The shops of Monroe, Georgia

With antique shops still closing everywhere, it's hard to find places worth the drive to do some pickin'.... but thankfully Monroe (east metro ATL) offers a nice day's worth of shopping.
There are about a half dozen antique shops here, with the largest being the Warehouse Antique Mall located in this massive old cotton mill.
The perfectly chippy patina of the green paint on the old brick walls is worth the visit! (and be sure to look down....the maple floors are original to the building circa 1895)

The offerings here are decidedly "eclectic".......
....but my friend Becky's booth always has wonderful unique vintage merch!!
This group of houndstooth print cases caught my eye.....


......as did this metal chicken coop.

There are 513 dealer spaces in 60,000 square feet--according to the flier.


Next stop is The Cotton Depot, which is a few blocks away and closer to downtown. The restoration has been wonderful here, too......
....with a cute garden area out front.......
....and you can still see the cotton bales and the weigh scales in the floor.
The first booths inside the door are marvelous!! Pam Hall and Lenora Gambrell take decorating to a new level and do the most amazing displays! You really have to see them in person, and hopefully get a chance to meet these sweet and very talented girls.


The original brick walls make everything look fabulous in the three large warehouse sections filled with quality booths!


And of course Lane Ward never disappoints with her talent for trendy treasures and wonderful decorating!
(Cool chicken wire lampshade, girl!!)


This gigantic metal trunk is so unique.


Davis Street Antiques is located between the above two shops and is the newest one.

Owner James Woodall has done a great job acquiring quality dealers and there are lots of very interesting antiques here!
This vintage oil painting caught my eye......
....and this great trunk.

The composition baby doll wanted to have his picture taken.

I ran out of time to shoot the other three shops, but be sure to check out Hodge Podge, Ladybug, and Old Mill that are in the same area. There are a variety of places to eat here, and some beautiful historic homes.....


....as well as some great affordable vintage fixer-uppers!!

**I only had about an hour to get to all these shops and do the photography, so forgive the brevity.....and the omission of all my other dealer friends that have wonderful booths in these shops!

Signage

I've been working on my show booth sign for awhile....trying to find the different letters was a bit challenging....
It's about 6' long.....and not easy to photograph.....
....the old muted aqua painted board was perfect for this project!

Collections

I knew those odd little iron stands I've been hanging onto would finally be used for something! I love how my thread spool collection looks on them.


My wood box collection is dangerously approaching "hoarder" status--I think they are reproducing....I don't remember buying all those! Better start to think of something to make out of them--They are like a blank canvas....I hope I can come up with something different to do with them.

Been working on this chandelier made with my pearly crosses--not sure how this will turn out yet.

I've got WAY too much going on these days working on two on-line stores, finding merch. for several locations, stocking up for Country Living Fair, and doing business writing for Iron Accents. Of course all this takes a back seat to hanging with my best bud granddaughter Kayla this summer! Oh...and that @#!! surgery really slowed me down!

Repurposing......

Having fun making new lamps out of old things......
.....and new things out of old lamps!

Slim pickins

Not to be confused with the Hollywood cowboy of old movies......but rather the prevailing state of doldrums that us 'seekers of worthy antiquity' seem to be drifting in of late!

It's out there, we just have to work harder to find it, and despite tough economic conditions, we have to pay more for it....go figure!

But I found a bit of 'good junk', and among it was some old iron pieces........

....a large heart tin, metal (shrimp?) trap, and lots of old bottles and jars and other odds and ends......
.....but the BEST part was where the backroads led.....which this time was through Union Springs, AL.
Apparently this is the field trial capital of the world.....
.....but better yet, it's a charming little town with a beguiling karma of bygone elegance and history which the beautiful Southern mansions give you a glimpse of as you pass by....oh the stories they could tell!
There are such wonderfully diverse architectural offerings here, with so many different styles represented.
An extremely abbreviated historical background is that the town was named for the abundance of fresh water springs in the area, was situated at the crossroads of two rail lines, and became a very prosperous pre-civil war town with wealthy cotton plantations and booming industry and commerce--hence the elegant mansions.
There are 47 preserved homes and businesses listed on the National Register of Historical Places.

My favorite--a derelict of course--is this treasure which, although I do hope she will be restored one day, I can't help but adore the character of which time has bestowed on her in this natural state.



The architectural details on these classy ladies are stunning when you take a closer look.....
....lots of corbels and columns....
....decorative trims and rails.......
....gables and dormers.....
....and, of course, some wonderful old iron garden fences!
Pickins may be slim, but discoveries of places of history and beauty along the backroads of the South are still thankfully abundant!

Industrial lamps

I got a chance to make the trip out to Hogansville last week to the shop of my favorite lamp artist, Allan Boyer (see previous posts), to pick up these beauties.......
....and while I was there, they got a call from a designer in Illinois who wanted to purchase a chandelier he saw in a photo of their shop that I posted on my blog last month....I thought that was way cool, and so coincidental that he called while I was there!
I didn't have time for any backroads wandering, but hopefully I will very soon......