The Cold Weather Glass Blues...

So you're feeling pretty proud of yourself...you finally found a blue Blenko water jug to replace the one you broke last month and you know your wife is going to LOVE this Christmas present best of all! Even better, when you pull into the garage, her car is not there so you have time to get it out of the trunk and wrap it up! My best advice at this point is...DON'T!

Vintage glass does not react well to sudden temperature changes and the warmth of your hands on a cold piece of Blenko may actually cause it to crack. It is always best to take your cold glass inside and allow it to warm up to room temperature slowly with as little handling as possible. Proper handling of old glass can help it stay beautiful and intact for many years to come!

Vintage For The Holidays...

Looking for something different for Christmas?
Try shopping at your local antique shop for unique one of kind gifts that have timeless beauty and hold their value as well. What, your friend doesn't collect anything?? You can help them out with that by starting a collection for them with items that you think blend well with their decor or personality.

Do they like to entertain? Try a beautiful Early American Pattern Glass cake plate or pink depression glass relish tray. Are they more traditional? Then a traditional Fenton vase or old fashioned hanky might be just the right fit. Do they love to primp? Then this lovely girly-girl porcelain brush holder should be a welcome addition to their vanity.

The possibilities are endless...still not sure? Check to see if your local shop sells gift certificates! But most of all, have fun browsing for just the right gift for that special person on your list!

All That Glitters...

Love big, chunky jewelry that makes a statement? Then look no further than your local vintage shop around the corner...
Most of the fun, funky jewelry that you purchase in a mall retail shop can be substituted with a vintage piece that will most likely retain and grow in value over time. Pictured above from left to right, a blue stone brooch by Regency (circa 1940s) from my personal collection with a value of $59, an unmarked fall color stone brooch (circa 1940s) with a value of $35 and an Eisenburg Ice brooch (circa 1970s) with a value of $59 - the latter two are located in The Old Timey Shop in Milton, WV. Sooo, next time you are looking for a way to spice up an outfit - choose vintage for that 'one of a kind' look!

Open House at The Old Timey Shop

Our annual Holiday Open House is scheduled for November 26 - 28th, 10:00 - 5:00 on Friday & Saturday, 12:00 - 5:00 on Sunday. The Old Timey Shop is located on Main Street in Milton, WV. With well over 35 booths, we have a wide variety of antiques, primitives, cottage, vintage, glassware, etc...
Like this sweet rocking horse...

a delightful dressing table...

...a charming oak highboy...and my favorite, LOTS of lovely vintage Blenko glass! Come and join us for some vintage therapy and some GREAT sales - that 'perfect gift' is waiting here for you...

Halloween...

Vintage Card @ Cardcow.com

Happy Halloween From Muddy Creek Antiques!!

The Vintage Mother-In-Law...

Sunday is Mother-In-Law day, thus this vintage postcard to
celebrate our beloved MILs.

This cute postcard is available at the following Card Cow's link:

http://www.cardcow.com/181171/mother-law-but-very-nice-one-romance-love-marriage-wedding/

The Card Cow has a plethora of great vintage cards!!

Happy Mother-In-Law Day Mom!!

Fall Time Festivities

Hello Fall, I've missed you! Cooler days, crunching leaves and time to pull out that favorite pair of faded blue jeans. Best of all, its time for festivals and fairs - pumpkins, corn, apples, walnuts...Mother Earth celebrated as she prepares to sleep for the winter.

During these wonderful fall weekends, be sure to take time for some scenic drives. Check out www.midlandtrail.com for some awesome WV scenery and click on www.escapetowv.com for tips about side trips and local festivals.

Flintstones, Meet The Flintstones...

Happy Anniversary to Fred and Wilma Flintstone - their animated life together in Bedrock began its run on television 50 years ago on September 30, 1960. I loved growing up with Fred and have fond memories of the show's quirky characters - one of my favorites was The Great Gazoo. Yaba Daba Doo, Fred!

A Cabinet Reclaimed

My obsession with radio cabinets aside, they really can be reclaimed as unique pieces of furniture when revitalized. They are relatively small and fit into those hard to decorate places such as bathrooms and hallways while adding storage space and a touch of flair. By using your imagination, you can change the look of a cabinet to complement your decor.

The key is to look for a cabinet with good structure and pleasing lines - then consider the possibilities. This cabinet caught my eye because it is horizontal in shape rather than the vertical radio cabinets that I typically find. That detail in itself held potential and promise - add in those wonderfully curved legs and it had me at hello.

Note this cabinet has a top that lifts open on hinges and a front door that tilts down - typical for this style of cabinet, however, problematic for practical use. The first act of business was to secure the front door and make it stationary - I did that by securing both ends with nails that will be covered by the finish coat of paint. By securing the front and taking out the tilting hardware from the interior, I have now created a blanket chest of sorts.

I then filled in the hole in the front where the handle used to be with paintable wood putty - there is no need for a handle that has no purpose. Next, I added a piece of trim to the bottom of the front board to hide where the hinges used to be (this was a piece of trim saved from a previous project so be sure to save odds and ends that might come in handy later) which added a nice detail of interest.

Next the interior was painted a satin black and the exterior a yummy milk chocolate brown. I chose to leave the original crackle finish intact that had been applied by the previous owner to give the final look a vintage texture.

The finished product can now be used as a blanket chest with shelf in a guest room, a storage trunk and shelf in a home office, or baby's room or towel storage in a bathroom - such possibilities!

Main Street, U.S.A.

I love this time of year - the cooler days bring thoughts of crunchy walks along leaf covered trails and long drives on mountain highways hugged by the brilliant color of fall. I love stopping in quaint small towns with their welcoming hospitality, local diners and best of all...antique shops!

Before I go, I check online to map out the trip to make the most of my day. I've found that most antique mall search engine websites are not comprehensive so checking multiple sites is important - such as www.antiquetrip.com and www.antiqueshoppesusa.com. I like both of these sites because they list shops in alphabetical order by the name of the town - this helps save time so you don't have to sift through lists of shops that are nowhere near your destination. You should also call the shop to make sure it is still in the location listed on the site - these lists are not always up to date and unfortunately slow economic times have taken its toll on our local small business folks. The best way to keep Main Street, U.S.A. alive and well, and enrich your own life at the same time, is to spend some quality time with the locals...

A Little Blenko Sunshine

Vase #607 in Jonquil, Vase #595 in Jonquil and Vase #64D in Lemon

With the end of summer only weeks away, keep some of that sunshine in your home by grouping some colorful Blenko glass! Pictured above are some nice vintage 1950's-60's vases designed by Wayne Husted and Joel Myers - both important designers in Blenko's history.

Not familiar with Blenko Glass? A great starting point is The Blenko Project at http://www.blenkoproject.org/ where you will also find the Heart of Glass blog by Hillary Homberg. You can connect with other glass collectors, view some fab pictures of vintage and new Blenko and learn about upcoming events at the factory. Blenko is located in Milton, WV and is one of the few remaining hand-blown glass factories left in the U.S. - they attract thousands of visitors each year to view skilled craftsmen on the observation deck.

Riding Off Into the Sunset...

This adorable little guy was made by A. H. Heisey & Co. sometime between 1941 and 1952 - near the end of Heisey's 62 year reign as a major producer of high quality tableware in the United States. While Heisey glass is not always marked, if present, the mark is easily distinguishable as a simple capital H inside a diamond - as seen in the figurine pictured above. Heisey & Co. was purchased by Imperial Glass Corp. in 1957.

This figurine is the Standing Pony #1522, or Standing Colt, and is one of several pony figurines. To learn more about Heisey glass, I recommend reading "Heisey Glass 1896 - 1957" by Bredehoft.

Lazy Days

What is it about this time of year that calls my name? Is it because the summer holiday has been impressed into my earliest memories - an embodiment of the lazy days of childhood? The lengthening days seem filled with the promise of laughter, sun-browned faces and whispers of summer love.

Memorial Day...

We cherish too, the Poppy red

That grows on fields where valor led,

It seems to signal to the skies

That blood of heroes never dies.

~Moina Michael, 1915

Enacted to honor those who have fallen while in military service, Memorial Day is set aside to remember and reflect on those who gave their all for our country.

In 2000, Congress established the National Moment of Remembrance asking Americans to pause at 3:00 each Memorial Day for a moment of reflection and national unity. Demonstating our gratitude and respect as one united nation at this moment in time models our appreciation and deep regard for the sacrifices that were made to preserve our liberties.



Join in with the Moment of Remembrance this Memorial Day and unite as one voice in memory of these noble men and women who died to protect our freedoms and the security of our homeland. Be thankful for their great sacrifice that allows me to write this blog...and for you to read it freely.

Collecting Vintage...What's In Your Cupboard?

I have yet to find anything that I do not like about collecting and selling antiques, but some of my favorite days are spent working in The Shop. Yes, I'm surrounded by delightful things - each with its own special history - but best of all, I get to talk with the interesting people that collect and value their treasures as I do. Most of the folks I meet collect items for a specific reason - items that remind them of their childhood, parents, grandparents; items that are native to their home place; items that relate to their line of work - the list goes on and on, including the occasional collection of oddities - like old neti pots.

If you are thinking about starting a collection you might want to start with something easy to find such as vintage postcards from your favorite vacation spot or old hats you can wear to express your own sense of style. These collections will make great conversation starters and even give you opportunities to forge new friendships with fellow collectors!

Expect your collections to change throughout the years as your personal taste and life experiences evolve. My current collections lean toward vintage glass made by any WV glassmaker as well as a deep attraction to the Ohio art potteries. The pictured shelf above contains my childhood collections of my old Busy Boy clock, my Kanawha Glass mouse and Blenko owl, picture of Dad, doll made by Mom, Grandma's brooch, the handtooled leather belt of my bell-bottomed teen years, and most dear to my heart - Dad's diary - an obvious family theme that is steeped with my WV roots.

Russel Wright - Modernism In Dinnerware

American Modern Water Pitchers

The 'Martha Stewart' of his time, Russel Wright believed that art should be part of the everyday life of Americans - he is quoted as saying, " I believe with religious intensity that good design is for everyone" - and by believing in this creed, he gave us American Modern.

American Modern dinnerware was designed in the late 1930's with innovative shapes and most importantly, it was affordable to everyday folks. It brought beautiful form, function and new colors to the tables of Americans across the country from 1939 - 1959 as one of the largest selling dinnerware lines ever produced. The water pitcher, pictured above, is one of my favorite shapes.

For more information, check out Ann Kerr's book, "Collector's Encyclopedia of Russel Wright" - Kerr covers the American Modern line as well as many other creative Wright designs including glassware, pewter, furniture, pottery and aluminum.

Blenko Glass...The Historic Period

Glasshouse of New York, in conjunction with the Blenko Museum, has launched an intriguing new website focused on the historic period of Blenko Glass: 1947 - 1974. This site is an unparalleled, comprehensive resource for the collector of vintage glass.

Go to http://www.blenkoarchive.org/ for a delightful look at Blenko catalogs and colors, as well as some great cleaning tips, general information and links to other noteworthy glass sites. Whether you are a glass enthusiast, dealer or serious collector, this site has much to offer - you won't be disappointed!!