Look at my treasure!

When Christina Ashburn of Spokane goes to the flea market, she heads straight for the silver.

Ashburn looks for vintage silver plate pieces to add to her collection. She doesn’t mind a few dents or a little tarnish. As far as she’s concerned, that’s all part of the charm.

Ashburn displays her finds around her home, sometimes putting the old items to new purposes.

The shabby but elegant teapot in the photo may pour tea on a chilly day, or it might be used as a vase for the season’s first daffodils.

“I don’t have anything specific in mind for the things I buy,” Ashburn says. “I never know how something will turn out.”