Treasure Hunting

Every once in a while, when I have a chance, I stop into a few of the antique and second-hand stores in downtown L-Town to see what treasures I can find.

Most of the time, I just wander around for a few minutes and leave empty-handed. I try not to buy things just for the sake of buying anymore. Instead, I only buy something I really need, that is exceptionally useful, or that is particularly special. Or, let’s be honest, something that just makes me incredibly happy.

I suppose, if you wanted to, you could call it my personal definition of sufficiency. (Sorry, I've been reading for my economics class so it's on my mind.) In other words, the goal is to have enough to support a comfortable life. No more, no less. Perhaps the last item on my list—the part about buying things that make me incredibly happy—is not necessary for a comfortable life. But life is too short to deprive yourself of everything but the necessities, don't you think? It’s not about consume, consume, consume. Buy, buy, buy. It’s just that an occasional treasure here and there makes life all the more wonderful.

Anyhow. So I went into the antique store on the square this weekend, only instead of my usual browsing I actually had a mission. There are a couple of areas in our house—namely my office, but also my jewelry drawer and a few spots in the kitchen—that are disaster areas. So I wanted to find a bookshelf for my office and a few other organizational items.

Usually, when I shop with expectations, I come home empty-handed. But this time?

Let's just say the trip was a success and then some.

I started with this whole stack of frames (eight total, with an interesting variety of artwork, including two silhouettes on linen and a very strange painted portrait of some kid). The frames are for the big, blank yellow wall in my office. I want to put my photographs in most, but I might actually keep the random art in a few of them (although the strange portrait has to go).


I also picked up this terrific old Kroger crate for some additional office storage. It’s already filled with junk, by the way. But at least that's one less pile of junk on the floor.


Plus this plant stand. It wasn't really on my shopping list, but I've been looking for a plant stand since last summer and this one is much better than the new ones I’ve contemplated buying (cheaper too!).


Oh, and just for fun? These little guys.


They're bookends. No wait, they're vases. Oh ... that's right ... they're both. And incredibly retro. They actually match the clock embedded in the wall in the kitchen, which is why they're now serving to support my small collection of regularly used cookbooks.

I also bought some cute little glass bowls, which you'll have to wait to see in a later post because I want to show you what I did with them. I'm so mean, aren't I?

Oh wait. I almost forgot the big one, the main reason I stopped into the store in the first place: My new bookshelf.


A bit worn, yes. But very sturdy and just the size my office (which is overflowing with binders, books, magazines, papers, and more papers) needs.

Not bad for a quick stop, eh? And best of all, the grand total was less than $150. The bargain shopper strikes again.