New Project: Granny's Place

Well, I did it. I rented a booth at a local antique mall.

I've wanted to do this for a long time, and even looked into it 4 or 5 years ago, but at that time, well, there just wasn't time to pursue the idea. But now that I am retired and have all this stuff I've bought to sell on eBay, I realize that I've bought way more than I'll ever get listed. I had heard on the radio that a new flea market was opening in a town about 50 miles away so we went to check it out.

That one, not so much. All downstairs space was rented, there seemed to be no heat in the building, and there was no elevator to the second floor. On top of that, the second floor has to be accessed through a separate entry that's not too visible to the first-floor flea market, so it would be pretty simple for anyone to walk out with anything. I do wish the new owner luck, though, and perhaps all the issues I noted will be resolved somehow. The location was good, and as we all know that's important. But carrying everything up a very long flight of stairs? Not for me. And I wondered about customers too; many who are into collecting are over 40 and those stairs were pretty intimidating.

We took the longer way home, winding along the Ohio River through small communities, a very relaxing drive. As we passed through Ravenswood, we noticed that the Riverbend Antique Mall was open and stopped to check it out. We've been in before, and I know the mall has suffered through some hard times. The aluminum plant, the biggest employer in this county, had shut down a major portion of the plant a few years ago, laying off 650 workers. That and the generally bad economy hit Ravenswood hard. Now it seems the community is making a comeback. There is word going round that the plant will be re-opening in some areas very soon, and a few other job opportunities have come to the area recently, most notably a large Army Reserve Center just south of town.

The antique mall has a new owner and she just happened to have a booth available. It's in a good location in the store, on the left side (which is the direction I always start out in such places) and fairly close to the front. It's only 8x10, which is big enough for me right now. The mall is attractively arranged and on a late Sunday afternoon still had customers. There are several other antique shops on the street, the main drag through town. And I liked the hours too--Tuesday-Saturday 10-6 and Sundays 12-5. Some places are closed on Sunday, or close at 5 on weekdays, effectively cutting out anyone who has to work 9-5.

Now I have some work to do, deciding what to put in the booth and how to arrange it. I'll be taking notes from my friend Joy at A Vintage Green, who runs several booths in Canada and has a great blog about it. I've got a lot to learn, and Larry thinks I'm nuts for taking on yet another project. Once it is set up, though, I think it will be a lot of fun. I'll post pictures as soon as it's done.

And of course, should you ever happen through Ravenswood, please stop by!

The Museum of American Glass

I met my sister Judy in Weston, WV this past week, to finally exchange Christmas gifts (a little late!) and just visit.

Where did we do our visiting? At the West Virginia Museum of American Glass! This beautiful and fairly new museum is located in the heart of Weston and is thriving. They have paid off their building and have started a campaign to expand. New donations come in regularly; donors of collections also donate the cases to house the collection. Recently a woman from Washington state donated her entire, large collection of sherbet dishes. She drove the collection across the country, paid for the case and stayed to help with the arrangement of the collection! Hers is one of many stories the museum represents. While we were there a gentleman came in to donate scale models of a plate glass making operation.

There is a lot to see in the museum from the large mural donated by another museum to the marble collection, glass making equipment, and aisles and aisles of beautiful glass. If you have a piece and wondered when it was made and by what company, this is the place to find that information. If the piece isn't on display, the friendly, knowledgeable staff might be able to identify it. And if they can't there is a reference library lined with books.



We browsed slowly along the aisles. I was thrilled to finally identify a butter dish I had as being made by the Cooperative Flint Company in the 1880's. My dish had no lid but I loved it for its design. Judy saw a plate like one she had at home and was astonished to find it was also made in the 1880's.

We spent a lot of time in the museum's store. Not only do they have many books for sale, they also sell glass! Dean Six, a museum staff member and author of several books on antique and vintage glass, told us that the museum sells duplicate pieces or pieces that were not made in America as a way to raise funds. We were lucky enough to be there on a sale day, and bought several pieces for only $1 each.

In the sales area is also a collection of mis-matched lids. The collection included older and newer, some vaseline glass and colored glass, tops to sugar bowls, casseroles, butter dishes, etc. And would you believe, my sister found a lid that matched my dish! What are the odds on that happening? Very slim, I would say.

This pattern is called Budded Ivy, or Ivy in Snow, I suppose because of the stippled effect on the glass. I am learning a lot about Early American Pattern Glass and learning to recognize it when I see it. The glass looks different--I'm not sure how to describe the difference, but it stands out to me now. It's surprising that there is so much out there still in thrift shops; I suppose unless you happen to know its age, glass just looks like glass?

The Museum identified the lid as a "honey dish lid" and it could be that what I have is not a butter dish but a honey dish. I don't know the difference in the two, so I still have more to learn about this piece. And a whole, whole lot to learn about glass in general. It's a fascinating study. When I got home, I went online and ordered several more glass books, adding to my very slim library. I expect I'll be back at the museum soon, with pictures of all the pieces I can't identify.

The New/Old Bed

The old bed: a good one, I'll admit, and one that served well for, let me see...43 years?

So here's the new bed:

No my bedroom isn't THAT crooked--it was just difficult to get a good angle with the camera! But don't you love this old bed? I think it's from the 1930's; that's what the lady I got it from said. I bought it at a yard sale and I'm just in love with it. Best point? It doesn't squeak and squonk every time we move! (Now, go wash your mind out with soap--that is NOT the kind of moving I'm talking about!)

Footboard,

and headboard.

Yes, I love this bed and my bedroom. Quilt by eBay, pillow shams and throw pillow by Goodwill, dresser by hand-me-down (my childhood dresser), picture by library auction, wild hair wreath by moi, quilted hanging by yard sale, water bottles and cups by flea market, pitcher and bowl by Salvation Army, lamp on left by old cabin we tore down (Larry re-wired), lamp on right by Dollar Store, vases, etc by thrift stores.

Here's a funny thing, though: I am so used to my old bed and the post at the end of the bed where I would toss sweaters, nightgown,  pillow sham, etc, that I am constantly finding myself trying to hang things there. Not quite as easy an option on this bed! So the bedroom is staying a lot less cluttered because I have to put things away. That's a good thing, right?

It seems odd to make such a change, to tell the truth. I've been so used to the old bed that it feels funny to go to bed in this one. And yet, it's more comfortable, quieter, and just plain prettier. I'll get used to it, I'm sure.

Now, to find a new dresser with a mirror and the same amount of drawer space.

Always on my mind, forever in my heart

My Jonathan, 1970-2010.

Back in Blogland

It has been a hectic few days as I tried to complete four grant applications, all due at the same time. My mind is boggled, to say the least. But they're done and I can raise my head from the keyboard a moment and breathe. And notice that this is mighty fine weather for the end of January/beginning of February. It makes me uneasy, to be truthful. I found pink primroses blooming today, and the flowering quince or japonica is also in bloom. Usually I have to bring some branches in to force them into bloom this early.

Will we suffer for this weather later on? I wonder. I just read a book called the Great Blizzard, by Jim Murphy. In it he notes that the winter of 1887-1888 was extremely mild, with little or no frost or snow in New York City. And then on March 10, the blizzard struck with a fury unknown before or since, dumping snow and blowing so hard that there were 50-foot drifts in places. I hope that this history does not repeat itself. What a disaster that would be today. Or perhaps we're better prepared for it? One point he makes in the book is that country people were better equipped to manage since they always kept a good store of food, whereas those in the cities expected to get their supplies daily. Would our country people be as ready now for such a storm?Some will, but many have left the old ways behind and are as reliant on the grocery store and power companies as those poor people in 1888.

But enough of that. What comes will come and we will get through it one way or another. I have been busy but I did take time to notice a beautiful sunset this week, and to walk down to see Larry's progress on his poutin' house. He's building a rough little cabin in the woods from a small log building given to us by a neighbor. He took the building down earlier this month, and now he's putting it back up. It's small, all right, about 14x16, and it will not be fancy, but he's having a blast and I think he is looking forward to having this little getaway place.

And today was a real treat: great-grand-daughter Cadyn came to stay for a few hours! We had a wonderful time. I was still piecing together the last grant but she jabbered along and talked to the dogs and took pictures with my camera and was just a very good girl. When I finished we went to town to drop off the grant at the library and had dinner with my friend Suzette. I asked Cadyn if she wanted to eat, and she responded immediately, "Yes, Chinese." She's not even 3 years old! I am sure I didn't know about Chinese food at that age. And this photo? I took one and she looked at it and she said, "Granny! I had my binky in my mouth!" We had to do a re-shoot. Geesh.

What else has been going on? Lots of eBay, a little junking, and a new-to-me bed! I'll post pics later, but I am so happy with it. I'd bought it at a yard sale in the summer--it went with the new dresser we just put in the bedroom. I have had the same bed since I married my first husband when I was 17 and I am so so tired of it. I honestly never really liked it in the first place, not being a lover of maple furniture, but it was free and it was really a good spool bed and it has lasted wonderfully. I can't tell you how happy I am to have this lovely new bed, though.

A flat tire, writer's group, a big house-cleaning on Sunday (because a friend was coming over and boy was this place dusty), work on the couch project, sending out contracts for storytelling, another 2000 words on my novel--that and grant-writing about sums up the past week. Tomorrow I get to see my sister Judy, a reward for this past week of nose-to-the-grindstone. Then it's on to send out publicity for summer and fall programs and working on upcoming performances and workshops, and finishing the new CD. And maybe, somewhere in the next few weeks, we'll put out the lettuce bed if the weather stays good.