A couple of weeks ago I hit the halfway-to-seventy mark. My hubby drove us to Nashville in the middle of the night a few days later to celebrate. Our destination was an antique/handmade market on the historic Mars candy bar estate. Our bonus was a way-too-short visit with my sister in Music City.
The first indication that "Bella Rustica Nashville" might not live up to its claims of rhinestone and palette wood wonder was the fact that it was an hour away from Nashville, but I guess "Bella Rustica Pulaski" doesn't quite have the same charming ring to it.
Our trip winding through the back roads of middle Tennesee turned out to be quite a treat, but I decided not to ruin the drive by making Dan stop at every delapidated service station and tabacco barn for a snapshot.
Once we made our way into the beautiful old stone horse stable, I noticed that the pristine stalls and chandeliers from the promotional site were missing.
Instead, the light was provided from flourescent tubes overhead and the glow of about 50 giddy home dec bloggers with fancy cameras that made me want to hide mine deep in the bottomless pit of my handmade messenger bag. In fact, I was literally pushed aside while sorting through a bin of trim by one of these fine journalists set on getting just the right angle on a crocheted bracelet she had perched on the arm of a manicured friend. I stepped back in awe while they finished their mini photo shoot then plucked out my one purchase of the day: 3 yards of grosgrain ribbon. Here I am with my find. Can you tell how excited I am from the tendons popping out in my neck?:
Have I ever mentioned that I don't like crowds?
Dan doesn't have as much of a problem with them. I think he fancied this booth.
Most of the booths were gorgeous extravagant, pyramidal contructions of old doors and arbors, picket fences and giant paper flowers. Unfortunately, some seemed to be offering less goods for sale than they were showing off their own collection of antiques (note to self: customers are annoyed when they can't buy your display props).
In all honesty, much of the good merch had probably been picked over the day before. The bluegrass music in the arena and one booth took off a little of the scratchy burlap edge, though. Check out the incredible talent of CJ Hughes.
Mom bought a cool vintage jump rope for Nora from their booth, and I fell in love with the chalked -up boards that looked like giant ghostly pages pulled from a natural history encyclopedia.
We stopped for lunch at the Southern Fried festival in Columbia and then made our way back to the city to meet my sister for the TACA art fair in Centennial Park. Ahhhh. . . this was more our style!
Here's what I spent my birthday money on
Sometimes art makes my heart beat a little faster and my eyes tear up from the truth it shines. That's when I know I need to buy it, or I'll regret it. This one is a little bit Jesus, a little bit rock & roll. Kinda like me, I think. It freaks Nora out, but I love it.
I wonder what Dolly would have to say about it?
collage by Sarah Collier
We finished up a beautiful afternoon with a birthday dinner with extended family at the Cheesecake Factory (amazing chopped salad, famous passion fruit tea, and a slice of the classic), where Nora lost her front tooth over a bowl of mac & cheese! Sorry about the quality of the pic, but you know how dim the light is in there.
Another milestone to mark a whirlwind weekend!
