Tag: antiques

A Genuine Whatchamacallit

When I was in Texas in early October my son, grandson, and I spent part of one morning scoping out estate sales in Dallas. Fortunately I was living out of a suitcase, otherwise there’s no telling what I’d have bought. Yes, I know I could’ve gone to a pack and mail place and have purchases delivered to Doright Manor, but I didn’t want to spend money on postage.

Early in the day I bought a nice tennis bracelet, and it looked like that would be it for me. I looked at some nicely priced, nearly new designer bags, but honestly, my cup (and my closet) runneth over when it comes to purses and such.

At the final sale we went to I found this intriguing silver piece, and my son bought it for me as a birthday gift:

Here it is with the dome up:

And with the little plate removed:

Finally, a close up of an attached holder. That was what gave away this whatchamacallit, in my book.

Well, that and the assistance of an informed collector. It needs a good polishing, but its beauty shines through.

What do you think it is? I probably won’t laugh at any guesses. No promises.

Peace, people!

Thrifting in Havana

Havana, Florida, is a prime shopping location for those looking for antiques, curiosities, or just plain junk. On a rainy Wednesday the intrepid Noyz grandkids, their grandparents, and a friend went in search of all three.

Friend Sophia had to try out every typewriter we saw.

Dominique and Sophia took a photo of a piece of wax fruit Dominique had photographed last year. It has a bite mark in it, for identification purposes, we supposed.

Jackson practiced molding a cardboard bust of Elvis. At least the tag said it was Elvis, we didn’t see the resemblance.

Studly Doright had to put in his two cents worth of advice.

I almost purchased these placemats featuring historic sites. Classy, right?

The placemats would’ve been stunning with the candelabras pictured above.

Dominique was perpetually cold.

Jackson loves old cameras. He seriously considered buying this one.

I found lots of cool pieces, but didn’t buy anything.

Loved this telephone table. The kids couldn’t quite get the idea that one couldn’t just talk on the phone from anywhere in the house. I told them I used to have to sit on the floor in our hallway to talk on the phone. Ah, those were the days.

A creepy doll above and another below.

I tried to convince Studly that I needed this green bench.

After an afternoon of thrift shopping we took the kids to a Japanese steakhouse in Tallahassee and then to see the new Mission Impossible movie.

A successful day on all counts, but the week is going by too quickly for Nana.

Peace, people.

Snapshot #209

When Texas grandson, Jackson, comes to visit we always spend some time “thrifting” at antique and junk stores. Neither Studly Doright nor Jack’s sister, Dominique enjoy the activity, but yesterday afternoon they, along with our guest, Sophia, accompanied us to Havana to check out the local goods.

I didn’t have time to go through all the photos I took on our quest for the perfect thrift store find, but this piece caused each one of us to make a face and/or an exclamation of revulsion:

I’m calling it, “Ew! What’s Wrong with that Giant Creepy Doll’s Arms?”

I’m not sure what today will bring. Rain hampered outdoor activities yesterday, so we’re hoping for clearer skies on this Thursday.

Peace, people!

Rivertown Mercantile

On Thursday afternoon I drove the 45 minutes to the small town of Blountstown to get my hair cut and colored. My stylist, Genia Burke at Head 2 Toe, worked her magic and I look human again.

My trips to Blountstown are never complete, though, without a stop at Rivertown Mercantile. I’m in search of a bedside table for one of our guest bedrooms, and thought I might find one here. I didn’t find one that met my needs, but I enjoyed looking all the same.

I got a kick out of their sidewalk advertisement:

I love the displays of antiques and vintage items for sale.

On past visits I’ve bought some vintage botanical prints as well as some fun knick knacks and old books. Alas, I am still a bit puny and didn’t have the stamina to shop until I dropped. Actually I was a little worried that dropping might’ve been an unintended outcome, and I still had to drive home. I’ll be back in a month or so, and indulge myself further then.

By the way, I don’t receive any type of compensation for mentioning these businesses. I just like spreading the word.

Peace, people.

Hanging Out In Quincy, FL

Doright Manor, where I reside with my husband, Studly Doright, is in a rural housing development about eight miles west of Tallahassee, Florida. We have a Havana, FL, address, but we’re geographically closer to the town of Quincy.

Typically when I shop I head to Tallahassee, with Havana being my second choice, but on Wednesday I needed something small (eye liner) and decided to see if I could find it in Quincy at the CVS. Sure enough they had what I wanted and much too soon I was driving home.

Quincy is the county seat, so I drove around the courthouse square to see if there was anything of interest. I noticed a business I hadn’t seen on any of my previous visits. Could it be an antique/junk shop? It was! Be still my heart!

My photos aren’t great, but the shop is. It’s called The Junktion and it’s been open for a couple of months. The delightful owner, (whose name I’ve forgotten thanks to my advanced age) is still sorting through things and she has some treasures.

I couldn’t quite keep myself out of the photo above. It is always all about me anyway.

And the owner is in this one above. She is adorable and has big plans for her shop. The photos, as I said, aren’t great, but the shop is.

Just next door to The Junktion is the Gadsden Arts Center. I wasn’t in any hurry to go home, so I popped in there for bit.

I’d never taken the time to properly stroll through the galleries of the arts center, having in the past merely popped in for directions or to ask a question, but now after spending some time there I realize that the Gadsden Arts Center is a real gem. In addition to the galleries, the center is adding a gift shop, and they offer classes and studio time. I’m not much of an artist, but it would be fun to take a class.

http://gadsdenarts.org/exhibitions.aspx

I definitely need to spend more time in Quincy.

Peace, people.

Renaissance Kid

Our youngest grandson, Jackson, is something of an old soul. He's much more interested in shopping at vintage and antique stores than in shops selling toys. When he and his sister visited last summer Jackson found a knife for his collection at Planters Exchange in Havana, Florida. So yesterday morning he asked if we could check out their merchandise.



Dominique has almost no interest in shopping for vintage items, so she wandered and grumbled.

Although, at another shop she was tickled to find a wax apple with a bite mark on it.

And she wanted a picture of a funky door at Planters Exchange, but only if I'd pose with it.

Jackson came home with a new knife for his collection, so our trip was a success.

I'm exhausted, but at least everyone is happy.

Peace, people!

Havana Shopping, Part 2

The Shoppes at Havana Trading Company in Havana, FL, is a fun place to spend a couple of hours. Around every corner one can find something to delight: candles, clothing, tea, antiques, and that’s just for starters.

When I visited yesterday I met Melba Ginsberg, the manager of Melba’s Cafe, and Karyn Burke, the owner of the “Broken Shell Boutique” a purveyor of beachy eclectica. The Broken Shell is just one of many wonderful shops inside The Shoppes at Havana Trading Company.


In her shop Karyn sells everything a displaced beach bum might need: sandals, beach towels, stationery, jewelry, fragrances for body and home, and candles among other things. Mermaids are welcome there, so I felt right at home. 

The vivacious Karyn Burke. She’s a joy!

Obviously I wasn’t the only shopper yesterday, so rather than monopolize Karyn’s time I wandered about The Shoppes and snapped some photos.

i have a hankering for this accordion.
This little three-drawer chest is gorgeous.

I hope these photos make you want to pay a visit to The Shoppes at Havana Trading Company. I’m ready to go back!

Peace, people!

Question for the Aged 

A friend posted this meme on his Facebook page today and jokingly quipped, “My wife.”  
But being the deep thinker that I am, instead of quickly responding with something like “my vintage Huey Lewis concert tshirt which doubles as my favorite nightgown” I thought I’d turn the question into a blog post.

 

Huey Lewis. I sleep with him, you know.
 
I have a lot of old stuff. Probably the oldest is a bedroom suite that I inherited from my maternal grandmother, my beloved Nannie Grace. It was an antique when she bought it, but she went one step further and antiqued the antique. Sigh. Apparently it was a popular thing to do in the 60’s and 70’s.

   
 I’ve considered having her antiquing process undone and the furniture restored to its original mahogany, but one restorer explained to me that the paint Nannie Grace applied is probably the only thing holding it together at this point.

It’s still a beautiful set, and I’d estimate it at possibly 145 years of age.

There’s also this piece from Nannie Grace

  
And this poor old clock that was my Daddy’s:

  
But my favorite old thing is my side saddle.

  
My maternal grandfather, Grandaddy Carl P., bought this saddle when I was very young. He promised it would be mine someday and here it is. Like Grandaddy, though, I really don’t have anywhere to display it. He kept it in his workshop and Studly always gives me space in the garage for this sentimental piece. It deserves better, so if anyone has a suggestion for how I might incorporate it into my decor I’m more than willing to listen. 

What’s the oldest thing in your house? Why do you have it and what does it mean to you? Inquiring minds want to know.

Peace, people!

A New Arrangement

A few weeks ago, Studly Doright and I spent all afternoon moving furniture from one end of Doright Manor to the other. 

When we moved in nearly two years ago I made an error in measuring our guest bedrooms. Ok, let’s be honest, I didn’t bother measuring, and one of the bedrooms ended up being cramped and claustrophobic, while the other felt cavernous. With two sets of company coming for a long weekend, we decided to right that wrong.

One set of bedroom furniture is antique and fragile. It belonged to my grandmother, and even though I’m sometimes tempted to sell it I just can’t bring myself to part with it. While the headboard and footboard are massive the bed is a small full size and barely allows one adult to sleep comfortably. 

   
 
The other set is fairly new, acquired when my dad lived with us. The queen sized bed and armoire are nothing fancy, but the mattress is top notch. I’ve dubbed it, The Texas Bedroom, and it holds my go-to bed when Studly’s snoring passes the merely annoying stage and heads into the sonic torture realm.

   
 
The moving process from one end of the house to another was tricky, in that one room would need to be completely empty before the other furniture could be moved down this hallway:

  
Studly, a self-proclaimed master of both logistics and wiseassery carefully studied the necessary steps for a week before finally declaring, “Well, this is gonna suck.”

It did indeed suck. Neither Studly nor I are young any more, and that antique bedroom set is both heavy and unwieldy. Add fragile into the mix and we had ourselves quite an afternoon of gently persuading the pieces to hold together while we balanced them precariously on moving dollies. At the end of the day copious amounts of both wood glue and Ben-Gay were involved.

The results, though, were pleasing. The beds are much better suited to their respective rooms, and I am a happy camper. And in the end, isn’t my happiness what it’s all about?

Peace, people! 

Another Time Around

Many of my faithful readers might recall that Studly Doright and I moved to Tallahassee, Florida, a little over a year ago. The move was a transfer for Studly, so he had built-in contacts and connections while I was left adrift on a new, yet familiar ocean–that of being the new, yet old, girl in a strange town.

With no kids in school and no full-time job I pretty much spend my days in aimless limbo, exploring little boutiques and eating at local cafés. I know, it’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it, right?

Today I popped into Another Time Around, a shop specializing in “Pre-Loved, Shabby Chic Furniture & Accessories.” Immediately I was struck by the creativity and artistry of proprietor Kim Parr. 

 
Kim’s work can be fun and funky or chaste and classic, and she will do custom work, as well. I even signed up to take a class in chalk painting! Imagine that! Me. Painting. Maybe someone should warn Kim of my dire lack of talent and tendency to klutziness.

 
Here’s just a peek at one of Kim’s creations. It started life as an octagonal end table. Now it’s a super cool pet area with a place for toys or even another pet bed on top. The details are so clever; I just might need this. Scout and Patches would probably bicker over who got the top bunk, though. Cats.

  
Here’s another pretty piece, even though my photo doesn’t do it justice. I wasn’t planning a blog post while I was wandering around the shop. 

I can’t wait to visit Kim’s shop again. So, keep mum on my klutziness issues. I’ll post a picture of the project I complete following the chalk painting class on the 19th of May. I’m not sure what I want my picture to reflect–chances are it will either deal with wine or cats. Or wine and cats. 

Seriously, look Kim up online at www.anothertimearoundtally.com and on Facebook she’s “Another Time Around TLH.” I seldom do plugs for businesses, so you know I really like her. 

Her pieces remind me a lot of my sister-in-law Lyn’s work, so I’ll shamelessly plug her site, too: TexanIslandGirl on Facebook.

Great day! Great discoveries! Peace, People!