Old House Charm: Before and After Banister

Posted on January 30, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

This post serves as a warning to all DIY’ers out there in blog-land. Not all DIY projects are as easy as they seem at first glance. I wanted to share a quick ‘before and after’ story with ya’ll, so you don’t make the same mistakes as we did with our banisters!

How It Started

Let’s face it. We all have cabin fever this time of year. Antiquing doesn’t get really good until about March when the flea markets start opening up again and the snow starts melting (depending where you live). I warned ya’ll that I needed a project to do (like almost every waking moment that I have)…which usually means my poor husband gets roped into doing the projects with me!

Well, I was reading one of my favorite blogs, Southern Hospitality, and got the hair-brained idea to stain my banister with PolyShades stain by Minwax. I thought back to some of beautiful old homes I’ve been in around the historic Richmond area and they all have those amazingly dark, warm wooden staircases with dark banisters. My banisters were a crappy builder-grade blonde oak (or some other cheap wood).

The blog article made it seem like a snap! Just lightly sand your banister and start painting the PolyShades on and Ta-Da! A new, old charm-looking banister. Well, we got this….YUCK!

Crap-tastic banister with Polyshades Minwax...ewwwwww

Now What?

My husband was not happy. Especially since he was a professional painting contractor for several years…it did not turn out well at all. The stain was sticky and runny and just looked awful. Now what? We certainly weren’t going to continue down this path…so we started looking at other old/historic home photos online.

One photo that I LOVED was this one featured on House Beautiful. Isn’t this staircase adorable?

Beautiful banisters from HouseBeautiful.com

So after we looked a few more like this, we decided to paint our banisters black. Since all of our interior trim has been painted with oil paint (don’t forget, our house will be 50 years old next year!), we decided to use a tinted oil primer and then use a rich black oil paint, with a satin finish to top it off.

Banisters with tinted oil primer...

And here’s the after (Hint: you can see my own small display of antique photographs going up the staircase!) Wouldn’t these original oak stairs look fabulous with an antique persian runner?

Wowzers! Looking good!

The moral of the story…marry someone handy who can correct your DIY blunders! If you have an old home DIY blunder, let me know! I’d love to hear about it!

Want to learn more about how to add old home charm to your newer home? Check out Beneath My Heart’s recent series on adding historic molding, vintage hardware and other easy projects to get that older home look.

Mason Jar Light Pendant

Posted on January 27, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

Pottery Barn mason jar light pendants

Have ya’ll snagged a recent catalogue from Pottery Barn this season? Looks like everything that was out in the barn is now coming inside the home! Lots of rich textures, rusty fixtures and rustic lighting. Seems like a new spin on what used to be categorized as “country.” I hear more and more terms like “modern country” and “industrial vintage.” However you want to label this look, I love it and with the right mix it can steer clear of being trendy and just be timeless.

Pottery Barn mason jar light fixture

I spotted these awesome mason jar light pendants on the Pottery Barn website and then started spotting them on other sites like Ebay and Etsy. I’ve wanted to replace the horrible florescent tubing light fixture that was placed above our kitchen sink with something more unique, yet casual. I remembered that I had purchased a small lot of old, blue mason jars at an auction once. I started combing the house, looking in every closet and every cabinet for those cuties but of course they disappeared! Oh darn…just another excuse to hit up some of my favorite antique shops to look for that perfect old blue jar!

Lonely little mason jar

My husband was convinced that he could save me the $65-$100 that these mason jar light pendants can cost, so we started plotting on how we could create one of these adorable light fixtures ourselves.

The Right Tools

Light pendant kit, mason jar and light bulb

Here’s the list of supplies we used for our light:

1 large antique mason jar ($8.00)
1 Edison light bulb ($5.00)
1 single light pendant light fixture kit (by Westinghouse, in Oil Rubbed Bronze, available at Home Depot) ($15.00)
1 Hole Saw
Wire Strippers
Power Drill
Hammer
Screwdriver

Total Cost of the project = $28.00

How to Make a Mason Jar Light Pendant

Mason Jar Light Pendant

Step 1: Use a hammer and a screwdriver to break the glass that is in the galvanized lid of your mason jar.

Step 2: Use a hole saw to cut a hole in the galvanized metal lid to your mason jar that is equal to the size of your lamp holder.

Step 3: Attach the metal lid to the lamp fitter.

Step 4: Screw the Edison light bulb in to the light pendant and place the jar onto the lid.

Get your glow on!

You’re done! I think the entire project took about 30 minutes. And it’s super cute and matches our cottage style kitchen. If you’ve made one of these light pendants or something similar, drop a note and tell me about it!

Check out other DIY projects on Beneath My Heart! Celebrating The Best DIY Projects of January Link Party!

Q & A: Rita Mattia’s Antique Photographs

Posted on January 23, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

Lil' Rita Mattia

Q: Tell me briefly a little about yourself. What are your interests or your hobbies?

A: Rita Mattia is a Jersey Girl! I grew up in a mixed-ethnic family that included a lot of very noisy and creative Italian-Americans who liked to have their pictures taken. That may be why I have always had a powerful interest in photography and, really, all things visual. I’m also a manic knitter of objects that may be shaped like just about anything.

Q: What are your favorite blogs?

A: I follow just a few blogs (including this one) ~ and another by a dear friend who is a wonderful cook:

http://1cor2.blogspot.com/

Q: Describe your style in two words:

A: Sorry, I have to answer in three words: ”Is she kidding?”

Lovingly restored and colored by Rita Mattia.

Q: Where did you get the idea or inspiration to restore vintage/antique photographs?

A: When I was a kid, we always had a shoebox or two of aging sepia photos tucked away, some modern-day photos trapped in toxic plastic photo albums, and a number of loose photos floating around in dresser drawers.

Years later, when family members passed away, unannounced boxes and photo albums arrived at my home. Then, once my cousins and other family members realized I was willing to be the caretaker of this trove, they began to send me their boxes, too!

Many of the photos were amazing. But none were framed and a lot were in pretty rough shape. Because of my long-time interest in fine art photography, I already had a professional grade large-format printer and considerable experience in Photoshop ®. So about three years ago, I decided the time had come to take on the boxes. My first priority was to sort all of the photographs into individual labeled acid-free sleeves and containers.

Before and after photo restoration. Image source: Rita Mattia

Q: When did you start selling your services?

A: That began only a year or so ago, as friends watched the “rogues gallery” of restored, framed family photos on my library wall expand.

Q: Can you share a special moment when you revealed to a client their restored photograph?

A: That’s hard to do that without also revealing details about other people’s families and lives. This kind of work is intensely personal; I am entrusted with irreplaceable family treasures and asked to “bring back” people and places and moments they hold most dear.

A few clients have openly wept. One said (on a hot summer day), “Well, you’ve solved my Christmas card for this year!” and an older gentleman was thrilled to see a devoted pet who had passed away 75 years before, practically jump off the page and into his arms.

Q: What are some popular styles of antique picture frames that you feel compliment these types of images?

A: I love this question. A lot of the photos that come my way were taken between 1880 and 1920. So the earlier ones seem to cry out for something Victorian or maybe Art Nouveau ~ perhaps elaborate ovals with “bubble glass” ~ while the later ones ask for something more geometric/Deco. The Art Deco period also produced some wonderful glass “mats.”

Display antique photographs together in a group for visual impact.

Q: How can folks incorporate antique photographs into their decorating style? Do you have any project ideas that you’d like to share? Or decorating tips?

A: The things in my condo are beyond eclectic. What I always tell friends who look around and say, “I love it but I could never do something like this,” is this: Follow your bliss. Acquire things you really love, one or two at a time and, almost magically, they’ll work together. The theme is: You. And what is more “you” than your family?

I also made an investment that has really paid off. I had a professional art gallery display rail installed along a 30-foot long wall that spans several rooms in my condo. This means I can rearrange pictures and other artwork in minutes, without torturing the walls. Or banging my thumb with a hammer.

Q: Do you have a favorite flea market or place to look for your antique picture frames?

A: Best tip: Almost every charity thrift store has a chaotic heap of old picture frames in a dusty corner. Take your allergy pill and expect to inhale dust and mildew while you go through every one of them. Then, clean your treasures well before bringing them into your home. (And watch out for holes that indicate insect damage. You don’t want to adopt hungry critters!)

To see inspiring (and often amusing) before-and-afters of my work, please visit mattia.com. I promise that after you see the sassy 1918 portrait of the woman with antennae, you’ll be glad you did.

What a snappy hat!!

Q & A: Amy Carannante of Fab Finds and Designs

Posted on January 16, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

FabFindsandDesigns

Q: Tell us briefly a little about yourself. What are your interests or your hobbies?

A: I am an artist, crafter, and accounting clerk…odd combination I know, but life has just taken me down that path. I studied textile design at FIT in NYC so I have an artsy background. My mom was a designer as well, so craftiness is in my blood. My grandparents were also antique dealers & we always had that style surrounding us. I still have a lot of items that were passed down through the family. I enjoy the memories attached to certain items. I think that is why I love the vintage business so much. I love the look on someones face when they see an item & say “oh my gosh, my mom had that”, or “I remember that growing up.”

Q: What is your favorite blog?

A: This is my favorite blog. I just love these girls! My craft show partner Allison & I dream of owning our own vintage shop one day. We sure do have enough inventory to fill one!

http://ohsolovelyvintage.blogspot.com/

Q: Describe your style in 2 words:

A: Flea Market Chic (OK.. that’s 3 words)

Fresh picks at Fab Finds and Designs

Q: Where did you get the idea or inspiration to collect and sell vintage suitcases?

A: I always go to the flea market to see what treasures I can find. One day I saw this little embroidered suitcase. It was adorable. Then I found a couple more old train cases & though it would be fun to store stuff in them. I posted the photo on Facebook & immediately had an offer to buy all of them from an acquaintance I had met at a local craft show.

Q: When did you start selling your suitcases?

A: The girl I sold them to asked if I could find more for her. So that’s how it all got started. I kept going to the flea market & thrift stores daily to gather my collection & my first show was a huge success. Also that girl is now my best friend & booth mate at most of the shows that we do. She is also my biggest customer.

LOVE these red vintage suitcases!

Q: What are some popular styles of suitcases that you see folks buying more of?

A: I have found that the three biggest selling factors are age, color, and condition. Train cases and round suitcases are the hottest items. Anything bright like reds & pinks are also good sellers. I get so many artists & fellow crafters at shows who buy from me for their displays, and to carry their stuff to and from the show. Artists who want to store their brushes & paints, and people actually buying them for travel. They may be a bit heavier than the modern luggage, but are more durable & definitely more stylish.

Q: How can folks incorporate vintage suitcases into their decorating style? Do you have any craft/project ideas that you’d like to share? Or decorating tips?

A: Vintage luggage is so versatile. First off it is great for storage. I have a whole stack in the corner of my craft room filled with show items. Instead of those ugly plastic bins under your bed, use vintage luggage. It’s durable, nice to look at, and you do your part to recycle old items rather than buying new. I have also made end tables and coffee tables out of them. They make a great statement piece in a room.

Q: Do you have a favorite flea market or special place to look for your finds?

A: I am lucky in the fact that I live about 10 miles from one of the biggest flea markets in the country called the Swap Shop. They are open 365 days a year! I go there a couple days a week and to the surrounding thrift stores. Besides luggage, I also sell vintage purses, jewelry boxes and Pyrex. So every day is spent hunting out new merchandise to sell at the shows.

To purchase some of Amy’s fantastic vintage suitcases and other treasures, visit her Etsy store: www.fabfindsanddesign.etsy.com

To get the latest updates on Fab Finds and Designs, visit the Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/FabFindsandDesigns

Why I Collect

Posted on January 13, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

It starts out like any Sandra Bullock romantic comedy. There’s this wacky young lady, who works a demanding day job, freelances in the evenings, runs around with her smartphone and zooms through her days just trying to balance it all. She gets up one Saturday morning, grabs her travel coffee mug, she realizes she’s late to meet a friend and rushes down the street. When she’s halfway down the road, she turns around, realizing that she left something important at home. She trips, drops her keys and spills her coffee on her pants. She crouches down to pick up her keys and then suddenly looks up. Her eyes are frozen. Her heart starts racing. Her breathing pattern quickens. She is struck by love.

Except when this happens to me there is no tall, dark, handsome Keanu Reeves type stranger staring back at me, reaching out to help me up (I don’t think my husband would like that). It’s usually a to-die for alabaster lamp, a giant turn-of-the-century oil painting, a 18^th century Pennsylvania blanket chest or a rare and vibrantly painted advertising collectable.

The shiny object...the porcelain Coca Cola button.

Collecting is literally like falling in love for me. And no, I’m not just shopping people! This is about finding that thing that makes my pulse quicken every time I see it from across the room and treasure the fact that is in my life FOREVER. Sure, I may find things that seem “cute” and “attractive.” Some of the things that I love the most are the things that seem a little “rough” or even “ugly.” No matter what its appearance, it usually has a great story too. For example, the story behind the one love that keeps slipping through my hands: the Coca Cola button.

How The Romance Started

In the 1920’s, my great grandparents opened a tiny restaurant in the coal-mining region near Reading, PA. The restaurant was called “Kotis Café” (their last name). According to family, the restaurant was very popular, due to Pearl’s cooking (my great-grandma). My mom has said that the restaurant kept the family afloat during the depression because everyone in town adored and loved Pearl’s cooking.

The Kotis Cafe...wish I could stop in for a hamburger and glass bottle coke.

In 1954, tragedy struck the family when my grandfather was killed while trying to save a bus full of people during Hurricane Hazel. My grandmother was left to raise her two small children alone. Pearl had left the restaurant so she could help her daughter with the children. The only cooking she did after that was for my mom and my uncle at my grandmothers’ house. The Kotis Café would only be a happy memory of a time passed, where friends gathered for good food and good company.

A few years back, I located the only relic that is still in existence of the Kotis Café…a very tiny 4” x 4” photograph. On the front of the building hung the sign for the restaurant, which was anchored on each side by a 24” x 24” porcelain Coca Cola button. There is no way to locate the original restaurant sign, the beautiful stained glass windows from the building or the contents that were inside. One piece of history that has seemed tangible to me is to locate an antique Coca Cola button, exactly like the ones that hung on the building.

Chasing Coca Cola

Coca Cola collectibles are hot. The Coca Cola empire got it’s start in 1886 and has become one of the most heavily marketed brands in the world. Not that this hot collectible has needed a boost, but popular television shows like Pawn Stars, American Pickers and Auction Kings have helped to increase the demand and value of antique advertising.

I have combed just about every antique store on the East Coast for this treasure, had several failed attempts to purchase one off of Craigslist and have also been out-bid at several auctions. And that’s okay. I almost feel like Indiana Jones chasing after this lost relic from my families past. It’s exciting and makes the thrill of the hunt that much sweeter. It’s about unlocking stories from the past and finding the things that connect with you on a personal or emotional level. And who knows…maybe if I find one of these Coca Cola buttons and hang it in my kitchen, I’ll suddenly find myself surrounded by good food and good friends in the Kotis Café.

Note: For great overview about the history of Coca Cola signs, check out Collectorsweekly.com.

Collector Rob Sheley and His Pop Art Posters

Posted on January 9, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

To say that Rob Sheley loves the graphic arts is an understatement. As an accomplished art director, illustrator and artist, Rob spends his free time collecting vinyl records and pop art posters. Most of his poster collection is driven by his ever-growing passion for music and love of pop culture. So I went to his house to see some of his fantastic collection for myself.

Why Did You Start Collecting?

He says that the idea of owning original artwork was very appealing to him and he grew up admiring the works of artists such as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Rob says that collecting posters is an affordable option vs. collecting original works often sold by auction houses like Christie’s and Sotheby’s.

What’s He Got?

Poster by artist Shepard Fairey

One of my favorite posters in Rob’s collection is this one by street artist, Shepard Fairey. I was fortunate enough to go to a show that Shepard Fairey was featured in about 10 years ago, but walked away empty handed. Now after seeing Rob’s poster neatly hung on his wall, I wish I had made the splurge. Shepard got his big start with the “Obey” sticker campaign that featured imagery of Andre the Giant. But the masses didn’t start paying attention until he created the now famous “Hope” poster during the 2008 Obama election campaign. Shepard Fairey’s artwork prices can range from $40 to $15,000 depending on the subject matter.

Poster by artist Peter Max

Another cool poster in Rob’s collection is this poster by artist Peter Max. Rob spotted this poster in a small gallery in downtown Richmond, VA but it didn’t reach his hands for a while. A few years later the gallery was closing and Rob was able to snag this gem for a mere $50 because it had some minor damage to one corner. The poster was created to celebrate the 90^th anniversary of the Beacon Theater and is signed and dated by the artist.

Rare concert poster for the punk band The Clash

The pièce de résistance of Rob’s collection is this MASSIVE poster for the Clash. This is an original concert poster for the band, The Clash, for a 16-night show that was held in 1981 at Bond’s International Casino and Club, located in New York. It was love at first sight when Rob spotted this poster at an exhibit for the Clash at the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, in Cleveland, Ohio. It took him about 2-3 years to locate this poster from a private seller and he believes that there are less than 100 in existence today. Christie’s auction house recently sold this very same poster in November 2011, for $1,491.

Update – 1/10/11 – Watch this amazing appraisal of a 1975 Roy Lichtenstein print from antiques roadshow!

Chalk Paint Cupboard

Posted on January 9, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

I LOVE a good “find.” Especially when that “find” is someplace least expected and for an amazingly low price. That was the story behind this cupboard that I found a few blocks from my house in the garage of a tow truck company (I’m telling you people…there is no place I won’t go for a great treasure).

My dream cupboard...before photo

Apparently this beauty came out of an old house that was being renovated in the Fan District of Richmond, Va. But when I looked closer, I could tell this neglected treasure had been tucked away in a carriage house for many, many years. The original glass windowpanes were in tack but there was a bird nest in the drawer, paint flaking off everywhere, brown rusty goo stuck on her shelves. This lady needed a makeover…STAT!

Some people go nuts over chippy, flaky furniture. I love it too but you do have to be realistic and think about the lead paints that were used many years ago. I made the decision to take the huge task of power sanding this thing and giving her a new coat of paint. And let me stress how HUGE this thing is. I think she hits at 86” tall!

Isn't she lovely? Restored to her original beauty!

So after a week of sanding this thing on my front porch while blaring the local classic rock station on my hand held FM radio, she was ready for a first coat. For the past year I have read probably dozens and dozens of reviews about Annie Sloan’s magical Chalk Paint. It’s about as much of a craze as Oprah Winfrey’s famous gift giveaway. As an artist, I’ve used all kinds of mediums from watercolor, acrylic to oils…but never any kind of chalk or milk paint. So I decided to spend the $39 + $15 shipping fee (gulp) and order my quart of Annie Sloan’s ‘Old White.’

Why the Craze?

I don’t want to turn this blog entry into a tutorial for Annie Sloan’s chalk paint…so I’ll just give you the basics.

It’s water based
No fumes
NO PRIMER REQUIRED (Yes, it’s true. Slap this on top of raw wood or something with a horribly thick polyurethane coating)
Dries FAST

That’s it. It’s expensive stuff but if you want to keep your mom’s hand-me-down furniture and give it a fast update, this is the way to go.

Add a pretty tassel to top it off...

After I was done painting two coats and giving it a light sanding, I used a clear wax to seal the chalk paint. Then I begged my husband and another strong male friend to lift this baby into our house so I could fill it up with all kinds of fun stuff!

If you’d like to read more articles about using Annie Sloan’s paint try reading Centsational Girl, Case de Lewis or Miss Mustard Seed. If you have used this wonderful paint, let me know! I’d love to hear about your experience as well!

Early American Penny Rugs

Posted on January 6, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

I tried knitting. I tried crocheting. I joined knitting and crocheting groups only to become another “no show” when I didn’t attend because I didn’t finish my project.

I love fiber arts. I love all things that are made by hand and have a real respect for all craftsmen, whether it’s furniture, sculpture, jewelry making, painting…you get the gist.

I also like to have some little project (at all times), that I can just pick up, whenever I feel like it. So, after some searching, I came back to something that I enjoyed doing when I was a little girl…sewing.

My mother-in-law started rug hooking and soon the scraps of wool in rich colors and soft patterns started whispering to me like a long breeze on a summer evening. So, the ol’ creative wheel started churning and I did a little research and PRESTO! Penny Rugs!

This is one of my hand made penny rugs with a 19th century cutlery tray.

What the Heck Is A Penny Rug?

Back in the mid to late 1800’s, around the time of the civil war, resources were scarce and so was money. Imagine that you’re chillin’ at home with no TV, no Smartphone, and no internet. What is woman to do? Your sheep got stolen by some soldiers in the middle of night, so you can’t whip up some new yarn or wool for your clothes. But you do have some rags and scraps lying around your clap-board house.

These woolen scraps where then traced into circular shapes with coins (a penny) and then sewn together in stacks. The stacks were then sewn onto a larger sheet of material, usually burlap, using the blanket stitch method. These “rugs” where not used on the floor either (would you want someone walking on all that hard work you just did?). These penny rugs were decorative and often used on a table, a bed or a blanket chest and weighted down with an actual penny that was sewn inside the rug.

Awesome antique penny rug featured on CountryLiving.com

Why Do I Love These Things?

They’re whimsical, they can be colorful or muted, and as with all my beloved treasures, they make me feel connected to the past. I’ve seen these things used as lavender sachets, table runners or even beautiful pillows. And the real deals…the ones created around 1865 or so, well…they don’t come cheap. I saw one last year at the Fisherville Antique Expo for around $850. And yes…I drooled a little.

Book Review: American Pickers – Guide to Picking

Posted on January 5, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

A good read: American Pickers Guide to Picking

This past Christmas, I received the American Pickers (yes, those guys) – Guide to Picking. In case you’re debating whether or not to spend the $24.99 to buy this book for yourself or another picker-friend, I thought I’d give you the run down.

Who Are Those Dudes?

In case you live under a rock or recently cancelled your cable service, you MUST know who the American Pickers are. This is the wildly popular TV show that airs on the History Channel about two dudes (Mike Wolfe and high school buddy Frank Fritz), a girl (Danielle Colby) and a white van that scours the U.S. for unwanted relics of time gone by. They hang out with farmers, hoarders, honky-tonks and hippies who have storage sheds filled to the brim with what they call “rusty gold.” They make somewhat reasonable offers on mostly odd and whacky treasures and bring them back to their shop in Iowa (Antique Archeology) or sell them directly to private collectors for top dollar.

Why Read the Book?

If you love the show, you’ll like (not love) the book. If you’re kind of familiar with a few episodes, then this book is for you. If you want to quit your day job, buy a van and become a “picker” tomorrow…you may want to wait and do more research. This book is not the pickin’ bible I thought it was going to be, but does offer a refresher on some good ol’ common sense when looking for a bargain.

What I Liked About the Book

Yes. Here is a quick look at some good advice from the Pickers team:

Regional pickin’. They lightly touched on some great states for finding treasures, mostly the East Coast. I wish that they would have spend an entire chapter mapping out all the states, outlining what kind of treasures you can expect to find where.
What kind of people you’ll meet while pickin’ and how to talk to each one of them. From widows or divorcees with leftover junk to farmers with great-grandpa’s collection of tractors, there’s a way to deal with each individual you meet.
Pickers’s code of ethics. Like any profession, there’s a law of the land that most be obeyed. For example, if you know there is a guy who has been trying to get their hands on a particular collection, it’s best to walk away and not compete.
Expert advice. There are 6 tiny interviews with the team’s favorite appraisers, each who specialize in a different genre of collectibles. There is some great insight in this section and I wished it had been longer.
Insights and opinions. It’s interesting to read what Mike and Frank feel are the hot collectibles as well as get their opinion about how the web (ebay and craigslist specifically) has changed the picking game and what it means to pickers in the future.

What I Didn’t Like About the Book

This book is basically a second-hand recap (with some interviews from Mike and Frank) of the past two seasons of the show. If you are a hardcore fan (like myself and don’t miss an episode), than this book may not quench your pickin’ thirst. Other reasons why:

I absolutely hated the photos that appear in the center of the book. It’s as if they hired a photographer for one afternoon to take some canned shots of Mike, Frank and Danielle posing in their shop or in a parking lot, unnaturally holding a few whacky objects. This book is about picking TREASURES! I wish they would have sprinkled a few photos of objects that the TV viewing audience may not have seen of what they feel are their highlights from their collection throughout the book. Overall, not enough photos for this gal.
Where’s Danielle? There are only a few pages where Danielle offers some of her own advice and I wished that this section could have been elaborated on. You know damn well that girl has some really juicy stories!
It’s a light read and touches on all the major points. I was hoping that the team would dig a little deeper and reflect more on some of the mega-picks that brought them some really killer goods. I’m sure that not every mega-pick makes it to the TV show. What are the stories that we haven’t seen or heard before? I guess we’ll never know…
Picker Speak. This is a 2 and a half page section at the back of the book. This teaches you all the lingo that the weekend-warrior-picker needs to know, to try out at the local flea market. It’s a fun section of the book, but again, should have been more in-depth and placed at the front of the book or noted at the bottom of the pages so that the reader can get hip with Mike and Franks lingo as they read the book.

Overall, it’s a fun read for any vacation. I guess I should have known better to expect too much. You can’t expect a picker to give up all their best secrets!

Have you read this book?

Going To Antiques Roadshow

Posted on January 4, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

Just arrived with tickets in hand...do I look excited?

As my close friends and yes, even my coworkers know, one of the happiest moments of my life was when I traveled last August to Pittsburgh, PA to be on Antiques Roadshow. I get questions all the time like, “How did you get a ticket?” or “Did you hit the mother load?” or “Did you hang with the Keno brothers?” In celebration of the 16^th season, I thought I would recap my experience, shed some light some misconceptions and inform anyone else who is lucky enough to attend the show in the near future.

How Do I Get A Ticket?

You cannot buy a ticket. Your mother cannot buy a ticket for you. You cannot buy a ticket to the show from your uncle’s boss’s nephew. All tickets are FREE (yes, I said FREE unless your local PBS station is selling tickets in return for donations – which is rare) and are part of a drawing. Each spring, the Antiques Roadshow reveals the 6 cities that will be part of their upcoming tour. All you have to do is simply register for the city you’d like to win tickets to (however all food and travel accommodations are up to you to plan and pay for).

The closest city on the 2011 tour for me was Pittsburg, PA. I registered…and then begged and bribed my coworkers and friends to register for me as well. A few months later, my husband’s best friend was selected and the filming date was the day after my birthday…IT WAS MEANT TO BE!

I can only relate the feeling of winning two tickets to the show to the 1971 movie classic “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” Remember the famous scene where Charlie opens his chocolate Wonka bar wrapper to find one of the five Golden Tickets? Yeah…it was kind of like that…times twenty.

Now What?

Grab your treasures. Pack your bags. Make hotel reservations. Warm up the GPS. It’s time for a road trip! But wait! Make sure that you and your bestest treasure-seeking friend bring along two items each in order to get in the door (a requirement that I didn’t know about until I read the back of the ticket). And make your hotel accommodations early. All the other lucky fools who got tickets as well will be rushing to that town like California miners during the gold rush of 1848 and you don’t want to be without a close and comfy place to stay!

Antiques Roadshow Program and Tickets

Another key factor that will be on your ticket is your time. That’s right…you didn’t actually think you’d get to just go and hang out with Ken Farmer or David Rago all day did you? The gates open at 8 or 9am, and each time slot is designated for each hour. Our tickets were for 11am, though my hubby and I were amped up like kids on Christmas morning, so we got there an hour earlier.

What Really Went Down?

Jon and I drove to the Pittsburgh convention center from Washington, PA (where we stayed at a lovely B&B 20 minutes away), parked the car, grabbed our tickets, our camera and our treasures and headed to the very, very, very long line in the waiting room. This is like purgatory. You snake around in a very long line with the hundreds of other folks who are clasping their treasures as closely to their persons as possible, hoping that their objects will offer them early retirement. Let me remind you of how happy I was at this point in time (see photo for visual depiction of maximum happiness). I thought I was going to bro-down with my fellow pickers, Saturday morning yard-sale-ers, shop hoppers and collectors. To my disappointment, there wasn’t much bonding or bragging happening. People were looking around, quiet, contained and waiting. Not to mention that Jon and I were some of the younger enthusiasts attending. I did see an old guy who looked like Santa, sporting googly-eyed glasses pushing along some early American folk art in a baby stroller and that was pretty uplifting.

After 45 minutes of snaking in this very long line, we arrived at the gates. There were 6 tables where folks would sort and inspect your goods and give you a ticket for a category. We had three objects (two prints and one oil painting) and so we received two category tickets for “Prints & Posters” and “Paintings & Drawings.” Once we got our category tickets, we got to pass through the gates and go into antiquing heaven.

Ready For Your Close-Up?

My husband telling me to stay calm as we enter the purgatory line.

The show is filming when you walk in. The set is set up in a ring shape, made up of sections. The outer walls are where the appraisers have their consultation tables set up. The inside of the ring is where the cameras are usually filming three high dollar appraisals at a time. If you’re really lucky and have some killer goods, you can make it to the middle and get on camera. So where were we? My hubby and I were with the others, waiting in another set of long lines to get to the appraisal tables, outside of the ring. Looking around at others who were in the category lines, I was not very impressed with the antiques that I saw. Most of the items seemed like the common finds you score at any local antique store. However, there was one woman in front of us, in the “Paintings” line, who had what she believed to be a Cartier cigarette case stashed in her sock that she picked up an estate sale for $10.

After waiting in another line for about an hour, we met with Alasdair Nichol of Freeman Auctions. He reviewed a small oil painting that we had that was signed and dated from 1901. It was craftsman in style but after some poking around on his laptop, Mr. Nichol could not find any information about the artist. He put a rough estimate of $100 on it, which was fine by me since I only paid $40 for it in a small second hand shop.

After meeting with Mr. Nichol, we met with Nicholas Lowry. As we waited patiently for him to finish talking to the high school news reporter who was in line in front of us, I could feel my heart racing and my palms sweating. As a professional graphic designer, illustrator and art director, prints and posters are one of my favorite collectibles to drool over. Not to mention that I think Mr. Lowry has one of the coolest jobs on the planet, working for Swann Auction Galleries. And don’t forget the guys’ vintage three-pieced suits he wears on the show. Simply fabulous!

I won’t bore you with the dorky details, but one item we had that we thought was worth a million dollars was a fake (just like 90% of the other attendees at the show). Then I showed him a print of a Dutch girl with a windmill by Paul Berthon, dated 1901. I found the print falling out of a broken frame in a second hand shop for maybe $10. I fell in love with it and had it reframed in a period correct oak frame. Mr. Lowry thought it was as spectacular as I did and offered us a plethora of information that I didn’t know about the print. It was a very rare miniature art nouveau fine art poster that could only be purchased at the time of creation in a print shop or high end furniture store. It also had gold leafing, which he felt was unusual and gave it an auction value of $400!

Queen Wilhelmina by Paul Berthon, dated 1901

And with a blink of an eye it was over. It all happened so fast. You can’t just linger around and hang out on the set while they are filming. Once you get your items appraised, that’s it. Time to go home.

To my disappointment, I didn’t get to talk folk art with Ken Farmer or dork out over early American highboys with the Kenos or hug Mark Walberg. As we were walking to the famous Feedback Booth, I went rogue and cut a woman off to get an autograph from David Rago and his wife, Suzanne Perrault. I read their magazine Style 1900, so come hell or high water…I was gonna meet them!

The Best Part

Feedback booth. The line to gripe about how we didn’t strike it rich was a blast. People were fun, friendly and were willing to share their treasures and tales with you. These were my kind of people! After hearing some pretty funny stories, it was our turn for some camera time. We got a couple of minutes to hold up our goodies and tell our tales of woe and a few laughs.

On the way out of the convention center we scored some free Subaru sponsored swag (reusable bags and mini flashlights), took some photos by the Roadshow signage (since we couldn’t take any photos inside the show) and chatted with some fellow fans.

So stay tuned! Keep your eyes peeled to your local PBS station in January or February of 2012! You just might get to see Jon and me in the Feedback Booth, looking exhausted and holding our valuable and not-so valuable treasures!