HOHO HO!

Dan has been looking for some elves to help him this week in his workshop. His re purposed furniture is selling faster than he can make it. It is a good problem to have.

We added Christmas magic last week to the 3 antique shops that we are in. Furniture, Christmas decor and gifts are all selling well. The Uptown Shop Hop is this Thurs. December 2nd from 4:00-9:00. It is always a good time with lots of food, drink and the best of the best holiday shopping. You will find us @ Eastown Antiques and then @ Bluedoor.

Please join us in ringing in the season!

As always Cj does a great job with our post but I have to add the above picture to her post. This was a file/map cabinet that I just got done repairing and have mounted it on a base made out of a kitchen table. We have just put this in at Bluedoor. It is one of many vintage items and re purposed pieces we are are trying to get into the malls before Thursdays shop hop.

Gratitude

Dan & I have so much to be thankful for. We find ourselves overflowing with gratitude.

* We are thankful for our gifts of creativity

* We are so thankful that we have each other

* We are thankful for all of our customers

* For all of  our antique dealer friends who have inspired and guided us

* For everyone who has "gifted" us with cast of materials and vintage treasures

* For everyone  who works the antique malls, Then & Now in Petoskey, Bluedoor and Eastown in Grand Rapids, who help to sell our products

* For supportive family and friends

We hope that all of you have had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We now look forward to the joyous holiday time of year.

PEACE 

Sunday Night Review

We had a great open house this weekend. Everything we had sold well and we are very grateful for all who showed up and supported us. One of my favorite vintage items which sold was this great old original pink paint bead board door. The plaster dipped wreaths on the door, old picture frame turned caulk board, and the socks sewn from vintage ticking were just some of the many items we had at the sale. The response was so good that we are considering doing a spring garden theme open house as well.

Saturday - Today, the last day of the Open House 1-8:00

Please join us for the last day of the Open House

from 1:00-8:00 today

We have been having a wonderful time and would like to share that with you too!

Dan & CJ

We Are Having a Great Time @ the Open House - Join Us!

Please join us today Friday and tomorrow, Saturday @ our open house here

45 College NE

Grand Rapids

1-8

We are celebrating the warmth of the holidays!

Dan & CJ

The Open House Starts Tomorrow - Thurs!

Dan & I are excited about this years Holiday Open House and we hope that you all can come.

This week Thurs, Friday & Saturday

1:00-8:00

@ our home

45 College NE

Grand Rapids, MI

parking on the street or @ Central Reformed Church lot

2 More Days Until the Open House!

2 more days until the open house starts on Thurs!

Also Friday and Saturday

1:00 - 8:00

45 College NE

GR, MI

3 More Days Until The Open House

Tease number 3!

3 more days until the open house

Thurs, Friday and Sat

Nov 18,19 20th

1:00-8:00

Just 4 More Days Until the Open House

Another sneak peak!

Just 4 more days until the open house

Thurs, Friday & Sat

Nov 18,19 & 20th

1:00- 8:00

Just 5 Days Until The Start of The Open House!

I little sneak peak.

Our Open House

Thursday

Friday

& Saturday

Nov. 18,19,20

1:00 - 8:00

Please join us and shop for unique gifts and holiday decorations.

Keep Calm and Carry On

I had to laugh when I read this old sign we found on the graphics fairy. It is a good reminder these days when we are so very busy. We are busy getting ready for an open house next week at our home address on College st. .  We have been trying to kept enough product in the local malls we are in. We also made a trip in the last week up to Then and Now in Petosky because in the few weeks we have been there we have sold almost all of  our repurposed furniture. We are so busy that I haven't be find time to blog like I have wanted to. The end of this summer I also purchased a camera hoping to document more of our mnay finds but I haven't been very good at keeping up with that either. I seem to run out of hours every day. So I guess I just need to stay calm and carry on.

When up in Petoskey I also have the privilage of meeting Linda Longworth the owner of Lavender Hill Farms. The beautiful above picture is of the barn and lavender fields in mid summer. I had the privilage of creating a counter for her store out of old doors and pine flooring. We had an inspired conversation. One of the many perks of doing the business we do and meeting the many people we find on our journeys.

One of my most exciting find this past week was the acquisition of a number of large tin gothic arches that came off the steeple of a local church. I have always had a love of vintage architecural items. So I was very excited to find about eight of nine of these aches that vary in height. I am thinking about how to display and use these pieces.

In the mean time, tonight is friday date night with my wife. So we both get a break from our day and night work schedule. Tomorrow it is back to work. We just need to keep calm and carry on that is how we get it all done.

Being Published

I had had the good fortune to have had my homes published by Meredith Books which is Better Homes and Gardens in Des Moines, Iowa several times. Once the photos have been taken by them they own then, so the images could appear at any time in any of their publications. So imagine my delight a couple of weeks ago on a trip to Joann Fabrics I discovered this book with a photo from my previous home on the cover. In the industry getting the cover is "a good thing"! This book is BH&G 300 Cottage Style Decorating Ideas. Photos from what has affectionately been called "the pink house" ( because it was pink! ) appear as idea #19, 39 & 74. I love so many other ideas in this book. I feel like I am in good company.

This is another fascinating book that my "pink house" was in. There is a chapter in the book starting on page 48 titled "Cottage Style" that is about me with images of the interior of the house. This was so fun to do, the editor of the book, a field editor and 2 photographers spent 3 days with me, we started early on Sunday morning going to the Allegan Antiques Market together and then 2 days of shooting the photos in the house. There also are several random photos throughout the book of me shopping the market and of items that either they or I purchased that day. It was so fun and a little embarrassing having all these people (with cameras) following me around.

These 2 other BH&G books have images from a previous home. "The New Decorating Book" has a chapter starting on page 237 titled "House Tour House Dressing" that features the Interior Design of my own apartment again and the "Cottage Style" book features the breakfast room on page 196.

All of these books are full of all kinds of other great ideas for decorating using vintage, re-purposed items and antiques as well as new furnishings.

I am always on the look out for inspiration, maybe you are too.



Counting Down the Days Untill the Open House

Dan & I are counting down the days to the Open House event that we will be having here at the house. We are treating this like the most awesome "show" we will do all year! This is something that I have been doing for many years now in my Interior Design business. It is historically the weekend before Thanksgiving and always features hand made and vintage items. This year it will also include repurposed and up cycled items for holiday decorating and gifts.
So please plan to attend, we would love to see you.
Nov. 18, 19 & 20th 1:00- 8:00
Our new address is 45 College NE, Grand Rapids

13 days and counting! Can't wait to show you all of our creations and our new home!