Antiquing for Cooky Stuff...Some Lessons

I spent this weekend doing what I love more than an.y.thing...antiquing.

I swear...nothing in the world makes me happier than a 'sunny day/small town/giant undiscovered antique mall' sandwich.

Bliss.bliss.bliss.

I spent the entire day Saturday with the fam jab wandering the aisles of this place...

A giant thank you Jenn of Rambling Renovators for letting me in on the sweet secret that is Southworks Antiques in Cambridge, Ontario...it's H to the heaven.

As you can see, even my kids were excited...in all seriousness...they adore the hunt just like mommy does...don't you just love when you see your DNA imprint in your kids? I do...the whole circle of life thing is pretty fantastic;)

Anyhoo...I had a good 3 hours to wander the aisles and made note of some rather swell finds along the way....I thought I'd showcase them alongside some examples of how such goodies can be used in the home, just so you can better see how fabalicious each can be...a little shopping for weird stuff lesson if you will;)

So...first up...

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...a little silhouette yumminess.
This piece was huge and gold and so so good...imagine hanging it over an antique settee like Graham Moss did on the left- this particular piece was big enough to sit all by himself but could also look pretty killer in a little art wall formation.
Next, my favourite antique category of all...cooky animalia...

...and yes, that is a monkey wearing a bonnet on the left- ha!

Just in case you aren't convinced that a ceramic cheetah or a pair of glass flamingos or a perched brass bird can literally make a room....looksee here...

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...PS, the last room is my favourite OF ALL TIME!
And PSS, all the cool kids love ceramic and brass animals so...take it from me, you need at least one in your house;)
Now aside from the above, there's a certain animal friend that deserves its very own category...

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...yup you guessed it, the Staffordshire dog.

I ADORE them.

I spotted those gold dotted beauties on the weekend and let me tell you...if I didn't already have these bad boys...

...they would have come home with me.
Again, I absolutely insist that you all get on the SD train...there just too damn charming not to love.
Moving on.
Next up on the antique tour...one of my other off-side favourites...

...the giant spooky man portrait.

The one on the left showcases my stealth attempt to take a photo of it while someone else was discussing purchase...didn't want to give it away that I was interested too...I had to wait until the other lady moved away to get a good look and sadly, although he was giant and had an incredible frame, he was also cross-eyed and $700...so, I left him behind.

Now even though I didn't take him home, I am always on the hunt for the perfect giant portrait.

They rock my face off...just look at the one on the top right- tell me it doesn't make the room?

Now, if you're a little afraid of the big daddy portrait..try a medium sized one...

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And if even that's too much commitment for you, go for a baby P...see how just that little bit of antique spookiness instantly elevates the space to something more dynamic?

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I actually had one of my own but it was a lady, and truth be told, I prefer the boys...weird because I adore girly fashion illustrations...anyhoo...my girl has been exchanged for her hubster...well once he gets a little cosmetic enhancement that is...seems the old guy has a bit of a tear in his face at the moment.
I'll post a picture once he arrives at Casa Bijou;)
For now, I very much hope you liked my cooky antiques tour and that I maybe/hopefully have inspired you to take the weird old stuff plunge...I promise you'll be happy that you did.
Oh and my other little tid-bit of advice...if you see something you truly love while shopping, buy it...if you don't someone else will.
Case in point...these amazing chairs that I passed up a week ago, only to find them sold this week when I returned to purchase...

Sad face.

I'm pretty sure the same things is going to happen next week when I return to buy this marble table I walked away from...

 ...how pretty is that cut top...and the gold cherub legs...sigh...I just couldn't think of a single damn place to put the thing...sometimes that's what happens...you see things you love but you just can't think of where the hell they can go...like this mirror for example...

...loveed it but again, my house just doesn't have room!

Despite the lack of space, if I had had $1500 bones in my pocket...this would have come home with me...

I know...it's weird but so utterly delightful.

Thankfully, despite all the things I had to leave, I did manage to make one purchase...

...hello pink antique Persian for $200!!!

Woot to the woot.

I have to say, the rug illustrates perhaps my biggest antiquing lesson of all...sometimes you have to be prepared to walk away from tons of great stuff and hold out for that thing that really makes your heart swell...I promise those goodies are out there.

The thrill of the hunt people- when you wait for the big prize, there's nothing more satisfying.

Oh and PS, do you knwo the great thing about loving to shop and not having a big enough house to put it all in?  Well...it forces you to open up an online store where you can collect all of this great stuff and sell it!

Stay tuned my friends...Curate My Love is a comin!

xo