I love old things. Parents who lived through the Great Depression, coupled with tagging along on junk yard trips with my father were early influences. Just the beginning, really. I was surrounded by old things growing up in a 19th century farmhouse. Unlike some girls, I enjoyed having a box of hand-me-down clothes arrive from Chicago, through Agnes, our neighbor down the road. Agnes was from Denmark and made the most delightful Danish pastries in the world! I could write several pages about Agnes and Elmer (Agnes called him Yelmer), but I digress.
My sister Sharon and I shared a couple of apartments in Chicago and LA after we were out of school. In those days, furnished apartments were quite common. But occasionally we'd need a piece of furniture. One of the best sources in LA was Allied Van Lines where unclaimed shipments were sold. Sharon was going for a new table, but I convinced her to buy an adorable old painted one. It was an aqua oval drop-leaf and came with four chairs. I think she paid about $17.00 for the set. She kept it for over 40 years before handing it down to our niece, Kari.
Old stuff lasts and increases in value. Nothing in our house is new except for appliances (which DON'T last) and the upholstered stuff. A lot of it came from thrift stores, estate sales, the flea market or family with an occasional SOR (side of road) find.
When I was a lot younger, part of my passion was the thrill of the hunt. That was when I was buying and selling professionally. But now it's more a matter of thinking green, of keeping useful things out of the landfill, of living responsibly.
Below are a few gems spotted last week when I was looking for wool.
Value Village is a national chain. 
I spied this charmer at the thrift store across the street. My Mother had the same model.
Singer 401A 
Whoa! For the machine AND the cabinet???
Quilts were less than $10. back in the day. This string pieced version is priced at $25.30. 
My DH once had a typewriter just like this! The price is way out of line, imho.
We'd go anywhere to visit our son and DIL.
Thanksgiving morning in Charlotte.
The day cleared for our first glimpse of the Blue Ridge.
Suzie and Matthew work on a dish for the Thanksgiving feast. Looks like it's almost time to eat!
I'd never seen a "tree face" before. Too cool.
Deb and Gary also have a bottle tree.
Stella was my favorite, especially with her rusted bed springs hair!
Bosoms are actually lamp parts.
This found object lady began with a garden rake. Click on the picture to see details.
Check out these dreadlocks.
Martine House with her piece "Family Entanglements"
Martine and I with her recent piece "Reliquary" which makes a very strong statement "about the future of our planet and what we are doing to it." I share her concern.
Value Village is a national chain. 
Singer 401A 
Whoa! For the machine AND the cabinet???
Quilts were less than $10. back in the day. This string pieced version is priced at $25.30. 
My DH once had a typewriter just like this! The price is way out of line, imho.
I feel constricted every time I try to use this table. I'd planned to move it three feet from the wall, but never did. Bulletin boards I bought last spring are still not up.
I'm going to play around with the floor plan a bit. The room is much less crowded than before, but I'm not inspired in it at all. 
My son Matthew planted this tree when he was little and it was too.
I love gathering the leaves in the fall,
Artist trading card, 4 x 6"
Although leaves preserved in glycerine are more durable than those pressed, I have used both.
Original Wool
Dyed Wool 
Mums straight from the grocery store.
Use caution when removing the netting.
Spider mum set free!
