More bones...

How do you build a booth...well, you take 3 blonds, two screw guns and a heap of wood...and this is what you get...VOILA...a gazebo...Piper, Lorie and myself crawled around on the floor, up and down ladders wrapping poor man's linen(burlap) 'round the beams, pushing this cute lil' structure to fruition...Friend's Candle Shed!

Today Piper is working away in the shop producing candles for her new location. We thought the 'GREEN' theme would be perfect for her space, since her candles are soy from farmers in the USA and her candle tins are made of recycled metal, all made in the USA by a family in New Jersey for over 100 years.

I don't know about you guys, but I feel change in the economy, us Americans don't stand around long and let 'em beat us down...we get up, dust ourselves off and head out for a little retail therapy!!!

Lorie and I have been amazed at the interest in the new location. People are emailing from all over the area, many drive by, stretching necks to see what's going on inside their mini-mall that's been vacant for quite some time...dealers are scrambling to get a space, two more yesterday, word is traveling fast!

So call us up if you want to be a part of the new look in antique malls, or as we like to call it...SHOPS IN A SHOP...as everyone will be hanging their own shingle, advertising their own shops...dealer helping dealer...
Call-563-285-JUNK

Check out WHITE...

Dem bones...

Well, we got the bones built for 'Sweet Repose'...looking like the Beverly Hillbillies, my truck was piled sky high with wonderful old doors and screen doors to serve as walls for the soap garden of Sweet Repose. It will be filled to the brim with fragrant soaps and stuff, 'Kelly Aarons Mosaics' will also be inside the garden of Sweet Repose...and if I ever get the time, 'The Wild Thing' necklaces will grace these walls too.

Today, Piper and I will construct the walls of Friend's Candle Shed, a little sub-station of wonderful soy candles. Piper decided to join the inmates and bring her candles to Scott County...though, keeping with her new green theme, the candles will all be in recycled tins...all made in the USA...how cool is that...no China labels on these tins!!!

But you can still get all of her candles at the Muscatine shop too. Check out the White blog for more shots...

Winter blossom...

a lone prairie primrose
nestles
deep under winter's warm night cap
like a downy white comforter
he invites you to sleep
sleep
sleep
for when you awaken
a spring full of jewels
will welcome you hither
as garlands of sweet things
will flourish your hemline
and the sun will pull magic
from an Earthly black top hat
VOILA...
it is springtime
again
at the Pink Chateau!


OK, it's only 6 inches, but it's still a beautiful pain in the arse...right!
But yesterday something happened while I was chasing the snow shovel around my driveway...
a neighbor out on his snow tractor drove in and offered to help.
WOW...
That never happens...
He introduces himself, he's lived there as long as I've been at the Chateau and we've never met, however, when the shop was in the house, his wife was here often.
But,
it was the comment he made as he drove out of sight...
(I know, a little cheesy)
Merry Christmas!!!

Now that one little gesture made my year...there is still hope left for humanity
at least that's what I want to believe...


THANKS DENNY!!!

Shadow Shot Sunday...I Wish...

I wish the sun was shining in my part of the world...
I miss you so...
but to see your shining face in pictures past
will bring a smile at last...


OMG...I'm sitting at the PC thinking of what the day will bring, cause it's snowing and we're wondering if we should open the shop...then it dawned on me...IT'S SSS...OMG...I haven't posted a picture, let alone my words of wisdom...ha...soooo, simple and sweet today, since I haven't a clue what day it is...

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas...and I promise I'll do better next week...that is if the sun ever comes out again...such is winter in the Nor'lunds...

So please check out Hey, Harriet for all of the friends gathered for our weekly shadow games...

HO...HO...HO...

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all my bloggy friends...
Me and Scratchy wish you all the magic and harmony in this holiday of
Peace on Earth and good will toward men...

I'm over it...

I know we have a long way till springtime, the warm glow of winter wraps around our souls like butter on warm biscuits...tempting us to enjoy, cause it's a comfort zone, remember, cuddle up with a good book and lots of hot chocolate...

Amber glow through ice frosted windows, warns us to stay inside...it's winter you know and Jack Frost will be nibb'ling at your nose...

...and a season full of colds and ill health threaten those who dare to trek into the wilds(Walmart)...

...but I have a dream...

...crisp white sheets flutter in warm breezes 'round old porch posts...

...and moss forms on humid garden sculptures...

...it creeps ever so near...

I just can't get into this holiday mode...it's so much work and stress as a retailer, as shelves begin to look really picked over...you're out of holiday fragrances and don't want to order more, 'cause you know what's just around the corner...and let's face it...we all want to say it...the 'S' word...

SPRING!!!

The joy of all retailers...time to switch gears...YAYYYY!!!

Beauty is in the eye...

Yayyyyy...winter is finally here...now we count down the days till spring...though up here in the Nor'lunds, winter usually starts the 1st of November, with snow and ice and unbelievable cold
YUCK!!!

However...Lorie had a surprise for me when I walked into the Asylum...eeeeeeeeeeeeeee...
well, you know my passion for old lampshades, this one is a doozie!
Someday I will replace the fabric and repair the beading, but for now it stays as is...I'll just get more light out of it...right...

Our good dealer friends Mark and Liz brought it into their booth the other day and Lorie snagged it for me...did I say eeeeeeeeeeeeee...

Thanks M&L...you guys are da bomb!!!

Shadow Shot Sunday...Moon Shadow...

I give my light to the world,
I'm the man in the moon
and you are the dreamer...
you reach for the sky
yet walk the lonely path.
I'm not so far away
just o'er your brow
whisper me a prayer
oh lonely man,
I'm here in the miracle
of a summer's morn
and the wave
of the stormy seas.
I watch souls sing praise
down the paths
of their faith
longing to be more
and to live in the grace...
I am the God and
you are the God,
we are the sons
of peace
and the daughters
of love
and we live
in the shadow
of the man in the moon
and the miracle of a new born day
and of Peace on Earth
and of harmony
and of good will toward man...
all 'neath the face
and the smile
of the man in the moon.


s.wilson


Shadow Shooters are here again, as we celebrate Christmas time all over the world and we all pray for Peace on Earth...Merry Christmas brothers and sisters!!!

We've come a long way...baby...

Makes ya just want to eat that extra piece of pumpkin pie, right...

...and of course, this is why they invented the fainting couch...

...boy am I glad we burned our bras...I remember the girdle days all too well...and yes...we've come a long way...

More cool stuff at the Asylum...

I've had so many people say to me that they are just not in the mood for Christmas this year...have we settled into Winter, have our economy woes crushed our spirits or are we just rethinking our new game plan for the coming year...who knows...all I know is the day after Christmas, is a countdown to Spring, that's what I live for and I think this coming year is gonna be a doozy...so hang on to your bloomers...Spring and a new life is on it's way!!!

Let's see some strange...

When this dealer was dragging this in, I glanced and wondered what the heck it was, then when I got a closer look, it's a silk tie chair...how clever...and so off the wall...LOL...

...then another dealer brought in these 'NUDIE' party hats...how fun are they...

...great guy stuff...

...get a close-up of the bird cage...old and very cool...and the bed is just to die for...!!!

Wonderful old kitchen cupboard...oh the drudgery that went on on this grand piece...

...and funky retro table...the stuff just keeps comin' in...as the drama mounts...

More goodies on the 'WHITE' blog...

I heart black...

A new painted piece for Sisters'...an auction piece, not very pretty, but well worthy of the new vision a coat of paint will do...

These marginal pieces from the 30's and 40's, were cheap, affordable pieces that were sold out of catalogs and furniture stores thoughout the depression era...they were popular for the middle class people and I don't know about you, but our family always had second hand 'waterfall' furniture.

Beautiful wood veneers graced many of the more expensive pieces, bedroom sets, dining room sets, all from a modern era that replaced high Victorian styles...now you were hip!

However, today the pieces are shunned, unless all decked out in a new coat of paint and black was the perfect choice for this china cabinet and aren't we glad that imperfections make a piece, as we Americans tighten our belts and reuse and repurpose...ahhh, the life of a junk dealer...paradise!

New goins' on at the White blog...

The lil' White girls are surveying they're new digs...ahhhh...space, the final frontier...

...this space is GINORMOUS, but this is what you need to house the many dealers in a mall type setting, where we can play and shop all in the same space...lovin' it!

One of our new dealers is starting to unload, so it's finally falling into place...whew!!! As we begin the new journey into the wonderful world of trash pickin' and the wonderful dealers you meet on that path...check out the 'White' blog for more pics...

Shadow Shot Sunday...My Sister's Garden...

I went to my sister's garden
drifts
like frosting on cupcakes
brought back those times
as a child
I would've plunged
deep into the memories
of the heart

playing


at picnics and parties and
days of unending fun in the sun
it lies in wait
'neath sheets of white cotton bunting
again
my thoughts move to summer's breath
clothes on the line

working


while gulls hover
o'er seas of crystal mists
just wait
this is beauty all around
seasons of snows
and crisp brilliant air
breathing new life
again
it always does

waiting

and again summer's warm breath
will part the seas
of winter
as it always does
and I'll be playing
and working
and waiting and

dreaming


s.wilson


Yes, playing with the toys of summer, seems so far away though, however the days move so much quicker after the age of 60...don't they...yet you can slow them you know...just sit on a swing on your porch and remember the summers past...it slows time, really...but don't forget your woolies...right now you'll need'um...brrrr....

So, maybe if we're lucky, our Aussie friends will show us some shadows in the sunshine and blossoms of summertime down under...PLEASE!!!...Hey Harriet!!!

While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads...

...us crazy antique dealers are dreaming of white chips of paint and rusty bits of metals...

...door knobs and...

...lawn chairs...

and old drawers...

...these are a few of my favorite things...

...well, you know how the tune goes...

There are so many textures to this wonderful world and being able to sell them to you is a wonderful thing and a gift that we try to give every day...
...so check us all out, there's a bunch of us...
Sweet Repose- Sister's Garden and Bloom-Friend's Candle Shed-White-The Junk Asylum-Cross Creek-The Noe Haus-PollyAnnes-Fern Hill-Gatherings-The Nest-Manley's Antiques-Past Times...
Sounds like a day trip to me...

Respect the wild things...

A young gal came into the shop the other day with the coolest window, she wanted a hunting scene for her husband for Christmas...can you pull this off???

Well, as you can see, the window has six panes...hmmmm...how am I gonna pull this one off for just $45.00...then I got to thinking, why not do a view from the window...like the young man is looking out his window and sees a day of tramping in the cornfields...whatta ya think...

...as one of my cement waterfowl lies buried and frozen into place by winter's fury...supposed to be 40 degrees by Sunday, maybe this lil' pelican will see the light of day and Lorie and I can finish our move in the Amanas...hope so!

I'll Miss You My Bonnie Bud

a winter's crown
settles on your scarlet bonnet
you've turned
your back on summer
oh, how I wish
I loved you
in the winter...

the evening breath
is long and cold
and loneliness settles in
and my green fields
are long gone away
oh, send me songs of springtime
and I shall love you
in the winter...

I know I'm a dreamer
my bonnie bud
ne'er turn your
back on me again
your mem'ry fixed
you are mine forever
while I silently drift
and winter draws e'er nearer

I'm not a poet
I'm a dreamer
I'm a lover
of your rolling plains
and of flakes of snow adrift
and of golden pollen
settling on the ruby bud
of a thought
and a whim
of the winds...


s.wilson

Well...this is what happens when it snows and there's a silence all around...the highways are closed to traffic as winter boils all around me...yet soft music, hot tea and memories of summer drift ever so sweetly in my mind's eye...and tell me again why I moved back to Iowa from Florida...