Whew...A Day At Duwa's Auction... the Fun Never Ends!!!!

Can you see Aletha, clear on top of the load? Oh my...We were all pushing and shoving...determined to get it all loaded... to the point we were pushing each other... oh my.... it was like seeing how many people you can fit into a V.W....

We had a convoy, to Augusta's, in Oxford, for supper... taking back roads...in the dark... oh dear....We all had a great time...

Renate was watching us rack and stack... and wondered if I was going to clear the underpasses... oh dear....We had to keep pulling the Little Ford, out, to make sure, it was going to clear the Garage door opening...oh dear...{Don said we could always let the air out of the tires...oh dear....Thankfully...it didn't come to that...}

The Gang...{from left to right} Harold, the awesome clerk...Don. J., 'Amana Colonies Antiques'...Junelle and Dwight Duwa...Aletha, up front, and Renate...{Bud was hiding...}'Renate's' 

Oh my...A Day at the Auction....

Duwa's Auction Services, had their annual "Amana" auction... I Have Never seen such a crowd.... this is a small portion of the audience.... it was standing room only...I was standing behind Dwight Duwa, the auctioneer... most of the day...

Everyone in the Antique Community was there, or represented.... It was quite the Auction.... I wound up with a pretty good load... and thankfully, could pull inside the building, to load... It was frigid, outside... and I bought some pretty substantial pieces....

There was some amazing stuff there... oh man... If I would have had a huge bank roll...I would have done some serious damage.... as it is, I spent lots...yikes..

I was ever so thankful, to Dwight, Junelle, Bud, Renate, Don and Aletha...Oh my...They helped rack, and stack...we nearly got everything on the Ford, 'til the tires were almost rubbing.... It was a late night... and a long day...I'm going to get the rest, Monday...

I have to unload...and figure out where I'm going to stash everything...then deliver the massive kitchen cupboard, to sweet Audrey...{Sweet Cheeks Tasty Treats}This afternoon.... It's going to be an amazing work horse for her!

Then...I'm taring into the Shop...Oh dear...just a week 'til the Anamosa Show...a Cold...Cold week...a fun time to be loading...

{it was great seeing everyone... Jerry...Carole... Tom...Steve... Ken...Louie...Kevin...Vivian...all the 'Amana Gals'... Julie S.... Just everyone....}

The Mid 1700's Corner Cupboard....oh my....You're Beautiful....

I Gotta tell ya... This is when, I hate this business..

Folks think, I have some bucks... the truth is... I just keep it all turning... and pay the bills...and...Love every minute of it....

 The people... the wonderful, soulful...antiques....The Journey.....it's all good...

 Today, I bought this old Corner Cupboard...it had been in a shed, I have looked at it, a couple of times, over the last two years....{it's haunted me....I'd forget about it...then...it would come whispering, to my soul...I wanted it, so much, for myself...but...knew I couldn't make it happen...too many obligations...always...} My friend, Ken Harrington...{Kalona Antiques Company}, and friend, Tom Rawson, {Sanctuary Antiques}...made it possible, for me to acquire  the wonderful old Darling...

Thank You Both...

Here's the deal... I can't afford to keep it... oh dear... It's Scandinavian...lived in an Illinois home, for the last many years... it's from the mid 1700's...amazing paint... Rose head nails...I simply want to melt... when I touch it...

It was a built in, and a deep one... 38 inches deep...it's 53 inches wide...and about 7 feet tall... and...heavy...full dimension lumber... a force to reckon with... {ahhh...just like, I like 'em....} we are going to trim the depth, to just under 36, {so it will fit through a door a standard door......} and put a correct back on it... so it can free-stand... Dale helped me put it in my house...{we have double doors...} Johns shop, is full...and it won't fit through 32 inch, greenhouse doors...at my shop} 

I know, I will be heart broken, when we take it out, and John makes it whole...

{ when an Old Cupboard finds it's way, into the house....it's very desperate times, that take it out the door..... I don't like to part with old cupboards....they are... ahhh...Family....I can tell you... I'll be holding on...for dear life...but...I know, it will have to go....}

I'll be taking it to Heart of Country...{unless someone speaks for it, before we get it loaded...}

For a few days...I will get to enjoy it... then...let it go....

God...I hate my Job....God...I Love my Job....

Barb C.

{ I'm sitting on the balcony...looking down, on that Amazing...Old...Old...Dry...Red and Blue painted Corner Cupboard....

The Surface...all hand, grain painted...Grungy... in need of a warm, gentle bath...

We'll make it sing...

{It has been 'singing' to me, since the first time I laid eyes on it....}

 Oh dear... I hope it finds it's way, to someone, who will love it, as much as I...It deserves it...

{Dale and I stopped at Barntiques, and Sisters' Garden and Bloom...all on Hi Way 1. on our way to Kalona....If you haven't been there lately...oh my...Those Stores...will blow your mind.... Check out their blogs...{I follow}...They are...over the top...}

Yes...I can still hear the old cupboard singing... It's going to sleep well...tonight...here...among...friends...

Building a Booth in my Mind....

New Arrivals...

 I'm still unpacking...Lots of smalls... I am very excited about the Lab Jars.... if they survive, another month...they will be perfect for the booth in Nashville...{the massive ones, will hold at least 3 gallons...they are Big...and Heavy....and Cool...some have lids... some are smaller... they are all Wonderful....}......and.... The White Rabbit...what can I say.... He's close to 2 feet tall....{Dale's eyes were as big as saucers, when I carried him to the check out... "When you said 'rabbit'...I thought it was going to be a little rabbit...not a 'Jack Rabbit!'...." {hey...I don't do anything little...or light...really...he knows me better than that....}and... that Rabbit, is as Gnarly as they come....I Love Everything, that came from J.B.Knacker...{and her kind referrals....} ahhh...sweet Brenda....

{if anyone has a massive cupboard... I'm on the hunt...ring me...8 or 9 feet tall... and up to 12 feet wide...it can need work...} Dale and I are on the road, again, today... my nose it twitching... I can just feel good stuff, coming our way... Lord...I pray the funds will hold out....My eyes popped open this morning...with reality, throwing me, out of the sack...I gotta get rockin' and rollin'....Hope the Ford's tires have a few hundred miles left on 'em...They're gonna need it....

Have an Amazing Day!

Barb C.

{have you guessed what theme I'm goin' with?}

It's a Crazy Town....

Friend, Amy...says this song makes her think of me...I'm a bit afraid, to ask why...
Is it...that she thinks I'm 'Mad'?...Or...How Crazy I get...and my eyes Glaze over... when I start talking about 'Nashville'...and Heart of Country?....
Oh my...I truly lose all senses... when my mind drifts, to Nashville...When I start talking about it... my mind, just goes directly, to the Opryland Hotel... and...I'm there... ahhh.... my 'Happy Place'...
Friend, Paula, called today...{Midwest Show and Vandeest Antiques}...She and Tom, are going to be at the Fairgrounds, in Nashville... She asked if I'm staying at the Opryland, while doing Heart of Country.... {she had interrupted one of my, long winded dream sessions, with her, about the Heart...} I was brought abruptly... back, to reality...with this...question....
 My answer...ahhh..."Hell Yeah!"... "Where Else Would I Stay...?????? My lord... They treat me like a Queen...I'm ALL over that"....{the Goddess, that I am...Really!...}
 Oh my...I had lunch with Mark, today... and...again...as I was telling him, what 'Heart' is like...
I drifted off... ahhh ...to the Waterfalls... the Southern Hospitality... oh my....the total Spender...the Grandeur... the Muchness....
 {Heart, is The Most Difficult Show I do....It's a Beast... I work myself, totally into the ground... why?... Because the Show is Worthy, of Only...My Very Best....It's Over the Top... I Totally Dig...Over The Top....{the goddess, that I am...}
Oh dear... I'm Drifting off...
Can't wait....
Barb C.
Come...join us..{heartofcountry.com}
{Amy is aligning the Stars... to make her way to Nashville... oh dear....what did I say about a Wild Ride.... Bring it on ....Baby!}

J.B. Knacker....

This is Sweet, Brenda...{would you believe, this is her 6th child...the oldest, is 21... she doesn't look much older than 21, herself!}

Brenda is the Owner, of the Darling 'J.B.Knacker', in Gilbert, Iowa...{near Ames...} I have wanted, forever, to get to her store... Brenda, has shopped with me... we both did Junk Bonanza...a few years back... she still does.... I can't work the schedule out... but would love to go shop it!

Brenda is also a Blogger.... She is the sweetest Girl.... and has an amazing eye! I found some Wonderful Treasures.... and she turned me on to a load of gnarly old Lab Glass! It was Great fun! I would have loved to take her entire shop home... It was Darling!

Dale found a sweet, child's primitive chair, it's headed for Nashville.... We also went to the Story City Antique Mall.... it was Huge.... I ran across a favorite booth.... and who did it belong to? Sweet Laura! {Rusty Pumpkin} I bought a cool window, from her booth...and I also found, in another booth, a Giant...Gnarly...White Concrete Rabbit!!! Perfect for the Mad Hatter Booth!!!! 

It was all good....

Now...I get to unload...it's a few degrees, outside... oh dear...

Have a Great Day!

Barb C.

{Thanks Brenda, for such a nice time...I love everything... and thanks for the nice comment, this morning... It's amazing to me, that we, all of us...all of the glass...the bunny...the window... everything somehow missed total destruction... I have to wonder...if we wouldn't have been between the truck in front, and behind... what would have happened... could the truck behind me have seen those folks?....Could he have stopped in time... I believe everything happens for a reason...and...I believe in Angels....

My Love to ya...}

Jesus...took the wheel....

Oh...the roads, were a little tuff... but nothing me, and the Little Ford, couldn't handle...Dale was riding shotgun...{brave soul!}and I'll have a report, on the day, tomorrow...{it was Great...as predicted!} but...I had to tell ya... We nearly met our Maker...tonight.... as we were headed home... in the dark...
 I spotted some strange lights... ahead of us, on a crazy busy 2 lane hi way...... like a motor cycle... it wasn't.... All I saw was a truck, turned across our lane...just sitting still... like a road block...I looked in my side mirror...and saw a truck, on my tail....... a car, coming head on... the truck, across our lane...stopped... with a woman, running to the passenger's door... we were going to hit them, broad side...and probably get rear ended...hard.... I hit the brakes... but didn't dare lock 'em up... we would have taken the truck, ahead, out... if the little Ford's tires, didn't grip..........and hit it hard... I leaned over the steering wheel... hit my flashers, at the same time, as I was holding the brakes... and some how... with Jesus, at the wheel.... we all made it... unscathed....
I kept asking Dale... what did I say...just prior, to almost, an inevitable impact.... he had several versions... all I remember, was...a soft, and steady..."hold on"....
ahhh... Angels...
Barb C.
{ the driver of the G.M. Truck...{sorry, Boys... sorry, Lynn...} had attempted to make a u-turn, on busy...busy...Hi-way 30... and ran out of room...so sent the passenger out, to guide the driver... oh...my.... and just stopped... blocking our lane....in the dark.... my God... we all could have been killed... I guess, we have more to do... in our next 30....}

Headed West!

Dale and I are headed West...I'll have a report tomorrow!!!!{Thar's GOLD in Them Thar Hills!!! I can feel it!!!} {I just got a heads up, from a Sweet Thing, at the D.O.T.....Telling me the roads in central Iowa, are iffy...at best... I'm gonna make a run for it...I'll leave it up to Dale, if he wants to ride shotgun.... I'll be commenting on my comments, tomorrow...gotta go!}

Barb C.

Are you Crazy...

Do you see an old tractor seat?....Or...a Gnarly Red Heart???{sane folks, see a tractor seat...Which are you?}


I had a 'Jerry Springer', moment, yesterday, while writing my post...then... deleted my butt kickin' post...at 3 a.m., this morning.... why am I so dense, that when folks say something, cutting, in a sneaky sort of way... It hits me, a couple weeks later...and then, I go..."hey....?"
 I do 'get' it, most of the time...quickly... and hold my own, pretty well... Oh well... I'm not wasting another 30 seconds, on a turd....bless his heart...
I'm off and running... Friend, Lori, bought a Pie Safe, here, last week, and picked it up early this morning....then, she saw the one I am replacing it with, and we loaded that up in her Moving van, as well... She'll have great fun with those old Darlings! They came from the same Northern Iowa Farm... they were as found...a little soft, on the feet...but, quite charming...I'm glad they are staying together... Lori's family was here, and helping her move... Her brother in law, warned his wife, to stay away from me... "why?".... she asked... I said it, before he could..."I'm crazy"...he just smiled an nodded....{and...he knew me less than 5 minutes...oh dear...I guess when I load old Cupboards, the Mad Hatter does come out...pretty fast...oh dear...}{we laughed a lot!}
I'm having supper, with Allyson, tomorrow night....{she's a psychiatrist...} maybe she can help me... I'll see what she thinks...I think we already know...I'm Hopeless... and...Like it...
Have an Amazing...Day...
Barb C.
{oh, Betty... I already wear patchouli oil....and have forever...I had sold something, for a man, several years ago... and tucked the money, for him, in my purse,  for several days... a few days after I had paid him,... he called me, and asked what that scent was, on the money... I laughed...I didn't know what he was talking about... then I realized, I had his money, near my bottle of Patchouli, in the bottom of my purse... He Loved it...and it was driving him crazy!!! He wanted to get some, and put it around the house!...Funny!}

Mercy Sakes Alive...Looks Like We've Got Us a Convoy.... a 'Heart of Country'...Convoy...

Oh My.... I have had some WONDERFUL ENQUIRIES ABOUT HEART!!!! MERCY SAKES ALIVE!!! I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A 'HEART OF COUNTRY' CONVOY!!!! There's room for you.... C'Mon!!! Lets make it Happen!!!!!
Wa Hoooooo!!!!
{I used to drive truck.... there is Nothing more Crazy...than a CONVOY!!!!}{what did I tell ya.... it's going to be a Great Year...and Hang On... Baby...It's gonna be a WILD RIDE!!!!}
Barb C.
{ Friday Night... The 18th, of February.......I would love to get a group together, and go Downtown, Nashville! We could go to the Famous"'Tootsie's"..."Wild Horse"..."B.B. Kings"... and have a Great Time!......{we'll talk...} Hmmm...what happens in Nashville...ahhh...stays in Nashville...don't ya know! C'Mon!!!! Let's make it happen!!!!}I'll be posting more, on the Calender of Events...in the next few days!
Barb C.
{cilck on the image...to enlarge...Heart has a great web site!}

Nashville Thinkin'....

This is a Funky Wedding Cake...made from logs... I bought it from Cheri P. at my sale, last year...I have it in the shop, for fun...not sale... It's a Great Conversation Piece...

I may be taking this little Pink,{not salmon...pink...and proud of it!} Hanging Corner Cupboard....It's older than dirt...I bought it, to keep...but...ya gotta do...what ya gotta do...

The Old Sampler, will be fun....Lots of Spring color!!!

This is a skirt I bought, at a second hand shop, to make a lamp shade out of...It's perfect!!!! I gathered it, at the waist, with green velvet ribbon... and put it over a wire hanging planter, turned upside down... and...voila'...a gnarly, paisley lamp shade! {it looks Darling in person!}

This chair is so perfect...with gnarly fragments of Crazy Quilts, on it...The Chair is an awesome Chartreuse... Like It!

Dale popped in the shop, yesterday...I'm kind of like a Deer  standing in the road..with trucks coming at me... I have miles of open fields to run...but am focused on the ground, my feet are planted! I don't think I have a thing, to take to the show... Dale spun around the shop...and said.."take that...and that...and that..." It was great... a fresh pair of eyes...who know the market, in Nashville!
Liz, Nick and I went to see 'True Grit', last night...If you have never seen the original....it's good... True Grit, is one of my Fav's... I can relate to much of it...{even when my Dad took me to see the original, when I was 5...I could relate to it...}So....it's safe...they couldn't touch it....
I ran down, the 'Rabbit Hole', this morning, looking for my camera... found it, after searching the truck...twice...the shop...twice...and the house...it was in the shop... So...  I snapped the above images...I truly feel blessed, this morning, to be able to find a safe, other world, down that Rabbit Hole.... I have been watching the news... and praying, for all involved, with the tragedy, in Arizona...after watching the footage, this morning... I felt the Rabbit Hole, was like another World... far...far away....Glad I misplaced the camera....
My Love to You...
Barb C.
{I'm spending the afternoon, down the Rabbit Hole... you're welcome to come join me....}