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.