I have known for some time that I will travel a long distance and endure physical challenges (within reason) to follow my heart to an estate sale or a "I have to have it" buy when pursuing that next great refurbishing project. At the same time, I will often change a recipe rather than travel by car 1.5 miles to buy a missing ingredient at the nearest store. It's hard to explain, but that's the way it is.
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Near bottom of driveway off the road ... |
This weekends sales amply demonstrated this truism. I traveled to a sale on Wieuca Drive in Buckhead - not that far - but it has a mixture of great mansions and falling apart older properties sometimes buried in the woods. A sale was being held at one of the latter and despite the fact that you couldn't see the house from the road and the uphill driveway looked unstable and steep, I took off.
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Walking up the hill ... |
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Near the top ... |
It is hard to see the steepness but I was out of breath when I reached the top. The house was clearly marked for demolition and it was packed. It looked like no-one could have lived here for decades but the people handling the sale assured me that the lady who owns the property left that morning.
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The house was packed with dolls, doll accessories, "art", books, etc, etc, etc - a hoarder's paradise! |
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Purchase - one of two - this will be a feature of a before and after project |
I wandered around the property and was ready to leave and descent the hill when I spied two old but durable chairs that spoke to me - $15 each! I told the sales woman that I had a predicament. I liked the chairs and would like to buy them but I didn't want to drive to the property and didn't want to carry them one at a time off to my car which seemed miles away. She found a young man who was willing for a tip to carry them to my car in his rickety truck. We made the deal for $10 and soon the chairs were loaded and I got a ride back to my car as a package deal. Nice!
I went on to my next sale and guess what, another tree-line old lane and a house off at a distance - neither as far nor as steep. Off I went!
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Next sale - Davis Road in North Buckhead |
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Reaching my destination! |
This was a "moving" sale and the owner had never had a sale before. She had also inherited old pieces from elderly family. She just wanted someone to take them off of her hands. I ended up buying two sets of club chairs and ottoman (rocker/swivel made by Century Furniture) for $5 (yes) a set and a chaise lounge for another $5. Other than those pieces that I've gotten free over the years, these have to be my best prices for the past 8-9 years.
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I am thinking of doing this piece in a small blue print by Waverly. |
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I am thinking of doing these in a cream on cream damask with linen same color piping - should be wonderful! |
Unfortunately, I already had a few things in my van and couldn't load these - we had to return today for a pickup!
So ... I got some great buys and had some nice adventures. You really wouldn't do this if you didn't love it!
I love reading about your estate sale adventures!
ReplyDeleteEvery Monday, I'm checking to see what you did at the weekend sales. I always find it interesting.
ReplyDeleteThe first old red chair takes my eye. It had to be pretty once upon a time and I know you'll make it that way again.
Buckhead is a beautiful area.