From Vintage Shops to Antique Malls: My Colorful Treasure Finds

I LOVE summer…it’s such a great time to hunt for treasures. This summer seemed to be extra special! Going antiquing is one of my all-time favorite things to do…from vintage shops to antique malls and flea markets. This month we actually revisited a few places we hadn’t seen in several years…and guess what? It all looked the same…It was a trip down memory lane for sure! It was very good to get back and chat with the owners and browse my old stomping grounds. I was an antique dealer back in the day. But once I had my three youngest children I gave it up to spend time with my family.

My Summer Treasures:

From Vintage Shops to Antique Malls

Pretty and Practical

Typically I’m searching for something definite in mind, but this summer I was mostly just looking and taking it all in. Whatever caught my eye and made me say “yes”. I found a lot of great things …so I thought I would share with you the items I chose that really stood out to me and made me smile.

This colorful souvenir Florida tray was my all-time favorite find this Summer…I couldn’t resist it, it’s soooo me. And, it oozes sunny tropical vibes! It has a few burnt holes in its clear plastic covering, but they don’t detract from its overall beauty. For extra fun, I paired it with my hula girl and hula boy and made a quirky collage in my art room. They go perfectly together. But it also helps me to serve lunches… it’s super useful!

And I found so many ceramic vintage vessels! From pitchers to flower pots…and in such pretty pastel colors. From McCoy to a lovely handmade gem I found…stunning!

This cute little sewing basket was marked “vintage”. The tag reads “Scovill Dritz.” I’m not entirely sure about its real age but I like it and it’s super handy. It’s small but mighty! It now holds all my tiny tools in my art room. Here’s another cute one that can be found on eBay (paid link).

Book Finds

This summer I also thought I would hunt for some art books and books written by decorators I really admire. I use them as reference books for my artwork and design. And that day I hit the mother lode! We have a local used book store pretty close to my house which sells donated and discarded books from our county’s public library. So on the day we were there they had a fresh shipment of all the books I was looking for!…feeling very blessed!

When my oldest was small she won a fish from a church festival. So naturally, we bought all the bells and whistles including this tropical ceramic fish hut. Well, the fish didn’t live very long I’m sad to say BUT the hut is still part of my decorating collection. And last week I found a matching ceramic palace. They both make fabulous accents on my book stacks.

This rattan woven magazine rack now displays some of my favorite art books. It is vintage but in wonderful condition!

More Vintage Ceramics in Shades of Pastel

McCoy pottery gets me every time! This beautiful handled vase in aqua green with cardinals, leaves, and berries has such wonderful detail!

Vintage Shops and Antique Malls: What a Fun Summer Adventure!

I can tell you one thing, I never get tired of roaming for colorful treasures. From vintage shops to antique malls and even flea markets…It’s always an adventure! It’s a true passion for me! And, If you haven’t been in a while what are you waiting for? I never quite know what I will find but I know it will be a happy surprise!

If you enjoyed learning about my summer treasures, I think you’ll love my post “A Fun Way To Treasure Hunt For Fun Finds“. One of my favorite antique malls is the Ohio Valley Antique Mall, which has over 600 different vendors…amazing!!