A Little Helper vs. A Big Helper

This little helper just sits and listens to me--he never talks back. Sometimes I like that! You might see him at shows sitting in a miniature cast iron bathtub holding my business cards. Here, in this picture he is sitting on a stack of holiday dishtowel sets. He's keeping the stack from falling over. I haven't named him yet--I picked him up in Iowa earlier this spring--I think from Barb Conner's booth at the Cedar Rapids Show.
The helper in the picture below is in a league all of his own. He helps me with everything. And yes, he does talk back to me! I hope he knows how much I appreciate him.

It's hard to find good help isn't it??!!!

Until next time,

Pam

SUMMER TIME BLUES!!!

Well, we finally starting making some of the changes at the shop. I have wanted to setup this great iron and brass bed full of blue accessories. It is right in the front of the shop. Looks totally different and I love it.

Big utility baskets instead of pillows, and a big chenille bedspread with peacocks on it.

The small chest in the corner is perfect size, very early piece. It's getting alot of attention!

I picked up these checkered dishes last year and thought they needed to be in the "Summertime Blue" display. Even the flatware is blue checked gingham looking!

We had this piece sandblasted and painted white. The seat was gone so it has been replaced too.

This small love seat has a real Hollywood look toit! Curvy and unique.

The size of this Bakers Cabinet is much smaller than normal. Lots of storage in this piece.

The toys on this display piece get lost in the background. This is not even a start of the toys that I will be bringing in. I think the 2 booth spaces behind it will have to be for toys. I have enough to fill it up and will be great for the holidays.

This is a shot down one side of the shop. Gary worked really hard to get the walls all repainted. Now we have the other side to do. It is much brighter now.

If you haven't been in lately, you'll be pleasantly surprised. Lots of changes, dealers moving around, expanding and add lots of great merchandise.

We are leaving for Iowa for a couple of days. Can't wait to see Sharon and hopefully meet her daughter. Have a big candle and soap order to pickup! Why have it shipped when it gives us a reason to go to Iowa! I hear Sisters Garden calling my name now! I don't remember the last time we went on a road trip without a big Enterprise rental truck full for a show. This is just a couple days of R & R.

Until next time,

Pam

Waist Deep in Toys!

I'm trying to inventory as fast as I can! So many awesome toys and children's items from the collection we just purchased. I have a grand idea for display at the shop and can't wait to share it! It's going to take some time, but the wait will be worth it! Keep checking.!!!!

Lots of work to do! Inventory is not a fun job! After that tedious task, then the fun begins. Until next time,
Pam

Toy--Toys--Toys--A Huge Collection

Well, this is a sampling of the toy collection we picked up today. What a day, if there are 100 toys....there are 1,000. It will take a bit of time to inventory it all. What a treasure! Shelf after shelf after shelf.

Of course nothing goes smooth for me. We were across the river about 30 minutes from home, got loaded up, and my car wouldn't start. I mean it was dead. No notice. Just dead. So.....we had to have it towed home. Just what I didn't want to spend money on. But no choice. Luckily, Gary was there in his truck so at least I had a ride. I don't know if you have ever seen an SUV being loaded up to towing. I have a Yukon XL and it was full. Normally 4 wheel drives have to be put on a flat bed and it is turned half way up to load. I could see all of this stuff going everywhere. That is about the only lucky thing for me, this ride of mine could handle normal towing, so the stuff was safe. We thought we would have to unload it so we could leave the car over the long weekend. As luck would have it, it was just the battery. Deader that a doornail. We had tried to jump it and it didn't work so we thought it might be the starter or something. All is well now, and all of this stuff is now in my living room. I truly do think I live in a warehouse! What a day. But it ended up being a good day!

Until next time,

Pam

Lots of Changes at the Shop

This is the entry way at the shop. We have alot of upcoming changes--dealers moving around to bigger spaces, a couple moving out, some moving in---and lots of new merchandise coming! I walked--or I should say--hobbled around the shop and snapped some pictures. I'll be posting more pictures later after the changes. Kind of exciting.!!

I think I'm going to keep this hardware piece for my bedroom.

Heads up!

Any glassware you would want!

Vintage clothing.

This dealer specializes in vintage clothing.

The shop is quite big--over 5,000 square feet, and we have something for everyone. I will be busy making room for a huge collection of antique toys--an entire collection of things you won't believe. Keep watching and I'll show the progress. The shop will look different after I'm done! I think the saying "Change is good" might apply here!

Until next time,

Pam

Finally, I'm Back Among the Living!

While out of commission, I finally got busy with jewelry. My knees are so bad, Gary left town without me. Two shows, gone a week and a half. This is the first time in my life I ever had that much "ME" time, and I was miserable. Couldn't do anything because of my knees. He had "ok" shows, but had a great time. I stayed home like a hermit. But finally, I think I'm getting better. I have been wanting to restring beads and convert vintage clip on earrings for a long time, so finally I did it. The pictures below are just some of the samplings. We sell alot of costume jewelry at the shop. All of these are vintage, not the new beads. Alot of glass beads.

I call the earrings "tidbits" because they are made from tidbits of old jewelry. They look prettier in person, but just wanted you to know that I am alive!

Take care, and don't take your "knees" for granted. When they don't work, nothing does.

until next time,

Pam

Hot Fun in the Summer Time

Well, summer is officially here---the pools are open, it's hot, steamy and stormy. School is out--let the fun begin.Can you imagine the fun of wearing one of these hot, itchy, wool swimsuits? And remember the locker at the swimming pool.
Why was it so cool to have the big metal safety pin with your basket number on it--pinned to your swim suit? And you were really cool--at least at the Roxana Park Swimming Pool if you had a season pass--and it was sewn to your suit. All you had to do when you walked up to the admission booth, was say--SEASON. It was one of those tough TOMBOY things I think. Swim all day, go home, fix supper, help mom with whatever, and go back. As long as we were home by the time the porchlight was on. We lived across the field from the pool, so we could watch for the light. What a simpler time that was. Then go home, go to bed, and do it all over again. Got a tan like a brown butter bean. Aaaahhh, summer vacation. For a moment, I was right back there! Good times.
Until next time,
Pam