Out + about celebrating my birthday with sweet family + friends.
Be back next week…ciao-arrivederci!
| keep piddlin’
Tag: Piddlin’ Finds
Piddlesticks! | Flowers + Fall Musings
Last week was my birthday + I’ll admit, I am still recovering from quite the “fun hangover”. We had intentions to swing through a few new piddlin’ stops as we’ve done on many such occasions before, but we were unexpectedly taken by the beauty of the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Chihuly exhibits followed by some of the most breathtaking antique inspired pretties I have ever laid eyes on.
My husband described my love of old things to a local florist last week + this is what they came up with–the mind reels just thinking about the first moment + each thereafter I laid eyes on this birthday bouquet from my beau. They were such a sumptuous surprise + far beyond anything I could have possibly dreamt of receiving!
Do you ever find that your love of old things translates to other parts of life, like they did for me with these flowers?
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Always in the days immediately following my birthday, the anticipation of football starts to waft in the sultry summer air + my mind is swept up in autumn daydreams. This morning, my little piddlin’ partner + I conjured up-perhaps a bit prematurely- some pumpkin spice pecan muffins that I came across at Williams Sonoma. Even if it is still 90* outside, fall fever is quickly catching in our home!
Enjoy a few images of some of my Fall favorites to inspire your own seasonal daydreams!
Prime piddlin’ weather is coming; I feel it in my bones…
| keep piddlin’!
Piddlin’ Trips | Diamonds in The Rough
We made the trip a couple weeks back to a small town outside Atlanta to one of my most favorite piddlin’ haunts of all time, Vintage Village + had quite the time with my piddlin’ partner. See more about the first time we visited Snellville, Georgia!
Take a peek at the fun stuff -“goodness” as they call it at V.V.- that we soaked up for what seemed like hours. It still seems like a tie between who loves treasure hunting more-my little sweet pea or myself!
Jump to the bottom to see our finds…
I consider this trip one of the best as of late + thereby, its finds as “diamonds in the rough”, because this shop has such a lovely ambiance about it. It is easy to see the level of care + attention to detail put into each booth’s display.
The vendors who sell here love their antiques + the thrill of the hunt as much as I do! It truly makes a difference + you typically can tell the moment you walk in a place to do a little piddlin’ whether or not that is the case. All the items for sale here are so unique, while also being reasonably + fairly priced–I’m crazy to be sharing some of my favorite secrets!!
Here’s a few things we couldn’t head home without…
[>] These folding wooden chairs have been on my wish list for sometime-after seeing a similar pair painted with team colors + logos on Pinterest some years back; there’s a project in my future + I could not be more excited! Yes-they are purple for now, but their construction is sturdy and they are beautifully made. These are going to be great at our tailgates or just at home in our sports room! …stay tuned.
[>] This vintage wood frame was no question, especially when it was my piddlin’ partner who saw it and picked it up. The detail on it is not seen all that often on frames and the lovely paint job brings out the craftsmanship. Obviously I am not too concerned with how it’s been put together because it is still rough around the edges; that adds to the charm of this darling frame + is sure to add a little something to my big girl’s room!
[>] Lastly, these beautiful blue tins…swoonworthy!! I have been on the lookout for an assortment of tin containers like these to one day have a beautifully curated collection to hold all of our art supplies + the occasional wild flower clippings.
These are especially stunning with a posy of flowers, in particular, zinnias ! I chose to only take home the two that still had a nice rounded opening + will continue the hunt for more beautifully designed vintage tin containers to keep the collection growing…let me know if you come across any?
I’ll leave you with a little something to daydream on…
| keep piddlin’!
Piddlin’ Trips | Functional Finds from The Queen City + Beyond
‘pressed on the road, at nap time + a polished off after supper
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One October past, I took an impromptu solo road trip to Charlotte, North Carolina to peruse some of my favorite piles of junk at Metrolina’s Antique Extravaganza! Oftentimes, my love of discovering old things sends me off in new directions exploring unfamiliar or less frequented territory; this is key to finding the gems that keep me coming back for more.
The slightly foggy morning set the tone for this piddlin’ trip!
Is there anything better than fresh kettle korn from out of the copper pot?
It was fun flying solo on a crisp fall morning to one of my first out of town stomping grounds, but there truly were not many finds to be had.
Little did I know, this trip would break the mold!
It seems to me, that as decorating with old things has grown in popularity, the prices continue to rise at the more frequented stops + the search for a bargain find has become more + more competitive. I did manage to find a couple of very useful treasures, as luck would have it –behold the jackpot items below!
[>] This green hardware trough {pictured above} has found the perfect spot in our home in a number of ways, most recently as my cutout cookie co. packaging supplies organizer for the past year and a half + prior to that, it effectively + beautifully corralled the cache at my surcie-wrapping station {two of my other hobbies: baking + packaging//presentation}.
After our upcoming move at the end of the year, it will most likely find a new life as the perfect gardener’s assistant atop a potting bench, or even help sort my handy husband’s tools on his workbench…stay tuned for more on all that!!
[>] The second find of the day was a perfectly-sized box for our dog bowls! It was purchased with a specific idea in mind- i.e. cutting bowl sized holes into the top of the overturned box to place the bowls inside the top slats {or bottom depending how you look} so they sit flush with the flat side of the container. This saves our sweet {aging} pup from having too much pressure on his back/joints while eating + drinking while keeping up with the vintage feel of our home–all in all, it’s a big win!
For now, we are using the bowls on top of the box because we wanted to make sure our boy would not have any qualms with the new set up– and sure enough, he loves it!
I am not sure that I want to cut into such a great box just yet…I love the aged look of the wood + can hardly stand to even think of repurposing such a great old container in such a permanent way; there are SO many great uses for a box of this size! Either way, we love this addition to our family room + it’s safe to say the pup does too.
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The Depot at Gibson Mill was my second stop + replaced my usual haunt on this trip, The Sleepy Poet. Since my first piddlin’ trip to Charlotte some years ago I had seen The Depot advertised all over, yet had never had the chance to make the trip to Concord, a bit outside of The Queen City limits.
When I pulled up to Gibson Mill, my senses were on overload; from the country drive into town + the train that speeds by adjacent to the parking lot, to the sight of the monstrosity that is the mill housing The Depot–how would I ever get through this entire place without my trusty sidekick pickin’ beau?! The initial daunting feelings quickly evaporated when I came upon the most amazing item I had seen in some while…
[>] A perpetual calendar was waiting for me in the fifth booth down, on the first aisle I chose. I could hardly believe my piddlin’ eyes as the rush of disbelief + excitement came over me just laying eyes on this item. I held my breath as I picked up the calendar to see what the price would be: $21?! Another item scratched off the antique wish list, unreal. I was one aisle + five booths in and already began thinking– Gibson Mills FTW!
[>] Speaking of wins…not many paces away down the same aisle, was this classic college pennant tin trash can which I had recently seen featured in Country Living…what luck!! I cannot wait to see this in our finished sports room–another project that is currently many years in the works, thanks to our collecting-albeit discriminating- habit. Check out the matching lunch pail we found a few years back, while spending Thanksgiving on the coast of North Carolina…
What a great trip it was to Charlotte–just writing about it makes me eager to head back! Who’s up for a Fall piddlin’ trip?!
There is simply nothing better than piddlin’ in Autumn. Oh, I cannot wait for the cooler months to grace us with their presence: crisp air, crunchy leaves, football, pumpkin spice everything + piddlin’– bring it on.
| keep piddlin’!
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This post is published in homage to Metrolina: one of the first antique “shows” I ever attended as well as the first place I successfully bargained with a vendor. June 2 was the last show and I am elated for the future it opens up for finding new haunts at better prices! Memories made there will not be soon forgotten.
Piddlin’ Wish List | Oriental Rugs
I’ve had my eye out for a steal of a rug over the past 6 plus months -I would enthusiastically take one threadbare even- and somewhat recently came across this stunner of a woven runner-!!
…as well as a few other smaller rugs at Palmetto Moon Antiques, but had to leave it behind after seriously misreading the price tag; whoops… 😳 a girl can dream!
I have been asked specifically what I’m looking for + frankly, it will probably be a while until I can make such a purchase, so for now, I simply say I am honing my tastes. I don’t know much about oriental rugs-yet- but it is certainly in my list of things to research and learn more about. For now, I just browse aimlessly and when one speaks to me, I snap a pic and move on– we can worry about prices later!
| keep piddlin’
Speed Pick Special | New Places, New Faces
Our family is beginning a new adventure, with a transitional move to Atlanta this Summer to be completed when baby no.✌ arrives this Autumn.
I could not be more thrilled to be in one of our favorite antique hubs of the Southeast + am hoping to enjoy much more time piddlin’ + perusing the aisles at every antique mall from here to the Blue Ridge Mountains {another favorite piddlin’ territory}!
Today was day o n e of that dream realized. Take a look at some of the fun things we saw on our first boondoggle together around our new neck of the woods, pictured below. I never dreamt I’d be piddlin’ in some of these places for a second time with my daughter holding my hand + loving it as much as me. Oh, the sweet surprises life gives!!
Coming soon to Chamblee’s Antique Row!
…this Persian runner-!!
+ this beauty-that green is swoonworthy!
Furs for days!
my daughter’s favorite piddlin find of the day!
Stop three…
Last stop…
olive buckets…a piddlin’ decor staple
love the subtle details on this dresser….would be great for a big girl room + fresh paint + hardware
vintage trash can -LOVE!
definitely one of the oldest antiques I have ever seen!
| keep piddlin’
Piddlin’ Finds | Art Deco Earrings
A few birthdays back {I have officially stopped counting}, my thoughtful fiancé, took me on a birthday piddlin’ trip through the Atlanta area.
At the time, I had been sucked into- embarrassingly enough- a show on the CW called The Vampire Diaries which films in + around a small town outside of Atlanta; Covington, GA. If it sounds familiar, it is also where the pilot episode of late 70s-early 80s tv favorite, Dukes of Hazard (1979-1985) was filmed. While I have many fond memories of this particular road trip with my beau, among the highlights are these spectacular “ear bobs”, as my Granny Mabel used to call them.
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One month from our wedding, I was still dreaming of wearing a fabulous pair of heirloom-worthy earrings, though I had nothing particular beyond that in mind nor any clue how or where they could be found.
When I saw these Art Deco sparklers in a case at one of the antique shops in Covington, it was fate. I asked to see them, only so I could better read their tag. While I prepared to be heartbroken at what I assumed would certainly be a three digit price, I found the pair were surprisingly affordable {$23!!}. Although they were clip-on + lacking the original clip padding, I decided these were meant to be + simply could not be left behind.
I wore them to our wedding reception the following month + they were just the finishing touch to my attire that night to make me feel the part!
Never did I dream that all those clip-on earrings I played dress up with in my childhood were preparing me for this occasion.
I toyed with the idea of wearing them on several occasions since then, but it never felt right–until one night recently at The Met Opera at The Lincoln Center in NYC. The event was a unique opportunity to see some of the finest ballet dancers in our country on stage with American Ballet Theater dancing in Alexei Ratmansky’s Sleeping Beauty.
For the occasion, I knew my ensemble had to be feminine + flawless, as this would be the ultimate night at the ballet for me to date-truly an evening I have only ever dreamed of! When taking in a ballet, I prefer to dress the part + wear a ballet inspired outfit; I chose a pastel pink, pleated midi skirt + paired it with a favorite white lace tank, black velvet ankle strap sandals + a leopard print clutch.
As I took in the sights of this grand venue, from the gold railings to the crushed red velvet drapes, wall coverings + seats, I was awestruck by the glamorous Art Deco sconces all aglow + the twinkling “Sputnik” chandeliers reminiscent of another time while at once demanding all the attention of an art exhibit inside the atrium as well as inside the theater. It was uncanny the way my fun costume jewelry fit right in with the grand ambiance of this extraordinary evening!
This sentimental piddlin’ find was the finishing touch on the perfect outfit for an unforgettable outing on cloud nine…for the second time!
I also brought along my vintage mother of pearl theater glasses, making the experience completely magical.
See more of the enchanting details of our night at the ballet + the opera glasses here.
|keep piddlin’
Piddlin’ Surcie | Opera Glasses
Take a look at an exciting update on this fancy piddlin’ surcie!
I have posted on these once before, following the Christmas they were gifted to me in 2013. Initially, I referred to them as binoculars, however upon further research, I have found these mother-of-pearl beauties may also be classified as “opera glasses” or “theater glasses”, among one or two other deserving names.
First, consider this brief comparison below with a side of history:
Opera glasses, seen in London ads in 1730 (*) are a later version of the original status symbol of the 19th century, lorgnettes, in French, meaning “to take a sidelong look at”, and in Middle French, “squinting”. Truly, they were used as more of an aesthetic accessory for a ball rather than functional glasses for seeing, still, these served as the predecessor to what is sometimes used today at the theater. (Wikipedia) See the selection currently offered by The Metropolitan Opera for sale + for rent here.
Those who know me well know that I am an old soul, former dancer + lover of the arts. Imagine my delight once plans were made to see some of the premier ballet dancers in the world perform in Alexi Ratmansky’s Sleeping Beauty on The Met Opera stage at The Lincoln Center in NYC! Upon finding tickets, I immediately began to do a little reading to see if it was acceptable to bring these antique specs with me in addition to making sure they would clear airport security. Since being given to me in December 2013, I have made a point to take them along to every performance I have attended.
The entire experience as a result, was transcendent; I felt as though I was experiencing ballet in another era.
In Manhattan, the spectacular performance of ballet + orchestra alone was exquisite + even more-so having this extra special + sentimental item in hand–I was simply beside myself. The entire experience as a result, was transcendent; I felt as though I was experiencing ballet in another era . .
The mind reels at what my pair may have fetched in their illustrious history–these made by Solar Paris appear to be dated circa late 1800s + a quick google has them sitting pretty at $75 a pair. If you consider yourself a thespian or a balletomane then this pair on Etsy are a must have for your next performance. –Just see how it elevates your outing!
I will forever remember the first time I attended a ballet as a member of the audience, mom explained that a night at the ballet is a reason, nay an occasion for dressing to the nines! These theater glasses certainly can attest to that. Back then, we always took any old pair of regular binoculars we could find, no matter the size!
As a classical ballet dancer of nine years, I have grown accustomed to being on the other side of the stage with the consolation of this ability to observe the smallest details of the choreography up close, the perfected technique of the performer, as well the the faces of these lovely dancers turned actors on display.
I am forever grateful for these- a sweetly sentimental surcie that I hope to cherish for a lifetime. Thanks, mom.
| keep piddlin’
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Piddlin’ Trips | Speed Pick Special
Oh Piddlin-Trips!
Charlotte, NC / Columbia, SC
One month ago, while piddlin’ I came to the conclusion that I had seen all the antique shops in town (and surrounding area) and decided it was time for another trip to Metrolina. After quickly checkin out their schedule for upcoming “extravaganzas” I called our dear friend, neighbor as well as my own personal antique collecting muse, Jessie.
[piddlin’] is about having an eye for certain items that you may or may not be in need of and having an intutive sense of what these items can be used for.
A little background: Jess is a sun-kissed yankee transplant, a vivacious + passionate mother of two all-american kids that do it all. Being originally from Upstate NY, Jessie was always exposed to some fine + primitive antiques + her love of such started at home- with her mom. I don’t know how she does it, but mygoodness this lady can piddle with the best-of-em. She even takes along her special piddlin’ bag for the occasion, loaded with her favorite piddlin’ snack: almonds + dried cranberries…yum! One of the many things I have learned from Jess is that piddlin’ is not only about finding a diamond in the rough piece, its about having an eye for certain items that you may or may not be in need of + having an intutive sense of what these items can be used for.
I’ve picked up quite a few great items lately, so this update will likely need to be spread over the course of a couple entries (so check back soon)…
Suffice it to say- the antique show at Metrolina in Charlotte was a great time , although not nearly as hustlin + bustlin as the usual show in Fall.
Here are a few items found last weekend:
I did find a few other items however they are being stowed away for a special occasion {shhhh… don’t tell Ryan}
| to be continued
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Well there’s more where that came from! How about these fabulous chippy shutters with that black on blue patina?! Found these in the little fox den of an antique shop nestled right over the Gervais St Bridge in Columbia, SC…who knew!!?
I had lots of fun picking out these fun vintage bottlecaps out of one serious collection @ Metrolina, now, they’re magnets for the fridge at the townhouse!
I snagged this beautifully aged nautical flag for $12 also at Metrolina…it represents the letter “X” or can be interpreted alone as ” Stop with your intentions” as a means of boat to boat communication. SO. COOL. and such a great find!
The ultimate find of this particular weekend must remain a secret, but will be revealed after the 2nd weekend in May when I present it to Ryan for his birthday! I think he’ll really like it…
…what will it be!!?
| check back soon!
piddlin' 
