"Antiquing," as in shopping:

This complete double deck of cards from Tiffany & Co normally retails 
for $30 new but I like the patina of this $7 vintage example. 

      Santa Cruz holds her local antique fair every 2nd Sunday of the month just off of Pacific Avenue. The streets are littered with treasures from days past and trinkets awaiting a new home. I attend as often as I can but to be honest, my appearances are truly irregular. I do have a couple favorite vendors that I trust and return to time and time again. I can tell that they have genuinely put some thought into offering the casual-passer-by the absolute best in quality vintage merchandise at fair and low price points. While perusing the wares, it's still fun to haggle, but I try not to insult the vendor with ridiculous prices. Here are a couple vintage finds that I ended up taking home for their sabbatical: 

I didn't actually get the donut at the antique fair.... that plain cake donut with maple frosting and rainbow sprinkle confection is from O' Ferrel's Donut shop. They make sinfully yummy treats. Oh but hey... there is a vintage Tiffany's card in the back drop!)

I'm hoping these kicks are the real deal. If not, they were still a great price for a solid leather shoe. I'll ask my favorite shoe guy if they are authentic when I have them resoled!

These kicks are actually chocolate brown, a shade that was missing from my shoe collection.

I figured that for $5 bucks it was worth the price just for the highly fragrant soaps. The empty box lives in my bedroom and is the new home for capturing random bits and bobs.

I really LOVE this crazy furry bag by Vivienne Westwood, I truly cannot wait to wear it!

      Antiquing is a great way to find fantastic items at severely discounted prices. Additionally I love that each piece has a lot of character and patina. When shopping for pieces to add to my home I like to keep in mind three things:

1: Do I have a place to display or store this?
2: Does this item have a function that I will take advantage of? (Example: lamps, mirrors, and pretty tea trays all have functions. Large decorative objects may be pretty but they can take up space and sometimes add clutter, plus I feel more practical when I purchase logical items. 
3: Is the price right? (Answering this question is all a matter of personal opinion.)

      This helps me to avoid over spending or adding what I call "under utilized clutter accents" to my home. 

      Truly the best aspect of antiquing is that each piece I brought home with me is connected to a lovely afternoon spent combing booths and stalls, talking with my dad and boyfriend. Its nice when objects in our home remind us of moments enjoyed with loved ones!

Yours,
Nico