wE mUsT bE CrazY!

Buy one fabulous item and get another (your choice) of equal or lesser value for 1/2 off all this week!

Where have all the fLowERs gone?

 gone to abode for 20% off!  (30% if you follow this blog)

the earth LauGHs in flowers

and so shall you this week at abode!  take 20% off all things flowered.  take 30% if you are a follower of this blog

Valentines is near and we rose to the occasion!! 

LOve iS In tHe AIr

My brain knows that it is only the first week of February but my heart sings for SPRING!!

Nothing says happiness like a new old bike . . .

Check these out, they won't last long

go RED or go HOME!

Take 20% off all things red this week and if you follow this blog take an additional 10% off!

My inspirations

Salvage Nation
This is another of my favorite etsy sellers - she has the best stuff and she is a basket of fun!
Only my father understood my drive as a young child to clean out the bottom drawer of everyone's dresser and store the treasures I would find in brown grocery bags. I had fourteen aunts and uncles who were more than happy to see me visit and do my cleaning. I am certain of this, because one Christmas, Dad gave me a card table and told me that I should use that instead of his metal t.v. trays when I had my "little sales" in the front yard.


While other kids were watching Saturday morning cartoons, I was out front flagging down the neighbors to show them my latest finds. I just couldn't help myself, it's as though being a "junker" is part of my DNA.

It's the thrill of the hunt, the joy of the find that has put me in the business of antiques and collectibles. Also, paying for two girls to go to college , spurred me to learn about on-line venues, I began 12 years ago on ebay.

I'm not a purist, only selling one genre, but I'm all over the place, as I truly do love all things old. Now that is saying something as I am approaching sixty, so most folks would consider me pretty vintage, myself ! My kitchen bowls are old pyrex, I've burned up three Sunbeam mixers, green, pink and blue and our kitchen silverware was is a 1945 "everyday" set. The clean lines, the simplicity, the aura of the pieces simply inspire me each day.

" The Merm" as I call her in my mind ask me how I find stuff. I share my strategy with just about anyone who will listen. I'm not your typical shopper, I call myself a finder.

I start in the garage at estate sales, always do. People put some of the oldest and most valuable items out in the garage. I have some amazing choir charms in the shop right now from a high school choir contest. I know how hard kids work, practice and even pray to win one of those medals. I had to have them and watch them be turned into pieces of jewelry, small works of art, just like the kids.

In my tour of the outer regions of an estate sale, I find the boxes of paper, the tons of magazines, that no one wants to go through one sheet at a time. I am currently listing it bit by bit as I read it, let it air and get it ready to go. Very soon, I will be listing a letter from Joe McCarthey (it's how he signed it) but you know him as Senator Josephy McCarthey.

Once I finish in the garage, I'll go into the house and I start at the very back and work my way forward. Once again, people tend to put the most interesting pieces into boxes, under tables, even in little grab bags.

Never be afraid to ask, especially if you don't see what you are looking for when shopping. I see a house with a sewing machine but no fabric or buttons, that is odd. "Do you have any fabric or buttons?" Usually I get the answer, oh gosh, we have boxes full but didn't think anyone would want them. "I do, I really do."

Be open and honest with everyone, tell them what you plan to do with the items. Some people think if you say you collect or sale or whatever, the price will go up. I find by telling people I sale items to artist and collectors, they remember me, call me and tell me what they will have at their next sale, next estate or in their booth. It's nice being the first to know.

Living on a farm, I know the value of reduce, reuse, recycle, it's been a part of me for so long, that I even scoffed when in the early 80's it became the thing to do. I didn't realize it was something people had to learn. Now I am just completely in awe of up-cycled art and jewelry. At antique shows or flea markets, I'm constantly taking my friend by the hand and saying, "see, look, it's steampunk, can you believe that wall hanging was once a yearbook and two magazines." Altered art literally makes me weak in the knees. I love paper and the beauty of its blends, what is being done in altered art and collages is just breathtaking. Don't even get me started on the darling greeting cards everyone is creating. I wish I had that eye, that talent.

Ephemera is my weakness, I keep way more than I could ever sell. I have authentic Victorian paper in the etsy shop right now and I have a hard time believing I ever found it. Paper when properly stored can last three lifetimes, as these pieces prove it. I just see that young girl standing at the dance waiting for her program card to fill up with suitors names wanting a turn at a whirl on the floor.

Currently, I am on a numbers and letter kick, it's the journalism major in me. I had to actually melt the lead, pour the letters, create the letterpress and then print the items when I took my college printing classes. I have filled the shop with letterpress, but also letters and numbers in all sorts of mediums. I'm staying busy filling special request for Christmas, names, phrases, addresses.

It never seems like work and I meet the most wonderful people. I enjoy doing antique shows, going to flea markets and creating the on-line shop. When it becomes a chore or it doesn't bring happiness, I'll stop. I don't foresee that ever happening.

I only sell what I love, just in case one day I have to live with it !


Bonus : shop with me and mention "the merm" in the conversation to seller, and I'll refund 15% of the purchase price ! or send a convo and tell me you are Abode and I'll make a special listing with a reduced price.. only thing excluded are the items in the sale section.

BLoG fOLLoWerS wIN tHiS wEEk aT aBoDE

follow this blog and receive 30% off an item of your choice this week - it's kinda like having your own fabulous wheel of prizes!

photo courtesy of Junk Market Style

The Love Christmas

A child I know called Valentines, "the love Christmas".  I have always loved that idea because Christmas is such a rush of excitement and emotion.  I love Valentines and I hope you do too!

LOvE Me TeNDer

For those of you who know me - you know that I waited 48 years to find the love of my life!  Venkat and I married in June of 2008.  He is an excellent husband and works hard to make my life easier everyday.

Every morning he runs outside and scrapes the snow/ice from the windows of my car (even if he is in his coat and a bath towel - oo la la!) - that is a HUGE sacrifice for him - he is south Indian and craves the hot weather.

SaLvAGE anGeL

are you a fan of Junk Market style? do you dream in rust? This is the perfect sale for you! take 20% off all things salvage

cRaZY LoVe

It's always a thrill when a couple asks us to be a part of their beginning!  We have hosted many photo shoots both inside and out, (there is something about that turquoise exterior . . .), rented props for the wedding and reception, sold vintage hankies and jewelry for bridesmaid gifts and to adorn the bridal gown, and advised couples on where they can find that piece that will make their day unique.

Ashley is one of our favorite customers and very talented!  When she brought her sister and fiance to abode for their photo shoot, naturally we were excited. 

Here is the result of her work (be sure to turn on your speakers) http://ashleystolworthyphotography.blogspot.com/2009/11/giulia-davids-engagements.html

Think of Ashley for your next special occasion

Love me tender

It's that time of year . . . the love season!  At abode, we are "collectors", we love to ferret out that precious thing, something no one else has, the prized.  Won't you join us in sharing your experiences of acts of love?  What has someone beloved and significant done for you?  Send us an email and we'll post these acts of wonder on our blog.  On Valentines we'll draw from your entries and give you something you're sure to love! 

Cute darling and adorable!

Meet Sarah - she is the darling daughter of our very own Cathie.  To say she is a horse lover feels like a weak understatement - Sarah LOVES horses!!!

Eventhough she just turned 12, she is well spoken and fun to talk to, and did I mention, she loves horses?
One day she hopes to own an Arabian but for now she rides once a week, collects toy horses (she estimates she has over 100), has read Black Beauty and hopefully acquired more model horses for Christmas. 

One more thing Sarah might not know that I observe about her is that along with her vast horse collection, she has a ton of friends!  Now, that's my kind of girl!

Thanks for sharing your passion, Sarah!

PS, can you guess her favorite color?

tHiS JUst iN

What's new at abode this week

industrial funk!

sextuplets anyone?

game table

these boots are made for walkin'

Cupboard cool

sometimes you feel like a nut!

this week you get to choose which item is 20% off!!  Whether it be a vintage book, a tin doll house, a crystal chandelier or a fabulous hat, you tell us!

(and remember you get an additional 10% off for becoming a blog watcher)

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 . . .