On The Road For Some Unexpected Winter Picking

This years winter road trip has been chilly and totally rewarding in several ways. The trailer is filling up with fantastic finds and we made some unplanned stops that made it all worth it!
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Not so rewarding.. waking up to 24 degrees in North Carolina!  Rude!  What's up with this weather? 
Every single place we stopped to shop and pick our first day was outside or in unheated barns and I was chilled to the bone by the time we reached our hotel that night.

First up was the Raleigh Flea, and it was a total bust! Freezing temps kept vendors away and we were in and out in 30 minutes without a single purchase. Not a good start to the trip.
Thankfully I'd contacted a local seller on Craigslist before leaving Ohio about a cool advertised industrial piece, and this turned out to be something that turned our day around.
A sweet woman urged us to make a drive to Chapel Hill saying they had a few buildings of other things we might like as well. Worth the drive! They had all sorts of cute little buildings and sheds tucked into their property and in a beautiful setting of a pine forest. It was so peaceful and enjoyable to shop. A great couple doing what they love in their retirement. We loved meeting Jerry and Joan! And just wait until you see a fun piece on wheels we bought from them!

The day just kept getting better! During the drive I noticed a post on Instagram from a shop I follow. They were having their monthly opening this weekend! We were only an hour away, so off we went. Just in time! It was the final day at Chartreuse Barn Sales and a few purchases later were back on he road. 

The next unexpected and awesome stop was at Ruffin Roost! Another shop I follow, and a talented shop owner! Even though she's recovering from knee surgery, Tiffany knew we were passing right by her place and was sweet enough to invite us to stop. Yippeee!
The shop isn't open again until March, and I know how hard it is to let someone see your shop when it's not ready to show off, which makes me appreciate her offer even more! Her hubby showed us around and I snagged some wonderful pieces, all while over her beautiful old building. If you're ever in the Charlotte area it's worth the country drive. Her store is set in a historic building on her farm and full of great character. Tiffany was even kind enough to suggest some other stops.

Our last planned stop of the day was again outside and we were losing sunlight fast.  By this point I couldn't feel my face!  Clines Antiques is always an adventure.  It's a crazy mix of Antiques, oddities and junk yard. You truly never know what you will find.

Day Two and the weather has turned in our favor. I think it took me until morning just to get warm again!
If you've followed us for awhile, you've seen past posts about stopping at The Depot (outside Charlotte).  It's a not to be missed antique mall where I spend the better part of an afternoon.  At least an hour is dedicated to shopping through their fabric area, and Chris is super happy that during that time he can hit the "Man Cave".  Leather sofas and a big screen tv... just in time for all the Super Bowl pre-game shows.  And speaking of the fabric area, I'm so excited with some beautiful pieces that are making their way onto a vintage sofa for next month.

This week the trailer and car get unloaded, the shop will start filling back up and the fun of planning begins!
Be sure to watch Facebook or Instagram for photos and peeks at what we brought back!  Our March re-opening is always a favorite of mine, and most of that is due to the different pieces we found on the road.    Hope to see you this spring!