What Better Way to Spend a Rainy, Cold Day

My adventure today was very low-key. It involved my beloved furry friend, a quilt and my tablet. I stayed home, in a quiet house, and wasted the day away! Watching The Paradise on Netflix, reading books on my tablet, and catching up on blog reading. What a great way to spend a cold, dreary, rainy day.

Sometimes you just need to take a break, rest and recharge. New adventures await! Have a GREAT weekend!!!

Garage Sale Season Has Officially Started!!

I decided to skip the malls and shops today and try my luck at some garage sales since there were so many out there. I probably should have stuck with the original plan. I was thinking that since it was the beginning of the season, that there might be a lot of good junk treasures to be found. I did see quite a few things that were things that I like, but the prices were wayy too high. I've seen some of the items I found today in antique malls for less than they were at the garage sales!

With a lot of shows out there showing hunting, picking and collecting, are people convincing themselves that everything they have is their gold mine? I hope not! I love going to the sales for the hunt as well as the prices.

I only picked up a rolling pin, at a church rummage sale and a vintage dishtowel at a barn sale. All in all, I visited two sub sales, 3 individual garage sales, two barn sales, and a consignment store. It got up to 55 degrees, but the wind was still chilly, I got several disapproving looks from older people because I was wearing capri pants. Some people were wearing winter coats!!

Next weekend is a very busy weekend for sales. There are so many sales-good sales, that I'm trying to figure out how I can visit them all!! Starting on Thursday, May 1, is the South Lyon Community Wide Yard Sale. I LOVE this sale! I usually run into my elderly cousin somewhere along the route. She is almost 93 and looks and acts like she is 73!

Then the M-15 Sale starts on the 2nd-that is ALWAYS a fun sale! Lots of driving, lots to look at, great treasures and usually great prices. The 3rd is the very first Antiques Festival in Davisburg at Springfield Oaks County Park. It won't be impossible to visit all three, just very exhausting!

We'll see how next week goes. After being on vacation for a week, I'm sure there will be LOTS of catch-up to do at work, so I may not have enough energy at the end of the week for treasure hunting! I'm glad I'm on vacation this week, I've heard that the people in my department are all getting sick with a stomach bug.

Another Day, Another Adventure!

My day started off at the doctor's office. Good news! No fractured ribs or strained cartilidge from coughing...just pulled muscles, that have been aggravated by all the stretching I do when I am playing volleyball. I was getting worried, because it doesn't seem to be healing, and I've been done coughing from my cold (for the most part) for a few weeks now. If anything, the pain has gotten worse! In a couple weeks, I'll be able to not strain those muscles for a while and hopefully the rest will cause everything to heal up.

After that, I started out on another adventure!  I visited several places starting a little north west and ending up north east of my home. The first stop was supposed to be a resale shop, but as I was crossing the street, I saw a sign for Swan Creek Candles & Antiques!!! Since I had such great success at their store in Dundee yesterday, I was almost skipping into the store! They have a small antique shop on the second floor of their building and it was awesome!!!

Very Cute!!! Loved it!!!

This looks like fun-too bad I'm so far away! If you're in the area, you might want to check it out-you never know what you might find!!

Just like yesterday, I found several treasures and had such a fun time browsing through the booths! I got great deals on some fun things! This shop will go on the must visit list-at least a couple of times a year-even if it is off the beaten path.

The next stop, after a trip to the car to hold my treasures was the resale shop that was my original destination. The pictures on the resale shop's website are of brand new-ish looking items. The advertised housewares, glassware, furniture, etc, so I was excited to check it out. Hoping it was going to be another "must visit" place to add to my list.

The outside looked kind of junky, with lots of things lining the sidewalk. I wasn't deterred, I was encouraged, thinking there might be some hidden gems inside, and I was anticipating good deals, since it didn't look anywhere near as fresh and new as their website.

Inside was packed-literally packed with all kinds of junk and treasures. I found several things I was interested in, but the prices were higher than what I've seen at antique stores. The staff was really friendly, and they were playing Christian music, but I just couldn't find anything that I had to have. I think it's a place to visit maybe once a year or once every two years. You never know what you will find-so it doesn't hurt to look!

The next stop on my route was Treasures Antiques and Collectibles in Owosso. It is part restaurant, part antique store. I went there a few years back with Mr. BHTS, and have been wanting to go back ever since. I made a half-hearted attempt to stop a couple of months ago, but didn't realize the entrance was around the corner!! Duh!

Their basement booths are only open on Saturdays, so I missed a lot of space to dig for treasures. I enjoyed browsing-there were lots of fun things to look at! The staff seem to pull double-duty, running the restaurant and the antique shop. They were welcoming and friendly.

On my way out of town, I passed a 5 and 10 store. I drove past, and then found myself circling back around. I just couldn't resist! I used to work at a 5 and 10 called D&C Dime store when I was in high school. This place didn't disappoint! It was just like stepping back in time! As soon as you walk in, you see the old fashioned candy counter-where the candy is displayed in glass cabinets and weighed out to your order, and the popcorn machine is full of warm, crispy popcorn at all times.

I wandered around looking at everything! Enjoying the small town feel of the store and the old memories that came rushing back. I had to stop at the candy counter for a half pound of chocolate covered peanuts for nostalgia's sake. I was talking to the manager (he seemed to be the only one working in the store), about how much I enjoyed my visit and told him why. He had worked at that store for a time, after I left though, and he knew the man that was the manager when I was there! I'm sooo glad I turned around and stopped! That really was the cherry on top of another fun day!

Too bad the chocolate covered peanuts weren't as good as I remembered!

My next stop was Picker's Trove in Owosso. I don't remember seeing this little shop the last time I was in Owosso, so I am assuming it is relatively new. It is part antique/collectibles/vintage mall, part furniture store, part picker junk shop. I really enjoyed the antique section, it had all kinds of fun vintage things to look at. I wasn't in the mood for picking, but a couple of guys who came into that area after me were almost drooling, looking forward to digging for treasures! I will definitely visit again the next time I'm in Owosso.

Cute-huh?

After that, I paid a visit to VOA, but the shelves were pretty bare. People were walking around with full carts and leaving with full bags. I guess I should have gotten an earlier start!

Then it was on to IMN in Durand. A tiny little shop that I visited a few years ago when I visited Treasures. I love the small town feel of the area that this shop is in, but didn't find anything that I couldn't live without. I did notice that there were a few things in the display cases that were marked NFS, that's always discouraging-good thing they weren't items I was hoping to buy!

As I was leaving town, I drove past this!

My next stop was Genevieve's Treasures in Burton. I've driven by several times, but it always seemed I was going to fast in traffic to pull over, they were closed, or I was in a hurry to get to where I was going, so I never stopped.

This is their entrance. What a nice little shop! Very friendly staff, very helpful too! I will be adding another shop to my list of must visits!


I tried to visit another shop in Burton, but as you can see, both doors are blocked! No way to get in, no lights on, no hours on the door...but clearly there were antiques inside. I don't know if they recently went out of business, if they are new and about to open, or what the story is. Good thing it wasn't too far off my route to make a quick stop!

My last stop of the day was Collette's. One of my favorite places in Michigan. I noticed a few empty booths today. I'm looking forward to seeing the new dealers that fill time-hopefully by my next visit!! I didn't find anything, but enjoyed strolling through the aisles just as much as any other time I've gone.

These are my treasures for today...

 I don't know if this is old, but it was super cheap, and I think it is super cool!

 I don't think the plastic box goes with the mirror and powder box, but the whole set was cheaper than usually what you find the mirror for!

This was labeled with a generic name, so the seller didn't know what it was, so the price was super cheap!

 I wasn't planning to increase my Fiesta mixing bowl collection...honest! I found these in two separate stores severely under-priced...and I couldn't just walk away! 

They fit in nicely with my mis-matched extras...oh, no! I'm on the hunt for another #6 and #7-AGAIN!!! I guess you can never really be DONE collecting a certain thing if you see it super cheap!

Tomorrow is another day, and another adventure! Have a great night!!

Staycation Adventures...

I am on vacation from work all week. I started my adventures last week at the end of the week with a quick trip to our local Salvation Army, a tiny antique shop called Mart's Treasures, and a little consignment shop called the Seagull's Nest. I didn't end up buying anything at any of those places, but it was nice to get out-especially since we had a guy in the house working on our bathroom drywall.

I always find it awkward to have someone in the house working on something. I feel like I need to be friendly  and talk to them, but if I talk to them, they can't work, and I'm sure they'd like to get the job done and be gone as quickly as possible-but if I don't talk to them, I feel like I'm being rude. So, for me, it's easier if I just leave and let Mr. BHTS deal with it.

On Saturday, I spent a few hours with some volunteers at our church making fresh fruit salad for our big Easter Breakfast. Sunday was the actual breakfast and then dinner for my family. Yesterday, my only adventure was to go to the store to pick up a birthday cake and ice cream to take to my youngest at work (I took it to him when I went there for my volleyball game). It was his 20th birthday. No more teenagers in our house! I think I felt older when he turned 10 than I do now that he is 20.

Today, I went to the Swan Creek Candle Outlet in Dundee, Blissfield Antiques in Blissfield, The Gallery Antiques in Tecumseh, The Hitching Post Antiques in Tecumseh, an antique store in Manchester that was closed, The Chelsea Antique Mall, and Treasuremart in Ann Arbor.

 Great view at the rear entrance to Swan Creek Candle.

 The basement and upper floor is rented out as antique mall space. The main floor is the candle store. 

Blissfield Antiques...a lot of changes since I was there last. Looks like new dealers, and new displays. It was a very pleasant surprise. In years past you could go years and see the same things in the same places. I was sad to see that the cafe between the two malls is closed. I loved to eat there because they served their food on Fiesta.

 The Gallery in Tecumseh-soon to move across the street to a bigger store. 

Hitching Post, Tecumseh

 Manchester Antiques-too bad they were closed!

 Chelsea Antiques Mall-small but very friendly staff.

Treasure Mart!

It was a great day to be out and about-lots of blue skies and sunshine, and it even got up 55 degrees!! I only bought things at the first stop and the last stop. I found out about The Gallery from a blog friend. They are moving across the street in the next month or so, to a bigger location-I hope to make another trip later this summer to check it out.

Tonight is more volleyball, and tomorrow is another adventure! I almost went to the Maumee Antique Mall today, but decided to wait until Auntie is able to go with me.

These are some of the fun things I saw today...

 Fork easel-I think I'm going to try to make some of these!

 What a fun suitcase! 

 This actually looked much better in person-it was a great display-it twinkled.

 WOW! $90 for the set...that's wayy too high!

 I didn't see a price tag-I wonder if someone rode it to work today?!?

 Interesting way to attach glassware to the post for repurposed vintage glassware flowers.

 So true-the time to buy is when you see it!

 Largest collection of this pattern I've ever seen!

 LOVE the little guy on the top!

 My wishlist-collapsible metal laundry basket.

 Oh, if only I had the room!!!

 Super mint condition with the mini accessories!!

Hoping to make some of these this summer!

This is what came home with me today...