I Need a Junk Hunt!

One of my favorite pieces of junk!  I tend to like old things that haven't been refinished. It's all about character for me! 

I love old stuff.  I'm a self proclaimed flea market junkie, and some days there is just nothing that makes me happier than junk hunting!  I'm picky about my junk though.  I think that junk is relative actually.. beauty is in the eye of the beholder for sure, and what I find beautiful may be nothing but an atrocious eye sore to you. 

Something about autumn being just around the corner puts me in a mood for junk hunting.  I even have a list of things I'm looking for!  My little pad on the prairie gets a lot of wind, so I have to look for things that are super heavy and sturdy if I want to put them outside.  So far, I haven't found the perfect porch and deck scores yet, but half the fun for me is the search!  I'm starting to get a little antsy though. Scouring the paper and internet for auctions, dreaming about a short trip to Colorado for a flea market or two and contemplating a "junk jaunt" towards the end of the month http://www.junkjaunt.com/index.php  It's been awhile since I've gone junking, and I'm beyond ready to get out there. 

My friends think I'm crazy, and I suppose they're on the right track, but it hasn't stopped me yet!  I can't even really call myself an "antique collector" because I don't really get into buying things to refinish them, or things that are already refinished.  Occasionally I will find something that has been refinished that I love, but more often I am drawn to pieces of furniture that have paint peeling off, (or no paint at all anymore) old signs, old tins and cans, quilts, wood boxes, and odds and ends that can be re-purposed.  For instance, I have an old metal cooler that makes a fabulous storage container for cat food.  It holds an entire bag, and to look at it, you'd never guess that's what it's being used for.  It just looks awesome in my dining room!

I've never done that Junk Jaunt before.. from what I hear it's highly addictive, and hugely anticipated every year.  I do believe I'm going to try to find someone to go with me and head east on the last weekend of the month.  Seriously, who could resist 3 days and 300 miles worth of fun like that?