Tuesday, May 26, 2020

out of the house, around the house


This past Saturday, Brian and I took a little road trip to our favorite vintage shop, Secret Treasures. They're currently open for online orders and then you pick up curb-side. It was so strange to see the empty streets and sidewalks that are usually bustling with traffic and people, especially on a weekend.


Brian had ordered a lamp for his desk and I had ordered a brass horse bookend. When we were standing on the sidewalk waiting for our purchases, I window shopped. I found a beautiful glass cake plate and dome, plus two pieces of vintage pottery that also came home with me.


 We ordered a sandwich online, picked it up curbside, and took it to our favorite park by the lake. Sat on a bench and shared a sammie, enjoying the beautiful day. There were lots of people out and about, walking dogs, playing Frisbee, having picnics on blankets with their family, but keeping their distance from others.


 One of my favorite Lake Michigan views.


A store we were able to check out in person (donning masks and keeping our distance from others) was Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse. From their website: 

The Evanston ReBuilding Warehouse is a non-profit organization that promotes the reduction of waste in landfills through sustainable deconstruction and renovation building practices. Reclaimed building materials are sold at our warehouse at low cost to the community and the proceeds support our education, job-training and job-development programs which foster individual, community and economic growth in Evanston and beyond.

This place was much bigger than we expected with aisles overfilled with anything and everything you could think of for inside and outside a home. Love this bathroom sink made by Jacob Delafon, Paris. Too big for either of our small bathrooms though.


Isn't this old range amazing?


The back right burner was like a "well" and had a silver pot down inside.


 Does anyone know what this was used for?


If you have a huge kitchen, how about this amazing Miele ventilation hood? Great price. These go for over $2000 brand-new.


Lots of chandeliers...


All kinds of interior doors...


So, back at home, here are my two pieces of gorgeous vintage pottery from Secret Treasures. The green one is Shawnee and the blue one is McCoy.


I added the pottery to my collection on the shelves in the living room.


The lamp that Brian found is filled with old radio tubes. Brian is a big radio and electronic aficionado, so this lamp is perfect for his office. We're still looking for long, floating picture shelves to go on this wall above his desk ~ and that's where this propped up art on his desk will go.



 My brass horse bookend...it may not stay here; I just put it here for the time being.


 I don't collect horse figurines, but for some reason, this bookend spoke to me when I saw it online. I did have a horse when I was a teenager and living in Kentucky...a beautiful brown and white quarter horse named Judy. I still miss her, over 40 years later. And I've always thought that horses were one of the most beautiful creatures I've ever seen...so maybe that's why I was drawn to this particular bookend.


 We're still experiencing an overabundance of rain. These past few days have been in the high 80's, too so with the heat index, it's in the low 90's. Too early to be this humid! On the plus side, everything is so lush and green now.


 The heat and thunderstorms weren't kind to my lilacs this year. They were here and gone in a little over a week. Barely got to enjoy them.


We're in the middle of contracting renovations in the front of our house. It started with our little Village redoing our front swales and an asphalt company digging out our old driveway. Today the concrete contractor is digging out our old sidewalk that leads up to the porch and digging trenches in our yard on either side of the driveway that lead down into the swales. They're installing pipes on the downspouts in front of our garage that will go down the trenches and into the swales. When this work is done, then the new asphalt driveway can be put in. 


Hopefully, before and after pictures to come in the near future!
Have a good week, my friends ~ and stay well and healthy.



18 comments:

  1. Both of those stores you went to would be ones that my husband and I would love to browse in! What fun finds. I also love the pictures of your yard. I have a white plant stand on my back patio exactly like the one you have in your yard. Have a good week and I will stop by for a visit again soon!

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  2. Wow, Melanie. Lots of things showing here, today. It really is strange to go to a previously busy area and hear crickets. Our roadways that usually hum with traffic are barely busy at all.
    I hope that we find some semblance of normalcy in the not-too-distant future. xo Diana

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  3. I have the blue McCoy vase on a high shelf in my kitchen now. It was my Mom's. I love the soft blue shade of it. I like the green vase you have to. Just such nice calming colors. It was fun looking at the interesting things you saw.

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  4. Mike and I almost went to Evanston on Sunday. Long story. I want to save this post to remind me of the places you go to when everything opens up. Love posts like these. :)

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  5. You both picked up some great items! The lunch in the park sounds wonderful.

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  6. Love the vintage pottery! It looks so great with your turquoise blue chair there. Good eye! Those are great stores to visit! I won't be heading out yet tho, as I have surgery coming up next week. Got to stay home and stay safe.

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  7. You day looks like it was so much fun! I'm looking forward to getting back out again, too! Love your vases and Brian's lamp, too!

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  8. Your home is beautiful and restful.
    I love lilacs. They are finally blooming, later than usual for this time of year.

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  9. We need some rain here, my lawn is in a terrible state. I think I would like Secret Treasures, you had a great day and bought some beautiful items, the horse bookend is gorgeous. I like the idea of a picnic, and that is a beautiful view over the water. I love your turquoise chair

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  10. Ah...to go shopping again. It looks like fun and you picked up some very pretty items. Enjoy them all.

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  11. I love the lamp you found for Brian's desk pretty cool! These look like great shops. It is looking good that they are starting the new walkway. I just planted a lilac tree so not sure if it will bud or wait until next year. Happy Wednesday.
    Hugs,
    Kris

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  12. I just love going along on your day trips. I wish we had towns like that close by. The picture of Lake Michigan is so pretty. I need a beach fix!

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  13. I just noticed you changed the pictures in your header! (or maybe it was a while ago, I'm not very observant.) I like these, especially the kitty:)

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  14. Neat lamp, love your pieces of pottery and a horse named Judy! Perfect day!LOL

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  15. I read this on my phone and then forgot to go to my laptop to comment but your trip to that warehouse made me so envious! I could have spent all day there, although they probably don't encourage that now. What fabulous pieces they have! But your Secret Treasures finds are wonderful too. Those colors of pottery are beautiful and look wonderful in the room. Love love love your horse and that it makes you remember Judy! Tell Brian that my oldest son would love his new lamp. His hobby for years has been restoring old radios and he has some great ones. Now he has moved into restoring old geiger counters, has a small museum of them. And he brought a new toy over to our house on Memorial Day, one of the first tape recorders ever made except it was done on fine wire. It came with a lot of spools that had been recorded with jazz and boogie music on it. It was our entertainment for the evening.

    So much rain here too but we had a beautiful sunny morning and nice afternoon between another downpour. RH needs to cut grass badly. I hope your yard work in the front gets done well and as promptly as possible!

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  16. Your shopping trip sounds wonderful and I love all your unique finds. Good luck with the renovations on the driveway. Stay safe.

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  17. So nice that you and Brian were able to get out and enjoy a nice day together. I must admit when I saw that shop window I yearned to go in and take a peek. You found some nice treasures and they look great where you placed them. That's a shame about your lilacs. We wait so long to see them and hate to be cheated out of full enjoyment. Hope you at least got to sniff their lovely fragrance.

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  18. It sounds like you had a great outing and brought back some fun things.

    That shop looks amazing.

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