big fan of junk and surplus and anything old and funky

Selectively, of course.  When you live in a small house you can't collect EVERYTHING. 

When you live in a small old house, it is nice to find a resource to replace the 75 year old bathroom light fixture that you broke when you were painting.

Two weeks ago I talked Mike into joining me on a trip to Art and Architecture, on University Ave. in St. Paul. They are a treasure trove of architectural finds and antique maps and minnow buckets and anything old and full of potential.

 Twice a year they also host Junkmarket, a treasure trove of fun (BRING CASH).  Junkmarket has fun website with all kinds of ideas on how to repurpose treasures:  http://www.junkmarketstyle.com/

At Art and Architecture, we explored the aisles and piles of rescued finds, everything from drawer pulls to antique bathroom light fixtures to bowling balls.  My brain was abuzz with possibilities!

They have a pair of antique elevators doors that are a work of art, and if you have $35, 000 you can take them home with you.  Definitely wouldn't fit in my house....

Their assortment of chandeliers is awe inspiring-some were as big as my kitchen!

I ended up buying some keyhole covers and skeleton keys to use in creating some custom jewelry for my Etsy shop, can't wait to get creating.  And happy to know that I now have a limitless resource for things of that nature.

My Junkmarket find was a jar full of clock and watch parts, that I will turn into something fun, someday...

And then Mike took me to lunch next door, at Cupcake.  It's times like this I am glad to live in a vibrant metro area!  check out the fun, here:  http://www.cup-cake.com/

Last week I stood in line to attend an estate sale.  I usually don't frequent estate sales, as they make me sad.  Sad for a life that is usually gone.  It feels strange to walk through someone else's home, and dig through their possessions. 

But I had seen the ad in the paper, and I knew I was meant to attend, as it was the first time I had looked at estate sale listings all summer, and this one very specifically listed buttons for sale.  So of course I had to attend.

When it was finally my turn to enter the tiny house, crammed to the rafters with the stuff of life, I asked the woman running the sale where I might find the buttons.  Luckily she directed me to the basement, and the jars were lined up on the dryer.  I grabbed them all, feeling as though I had struck gold.  The little house was literally packed with treasures, but it was also packed with treasure hunters, so I ended my hunt, paid for my goodies, and went home.

Charlie was intrigued as I opened the first jar, and he ended up spending the whole night helping me sort the fourteen jars I had purchased.  A little unplanned time with my newly minted teenager.

You just never know where the pursuit of 'junk' will take you....