eclectic design inspiration

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

I like old things


If you've been reading this blog for a while, you probably know that I'm a little bit crazy for old things (antique, retro, that dusty stuff in your grandparents' garage) and like decorating my apartment with the eclectic "treasures" I've snagged at flea markets and antique fairs. I am unable to go home next month for my favorite thing in the whole entire world because of work commitments, so I convinced my mom to make a trip out to Oregon (two weeks ago) for the next best thing: the Coburg Antique Fair. The shopkeeper at one of my favorite Portland antique shops, Madison Park, insisted that we sign up for the early bird opening to scavenge for steals with the big dogs before the fair officially started. But this would have involved leaving the house at 3 am and wearing headlights to sort through piles of stuff in the dark so my mom and I decided to leave that amount of hardcorocity to the pros.

We did, however, drive two hours from Portland to Coburg and then walked for seven straight hours from antique booth to antique booth looking at everything from old Civil War rifles to Victorian hat pins to Roseville pottery. Twice we called it a day and went back to the car, started driving away and then decided to pull over and shop a little more. The apple does not fall far from the tree. In the end, I came away with a pretty set of silver plated serving utensils, an antique card table, some colorful vintage table cloths and a 1950s baby pink Sunbeam mixer.

Overall it was an incredible day and I'm so glad my mom was there to enjoy it as well. The pictures below were taken at a variety of booths at the fair, and although I've enjoyed fawning over them every night since I took them like a schoolgirl in love, I totally understand how to some people it just looks like old junk. I get it, I get it and I don't judge - it just means more for me! The last picture, however,  is the Sunbeam mixer I came home with and I think everyone can agree it's pretty dang cute.




















Thanks for checking out my photos! 
What interests do you share with your mom or close family member?

5 comments:

  1. I'm the same way exactly. I got it from my parents, who love old, antique like things. I expressed said love to my boyfriend, as we are getting a place next year that we can actually decorate, and to my dismay, he said he prefers the modern look.

    Crap.

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  2. I LOVE old things! That fair looks pretty awesome! Your mixer is fantastic! My sister has one like yours, but not in pink. It was my grandmother's and it works perfectly!

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  3. It is really really cute. I don't have the patience to go through things like that, although my grandmother's house is pretty much loaded up like one of those antique rummage sales

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  4. I want to go there! My man and I turned into quite the collectors.

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  5. I love old stuff also! Some of those teapots and crockery would have come home with me.... :)

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