Ahhh... Iris'

I had to snap a picture of them, yesterday morning, as I was headed to the shop... They are so beautiful.... Spent the afternoon, resting my back.... When John and I were carrying in the Black Beauty, Thursday afternoon, a gust of wind came up, suddenly, and it got away from me, and was falling flat on it's face.... drawer's were going to be smashed, door hinges broken.... after spending hours, working on it's surface, there was no way I was letting it go... John had just walked away, to move something that was in our path, as it started to go.... So... another 'twist'... It never really hurts, 'til the next day... I was a mess, by yesterday afternoon... Turned the phone off, ate some Aleve, and rested.... I feel much better, today... Peg is on her way, I think the tents are going up today, tho they are calling for some strong winds... we'll see....I feel pretty energized... I think more than my back, needed a day of rest! Away we go!!!!

Barb C.

Black Beauty...

This is an image of one of the Cupboards that came in this week.... It's a Dandy! Someone had cleaned their paint brush, full of white paint, on it's front and side...80 years ago... So, I worked several hours, removing it, and restoring the wonderful, dry finish.... It took me 24 hours, to decide if I wanted to restore, or leave it alone... After all, the white paint, is part of it's journey...I thought, if it were going into my house, would the paint bother me... ultimately, I decided it would.... I chose to bring it back, to it's intended finish... I always disclose, any restorations... This Cupboard is well deserving of my time... { just wish I would have had it a week ago... a few hours, is a lot of time, with a Sale just a week away...} I am totally exhausted... and the work, really is just beginning...We have tons of stuff, coming in... Once I get the Shop squared around, everything will go like clockwork! My Pal, Allyson rang, this morning.... we visited about our up coming trip to New Orleans.... I keep pushing, to get everything done, with the knowledge, I will be able to 'crash and burn', for 10 days, down south... So, push, I will... and we'll get 'er done!

Happy Trails....

{ I am adding a note, to last nights post.... I always say, how much fun I have when the Boys are Back in town.... Oh My... Yes... Make No Mistake, we really do have a GREAT Time! But it's work... a lot of work....Back breaking work... I love and respect these Men, because they work so incredibly hard, and are so very kind, and gentle... We all work hard, in this business.... from gathering, fixing, cleaning, loading, and just running down the road....They are two, in a hand full of us, who have an open store, and do shows, all over the country... They live my life, in 'double time', they are an amazing team. It's a privilege, and honor to know them...{tears...tears...} I thank God, for allowing our paths to cross, {even tho, Ed wanted to drive on by....} Thanks, Michael....} I feel so very Blessed, to call them, my Friends...} The Boys are headed south.... I helped them finish loading... Their wonderful trailer, had issues, so, they were delayed, but they are on their way home.... I called 'em, about an hour after they left... I was missing them, already... I told them not to wait so long, to come visit! Don't know what it is about them... Must be that Southern Hospitality... They are like a breath of fresh air, and so easy goin'... They said they were sad, too... They would have liked to have stayed longer, but have major deadlines, in Texas... I guess we should make our way to Brenham... It is our turn... After all, that hi way runs both ways!!! I would love to get a group together, and go visit Round Top.... The Boys have a big party, during the Shows, and I have heard their Store is absolutely Stunning, over the Huge Events! {leftoversantiques.net} I bought a cupboard this evening...{ Marina called me about it... It's a Dandy!{ thanks for thinkin' of me!} had to run for miles and miles, last night, to go get it........Another very late night... I am pooped out... Peg will be here on Saturday, oh my... my hide is stinging already... I'll try and make a little sense of the shop, before she blows in... Yikes! Happy Trails... Barb C.

Left The Boys to Load... I'm Gathering for the SALE!

{Tonight's Load...oh my... Great Stuff....I had to sneak away, to get it... But... I'm pretty good at 'slippin out the back door'...Sorry, Boys...} I felt pretty guilty, leaving the Boys, to finish loading their treasures, { I helped as long as I could... Carolyn A. and John, helped before the Boys got here, and we annihilated the store... Got everything out, that is sold, { and needs to be picked up, by their new owners... needed space!} and I'm fillin'er back up again!} The Sale is just a week and a half away... And.... as God as my Witness..... I will have the Store and Grounds, overflowing with the Gnarliest Stuff EVER!!!! { I may not recognize a single familiar Soul, during 'Sale Time'... { and my friends already know this... When I'm running on fumes.... I smile.... and nod....}Was on the phone, at 6:30 this morn, with one of my Favorite Folk, who always has great stuff, at Great Prices! He's a hundred and fifty mile journey, and didn't get home 'til 6:30, this eve.. But we worked hard, and I came home with two amazing cupboards,{ massive, in stature} a great showcase base, and a gaggle of vintage metal lawn chairs!{ among, other little treasures!} I have been hording some fun stuff... now, I just have to have the hours, to throw it all into place! Peg assured me... "No Worries"... and at this moment... I believe her! I have wind at my back, friends, at my side, and Great Stuff! It's All Good! I'm helping the Boy's, with last minute loading, tomorrow, then we will say our good-byes... and I'll be heartbroken.... for a minute, or two... { I truly Love these Boys...} Then, the Sale will take precedence, and I'll Crank it up, a Notch! The Fun, NEVER ENDS!!! Can't wait to bring it all together! Barb C.

Spent the Day, Basking with the Boys....

We had a wonderful day... The Boys shopped 'til they dropped... We ended up, at Bud and Renates... Oh my... They fed us, and topped off the best Pizza and Beverages, with home made Rhubarb Crisp, and French Vanilla Ice Cream! Oh my... Those two, really spoil us... We made the rounds today! Gatherings, [Anamosa, Iowa} Polly Ann's... Schoolhouse Antiques... {Mt Vernon, Iowa} Amana Colonies Antiques...Erenbergers Antiques.... Renates Anique Gallery....{Amana, Iowa} Oh my... I think The Boys are drained... They still want to hit Fern Hill { South Amana, Iowa} Sisters' Garden and Bloom, and Rug Cottage... { Kalona, Iowa}... Before they head home... I truly enjoyed the day... I will help them load, tomorrow, then, I need to tend my own 'Garden'... It's Sale time, in little more than a week... I am really making plans, for a wonderful Sale... Have some very cool things gathered, and have many friends bringing Great Stuff! YEAH! We managed to stay out of the pokey, and pretty much, behave... and even had a lot of fun! I'll be tearing the Shop apart, tomorrow, and totally re-doing! THE FUN NEVER ENDS!!!! Barb C.

The Boys are Back in Town!

I wouldn't let myself believe it... 'til I saw the whites of their eyes...THE BOYS ARE BACK!!!! Oh My... I LOVE THESE BOYS!!! They do something to my soul... They started out, as good customers, but have become the best of friends... We all love them so... We tend to get a little Crazy, tho, when they blow into town... Oh my... The Boys spell trouble, with a Capital 'T'...We went out to Supper, had a few toddies, Mark and Dale joined us.... we had a Great Time! Then, like always, it seems... a fight broke out, in the restaurant... { this happens almost every time the Boys are Back, the Police were called...{ this was at a nice restaurant, too...} and The Boys, Mark and Dale, were arrested... JUST KIDDING! They just witnessed the Brawl... { I guess they just bring this orneriness out in folks!} { they tried to blame it on me, but I have eaten at this restaurant, many times, and have never seen bloodshed!} I don't think anyone was hurt... It just got a little Crazy! As we were leaving the restaurant, we had to step over food, that was scattered all over... what a fiasco... Ah, but we didn't stop there! We went to the wonderful Leonardo's... It's an Awesome, Italian Supper Club, that dates back to 1951...Black Leather tufted walls, red leather tufted booths... It is a wonderful time capsule....I think of the Soprano's when I go in there... I have always said, the Antiques Business is like the Mafia... You can't ever leave... Click, click, click... It's like a 'Family'...And The Boys, are definitely Family.... I'm panicking, trying to figure out, how in the heck, I'm gonna get the sale pulled together, in a week and a half, The Boys pull in, and away we go! Oh My! The fun.... truly.... never ends... I haven't seen the Boys, here, for a year and a half... Way, way too long, without their antics... I will work day and night, when they leave... but for the next two days, I'm soakin' them in...Hope we don't wind up in the Slammer! { that could put me way behind!}

Check out their wonderful store, in Brenham, Texas... {leftoversantiques.net}

Barb C.

Friends and Gatherings, from 3rd Sunday!

Brenda... Fellow Blogger! She had her arms full of treasures! I love her stuff! When I go to Galesburg, Illinois... I Always stop at Ziggy's! I find lots of great treasures there, and never leave empty handed! I'm due for a Galesburg Run, it may be mid June, before I can do it, but I'm gonna get there!

Susan, and her Little Man... I can't believe how much he has grown!!! I bought some great stuff from them... The Old Martin House is Amazing... Love the hooked rugs, and sprinkling cans... I was short a red wagon, so, was Happy when Susan wheeled one in!

Gnarly Garden Chairs! Gotta Love 'em!

This piece is soo cool! It's from a Dentists office... The bowl is Glass, the base has old white paint, over cast aluminum... I remember my Old Dentist having a similar one, when I was a child... It's Cool! The Gals I bought it from, were really sweet! { They must not care about the moon...}

This is really cute in person... It's pine, 5 feet wide, 16 inches deep, and has 26 nice sized drawers... It's pretty cool!

A Few of the 3rd Sunday Treasures...

The infamous, Burl Bowl... When I have a deal, like this happen... I don't usually purchase the piece, that winds up in the midst, with all the 'karma'... But, I truly like the dealers, and maybe, she was just having a bad day....

A nice lady, with a darling, mega, washtub!

Bought 29 of these cool old steel baskets! They will be great with plants in them, at the Sale!

This is a Gnarly Old Table I bought at the end of the day, with a cool bowl, and horse muzzles, on top... fun stuff...

Bought these Old Tobacco Drying Baskets, early on.... later, in the day... Dale came walking up to me, and said, with a pitiful look on his face, he had seen the coolest old Tobacco Baskets, ran to them, only to see 'SOLD' on them... I smiled... He said "Did you get those????" Yep.... I'm letting him pick one out, for helping me load, and unload... My friend Gloria may want one, too... They are pretty cool...

Gnarly Glider!

Bloomington... Third Sunday Market....

We just got home, almost midnight... I am pooped... Body hurts, all over... I ran into some great folks, and, Dale and I had a good time.... It was nice seeing Roger and Linda,{ they always have wonderful things, just as you walk through the main gate, and on the left.... Be sure and check them out...} fellow blog follower, Brenda, from Galesburg, Illinois...{ She has the coolest stuff, at Ziggy's Antique Shop, in Galesburg! I love to shop there!} Susan S., and her family were busy setting up, and I bought several wonderful treasures from her! George and Terry, who always have great stuff, were just finishing their booth, as we were leaving... I couldn't get out of the van, to check out their stuff... My entire body felt like it had been in a vise... George walked up to my door, and I made my apologies, I'm sure they will have a great show... They always come up with the most unusual....For the most part, we had a great day, and brought home a nice load...Missed Pat and Cathy... I always bring home great treasures from those Gals... But never found them! They have totally changed the buildings around... and it was hard finding everyone! I will have to say, it was a little tuff for me to buy...and, most folks didn't want to discount, much... Except, of course the folks I bought from.... They all worked with me, just as I do for my customers... I know, there are things, you simply can't deal on...{ have a lot in...} but, when purchasing a large amount, or a more expensive piece, it's nice to get a little break... It cost us 70.00 in fuel, and 20.00 each, early bird admission... We came to buy... Poor Dale only bought a crock, and 6 crochet balls... He thought things were a little tuff to buy too... I guess we are spoiled, with our Iowa finds....I will say, it wasn't this way, the last few years... we have always bought well in Bloomington... I noticed the Vendors were a little grumpy, too... The last dealer, who I have always liked so much, had me in tears...I was asking her a question, about a burl bowl, { I am not well versed on early burl bowls} and she came unglued... I don't know if she thought I was being sarcastic, and she thinks I'm a lot more educated on these early bowls, than I am, or what... But, I was stunned...Her husband picked up on it, right away... I could see, he felt bad...and was silent, for a moment, then attempted to correct his wife's statement... but, it was too late... Part of me just wanted to walk out of the booth, and leave the things I had picked out, at her feet... I didn't have the heart, to bark back at her... and say, " hey, I wouldn't ask these questions, if I already knew the answer"... I don't want to sound stupid, when my customer asks me..." how old, where did it come from"... is that wrong? How sad... I love to help people learn about this wonderful old stuff... I truly can't imagine talking to one of my customers this way..... { the bowl wasn't inexpensive... neither were the other things I had picked out of their booth... I didn't ask for a better price on a single item... The husband always shoots me great prices on their wonderful old stuff...}{ I really do like these people, I guess that's why, I felt so sad....} So, I asked them to figure my bill... { I already did, in my head...} I wrote out the check, didn't even fill in their names,{ I was too stunned, to even write...} scooped up my purchases, and left...After this day... I don't know if I'll go back... I know how hard it is, dealing with people, when you are trying to set up....But, that's life, at many shows...and always, at 3rd Sunday... Oh well... Must be a Full Moon...My Special Visitors are coming tomorrow... All will be right with the World.... Have a Great Sunday... Barb C.

If It's Good Enough for Your House...

Oh my.... I had to laugh.... A sweet Gal, from Wisconsin called, we had met at Gold Rush, she and her husband had bought a darling cupboard from me... After measuring, she decided, another cupboard I had at the show, would also work... and wants to pick it up, when they come to the Memorial Day Weekend Sale, in 2 weeks... She also inquired about the Early Walnut Harvest Table, I had at the show... I told them, if I didn't already have the most wonderful, gnarly, early Iowa table, in my home, this one would be movin' in... She said she was pretty sure she wanted the table... If I would put it in my own home, it must be great! { I had it buried with stuff at Gold Rush... You really couldn't see it} I had to chuckle... She doesn't know me very well... I love things that are very, very old... I dismiss, a lot of flaws... In fact... I find them charming... and soulful... The gnarlier, the better... So, I told her I would put a few images on, of the Walnut Harvest Table, and if she still wasn't sure, she'd better wait, until she sees it in person... I would rather have her not get it, than commit to it, and be unhappy...{ and not love it, as I do...} Normally I would hold it for her... But during 'sale' time, folks are traveling long distances, and if everything is on hold, I'd have some pretty unhappy folks... I put an image of the old table we use, in the house on... I have written about it, a long time ago... I think it was titled," The Gnarly Old Table, Only Me and Harold Could Love"... { April '09} Well, there are a few more, in the world, like us, who would love it too... I have had collectors, want so much, to see our house... I assure them, they really won't be impressed... I buy what I personally love.. What has lived a colorful life, and has many bruises and scars, to prove it... Just like me... Perfection, well, that's a myth... I choose to look 'perfection' in the eye, and call it what it is... Nondescript and boring... ultimately, a sheltered thing... how sad... Let me be surrounded by people and things, that have enjoyed life, with all of it's ups and downs and battle scars, well, those deserving treasures... are always welcome here...

I'm off to Bloomington, in the morn... I can tell you already...It's going to be an Amazing Journey...

I'll keep you posted... Have a Wonderful Saturday!

Barb C.

{ A Special Prayer goes out to The Rawson Family... Tom's Father passed away, this week...Our Prayers are with You, and Your Family... }