The Hunt with Michael Vol. 1

You know when you know you are getting older?  It’s not when you find yourself shopping for life insurance, or when you say things like “annuity” or “volatile market” or shake your first in the air and say “darn kids get off my lawn”….  It’s when the best date EVER with your husband is getting to go out “antiquing” as you like to call it, which is code for “junkin”, because let’s face it, it’s not like we’re really out looking to buy priceless antiques.  When you can spend the whole day, no kids, going from store to store, AND a lunch date… perfect.

So…why call this The Hunt with Michael?  Because Michael has a better eye than I do.  I go in a thrift store, or booth in an antique store, and if it looks like this:

I’m out.  I can’t stand having to sort through stuff.  I’m trying to learn patience.

But Michael can spot treasures anywhere.  Typically, we’ll go in a place, split up, and I’m done in about 5 minutes.  But he’ll spend an hour going through everything. And he always finds good stuff.

This weekend we went to three places in Athens:  Weekend A’fair which I had never been to before, Lexington Vintage, which is quickly becoming my favorite place to shop, and Junk in the Trunk, from which we never leave empty handed.

Weekend A’fair had some beautiful antique pieces.  I didn’t get many pictures because I spent most of my time chatting with the owner, who was a very delightful lady, but I did get this pic of this artwork:

 

I have a thing for birds.  It always reminds me of my grandparents, who loved birds.  I always have a hard time passing them up, but I let this one go.

She also had a gorgeous Hoosier cabinet, unpainted.  It was divine.  It was not for sale.  I could not get away from the owner long enough to take a pic of it, though, but it was beautiful.

Next we went to Lexington Vintage. SO MUCH GOODNESS! Since we downsized, I have to be careful about what I bring home, but there was so much to love at such good prices at this place.  And none of her stuff is ever in a mess.  It is all beautifully styled.

 

These books.  First of all, am I the only one who read all of the old Hardy Boys books as a teen (was it weird that I loved those and the Sweet Valley High books too?  I would totally buy every single one of those and probably read them too if I ever found them.)  Look how fabulous those would be on a bookshelf.  You cannot go wrong with books as functional decor.

 

This cast iron horse head had a tag on it that said “old and nice” and it really is.  It would be such a cool architectural element in a room.  It was $75.

 

Not a great picture, but check out this vintage sledding disc.  It was huge- imagine the impact it would make hung on the wall, especially if you have high ceilings!  It would be perfect in a mudroom.  It was $30.

 

Ugg, I hate shots like this, but this mirror was only $12!  There were tons of mirrors like this that were super cheap, and in many different styles.  It would be so easy and inexpensive to change the style of your builder grade bathroom mirror, add some architectural interest to your entryway and mudroom, etc., just by changing out the mirrors.

 

This portrait- SHUT UP!  Sorry for the glare, but this thing is huge!  It was antique, and only $45! The frame alone is worth well more than that.  Portraits are a “thing” right now, but regardless of that, they are a great way to add presence to a room.  If you have added furniture and decor but still feel that your room is cold or unfinished, try adding a portrait like this.  If I didn’t already have an overload of oversized artwork, I would have bought this myself.

 

These vintage wood skis ($65) should be bought by a blogger better than I for some winter decor.  Somebody should really get on that.

You want to know my weakness when I shop?  Lamps.  And rugs.  Rugs because my boys and my dogs are constantly ruining them.  Lamps because I just love them.  And I feel like for some reason I never have enough of them.  Well, I ended up taking this one home:

 

 

Do you see that price?  $19.  For an antique lamp that works perfectly.

That shade is silk.  SILK I TELL YOU!  But the shape of the shade and the base, plus that gold trim,  had me at hello.  Beautiful, classic lines that will never go out of style.  When you see a lamp with such classic lines for such a cheap price, that is also calling your name from across the room, you can’t ignore it.  You can’t tell it no.  You buy it.  You bring it home, and maybe you talk to it as you walk past it from time to time.  Just to make it feel at home and welcome in its new spot in your living room.

Michael found the lamp for me.  I had walked right past it twice and never saw it.

One last thing at Lexington Vintage that I’ve been looking at for awhile:

Yes, that says, “Antique Doors from Egypt”.  These things are massive and beautiful.  I look at them every time that I go.  The carvings on them are stunning.  It is a travesty that I couldn’t get a better picture than this- but there was another door on top of them, and I was balancing them and my iPhone.   Please, please, somebody buy them and do something fabulous with them!

Okay, on to Junk in the Trunk, which has many of my dollars.

First, this David head.  Only $12.  These are all over blogland, and great for styling, but I just can’t get into them for some reason.

 

The obligatory hand.  Trendy, and interesting, but not my thing.

Here’s that pic again.  See, when I force myself to look at this, I see some good stuff.  The black and white serving set.  Some solid color pieces that would be good for styling pics, especially if you were a food photographer.  But when I was there, I couldn’t focus enough to stop and look.

I really need to get better about that.  But that’s why I have Michael.

 

This little beauty went home with me. My other weakness is small- okay, any sized- framed paintings of ships.  See the price?  $5.  This one hit the sweet spot of color, size, and price.  Michael found this one for me.

This chandy is pretty terrible at first sight.  It looks clunky and outdated.  But- look at the wood, and the lines of the arms.  It has lots of potential.  Plus, those milk glass covers could be repurposed. And- it’s super cheap.  $30.  It will be perfect for my mom’s office, which is soon getting a major farmhouse inspired makeover.  It went home with us, too.

So a pretty productive weekend “antiquing”!  Any fun finds or awesome treasures for you guys?