"Antiquing" redefined

I admit it, I'm not really an "antiquer." A couple of hours of scouring true antique stores leaves a musty smell lingering in my nose and makes my eyes hurt. I don't actually collect anything antique and I'm not in the market for any antique furniture so looking at a bunch of old junk for hours on end gets...well, old.

I do, however, love stores with a variety of vendors, especially when some of those have embraced a more "Shabby Chic" approach. I enjoy re-painted wood pieces in fun colors, tea cups and anything bird-related.

On Black Friday, the women in my hubby's family hit the local shops and antique stores instead of the big-box retailers. We leave the kids at home and let the men fend for themselves!!

Wanna see my scores?? I thought you did!!

I was in search of a wagon that I could change with the seasons but when I saw this bench, (on the bottom right), I thought it was more my style and would work the same way. I think it needs a small potted poinsettia and maybe a teddy bear with a scarf around its neck. It's a work in progress, I still have more boxes to bring in!!

The swirliness matches a lot of items in our home so it's a great fit! For now, it resides in the entryway.



This fits the bill in both the "shabby chic" AND bird-themed categories!! It's like bird cage shelves! Just tall enough to make a statement and perfect to hold little odds and ends. I know the contents will constantly change (as will the location, because that's how I ride) but for now, it works well in the cut-out between the dining area and Morning Room.



You know I'm into owls right now, right?? Well, we'd already paid and were about to leave one of the shops when I spotted this little friend for $4! To avoid digging out the debit cards again, my mom offered him $3 cash and he took it! Every year, my mom buys me a new figurine to reflect my interest that year, to go on the top of my birthday cake. No kidding--I have 31 different figurines!! So this owl (reading a music book with a blue bird perched nearby) is my most recent addition!



I have a few more things to show you once I can figure out my new camera!!