Each year, my aunt stops at our house for a visit on her drive down from Vermont to Virginia to see family. This year, I decided to leave the kids with my husband for a few days and hitch a ride with her. How could I resist the chance to spend a day antiquing in Leesburg, Virginia? I had a list of shops I was dying to check out thanks to some of the inspiring blogs I follow. My friend, Mary Alice of the beautiful blog Chateau Chic also gave me a list of shops to visit in her hometown.
photo credit: Such Pretty Things
My first stop was The Old Lucketts Store. Just inside the front door, I was treated to a real life encounter with the dealer space I admire each day on the inspiring blog Miss Mustard Seed. Marian is one of the many dealers at Lucketts and I was thrilled to see her finds (and Milk Paint) in person. It was surreal to be in the space that I look at online each day as I drink my morning coffee. I love Marian's can do attitude and her eye for decorating. If she was a rock star, I would have to admit to being one of her groupie's. If I had run into her, I'm sure I would have acted like a silly star-struck kid!
I checked out all the vendors in the building and couldn't resist this bowl and linen runner. The bowl is very weathered, but the blue goes perfectly in my living room
and is a tricky color to find.
photo credit: On A Whim
Next I headed to On A Whim right down the road. Hard to miss. The shop looks just like photos I have seen posted by blogger friends. Such fun finds in this shop. All so well displayed and reasonably priced. I found a few things...
My house has a large entryway with a brick fireplace and I am always on the hunt for black accessories for the mantel. These black onyx candle holders are perfect.
And this guy was begging me to take him home. Not an old find, but fit right in with the vintage vibe of the shop. A perfect birthday gift for my friend who is an Anthropologie fan. The rest of my day was spent in downtown Leesburg touring a handful of antique shops and grabbing a yummy lunch. Definitely worth the trip and, thanks to blogland,
I didn't miss a thing.
