Vintage Jewelry Boxes...

I love these old boxes, and pick them up, when I can... They make wonderful gift boxes, and are beautiful, simply setting on the dresser. The two larger ones, are for a man, and very masculine, but the sweet velvet one... now that's my style!{ I gathered these, from the wonderful estate sale this week}

The Store is Full!

I worked all day, rearranging, to get those 2 wonderful Wing Backs in the shop....Tore everything up, and left it in a mess. But the Wing Backs have found a nice comfortable spot! I decided to quit at 5, yesterday, and not work late, and am taking the day off today...{so far...} I am re-doing the Green House, a huge 12 foot wide store cupboard sold, at the sale, that had been in the Green House, and I have grand plans for the transformation! I am going all Vintage Garden... The Holiday Open House, is coming up, and it will be beautiful, all lit up, for the Holidays! I haven't decided on a date for the open house, yet. It really is more of a 'Customer Appreciation', than anything. I will have a huge amount of Vintage Christmas, so the Store will be bursting at the seams! Well, I'm going to put my feet up, and hang out with John, today... Hope everyone has the most wonderful Sunday! Barb C.

An Awsome Sale!

I am crashing and burning... The miles are finally hitting me in the butt...This entire week, I've been delivering, packing, and hauling...helping friends, that needed a hand, visiting with Bankers and Lawyers, getting groceries and caught up on laundry, so I don't have to choose my cleanest, then second and third cleanest, dirty clothes...My body is sending me little messages, that I must heed... So, Sunday, I think I'll take the entire day off. I received a call yesterday, while grocery shopping, from my pal Val. She had purchased a Heavy cupboard from me at the sale, and is leaving for Europe, next week, and thought maybe I should bring it over. I think that Cupboard gained 50 pounds, this last week....Some how, she and I got it placed, in her Garden work room, I was really afraid for her, that her little body might break... I said, "Val, I don't want you to get hurt, on this move...you have a wonderful life, and lots to live for... me on the other hand, I'm an old work horse, permanently lame, and can hide a lot of scars with an old flannel shirt, and baggy carpenter jeans...{except for the ones I wore yesterday, they had a big hole in the seat, I warned everyone not to watch me walk away...the sight might leave them scarred for life...} I was headed home, and remembered a sign I had seen, on my way to Val's, a garage sale sign, I thought I knew how to get to the street I was looking for, from Val's....I got lost, was going in circles, then I saw a sign...ESTATE SALE! This was way off the direction I was supposed to be going, but I guess my Little Ford has a great nose, he took me to the most Amazing Sale! It was a very wealthy estate, the House was unbelievable! It even had an enclosed pool off the kitchen....They had collected beautiful paintings, bronze statues, oriental rugs, fine silver...I was like a kid in a candy store.... This was the second day, and all prices were reduced! The first things I laid eyes on were 3 of the oldest, gnarliest concrete urns..... I asked immediately, if they were for sale, they weren't priced, and yes, they might be....Kate, the gal hosting the sale, called the owner, and after some negotiating, I owned them! Then I spyed two wonderful blue, wing back chairs, very sophisticated, almost sculptural... priced so well, I had to have them! I ran through the sale again and again, making piles, of the coolest stuff! I was like a mouse in a maze.... the helpers kept saying, "are you still here?" Oh yea, I wasn't goin' anywhere!{My friend, Ed, from Texas, called as I was making circles, to tell me how Fab, the 'Princess' sign looked in his kitchen, that he had purchased from me, a while back! He was positively gushing, it had been on the 'Princess Theater', in Des Moines, back in the 1800's, and I had wanted to keep it, but it was about 12 feet long, and 24 inches tall, and wouldn't work where I had wanted it.... I was soo happy that he was sooo happy! We had a great visit, he said that he and Michael, might be up before Christmas, I hope so, they are like food for my Soul. I miss them much, and we really turn it loose when they come rollin' through...}{ Ed always reminds me of my Margarita count, that he had personally witnessed, on one of our 'turn it loose' visits....hey, after 3 or 4, who can count?} When it came time to load, I loaded one of the urns, myself, it was full of dirt, and lifting a 100 pound urn, 4 feet in the air, with 30 pounds of wet dirt in it, about did me in. So a kind Man working there helped me with the other 2, the chairs, vintage iron fragments, and all the small stuff...thank God... When I got home, my body hurt sooo bad, that I truly could not move...My body just froze up...I popped some Aleve, and John made supper, and moved the little Ford under cover...He knew I was done... Between all the shows, my sale, loading and unloading, my body said,"ENOUGH!"... Sunday will be my day of rest. When I climbed the stairs, to go to bed,{and not sleep in the recliner, like I have for sooo many nights, lately...} I wondered if I would even be able to get up, in the morning...To my surprise, this old body rose to the occasion. However, I will NOT be open tomorrow... I will need to pick up some more shows, I know...I was hoping the last 2 would have been a little better, and get me through... So I may be headed for Indiana, with Dale F., in November, and possibly pick up another show, this month. Mark and I are doing one in Anamosa, Iowa, in January, instead of Heart of Country, in February, I may be headed for Texas, Round Top, in March...Everything is up in the air, my mind is spinning.... My Sale was wonderful, considering 3 of the 4 days, it rained. I am so blessed with the most loyal customers, and friends. It simply costs soo much, just to survive these days, that even wonderful, isn't good enough. I know there is a reason, for all this hard work, and finagling, to get by. And, one should never worry, and always have faith...I do, but the Lord helps he, who helps himself...so I'll keep the Faith, and keep twisting, as well... If you have any grand thoughts, I'll listen! Linda, the gal who stopped in, with her mother, this week, left me with a wonderful quote... " Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, It's about learning how to dance in the rain"...... I'll just keep on Dancin'! 'til next time, Barb C. p.s. or snow, whatever the case may be... it is snowing like crazy, here this morning...glad I brought all the plants in!

" Is This Heaven?"....Yes... this is Iowa....

I captured this image, at Polly Ann's,{ she is sooo creative} A reader asked where her store is... it is in Mt.Vernon, Iowa. Only 15 minutes east of Cedar Rapids.{Polly has a blog spot, {pollyanns}and is one of my followers, just click on her site, and meet the girl!} All the shops Peg and I visited on Tuesday, were in Mt.Vernon. I kid you not, this Wonderful Eastern Iowa Territory is Loaded with the best Antiquing, Anywhere! I have travelled all over the country, and there is no place like home.... I truly believe, we have an interesting heritage here. When folks settled here, from the east, they planted very deep roots, in the rich, black soil, of Eastern Iowa... They didn't move on, many generations have lived, and stayed here, we are a frugal group. We save everything. We are the first re-purpose'rs, so wonderful things still exist, that folks settled with...We are quite spoiled, and think these treasures are everywhere...not so...We take much for granted, because the antiques are so readily available to us...{not too smart...} A 60 mile radius of Cedar Rapids, and a couple of days to gather, will fill a Semi, with affordable, wonderful, treasures...I Promise! I would love to take all of my readers on a week long cruise, via Farm Land... You would leave inspired, meet the most wonderful Folks, have all of your partners mad at me, because you had to rent a Penske, to get all of your gatherings home, and at your departure you would ask, "Is this heaven?" my reply, "Yes, this is Iowa..." 'til next time, Barb C. p.s. who ever was the writer for that movie,{Field of Dreams} never lived here, and definitely never antiqued here...

Oh No... Oh No...

I felt like "Ralphie" in the movie "Christmas Story", when he broke his glasses, shooting his B.B. gun... I went to take an image of Alice's Cool Witch, and this is what I saw... Alice and Peg asked what was wrong, hearing the 'Ralphie' tone in my "Oh No's", and I said, " My camera is broken...oh no....oh noooo..." Alice said, "come here..., let me see...", I walked it over to her, all broken hearted....{This damage could have been done, at so many instances, I had carried it in my front pocket, all during the Sale, and it was in my purse, when I dropped it on the Kitchen floor, twice last week... it hit Hard! All of the horrible accidents it had endured, came flashing through my mind...} she glanced at it, and said, "there's something in the shutter, it's stuck..." I looked at it... it was a piece of tobacco... can't imagine where THAT CAME FROM! Oh my Gosh! I carry soooo much crap in my purse, I won't throw a cigarette butt on the ground, so they go in my pocket, or purse, and there you go, my camera had been violated, by my Nasty, Bad Habit! I am quitting in November. Poor little camera.... I gently removed the tobacco from the shutter, and all is right with the world.... { Hey, it did make for a pretty Cool Image!}

Peg, at Alice's Wonderland

Peg and Clohe, had a wonderful time, digging through beads, at Alice's! Alice keeps a wonderful variety on hand, and I had to get Peg there, I knew she would get into all kinds of trouble! { oh yea, she did!}

Alice's Darling Store!

Alice always finds the Coolest stuff! She keeps her Store very Neat and Tidy, it's very cool, very organized...{ I need to hang around with her more, maybe her sense of structure will rub off on me...} everything looks like sculpture. She has a terrific eye, and I never leave empty handed! Peg had a Blast, gathering beads for her 'Gourd Project', Alice specialises in beads, and has them all sorted, and ready for you to gather them up, and make your own creation!

A 'Snippet' of Polly Ann's

Peg and I spent a lot of time here, at Polly's. You have to. Her shop is kind of like mine, in one respect, it seems to go on and on... All sorts of nooks and cranny's, Polly, and her many Dealers, do a wonderful job in having a huge variety of cool things. Truly something for everyone. Beautiful vintage furniture, farm related items, children's things, fabric, kitchen collectibles, painted furniture, oak pieces, retro pieces, the list could go on and on...The BIG difference in our Stores, is size... This store is HUGE! Peg and I were on a tight schedule, so we couldn't spend the day, but we had a great time wondering through, and gathering lots of fun, affordable stuff! Polly and her Father, Bob, work hard to find great antiques, and keep the prices very good... They do a wonderful job... Peg, Polly and her husband Bob, and I enjoyed lunch together, at 'Skillet', the food was amazing, as always, and the conversation was wonderful!

FUEL!

Tommie's special brew, 'Rocket', kept me alive all last week, this is her wonderful Coffee Shop, in now known as one of the "Coolest Small Towns", according to Budget Travel Magazine! Mt. Vernon, Iowa... I told you, it is really a fun place to go! Lot's of Art and Antiqueing! {and the best Food and Coffee anywhere!} Tommie, along her Mother and Daughter, make all the Sweets, and serve them with a Smile! {who wouldn't be happy at FUEL, just breathing the wonderful air in her Shop makes me smile!} Tommie also has the coolest antiques, just my style! Funky Folk Art, Crazy Quilts, Religious Artifacts, and just plain Gnarly Things! Gotta Love It! { Tommie is also one of the most beautiful people I know, inside and out. Having her photo taken, well, it just isn't happening... this is the best shot I could get.... she is soo fast, waving that folder around!}

Intense...Peg counting out her dough, for her Motherload of Gourds!

I promised Peg, that I would take her to the wonderful Pumpkin Farm, by Vinton... She totally went Crazy!!! She was mumbling to herself, eyes darting, every which way, nose twitching, pacing, carefully stacking, wrapping them in the softest blankets... She was like a kid in a candy shop, and all the candy was only 25 cents a pound .... Heaven for Peg, Heaven.... I finally found a bench, and just sat and watched her... I probably look just like that, at a Great Antique Sale! I introduced her to Bonnie,{ the Proprietor} and they became Fast Friends! We filled her car to the brim, and I kept reminding her, we should have brought the truck...But no... she didn't want any of them to get bruised.... Peg is an artist, and will be making all sorts of wonderful treasures out of them.. I can't wait to see what she does! I love Peg, and after all her hard work, this last week, it was sooo good to see her having the Most Wonderful Time! 'til next time, Barb C.