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......

A few projects.....

I haven't run out of ideas yet for these rusty metal birds! (available on my Etsy) They are so much fun to play with, and in this project I took this large wire (what else?) birdcage and added a light kit and hung a bunch of the birds on rusty twirling wires for a funky chandelier.

When I come across an interesting antique corbel I can afford, I buy it and then have 4 cut from new wood using it as a template to create a new style for my corbel mirrors. This one came out kinda lengthy, but is perfect hung horizontally over a mantel or vertically in a narrow space.
I'll start listing these on Etsy when I get the shipping figured out--this one will go to Queen of Hearts in the meantime.
Also, I have just listed one of my new wall vines......I think the possibilities are endless for these!
Etsy has been an interesting and worthwhile experience so far, but it's really difficult for your items to be FOUND among the millions of items on this site, and the limited categories are exasperating! (my creations never seem to fit into their basic categories!)

It's also helpful if you are a professional photographer and have high end camera equipment, because then your photos are chosen for the main page and tons more people can find you!

Backroads wandering....part 3......along the way

I'm always amazed at being able to take off on a backroad in any direction from my house and come across beautiful countryside and historic stately homes!
I also think I appreciate it more because I grew up in South Florida where you only see (other than the lovely beaches) condos and traffic, or cows and orange trees....depending on which direction you head.
On the way to Hogansville I found an antique mall I had never been to in McDonough! Don't know how I've lived here so long and missed this one!
It's a lot bigger than it looks, and I found a few things here, although the prices were a bit higher than I hoped.

Cool humongous birdcage!


This corner full of "stuff" was in Fayetteville , and I did find some rusty treasures, although it is mostly pretty rough.


Near Hogansville on old route 29 is a little town called Grantville, where I screeched brakes for my favorite sighting: DERELICTION!!

I wish I knew the story of this interesting place.....

This was my destination in Grantville.....I found it listed on-line as a place for architectural antiques, but I have never caught the place open!!!! It's called "Re-Use The Past" and has lots of windows and doors outside, so I am curious as to what might be INSIDE!

The mostly abandoned buildings in downtown Grantville are of varied architectural styles and pretty interesting......
I bet this place has been used as a movie set before, or it should be anyway!

I didn't buy much, but this was my little haul......


I really love the texture of this old rusty wire cable above.....

......and here's the green cupboard for CLF. (I'll take the door off for the show and it will provide great vertical display space)

Backroads wandering to Hogansville......part 2.....Born Again Antiques

As previously mentioned, I have discovered a cool shop in downtown Hogansville, owned by Allan and BJ Boyer (above), called Born Again Antiques.
It's a refreshing rarity to find such a cool shop that is: a) not a mall b) not a museum c) owned by special people, who are actually THERE in the store to work with you and d) filled with the unique, interesting, and (most importantly) RUSTY vintage stuff that reflects the fact that the owners 'get it' regarding what is currently in demand!
Allan and BJ have just about everything I look for in my work, from architectural......
....to industrial.....
.....to vintage hardware and awesome lighting.....
....to garden.........I love this cool piece Allan is holding, which may have been on a house, but would be so cool in the garden.


Allan has such a great talent for turning unique objects into the coolest lamps! (Can't wait to get back soon and pick up my lamps!)
And I LOVE everything BJ creates, like this great collaged piece below........
....and her unique birdhouses.........and this fun collaged cart made from a dresser drawer, rocking chair and old buggy wheels---LOVE IT!

They have so many great treasures....like this old file cabinet and this awesome industrial table.....
.....and industrial lamps and lights....

I get lost for hours looking through the amazing collection of hardware they have.
The day I was there, movie prop buyers were in the store (how can I get a job like
THAT????) There are so many movies being made in Georgia these days that I see buyers everywhere I go. (I REALLY think they need more help, don't you??)

This cool shop is certainly the place to find unique and unusual treasures.....just don't forget to leave a few for me!!!