My parents arrived safely home from their trip to Knoxville, Tennessee. Dave the Builder and I stayed behind to keep the home fires burning, but I put in my order pre trip for a few items. We live in retail deficient area, and we can’t wait to hit the stores, outlets and shops when we are in bigger cities.
Knoxville offers a large range of all the aforementioned sources. My mother can sniff out a bargain with the best of them, and she loves the hunt. She called me several times from different stores reporting and confirming success.
Ten years ago we stumbled upon Chintzy Rose, an antique and vintage shop and tea room in Knoxville. We spent almost four hours in the shop. In that time we met new friends, enjoyed lunch, and purchased enough inventory to load up our Ford Excursion from end to end. We had to rent a U-Haul trailer to get it all back to Louisiana. No vacation is every exempt from turning into a buying trip. My mother called me Monday afternoon from Chintzy Rose, totally embracing her role as my antique picker. She selected a painted vintage mirror and two hobnail milk glass bowls.
A milk glass bowl epitomizes yesteryear, but can also be very current because of the fresh, clean, and crisp white color. Deep jewel tones or the cinnabar, pumpkin, and earth neutrals of fall tablescapes pair well with a white bowl. White emphasizes the dominant colors, and it stands on its own as the standout pop of color.
I’ll take the mirror and the bowls to the antique shop, put the notecards to good use, and keep the dessert plates and appetizer bowls for myself. That is the fun part of this thirteen year treasure hunt I’ve found myself on. I get to experience and provide the thrill of the hunt. I get to keep, share, and sell the treasures we find. We get to meet people who become friends, travel, and make memories we will never forget.
