Hello sweet friends! Recently I took a little trip to my grandparents’ farmhouse in northwest Ohio. I was on a mission to find antique treasures to borrow for my fall front porch photo shoot and to scope out vintage finds that I could repurpose into really cool designs for my castle. And this trip did not disappoint!
Growing up I always assumed that the farmhouse was really, really old. My Grandma K was a collector and she filled the entire house with amazing antiques and one of a kind treasures from their travels. She loved to read and had stacks of books everywhere. It was absolutely dreamy! It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized that her house actually wasn’t that old. She and my Grandpa built it in the 1960’s. But the antiques gave it such a rich history and character, it had a special feeling like no other house I’d ever visited.
It was a little strange to walk through the empty house. Without all the beautiful furniture and collections it almost didn’t feel like my grandparents’ home anymore. But then details that I had seen hundreds of times growing up suddenly caught my eye in a new way. And I realized my Grandma and I had very similar taste! The choices she made for their farmhouse where very feminine, fancy, and even whimsical! I was so inspired!
Next I headed to the barn. This is where I suspected I’d find the best treasures. I remembered seeing old metal washtubs on a previous visit that I knew I wanted to borrow. My dad had mentioned that there was a really neat old wooden wheelbarrow that sounded intriguing. I couldn’t wait to sort through all the dust covered items for some authentic farmhouse finds! I was absolutely giddy with anticipation!
Farm machinery towered over me as I entered the barn and slowly made my way to the area where all the smaller items were stored. I couldn’t wait to dive in and find some amazing authentic antiques! Scanning the area to make my plan of attack, I spotted the wooden wheelbarrow. It was perched on top of some old farm equipment in the very farthest part of the barn. My heart gave a little flutter. This was going to be even better than I had anticipated!
After taking a moment to consider if I was up to date on my tetanus shot, I dove in. I picked my way around the piles, sorting through the dusty pieces and making a collection of the items I thought would work well for my fall design. When I finally reached the back of the barn I carefully climbed up some very old metal farm machinery, teetering as I tried not to look down. I could see the headline now: “Mother of Three Impales Herself on Rusty Old Farm Equipment.” Pushing thoughts of my impending doom out of my head, I reached for the wheelbarrow. Friends, that stubborn wheelbarrow wouldn’t budge! I wiggled it and pushed and pulled and said words children shouldn’t hear. It was like wrestling a toddler who doesn’t want to go into a carseat. I’m telling you, that wheelbarrow suddenly became insanely heavy, and the handles, wheel, and legs kept getting stuck on everything. Both sides of the wheelbarrow were designed to be removable by sliding in and out of metal brackets, I assume to make emptying and cleaning it out easier, but the removable sides also made lifting it next to impossible. I’d grab the side and try to tip the wheelbarrow upright and the whole side piece would come off. I became more and more frustrated until finally, fueled by annoyance and sheer stubbornness, I was overcome with almost superhuman strength and I wrestled that wheelbarrow free!
It was absolutely perfect! The faded green paint and original lettering made my heart skip a beat. The wheelbarrow was in great condition, and I could imagine it overflowing with pumpkins and fall flowers next to my arched front door. I also found several metal washtubs, an old lantern, an enamel bowl, and several other treasures that I have big plans for. What a successful trip!
I just love how my grandparents’ antique pieces that I borrowed add so much beauty to my fall design.
I can’t wait to show you how I plan to use some of the other treasures I found! Be sure to sign up for my newsletter so you don’t miss any posts. And connect with me in the comments below and on social media using the gray icons. Happy fall, friends!
Have a beautiful day!
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