KREATIV BLOGGER AWARD . . . MOI???

Okay, I love blogging . . . it's just the work it takes to do it that I hate.  

And now, thanks to my friends Amy & Kris of Today's Country Store in Sumner, Washington, I have the distinct honor of not only accepting their generous accolade, but also passing the KREATIVE BLOGGER award to seven other worthy blogs I enjoy!  

Thanks a lot Amy & Kris!!!! ;-)

Please be sure to check out Today's Country Store's (now more       Kreativ) blog!!!!

Here's the scoop for the seven heavenly blogs I pass the torch to . . .

The Rules:
1. List 7 things that you love.
2. Link to the person who has tagged you
3. Choose 7 more bloggers to give the Kreativ Blogger Award to.
4. Comment on those 7 blogs to let the recipients know you chose them.

7  THINGS I LOVE:

1.  Well, he's not a "thing" (other than my sweet-thing!), but JIM is the number one love in my life.  He has supported my efforts to remain in this tough, demanding, but beautiful business . . . despite the hardships it has placed on him.   This blog wouldn't even exist without his constant technical genius!!!  THANK YOU, JIM!!!!

2. My sister (and friend), Peggy  . . . my friends Corrine & Denne . . . my customers who have become my friends . . . my dealer friends who have become my friends . . . and all who put up with my crazy intensity!

3.  The flat-out beautiful simplicity of a well-made vintage or antique object.

4.  The flat-out beautiful elegance of an ornate, gorgeous, and frequently useless object. 

5.  The mixing of the flat-out beautifully simple with the flat-out beautifully ornate objects.     (Anyone who knows me...knows I'd "decorate" a garage sale!)

6.  Sinfully delicious, REAL chocolate (no Hershey for me, no siree!)--well, maybe it's really a   toss-up between chocolate and Pralines & Cream ice cream from Baskin Robbins . . . .

7.  Watching foreign and period movies (love-a-love-a those antiques in them thar movies!) 

DRUM ROLL, please . . . and the nominations for 7 Kreativ blogs are:

Amy's  Vintage Cottage--a "siamese twin blog" connected to Today's Country Store! (no, you don't have to do 7 more . . . just love your new blog and want you to get an award from me! 

Hummadeedledee (the incomparable Deb Kennedy)

Linda at Luluz

BarnHouse (Joe & Jermonne) . . . probably got this award 10 times!

French Pedestals & Dreams (ooh-la-la!)

Gatherings Home (a GREAT shop in Marysville, Washington!)

La Rustique Market

IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED . . .

. . . think outside the box!  

Have you ever had an item that just wouldn't sell?  Well, here is our boat anchor--quite literally, as these swim lockers (which I think are VERY cool) weigh a ton!

When I first found them, they wouldn't fit into our van and were too heavy for the top of the Jeep.  So, we purchased a trailer (which we needed anyway) to pick them up and haul them to an antique show.  

They did not sell.  

So . . . we took them to Conway Antiques where (guess what?) . . . they did not sell.

So . . . we put them on Craig's List and found a buyer!  Hooray . . . oops, buyer "disappeared." 

Now, it's getting serious--these heavy lockers need to be dealt with. They're taking up too much room in the trailer, and the thought of lifting them again is overwhelming!  Hmm . . . think outside of the box--TA DA!!  Of course . . . take off the doors!  Here is Daniel (my step-son) using power tools.

Turn convention on its side . . . voila, instant shelf unit!

So . . . I took the cool doors to an antique show, and guess what?

   

They didn't sell for $5.00 each.   

I couldn't believe it . . . garden art anyone?

So . . . thinking outside of the box, once again . . . BOXES!!!

We don't have the boxes completed yet, but here are the stages unfolding . . . from "boat anchor" swim lockers, to doors removal, to languishing doors, to "do you think we could turn these into boxes"?

Stay tuned for the final result!   NEVER GIVE UP!!!

Odd Couple . . . lessons in friendship

Skagit County Fairgrounds Antique, Craft & Flea Market

WOW . . . a good result for the flea market in Skagit County!!  

Despite reduced numbers of both vendors and customers, there was an optimistic flurry of activity on both Saturday and Sunday.

Headlines aside, people are still making careful purchases--so good for the economy in general and keeping our spirits up.

  

THANK YOU wonderful, treasured customers and friends!!! 

 

The stunningly beautiful,

sunny days were

 a welcome relief 

for us all :-)

The best part of the show was a great surprise:  JoDee and Kat of Duchess showed up unexpectedly from Vancouver, WA . . . HOORAY!!  They were in the building just across from me, providing ample opportunity for commiserating, laughing, & buying--whee! 

Now the REALLY FUN part for Ormolulu & friends--a night out at the Conway Pub after the show.  We had no idea there would be a band playing on a Sunday evening, but we were treated to the rock-a-billy tunes of Knut Bell & the Blue Collars.  After several cosmos, bloody marys, hamburgers, chicken, Cajun oysters, and fries . . . the physical pain of moveout was  history (if only for a few hours).  Ah, this is the stuff of life!!!!!!!!!!!!

(No, I didn't purposely cut my eyeball in  half for this photo-op . . . just a result of these lovely blog tools which we don't know how to fix!)

Entertained by the wonderful "Knut Bell and the Blue Collars".

Here's a sample of Knut from Oyster Run '05: