Michigan! ~

I am in Michigan!

Couldn't say before since it was a surprise to my cousin, who just graduated from high school. My Mom and I just showed up at her party. Amazing that no one found out in this age of Facebook and other nosy sites.

This is the place of my birth and and many visits since moving away when I was 14.  I still consider this home, although I can't move back since I am allergic to the snow!

The summers here are gorgeous and the temperature has been just perfect this weekend. It is 53 degrees this evening and a little chilly forcing me to wear a sweatshirt!

Back home in SC, it has averaged about 97 degrees and miserable.

Tonight I went to Lake Michigan to watch the sunset. That is my favorite place on earth and wish I could stay forever. I never go to the beach without thinking of my Grandpa, who died 3 years ago. My brother and sister and I would each spend a week with my Grandparents every summer when we lived in Michigan.  We would go to the beach just about every day and walk the pier and look for money. On a good day you would find at least a dime or nickel.   

USS Ironsides

Love everything about the beach and Lake Michigan. 

I will be back in the morning for one last look before heading home on Wednesday. 

This past weekend my Mom and I headed out yard 'sailing' and hit about 25 sales in 3 hours. It wasn't looking too promising that morning when It started to rain. But it slowly cleared up and off we went. Got a truck full of good junk and cant wait to get it all out and into my booths. I'll take pictures of it all once I get it unloaded. I still need to pick up an oak buffet that is at a neighbors house. 

It has been a very busy visit and tomorrow we have a full day planned as well.

GO TIGERS!

~Amy

Friday Treasure Hunt ~

Got some cool junk to share today. I went junkin today and found a few cool things ~

An enamelware strainer ladle from Sweden. LOVE enamelware. I keep way more than I sell. Which is very bad since I have no room, but I'm addicted.

Drove by a house that was selling odd items for $1.00 or more or ask. Ok, so I liked this box. It's old, odd and pink. It's cool.  So I lowballed her and offered her $1.00. No go. I ended up paying $5.00. Still good tho. Especially when it was full of man junk. She wouldn't let me leave the junk with her, so I had to take it all, weather I wanted it or not. I don't.

Man Junk.....

An old washboard

I like the lettering on the top of this. 'Our Best ZINC'

and a cute little stool that I will be painting something cool

Another piece for my obsession. A HUGE graniteware tea/coffee pot that I will probably keep but shouldn't.  For the record, I don't drink coffee or tea.

I also played tourist in another town today and will post pics tomorrow. I have to get ready for a ton of yard sales tomorrow. 15 in our neightborhood alone!

Happy Picking!

~Amy



Twin Bookcases ~

Hello blog world! I finally had a chance to paint the twin mahagony bookcases I purchased from the sweetest lady on the Peachtree 23 yardsale.  She lived in a house off the main road and had a sign that said she was selling a bunch of furniture. It was already 9:30 or 10 am and I wasn't hopeful that she had anything good left.  There were a TON of people on the trail scarfing up deals. But off we went.  We were only the 4th people to visit her and the first to purchase anything. Yippee! 

She was selling items from her Grandmother, Mother and Husband who all had passed away in the past 2 years. Her story was sad, but she could not have been nicer.  She was happy that we (I) bought several pieces. She was most interested in how I would shove it all in the truck. Oh, I fit it all with room to spare.  2 bookcases, a large gateleg table, an iron plant stand, and a mirror. I had already bought a coffee table, 2 club chairs, a nightstand and some smaller items at another house. I was pretty packed by the time we left her.

Here are the before pictures of the bookcases. These were older and in great shape. I don't buy anything that is pressboard or particle board. I want real wood.

Love the cutouts on either side of each bookcase

Spray primer is the only way to go!

see all my projects behing them? the buffet is under the tarp, that won't fit in the garage.

I bought plants 2 months ago and still haven't planted them. The soil works great though to keep the wind from blowing the tarp off! 

So much better white. I spray painted these with Rust Oleum's Semi Gloss White.  It goes on really well and distresses well. The tops of the bookcases got a little too hot in the sun and bubbled, but when I took my Mouse sander to it, it looked fine.

White may seem boring and safe to some, but white goes with any decor and it sells well.

A little distressing and they look great. 

Love the windows even more now.

I didn't really have time to stage them, I was in a hurry to get them in my booth. It was so hot out and I was roasting.  I normally don't paint in the heat since the paint doesn't dry well, but I wanted to get these done and out of my house.

I always have a hard time with wanting to keep everything I do, but I wouldn't make any money that way and my house is already full!

These can be seen at Little Mountain Unlimited in Little Mountain, SC.

Go forth and paint something!

~Amy



Did you know?

Did you know that The Corner Store - Antiques and More carries more than antiques and good junk?  They also carry FOOD! They have private label jams, jellies, relish, and spreads.  

Benne Wafers

Shrimp and grits

Charleston's Own Gourmet Chilli

Black Bean Soup

Bean Super Soup

Smaller packages of Benne Wafers

Cookies and Pecans!

Cheese Zingers

Lemon Snaps

Key Lime Cookies

Blueberry Whipped Honey

Salt Water Taffy

Vidalia Onion Relish, Hot and Mild Chow Chow

Raspberry, Rhubarb, Blackberry, Cherry Jams and Spreads

Black Bean Salsa

Chow Chow, Jalapeno Onion Relish, also Bread and Butter Pickles, Beats

South Carolina Honey

Everything is excellent and available for tastings if you come into the store.

All of the Jams, Spreads and Relish are locally made and can be shipped anywhere!

I'm taking a big load of stuff up to my booths tomorrow. I have to continue the purge of things out of my house. I'll also have pictures of the completed furniture from the Peachtree 23 yardsale.

~Amy

Pretty Posies ~

I spent the day cleaning my hoard, oh, I mean my house.  I have a habit of coming home from a junk gather and dropping it inside the door or kitchen or wherever else I have space.  So I spent last night and today dealing with it. I caved and took a few things to storage but I promised them I would come back for them soon.  I had to clean off my porch, which is wear the 2 bookcases, nightstand and the gateleg table landed.  My homeowners association just loves me!  But they have been very patient, even when the blue tarp appears. I have no room for anything in the garage and I brought home a buffet but didn't get it done, so I covered it with a tarp. Oh well, there is always tomorrow. 

I am waiting for permission from my friend Judy before I post pictures of her amazing primitive home. 

New book I started tonight:

Summer Lovin' by Carly Phillips

I really liked The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews.

She also writes a blog that I follow. It's fun to have that much access to an author.  Check it out: http://www.marykayandrews.com/blog/

She's a junker just like us!

Until tomorrow...

~Amy

Hi Barbara!