Chicago Botanic Garden Antique Fair!

Been up since 4:00... Peg, Liz and I are Chicago Bound! I'll take lots of images.... Have A Wonderful Day! Barb C.

A FUN Day!

What a day.... Spent the morn, watering Peg's plants, { she's coming up today, and I sure don't want her to see her new off spring all wilted! Yikes!} Fellow blogger, Sharon called, {sweet repose, wild thing} her Kentucky Pals are up visiting, and shopping, after a Fabulous 'Round Top', and wanted to swing through! YEAH!!!! It was good to see them all... Theresa, also a fellow blogger { time worn interiors} is a real creative soul... Her husband, Craig, is right there with her... They are a great couple, and really share common thoughts... It was so cool, listening to them create things, in their minds... One would almost finish the others thought... A perfect pair... and so nice to visit with... I think we have similar taste in things, and they found lots of treasures! It was so wonderful seeing Sharon... I see her out and about, but we are always in a rush, to get to the next stop, that we have little time to visit... We had a wonderful time... She found a treasure, and we did a little 'horse trading', on her amazing home made soap! Sharon is talking about opening a building at her home... I so hope she does... I know I'd be a regular! I remember when she had it, years ago... Oh my gosh! It was wonderful! I could have moved right in... Sharon did! It was in the house she lives in now!!! Theresa and Craig are headed back to Kentucky, today... I wish them a safe journey... It's so great to hear how the shows are starting to pick up, folks are getting back on their feet... It's been a long haul, for all of us... I guess that's life... You trip, stumble and fall... get your knees scraped, take it on the chin... but, you stand back up, brush yourself off, thank God, for sending you on the little trip,{ and learning everlasting lessons on that journey!} thank the Angels, that reached out their hands, to help you back on your feet, and move foreword.... That's Life... Now... Go Live It! Barb C.

Lovely Old {mid 1800's} Rope Bed...

I think it is created out of Maple... And is truly a beautiful form... If it doesn't sell, I think I am going to restore the surface, back to the original, salmon color, it started out with, and put it in Justin's former bedroom... We are pretty good, at matching surface, and tho, many folks love this clean, slick country style, I think I would prefer old grungy salmon... I know.... I am a sick person.... There will be no image of the 'Big Daddy Cupboard'... The friends, I was teasing, with a horrible shot last night, just seeing the back, and small portion of the top, evidently saw enough, and called to confirm they would take it, before I had a chance to get a better image... In fact, they got me out of bed this morning, letting the phone ring and ring!!!!.... My, my... they are acting more like 'yours truly', every day... I can look through a key hole, and see only a corner of an old cupboard, and buy it... or not see an old cupboard at all, and buy it, sight unseen... I was at an auction one time, and they had pushed an old barn down, before the sale... I was standing beside the debris... some men walked up to me, and asked what I was looking at.... I said, I just know there is an old cupboard under the rubble... They laughed, and said they had helped clean out the barn, and there was nothing under the barn boards... I assured them, there was... I could feel it... I wanted to climb down, into the hole, but they wouldn't have it... Finally, the one man said, "where do you think this old cupboard is... I'll go dig, and show you, there is nothing there"... { I wouldn't leave my post...}... I pointed to the area, and he shimmied down... started throwing debris every which way... and sure enough, there it was... an old, old cupboard top.... That's all he managed to pull out, but, at least it was rescued... I told him to give it to the Auctioneer, and I'd bid on it... he said, I should just take it... It wouldn't have been saved, if I hadn't been so insistant.... I still have it... and love it... It's a 'Survivor'... Ah... Old Cupboards...

The Image of the Cupboard...

Hey... What can I say... I was tired... Here's a great shot of the back, of the base... Yeah, there are 8 drawers, on the other side... You'll see them tomorrow... Yes, both of the sliding glass doors made it... In fact, everything made it, safe and sound... I was about half way home, and I always keep a close eye on the load, in the mirrors... I was toolin' down '80', semi's blowin' my doors off, and I thought, I couldn't see one of the ratchet straps.... I always over strap, just in case something should let go... and I NEVER trust bungies.... It was a good thing, I had over strapped... one of my straps was cut, clean in two...{ You can see my repair, on the red strap... I double knotted it, some how, both ends fell back inside the bed, and didn't go flyin' out the back...} The load held.... If I would have just used what most would, the old cupboard never would have made it home... Thank God for Angels, and my Dad, teaching me to go that extra mile... Better pics in the morn! Barb C.

All Sorts of Treasures Riding 'Shot Gun!'

A Mix...

Cupboard, packing blankets, rope bed, lawn chairs, ratchet straps and groceries... Oh my...

A Day on the Road!

Spent the day making 'pick-ups' and deliveries.... It was great fun, being out on the road, again...Only covered about 250 miles, and hit most every place I wanted to... The two darling corner cupboards where delivered to the most darling home, in Rock Island, Illinois.... Oh my, I could have so easily just moved right in... Those corner cupboards are so lucky!!!! By the time I had unloaded, and toured the darling little cottage home, of the cupboards... I had missed a call, from Dick T. the sweet man who sold me the Queen Mother Cupboard, from the old Victorian Mansion, in Davenport, where the estate sale had been, a few weeks ago... Oh my... I never thought I'd wind up with this Big Daddy! It's from the turn of the last century, is original finish, over oak...It has a slight 'Mission' flavor, to it's style... Simple, yet, elegant... It is the coolest old cupboard... it has old gnarly velvet inside, and several long, wooden hooks, almost like harness hooks, on the inside top, covered in velvet... So strange... So incredibly cool... It has two sliding glass doors, on top, and eight substantial drawers, in the base... Thankfully, it is two pieces... It must be around 6 1/2 feet wide, by 7 1/2 feet tall... And a bit on the hefty side... Dick also had a darling old chandelier, from the kitchen of Mr. Von Maur... Yes, the department store 'Von Maur'... I had to have it! I think it's from Italy, but instead of flowers, like they usually are adorned with, this has grapes and leaves... very sweet.... He also wanted a new home for a lovely tall poster rope bed, I believe, in walnut.... It has an interesting form, like none I have ever seen... Found some cute lawn chairs, wonderful old photographs, from Springville, Iowa...{That's near me...} Wonder how they found their way to Illinois? If they could only speak... I picked up groceries, on the way home, and am pooped out... But since I have been such a slacker, about my blog, the last couple of weeks, I thought I'd better talk to you, before my tired old body hit the recliner... and melted into 'Wonderland'... I'll have much better images tomorrow... I really put these on, as a joke, for my Pals, who want to take a look at the cupboard... Well, there it is.... Get the picture? I'll have a good one on in the morn! Sweet Dreams! Barb C.

The Mid West Show...

Oh my... Where do I begin... It was Absolutely Amazing.... We had a Great Show.... Unfortunately, I was sooooo incredibly busy, all day, { starting at 7 a.m., to get the booth done, and then the show opened at 10, I hardly ever left the booth... sorry no images of the show... sorry Janet....} Every single booth was totally over the top... Polly said it was her way best show ever, there... It was amazing.... It truly was like Heart of Country.... Some of the most unusual things, I have ever seen.... The crowd was wonderful, and they stayed all day! The biggest complaint, from the customers, is 6 hours of show, is not nearly long enough to see it all! They where blown away!!! Liz was a God Send, and even came early Sunday morning, to put the finishing touches on... I wish I could have gotten out, to shop, and take pictures... Mary Sellon { Dark Horse Antiques} popped in, and we had a wonderful visit... I should have had her snap some pics! Well, shoulda, coulda, woulda! Everyone was there... Either setting up, or shopping! Ginger, and the Red Queen, popped in, for a visit... Sarah and Matt... Tommie, from Fuel... Amy, from Nest... Barb, Deb and Brent, from Sisters' Garden and Bloom... Wanda, from Gatherings... Sue and Mike, from Antiques of Marion... Barb and Dan, from Park Place... Sweet Linda, an avid collector... Jean, from Oski... Laura, from Ankeny... the Girls from Willows... Leah and Lynn, from Southern Iowa... Don, from Springville.... I could go on and on... It was like a family reunion! It was quite the Gathering!!!! I visited with some of the other dealers, after the show... some did better than others, but that's usually how it goes... No rhyme or reason... I thought everyone had great stuff, and displayed their treasures beautifully... If you didn't make it, be sure and make plans for the October Show... You won't be sorry! I had unbelievable interest in the developer... One man, is very, very serious... he had bought so much, he didn't have room for it... He is from New York... I said, maybe I could deliver, during Brimfield... I have never been there, so, I might consider taking a trip... There is also a local friend, who is considering it... We shall see... I absolutely love it... It was the talk of the show... and everyone wanted to know all of the history... It is truly amazing... It really looked cool, all displayed out, with the gnarly Mad Hatter hats, and all the cool fragments Liz displayed inside it! Fun Fun!!!!

I'm on the road tomorrow, picking up. and making deliveries... It'll be a long, long day...

Thanks to everyone, for their purchases, and just stopping by the booth! All of the promoters were great! Tom and Cathy R., Tom and Paula V., Louie and Colleen P., and from the wonderful Collector's Eye, Colleen Boland F. and Dale F. Both shows were over the top!

It is a ton of work, for everyone, but everyone pulled it together, to make a totally over the top show... It is a true gift, for this area.... It was so fun, to be a part of it!

Barb C.

The 'Mid West Show' Stunning!!!!

Oh my gosh.... This show is AMAZING!!!! I walked around very briefly, on set up... I was so blown away.... This is so much like 'Heart of Country', but only 5 minutes from home.... I was so incredibly busy setting up, that I have no images... yet... I will get some today.... The only problem I have with this show, is, not enough 'set up' time... We couldn't get in, until after 1, and then we have to leave, by 8.... Sounds like a lot of time... ah... not so much...{ it takes us 3 days at 'Heart'} Mark and I will be back at 7, to try and get everything wrapped up by opening, at 10.... Thank God, for Liz... John came to lend a hand too, and Kelsy's boyfriend, Richard, was a great help!... Most people are done, setting... but we jump through so many hoops, that 6 or 8 hours, is a drop in the bucket! Liz set the developer, with all of her hats, and Mad Hatter related things... it looks great! We have draped fabric, all across the back wall, and it looks pretty dramatic! The dormers are hung, and look incredible! I just have to pile in more smalls, and get the lights run, and we're ready to roll! I hope you can take in the Show... You absolutely will not be sorry... It is a real TREAT!!!! Don't forget to bring the TRUCK!!!! Barb C.

Peeking in the Front Door of the Greenhouse...

I peeked in the window, this morning, to see if the house plants I had put out, the other day, made it through the frost.... They did.... I got the old fountain running, last week too... It's so good to hear it, and it just seems so inviting, when you walk in... I'm glad it's back... Ahhh... Spring...