Piddlin’ Posts

Piddlin’ Trips | Half Way Around The World

Check out the cool “antichita” shop we found on the streets of Rome! The smell and feel of the cluttered piles of one man’s junk made me feel right at home. Unfortunately there wasn’t anything that we felt drawn to lug back home through customs in our bags but I knew I had to share this awesome find with my piddlin’ friends the moment I laid eyes on it! Add another pin to the map!

Okay- now take a look at my favorite little gelateria in all of Italy.

This is the first place I tasted authentic Italian gelato…and it started a serious love affair. My first order (to overcome what seemed to be an incurable jetlag on our first day in Roma): “mango” with “crema” and it came with a delicious wafer to boot! I found myself looking for more mango gelato at every stop on our trip -no, really- everytime we passed a gelateria, I asked Ryan…do you think they have “mango!?” and then I would usually have to settle on another flavor. It goes without saying that I also made sure to get back for more mango upon our return to Rome, as no flavor in any of our other stops seemed to satiate the craving I had for this utterly fresh flavor of the first mango fruit gelato. When we finally got back around to this side of Rome, alas, the mango was gone, and I enjoyed stracciatella instead. WOW- here is  a quick description of this amazing flavor thanks to a quick wiki search:  “In Italy, Switzerland, Portugal, Greece, Spain, Croatia, Germany, Slovenia and the Netherlands, gelato with a vanilla base and chocolate shavings is also called stracciatella. It is somewhat analogous to chocolate chip ice cream in North America though the chocolate is intended to be less chunky and more integrated with the gelato. It was invented in 1962 by Enrico Panattoni, the owner of the “La Marianna”, a gelateria in Bergamo in northern Italy.”

It capped off my Italian gelato taste fest! Just—look at it! It was a MESS and it was DELICIOUS! We loitered around the nearby Piazza Navona (gorgeous-and one of our favorite little spots), gelatos in hand and savored every morsel.

| keep piddlin’ 

Piddlin’ Trips + Finds | Long Time, No Write!

Well hey there, stranger! Long time, no see-

I have been quite a busy piddler lately! Since March I have been…to

  • 5 weddings
  • 3 bachelorette parties- not including my own,
  • shopped for 4 bridesmaids dresses- for myself and for my own fair ‘maids,
  • then attended 3 engagement parties
  • 5 wedding showers
  • opened countless packages and cards filled with wonderfully thoughtful words and gifts
  • attended a delicious food tasting at Newton Farms
  • had fun at Charleston Fashion Week with the cutest neighbor who is also Charleston’s favorite Lilly Pullitzer store manager
  • house sat at my favorite antique mansion
  • acquired my first passport
  • created a wedding registry at 3 of my favorite stores
  • took a ferry trip up the beautiful coast of North Carolina, also known as The Outerbanks (that’s OBX for all you tourists)
  • ate the best teriyaki ahi tuna sandwich of my life at an undisclosed location en route
  • and met lots of Ryan’s friends and family

…all while making plans for our own special day (coming soon to a church near you). Through all this, we have been renovating what will soon be “our” kitchen and I have managed to hold onto at least 25% of my sanity at all times.

Now you can see how there has been little to no time for piddlin’ nor even so much as a sentence-length update to the piddlin’ press and I have really been having withdrawals- All work and no ‘tiquin’ (that is…antiquing or piddlin’) makes MC a dull girl! I mean look, for 3 years now, I have been able to post some type of preview, image or update almost every month and for the very first time I have gone some 5 months without so much as a peep! So last weekend, when we knew a trip to IKEA was in store, we took the opportunity and ran with it!

Ryan and I started renovating the kitchen back in March and it has been such an adventure! I was on a friend’s bachelorette weekend in Florida when the first of the revamps took place and I was genuinely upset about not being able to help with that first round of demolition—which everyone knows is THE best part of renos! Ok well, let’s face it, I do love to paint and pick colors, tiles and the like, but I digress. Each phase of the process my handy architect sits me down and walks me through the step by step process at hand and we discuss back and forth a bit about how it will should go. It was during the most recent chat we decided to replace the old (circa 1970-something) counter-tops, with beautiful beech butcher block counters! Now, my fiance, being the crafty/resourceful man that he is not only found out that IKEA sold butcher block, but also had planned in a side trip to one of our happy haunts: Sleepy Poet! We, correction, I have had my heart set on a very specific screen-door style. While this type of door is available new, Ryan and I have a love of all things worn-in over the brand new, so we set out on a hunt for just that- our new/old screen door.

While this trip may not have produced any screen-door finds, we did manage to rustle up a few great picks. You mind, now- I have already picked out the perfect paint for said door, hahah…I just haven’t quite gotten my hands on that particular object for painting it as of yet! (mercy)

So, in the meantime, check out the fun finds below that we snagged on this (much needed) trip and look for more updates on home improvement with Team R+C. (total nerds, yes)

[>] This is a piece I have been wanting for some time now! …it’s an old ceiling tin square that used to make up the ceilings of just about every restaurant for a time. The tin is magnetic and can be used as a magnet board for photos, mementos and notes! I can’t wait to hang this on a wall in my finished kitchen or even upstairs in the hallway!

[>] These awesome gas station numbers (below) were discovered by Ryan at Sleepy Poet! So in love with these- once we hang them we’ll have no trouble remembering our anniversary! ;)

[>] Next, you’ll see more gas station lettering here with our two favorite initials that also make up the name of one of our favorite collectible items: RC Cola! Ryan grew up drinking RC on Saturday mornings which he spent working on tractors with his granddaddy at his Case International tractor shop!

When Ryan and I were first dating, I bought him an antique iron bracket that I knew he would appreciate as a repurposed door stop with him being an architect. This was after he had once told me, “you’re more than welcome to fill up my house with antiques!” I took him completely seriously and the piddlin’ habit grew. The second antique I ever gave Ryan, was one that I found at Metrolina in Charlotte- it was a wooden RC Cola crate. Prior to gifting it to him, I filled it with RC Cola cans, knowing he was sure to love it! It was later on that we realized the letters in the drinks’ name were also our initials.

[>] These fabulously-French inspired dishtowels are tres-chic and tres-handy! We found these gems at IKEA of all places…can you say .79 a pop? The antique version goes for MUCH much more!

[>] Now, the next couple photos are finds that we picked up at Riverside Antique Barn in Wallace, NC on our way home from the wedding shower thrown in our honor!  It was Memorial Day weekend, but we had no idea they were open and had even looked up their hours online, once in the car. Ryan decided to drive me by it so I could see what a killer warehouse it really was (he had been once before). It was just our luck that they were open on the occasion and here is what we found!

[>] Some fabulous antique clothespins…

[>] These 2 precious red + white enamel refrigerator tins (that’s pre-tupperware, ladies and gents)!

[>] and lastly, these Dr. Pepper bottle caps which will be magnets by the end of this week! Love the 10 -2 and 4 on these especially!

That is it for now, thanks for checkin in and catchin up! Don’t forget to let me know of any items you’re looking for as I am always happy to pick up a sursie or two for anyone! (Meredith, still looking for your ladder!) Hope to have more again soon to share. ‘Till then-

| peace, love + antiques for all

On the Road Again!

A  few weekends back, we made our way up the road to Clinton, SC to celebrate Shawn + David’s engagement. A good time was had by all!


Now, as usual when we travel, we make a road trip out of it and some piddlin’ time is always involved, so we end up stopping at every antique mall / shop / lean-to on our path. At this point, it’s hard to believe there are still places we have yet to visit or come across!

Stops included Columbia for lunch at Zesto…always very delish, and highly recommended by many! Then Newberry, SC …both en route to the Saturday night party. Downtown Newberry was a ghost town, but that was to our advantage.

Our first stop was Eurolux- a very fine, high-end antique shop with GORGEOUS mahogany butler’s cabinets, hutches, dressers, tables and chairs from Europe. We made a friend, Minky- who is a beautiful Siamese cat rescued by the store owner’s son. As I type, remembering sweet Minky, I wish I had taken a picture of his charming and inquisitive face with his blue eyes that were piercing sky blue! …mind you, I don’t even like PICTURES of cats much less real ones! This one stole my heart. He greeted us at the door, just as the owner stood to tell us about his treasures for sale. He leapt to the floor from the window ledge were we stood and followed us at our pace as if he were to be leading us on a guided tour. If at any point we stopped he would be sure to catch our eye as if to say, “do you have any questions for me?” It is not an exaggeration to say that Minky led us around the entire store, and kept us entertained and laughing as he would sneak up and over and sometimes under the pieces of furniture on the floor. I was impressed by his personality and intellect; what a cat!

This is a picture of a Siamese cat that looks a lot like Minky!

After snagging a town “guide” we located a number of stores so Ryan promptly found a parking space and we headed to store #2: Antiques on Main. Well, this was more what we were hoping for. Separate booths with each their own “style” of antiques and plenty to feast our eyes on! It was an older man and woman running the shop and while they were not terribly friendly upon our arrival, or to one another for that matter, by the time we were settling up and heading out, she invited us for dinner at their house! HA! She was enamored with us when we told her we were from Charleston. She was a riot! Telling me all about the houses they almost lived in in Summerville and even who they were once owned by…oh my goodness, she was a trip. Our two finds from Antiques on Main included this nice small, gold frame for $3  

and this vibrant yellow McCoy vase which I promptly latched onto as a sursie to DeeDee for keeping our pup safe and happy at home! (She has got quite a collection goin’!)

Store #3 was our jackpot-there are many pros to having an architect for a fiancé, but perhaps one of my favorite things about having an architect as my piddlin’ partner is how it only takes him 3-5 minutes inside of a building, and he can tell me so much about the history of it, and its primary function! So this shop we stopped into was determined by Ryan to have been a boarding house or dormitory/orphanage…which was both really cool, and a bit eerie too. Well, it bordered between a pack-rat’s haven and a picker’s dream! It didn’t take long for me to put my hands on what may be, to do this day, the coolest, most unusual piddlin’ find I have ever come across. Behold, the Carolina bobble head!!  

And that was just the beginning! How can any piddlin’ find follow that, you say? Well be sure to feast your eyes on the precious vintage Valentine’s Day cards that will be included in my Valentine’s Day post!!  Read it HERE

We woke up the next morning after the big engagement party fuzzy eyed and a bit drained but managed to make it back to Newberry to meet up and go to church with my brother (he’s a freshman there this year!). After brunch at The Flying Pie on Main Street (amazing), we headed eastbound and down to Prosperity and Little Mountain, SC. Wow, were we in for a great surprise!

If you have never driven into downtown Prosperity…it is every bit of a country mile (or three) from the interstate so be patient…it’s worth the drive. We arrived half past 12 to find the shop opened at 1:00, and after a good long glance in the store front, we decided we’d wait it out and in just 5 minutes, the owner pulled up and told Ryan she would open up early for us! We found a gamecock mug, a surprise pictured below to be given at a later date,  and this (yes, I’ll admit) very cool Clemson cookbook from the year they won The National Championship in 1981, I can’t say I’ve ever seen that before! We gave it to Ryan’s roommates for giving him such a great place to stay until we get married. Needless to say, they looooooved it.

Last stop: Little Mountain where we found this fab hunter green mailbox!

I won’t keep you any longer than I have already, but clearly the piddlin’ has been getting better and better!!! I can only imagine what goodies there must be still out there just waiting to be found! If you stumble across a good find, I’d love to hear about it! Email me @ pigginpiddler@gmail.

Au Revoir for now!

Keep Piddlin’ | the p.p.

Just Piddlin’ Y’all!

Okay, first order of business, I owe you a post and it will be a good one when I finally find the time to polish it up! More importantly, I awoke Saturday morning to find a lovely little magazine article from a publication you may have heard of…Southern Living – !!! posted on my facebook page.

“The Fine Art of Piddling”

The article is in this month’s issue and talks about the art form that is piddlin‘!!! Please, don’t take my word for what a fun read this is! Just read it here in Rick Bragg’s Southern Journal! {Enjoy}

Keep Piddlin’!

Wedding Bells Are Ringing!

I hear wedding bells! 2012 has been deemed “The Year of Weddings” for many of my friends as well as Ryan and I. We have a wedding to attend in February and April, followed by three weddings in June, then our wedding arriving in September, and the most recent addition to the calendar is another Charleston wedding in November for a sorority sister. That adds up to 7 total! Did I mention that I am slated as a bridesmaid in a least four? Everyone told me it would happen this way and I must say, so far, it has really been FUN!!

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With our engagement party last weekend,The shower season is finally upon us and in full swing. Now, in regards to piddlin’ matters I must first share with you a few antique sursies given to Ryan and By a few friends close to our heart, our engagement photog, the always fabulous, one and only, Sally Lund Freshour; our sweet matchmaker, Caroline Delongchamps; and my hardcore piddlin’ girlfriend Jessie (aka, for those of you who know her well, “The Pig” (a nickname her brother gave her as a young girl – haha everyone needs a brother!) So here goes: This perfectly vintage cake topper is the most fabulous one I have seen to date! Found at Charlotte, NC’s Seasonal International Antique Expo at Metrolina.

That Sally is some kind of awesome and I highly recommend her for any of your (engagement, wedding, baby, family, professional) photography needs! Added bonus: this girl will travel, so check out her website. And tell her I sent you! sallyfeshour.com This pretty, antique cross made of beadboard is from Sweet Caroline D and has already found its place in a prominent spot by the door in my town home (which is where Ryan and I will live after the Big Day!)

And then, this fab sign- a staple item for every antique collectors home! So fun!

At this point, I cannot continue any further without sharing an item we acquired this Christmas!! This “Flexible Flyer” sled is authentic as they get and was once ridden down the hills of Blacksburg, Virginia by my fiancé! How amazing is this sled?!

Ryan has been telling me about it since last Christmas so naturally it was the first thing I asked about upon our arrival to Ryan’s parents’ house on December 23rd! She is a beauty and I’m already looking forward to putting a big fat bow with a nice fresh spring of cedar and fir next Christmas season! This poor sled may never be ridden in snow again, but it will always have a place of honor in this home!! Love her!!! Never in my wildest dreams, did I think I would have such an authentic sled in this picker’s antique inventory!

There is so much more to show you, so for fear of overloading you with excitement, I will have to leave it here for now ~ to be continued!!

Life is FULL of Surprises!

Mom always said, “If you’re good, life will be full of surprises!” So let’s see…there were a few stops in Southport, NC for Thanksgiving where Ryan’s brother lives, even though I wasn’t entirely sure we’d have time what with all the cooking, eating, napping, and football watching we had in store this Thanksgiving (our first together). That was where I first saw and fell in love with this *GEM* which was later given to me from Ryan’s parents for Christmas! *Such* a fabulous, fabulous surprise!

Then there were the somewhat surprise stops in Landrum, SC and Inman, SC en route to Asheville, NC where we actually found some very fab vintage coke glasses for Uncle Tom-which he LOVED, a neat baguette board as seen in this picture holding the green and gold ornaments:

and then from Inman,SC : we found these very fun Spanish tiles which I plan to make into coasters very soon!!

That was early December so our next trip came on December 22nd as we drove to Elizabeth City, NC to celebrate Christmas with The Jennings Families! We stopped just outside of New Bern, NC (yes, the birthplace of Pepsi) and found this wonderfully unique “Maola” milk crate complete with heavy steel/aluminum bottom. SO AWESOME:

AND the other fab find was an addition to mom’s collection of Royal Doulton children’s dish line, “Bunnykins.” The find? …a bowl that pictures bunny’s picking peaches!! AH! I wanted to keep it for myself, but she started her collection first! Hopefully my name gets written down to inherit it (wink, wink)!!

As if these great finds weren’t enough, we even were gifted with some cool antiques this Christmas that ONLY mom could have found—she always finds the BEST stuff!

So first-this awesome red, brit-inspired, mailbox!!

and then this really cool vintage baseball game given to Ryan, that brought back memories for our parents and grandparents alike! It proved to be very fun- and addicting! If it is not yet obvious, we are baseball junkies. You should see our house!

Last but not least, my sweet fiance found some very perfect items at Antiques Market that reminded him of me, a small sampler chalkboard (not pictured) and this fun sign (I’m def a beach girl!- very perfect!)

That’s all for now, but there’s STILL more to follow! So stay tuned for another update from the piddlin’ ‘press!

Happy Piddlin!

Holiday Wrap Up

Happy Thanksgiving! Merry Christmas! and Happy New Year! Technically Christmas isn’t over until Friday, you know…but alas, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years have come and gone, and boy were they good to us! I wish I had found some more time to share our holiday treats with everyone but here’s a quick taste of a little bit of what we’ve been up to:

We made some *fabulous* turkeys!

Saw a few lighthouses on Oak Island and Bald Head Island and this cool antique light fixture that I would have liked to take home with me!

Chipper turned 4 in December!

We trekked to Asheville, NC to enjoy one of our favorite quick trips to see The Biltmore all decked out for Christmas! …even cut down our first fresh Christmas tree!

We decked the halls!

Rang in 2012 with party hats, noise makers, homemade bacon-wrapped scallops and Andre!

Oh yea and we had a big time having our engagement shots taken by sweet Sally Freshour! She’s amazing!!

© Sally Freshour Photography 2011
© Sally Freshour Photography 2011
© Sally Freshour Photography 2011
© Sally Freshour Photography 2011

With our engagement party fast approaching, I can’t help but think what a great start 2012 has made. Only 9 short months left ’til the BIG DAY! As far as the piddlin’ side of life, we have managed to squeeze in a few quick-stops here and there between our travels…check back in a bit to catch all the fun deets!

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Bouckville 2011

A guest post by our friend, Sarah from New York on her piddlin’ adventures near and far: Enjoy!!

Bouckville, or should I say Madison & Bouckville, are quaint villages located side by side about 30 miles southeast of Syracuse, New York. The two locales are known for their numerous antiques shops and enormous antiques festival held every summer. In mid-August, both communities transform into an endless piddler’s delight; fields & fields of vendors, tent after tent, shop after shop, and deal after deal. There’s something for everyone at Madison Bouckville’s Antiques Week.

I’ve had the privilege of attending this antiques extravaganza over the past 4 years. I know I’ve never come close to seeing it all! I recommend you arrive early and stay late. Eat salt potatoes amp; fried dough at any one of the many food vendors you’ll find street side along US Route 20. Bring a wagon or cart – you’ll need it to carry your many wares. No one wants to trek back to their cars once they’re in their groove.

This year I picked up 3 old Maxwell House Coffee tins (without lids) for $1 each:

…a blue & white vintage spice rack with ceramic jars depicting the following spices: salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice & paprika for $25:

and an old blue & white swirl graniteware colander for $20.

I also purchased a piggin gift for my Sister Jessie (aka Pig). Hint: it’s so “piggin” cute; hope she can use it for her cookbooks in the kitchen. This represents the least amount of purchases I’ve ever scored at Bouckville.

In years past I’ve picked up kitchen chairs, more blue & white swirl graniteware and a collection of equestrian goodies that I used to decorate my daughter’s bedroom (back when she was interested in horses). BTW those items are now for sale if y’all like horses.

I’ve been with a friend who scored an oak desk for her hubby (that helped justify her other purchases) and another friend who found the perfect side table. Last year I found 2 kitchen cabinets that I absolutely loved but knew I could not justify buying them. They weren’t there this year; I know as I looked and looked thinking I might just break down and “acquire” one. “Acquire” is what I say to my husband when I don’t exactly tell him how much an item was. (editor’s note: this is a sign of a good seasoned picker! haha)

If The Piggin Piddler (aka Mary Catherine) allows, I’ll update y’all from Central New York next August as I return to Madison Bouckville Antiques Week in search of the perfect piggin’ kitchen cupboard.

Sista Sara | hatrickme@twcny.rr.com

Thanks to Sister Sara for the fabulous post! What a great pick she had! If YOU are interested in guest posting, just email me at pigginpiddler@gmail.com! Stay tuned for the latest on this piddler’s recent move and revamp of the soon to be love nest~ until then keep piddlin’!

Sursies from Scott’s

Scott’s Antique Market in Atlanta was incredibly overwhelming! Antiques were uncovered, memories were made, and without further ado, here are my finds:

Cast Iron Twine Holder/Dispensers @ $12 each, settled for $22-
Check In! Check Out! | Very hard to find!! Asking price $65….settled for $50.
A beautifully handcrafted mirror-frame off of an old oak dresser that will SOON become a chalkboard agenda for the house! | sticker price $48…SOLD! for  $35!
Another, shorter ladder…because there are too many neat things to do with ladders!! $30 asking price, I got it for $25-

And all these sundries cannot be fully enjoyed without a few pics from the rest of the trip:

Gotta have some good reading material!!! | Country Living is definitely our mag. of choice!
What’s a good girls’ trip without the Happy Hour spread!?
Loads & loads of such good “junque!!”

That’s all for now!

keep piddlin!

love

Old, New, Borrowed & Blue

So as they say…good things come in threes. I don’t know that I have ever experienced this phenomenon in the past, but I can definitely speak for it now.

I managed to make it through every day of last week with a smile on my face (which is a huge accomplishment), received countless encouragements from my co-workers, and on Friday evening I received a wedding proposal that was out of this world amazing (more to come later.)

It may be hard to believe, but these aren’t even the three good things I intended to share with you.

On the night of my engagement I also received three antiques. They are three that I will forever associate with the happiest time in my life to date.

1. A “nautical” antique lantern: given as a third of five clues leading me to Ryan on the beach and the aforementioned wedding proposal!

pondering the initial use of a lantern like this one…

2.  An antique I have been searching for everywhere since I first started piddlin’ with gusto: a fabulously old painter’s ladder with hardware to boot! Given as a gift from the one and only “sister Sara,” who is the sister of our dear neighbor Jessie Buck. (who we also call “the pig”- and that is a whole post for another day)

um…how piggin’ perfect is this ladder !?!?!

3. And finally, the most perfect ring I have ever seen and more than I ever dreamt it could be ….mine?! Yes. This is the third antique I was given after a beach dinner picnic and the 5 clues (baseballs with messages) leading up to it. I am not completely convinced that I deserve something of such stunning beauty, but I am forever thankful and quickly humbled by such a gift. I mean, just look at it: Found in Ryan’s very own Elizabeth City, North Carolina…a city just as beautiful as this ring and now, forever a part of our life together!

The most unique 1910-1920s Art Deco Estate Gold Filigree & Platinum Engagement Ring anyone has ever seen!
after a trip to the jeweler…its back on my finger clean sparkling and fitting like a glove!

It has been a long week, but every time I look down at that ring on my left hand, I am reminded about how much I am loved…and not just by the giver of such a beautiful gift, but also I am reminded of the love of his parents and mine who have spent and sacrificed so much of their time to bring us to this point. We are all truly looking forward to planning and celebrating such a happy occasion.

Finally, I must add that tomorrow is THE TRIP of a LIFETIME…

Okay. well. maybe not a LIFEtime, but it is certainly a big trip for any piddler, because since I knew it existed I have always wanted to take a trip down south to Atlanta, Georgia’s very own Scott’s Antique Show. I have only ever heard stories but tomorrow and subsequently after work, travel and sleep time, (Saturday) I will finally lay eyes on the closest antique Mecca South of the Mason Dixon and East of the Mighty Mississippi….SCOTTS! FINALLY!

_________________

WHOOHOO!!! We’re finally getting married!!!! I am the happiest and luckiest girl in the world!!!!

I leave you with one of my favorite lines by Emily Bronte, taken from Wuthering Heights:

“Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”

Stay tuned because there are sure to be all sorts of fun finds on the blog next week!

happy piddlin!

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