Some of my fondest childhood memories come from spending time in the South with my grandmother, Fay Brown Casey, as we wandered through antique emporiums and around auction or rummage sale sites.  She taught me the great art of patiently sifting through remnants of bygone eras looking for a special item to treasure.  Often she would have to stop and explain the use for these unfamiliar things–a button hook, a flower frog, an old tea caddy, a rug beater. Most explanations came with a story from her own childhood, which made the time together that much sweeter. This is probably the reason that I have such a passion for antiques and architectural salvage.  There is nothing better than carefully combing through old buttons, glassware, shutters, doorknobs, bathtubs, jewelry, buckets, fencing, linens,furnishings and such.

Days of Vintage
Storefront

A favorite spot for getting my salvage fix is to take a quick drive up Yarnell Hill and stop in at Days of Vintage.  With stores in both Yarnell, Arizona, and in Chandler, Arizona, there is so much to see.  It’s hard to get past the front porch and into the store, there are so many wonderful items stored outside.  And new things coming in all the time.  You just never know what you are going to find.

I have my eye on this Mermaid Serafina!

Check out the website at http://www.daysofvintage.com/.   Mike is the friendly owner and, yes, he really does wear those overalls and the cowboy hat!   He also encourages the lingering shopper who likes to carefully sift through the vast variety of items in the store.  And he does a pretty good job of explaining the use of some of these old vintage and antique items.  Not the same as my grandmother could do, but not bad!

Keep in mind, too, that if you take a trip to the Yarnell store, stop in at the Cornerstone Bakery for something fresh-baked to go with coffee.  The cinnamon rolls come highly recommended and are so large they will suffice as a meal for two.  All of their items are baked fresh daily.

It’s important to mention that the town of Yarnell is still in the recovery process from the tragic fire that took place in June.  There is a website you can  visit for more information:  http://www.yarnellhillrecoverygroup.org/. The site lists all of the relief efforts that continue to support this small but special community.

I hope you find time to take a trip up The Hill!  Happy Hunting!