South Carolina Picker : A Look Back at Last Year's Picks

Oh man. 2014 was a year of some epic picks. The fuel to a picker's soul is the hunt of the pick, whether it be at a flea market, yard sale, or back road rickety building. And this past year left us with no shortage of gas to go on the road of picking glory. Follow us for a pictorial journey of the buildings and items that made our hearts go pitter patter.

We started off the year with a birthday pick in Charleston, SC. Sustainable Warehouse and Page's Thieves Market provided the bulk of the picks with a few pieces from Habitat for Humanity. Lots of industrial goodness!

When we got back, it was straight to an estate sale of a local Taylors Mill employee, WWII pilot, and local woodworker for some great tools and tool boxes!

March brought another birthday trip pick from the mountains of North Carolina, an Underwood typewriter from the courthouse of Sylva, NC.

We were so honored to be invited to a customer's childhood property after meeting at Vintage Market in the Park. The stuff pickers dreams are made of. Large property with out buildings, old cars, trucks, and lots of rusty junk!

Of course, local flea market picks always sustain us when there is less going on during the week. We love checking out the Pickens and Anderson Flea markets along with Barnyard 101 and Whitehorse Rd Flea!

One of my favorite and most epic picks of the year happened unexpectedly on a holiday. I got to hit this one in Honea Path twice but could have gone out many more times if it was still there. A large building that I didn't even get to go into. All this was picked from trucks, vans, a camper, and the great outdoors!

One of my favorite local auctioneers held an amazing auction in Woodruff. Upon arriving to pick up my loot, I poked around an old shed and found some paint brushes. They were happy to sell them to me!

Loved this 1800s estate of a doctor and a teacher in Easley, SC. So many treasures from the past. The doctor practiced in a room in this very house. What looked like a pile of trash on the porch held fun ephemera such as vintage valentines and 1930s checks.

This great old 1800s farmhouse in Abbeville, SC was simply amazing, along with the out buildings on the property. The owner took the time to walk the property with me, telling stories of family reunions, parties, and hot summers spent swimming in the pond.

Of course, there are always a myriad of yard sales, estate sales, and antique store closings. Don't mind if I do!

So many more wonderful work memories from the year that make me feel lucky to do what I do! It really makes all the searching, driving, hauling, cleaning, photographing, describing, listing, and shipping worth it. Thanks for a great 2014 South Carolina and I look forward to the picks that 2015 holds! 

Check out Maliasmark on Etsy to purchase our picks and follow us on Facebook and Instagram to follow the journey!

Typewriters : A Piece of the Past

There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. 
Ernest Hemingway

There is something romantic about the act of using a typewriter. The sound of the tap, tap, tap of metal on paper, the feel of the imprint of the type bar, the smudging of ink. All speak to the time and effort of a hand typed note. That someone took the time to load a piece of paper, sit down in front of this dinosaur from the past, and pour their heart out. Font designers create fonts that mimic the look of the typed word but they are missing the feel. Writers are returning to using it for that authentic writer feel. Poets are specializing in hand typed pieces on bits of paper from here and there. Whether you want one to use or just for decoration, they are amazing pieces of vintage writing history!  

One of the things I love to pick up and I try to have at every show is a typewriter. 

This little Smith Corona Zephyr went fast! This low profile lovely was a tight little model with a nice hard case.

Although this Corona Folding Portable no longer worked, it was the perfect accent piece. This model would have seen many a battlefield and news site as a favorite of reporters of the day. Also, the type that Hemingway first started on!

Some of the larger, non working models are still fun decoration and display pieces. Great for holding photos and other fun things!

Royal is one of the longest lived typewriter manufacturers. 

This Royal Mercury is a great mid century model. 

Great hard carrying case with some juice still left in the ribbon! 

Still available at Maliasmark.

I just love the styling on this Wizard Truetype by Brother! 

The pale grey, the low profile, the curved edges...goodness. 

Could be my favorite. Shhhh...don't tell the others. 

Still working and available at Maliasmark.

Getting this beauty was a labor of love. My husband was sick with the flu. It was Valentine's day. I had to drive to North Carolina to get it. But you can see why I did. Color! Forget the industrial greys and blacks. This Smith Corona Galaxie is here to be noticed!

Still working and available at Maliasmark.

So whether you're looking for a typewriter to be inspired, to use as a guestbook at your wedding, to write love notes for yourself or others, or just for decoration, I hope you enjoy your piece of the past!

I love working on a typewriter - the rhythm, the sound; it's like playing the piano.

David Mamet

Creepy, Spooky, Unexpected : Vintage Halloween

Halloween is a most sacred of holidays at our house. Maybe it's the cooler weather. Maybe it's all the fall goodness. Maybe it's the time of year we met. Maybe we both have a dark side. Either way, it's our absolute favorite and we do it up right!

Vintage items just lend themselves to great Halloween decor. A darker time gone by, a sense of decay, a hidden history...all these things and more make them perfect for your festive fall furnishings. What I also love is using items that do double duty around the house and throughout the year. Many folks don't want to put a lot of money out for what they see as a lesser holiday. So make your money go far! Here are some ways I use vintage to decorate for my favorite month of the year.

First, let's start with the basic things I use to compile my Halloween vignettes.

Bell Jars or cloches make wonderful places to keep creepy things, whether for ambiance or to keep them from a certain mischievous cat. The rest of the year, they make great displays or terrariums.

Spanish moss is a great bed for all your spooky items. It goes forever. I bought this bag three years ago and it is still half full. Also works great for fall and spring decor.

Every year, I look forward to the Dollar Tree's Halloween stock coming out. It's like a national holiday. They have amazing stuff, all for $1; skeletons, pumpkins, organs, body parts, insects, and more! Never ceases to amaze and delight for next to nothing. It may look cheesy in the store but once mixed with the authenticity of your vintage stuff, it's legit.

Last, my stock of vintage goodies to add to the mix. As you will see, I love a theme and vintage offers a variety of directions to go.

Mirror, mirror : I know that Disney has made the story of Snow White seem cute but The Brothers Grimm actually wrote some dark stuff! This simple vignette alludes to the story of that wicked queen and her poison apples. Just in time for apple season!

Mad Mixologist : Create a spooky vintage bar with these vintage decanters, mid century glasses, a mirrored tray, and some creepy dollar store goodies. Add some vintage poison labels to the decanters and fill with red colored water or liquor!

Wicked Writing Nook : Create a dark and disturbed writing space befitting the likes of Edgar Allen Poe. His chilling tale, The Raven, was the inspiration for this grouping. And you know you want an excuse to buy a fabulous vintage typewriter!

Set a Spooky Table : Create a Hannibal inspired spread. Lots of gross things to eat and a great way to use your vintage silver! Use your imagination. Lots of fun to be had. Great place to use old bottles and china!

Dark Doctor : Compile a ghastly collection reminiscent of Dr Moreau's laboratory. Apothecary jars holding potions, canisters of body parts, and vintage medical books complete the display.

Cabin in the Woods : It doesn't have to be obviously Halloween. This vignette has nary a skull. Different things are disturbing to different people. Look to your favorite horror movie for inspiration! This grouping was conjured from ideas from Cabin in the Woods and Saw. Rusty old tools, a vintage hikers map, and woodsy charm turn ominous!

So, have some fun this Halloween! Look around at what you have and think of how you could use it. Add some vintage pieces that can be used all year round. Check out the Halloween section of the shop for all your decor needs. From vintage china, silver, tools, and dolls to creepy art, tin types, and festive banners, there is lots to browse for purchase or inspiration!