Hillsville Labor Day Weekend Treasure Hunt, Day Two!

Waking up fully recovered from yesterday's adventure in Hillsville...

We decided to do it again!

Because it is absolutely impossible to see it all in one day. In fact, it's nearly

impossible to see it all in three days! So you pick the area that looked most

interesting just before you left, and you sacrifice sleeping in on day two

of your four-day weekend to greet the foggy mountain morning early...

Before the other half-million people with the same idea get there!

And, you run from dealer to dealer to see as much as you can, waste no

time in your bargaining and get back to the truck with your haul just as

the heat begins to erase every bit of freshness you brought with you... 

 And, the crowd becomes I-N-S-A-N-E!

And that's how day #2 in Hillsville happened and ended...

So what were our finds, you ask? Well, let me show you! This

little cutie came from an estate in nearby Ardmore. How do

I know? Well, the dealer turned out to be a co-worker of mine!

So there was no way I could just leave her sitting in Hillsville, Virginia!

Not when she so obviously is meant to be sitting here by the firepit!

And, to join her new friend, Leo!

You see, I rescued him from a cute antique shop in Hogansville,

Georgia last weekend. There he was at, Born Again Antiques... 

Just begging to be liberated from that silly orange party hat!

Okay, back to my Hillsville finds! This votive holder is signed Tiffany and Co.,

so when the dealer said he wanted $10 for it, I didn't quibble. Especially when
you consider that this e-Bay seller is asking so much more for one just like

it. I couldn't wait to plop a candle into it and see it lit up. It truly is beautiful!

I also found this enameled stamp dispenser for $4. It's signed and

numbered, and there's God Bless America painted on it. Perfect!

The same dealer who sold me that also sold me this!

Made in Bavaria, just like me... And, such a no-brainer!

You remember this piece I picked up at Sleepy Poet in Charlotte a few weeks

ago, right? A bit pricey at $175, firm, per the dealer... But so right for this spot!

So, when I saw this... Also hand-carved, and marked only

$25, I grabbed it! And, bonus... Since Army dad bought a

book from the same dealer, he took $5 off my cherub!

Bing likes it too!

Now, if he would only tell me where to put it!

Army Dad left Hillsville pretty happy too. He added four signed,

first editions to his book collection. This was his last find today...

He also picked up a pair of Lincoln bookends, a brass desk-top

book holder/rack and a few other things I've yet to discover!

My first mission this morning was to find the dealer I discovered yesterday that

had this box of wine corks for sale. I kicked myself for not buying them as soon

as I walked away because although it's ten times the number of corks I need

to fill my box in the dining room, having them meant I'd finally have it filled!

The dealer offered to let me take only the corks I needed for whatever I wanted

to pay; however, after I began picking through them I realized I couldn't choose!

The dealer told me they come from the estate of an French airline pilot who

traveled the world collecting corks from bottles dating back to the 1800's.

And, look at that! Two weekends ago we were standing at Chimney Rock

with mom and dad... And today, there's a wine cork from Chimney Rock

in my cork collection, thanks to some French pilot I'll never know!

Life through found treasures can be funny sometimes!

Can't it?

Day three of our four-day holiday weekend will not find us out of

bed at six o'clock chasing down treasures... No way! Tomorrow and

Monday will find me piddling around the house and gardens, and

floating around the corners of the pool... Hopefully, while napping!