Barn Sale Continues

Did you enjoy the cheesy pumpkin soup and the champagne? Let's continue shopping the barn sale. Stay with me to the end because there's something really beautiful I'd like you to see.

Are you still hungry? Probably not. Let's think about buying a bag of these macarons to eat on the car ride home. I'll have to admit I lead a sheltered life. I've never had a macaron. Have you?



There's also big carrot cake cupcakes packaged beautifully in a presentation box. One woman was buying a cupcake to take to a friend. Lucky friend.

Do you think I should get a pair of toe shoes to display in my sewing room?



This brought back memories.



I've spent hundreds of hours staring at a clock just like this, waiting for 5 o'clock.

Jen remains calm amidst all the hustle and bustle.



Notice her cowboy boots. There are lots of cowboy boots at this sale, paired with all type of fashion.

Anne Marie fashioned a display fireplace from an old cabinet.



Milk glass and Haeger pottery fill a cupboard.



Here's a small covered cake stand.



You can put one together for yourself. Pick up a cheese dome at a resale shop and make a small cake stand from a candlestick and a plate. Here's how:

MAKE YOUR OWN CAKE STANDS

This is a nice display of garden related stuff.



I could use one of those magnifying glasses. How about you?



There's a paper wreath hanging at the entrance to the sale. It's created from the pages of an old book.



I'm drawn to this large paper garland.



Here's Anne Marie and her friends standing in front of the corn crib.



She made the little plaid jacket to go with her red gown.

Thanks for coming along with me to the barn sale. It's much more fun shopping with friends. Mark your calendars because the next event is scheduled for May 20 and 21, 2011. There's a small hotel about 25 minutes away. I told you it's rural!



I promised you something beautiful. Here it is.



Twilight on the farm. I'll talk more about this tomorrow at our Monday Morning Staff Meeting. See you there!

Once Cherished ..... Cherished Again

Everything is nine miles from here. That's my mantra, "I live nine miles from everything." We like it that way, but I do try to save up my errands and choose a day of the week to run them all. There are two choices if food shopping is on the list, the Italian market is 9 miles to the north and the generic big box store is 9 miles to the south. The post office is south, so if mail is included in the agenda, that dictates my route.

No matter which route I choose, there's something interesting that I can include in my day. To the south, there's an antique store, a darling old house to the brim with treasures. To the north, there's a fabulous Goodwill store standing in the middle of lots and lots of McMansions.....translation: really quality stuff.

This trip involved the post office so I head south. I hit the grocery store for a few items, then I mail off an apron and handbag and then turn left and pull into the parking lot of the antique store.

Antiques stores in the midwest have a charm all their own. There's lots of everyday household goods because this area has always been about homes and farms. The ladies who own Amazing Grace have created three floors of nooks and crannies where you could easily fill an afternoon. The items were once cherished, and will be cherished again.

Unfortunately, it was bitterly cold and I didn't dare attempt to cross the frozen highway to capture of photo of the lovely old home, perhaps in the spring I'll do that. The interior is delightful with pocket doors and sturdy woodwork. This is a small alcove in a dormer on the second floor. If this was my home I would tuck a daybed under those unusual windows.



Old cupboards are filled to the brim with lovely old dinnerware and I found
Raggedy Andy hiding in a closet.



If you look around closely, you can find almost anything. Here's a pair of wooden shoes, tucked inside a wooden box in the basement.



One of my favorites - beautiful things for a dressing table. Yesterday we visited my boudoir, but I'm saving the dressing table for another day.



I seriously think I need to go back for that mirrored tray.

This store has lots of vintage linens,



and aprons!



Some things bring back good memories. My mother had a set like this, but all the words (flour, sugar, coffee) were in German.



Here's another alcove filled with vintage baby items. So sweet.



When I go back for the mirrored tray I'm probably going to take this home also.



English ironstone, it's a good thing!

These ladies do a superb job of display. As a shopper I always want to see things arranged as they would be used in the home. Here's a fabulous setting featuring Kings Crown glassware. My grandmother had a set that she used with her Pink Willow dinnerware. Oh, the memories!



The iconic symbol of the American midwest would have to be the Hoosier cupboard.



I've always wanted one, especially with the flour bin and sifter on the left hand side.

Thanks so much for going along on this peek at wonderful antique store. Perhaps one of the items has brought back a good memory for you. I hope so.

Very soon that mirrored tray and ironstone platter will be cherished again.

Don't forget - we're traveling tomorrow. It's the Way Back Machine!

Big thrift

We've returned from our adventure to the commercial restaurant supply house (used equipment).

Do you have a vintage kitchen? You'd LOVE this range. It's just inside the front door. Isn't it a beauty?



We found a new keg cooler/tapper. It's new or almost new.



We also found some nice back bar coolers with glass doors.



This was a cool one that had glass doors on both sides so you could see right through it. We're trying to figure out how we could fit this into the design of the bar.



Thanks for going along with us today. Now we're going to do some measuring.

I'm open for all suggestions on the decor/theme of this bar. Although our house is decorated traditionally, the basement seems to be developing a more contemporary feel. Kind of metro-modern. I was thinking some graphic artwork. Perhaps jazz or blues musicians? The bar and bar top will be solid wood and the floors will be a porcelain tile that looks like a greyish tumbled marble.

Tomorrow? Nests!!.