Heart And Soul! This Is Where My Passion Lies!

So, we finally went back to my most favorite antique show of all time! Yes, the flowers give it away! Heart Of Country! Can you stand it? This girl who owns a French and English shop is pining away for all things American and some things a bit more primitive!

On the drive there I said to Jim, "This just feels right! I'm so excited and looking forward to this as opposed to the way I felt in January when were headed towards Atlanta for Market!"

Sure the flowers and the food are a HUGE plus to this wonderful event!

And the entertainment is always great!

 I think this same musician has been there since we first started attending this show about 10 years ago! He used to have a partner but I'm not sure whatever happened to him.

This is real, honest to goodness Southern Food at it's best! It's funny to me that most of the dealers are from New England…not that they don't love our food in the South…in fact, I probably love their lobster rolls more than anything we serve down here!

That chutney covered cheese is too die for as well as all of their other side dishes!

Take the Black Eyed Pea Caviar for instance! 

Or their world famous Potato Salad! I think I had three helpings!

And for the February show as it's usually on or near Valentine's Day they make their cheese biscuits in the shape of hearts! Pretty cute, huh? This year the actual show was indeed on Valentine's Day so that's how Jim and I celebrated!

This man was doing a great job with the ham that was to go on those cheese biscuits! 

Glad he didn't mind if I snapped a quick picture!

They had several kinds of barbecue…beef or pork with yummy rolls

But the clencher is always the desserts! Usually it's some sort of cobbler and this year was no different! Cherry Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream! It was heavenly!

And no, that is not Jim…it's a perfect stranger that I asked to pose for this picture! 

Now, here is Jim! Posing in front of a gorgeous antique quilt!

Thought you might like to see a few of the booths. I sure wish I'd taken a lot more pictures as these simply do not even begin to do this show justice! I took too many of the food and not enough of the beautiful antiques!

Here are a few of my favorite "New Englanders"! Boy it was fun to see them again as we haven't been able to attend this show in the last 3-4 years! He lit up like a light bulb when he saw us! ( I think it was truly because he loves us and not the fact that we spend tons of money with him! ) 

Maybe it's a little of both! You never know!

Our friends introduced us to a very good friend of theirs, Christopher English. According to them anything Christopher touches turns to gold! I think I'm going to investigate him a bit more! Seriously, he was quite charming and I do know that he is very talented!

Earlier in the day at a different show we ran into these two charming ladies that we've known for a long time as well! They did a double take when they saw us and we had the best time catching up! This was their second year to show in the actual Heart of Country show! There shop is called Country Mouse City Mouse! I've always thought that was so clever!

Just look at all of their beautiful pieces! I really wanted that buffet in the background!

As we rounded the next corner from Nan and Inez's booth I felt my heart flutter! There he was! Mr. Jockey man that I am madly in love with and longing for! I want him somewhere in my yard! Thankfully, my grandmother has one and I am hoping to inherit it one day. But this little guy was great!

We truly had a marvelous time and really enjoyed catching up with old friends. I realized how much I had missed being out in the antique world as opposed to going to market and trying to find so many "new" items. Not that there is anything wrong with that…some of them are great as well. But this, this is my passion and my first love when it comes to why I do what I do and why I own an antique shop!

It never hurts to be reacquainted with your fist love!

While some of this is not my personal style or taste…I can certainly appreciate it and enjoy the beauty of it!

I sure wish that Sold tag was for me! 
I just love a beautiful American highboy! There is nothing quite like them! 
We didn't get any "big" pieces this time but here is a small sampling of what we did bring back from our trip.

This might just be my favorite thing we bought! I love quill boxes…always have, always will! They are a bit on the exotic side if you ask me. We only have one other one at the shop and then I have a rather large one at home. I'm seriously thinking of keeping this basket as well. I've never seen another one.

It's truly spectacular and will look great with the box we have!

Then there is this spectacular Creamware Basket that was literally laying in the middle of a junk pile! When I saw it I just held my breath…I could feel the two guys behind me just hoping I would set it back down! Well, they didn't know me very well did they? I held onto it like a football! I was practically wrapping it up and bagging it myself before I even asked the man if he'd take any less! Boy, did I feel guilty for it too! He was so nice! I almost felt like I was stealing it from him at that price!

It mixes quite well with our other pieces of Creamware! Just like the brown and white transferware we found only enhances our wonderful collection we already have!

And one can certainly never find enough majolica! These were the only two plates I found that were not outrageously expensive! I do like them, though!

We also brought back two dozen of these fabulous marble river balls that we've had one other time. I love the way they fill up a dough bowl or add to an already existing collection. They are so unique!

But, my most favorite find of all….just as we were exiting the show and I had said to Jim, "This is the first time we've ever left this particular preview show and not bought a single thing!" I spoke too soon! For right there in the first booth…which of course I probably ran right past to get to the food…were these four fabulous antique finials! I've had so much fun photographing them and they now sit proudly in the window of the shop! They just simply make me happy!

So, it was a very happy Valentine's Day indeed! We had a wonderful, restful two days and a fairly productive buying trip! We drove in just in time to welcome Miller home from college for the weekend!

I was one happy lady!

I hope your week is going well so far! It is quite nice to be doing a post just because I want to and not because of any deadline or any theme. Thank you for letting me do that! I know a lot of my blogging friends are feeling the need for a break…I certainly understand! Which is why I'm declaring myself free from any deadlines or themes or topics…it takes away some of the fun of blogging when you feel you have to perform a certain way. That isn't why I started out doing this in the first place. It was simply from a love of doing it and loving the people I've met along the way!

Much love and many thanks!