Antique collector eyeing Allora
LEISA Clark was in her element yesterday as she ploughed through the muddy aisles of the Allora Community Auction, scooping up bargain buys on her way.
This Brisbane mother drove out to the Downs to pick up some furniture in need of some TLC.
"I up-cycle stuff, so anything that's distressed I do up and sell to people," Ms Clark said.
Her business, Quirky Comforts, is exactly that.
She finds old, worn pieces of furniture and brings them back to life with retro fabrics, splashes of paint and just the right amount of love to create quirky furniture that she sells in boutique stores around Brisbane.
Yesterday, Ms Clark picked up a trailer-load of goodies, including such things as shelves, a mirror, picture frames, cabinets and some old-school chairs.
"I got these cafe chairs for $20 (for six of them) and in Brisbane I could sell them for probably $50 a chair," Ms Clark said.
Her first time at the Allora Auction, Ms Clark said she was thrilled with the quality of things on sale, and saw potential in almost everything on display.
"I usually find things at op shops, garage sales and antique shops but this (auction) has all the farming equipment and industrial stuff which is really in right now," Ms Clark said.
While farmers are tossing out their old carriage wheels and rustic ploughs, this creative young handywoman is revelling in the treasures scattered across the mud-drenched paddock.
A massive 2200 items were on sale yesterday, plus 38 stalls.
Twelve auctioneers trawled the grounds granting people just like Ms Clarke the chance to take home some nifty purchases, making it an overall successful day.
