There’s something about antique, vintage and otherwise imperfect surfaces that I just love. Worn, distressed, rusted, aged – these are all wonderful adjectives in my world. I suppose part of the allure is the instant sense of history that’s conveyed when you see a piece that’s somehow distressed. And though many artists and crafters regularly use techniques intended to mimic the aged and distressed look (myself included), there’s nothing like the real thing. That’s why I nearly swoon when I visit antique stores like the ones over in Old Towne Orange, and I was smitten with so many pieces when I stopped by for a little browsing a few weekends ago. If I didn’t have a finite amount of space and a limited budget I would’ve been buying things left and right!
I only purchased a few things, but really enjoyed all the eye candy. (The last two photos, below, show what I bought) I snapped a few iPhone photos of things that made my eyes happy, and hope you enjoy seeing these items as well. The first of the two photos is a detail shot of the item in question, and the second is a wider shot.
While in the first store I saw a Penny Rug for the first time. Made up of hundreds of hand-cut circles of felt and thousands of stitches, I was blown away by how much time and effort must’ve gone into this piece. Penny Rugs aren’t actually used as rugs – they’re more like table runners or decorative coverings for other home furnishings. I was intrigued by what I learned about Penny Rugs on Wikipedia, but probably won’t get around to making my own – and this $79 version was definitely out of my price range!
This yearbook from the 1930’s had a beautifully embossed cover and spine. So lovely!
I love the floral motif on this silver platter, and even think the tarnish is pretty!
I’m not a girly-girl, and am generally not drawn to this shade of pink, but this feathered hat was such a delightful ball of fluff that I couldn’t resist trying it on!
Ooh, yum. The rust-colored, mottled surface of this mirror is fantastic.
This set of rusted drawers is so incredibly cool, I was barely able to make myself walk away! If only I had more space and $200 to spend on one piece of art supply storage!!
What’s with the bronzed baby shoe? The last time I visited the shops in Old Towne Orange I was with my friends A.T. and A.C., and we saw bronzed baby shoes. I knew they’d been popular back in the day, but we wondered aloud – what possessed folks to bronze baby shoes anyway? I’ve seen a few pairs since then, and they’ve kind of been growing on me. So, when I saw this one shoe – and it was marked down – I indulged my weird bronzed baby shoe interest. The shoe is engraved across the top, and says Beverly with a date of 12-30-46. So sweet, and interesting too – Beverly is near to my mom’s age. Do you suppose the date is when Beverly was born, or the date she took her first steps?
My purchases for the day:
3 vintage photos featuring babies – originally $2 each, they were marked down to $1
1 other vintage photo (upper right) – $1.50
Small striped shell (center) – 50 cents
Bronzed baby shoe – originally $12, marked down to $6
Total: $11 plus tax – a bargain for a day’s entertainment and some fun items for my creative stash!
What types of things do you like to shop and window shop for, dear readers? Do you collect vintage photos and vintage buttons like me, or have another kind of collection? Please fill me in…
Warm regards,
Melody
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12 Comments
Ha, ha, Melody — I would not have been able to resist that hat, either! Did anyone say “It’s YOU!”? What fun to see the old penny rug. Alas for the beautiful forgotten arts, such as this! Thanks for the tour!
Jani,
Hee hee – no, no one commented on “my” hat, but it was so fun! So fantastically fluffy! I’m glad you enjoyed the tour, and thank you for commenting…
Melody
I’ve not heard of a ‘penny rug’ before… will have to check it out. Sounds like you had a great day…and excellent finds for your ‘stash’.
Jo,
The penny rug was totally new to me, and I was truly gobsmacked by how much detailed work goes into one. They’re lovely though. Nice to hear from you!
Melody
I’m a big fan of rust and tarnish. I have a photo collection of distressed surfaces that I find great fun to try to replicate on surfaces using acrylic paints.
Kathy,
Ooh, now that’s a photo collection I’d like to see! I’m sure you’re a happy, creative, “mad scientist” when you work on replicating surfaces. Sounds like great fun!
Melody
I love vintage stuff, too, for the stories I imagine behind them, or the ones I want to create. You look adorable in that hat. I would have not been able to pass it by without ruffling the feathers.
Jenny,
You hit the nail right on the head – these older pieces create such stories in my mind as well! Thank you for your kind words about my photo – I just had to pose in that one.
Melody
Thanks for sharing those pics, Melody!
I am drawn to vintage fabric, lace & buttons! I also love old burlap bags! I have to limit myself on collecting fabrics and force myself to use what I have on hand. I have a fear of becoming a hoarder with all the stuff I could collect! ; )
Celena,
Thanks for commenting and sharing. Ooh, vintage lace, fabric and burlap! Great things to gather! I try to keep my collecting at bay, but it’s tough to resist – particularly if I find one-of-a-kind items and/or inexpensive items I can create with…
Melody
Melody, I have two bronzed baby shoes, one mine, the other my mother’s. Mine was bronzed in about 1943 in Australia, Mum’s about 1917 in Vienna. I must find them -they are hidden in my stash somewhere. I hadn’t thought of them for years, so thanks for the reminder. Funny custom but as my Mum and Nana were Viennese, maybe it’s a European thing. Very sentimental, anyway.
Carol,
Thank you for sharing about your family’s bronzed baby shoes. What precious keepsakes! Maybe you’ll stumble upon them soon, now that they’re on your mind…
Melody