Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Blogging Break





On the road again with these cutie pies. Back soon with photos from New England!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Anthropologie - Feeding My Creative Spirit through Osmosis?


 These sweet creations are from Anthropologie in la Cantera, San Antonio, Texas. I visit them every chance I get! I wish I could afford them.




 I went crazy for this huge paper ostrich! My daughters and I love shopping at Anthropologie. Sometimes I have to ask them not to talk to me for a while so that I can just wander and look at all of the displays and digest it all.The creativity here truly does feed my soul. I love it. I am hoping I have absorbed some of it as I get ready to set up at the Comfort Antique Show this weekend.


 A closer view of another paper big bird - isn't she just wonderful!!


Comfort, Texas is a precious little town in the midst of the Texas hill country. It is about 20 minutes from Fredericksburg and about 40 minutes from San Antonio. I love setting up at this show for lots of reasons.  The show is an old fashioned antique show set up at the park in this quintessential small town. The local people support the show and promote shopping in their town as well as at the show. They prepare food and desserts to sell and usually provide lunch or dinner for all of the dealers setting up on Friday. This year we have all been invited to dinner in town at the after we finish set up.

Hope everyone who lives in the area will come buy the show this weekend. It is known for being a great country show full of true antiques -  early furniture, pottery, transferware, textiles, folk art......... the list goes on. Come see for yourself - you will be sure to have a great time and my even find a treasure to take home!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Falling Treasures

In her post a few days ago, Joni told about her new French clock that she found at the Marburger Farm antique show last week. She loved it and was so happy with the way it looked above the window in her gorgeous kitchen. Then, quite unexpectedly, only a little while after the picture was taken, the clock just fell - yes, fell.... and broke into a million pieces. She was crushed. She was certain she had hung it securely and still doesn't know why it fell from the wall.

Joni's story brought back a memory for me. It was a number of years ago when we lived in Dallas. I was so excited about my new antique English pine plate rack and could hardly wait to hang it in my dining room. I was a vintage Mexican pottery collecting fool and couldn't wait to have such a great display piece!


I had two young children and time to myself was rare. I remember hanging the shelf one night by myself before everyone was in bed. I used long, big nails and felt sure they were sufficient.I planned to get up early the next morning to have time alone to arrange my pottery.

I had some very special, very old plates and it had taken me quite some time to amass a collection to hang together. I just loved them. I felt the shelf was securely hung on the wall.

The next morning I crept down the stairs quietly so that no little people knew I was up. I climbed up on a ladder in my nightgown and quietly began to arrange dinner plates, salad plates, a few little odd pieces tucked in here and there ..... arranging and rearranging to get everything just right - so balanced and pretty.

Finally I was satisfied and went into the kitchen to refill my coffee cup. I sat down at the kitchen table to enjoy my last few minutes of alone time, and then I heard it. I heard a slow, sliding sort of sound. Not quite sure at first.........kind of like slow motion........and when I realized it was the plate rack sliding down the wall, it was too late. The slow slide evolved quickly to a huge crash and I was horrified! I found my precious pottery collection smashed to pieces on the dining room floor. Surprisingly a few pieces survived with just a few chips, but most were lost.

I have collected more pottery now and still love it. I mix old with new as you can see above. I will never forget that morning, though. In my determination to get that plate rack hung and filled, all in such delicious, but too hurried, excitement, I lost it all.

Big lesson learned, big. My plate rack is now hung with super duper nails and butterfly something or others.....oh, and I did learn a thing or two about patience!

Musings about Life and Coincidence

Earlier today I was catching up on my blog reading and was amused when I read Joni's latest post on her new collection of beautiful cream ware AND about the clock she bought at Marburger Farm last week for her kitchen.

Joni has exquisite taste. I love seeing what she does in her own home as well as in her client's houses. While I have a true appreciation for the style she loves, I have quite another style.

Mine is quirky, eclectic, folky, maybe even funky (okay, weird). I can't define my style other than it is colorful, casual, sometimes Southwestern, some Mexican and Italian, but not always...... more farmhouse than formal..........I love what I love and that is just me. We both love antiques and share a fanatical interest in design. As different as our personal styles are, we keep stumbling upon similarities between us.

In case you have not read before, I was once married to Ben's (aka Mr. Slipper Socks) brother. Had our timing been a little different, Joni and I would have been sisters in law. As it happened, we found each other through blogging!

The amusing thing about her post was that I had snapped a picture of her clock without realizing it when I took this photo. You see, I loved a lot of the things that dealer, Mary Jackson, from Colorado, had in her space at the antique show. She had a great variety of Southwestern items as well as a very nice collection of paintings and lamps, mirrors, silver trays, folk art pieces, and one particular fabulous old French clock.

I bought several items that just spoke to me from Mary. My choices are not the even close to being similar ! This old, hand carved from one piece of oak, Indian, is a great example of hand made folk art. He just needed to come back to the hill country with me! Do you think he is to redundant standing in front of the painting?

The other item is a very old iron planter with a water bird sitting on it's side. Perhaps a type of heron? Anyway, the planter is painted and resembles majolica in a way. Do not ask me why - I just love it! Sometimes I am attracted to things now that I know in years past, I would have thought were ugly as sin! This piece is one of those things. Like I said, I just love it!! Go figure.



Here she sits, posing on the hearth before taking her spot on the coffee table.......for the time being. You know how you have to move new things around to see where they fit best........and then of course, move them again when the spirit moves you!

Now she has a birds' nest in her planter to keep her warm. She is quite unique, isn't she?

Next I will tell another story on Joni that I could SOOO relate to. It involves the falling clock and some falling pottery (at my house!) - if you haven't done so, read her post about the falling clock here.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Me, MYSELF, and I



"If you like this painting and would like more information, please contact the artist or myself. "

What is WRONG with that sentence? If you do not know, read on.


I know I will really catch some you know what for this post. I have been called a grammar Nazi and I am proud of it! Not really (the proud part) - I certainly do not always get it right, but this is a misuse of the word "myself" that I hear more and more these days and I just have to say something!

I think most who read this will appreciate it as most bloggers aspire to be good writers and want to use correct grammar in their posts.

To confirm my stand , (and since I decided to get all prissy and smug here!) I referenced this website. Here is an excerpt regarding the word in question:


Hi, Grammar Girl. This is Chuck Tomasi, your interim Grammar Guy from ChuckChat.com, home of podcasts too numerous to mention. I hear and see examples of the misuse of the word myself all the time. For example, an e-mail went out from HR like this, “Please contact Squiggly, Aardvark, or myself with questions.” Could you please help listeners know when the word myself is appropriate and when to use a more appropriate word? Thanks!
Excellent, Chuck! Let's dissect what's wrong with that sentence: "Please contact Squiggly, Aardvark, or myself with questions." The simplest way to think of it is like this: How would you say the sentence without Squiggly and the aardvark? Then it usually becomes obvious! You would say, “Please contact me with questions,” not, “Please contact myself with questions.” So when you add in Squiggly and the aardvark, that doesn't change anything. It's still correct to say, “Please contact Squiggly, aardvark, or me with questions.”

Digging into the topic a little deeper, myself is what's called a reflexive pronoun. That can be hard to remember, but just think about looking into a mirror and seeing your reflection. You'd say, “I see myself in the mirror.” You see your reflection, and myself is a reflexive pronoun.

If you care, and if you have misused the word"myself", do not feel badly. I even heard our president misuse it..........on national television!!

So, that being said, "If you like this painting and would like more information, please contact the artist or ME".

Whew - I feel better already. Thank you.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Have a Heart - Posting in Pink


I am jumping on the bandwagon and posting in pink this month for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Sadly, I am sure there is not one among us who has not been directly affected by this disease or had a close friend or family member who has been. I have several friends who have battled breast cancer successfully and several who have died from it. It is indeed a life changer and a heart breaker.


Remember to get your mammogram and click here to support "the breast cancer site", which is a site set up to help women in need - low income, minority, inner city women whose awareness of breast cancer and opportunity for help is sometimes limited.

Check my post on Round Top, too, to see cute Janet Romine in her most appropriate pink dress sitting at her pink podium. Love it!!

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Round Top, Texas - Great People, Great Antiques

One of the best things about the antique business is the people! I love the community of folks who have a love of old things. Shortly after arrival at the Coles show on Monday,(one of the many shows opening in the last few weeks) I met the delightful Janet Romine. Learn more about her antique business, "Rubbish" here.

I like to study how other dealers set up their spaces at shows, always in hopes of improving mine when I set up the next time. Regardless of whether the merchandise is something I want to buy, the creativity and work that goes into a good set up is huge! I enjoy the visual education as much as I like the antiques.

Janet has a true talent and I found her space absolutely charming! Unfortunately, I was on sensory overload and a little frazzled from a short night of not much sleep. So, what typically happens with me is that I love the connection and the conversation, then I need to focus on really looking at the details, and then, with all good intentions, I plan to come back and visit some more and maybe spend a little cash with that great dealer.


Cute Janet in her pink Mexican dress, which we discovered we both still love after wearing them for many years!


However, at Round Top (meaning all the shows going on in the Round Top area) there is so, so much to see and sometimes I never make it back to that show. Add to that the hot Texas weather (I'm talkin' hot, sweaty, sticky, "suck the energy out of even hard core antiquers" weather) and often one has to just stop and take a break, even though there is always more to explore!

I had every intention of getting back over to see Janet, but will have to be satisfied for now with checking out her blog . Wow, is she talented!!




Love her knack for display. Notice the scalloped paper hanging along the tables over the black table skirts. Also, I LOVE the tags with random words on them all along the top border of the walls. Believe me, it is not easy to find ways to decorate those ugly pegboards we often have to contend with at antique shows.

Janet loves old flashcards and so do her customers. She has started another business in addition to her antique business and you can read about it here.

To be quite honest, I need to go to her website to understand ALL she does. My brain was fuzzy when we talked and she has such passion and excitement for what she does. I want some of that energy. I know I sound senile, but I really think it was the heat, sleep deprivation, and sensory overload!

Loved the monochromatic scheme of her booth, with just a touch of pink here and there. What a treat to stumble upon Janet and her delightful space. I look forward to following her!



Oh boy - here we go. Tuesday was the opening day of the Marburger Farm antique show. The Texas sign says it all - we do it big here in Texas!

This show has gotten huge and this is just a fraction of the anxious shoppers lined up for the opening at just one of the many tents and small buildings .


Every shop and every dealer must find their niche. Once upon a time, at the fall Fredericksburg antique show, I had the pleasure of spending the show set up right down the aisle from Linda of Willow Nest. It was Linda's first time here and she and her husband, Ludmil, had hopes of moving to our town and opening a shop. As time passed, they realized that this just wasn't quite the right place for them, and they felt a tug in their hearts for the town of Burton, Texas, just down the road from Round Top. They have since opened a fabulous shop in Burton and are quite happy where they have landed.




I was most delighted to see their incredible booth set up at Marburger Farm and had only a brief visit with Linda as they were very busy. I am so happy that they have indeed found their niche. I wish them all the best in their endeavors. I am constantly amazed at the number of creative people I have met in the antique business and they truly fall into this category!



Okay - enough talk on my part. Here are some more of the wonderful booths set up at the Marburger show. I tried to choose a variety to share so that you can see, there is truly something for everyone here!


Loved this booth - a blend of rustic and French and Mexican.................



More beautiful old leather bound books than you could ever need..................


This blue painted demilune table with the gilt fragments just took my breath away!


Gorgeous French furniture and pottery.............

Cutting edge industrial pieces and very handsome lighting..............

I am not inclined to buy circus pieces, but this booth really did have all the old things you remember about the circus or going to the state fair - so full of charm.

One of my favorite dealers, Mary Jackson, from Colorado, had a wonderful assortment of art and accessories.Click photo for details.


More funky and fun, mixed with elegance and whimsy...........

Aren't these urns gorgeous?


I loved the simplicity of this red metal chair next to the glass float and the water bird...........

Love the old barber pole and the Indian rug - again, something for everyone!
Same booth - transferware, tramp art, fine art...............does it get any better?

Oh wait - it does! These large zinc wall pieces were absolutely stunning.


I loved these books covered in old French manuscripts - absolutely charming.

It just goes on and on, and this is just a smidge of all that I saw.................



an amazing faux bois bird house - how cool is that?

I adore these Spanish or Mexican chairs, but the price was waaaay out of my league!


This amazing piece of folk art is the best from Brad and Sundie Rupert, artists extraordinaire from Iowa. LOVE their work!!

Simple, but something about this horse head mounted above the old gate just made me smile.

Walking out of the show, hot and tired and needing to get home........... I stumble upon these French doors - Aahh!! my heart skips a beat......measure, get a price, drool over the detail - the faded green paint, the scalloped trim, the old iron, the detailed inset paneling........ wish, wish, wish I had an immediate need for them ..........begin to talk to myself... "have some discipline, Ann , come on, walk away........walk away. Good bye gorgeous, green painted doors. May we meet again someday".

P.S. For more on this great show, visit Cote de Texas, Velvet and Linen, Beadboard Upcountry, and The Bunny Bungalow

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