that is all. :)
Stephanie Phillips says
I think it was a sign of things to come!
And WOW you look baby-faced in those pictures! My husband has a young face like you and I always giggle when I see even *younger* looking pictures of him in his early 20’s.
YoungHouseLove says
Isn’t he so tan and young? Ah to be young and tan again. Haha.
xo,
s
Cait @ Hernando House says
Haha I was trying to figure out why he looked SO different in the pictures. Then it hit me that’s it’s EIGHT years later. I swear it’s still 2005 in my head.
Kristen @ Popcorn on the Stove says
I am oddly jealous of John’s tan.
YoungHouseLove says
I know right? He was so tan when I met him that in some photos you just see the whites of his eyes and his teeth. Glowing. It’s hilarious.
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
I have never hugged a giant gumball machine, but last night I did kiss a giant hockey player head.
Photographic proof —> http://alturl.com/w7e2q
I LOVE YOU VINNY LECAVALIER! :-)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, totally in the same realm. And completely reasonable reactions.
xo,
s
Cait @ Hernando House says
That’s too funny!
PS- I feel like a geek for caring that I know what a buyer is and a copywriter. Sadly I don’t work in a fancy NYC office, I work in a beige half-cube at a sports merchandising company. But I pretend my cube walls are linen, so it’s ok.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, anything can be linen if you imagine hard enough!
xo,
s
Cait @ Hernando House says
Agreed!
Heather says
I’ve never had an experience like that myself but I do remember my brother being obsessed with becoming a cop when he was a kid. Looking back, it seems like he was destined for it but there was a time when he was kind of lost (he studied Graphic Design in school). Then he met some friends who were training to become police officers and he found his passion again. He loves his job now. It’s funny how sometimes life shows you where you are supposed to be.
Kate says
My internship was more “you’re going to need to clean all the mouse cages…” ick. Life of a biology major. Like you, i have improved and learned new skills.
Recently, a recycled birthday gift from 8 years ago found it’s way to me via an office holiday swap. From a complete stranger. :)
B @B Getting Hot says
DIY rookie here. Can you name a project you would use a Dremel on?
And in terms of your question… a former roomie gave me my own little toolbox complete with hammer, screwdriver with multiple heads, pliers… etc.. I was so surprised because it was such a departure from any gift I could possibly imagine. But a move or too later I started using it on the regular. Every time I do I feel empowered and very much like a woman who has her own tools should feel… ready to diy it!
YoungHouseLove says
Here’s a post where you can see my new Dremel in action. They’re great for routing things out or making grooves.
-John
jeannette says
over at an apple a day amy dremels her name onto things like penknives and summer house keys.
YoungHouseLove says
Now I want to do that too!
xo,
s
Wendy says
I have a dremel. I used to use it to trim my dog’s nails. When I used the clipper things, he used to fight me and it was so difficult and I’d sometimes cut the quick. The dremel is awesome because you just file a little down at a time, so there’s no risk of hitting the quick. And if he pulled his paw away, it didn’t hurt. I’d sometimes hit my finger when he moved and it was no big deal. I highly recommend it!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh my gosh that’s kind of genius.
xo,
s
Wendy says
They actually sell a pet model. It’s less powerful and a different color. The only thing is they recommend that you don’t hold the dremel on the nail for more than a second or two at a time. Just hold it on the nail for a second and then take it off for a second and then put it right back on the nail. It goes pretty quickly.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so smart of them to do that!
xo,
s
Missy G. says
I second that motion. My vet uses a dremel for this exact reason!
erica p. says
I use a regular Dremel (on the lowest speed) to trim my two Boston Terriers’ nails! Works like a charm!
Christa M says
Pedi Paws!
Liz says
We have one. Would work wonders except my dog is terrified of the motor. My husband jokingly refers to it as the pedi file.
Elizabeth says
Yeah, my dog would have none of that Pedi Paws trimmer. I guess it depends on the dog and starting them out young. I trim his nails the old fashioned way and he’s fine.
KT @ KT's Refinishing School says
How fun! I’ve never re-gifted something only to receive it down the road but it does sort of remind me of the bread maker Will Ferrell tries to re-gift in Old School!
By the way, do you guys watch Mad Men? With all the talk about advertising and copywriters, it made me think of the show. If you don’t, you should…it’s way addicting :)
YoungHouseLove says
We watched it but we had to stop! It was making us annoyed because it brought back those times we worked really hard on pitches and the clients killed all the good ideas. Haha. Too close to home I guess. But a lot of our friends love it!
xo,
s
Kate says
Ah, you reminded me of the blackout in 2003 (it wasn’t just NCY, remember… it extended halfway through MI, my home state). That was craziness.
Anyway, I don’t think I’ve ever had something come back to me like that nor any objects that fortold my future, but my research project in grad school wound up being very closely related to what my job is now, even though it was only loosely related to my major and I hadn’t been particuarly interested in that specific research topic (I picked it since it was with a former prof and it had an opening). I also wasn’t looking for a job that was in that field either, but I just so happened to wind up here as well. I’m enjoying it now that I’m here, but it was kind of odd that I keep coming back to healthcare IT instead of mechanical engineering!
maria says
you worked in that old hasboro building where they filmed Big? that’s where his supposed office building was right? don’t know if you know this but that building was turned into a home depot a couple of years ago!!
YoungHouseLove says
I don’t know if it was the old Hasbro building, but it was the building that they used for the “set” of Tom Hanks’ office (on 23rd near the Flat Iron building).
xo,
s
maria says
yes that is the building. 40 w 23 between 5th and 6th i went to SVA from 1999-2003 and that office that was used in the movie big has been turned into a home depot.
http://www.allbusiness.com/operations/facilities-commercial-real-estate/207762-1.html
YoungHouseLove says
Oh my gosh- I can’t believe that. Talk about full circle. Hah.
xo,
s
Sarah says
My parents gave us a 10″ chop saw as a house-warming gift. Dad helped put up crown molding during a recent visit and liked our saw so much better than his own that he decided he wanted one. The siblings just pooled our resources and gave him the same saw back for his birthday. DIY nerdiness is genetic.
Cynthia says
Well this isn’t exactly like that, but I did get a fortune cookie that was crazy just a little while ago. I was 4 days from my due date with my 2nd baby and expecting to be pregnant for another 2 weeks or so ( since I was so late with my first) but I was hoping to not be pregnant for one more day!! But I met some friends at Pei Wei for dinner and my fortune cookie said “You will soon emerge victorious from the maze you’ve been traveling in” and the word on the back was “daughter”. And exactly one week from that day (so only 3 days late!) I had my daughter (who we did not know if she was a boy or girl) all naturally ( a VBAC) and named her Maizie! The name was also totally a coincidence because we picked it about a day after she was born and I had totally forgotten that the fortune cookie said that! So, thats my story of a funny thing randomly predicting my future!
YoungHouseLove says
That. Is. Amazing.
xo,
s
Cait @ Hernando House says
If you still have that fortune I think it needs to go in one of those floating frames with the glass on both sides. Or maybe you could recreate it, if it’s long gone.
YoungHouseLove says
I love that idea!
xo,
s
Laura says
I just wanted to say that I was in NY during that blackout too–August 14, 2003! It was my grandma’s birthday, that’s the only reason, I remember the date, haha. Good times (or not).
Laura says
Also, completely random (wow, I left two random comments to you guys today, sorry), but I was wondering what you two thought of the Glee finale this week?! Yay or nay?
YoungHouseLove says
We’re glad it didn’t tie up neatly in a bow with them winning (as expected) and also loved the song “My Cup” (still singing it). But we both think the first ten episodes or so were the best ever. So we’re waiting for it to get that exciting again.
xo,
s
Briel K. says
I was so disappointed in the Glee finale! They really dropped the ball on the finale IMO.
KiTX @ The Big Grateful says
I’ve had an experience like this. I didn’t want to go home the summer between sophomore and junior year (one bored post-college summer was enough for me, thanks) and I found a way to stay- by being an orientation peer advisor for the summer at my university. It was really fun, and I loved almost every bit of it….
Now I’m an academic advisor at a major university in my state, and one of my major responsibilities is running the college portion of our orientations. Full circle. =)
YoungHouseLove says
So funny, that’s exactly what I did the summer of 2002 (the year before my NYC internship). I was an “Orientation Leader” at UVA and L.O.V.E.D. it. I considered doing it again in 2003 but when I got this advertising internship I couldn’t turn it down… even though it was the non-paying option.
-John
Maggie says
Oh. Em. Gee. The picture of John in the pool (with the “speedo”) is HILARIOUS. And just gotta love yet another one of many faces that Clara likes to make.
YoungHouseLove says
We died laughing at his faux speedo for about ten minutes. Almost woke the baby up because we couldn’t stop guffawing.
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
You know what’s better than having a pool? Having access to a pool you don’t have to upkeep! WOO HOO!
Anita says
Have you ever read the book ” The Blue Sweater?” It’s the story of how a girl loves a blue wool sweater, then suddenly hates it after she is mocked in high school while wearing it so she gives it to Goodwill…fast forward 10 years and she is in AFrica and sees a kid wearing it…looks at the tag (AWKWARD) and finds out it is HER name on it, her sweater. She uses her finance degree in all kinds of global lending deals….(The best part is the beginning….)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, great use of AWKWARD. And it sounds like an awesome book!
xo,
s
Becky Jo says
My dad got my husband (then fiance) a Dremel Trio for Christmas. He loved it at first, but over his last few furniture building sprees, he’s becoming more and more disappointed in it, wishing it were more versatile, etc. And apparently it’s difficult to find pieces (bits?) that fit the Trio, and he finds himself returning them because they’re meant for the basic Dremel. I was curious to know if John had any pros and cons about his experience with the tool that he would like to share?
YoungHouseLove says
I’ll admit that I’ve only used it about a handful of times (like to make the shelves for our postcard wall and to do some sanding on our console) but I’ll say it hasn’t been the most intuitive tool I’ve ever used, to be honest. I haven’t tried using anything beyond the provided bits so I can’t speak to having to shop for new ones, but sometimes it does feel like it’s not as versatile as one might like. I sometimes wonder if the Dremel Multimax is a better starter Dremel. But in the end, the Trio’s done the trick for what I needed so I’m glad I got it. I’m sure others who have used it more have better insights, though.
-John.
claire says
too funny – our dremel tool is also from DIY, courtesy of the scripps upfront :) as is our gps. gotta love the free swag.
i was a media planner, so it’s fun to see your past in the media world! :)
Julie Anne says
Your Dremel and Dremel Trio are slightly different tools. I have both, and use both.
The Dremel Trio takes the place of your router, jigsaw, and other small cutting and finishing wood tools, where the original Dremel is for all sorts of really fine work sanding and detailing – hobbyists love ’em for model railroads, etc. But like the dog owner and lover comment above, they can be used to trim dog nails safetly for both you and your pet, work on doll houses, do wee bits of sanding around the house – I use mine for sanding down when I fill holes in wood projects with carpenter’s putty or spackle things.
YoungHouseLove says
Good to know! I wonder if we’ll ever break the old guy out. Just for fun…
xo,
s
skye says
Noting the “Mad Men” comment above – my hubs and I love that show and just started season one on Netflix to catch up on all we missed. It dawned on me about halfway through episode three last night that I could totally see John as a “Don Draper”-esqe figure, minus the infidelity of course. I don’t know what he is really like but he seems all “debonair” and what not through the blog. And adding in the fact that he once was a “Mad Man” only furthers the impression.
Anyways I haven’t been given anything that I have gifted and had regifted but we did inherit a TON of my husband’s grandfather’s tools and equipment when they sold their house. He was a master craftsman and made a ton of stuff! I am hoping that my husband inherited some of his wood-working genes and that we will be able to use all that equipment for our own DIY projects down the line! :)
YoungHouseLove says
You’re Don Draper-ish impression of me is too funny, Skye. I totally take it as a compliment, but sadly I don’t think I quite live up to those expectations. For starters, I haven’t worn a suit in a very long time and haven’t smoked or drank in, um, ever. It’s also funny because if Don Draper were to suddenly find himself in the 2011 advertiser world I think he’d have a heart attack at how different it is. No more kicking back, letting your secretary do the work while you sleep around and give dramatic speeches to clients (at least not in my experience!).
-John
Ally says
After student teaching in music I decided the teaching world wasn’t for me, and took a couple years of hiatus doing random jobs, one of which was working at Starbucks. My older brother decided to see how I was doing, and went to the drive-thru window where he knew I was working. While he was waiting for his drink he noticed a sign next door right outside the window reading “Music Teachers of America.” He couldn’t help but note the irony of me with a music teaching degree serving up coffee through a drive-up window overlooking that sign. Aaaaand I started looking for teaching jobs. :0)
Amy Wolff says
Totally off subject..
I miss your Target and HomeGoods window shopping posts.. can you do another one soon?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh my gosh- get out of my head! Haha. We were just talking about doing one in the next few days! There’s a new HomeGoods opening on our side of town! Stay tuned…
xo,
s
kristen says
OMG they had balloons up this morning – I think they’re open! WOOT! I can’t wait to go by there this weekend! :) So many exclamation points!!!!!!
Angela says
ooooooh Home Goods. If my sister and I are ever bored one of us will inevitably suggest a Home Goods run, just for the heck of it. (It’s less than 10 min from our house). Yay that you’re getting one close to you!
YoungHouseLove says
I caaaaaaan’t waiiitttt!
xo,
s
kristen says
we went to the new homegoods tonight – they have ikat boxes in sue the napkin colors! and fun pillows that match the green wooly rug! you must check it out :) but parking was horrible…
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoooo! I’m so excited! Can’t wait to check it out. Thanks for the heads up!
xo,
s
Beth W. says
We went to the newly opened HomeGoods in Rehoboth on Friday (some of my husband’s family lives within walking distance)! Parking was crazy. They had cops there directing traffic a lot of the weekend. Inside the store, the aisles were super crowded- you could barely move around with all the people and carts. But, we found some art on a huge canvas that we really liked- it was the last one! I have to admit, I was hoping we might run into you guys.
Oh, we checked out All Saint’s Parish Thrift and Beach Plum Antiques while we were there and ended up with a candlestick, a pillow, an ottoman, and a coffee table! Thanks for the recommendation.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw so glad! Sounds like so much fun.
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
I like the way all the women in that team photo are wearing the “uniform” of black/white/grey. I would fit right in in NYC.
Laura says
As a “Broadcast Television Media Buying Intern” shouldn’t you have been wooed by the broadcast channels like ABC, CBS, NBC, not the cable channels (History, Oxygen, DIY)? Sorry just a terminology pet peeve coming from a “Cable Media Buyer”. I enjoy your blog and I’m currently rocking a “Man vs Food” t-shirt!
YoungHouseLove says
Oooh, good catch Laura. If my memory serves me correctly, my team handled both for their accounts. I guess they just kept all of the free swag from the networks for themselves!
-John
Liz says
@Laura
I’m a “Broadcast Negotiator” myself, and I buy TV, Cable and radio. It really depends on the agency as to who buys what and what terminology is used.
Christa M says
At first I was reading and thought “Man htis is a boring post” and then I read “So even if my free power tool of yesteryear isn’t responsible for my present occupation, I can at least give credit to that internship which led to a full time job, which led to meeting a copywriter named Sherry, which led to… well, you know the rest.” twice, and got chills each time. I love to realize how I got where I am at this very moment. Thanks for the chills John…oh that didn’t sound right!
Stacy says
HA the blackout…that was nuts. Nothing like walking from Midtown to Williamsburg in scorching August heat in flip flops. Memories.
I also lived in NYC for 8 years (the last stint working in advertising but as a designer) and just moved back to RVa in November. For many of the exact same reasons you guys have mentioned. Now I have myself a little old house that I’m fixing up (along with the boyfriend and Noodles the bulldog). So it goes without saying I identify with y’all a little too much sometimes…like WHOA.
As for the dremel…my roommate and I (back in my VCU days) got one and took it to about every piece of furniture in the house. This did not turn out as well as planned. Lots of wobbly rounded edges.
Tamrah Ryan says
Ha! Totally… My name is Tamrah, which rhymes with camera. In fact, often when I introduce myself people think I say “camera.” Or they say, “Tamrah with a camera.” When I was a kid there was a boy (he drove me nuts) who chased me around and called me “35mm camera.”
Needless to say, I’m now a photographer. :)
Marina says
My grandmother once gave me a sweater for Christmas that was ‘the best sweater ever’, I loved it. But something in the back of my mind kept telling me this women would never have been able to pick out a sweater like this, nor pay the price that it probably cost (very thrifty, and not very fashion savvy). I wore it everywhere, including to my aunt’s house for a visit, where I discovered not only did she have one too, but she had purchased one for my grandmother as a gift.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, that’s so funny!
xo,
s
Jessi says
We just inherited a stash of antique tools, a plane and ‘drill’ that make me actually want to decorate the workshop area of the house!
Jennifer says
I’m feeling a serious lack of Dremmel love (Only 53 comments from the entire internet?!), so I thought I’d pitch in two cents. You can use the diamond tip on a Dremmel to drill a hole in a wine bottle, to convert it into a bottle lamp. Not as uber ugly as it sounds, promise. It’s a good use for my ever expanding cool wine bottle collect. Blue bottles are prettiest, in my opinion. I know another tool could probably accomplish this with more finesse, but I’m just too *ahem* thrifty for that.
YoungHouseLove says
That actually sounds really cool! Love it.
xo,
s
Ellen says
Years ago a friend in another state sent me a small gift for my birthday; a wooden, folk-art momma with one arm around a little white girl and the other around a little Black girl. It wasn’t really my “style” but because it was from a good friend I held onto it. Over 20 years later my eight children include 2 African American sons adopted domesitcally at birth and 2 Haitian born daughters adopted at 6 months and 23 months. That folk art piece took on much greater significance to me when I realized it totally represents my life. It’s now hanging in my laundry room.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s amazing. I love all these stories you guys are sharing!
xo,
s
Kate says
I am a media buyer and your post had me laughing out loud. My non-media friends often ask me if I own anything that is not branded by a television network!
Lindsay Macy says
I was certain John was going to say he won the dremel by guessing the correct number of gumballs in the gumball machine! Nuts!
YoungHouseLove says
I wish that was the story. Hilarious.
xo,
s
Rachel @ We Heart Minnesota says
Your collection of free things reminds me of the 127 Hours film/book/true life story where Aaron Rolston cut his own arm off using a leatherman type tool that he describes as “what you’d get if you bought a $15 flashlight and got a free multi-use tool.” And then (at least in the movie version), he said something like “not that I’m blaming you mom, it was a perfectly nice christmas gift.”
And that’s funny about the History Channel towel. My husband also works in advertising, and he comes home with random things all the time. Because his philosophy is that if it is free, you have to take it. Which may explain our recent discovery of over 40 of those reusable shopping bags in our closet.
Kate says
Ohh, this made me laugh. The night before I left home for law school, I got a fortune cookie that — no joke — said, “You would make an excellent lawyer.” I took it as A Sign, of course. Nine years after that fortune cookie, I was so miserable working as a lawyer that I quit my job. So much for signs! However, I am totally with you on how things work out in the end. I wouldn’t change a thing (much as I would like all of that tuition money back!), because school led me to DC, to my great friends, and to a pretty awesome husband. Not a bad trade. ;)
Sarah says
I feel like I want to highschool with the girl to the left of John… was her name Beth? Maybe just a look-a-like! Either way, I want that gum ball machine :)
YoungHouseLove says
This will prove how bad I am with names, but I don’t think her name was Beth… but I can’t remember what it was. The woman to the left above me (with the curly hair) was my direct supervisor and her name was Emily. I remember that much!
-John
Letty says
This is not design-related, but when I was little, my mom refused to buy me the kids’ meal at a local burger place (more money, I guess? times were tough) and I was hysterically crying about it because I really wanted a plush doll of a dalmation they were offering. The girl in the drive-thru window saw me crying and, bless her soul, took pity on me and she snuck the plush doll in there. You can see why I still remember that act of kindness after all these years, right? Anyway, I was little, so naturally I drew on the dalmation and gave him a black eye like in the movies, only I did it with a pen and he looked horrible. Fast forward a couple years and my mom was Spring cleaning and threw my doll out (I had gotten older and it was pretty ugly). For whatever reason, I was so upset about this. Fast forward a few more years and I was visiting my great grandmother’s house and when I walked into her bedroom– there was my dalmation doll with the pen-marked black eye! She said she had found it on the street, near a garbage can, and she liked it for whatever reason, and so she took it home. Is that weird, or what?? My great-grandmother has since passed away and I kept the dalmation, of course.
YoungHouseLove says
That is amazing. I love it.
xo,
s
Bethie says
In a similar spirit, I recently found a crayon colored picture of Johann Sebastian Bach that I created in preschool. It is particularly neat to have now that I’ve grown up to be a specialist in baroque music! I think I am going to frame it as part of a collage wall. :)
Gabie says
This does not answer your questions at all, but I had to go to a podiatrist for the first time ever this year because something funky was going on with one of my big toenails and I noticed she had a Dremel charging in every room. Wierd huh? THEN I realized she uses it to SAND DOWN TOENAILS!
Elizabeth says
A lot of manicurists use them on acrylic nails as well!
YoungHouseLove says
For some reason that’s hysterical to me. Go Dremel for getting into pets and beauty. Haha.
xo,
s
Chloe says
I think I want that job! You look so young, John!
Joelle says
I have that same dremel from diy net too!! I was a media buyer in 2003 as well and still have most of the stuff I got for free from the networks. I never really knew what to do with it so it just sits in my garage where I see it everyday. I know one day it’s dream of being used will be fully realized.
J says
which buying agency?? I work in NYC in Ad Sales. I am one of the people who gives you the sweet swag.
YoungHouseLove says
It was Lowe (before they moved to the Grand Central location, where Sherry and I met).
xo,
s
Robin @ our semi organic life says
wow I hope I don’t become a professional organizer – as I was during one of my internships. You at least have more interesting stories!
Paula M. says
Those photos are adorable! Both the gumball machine one and the one of lone male John surrounded by all those women. What a riot!
Emily says
Oh man, I love the potential of my beautiful dremel but I’m afraid to use the darn thing because I have no idea what I’m doing! I had grand visions of wood-carving but I don’t even know what bit to use! I should really go play with it again with some scrap.
YoungHouseLove says
I know, isn’t history so much fun when it comes to old inherited furniture? Ours has a cool Abernathy Furniture seal inside. Pics here: https://www.younghouselove.com/2011/03/not-your-fathers-dresser-well-actually-it-is/
xo,
s
Julie Anne says
I forgot to mention, original Dremels are excellent for drilling tiny holes in sea glass, small shells, and polished tiny beach stones for adding jump rings and making jewelry.
Your Trio won’t do that, tho. Trios are for big woodworking and DIY projects.
YoungHouseLove says
Now you’re talking my language! Maybe I’ll be the one to use the original Dremel while John messes around with the Trio. Haha.
xo,
s
Kimberly says
Wow. Love the tan. Sadly, my hairs naturally red and it isn’t very easy for me to tan! Oh, and just in case you wanna check out my new entry, http://www.xokimmy.livejournal.com & no I’m not a creep that’s gonna blog about you two, promise it’s different from my last post! *giggles*
Also, I was looking at pictures of Clara on your Flickr account and she is hands down the most adorable and happy baby, I think I have EVER seen! Oh, and a question, who do you two think she looks more like? Sherry or John?
Personally, I can’t tell!
YoungHouseLove says
We can’t tell either! We hear she looks like John more often but sometimes she smiles big and people say me.
xo,
s
Ashley says
We have a book “The Winemaker’s Marsh” that is constantly gifted back and forth. My mom got it for free at a winery and tried to mask it as a thoughfut gift for my husband b/c he’s into wine…without opening even one page of it to see that it’s about the birds in the marshlands near wine country. So it has found it’s way back to her and back to us many times over. :) *And I think the Dremel was a sign!