nEed FuRniTuRe? We gOt FuRniTuRe. . .

. . . just one more day of our 20% off furniture sale, so if you haven't been in yet now's the time! Here's a few of the delicious pieces we have in right now. . .

My inspirations

Those of you who know me well realize what a dreamer I am.  I love to think up interesting things to make and do and I have a perpetual quest for inspiration.  Here is one source of my bright ideas - Grandmothers attic http://www.etsy.com/shop/grandmothersattic.  Elizabeth is fun, funny and full of energy (she throws an anual Christmas party at her home with, was it 50 decorated Christmas trees?).  I asked her to provide some shots of her basement "stash" and someday I dream of going there.  Here is her story:

My little niche in the Etsy world is grandmothersattic. Just like your own grandma’s attic, it is filled with vintage treasures, kitschy décor, books and more! How did it all start you ask? Well let me share…..

I once had a dream of opening a brick and mortar store. It would be filled with a mix of antiques, collectibles and handmade folk art. I came up with the name years before my dream even became a reality! In 1998, I moved from the East Coast to the Midwest, back to the very town where my grandparents once lived! A family friend and I opened our shop and I enjoyed three incredible years as a shop owner. After I met and married my husband, I moved an hour and a half away from that little river town and rented booth space at antique malls instead. As the years passed, I decided to close my booths and focus on my day job, weekend job and position as a design team member for a monthly scrapbooking club.

I was first introduced to the lovely world of Etsy when I was on this design team. We were perusing the site, sharing link after link to one awesome creation after another, carefully choosing those special and unique items to order and include in our kits. One night, I was sitting at my computer and the idea came to me that Etsy would be the perfect way to share some of my own vintage ephemera and treasures that I often incorporated onto my scrapbook layouts.

I pondered what I should name my Etsy shop. I wanted the name to bring to mind vintage treasures that one would find tucked away in an attic, a memory box or an old general store that time had forgotten. I tried a few but they were taken until I stumbled upon grandmothersattic! And there, that night in front of my computer my little Esty shop was born!

I love to go to antique stores, shows, flea markets and estate sales. As a collector myself, this gives me a good excuse to look not only for myself but also for my shop. My inspiration for the type of merchandise to carry in my shop often comes from my own customers. I love to know what they use these little pieces of the past for. I often ask my customers and sometimes they share. I’ve had pictures sent to me of pewter monopoly pieces hanging from little strings on a front porch in the woods, I’ve heard stories about favorite childhood books rediscovered and I anxiously await pictures from one customer’s wedding next fall to see how she incorporates hundreds of scrabble tiles, anagrams and hangman letter tiles into her table displays. I’ve made new friends, exchanged treasure boxes with fellow collectors, visited blogs and websites I never knew existed and been blessed many times over with fabulous customers who support my endeavor. I feel I’ve come full circle, back to where I began with my dream of a shop so many years ago.

One day, I hope to find the time to sit down and create handmade collages myself but in the meantime I will continue to hunt and gather unique vintage treasures for those artists and collectors who inspire me so.

And now for a sampling of the goods . . . 

Top sellers for 2009

Kelli posed the question, what were the top sellers for 2009 . . . and for abode here they are:  crystal knobs are one of the most popular items at abode - people buy them by the handful!

we can't seem to hang on to our vintage bicycles

Salvage is always a top seller and this year creativity was at an all time high

  vintage clothing was HUGE this year and luckily we have more fabulous one-of-a-kind pieces for the new year!  We're looking forward to the trends of 2010 . . .

Hope you had a cool yule

Now reward yourself and buy a jewel!

We have beautiful creations from local artisans . . .

iT's a SuGaRpluM oF a SaLe. . .

It's time to stock up 'cause all remaining holiday merchandise is 50% off now thru New Year's eve. . . and there's still plenty to choose from!

 

  

Decorations,

ornaments,

tablecloths,

tree skirts,

stockings,

jewelry,

bells,

gifts,

etc.
etc.
etc.




Come see us this week at abode!

 

wHiTE ChRiStMAs aLL ThINgs WhiTE 20% oFF

and if you are a blog follower . . .take an additional 10% off your Christmas of WHITE!  

We will be open Christmas eve from 10 AM to 2 PM for those last minute treasures . . . new items arriving daily.

  

viNtaGe cHrisTmAs moNdAy

Fascinating items come through our door frequently at Abode. Just a few of our holdings have included a rare #1 Barbie, a green and yellow parking meter, an old and immense stoplight, some Sanskrit scrolls, some working 1958 TV's, and an antique Victrola that we still have and which was used at the funeral of the woman who owned it to play a recording of her own singing.

Fascinating can also take on other meanings, though, too.  We've had our share of creepy, scary baby dolls as well as a denture part and a coin purse made from a kangaroo's body parts (use your imagination. . . grin!)

On a more festive note, 

we at Abode would like to wish you a Merry Christmas 

by sharing with you some of the unique vintage items we've had for sale this Christmas season. . . .

May you have a holiday filled with the abundance you need and the joy you seek. . .

                                               

                    ~ Miriam, Katie, Steffi, Amber, and Cathie 

tHe sUrpRiZe sAtuRdaY SaLE iS baCk!

     This December we've come to enjoy our "Surprize Saturday Sales" so much that we just have to have another one! And this one's even grander than the others!! One of our generous consigners donated this charming shabbied vintage dresser, and we are "paying it forward" and giving it away this weekend to one of our incredible customers. 

Here's the scoop:
     Just come into the store on Saturday December 19th, spend at least $20, and you'll get a ticket for every $20 you spend.  At the end of the day we'll draw out one of those tickets and, VOILA!, the dresser is a gift from us to one of you!

     And. . . giveaways at the top of every hour!  Be in the store when the clock strikes 12 and you just might win a little something IF you're on the right number. . . come in to play with us and take home a small prize!  Be sure to bring the kids (at least the older ones. . . grin * * * ). 

  Come have a little fun with us on Saturday. . . get away from the mall and into Abode, where you'll find unique gifts for everyone you care about!

Come on back

a unique holiday shopping experience awaits!  Check out our saturday giveaway . . .

tRasH To TrEAsuRE TueSday oN StuDiO 5!!!

abode was featured on 

ksl's studio 5 on 

tuesday december 15th!

missed it?  here's the link: 

http://studio5.ksl.com/?sid=9042955&nid=55

vintage christmas monday. . .

One of my favorite new websites is junkmarketstyle.com.  The website and their books have opened up my mind to see a myriad of possibilities for use for what I used to see as useless items.  Now my driveway, garage, and basement are filled with hinges, springs, casters, door and lamp pieces, wooden planks, spindles, boxes, and furniture of all types, sizes and states of repair, and various and assorted junk.  My therapist (a.k.a. "paid friend") finally put her finger on it the other day -- I'm a hoarder (my, it took her a while to figure it out, bless her heart).
 

    This year, I decided to do something useful with my beautiful junk and decorate the tree with it!  (The kids don't like it much but personally I think it's quite lovely. . .).  So I donned the branches with cookie cutters, water faucet handles, hinges, various keyhole thingies, a blue oval what'sit? (snatched up from a junk box at an estate sale), and various other junky things not pictured.  On top of the tree I put a star roughly cut out from a cutter quilt and clothespinned to an old bedspring.  It was cheap, fun, unique, and all vintage.  
Happy "junky" holidays! . . .  cathie

For other Vintage Christmas Monday ideas go to http://thepottingshed-anythinggoeshere.blogspot.com/