Treasures from the Trail

“See you soon”s said, and it’s time to get on the road and, I have the flu from the OFP (namely from my daddio, but I love you anyway. 🙂 ) And, twinsie and I had one place and one place only that we were going to get to on our way home and it’s an Antique Mall in western PA.  We stop there every time we head out to Dad’s and every single time we’re unscrewing and taking apart something so we can get it into our car and get it home.  I have no idea where these skills came from, except to say that when we are inspired, we can get it done.

This trip it was all about me, I don’t think Twinsie found a single thing.  Sometimes it’s like that.  Last year she found more than I.  But, we still love the hunt together.

Backstory:

In October hubby and I joined in the apartmenttherapy.com Style Cure and we painted our family room orange.  Yes, orange.  We’ve wanted to do that hue for a while, we have been accessorizing in orange with pops of color here and there to test the waters and have been digging it.  BUT, this was full on all over orange (maybe a little garish, if you will) with an accent wall of burnt orange.  Needless to say I spent a couple months having second thoughts.  But, how to tell hubby?  Yah, not gonna happen after three days of us meticulously painting. I was gonna love this paint color whether I liked it or not.  🙂 These photos are for you Found This Painted That, I promised!

THIS IS ORANGE!!!

So, I began neutralizing the orange using gray for the couch and carpet, and shades of teal, red, navy, cream and golds.  It was getting there, but I needed something to tie it all in, we needed to shop the shops on our stops.

Sweet little mud area off the garage door. I painted what was once a mustard distressed reclaimed window turned mirror using a deep gray. I was sloppy with it, so that some of the mustard would show through. Perfect with my yellow McCoy birds and other one-of-a- kind art.

Boom!  On our way out to dad’s we stop at this tiny antique shop in central Ohio, one that amazingly we’d never been before.  We opened the joint up, first customers of the day, and I head into the ladie’s room, EEEK! there was a framed Lucretia Hall (1773-1851) coverlet. Pictured below in “The Orange Room.”

Perfectly ties in the colors of the room, and with an interesting history lesson on Lucretia Hall as well. LOVE the stories behind the finds.

On our way home, too sick to drive, Twinise driving through snow, sleet and wind, the Antique Mall was on our exit to the hotel.  Yah, so we gotta stop, she says, and I nod, blowing my nose and coughing.

Snap! We see this gorgeous mid-century wooden cart, and picture made with wood veneers, absolutely stunning.  And the perfect colors and pieces to tie in the colors of the room.

On wheels no less. Lovin’ this.

picture made completely with veneer…so sweet!

Blowing bubbles… I’ve seen this for a number year in the bathroom (bathrooms were lucky places for me this trip) and always forget to go back. This time I grabbed it.

But, how to cram it all into the Jeep?

WE WERE

GONNA GET THIS

STUFF IN!

Where there’s a will there’s a way, and what I haven’t mentioned yet is the dining set that was Hedy’s that no one claimed.  Made in Denmark, it is a midcentury piece, that is awe inspiringly beautiful.  The mechanics, the craftsmanship.  We. Had. To. Get. It. In. The. Jeep.  So, we did with the Lucretia Hall tapestry.  Luggage in, and then of course this stop, which will now include those midcentury pieces.  By this time, the guys at this antique mall know us from our previous visits, and they watch as we divide and conquer the packing thing.  Even we are impressed as we were walking around steeling ourselves to the fact that this will be the time we won’t get it in the car and we’ll have to leave it behind.

Nope. Mission accomplished.

And the final result, using final loosely.  I find that when I bring things into our home, it may start one place and move to another, and yet another until it’s in its perfect place…for now.  And then, you know, I shop the house when I get in the mood to change things, and everything is new again and again.

And finally the table and chairs.  I had a Crate n Barrel glass halo table with rattan chairs in our kitchen which we totally loved.  But, it only seated 4 comfortably, and 6 in a squeeze.  This table’s top pops off, and two leaves under it pull out on each end and then the top is placed into the center.  It will sit 8 people comfortably.  No more taking down the halo and putting up the old church banquet table that we store in the garage a few times a year when we had dinner guests or family over.  And such beauty and craftsmanship in golden teak.  It was a little worn in places, but nothing that Restore-a-Finish couldn’t solve.

We still can’t believe that we A) are able to have this beautiful table, and B) got it and its chairs home scratch free.  Meant to be. I’m tellin’ ya, meant to be.

Lily Belle is a happy camper.

Next project if I find the nerve?  Painting that 70s hutch.  Stay tuned, and thanks for taking a peek at our Treasures from the Trail.