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?

antiques in da house!

Since I was a kid, I've been familiar with antique furniture and decor thanks to both my parents' interest in collecting it and my grandparents' and great grandparents' homes being filled with it. I knew what a Chippendale chair was before I learned what Chippendales dancers were, so when I heard of the latter I imagined scantily clad men dancing on these formal antique chairs. Even though the visual was very odd, my 9-year old mind didn't doubt the connection for a second.

My current apartment holds a pretty eclectic mix of furniture and decor styles - but I find myself loving antiques now more than ever. It hasn't always been crystal chandeliers and Staffordshire spaniels though; as a child I had quite a love-hate relationship with this old stuff all over our house. There was the solemn portrait of a George Washington-like man whose beady, following eyes kept me from cutting through the living room at night and I slept in a four-poster bed that had a beautiful canopy but also seemed to have its original 19th century mattress. And much to my annoyance (but I totally get it now), I also learned an early respect for furniture: no feet on the sofa, no leaning back in your chair, no drink glasses without a coaster and absolutely no doing homework on the table without something under it! But of course there was the fun part of antiques too: treasure hunting at the Rose Bowl Flea Market during family vacations to California and needing very little imagination to pretend I lived in the same eras as Felicity, Kirsten, Addy, Samantha and Molly. Those were the days, weren't they?

Being a sentimental person by nature, I tend to treasure old things - those passed down through the family and those found at antique fairs and flea markets that have had another life or a special purpose that doesn't make sense anymore. So, I got especially happy when I saw a tour of interior designer Hollie Wood's Charleston, South Carolina home in an Apartment Therapy post. One of the most unique tours I've ever seen, her house is filled to the brim with an incredibly diverse collection of antiques. While this tour may not be a style for most, it's still pretty fascinating to see - you can tell she has a real passion. The interview is fantastic and considering the fact that her dream source includes "Texas flea markets," I was so hyped up that I've already called my mom to tell her I'm making a special trip home in October for my favorite kind of shopping.

 Enjoy the tour, and if you want to check out Hollie's interview and more photos, look here ...

What part of Hollie's home caught your eye the most?

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a favorite thing: kilim rugs

To some I am a very peculiar girl when it comes to my "must-haves" while looking for a new apartment. No dishwasher? I can live with that, I find washing dishes therapeutic, and besides, the steam's so good for your face! The apartment turns into a sweatbox on warm sunny days? Perfect, I won't have to leave home to do hot yoga!* It's less than 200 square feet? Oh yippee, an excuse to stay in bed all day since it will be my only piece of furniture! It has carpet throughout? Oh. Ummm. Yeaaah. Sorry... I really want hardwood floors. *Insider info: I've never done hot yoga, I'm not that cool. See, I do puns. And I'm convinced I would throw up if I tried it.

Of course, the whole vision of my ideal apartment includes rugs on top of these wonderful hardwood floors, but I'm not quite there yet. Because of their richly colored patterns, allusions to faraway lands and warmth under one's feet, kilims in particular are perpetually on my wish list (because the ones I want are just so dadgum expensive!). One day I hope to have a unique collection of them spread around my house, but as of now I just have one. That I love with all of my heart. So here I am... daydreaming about kilims in my future... enjoy!

I love the layered look, for some reason it reminds me of a hippie commune in the best kind of way. photo source

omg those colors! photo source

I think the orangey rug paired with the blue walls really hits the spot. photo source

Not only is this entire room stunning, but they have two kilims! photo source

Pairing with a flokati seems to be really "in." photo source

Okay there is a great chance that this is not a kilim, because it looks somewhat plush like an Oriental (or pile) rug, rather than the flatweave style that kilims are known for. I'm not sure, but I lust after this little rug, so I wanted to include it regardless! photo source

Wouldn't you agree that the rug pulls this entire room together? photo source

How amazing are those daybeds? Oops, back to the point, I love the stripes in this kilim. 

Source Unknown :(

Regal, no? I think the kilim rug brings it back down to earth, where it looks best. photo source

Such a fun room made 10x better by that colorful rug. Love. photo source

Can you relate to my need for hardwood floors? What's on your "must-have" list when looking for a new home?

Round Top, Texas

It's that time of year...
Bluebonnets at the family farm in Texas, taken by my cousin Jennifer just a couple of days ago

Today marks the official kick-off of the biggest antiques fair in the United States, and I am SO wishing I was there (with a zero-balance credit card, of course). Twice a year, the open fields around tiny Round Top, Texas (pop. 77) turn into the mecca of antiquing as thousands of dealers and shoppers from all over the United States congregate along country Highway 237 between Austin and Houston to literally shop bargain till they drop.

You know how a lot of families look forward all year to ski vacations, week-long trips to the coast, or cruises in the Caribbean? Well, this is the big event my family has looked forward to every year since I was in middle school. My poor brother! ;) With my mom, sister, grandmother, aunt and cousin alongside me repeating the mantra, "If you love it, get it!" we've come away with quite the collection of interesting things over the years. My personal favorites that I have in my apartment? A 1920s chenille bedspread, a giant gastropod fossil, a vintage Mexican beer tray and a pair of wooden school chairs I have pulled up to my kitchen table.

Two years ago I invited three of my Portland friends to make the trip with me, and before they booked their flights, I warned them: the purpose of this trip is to go antiquing - meaning 8 hour days of roaming fields of what-can-appear-to-be junk, looking for that perfect set of vintage dessert plates or antique coffee grinder. But the tradeoff would be some damn good country barbecue! And to my excitement, they were into it. Troopers!

So, a little reminiscing from Round Top, Spring 2010...

My friends and I in the middle of the shopping day. 

My favorite booth (below) - I couldn't stop drooling over the styling.

A family shot!

A little humor

More humor! Obsessed with the vultures.

My sister, aunt and mom trying some candied jalapenos ...  amazing stuff. Seriously.

Those suitcases came back to Portland with me and served as a nightstand for a couple of years. 

See, they have guy stuff too! ;)

And I leave you with the best pic of all.... my friend Michelle and I with beloved Blue Bell ice cream cones, and I look like I belong on King of the Hill. Love this photo for that reason.


If you live in Texas, try try try to make it out there this coming weekend or next (it lasts for 10 whole days) and if you don't live in Texas but love flea markets and antiques - put it on your bucket list. You won't be disappointed!