Paint Chip Bingo

I love to shop. Browsing through stores gazing at smartly displayed merchandise sparks my creativity.  I don't always have to bring something home to take away from the experience.  In my case, retail does provide some cheap therapy. I love to get lost in a store, especially antique and vintage shops, and hold pretty trinkets, as I fantasize about the life they once led. It seems like lately I've been drawn to specific colors, like pretty pink Pyrex bowls and anything turquoise.

I am also addicted to Pinterest (for many of the same reasons as shopping, I must need a lot of therapy) and I have noticed all the crafts involving paint chips.  It seems like I'm not the only one having a love affair with color. Whether it's calm and relaxing greens, or spicy tangerines, we are aware of the mood-altering effects of color and like to surround ourselves with hues that don't give us the blues (corny, but true).

So, I thought it might be fun to play a game. "Fun and Games" is our theme for the month of September here at Grassy Valley Antiques so it is fitting don't you think? Here's how you play, take a paint chip like this one here and find items in our shop that match the colors on your chip. If you can find four items, one for each of the corresponding colors on your chip, then you get one item of your choice for 15% off! 

For example, if I selected this particular set of colors, I might pick the following rosy items....

Color 1...Love the blush on these depression glass candlesticks.

Color 2...Salmon serving tray

Color 3...Coral Vintage Greeting Card Advertisement

Color 4...Ruby Compote with Lid


It's as simple as that. Your items don't have to be exact matches. We're not Pantone, just an antique store trying to have a little fun.

Summer Love

As we enter the final days of summer, I feel like a petulant child unwilling to let go of a favorite blanket. I stomp my feet and refuse to give myself over to earlier mornings and a more orderly schedule. I know I should look forward to crisp autumn hikes, pumpkin spice lattes, and all the other delights of Fall that I do love dearly, but I need a little more time please. 

I spent most of the summer away from work at home with a six year old boy who very much needed a respite.  Having just finished Kindergarten, he experience the joy of freedom that one can only appreciate once it is taken away for the very first time.  Three months of days spent in pajamas, building forts, and getting waterlogged seemed even more sweet after 9 months of structured learning.  I got to become reacquainted with the boy that I spend so much time worrying over and learned to fret a little less and laugh a little more. A wonderful thing blossomed this summer a friendship between a mother and her son.

Now that school is back in session and structure is forced upon us once again, I try to be positive as I help pick the coolest backpack and the lunchbox with flames.  I even took first day pictures capturing the timid expectancy and fear in those grey-blue eyes.  I wanted to say let's run away, let's get in the car and drive to the mountains.  We'll find a trail and skip rocks into the ice cold water. I'll squeal when you pick up a salamander and tell you how brave you are.  Instead we get in the car and drive to your little school with the sunny windows and painted sidewalks. A happy place, and your home away from home for the next nine months. I was delighted to meet your new teacher and hear about the friend you've made with the very same shoes as yours. Still, I am hesitant to let you go now that I've really found you.  Will bad days make us sullen and quick to snap at each other? Will you growl from the backseat when I ask about your day? Can we hold the magic of our summer in our hearts even as our tans fade and time pushes forward?

I found this in the shop today and it made me think of us. A gentle reminder for the days ahead.

Tell Me A Story

Days like today full of rain and bluster, remind me of a trip I took to a historic home as a child.  I can't tell you the name of the estate that had been converted into an art gallery, but I can tell you they had a huge portrait of Boy George. That colorful, beautiful, and somewhat scary image imprinted itself into my seven year old mind, and I can still remember the contrast between Boy in all his pop glory and the muted tones of the hall he resided over. It was a wet sloppy day and the house felt cozy despite it's grandeur as the rain pounded against the window pains.  I had to go to the bathroom, and as usual, I had held it until it was an emergency situation.  My mom led me from room to room until we stumbled upon a corner bath. She waited outside as I fumbled with the antique lock. Fascinated by the old plumbing, the pull chain toilet, the radiator, even the small tiles below my feet I lingered and imagined the many lipsticked faces once reflected in the crackled mirror.  Despite my shorts and muddy tennis shoes, I felt like I was part of something beautiful and mysterious. I came out of that bathroom with not only a relieved bladder but a little more sophistication. I think my love of antiques and the stories they tell was born that day in a bathroom!

Now, I sit in a shop surrounded by ghosts. Items come and go, and while I'm only with them for a short while I delight in listening to the tales they share. Of course, these yarns are fueled by my own imagination, but there is a grain of validity in each of them.  The Victorian sofa nestled in the corner is covered in velvet so soft and devoid of marks that I assume it was reserved for Sunday visits only.  Guests privileged enough to sit upon it's cushion perched nervously upon the edge while they balanced their teacups upon their laps.  The lady of the house would dream she could shed the bounds of her petticoat and granny boots and lounge across the sofa draped only in pearls and feathers.  

No matter where I look in the shop, there are gloves and military hats, aprons and elixirs, all with stories that precede my own. It makes me wonder what might whisper of me someday? My flat iron perhaps? Only time will tell.

Spring Cleaning

As the weather warms, we have been venturing further from our burrow and becoming reacquainted with the outside world.  The wanderlust has begun to form within me, and I'm already planning a slew of day trips and adventures to share with the family over the next few months...on the cheap of course. I know from experience that out of the 1,547 excursions I plan to take only 5 might materialize into actual "been there, done that" trips. Life has become so busy, and it is hard to leave the ties of work, school, and our various commitments behind for even a day. 

A few weeks ago, we decided it was time to get off the grid for awhile so we hopped in our car and headed for Nashville. With no concrete plans, no list of must see attractions, we just let the day unfold like the road before us. This spontaneity freed us from any expectations allowing us to savor each moment and surprise.  We toured The Hermitage, home of Andrew Jackson and a place I  once thought reserved for school groups and those who frequent cafeterias and early bird specials. The gardens were beautiful in their drowsy state just awakened and full of promise. I could imagine guests arriving at the house dusty and fatigued from travel and being replenished by the live oaks and shady magnolias.  I'm so glad we paid attention to the historic road marker or I would have missed it all. 

Over the course of two days, we drove around for hours just appreciating architecture, browsing antique stores, and creating our own personalized tour of the capitol city. We came home refreshed and more appreciative of our own landscape and each other. This little trip was our version of spring cleaning, a time to reawaken our senses and let go of  our complacent natures letting new passion and ideas burst forth.

Here is a little photo journey of our trip....

Ok, I am totally stealing this idea for Grassy Valley. Coming soon to a shop near you!

If you love warm melt in your mouth biscuits and getting your picture made in crazy cutouts, The Loveless Cafe is right for you!

Off the beaten path, but well worth the find.

Beauty and Aesthetics.....a rant

I am a sucker for beauty. I love to fill my home with pretty trinkets and things that make me stop and smile when I pass by them on the way to fold laundry or cook dinner. I am also a careful shopper, choosing items not only for their usefulness but for their aesthetic qualities as well. Whether buying dish soap or a new coffee mug, I'm a sucker for a pretty package. And, I have a feeling I'm not the only one. The marketers of these products are smart, savvy little fellows who are well aware that most of us are slaves to our aesthetic drives. That's probably why Kitchen Aid mixers come in every color under the sun ( I personally dream of a peacock blue version...sigh) and pink Hello Kitty microwaves exist. Even the most utilitarian of items are designed to be appealing to our senses. I experienced this when I was forced to choose a new faucet for our kitchen sink. Although, I had never paid that much attention to our old faucet when it was my turn to find a replacement I stood for what seemed like hours in Lowe's waiting to hear the siren song of the perfect one. Finally, I picked a curvy model, that I would describe as "whimsical". It's beautiful to me, and to be honest I have spent much more time at the kitchen sink just to admire it.

I believe this quest for beauty stems from our creation when God infused a unique allure into each and every one of us. All different, all captivating. It just makes sense to me that our creations follow the same pattern. I love to discover hidden beauty in objects whether natural or man made and thank the Supreme Artist for that special insight.  Of course being immersed in the world of antiques, I am constantly surrounded by items that take my breath away. Some posses humble beauty, they show their wear and I can tell they have been loved and used for decades, even centuries. Others reflect a past aesthetic such an art deco shot glass that seems transported from the world of Fitzgerald with its glimmer and glitz.

I could probably post a picture of every items in the shop since each would sing to someone. However, that's not how it works. Beauty is best when it is discovered by the beholder. When they can own the moment of laying eyes on something they can not live without.  So, I invite you to come on your own quest. Browse our shelves, look closely and listen for your own sweet song.

Second Chances

I don’t wear hats very often, practically never.  A friend once told me I look funny in hats and that was enough to eradicate them from my wardrobe forever.  It’s sad really, because hats offer such a world of possibilities and provide an inexpensive way to jump start a tired wardrobe.  Whether you’re trying convey a sense of mystery and intrigue, or bring out your inner Marlene Dietrich the right hat can do the job. 

We have gotten a slew of hats in the shop recently and the tiny velvet ribbons and birdcage veils are calling to me.  I had to share some of my favorites because they are just so delectable.

They even make me willing to give hats another try.

COLOR!

I appreciate winter.  I have respect for this powerful season and marvel at each blade of frosted grass and tiny ice crystal.  I think there is nothing more graceful than daybreak on a snow-covered landscape and always feel a little guilty when I have to mar its beauty with my footprints.

Still, the shorter days full of hazy darkness leave me longing to batten down the hatches around four in the afternoon.  While I adore the coziness that comes from being confined with the ones I love the most within arms reach and relish in the comfort of my fuzzy socks and trusty bathrobe, I find myself missing the one thing that January isn’t willing to provide…an abundance of color. 

So, today I’ve decided to focus on colorful items that can shine a little light during these long winter months and remind us of what lies ahead.

Finding Christmas

Each December, I sit down with my notebook and pen and make a list of all the things I'd like to accomplish prior to December 25th.  This list is comprised of places I want to visit, like the the big tree downtown, as well as family activities I find special during the holidays including baking Christmas cookies and watching Elf for the 1,057 time.  My list making has become as much of a tradition as the things written on it. 

Yesterday while I was busy penciling in holiday parties and school commitments on the calendar, I noticed there were very few "white spaces" remaining before Christmas. I looked back and forth from my list to the calendar frantically trying to orchestrate a plan that would allow me to maximize holiday fun while efficiently utilizing every spare moment we have available before Santa Claus makes it to town. Festive? No. Stressful? Very. 

As my shoulders started to tense up, I was struck by how my quest to 'create' the perfect holiday experience for my family has squelched the true joy of the season.  For example, Matt would rather not go and stand in line at Bass Pro Shop for 1.5 hours to see Santa on a weekday night after working at the shop all day just because the calendar dictates it so. And, surly Matt will lead to short-fuse Stephanie thus bringing out whiny Weston. By the time we reach Santa's lap, we'd rather kick him in the shins than sit and chat.  I began thinking what's the worst thing that will happen if I (gasp) abandon the list?

The last time I marched/ran down Broadway was, well, never.  It was kind of a spur of the moment decision for Grassy Valley Antiques to join the Fountain City Parade, but some of the sweetest moments are indeed spontaneous.  There wasn't much planning involved, no fancy float was constructed ...Although, if we ever do make one,  I'd like to build it out of red and green recycled doors. That, as my nephews like to say, would be epic... Still, as our small group made our way down Broadway all decked out in Santa hats and antlers (me) passing out candy to bundled up children I unexpectedly found Christmas.  It wasn't during a list-mandated activity, and it didn't have to be deemed a "tradition" to be enjoyed.  It just was wonderful because the look in Weston's eyes as he leaned out of the festooned Mustang shouting "Merry Christmas "and handing out candy canes could never be orchestrated.

This year I'm going to try and fly through the holidays without planning the fun. I think we will all have much more of it if we just let it happen.

Coffee Anyone?

I love coffee.  The aroma, the taste, the warmth of the cup in my hand, there are few things more satisfying to me than a good cup of joe.

 I loved coffee well before I was ever allowed to drink it.  When I was around seven or eight, I held a precarious spot within my family. I was stuck in the middle with a slew of older cousins already in high school and too cool to play Bedbugs or Operation, and several toddlers that I wouldn't dare let touch my Barbies. During the holidays, after the meal was finished and the men had disappeared to wherever it is that men retreat to while dishes are being put away, I would hang around the kitchen.  I'd breath in the rich aroma of  the coffee brewing and watch as my mother and aunts gathered around the table cups in hand.  Laughter and conversation seemed to accompany the steaming cups, and I so wanted to be a part of their community.  I learned that if I was still enough and didn't fidget in my seat, they would soon forget I was there.  I would drink in their presence fascinated as they clinked and stirred, lipstick-ringed mugs cupped in each hand.  I overheard a lot in that kitchen, probably much more than I should have! 

In college, I would spend hours nestled in the corners of local coffee shops. Whether reading between classes, or chatting with friends, coffee added flavor to the very ordinary activities of my life. I still find that sharing coffee is synonymous with family and friendship for me.  My favorite parts of holiday gatherings still revolve around the cup.  

If you are a coffee lover or have a loved one who is, you'll love all of the vintage percolators, coffee canisters, and  other finds lying around the shop. 

Oh, and if you happen to come in while I'm working, I'll be happy to share a cup with you. The coffee is always flowing-and complimentary- at Grassy Valley!

"A Wishin' and A Hopin'"

Most every little girl dreams of her wedding day.  Even if just for a moment, to try out what it would truly feel like to be a princess swathed in white surrounded by admirers.  Life marches on, and while I'm sure some of these wedding fantasies do become reality, many white stallions and garden tea parties are replaced by civil ceremonies and simple affairs.  This is not necessarily a bad thing, if I had the wedding I envisioned as a five year old I would have been more blinged out than Elton John circa 1978 and our honeymoon would have taken us to the Panama Canal.  Seriously, change is good.

While my tastes have changed over the years, I don't think I have ever outgrown my fascination with weddings.  I am addicted to shows like "My Fair Wedding" and "Say Yes to the Dress", and although I do not want to undertake all of the stress involved in planning a wedding of Kardashian proportions, I do like to fantasize about what it would be like to plan the party of your dreams with zero budget restrictions.  While mine are the musings of an already married crazy woman, I'm sure many sane brides to be share the same sentiment trying to conjure their fantasies into an affordable, realistic affair without losing the magic that lies within a big dream. 

I don't know how you accomplish this besides making sure that every element you select for your wedding is a reflection of what you love and treasure.  We recently had an event planner come into the shop who was interested in a purchasing a large tobacco basket for an upcoming wedding. I'm always amazed by the ingenuity of those who can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.  Now, I too envision that basket filled with fresh flowers providing a beautiful centerpiece with a little history thrown in.  How perfect that the basket's rough exterior reflecting hard work and labor is part of a ceremony in which two will promise the same diligence to one another.

The basket got me thinking of other antique and vintage items that could lend their charm to a wedding celebration.  I am always delighted to see personal touches and thought thrown into a ceremony. Mismatched vintage china used during a reception dinner, or mason jars filled with wildflowers are both inexpensive ways to add functional beauty to an event.  Why not adorn old windows with photographs that chronicle the bride and groom's history together and create their own personal love story?  

The ideas are endless, and the journey to unleash your creativity may be almost as fun as the main event itself.

I Will Remember You

It's funny how closely our memories are tied to possessions.  Holding a familiar object can transport us so vividly to another time and place. All our senses engage and suddenly we can smell, taste, and even hear the past with amazing clarity.  

My personal time machine is in the form of a small child's quilt.  It's red and cool to the touch, and I spent hours spread across it happily coloring and reading at my grandmother's house.  Now the quilt resides at my mother's, and she uses it to cover my son during movie time or when he isn't feeling well.  When I look at Weston all snuggled up in something that brought so much comfort to me as a child, it's almost as if he is wrapped in safety and love instead of fabric.

My friend Maggie recently told me a story about a necklace.  It was a piece of Sara Coventry jewelry that she fell in love with at an estate sale.  The vintage necklace was so important to her that she chose to wear it for Senior portraits and during many memorable high school events making it synonymous with that time in her life.  While away at college, her home was broken into and the necklace was stolen.  Being a vintage item lost before the Ebay age, Maggie felt her hopes of replacing the necklace were slim. Time went on and the necklace became a fond, but distant, memory.  Then a few months ago, while doing some internet research, she came across the very same necklace on Ebay. While not her original piece of jewelry, seeing the item still brought on a swell of nostalgia.  It reintroduced her to the girl she was at the time it adorned her neck.  Maggie was comforted to come face to face with the item that was once so dear to her.

It is so exhilarating to stumble across the "props" of our past. Especially, when those items are accompanied with fond memories. Working in an antique and vintage shop, I am privileged to live a life centered around remembrance and cherishing the items that fill our lives. I think we could all benefit from time spent as our own personal archeologists.  Who knows where you will uncover that long forgotten favorite storybook, or the trusty BB gun you drug around all over the yard looking for varmits?  It could be at Grassy Valley. 

WHY BUY NEW FURNITURE?

Recently we have received a nice selection of antique furniture pieces dating back to the 1800's, and it made me think. Why would anyone buy brand new furniture? Antiques provide so much more than factory made, mass produced pieces that you find in a typical store today. Antique furniture has history, personality and character. It can provide one with conversation and a feeling of comfort unmatched by today's quality.
Why spend thousands of dollars for a seemingly "perfect" piece of particle board, when you can spend a fourth of the price and receive a piece of high quality, hand made effort that can last another hundred years?

Just something to think about.....


Beautiful early 1900's buffet. This size and quality would cost you a years worth of car payments if bought new.

Solid oak chest of drawers....perfect for any decor!













Antique solid cedar hope chest from 1924.....amazing!

Who Knew?

Inspiration can strike in the oddest of circumstances.  For example, a broken toilet seat recently launched the redecoration of our entire bathroom.  The new seat was so sleek and pretty that the rest of the space suddenly seemed shabby in comparison. Suddenly, I saw scarlet walls and pretty brushed metal fixtures in my future. This led me to one of my favorite websites, www.etsy.com, to browse their fabulous selection of wall art and unique decor items.  I was struck by the following two listing for re-purposed vintage items that have been transformed in to utalitarian works of art.....

Mason Jar Light Fixture

This is such a cool melding of modern style and primitive charm.  I love the warm glow emanating from the frosted jars.  Owning this, would be like having your house lit by fireflies!  

We have a large selection of mason jars at Grassy Valley Antiques in all shapes and sizes.  Now, I walk by them and see all sorts of new possibilities for chandeliers, luminaries, etc. Enlightening!

Suitcase Vanity

Well, this is just beyond awesome. Who would have ever dreamed a suitcase could get new mileage as a bathroom vanity? 

Several of our vendors have beautiful vintage suitcases on display in the shop. I am considering snagging one and creating a vanity that will make all the other bathrooms cry with envy.

These are just a few examples of how a spark of inspiration and a little elbow grease can give and ordinary item an extraordinary new life.  Why don't you visit us at Grassy Valley and see just what items inspire you?  

A Few of My Favorite Things

I thought I'd share a few of my favorite things that currently reside in the shop.  I'm always finding new pieces  to fall in love with, but these little items currently have me head over heels...

This Hazel Atlas "Be ye Kind" glass is so sweet and darling! The red silhouettes of children and woodland creatures are so simple, yet the message so profound. 

This is the face plate from an old post office box.  I love the Deco border and the glass numeral plate.  Imagine the secrets this once held under lock and key.

This deposit bag is from the Lyons National Bank in Lyons, NY.  The embroidery and red accents make this utilitarian object quite beautiful!  The lock and key make it a perfect place to store your modern day valuables!

Feeling a little nutty?  This iron squirrel nutcracker can take on the toughest nut in the bunch.  His rustic charm and a bowl full of walnuts equals instant bliss!

Let this lovely lady add a little femininity to your bath. This Art Nouveau soap dish is tres elegant with its clean lines (I couldn't resist) and green patina. 

These vintage card games make me want to spend an evening with the television off huddled around the table with my family. Hmmm, I think it's time I plan a game night.

Can you see me?

Mirror, mirror on the wall.... we have several fair looking glasses at Grassy Valley.  Each beautiful in their own right. Some are crystal clear and others hazy from age.  They sit on shelves, hang on walls and are nestled into the corners of our shop.  I have always had a fascination with mirrors. Eyes open wide, I find myself boring holes through their glass searching for answers about myself. These shiny fortune tellers give us a chance to do the one thing no other object can, fully inspect ourselves.  We spend all our energy projecting our image to others being absorbed by both critical and loving eyes.  Mirrors give us the chance to claim a little of ourselves...for ourselves.  It isn't vanity that prolongs my stare it's the longing for a little alone time with myself.  I need the opportunity to look into my eyes and ask myself the hard questions to which only my heart can whisper an answer... not "Was that wrinkle there yesterday?" or "Would I look better with bangs?" although, I have to admit I ask those too.

I touch the frames of the mirrors for sale and wonder who has gazed before me.  I'm sure if glass could really talk as it does in fairy tales, it would tell us what we all long to hear. We are each the "fairest of them all" unique and beautiful in our strength and courage to be ourselves. So, go ahead and gaze into your looking glass and have a conversation with the one we sometimes neglect the most. Yourself.

The AD AGE!

Advertising.  It rules our lives somewhat doesn't it?  We are willing subjects spouting off the catch phrases carefully researched in agency think tanks and soon they are a part of our vernacular defining each generation. Who hasn't gotten a particularly skimpy patty and joked "where's the beef?", or proclaimed "I've fallen and I can't get up" after a pratfall.  I know I have.  Maybe I'm just particularly cheesy, but we've all been influence somewhat by those ad dollars.

I can remember watching Bewitched as a child and being fascinated by Darrin Stephens and Larry Tate, two old school admen whose accounts were constantly in jeopardy.  Lucky for them, Samantha "magically" saved the day, and their careers, at the end of each episode with a twitch of her nose.   While those antics belong in TVland, there is some real magic involved in the whole marketing process.  A pretty package can influence our buying decisions just as a slick poster or magazine advertisement can deserve the same reverence as any well crafted piece of art.  

It is with this appreciation that I take a look around the store and notice the designs of the past.  Some of the icons are still in use today, such as the Borden Cow. Others have faded into memory, only to be awakened when they they are jolted out of our subconscious.  That's what browsing through these marketing relics of long ago has done for me.  It brings those characters back to life, vibrant as ever ready to be appreciated by a new generation.