The Bliss of Treasure Hunting

A delicate mist veils the early morning landscape and the suns rays gently blush the sky catching the morning dew on the tall blades of grass. Cows in an animated stance graze sporadically across the rolling acres of glistening splendor. Turn of the century homes with geraniums on window sills, their brick, wood and stone distressed from the elements of time, epitomize ”The Old Village Charm”. A tapestry of color, texture, pattern and form; each village we approach is in its own embodiment.
Bound for the allusive appeal of “something old”- connectors to the times and places of our past, we make our way through the quieter, muddled charm of the countryside. Surely you must have guessed were on a journey, a journey for antiquities, and a journey of discovery!
What better way is there to live the past than to boldly go where all men have gone before! To actually embrace an abject of a period in time in memorable and connect to its long past. To wonder at its form curiously and totally get the unexpected. I find it intriguing to my imagination with each new piece I obtain every time I take that special trip into the past.
The more the piece is worn and burnished by time, the more I’m smitten by its aura. Was it romance or sadness it possessed?
Obviously one must concede a new item would seem bland compared with an old piece possessing of such attributes. Quintessentially, indeed the new piece of today will one day be valued as highly. But let’s not loose sight of the fact that if you come across an item of little monetary value that that in itself does not prove its worth.

From the time I was a small child these objects excited attention and emotion from within me. I still can recall the time when I was rearranging my mom’s bedroom, when cleaning her dresser drawer, I tumbled across a beautiful rectangular shape encrusted with rhinestones. Spade shaped corners were adorned with four delicately woven bows. In between the bows there were four xs’s holding a centre circle. At the back of the see- through piece three brass brackets were joined. The middle one had two small teeth. Quickly I realized that it once must have adorned a beautiful gown as a belt buckle. Probably a gown worn during the Victorian era; oh no, there goes my imagination again. Oh, what a beautiful spell it had on me- Living in the Past!
Finding it difficult to come straight out and ask my mother for the buckle, I suggested on what a gorgeous frame it could be. Knowing her daughter quite well, my mother gave a smirk and said” keep it; I know that if anyone could find a use for it, It would be you”!! And so the Victorian buckle that could be from a Victorian lady’s gown; maybe worn on the Titanic; was mine.
This wasn’t the first time I turned something old into something new again, not only retaining its authenticity intact but accentuating its beauty making it a one of a kind item hard to pass by.
Through time I attained some very interesting objects minimal in cost and turned them into works of art. The purchase of a lovely spoon and fork turned into a pair of decorative wall accessories. Giving them a whimsical touch, I made for each of them their very own wire bows, dually useful for hanging and embellishment. Another find of some old dresser pulls turned out to be very enhancing to my paintings on the walls as picture swags.
Arriving to our destination, I spot a garage sale obscure from open view and we retreat indoors from the fine misty rain that begins to break into a pour. Anticipating another special heirloom find to add to my collection, I sip the tea that soothing me of cold trying patiently to wait for the rain to let up; but no, I can't wait. I must go!!!


Does the above post sound a bit familiar?
It should to some who have read my blog from when I first started it back in the spring of 2006. I wrote it in the early part of March when the snow had just left us and the church and yard sales called to me. Some things will never change ……………………. If I can help it ~!

Treasure hunting evokes the wonderful feeling of attaining an earlier period of history whenever I come upon a lovely find and it is just so thrilling and exciting to say the least. A Blissful joy to come upon a lost treasure of the past, to hold and to keep and to learn all that it was and all it will be.
I luv to venture off into Treasure Land on early bright or dreary Saturday mornings, no matter what the weather may be, off I go searching for that very special place that just might have something there for me.
But this past weekend has been a bit of a surprise for I found a gorgeous treasure just a hop and skip from our house.
Usually I luv making my early morning track to Timmy’s for a cup of coffee and then check out the church sales….still by far untouched for the most amazing, inexpensive , unique and very old vintage stuff. Junk like my kids and hubby refer to it.
But this stuffy junk makes me very happy. It inspires and delights and evolves into an artful creation all done by me giving me the sense of achieving and accomplishment. It stimulates the mind and therefore I feel release of my ingenuity and very triumphant. Hunting for Treasure is just one of many of my favorite pass times under the heading of “Blissful Things to Do with One’s Day”.

Now the reason for not venturing too far from home was our daughter Em had a job in taking care of the little dog down the road and being the kind parents that we are we agreed to drive her there so she could get back to bed to catch up on her sleep from a late night.
I know, I know she should be doing it all on her own but hey if we didn’t God wouldn’t have blessed us for the beautiful find …right?
Well ,right across the doggie house was a garage sale and we thought we go over there to say our Farwell to the couple when ….there it was, I had just seen one recently in someone’s blog and wished I had one. I bee lined to it in a flash and almost looking a little rude leaving my husband to talk to the lady I headed towards it. Ah! I held it and asked how much. “Give me an offer” the reply came back. “Oh no, I’m no good at that” I replied. She asked her husband and he said what I never would of thought…..I bought it! He finished off by saying “hey” take good care of it, it belonged to my granddad! Wow, His father who we were saying goodbye to was quite elderly so from my calculations this boat I would imagine to be from probably the early part of the 1900’s. And so now I was the owner of one very much like the one I had drooled over on someone’s blog. I was so thrilled and euphoric by the find! My treasure of the day I had found in the first minutes of my venture! Not at all that surprising for it usually is the very first half hour~hour that the Treasure is found. I always pick three and go from there. This time was not even part of the choice….You never know…..That’s the fun of it all!

Okay, here is what I found! I’m sure you’re wondering just what in the world I’m so over the moon for. A boat! Yeh, a boat!





I have been working on a boat for some time now and funny how things seem to come together. Of late I have come across or stumbled upon two more boats to be precise. They are no ordinary boats but very darling and unique in their own way .And so more stuff to create with but I think I’ll keep this one very special boat to light my nights, imagine the sea and who knows may even cast a magic spell upon my dreams.