Ever since I was a little girl, I was exposed to the antique stores, flea markets and estate sells and the finds that my Mom found in our little adventures.  There was no telling what treasures might be bestowed upon us.  Of course, my Dad would be the one at government auctions bidding on things like moon boots and space capsules, if my Mom would let him! 

I moved to Austin, Texas, and discovered that my love for the adventure never diminished.  I would go to the Sami Shows and discover new craft ideas and creative perspectives upon things out of the ordinary, and browse any antique or jewelry booth for that special find; most often times, never finding exactly what it was that I wanted.  Garage sales were often fruitful; just never knowing where you are able to find that special find.

Eventually, I moved to South Carolina.  While my parents and family would probably abhor the idea, but my neighbors would go on a Saturday "dumpster diving expedition" and I would be driving my van.  It was to an area north of Charleston that had a collection of dumpsters that folks would come into from the country and dispose of their unwanted items.  It was never just bags of trash from cooking and cleaning, but the type of debris that  was  a treasure finder's dream.  Old lamps, chairs, clothes, etc.  I don't know how they ever discovered the dumpsters nor do I probably really want to; however, the items were there for the taking.  Apparently, too, it was a ritual with many other folks as I would see other trucks arrive to cart away some of the stuff, which of course made us sort through the stuff a little faster to see if we could find the best treasure of all before they do.  Silly, huh?  When I moved back to Texas, we didn't bring those treasures back with us for the most part and made departing with things easier when we decided to move back to Texas.  The funny thing is we did take many of those treasures back to the dumpsters to find themselves new homes by those who could appreciate the love found in them.  If only those items could talk, I wonder what stories they could tell!

When I moved back to Texas, I found myself visiting garage sells and thrift stores on occasion.  One time I found an autographed sailors hat that just intrigued me to no end.  I have researched the hat but couldn't definitely link up the story of the hat other than there was a hat maker that produced many of these hats in Europe that were used as a souvenir hat and signed by each of the sailor men that had met with each other that day, perhaps, to party and celebrate on the shore.  Who are the folks behind the signatures, I am still trying to figure that one out; however, if you happen across someone who would like to tell you a story about he and his buddies had signed, send him along my way, will ya???

One of my latest rare finds is a book called FROM MY PEN by Harriet Read.  Not only is the book autographed and enscribed on title page, it also has a newspaper article enclosed from the announcement of her second book being published.  I have searched the net and it seems that I might have the only copy??  Surely there are others, but what has happened to them?  Better yet, what has happened to this author?

Some of my treasures simply have become treasures for the intrinsic value they accumulate over the years; what is one man's trash is another man's treasure??? lol... Be aware of the pack rat!  Amidst those seemingly things that might appear to another as debris, may be things waiting to have their stories unlocked.

Are you a pack rat or a treasure holder??? lol....

At any rate, both of the aforementioned treasures were found at a thrift store; as such, one never does know what they can find -- whenever and wherever they look around themselves.

Keep looking.  You just might also happen along that rare find!!!  You, yourself, can also be a treasure holder!!

:D