Whew! What a weekend. Needless to say I didn't have time to finish that Nester inspired Mistreatment but soon, I promise, I'll share. BUT, I found some treasures this weekend and managed to pack in a music festival with some amazing artists, so all in all a productive weekend, I'd say.
My sister, Kelly and I headed out antiquing in a little town about 35 minutes from her house. She was specifically looking for a vintage light fixture for her newly remodeled bedroom. She didn't find what she was looking for but I did....
Check out this old firehouse ladder. I wanted it badly! It was a little too expensive for my budget and the rungs were round which wouldn't work to use as a shelf leaning against my wall. Not perfect so I let it go. :(
I found these posts in the back of a shop somewhat hidden. $35 each and they were huge! Like 12 ft tall! I had visions of cutting them in half and using them on my posts on the back porch as a sort of faux post. Or using one in the front yard with a light on top, as a sort of lamp post. Oh I might have to go back for these now!
How about this chicken coop! It would look fantastic on top of my china hutch! Again, a little pricey at $75 but it was quite huge as well. Plus the tag read "Primitive chicken coop-NO POOP" and that made me laugh out loud!
Now this, I really wanted and it is so much prettier than the picture portrays. An antique barn door table never restored. It was so beat up and beautiful and still had the holes from the hinges. I LOVED IT! But before I could spend too much time drooling over it right behind it was this big beautiful black monstrosity. What could it be, shoved up against the wall and barely showing behind the chairs and dressers (that I promptly moved out of the way)?
My sister is trying to find the price tag (maybe behind it?-as she pulled it away from the wall.) Kelly is all of 5'2" (if she is lying) so you can see how BIG this beauty is. So I casually say "do you want me to see how much it is?" with the response of "yes, it would look great in my entry" Not that she was really going to buy it. It must be expensive, I think to myself.
I cannot explain the detail in this piece and the lighting was horrible for taking pictures but I sure did try to capture the beauty.
At the top each side had a woman carved into it and her carved skirt flowed all the way to the floor.
The umbrella stand had a pristine tin box and I just continued to wonder not only at the condition of this piece but where did it come from?
Well, as I demurely ask if this piece is for sale the owner tells me with a knowing look on her face that it has a very special history. It is from the mid 1800's and was once owned by Charles Dickens! A CHARLES DICKENS PIECE-ON THIS SIDE OF THE MISSISSIPPI. O.k. anyone who doesn't shop in Colorado doesn't know that it is a true treasure to come across something like this in the little town Florence. We really have to dig for treasures out here! Needless to say, it wasn't for sale which leads to the sad part of this story. A woman in Denver bought this hall tree and Dickens' writing desk at a Sothebys auction many years ago for $15,000(just the hall tree price). For some reason she needed to liquidate some of her assets and choose to keep the desk but sell this lovely piece. She had contracted with a couple of auction houses and Antique shops to sell her wares and during the move, the paperwork that should have been sent with this piece was stolen or lost. Sotheby's is not interested in reproducing the paperwork because if the paperwork was stolen there may be a fake out there with her legitimate paperwork. So here sits this beautiful piece of work just waiting for a home. Isn't it absolutely gorgeous.
After she told me the history, I had to go back and just touch it for a while. I still can't believe behind all those chairs and dressers this beautiful treasure sits, waiting to be of some use to someone again some day. I hope it finds a home. It would break my heart for a little piece of history to be lost at the back of a shop in
Florence, CO of all places.
After that insanely exciting day of antiquing, the hubs and I spent the whole next day at the
Mile High Music Festival with our good friends Tom and Nancy.
What a day full of music, food, friends, and heat! Boy was it hot but so much fun.
We were introduced to a new band (gotta love music festivals for this)
The Black Keys. Wow were they A-MAZ-ING! They have been around awhile I guess, but I am so glad I got to hear them live really they are great! We snuck up to the front row to see this two person band. Only two musicians and you would NEVER know it. Again Amazing.
The whole day we listened to some great music! Everything from Needtobreathe, G-Love, Ben Harper, to Tool, Incubus, and Wide Spread Panic. Interesting selection huh?
After a day of resting on the grass, listening to some tunes, and munching on everything from some delicious chicken and basil dumplings to funnel cake (nice combo eh?) we decided it was time to go. Not before I snapped a few shots to share.
My friend Nancy won't like that I am sharing this pic but I love it. No posing or anything. It's hard to catch this girl off guard but here she is-the real Nancy! And our tired, tanned, blistered and weary feet after a full day of fun!
We've had so much rain which makes everything so earthy green yet the sky is so blue you could swim in it....
The black eyed susans wink at me as I pass by. Their sunshiny smiles bathing in the rays, seemingly enjoying the peace just as much as I am....
I think the pups feel the same way. Even though I make them pose for pictures, at least it was shady in this nature made alcove. Even with hummingbirds wizzing by and squirrels taunting them, they sat like good children and tried not to roll their eyes when I said "Smile"....
