99 bottles of pop.....

12.7.12- 

Ok, I think I might have a problem!  

First it was collecting small children's school chairs, anything with a bee on it & now glass pop bottles. 

{It's good to have an good, clean, obsession, right?}

Well lookie what is out on my kitchen island right now to help ring in the Holidays.  I am over the moon, giddy & delighted!  

I found them last week at an antique store in Aberdeen, No. Carolina. Right down the street from the 2 stores I told you about yesterday.  It was a great antique mall & I was finding lots of fabulous things. I was about ready to check out when my friend pointed out a back room to me we hadn't been in.  

{Thanks so much, Shareen!}

I walked into the room & saw shelves full of vintage glass pop bottles. My heart skipped a beat!  

{Oh, believe me I could have come home with 10 more bottles easily} 

As I stood there in awe this is the first bottle that "popped" out at me.  Are you kidding?  Look how adorable it is. 

The wheels started turning inside my head- A toy solider on a bottle that would be so cute to have out for the Holidays.  

I've decorated with pop bottles in the past but for just Spring & Summer events.  It made me start thinking of some new decorating possibilites.  I just knew right then & there that I had to bring this little guy home with me. 

As I started moving bottles around I noticed this one tucked back in the corner.  I couldn't leave the store without him either!  

{Oh, I was in trouble!} 

When I saw this bottle it opened up the possibilites for a winter themed display too.  Oh, for sure I had to get these because I could keep them up for months.  

{I was rationalizing at this point- totally made sense!}

Then I got to thinking.... red, white & green. Ok, I for sure have to have this green Sparkling Life one. I mean come on- just look at that label how could I leave that behind.  

Loved the bottle style of this one- so unique & such a fun twist.  Made me wish that pop bottles were still made this way with such character & charm.  

-Such a great bottle color, label & name.  Can't wait to use this for lots & lots of special occasions-

-This bottle is a No. Carolina company so I had to have this to remember our trip by {even though it was a new bottle- we drank the cherry pop inside}

Once I got my Holiday/ Christmas bottles set aside to purchase I noticed these fun bottles too.
{If you follow this blog & have read posts in the past you know that we have a fun tradition on Valentines Day & I thought these would be a perfect addition to have on the table for our candlelight dinners.}

Mmmm....wah!!  Seriously... how sweet are they?  Kist & Heart Club, too stinkin' adorable.  I had to snag the Big Giant Cola too {with the bat swinging baseball player on the back} for the Summertime.  

So in all that brought my total of 8 bottles I was seriously considering buying.  So glad my hubby has good taste, loves me & recognizes a great find when he sees it too told me, "get them!" They were marked at $8.50 each but when the store owner came in & saw how many I wanted to buy he gave me a great deal, $5 each! {Holla!} So I said, "I'll take them!"

Then the thought comes to my head- Uhhh, HOW are we going to get these home?  Can we get these home?  I couldn't leave them now- I would have been heart broken.  The owner was so nice & gave me a liquor bottle box  & some tissue paper to pack them in. 

{haha, us carrying a wine bottle box everywhere- funny!Wish I would have taken a picture of that. Thanks to Ty for carrying it around & getting it in the overhead compartment on the flight} 

-Here is a peek inside my pantry where my bottle collection is stored on the tip top shelf.  When I got home I cleaned it out a bit, took out the not so great bottles & am just keeping the real unique, vintage ones-

Love, love LoVE the way the display turned out, all lined up on a cherry red wooden bench.  I filled the bottles with pine boughs, sprigs of berries & holly from our bushes outside,  poinsetta blooms & a bunch of mercury glass balls that I found at the antique store too.   

 As much as I love the look of bottles from the front I think their backsides are equally as cute. 

-Don't ya think?- 

So glad these all made it home safe & sound not a scratch or chip off them.  They will be fun to have around for years to come & to remind me of our trip to No. Carolina.  I really try to find a treasure to bring home from wherever we visit & I was lucky enough to snag up 8 fabulous treasures this time. So much fun! 

 Happy Holidays everyone!

-CheeRs!- 

{M}