Snowman Hill

Bye-bye red & gold

2012-02-13T04:43:00.000-08:00

We are in the process of painting the whole house WHITE.

Top to bottom, it's a huge project, ugh!

I thought I should show you the colors I had before we started.

Today I am starting on the kitchen.

Note, the old dark windows. They are gone, woohoo.

My hubby, son and son-in-law put in all new windows last fall.

This is what happens when you buy a fixer upper.

I don't think we will ever be done.

Stay tuned for pics of my new white kitchen.

Have a great week!

dana

I'm going White

2012-01-27T11:39:00.000-08:00

We are in the process of repainting every wall

and ceiling in our house, WHEW!

The whole end wall was barn red with a dark gold kitchen.

Now that I have gotten rid of all of my prims, I need a change.

I love all of these photos, they are my inspiration.

What is your FAVORITE WHITE?

Have a great week-end!

Krista & Dana

Winter fun

2012-01-11T09:18:00.001-08:00

Our winter sale is coming together, finally. We are a little slow after Christmas, but we are almost ready.

Flower frogs

2012-01-04T06:03:00.000-08:00

I ~ LOVE ~ flower frogs. I have them all over.

My favorite one is the heron under the cloche.

You can display them in old tool boxes, and add some vintage garden tools.

I found this little article written by Bonnie Bull about flower frogs that I thought was interesting.

Although flower frogs reached their heyday in the United States in the mid-twenties and thirties during the flapper era, they can be traced back to the 16th century in Europe where it was customary for pottery and china houses to mark their pieces. Glass flower frogs were not generally marked prior to 1870-- the year it became possible to record patents and trademarks on glassware.

The oldest known record for a U.S. frog is a patent issued to S. Van Stone in 1875 for a conical shaped flower stand with concentric rings of holes stacked pyramid fashion. Another early creation is the mushroom-shaped, Mt. Washington condiment server/floral holder . A patent for this holder was issued to Andrew Snow, Jr. in 1893.

Since the turn of the century some 20 well-known glass and pottery houses have manufactured frogs in the U.S. They have ranged in shape and design from simple "rounds" to elaborate and artistic "figurals." One of the most prolific producers of glass flower frogs in the U.S. was Cambridge Glass Co., located in Cambridge, Ohio. Any round frog that says "PAT'D April 11, 1916" on the side is Cambridge. Some of the Cambridge round glass frogs have "Pat. Apl'd For" on them, and a few from the later years have "Cambridge" embossed on the side. All of the figural ladies are covered by a patent issued to A. J. Bennett on Oct. 18, 1927. Of the same era but cast in pottery are the R. G. Cowan dancing ladies with trailing scarf in hand. Many are individually patented and have double-walled bases. They are full of life and movement, reflecting an age of flamboyance soon overshadowed by the Depression.

The etymology of the term "frog" has proved more difficult to research than the actual items themselves. The term "frog" as it relates to a holder for flower stems does appear in 1968 in the Random House Dictionary of the English Language, but it is not listed in the Oxford and Chamber's etymological dictionaries. How it came into general use remains a mystery. Over the years flower frogs have been referred to by many different names; such as, flower blocks, flower bricks, flower holders, and floral arrangers.

Do you collect flower frogs?

Which one is your favorite?

Have a great day!

dana

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T16:40:00.000-08:00

A new year already? Where did 2011 go? It seems like we just wished everyone a happy new year.

Our year was so busy at the cottage, it literally flew by.

So what do we have planned for 2012? We are working on some new projects already.

We have two vintage hutches for our January Sale - they are ready to go.

We have been busy setting up "FROSTY'S GARDEN". It's fun and all white.

We were able to find many antiques for this sale. I am having a hard time parting with some of them, so we'll see how many make it to the cottage.

I will post more pictures when I get more items finished.

Have a great week-end!

Krista & Dana

Merry Christmas

2011-12-19T08:57:00.000-08:00

I used an old skirt hanger for my Christmas cards this year.

Some of my snowman ornaments, appropriate for SNOWMAN HILL.

My oldest ornament, from my Grandma's tree.

I love my Nativity set from my parents, and my hubby built the stable.

Merry Christmas

Happy New Year!

Krista & Dana

Tis' the Season

2011-12-13T12:59:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's that time of year again. I look at all of the awesome blogs, admire their trees, with themes, and all matching ornaments. I think they look amazing, but then I drag out all of my old stuff and decorate the tree.

You see, I am a nostalgic freak. I love everything old. I can't part with any of the old ornaments, or even leave them in the box. They all have so much meaning, the ones the kids made, our first Christmas, blah, blah, blah. I can't even buy a new topper, same old angel, love her.

As for the rest of my house, all decorated with JUNK. I have this old stove grate in the middle of my table. I change it for every season. Today I added an old cream can strainer, cool shredded filler, silver Santa, and a cloche. I love the old skates that stand up by themselves.

I collect old metal tool and fishing boxes. I have on old trouble light cover in it. I thought it kind of looked like a bird cage, so I clipped a bird on it. I took these small old candles, wrapped a bit of Christmas sheet music around them, easy. Finally I added the ornaments that were on my parents tree when I was little.

I don't know if I will get time to post more pics, but I will try.

Merry Christmas!

dana

It's time to be thankful

2011-11-21T08:21:00.000-08:00

I grew up watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade,

as I'm sure everyone did. I loved it, and still do.

I will be watching it with my Granddaughter this year.

Where have all the years gone?

Another favorite, Charlie Brown -

I love all of the Charlie Brown shows.

Charles Schulz was an amazing and talented man.

Everywhere you look, it's Christmas. We are just as guilty,

the cottage is all decked out for Christmas.

But, this week, I am going to stop for a bit, and

be thankful for what is really important...

family & friends

I love having my family gathered around

the table for Thanksgiving dinner.

Then I can watch the guys waddle into the living room,

moaning and groaning that they ate too much.

That's the best complement a cook can get.

Some will nap, some will visit,

some will work on the game plan for shopping.

It will be the best day ever.

I hope all of you have a very

Happy Thanksgiving.

dana

New Treasures

2011-10-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

I am finding it harder and harder to sit down and blog. My days are spent out in the shop getting ready for our last two sales of the year. I have so much to do to get ready.

I did find this awesome scale last week junkin'. It's going to be hard to part with.

I also received a new witch for my collection from my daughter. She is carved from a gourd, love her. Thank you dear daughter!

I found this great song for Halloween to the tune of "My Favorite Things", so I had to share, since Halloween is my favorite holiday, enjoy!

Wit-ches on broom-sticks,

and carved hol-low pumpkins,

children in cos-tumes,

all look-ing like bump-kins!

Da-ra-cu-la face paint,

and long sa-tin capes!

These are a few of my fav’o’rite things!

Cob-webs with spi-ders,

and make-up with glit-ter,

mask covered faces,

and streets filled with lit-ter!

Cho-co-late cup-cakes,

and orange can-dy corn,

bob-bing for ap-ples,

un-til in the morn’.

When the ghosts howl,

when the bats fly,

when I’m fee-ling scared,

I simp-ly re-mem-ber,

that all of these things,

re-mind me of how,

To SCREAM!

Have a great week!

dana

NEW! glittered lights

2011-09-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

Good morning!

I'm just sitting here having coffee with Shaky,

hashing over our plans for -

"Witchy Week-end"

He has sooooo many great ideas.

He thinks all of you ladies will NEED

these glittered light stems to make

your Halloween displays "SPOOKY".

I did this is 10 minutes.

These stems will make any display look fab.

We will have them in glittered orange and black.

The picture doesn't do them justice, them are so cool.

Have a great day!

dana

You might be a picker if

2011-09-14T05:45:00.000-07:00

I love Jeff Foxworthy's humor, so I thought I would have a little fun. I have met so many people over the past year, who say they are a "picker". Some were at auctions, thrift stores, and tag sales.

Now, don't take this wrong, I think anyone saving anything from going to a landfill is awesome. Here are my thoughts on what I think a picker is.

You might be a picker if...

You call the clinic every summer to see when you had your tetanus shot.

You have scars and know where you were "pickin" when you got them.

You can't park in your garage, because it is full of treasures.

The men at the landfill are your friends and wave at you when you drive in.

The owner of the metal recycle place invites you into his office to visit.

You are no longer scared of bats, mice, bees, or snakes.

You carry tools and gloves with you at all times.

Your tires have been fixed too many times from nail holes.

You get soooo dirty, that you have to wash your hands twice.

You have piles of old stuff waiting to be repurposed.

No one will go with you to the "icky" places.

You climb through brush, tall grass, and water to see what's over there.

And my favorite...

You might be a picker if...

You have met some of the most interesting people you have ever met. People who have collected their whole life are really fun to visit with.

Feel free to add to my list, this could be fun.

Have a good day!

dana

Repurpose Time

2011-08-17T07:23:00.000-07:00

GOOD MORNING!

It seems like forever since I posted on here. Life is always busy, as you all know too well.

I am trying to use up some of my COLLECTION of metal junk. Yup, that's what I collect, metal junk. Not fancy dishes, S&P shakers, pottery, all of the cool things I see on other sites - just JUNK.

I had this idea to make a table out of these old window wells. I talked it over with my hubby, and then I had to leave to take care of my Dad. He had his fifth back surgery, doing great, he's a tough farmer.

When I got home Sunday night, he had it all done, just what I had visioned!

This is what he had to work with. He is the best hubby.

You could store so much in it. He smoothed out all the rough edges, so you could use it indoors as well.

It's on casters too, it rolls around easily.

I would love to keep it, but it's headed for the SEPTEMBER SALE.

Have a great day!

dana

$5 Find WooHoo!

2011-07-19T17:06:00.000-07:00

I love anything metal, chippy, and with wire is a bonus for me. I found this old laundry cart for $5. The wheels were in bad shape, but I knew I could fix them. I just had to spray the wing nuts with lots of rust blaster, remove them, and add several washers. It will probably end up for sale, but I might keep it for a bit.

The side of it is even perfect to hang my old sock forms on. One of these days, I will makeover my guest room, and then they are going on the wall in there.

I didn't put much thought into filling the basket. I just added some fun stuff I had around, and some shoe forms. I collect them too, more old metal.

I can see this would be so fun to change for the seasons.

dana

Stop & smell the flowers

2011-07-12T08:37:00.000-07:00

I had to walk outside this morning with my coffee cup and check out my flower gardens. I don't have a good camera, but thought I would snap a few pics.

This little bumble bee was determined to be in my pic, love them.

I haven't given my gardens enough attention this year, but they still make me smile.

dana

Ahhh, cleaning!

2011-07-11T14:49:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU!

to everyone who came to our Anniversary Celebration of the cottage.

Guess what's next on MY agenda???

Time to clean the house, before I get back out in the shop.

It won't take me long, my house is tiny.

Then I can post some pictures of new items I am making

for the AUGUST SALE.

I'm already sketching scarecrows to build for fall.

I hate to even think of it, YIKES!

Ok, back to work - work, work, work!

I grew up with the JETSONS - loved them.

Have a great week!

dana

We're celebrating!

2011-07-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

CELEBRATING!!!

ONE

YEAR

OUR

NEW

COTTAGE!

Thank you!

to all of our customers over the past 9 years.

Stop by and help us celebrate.

Krista & Dana

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-03T18:56:00.000-07:00

We hope everyone has a SAFE and HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

Krista and I worked for 2 long days in the heat getting ready for our July SALE.

We accomplished sooooo much. I love when she comes up to my house.

We tackled so many projects. I built, she painted, and painted. We had a BLAST!

We even got a chance to stop at The Tattered Angel. Their shop is so darn cute.

She has great signs and decor, jewelry, and so much more.

You can check them out on facebook.

Ok, better go and get more ready for our sale, which starts in 4 days.

You can get all the info. and pics on facebook.

dana

Good Old Summertime

2011-06-07T11:24:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, Summertime...

I was going to have these incredible flower gardens this year, and what happened???

Maybe -

It's because all of the COOL JUNK I was saving for my garden, I sold at the Garden Sale.

Or-

Because I would rather be spending time with my two Grandkids instead of staying home.

Or_

I'm always building something for the shop, instead of working on my own stuff.

So, I still just have the one fun garden. I do have perennials around the house, but I really wanted to do more gardens this year.

I did keep a few JUNKY items to add to my spaces, but not much.

How did you ladies do this year, did you get more done than me?

dana

"Good Wishes"

2011-06-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

Don't have much time to post these days. We are busy, busy, busy. It's like the old saying, "You have to make hay when the sun shines".

I put this little vignette together this morning. It will probably end up in the shop, but thought it would be a good idea to show.

I have had this bird cage forever. I took the wire cutters and cut out some of the front for a different look. Of course, I sprayed it white. I will have spray paint on my hands till Labor Day, when I can't spray outside anymore.

I added some fun items, old wheel, string holder, postcard, bluebird figurine, shredded music paper, and old S&P shakers. I just picked up the vintage apron, so I thought the colors would be fun on top to tie it all together.

I love this postcard - I think it just says it all.

These old S&P shakers were a wedding gift to my parents 57 years ago. We never used them, just dusted them.

Have a great day!

dana

News Article Follow-Up

2011-05-10T16:45:00.000-07:00

We were very surprised when the Duluth News Tribune called us. They did an article on Occasional Sales in Duluth. They interviewed us and took pictures of our shop. We are grateful for the opportunity to talk about what we LOVE to do.

We had a few phone calls, not sure what we are all about -

HERE'S THE SCOOP -

We are only open one week-end a month.

The shop is full of refurbished furniture, mostly painted - dressers, tables, chairs, desks, hutches, etc.

Lamps, pictures, glass cloches, bird nests, birds, garden statuary, books, baskets, & more.

We carry a line of soy candles that smell incredible. We just received our first shipment of fun jewelry. The gals love it.

We have recycled items as well -

Garden benches from old headboards, garden chairs, metal garden flowers from old machinery parts, birdhouses, garden hooks, window boxes, planters from recycled pails, tool boxes, and way too much to list.

We even have a corner for cabin and man cave decor.

You just never know what you will find in our shop. It is constantly changing, and we are always on the hunt for unique, one-of-a-kind items.

Have a great week!

Krista & Dana

Happy SNOWY May Day

2011-05-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

Well, it's not the MAY DAY I was hoping for, but here it is. It's cold and snowing. I worked in my gardens this week, finally got them done and now SNOW.

It is going to be a short summer up here, when we can see snow in September easily.

I'm NOT complaining, it's just snow. My heart goes out to all of the people and devastation down south from the tornadoes. Those folks would be so happy if all it had done was snow.

I was only in one tornado scare in my life, and it was not fun. It was 35 years ago, with a new baby. My mother-in-law called, told me to come over to her basement. The tornado didn't hit the lake we were by, but the other end, and there was a mobile home flattened. That was what we were living in at the time.

So, the snow is OK, I just wish spring would straighten out.

I moved my GARDEN JUNK around this year. I even decided to sell some of it. I should have a picture of my hubby doing the happy dance. I am keeping only ONE old reel lawn mower, selling two.

I have soooo many old wheels, but I haven't put any of them in the trailer for the sale YET. I need to part with some of them, so maybe.

We've been working on this trellis display for the shop. It's one of those, either burn the old lathes, or do something with them. I dry brushed them with garden green, added a old headboard for support, bench, and I think it will work. I need to add grapevine to it, and hang some gourd birdhouses from the top piece. We made them yesterday.

Have a good week ladies, I am headed down to Krista's to get ready for our BIG garden sale. This will be our biggest sale of the year, Woohoo!

You will be able to check out sale pics on FACEBOOK this week.

dana

Time to JUNK build

2011-04-06T08:16:00.000-07:00

I am finally back out in the shop building, woohoo!

We still have lots of snow and I have to make a fire, but I can't sit in the house any longer.

I started making birdhouses yesterday from old reclaimed cedar, hardware, tin, and horse tack.

I love the look of the old horse tack on them. It gives them lots of character. I was at an auction with my son-in-law when this whole pile of horse tack came up and no one would buy it. The auctioneer knows that I will buy anything for $2.50, so he looked at me, and of course I said yes. Now I am glad I have it.

My hubby worked with me over the week-end, which can sometimes be a challenge. I have to think, think, & think about how I want to build and he is a "GET IT DONE" guy. We started with the old head board bench above and did this plant stand.

We used the old reclaimed cedar and and antique tractor front grill.

I build so many plant stands and am always looking for something cool to use. This time I used a grill from an old tractor.

It will be perfect to set pots on and any excess water will drain away nicely.

Break from Blogland

2011-03-17T06:22:00.000-07:00

I am taking a break from blogland to go watch my Grandchildren for 10 days. I love MY time with them. I found these great pics, and had to share.

Isn't this fun? I might have to go through hubby's old boots.

I never get tired of seeing old bicycles. This one is so cool. I love the whole rabbit theme.

Old wheels are the best. I have many around my yard. They have so much history behind them. We have several old ones on the farm I need to rescue.

Take care ladies,

dana

Garden Urn Makeover

2011-03-15T10:30:00.000-07:00

I found this fun urn last Saturday at a garden store. My hubby gave me the LOOK when I had 5 of them lined up to buy. He wouldn't say it, but I KNOW what he was thinking. "Why are they going to buy these from you, when they can go and buy their own?"

First I dry brushed white, then blue glaze, and then white over the top again. The picture doesn't show the blue much, but it's there.

I added pussy willows, nest, bird with old key , and a vintage postcard. I have had these old clips forever, and I'm glad I didn't throw them away. It worked perfect for clipping the postcard to the branch.

I will have these for sale in April at the shop.

dana

I'm going Cottage & Junk style

2011-03-14T10:34:00.000-07:00

I have gone from " UP NORTH & MOOSE" decor to PRIMITIVE, and now on to COTTAGE & JUNK. Isn't it funny how our style changes. All of my up north & moose decor went to the cabin, and I have sold most of my primitive. I have LOVED cottage for years, and am finally making the change.

We are painting our whole house inside white - and then that's it. I have wood furniture, not painted, so I think the white walls will be perfect.

I will keep all of my garden junk, love it.

YES, I DID IT. I tore the covers off of old books. I said I wouldn't, thought it was silly, but it really does look cool. These books are from 1910.

I'm keeping this old light fixture too, and I love to decorate with birds and nests all year long.

Krista gave me this old store string holder for Christmas. We decided to give each other one recycled gift. I saw this at a yard sale, and she was sneaky and bought it for me. I was so surprised when I opened it. She is the best daughter.

Yes, it's cottage & junk style for me.

Have a great day!

dana

Saturday finds & I'm not a stalker

2011-03-13T08:54:00.000-07:00

Hmmm, where do I start? Last week, when Deb called, (who has a charming shop called The Tattered Angel), she told me that there was a indoor flea market in Bemidji on Saturday. I love my phone visits with Deb, she is a wonderful and super talented gal. Check her out on facebook.

We set the alarm for 5:30, and woke up to the wind howling and freezing rain. Great, what should we do? But you know us die hard junkers, LET'S GO FOR IT! We drove out of the rain after about 40 miles, and then just contended with wind and blowing snow, a piece of cake for us Minnesotans.

We get to the flea market, and it's packed. Hubby dropped me off at the door, and people are already coming out carrying many bags, grrrrr!

Then, lots of junk, and not lots of GOOD JUNK. I did score the tractor seat, level, pumpkin, clay pots, and that weird deer candle holder, (plans for that ugly thing).

Who did I run into? Deb, we chatted a little, and then on to find treasures.

We didn't stay there long, and on to the next stop, a thrift shop. Who did I find there? Deb, we laughed, and I assured her that I wasn't following her. We didn't find much there, just the handled vase, so we all headed across the street to another shop. We parted ways there, and off we went.

We stopped at another shop, where I grabbed the giraffe, (NO idea why, I do love giraffes, but seriously?) This was a frustrating stop, one of those where everything cool, is NOT FOR SALE. Time to leave...

We stopped at many more shops, found the old steamer, horse muzzle from the 30s, and silver dish. Time to head for home. We stopped in Blackduck, wanted to check out the Blackduck Antique & Gift Shop. Guess who was there? Deb! Now she totally thought I was stalking her. We had more laughs, and I picked up the cool wall grate.

It was a fun day. Thanks Deb, for telling me about the flea market. Where are we going next Saturday, LOL.

dana

Here Comes Peter Cottontail...

2011-03-10T07:53:00.000-08:00

I have been debating on selling my Easter treasures in the shop or keeping them. I dragged them out yesterday, and put together a little vignette to help me decide.

I know Easter is not for weeks, but hey, we decorate for Christmas 6 weeks before Christmas at Thanksgiving time. Easter is a special holiday too.

I don't have much, but I have collected a few fun items over the years. I do love this rabbit.

And this rabbit isn't too bad either. The picture is my kids when they were little with their Easter baskets. I don't use doilies anymore, but the display needed some white to tie in with the door, so out they came. They were my Mom's, so I keep them too. I'm sure someone in my family made these long ago. The middle of them is tatted, so much work.

See the pussy willows? When you live in Minnesota, you have to save them from last spring. I won't be able to cut any up here till May.

I still have a few weeks before the sale to decide if I should keep them. I could keep them and pass them on to my Grandchildren some day. I know they like them now, so I might have to ask them before I decide.

Do you decorate for Easter? Lots or little?

Talk to me ladies...I'm buried in snow on the Canadian border.

dana

:-)

Sorry ladies...I'm keeping it

2011-03-09T07:12:00.000-08:00

I'm keeping it for now. I'm sure it will end up in the shop, everything does, LOL.

I found this old metal stand with the FB ROGERS vintage silver tray on top of it a while back. I was cleaning it up today to take to the shop. It is super heavy with lots of detail.

Then the light bulb came on, not as fast as it used to be, but none the less, it still works. Could this work on my table?

I added shredded dictionary pages, (my favorite filler), an old ceiling light fixture filled with real blown eggs, nest, bird, and of course a cloche. Everyone should have a cloche, they are so much fun.

It is kind of high, but it does make a statement. It's just hubby and I, so it's not in the way for us. I guess if I had company, I would move it.

What do you think? What is in the middle of your table today???

dana

Old typewriters...

2011-03-07T10:21:00.000-08:00

I LOVE old typewriters. I just found this one on Friday at Old Town Antiques in Duluth MN.

Thank you, Sarah.......it was in her booth in the window. She has the best treasures.

It's not a No. 5, which I really want, but it works, and it will be fun to use for many projects.

I think they are such a big part of history, just think of everything that was typed on these -

Manuscripts for plays and movies - like - Gone With The Wind

All of the books

Love letters

I love to find old typed letters and documents, they look so cool, compared to things typed on computers today. The letters are uneven and not spaced properly, which give them such charm.

I may have to type letters to my Grandchildren on this one.

This Underwood is really a big typewriter. I will probably keep it for a while, and then sell it in the shop. Hopefully I will find a No. 5 someday in good working order.

Have a good day, ladies.

dana

Greenhouse LOVE

2011-03-01T07:13:00.000-08:00

Oh YEAH, it's snowing again. This is my view every morning, while I drink my coffee, and dream of SPRING. It is never going to get here this year. We will have snow till May.

That is my flower garden, buried under way too much snow. Ding Dong, the wicked witch isn't dead! I can see her head again. I bought her at Junk Bonanza last fall, and she never got put away.

I found this site this morning -

http://www.1kindesign.com/2011/02/01/glamorous-vintage-inspired-greenhouse/

This greenhouse is amazing!

The story is also very sweet, this gal's hubby renovated this potting shed for her as a wedding present. He used recycled windows, and is so talented, my kind of man.

The inside is just incredible. You could sit here all day, and never leave. Check out those chandeliers, oh my! There are many more inspiring pictures on the site.

Thank you Heather for sharing, it made my morning coffee taste a little bit better.

dana

Record Cabinet - REPURPOSE

2011-02-05T15:17:00.000-08:00

It has been sooooo cold outside, I haven't been doing much JUNKIN'. Instead, I have been digging in my stash.

The TV said we broke our record, it was -46 one morning, but we didn't. Our record is -55. I hope we don't break that any time soon.

I found this old record cabinet last summer. The door was in tough shape, so I decided to take it off.

It needed quite a bit of repair, but after that and a coat of paint, it looks really good.

It has great style to it, but the old furniture just does. I think it's fun for magazines, but it also holds 12x12 scrapbooking paper nicely too.

This is another piece that will be at our FEBRUARY SALE.

dana

WANTED- One Princess

2011-02-01T11:46:00.000-08:00

This project has been a labor of love. I have had this mirror FOREVER. It was dark wood, piece broke off and gone. My DH carved a new piece for it. You can't even see where it was replaced. I think I will KEEP him.

Now the mirror is finished and I think it goes lovely with this vanity. You could hang it on the wall above the vanity. The center of the vanity opens up and there is also a mirror in it, with fun compartments for all of the treasures a Princess would have.

It is not an easy task photographing a mirror. Thank goodness I only got some of the basement disaster in it.

I even painted both pieces the same color. This is such a fun set. It will be for SALE in February if it makes it past my Granddaughter's room.

Kitchen LOVE

2011-01-28T05:06:00.000-08:00

It's white outside, so why not inside? Have you noticed that every magazine you open showcases white, white, and more white? I never thought I would go back to all white, but it's time. I love this kitchen.

Then you start looking at color samples - YIKES - there's warm whites and cool whites, and 300 other shades of white. This may not be as easy as I think. The last time I painted my house white inside, there was white and cream, end of story. I will have to brain storm with Krista, she's the guru of painting.

I would love to move right into this house, then I wouldn't have to paint mine.

Have a great week-end!

dana

It's DONE - Finally

2011-01-15T07:47:00.000-08:00

I finally finished this project - it took way longer than I had hoped, but I think it turned out ok.

This was going to be a tutorial, but after the 10th coat and two days, I couldn't even remember what I all did to it. It was even trash bound a couple of times.

I started out just spraying it with whites and browns, this is the red one. Finally had to walk away from it, go to bed, and think about it, ALL NIGHT. The next morning, it was clear what I had to do. Off to the hardware store and I put a coat of plaster over the whole thing, making it look like concrete. Then it was more coats of paint, glaze, paint, and finally I just said ENOUGH.

I white washed an old pot from the garden shed, and then just put the whole thing together, adding moss.

This is how is started out. It was lots of trial and error, but a fun project.

Here's a close up, so you can really see the texture. It did take longer than I wanted, but what else do you do in northern Minnesota when it's cold and snowing.

Have a creative week-end.

dana

Take a Guess

2011-01-13T14:31:00.000-08:00

I just picked up these HUGE ornaments for 75% off, woohoo!

As I was walking out, a lady said, Oh, you got some new Christmas decorations.

I almost said, Oh, honey, you have NO idea what I am going to do with them.

What do you think I am going to do with them???

Stay tuned - I must go get busy, busy, busy!

dana

New Year.....New JUNK

2011-01-07T10:58:00.000-08:00

Ahhh, don't you just LOVE new junk? My hubby just shakes his head. I just can't seem to part with this old light fixture. It is aged to perfection. I put it in a cubby in my old shaker cupboard.

I found this old toolbox a couple of weeks ago out junking with my dear friend Cheryl. She looked at it, but didn't grab it, so you know who it came home with. I put it in my garden bathroom, the color is awesome in there. Now I will sell my other one that was in there.

This one even has the insert, so I filled it with my brass nozzle collection and some flower frogs, and other goodies, so fun.

Tool boxes are great display pieces. You have to pick them up and then go home and get creative.

I have so much more to do in my house, but I am painting for the shop, so that's all I got done for now.

Have a great week-end!

dana

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T18:57:00.000-08:00

We want to wish all of you a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We look forward to a new year in the shop.

A new year of finding great "treasures".

THANK YOU! for a wonderful 2010!

Bye old lights...hello new lamp

2010-12-14T09:45:00.000-08:00

I am not happy about giving up my old lights for the new LED ones. However, I had no say about this one. My hubby said I can't BE GREEN and keep my old lights. I don't even like the new LED ones. They just don't look the same.

The old ones were memories back in time, of me going to my Grandparents house and seeing these lights, and the lights we had when my children were little.

Ok, no more nostalgia, back to being green. My hubby took matters into his own hands and went and bought new LED lights last year, but knew he didn't dare throw the old ones away. He knew I would do something with them, recycled of course.

A friend of mine gave me this old jar 20 years ago, no lid, and of course I have kept it. I think I am a little bit of a hoarder. It's hard not to be, when you are in this business.
I decided to drill a hole in it and make a lamp, with what else, but my old light bulbs.

This photo doesn't show it very well, it's awesome at night.

Enjoy the rest of the week!

dana

Cloches for Christmas

2010-12-09T10:40:00.000-08:00

Hello ladies -

It seems with the shop, we hardly ever get time to post or decorate our own homes. I can no longer take a whole week to decorate my house, so this year, it was fast.

It was easy with my new LOVE for cloches. They are so much fun.

I'm so glad that I brought my birdbath indoors for winter. It makes a great display piece.

Thanks to Sarah, I have a vintage battery box, great find this year. The Santa is from a trip to Colorado to see my son when he lived there. He is made in Russia. My son worked at the store for a while. Check out their site, tolstoys.com , the craftsmanship on this carved Santa is amazing.

I love my old treasures -

The plate was my hubby's Mom's. The mittens were knitted by his Grandma, and the mitten holders were my hubby's when he was little. I'm such a sap for family nostalgia.

I just added this Santa head to my old white door, easy.

I have lots of Santas, can't seem to part with any of them. This one is truly my inspiration. I bought him at a craft fair 20 years ago. He was made by an elderly man that was blind. He sat there with band aids all over his fingers, carving these Santas by only feeling the wood. I stood and watched him forever. It reminded me - no matter what life gives you, you can go on and do great things.

I hope amidst all the shopping, decorating, baking, and chaos, that you enjoy a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

dana

Who needs sleep?

2010-12-01T16:46:00.000-08:00

Hello Ladies!

We are so busy working in the shop, here is our facebook link for more pictures of our Winter Wonderland sale that starts Friday at 9:00 a.m.

Winter Wonderland Sale Starts Friday at 9:00 a.m.!

2010-11-30T18:10:00.000-08:00

We have lots of new items for our December sale. We are still tweaking and adding more. I will add some pictures soon with the fresh greens to go. They are in some very cool containers! My mom has also been doing some welding out at the farm and has some great wreath hangers available. They are welded out of some very cool junk. We hope to see you this weekend!

Winter Wonderland

2010-11-15T07:31:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who came out for Diva Days, the sale was a huge success. We always enjoy the three day event and meet so many interesting people. We are busy getting ready for our Winter Wonderland sale Dec 3-5. There will be lots of fresh greens to go! Hope to see you there!

Diva Days starts tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.

2010-11-04T06:59:00.000-07:00

Here's a few more pictures of our Diva Days sale that starts tomorrow. We will be open this weekend Fri-Sun, 9-5. Stop out and browse all the treasures, we would love to see you!

DIVA DAYS THIS WEEKEND!

2010-11-01T18:26:00.000-07:00

It's almost time for our Grand Opening/Diva Days sale this weekend. We are open from 9-5, Friday to Sunday. We have so much stuff that we will be adding to the sale each day. We wanted to be well stocked for the Grand Opening. I added a few pictures and will be adding more this week. Stop by for some coffee and treats. Put your name in the hat, we will have drawings daily!

Thanks for stopping by,

Krista

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-29T06:29:00.000-07:00

The leaves are raked,

there’s a nip in the air,

the pumpkins are carved

waiting to scare.

Witches on brooms

are dressed to fly,

across the dark Halloween sky.

Eerie noises from graveyards,

screams from skeletons and ghouls,

beware of the night,

for there are no rules.

Ghosts and goblins

are roaming the street,

haunting and shouting,

“Trick or Treat!”

Will you stay home?,

or go out if you dare.

Just remember…..

It’s Halloween night,

so do prepare.

I wrote this poem years ago, and thought it was time to share it.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

dana

Wedding Lanterns - plumbing & heating aisle - check!

2010-10-24T19:30:00.000-07:00

CONGRATULATIONS! ~ CLINT & LISA ~

The weather was sunny,

the GROOM was handsome,

the BRIDE was beautiful,

the ceremony was full of love & tears,

the day was PERFECT!

We made these huge birch displays for the wedding, and what to do for lanterns??? I searched for lanterns on the internet, plus shopping at many stores. Then went with my first idea and off to the plumbing and heating department at Menards.

The lanterns are rain caps. I sprayed them ivory, added wire hangers, and done. I put jar candles in them, and they turned out great.

We made 2 of these sandwich boards that were used for the program, seating chart, menu and a wonderful "thank you" from the bride and groom. They are 3 ft x 6 ft.

The invitations were designed by a friend of Lisa's. They had this great deer head on them, which set the theme for the whole wedding. We cut out these deer heads, and used real horns, candles, & moss on the mantel. We bought the vintage metal holder to the left of Lisa at Junk Bonanza, and filled it with birch brush. There is one behind Clint too.

How about a Pedicab ride? This was right after the ceremony. This man was amazing. He gave rides for a couple of hours, don't know how he does it.

Like Krista said, "This photo says it all".

May they be this happy forever.

We are so blessed to have Lisa in our family, we love her!

dana

It's all true - I love WEIRD!

2010-10-19T07:10:00.000-07:00

SORRY, we haven't posted for a while, we were busy working on my son's wedding.

I have a lovely new daughter-in-law, Lisa, who is a designer. How lucky are we?

I will have to do a post on the displays we made for the wedding. HINT - I made lanterns out of materials from the plumbing and heating section.

OK, BACK TO - WEIRD!

I got this great clay pumpkin from my daughter and son-in-law for my birthday. You can make a wood fire in it, but I think I will put candles in it for Halloween. I seen it at the garden center last year, and of course I loved it, it's WEIRD.

My hubby brought me this little guy home from a trip out west years ago. He's chalk, love him, but yes, he's a little weird too.

How about these? I just found these last week. They are brass and look kind of creepy. I need to spray them black and add candles. They will look great in my Halloween display. The lady said, "I didn't think anyone would buy these, they are kind of weird".

I think this says it all for me.
And yes, my family does say "You're weird", but that's ok, I love to think outside the box, and find super weird and cool things for our shop.

TRUE STORY - I put on working clothes, hat, and gloves, and headed for my secret junk spot last week. While I'm there digging in the junk, this nicely dressed lady walks into the building, looks at me, and says -
"Are you organizing?" I said - "No, I'm just looking for treasures" She said - "Oh, I thought this was your place." and that's how you know you are a true JUNKER.

Have a great week ladies!
dana

The Witch Is In SALE this weekend

2010-09-28T09:19:00.000-07:00

Just a few quick pictures for our upcoming sale that starts Friday at 9:00 a.m. Stop in for a cup of Junkin' Java and a treat. Hope to see you this weekend!

My SIL in cake form!

2010-09-27T07:14:00.000-07:00

I had to share this charming bridal cake. It's my future sister in law in cake form! My mom is super talented in more ways than I can say. My mom (Dana) made this cake for Lisa's shower last weekend. It was gorgeous. The cake traveled about 8 hours and didn't budge. Elegance at its best! My favorite was the feathers in her hair.

My mom made the bouquet out of vintage flowers from the sixties. She has so many crafting supplies it's scary. They came off of some old hat, who knows with her!

Stay tuned for pictures from our upcoming October sale that starts Friday.

Happy Monday! Krista

Halloween Birdbath???

2010-09-14T07:29:00.000-07:00

Is your birdbath still outside? Well, bring it on in. I look at mine buried in the snow for months, but no more. I scrubbed it up, and put a Halloween display in it. Again - used everything I had, not buying anything new.

How fun is this? I didn't even buy the birdbath, the previous owners left it here, makes it even better.

I'm keeping my table really SIMPLE this year -

black tablecloth

10 cent tray, sprayed black

few of my favorites

shredded old dictionary, I love shredded paper in displays

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I know it's early, but I am hardly ever home, so I want to enjoy my Halloween treats for a little while.

dana

USE what you have for Halloween

2010-09-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I had to go through my Halloween bins, and decided to put out a few things. I found this cool black material at a tag sale, threw it in the bin, and now I love it!

It covers the cords, I hate when the cords show. I hung some lites on the back wall in my kitchen , tacked up some material, and done, great backdrop for a display. I found the book at a tag sale too -

MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL

The witch in the pumpkin has green lites that flash. I actually caught them flashing, super fun.

I used it again in this display, it's really cool. I know I have seen it at material shops. I thought it would be fun to add an old buggy wheel, and hog scraper for my little pumpkin.

I have been picking up junked lamps and tearing them apart. I took the base from one and sprayed it black. It makes a great base to put a Halloween pumpkin on.

Stay tuned for more - it's time to make supper.

dana

Thank you!!

2010-09-12T17:37:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all who came out to our Sept. occasional sale. We always enjoy visiting with our regulars and meeting new customers as well. Look for your October postcard in the mail soon! We are excited to transform Snowman Hill for Halloween. Thank you again for all your support.

Sale starts tomorrow at 9:00 AM!!

2010-09-09T07:37:00.000-07:00

Just a few more pics before tomorrow! Have a great Thursday!

The scarecrows are getting ready for the sale this weekend!

2010-09-06T16:05:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't believe I'm on schedule with my photos for this sale. That really never happens, I do enjoy fall decorating, so maybe that's why. I will post more throughout the week, so please check back!

I found this cute magazine rack, a little paint and number 3...she looks great.

Our soy candles are here! We came across this metal cabinet on Saturday. It was full of grease and in someones garage. Lots of elbow grease later and it's the perfect little candle display, yes it is for sale as well. We have 8 new scents, I was burning an orange spice one today that smelled like orange and cloves. So yummy!! They make a great gift.

Garden poke, hay bale, pumpkin gourds, metal tray = super easy fall centerpiece!

How cool is this mirror with the metal bird nest attached?

Happy fall decorating and we hope to see everyone this weekend! We are open Friday and Saturday 9-5, and Sunday from 9-1.

Crows, & Punkins, & Colors, OH MY!

2010-09-03T12:29:00.000-07:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!! I absolutely love fall, and Halloween is my favorite holiday. My family thinks I am crazy when it comes to Halloween. My Granddaughter even tells people that her Nana is a witch. I have loved Halloween ever since I was little. I wish I had a covered porch again. It would look like this. I am going to make my office a Halloween room this winter. I want to have my Halloween goodies out year round. I have big plans, I will share them with all of you, when the time comes.

We have been so busy in the shop, we have 4 sales left this year, and we want to make sure our ladies enjoy every trip out here. We just received our candle order, and they smell yummy. We are carrying a new line of candles this fall. They are 100% soy and we love them.

I need to take my camera with me and capture great photos like this one. It's just simple, and yet I could have it hanging on my wall. Orange is also my favorite color, so maybe that's why I love this photo too.

I will soon be decorating my house and am going with a Junky Halloween theme this year. I will post pics and ideas when I get home. How do you decorate? Are you crazy for Halloween or not?

Tee hee hee!!!

dana

BIG NEWS!! Junkin Java is here!!!

2010-08-20T12:06:00.000-07:00

It's finally here! Junkin Java is officially on the shelves and for sale! We have been working on our own signature coffee for about 3 months now, and it's here! A big thanks to my future sister-in-law(a designer for Target) who designed the labels..we LOVE them and a big thanks to my mom who spent hours on the phone getting this up and running. What a great way to jump start your treasure hunting and a great gift for your junkin friends. After tasting many samples we finally agreed on a house blend. We are also donating 10% of all sales to research for childhood cancer. This means a lot to me seeing that my son is almost 3 years cancer free, he is seven. Hopefully you will be able to buy Junkin Java off of our blog soon!

SALE starts tomorrow!!!

2010-08-19T19:17:00.000-07:00

Boy am I late on getting these posted. So sorry, but time gets away from me and I don't keep a camera handy..ever. Maybe I should start. We've been having a ball getting ready for our August sale. It starts tomorrow morning and runs until Sunday at 5:00. Lots of time to get the good deals, and don't forget to bring your coupon from our ad in the Woman Today. We hope to see you sometime over the weekend.

ps- Sorry I haven't been posting more over the summer, I'm bad at staying connected to the bloggy world!

Siding will be on the way soon! Can't wait!

BIG NEWS!! Stay tuned!

2010-08-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

We have some big news coming soon! We are still working out the last minute details and colors and what not. We are excited to share it with you and you may be able to purchase it right from our blog (if we can figure that out)! If all goes well, we should be selling it at our August Sale next weekend!

"Farm Junk" Repurposed

2010-08-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

I just spent a few days with my Dad on our family farm.

He taught me how to weld! We had so much fun.

I welded the scarecrow frame from old rebar.

We took apart an old field disc that he no longer uses

and recycled it into fun display pieces.

These are some of the blades and the center bar.

We welded an old drinking cup to one of the blades.

You could do so much with this.

It would be fun to plant hen and chicks in it in the summer.

This is the rock basket from the top of the disc,

another fun display piece.

Now, I just have to decide how I am going to sell any of it.

I'm Seeing Stars!

2010-07-29T15:39:00.000-07:00

First of all - THANK YOU LADIES! for making the opening of our shop a huge success. It was such a fun week-end. We were doubtful that anyone would show up, since we never got any postcards sent out. There was sooooo much work to do before we opened the doors, but we have the best hubbies in the world, and my daughter is such a worker. We all made it happen, we always do.

Are you looking at this picture saying, What the heck is it? It's really old, and I am so surprised that there is a star in the middle of it. I found it junkin' of course.

Yup, it's an old farm cow drinking cup. So what did they do, sit around and decide that maybe the cows would love the star motif, too funny! I had to drag it home, now I need to get creative with it.

I also decided it's great weather for spray painting, so I am working on Fall & Christmas decor for our sales, yikes! It's scary to even say those words. I love metallic paints, these also need some glitter.

And another STAR! I am working on some crows for our Fall Sneak Peak Shop Hop in August.
Is anyone else working on Fall & Christmas?

Have a good week-end ladies!
dana

Sneak Peak #2

2010-07-21T05:19:00.000-07:00

Just a few more pictures of our sale starting this Friday at 9:00 a.m.!

Vincent will be sure to greet you at the door!

Sneak Peak #1

2010-07-19T19:54:00.000-07:00

Our monthly sale starts on Friday morning and I can't for everyone to see how busy we have been. The shop looks beautiful. I know I have the best family in the world, they have put blood, sweat and tears into this project. Our "dream" of having our own shop has finally come true! My husband reminded me of the very first project I ever tackled...15 years ago! Sad to say, I don't even know what happened to that bedroom set. My mom has been doing it for about 37 years (she's a pro). Here's a few pics of our upcoming sale. I will post sneak peaks everyday until the sale.

Vintage photographer's nook.

Vintage Blanket Chest

2010-07-14T06:52:00.000-07:00

I have been working on this old blanket chest for a few days. I decided to paint it green and distress it a little bit. It has lots of character and is very heavy! My favorite detail is the gargoyle handles on the sides. I have seen lion handles, but never gargoyles! Very cool. This big dog will also be for sale next weekend at our July occasional sale. I had a meeting last night with 5 other shop owners and we have planned a fabulous "Fall Sneak Peak" shop hop Aug. 20-22. More details to come on that soon!

Handsome little table

2010-07-13T05:48:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share this handsome little side table that I picked up from an estate sale a few weekends ago. I knew it had potential. I like the S curve of the legs and the rope detail around the bottom of the table. I can see this in a little boys room. This little guy will be for sale at our July sale next weekend! Have a great day!

Blacks and Reds

2010-07-08T09:37:00.000-07:00

Hello from under all the furniture! Boy, you can barely walk in my garage or basement, it's a miracle I haven't broke my leg! I'm in the mood for black and red today. Our July sale will have lots of color! I wanted to do a quick post about the furniture I finished this morning and it will all be for sale at our July sale.

Check out those sexy legs! I'm a sucker for furniture with killer legs.

I can think of million place to put this little red number.

I covered this chair seat with linen and hand painted the stripes, again, I love her legs!

To think, before today, my husband almost put this darling table in the bonfire! Shame on him! I will forgive him because today we are celebrating 10 years of marriage!!! OOPS, forgot the pull on the drawer!

Ahhh...heavily distressed furniture bares so much character and you never worry about future nicks.

Have a great day!

We are making progress!

2010-07-02T08:18:00.000-07:00

Hello ladies! Sorry we haven't been posting to much lately, but we have been super busy with building "Snowman Hill" and trying to make plans for our future occasional sales. We are off to enjoy the fourth of July with family at our cabin today. We'll back and insulating on Monday. Boy...so much do to do! Here is a quick picture of our covered porch going on this morning. Happy Fourth of July everyone!

What a nice surprise!

2010-06-28T06:31:00.000-07:00

Our June sale was a success and we thank all who came for coming. We met lots of new customers as well. It's always fun to watch someone buy something you repurposed, painted or created. What a nice surprise it was when Amy from junkologie and Lani from Cottage Elements walked through our door. We love their eye for junk and what they do. Check those talented ladies out! The progress on our shop is coming along nicely. We now have electricity! French doors are delivered today! Our July sale will be sooner than later, so I better get off the computer and get busy!

JUNE SALE STARTS FRIDAY!!!

2010-06-22T19:20:00.000-07:00

Just a few quick pictures for our sale this weekend. We hope to see you!!

Check out Funky Junque if you haven't already!

2010-06-21T06:14:00.000-07:00

We're back!! We have been vacationing out west the last 9 days and are back and getting ready for our June sale this weekend. It's nice to see sunshine, we saw snow! I wanted to share a great shop with everyone. If you get to Fargo, North Dakota you must check out Funky Junque. Kriss has great new and vintage items for sale. I enjoyed browsing the fun jewelry, pillows, clothing and vintage pieces. Yes, I did shop as well! If you haven't checked out her blog go there now and become a fan on her facebook page as well. I will be posting pictures for our June sale later today here and on our facebook page.

Tweet Secretary

2010-06-07T12:41:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share this secretary that I finished last weekend. It will be in our June sale! We have lots of fun new pieces and planters to go. Our shop is going up as I type, it's going to be a fab space and we have tons of ideas for the inside! Have a great Monday!

Repurposed Corner Table

2010-05-31T06:12:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Memorial weekend! We normally head to the cabin, but this year we are building Snowman Hill. Thank you to my wonderful hubby,my dad, Clint and Ryan...you guys ROCK! I spent yesterday painting, building, repurposing, repeat. I have had two sets of these table legs hiding under the stairs for a long time. I knew I wanted to do a corner table. Yesterday my mom and I made it happen!

We added a top and a piece of decorative molding I picked up for FREE on the side of the road last year.

Ahhhhh.....I love creamy whites. I did a coat of paint and she just came to life! Our June sale is coming soon and we have lots of fun repurposed goods for you. I did several projects yesterday with some new techniques and I love the results!

The boys have been busy all weekend. The roof went on last night. I'll add more pictures soon. I can't wait for our Grand Opening!!!!

CAN I pull this off?

2010-05-26T15:07:00.000-07:00

I love to put a wire canning insert in the middle of the table, and change the decor in it constantly. The tablecloth is from the Country Living line. I just adore it, so fun for summer.

This was my Mother-in-law, Vallie. She was Martha Stewart before anyone even heard of Martha Stewart. I was very lucky to know her for 17 years. She was everything I wanted to be as a new bride, she did it all.

She taught me how to make bread, and use a canner. She had a root cellar full of canned goods every year.

I love canning and canned for years. She was so amazing, I could write a book about her.

So, when I started finding wire canner inserts, I decided to collect them, what's one more collection???

They just make me smile when I find them, thinking of her, canning in her kitchen.

I hung a couple on the wall, not sure if they make good wall art, but we'll see.

This is 3 more of them on my barn red wall, soon to be painted. I have decided it is time to go white. It's so funny how we change, when all my walls were white, all I wanted was color, and now it's back to white. I think they will look much better on a white wall.

I know they will make my friends give me the hmmm look, what do you think?

Have a good day!

dana

I NEED a "Hanging Bed" today

2010-05-24T09:30:00.000-07:00

We have been sooo busy! Our first sale of the summer was fun, fun, fun!

Thank You! to all of the wonderful ladies (& guys) who came out and shopped.

Today it is pouring outside & I desperately need a nap.

I love hanging beds, I will have one someday.

We poured the slab for our shop last Friday, and will start building this Friday.

Hopefully we will have walls and a roof in a week or two. We are super excited!!!

These beds look so inviting, how fun are they?

REMEMBER, always test your bed before you let guests sleep on it.

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

dana

How to Plant a Succulent Garden

2010-05-17T10:21:00.000-07:00

Do you have a succulent container garden in your house? I do! I just planted my first one yesterday and I love it and want many more! Here are some great photos of what you could do and a site to get the low down on how to do it. Have fun and post some pictures and share them with all of us!

3 Reasons to Come our May Occasional Sale this weekend!

2010-05-09T18:51:00.000-07:00

We have been very busy getting ready for our May Sale that starts on Friday at 9:00 a.m.! Drum role please....the top 3 reasons you shouldn't miss it;

1. There is so much and so many one of kind items!

2. You just might get addicted like we have!

3. Be here to sign up for a $50.00 gift certificate to spend at our June Sale!!!

Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9-5.

4462 West Tischer Rd.

Duluth, Mn

We hope to see you there!

Can you SEE it???

2010-05-05T07:17:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to share a few pictures of the site for "Snowman Hill" opening in July! I don't know if you can see it...but I can! The boys have been busy clearing all the trees and getting the pad ready for concrete. We are very excited! Our May and June occasional sales will take place out of my house. My gargage is full of stuff for the shop, can't you tell, we can't even park our vehicles in there!

The boys were busy last weekend with the plumbing. It was raining all day, and it was a very messy job. Thank you so much guys! This weekend we'll be pouring the footings and last minute details before the concrete comes. I will keep you updated on the progress. Our minds are running wild with all the fun details we'll be adding on the inside. We purchased some wonderful light fixtures last weekend. I can't wait to hang them! Have a great Wednesday!

Do You Do BIRD POOP???

2010-05-03T12:13:00.000-07:00

I was able to talk dear hubby into doing a little Junkin' Saturday on our way over to Fleet Farm. We stopped at this sale that was like - DIRT & BIRD POOP CITY! This older fella was awesome, a total episode from "AMERICAN PICKERS". He had several old buildings and all old JUNK.

My heart just started to race, I had hit the jackpot! I didn't know where to dig first. However, I knew that I had to start a good rapport with this guy, or I wasn't going to get to dig in the corners. He had stuff on tables, and on a few shelves, pretty picked over.

I started to look at junk and we started talking and BOOM, we hit if off, I knew it was going to be a good haul. He was funny, quick witted, and liked to talk.

The item on top is an old horse piece, to stop horses from eating before shows. I can just see a moss liner and plants in it.

This is an old wood boat roller, so fun. I think I will just stand it up and display something on top of it.

I think this was my best find. It's a top from a an old display cabinet. It will make a great statement as a tray on a table with things on top of it.

I found these old crock bowls in the back. They were soooo nasty, just like everything else.

I found this fun stuff on the tables. The little porcelain lamps are marked Germany. Nice lot of depression glass. The coffee pot is stamped from Sweden. I also picked up a couple of suitcases, and other misc.

It was amazing how many people walked in and turned right around and walked out. The looks on their faces were priceless. I could of sat there all day and people watched.

We were there for quite a long time. When it was time to go, we shook hands and he invited me to come back. My hubby was a total trooper. Now trust me, he can get dirty with the best of them. When we started driving out, all he could say was, "OK, I need to wash my hands."

Don't be afraid to stop at those dirty sales, just put on your big girl panties and dig in the BIRD POOP!

dana

Before and After End Table

2010-05-03T07:18:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post on a little end table I did for my May sale. I am a sucker for furniture with any type of detailing on it. I love the ring on the both ends. I painted this table antique white and it looks bright and fresh. I always like to do a little distressing as well, it adds so much character to any piece. Happy Monday everyone!

Do you have any of these?

2010-04-29T09:48:00.000-07:00

Just curious, does anyone out there have any recycled flower pots made from tires? I think they are really neat and would probably last for years. I love the ones with handles! Just curious....before I get serious on buying some. What a cute Mother's Day gift and earth friendly too!

WE ARE TAKING THE PLUNGE!

2010-04-25T06:16:00.000-07:00

It's official! We have been doing occasional sales and selling out of antique stores for 8 years. We are FINALLY in the process of building our very own shop! WOOT WOOT!!!! (Thank you to my amazing dad and hubby)

We have been working this weekend on setting the dates for our monthly occasional sales. We will be open 3 days a month. We will also be going to market soon and Snowman Hill will be carrying new and repuposed goods for your home and garden.

Our first occasional sale will be May 14, 15, and 16 from 9-5.
We are calling our May sale "Piled Up On The Patio" we have so much!

Also, June 25, 26 and 27 from 9-5 - Pre shop sale

July will be a FIVE DAY SALE celebrating our new shop! July 21-25 from 9-5. We will have drawings and door prizes as well.

Aug. 13-15 from 9-5.

Fall dates coming soon! If you would like to be added to our mailing list please shoot me an email with your info. to kristanosan@hotmail.com Thanks so much!

Fast as a bunny...TUTORIAL

2010-04-16T08:46:00.001-07:00

I am finally back home, yippee! My Dad had a back fusion, doing fine, but he's 200 miles away, so I have been gone for weeks.

I found this papier-mache bunny at a thrift store for 69 cents. I wanted to try this stone spray sooo bad. It is easy and way too much fun.

I sprayed the bunny with white spray paint first, let it dry, then the stone spray. It still was too white for me, so I used Delta's hammered iron paint mixed with water and gave it a coat of that too. I brushed it on and dabbed it off with a rag. Make sure it is really dry before aging it or you will wipe off the texture.

This is how it looks now. I finally purchased some metal letter punches, and made the garden charm. They are super fun too. There are so many cool things out there.

You can see the texture better in this photo, it looks like old concrete. The possibilities are endless with this spray. You can make anything look like it came from a French garden. I am going to work on some pots, I will post the pics. I am going to make them more aged, and add moss.

This bunny is headed down to our booth at Old Town Antiques. We have lots of spring decor for sale now.

We have cleared the site for our NEW shop at Krista's. We are super excited, and hope to be open by mid summer. We will keep you posted.

Have fun!

dana

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T05:45:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone has a fun filled day celebrating with family and friends. I am off to eat some stuffed french toast....it smells wonderful! ps- I think I'll try planting some hen and chicks in an old boot, how cute is that?!

Girls Shabby Bedroom Makeover

2010-03-19T06:21:00.001-07:00

Finally, I can share this shabby room makeover. I like how it's turning out, but what's better is that Vallie lives in her new room! She loves the space and the new accessories (she's such a girl).
Check out the headboard project here.

One of my favorite things in this room is the chandelier. A chandelier adds instant charm to any room. I found this for free and just spray painted it. The crystals on it are original. It's very old, it has a switch on the bottom and you can adjust how many bulbs you want lit at a time. Perfect for a little girl's room.

Tending one of her 9 babies. Boy, I don't know how she does it. However, when she's a mommy for real, she's just going to have 5 babies. Really, that's all?

I put a real flower in her room for her to take care of. Vallie likes to garden in the summer and was asking when the flowers would start growing again. She checks the soil often to see if it's damp or dry. I hope she has a green thumb someday!

My mom had this sign made for Vallie a few years ago. My mom's friend Deb, from Crows on the Cuppola made it for her. Check out her blog, she does beautiful work!

I had been hunting for a vintage glass lamp for her room. I looked all over and found this little one at Goodwill for $5.oo! Score! I added the pom pom trim to finish it off. Before and afters of the nightstand can be seen in this post.

I made a few pillows for her bed this week since I was off on spring break. She helped pick out the fabric from my overflowing collection. She loves the bee and flower!

Here is a super easy piece of wall decor. I took an old piece of picket fence from the garage and stapled flowers to the back of it. Simple and very shabby cottage.

I got this rocking chair from my girlfriend Lisa. It was her daughters, I painted it white and stamped Vallie's name with StazOn ink.

We made this shelf out of a foot board a while back. You may recognize the ballet pictures from this post and the tutorial I did on them. That bunny is wearing my baby dress! Why am I so sentimental?

I'm not kidding when I say I've been invited to a tea party everyday this week! I did have to rock a few babes while I was there, but it was well worth the conversations that took place.

After all that tea I was ready for nap!

I put her doll house on a little table that I painted so she could pull it out and walk around it and play at standing level.

I had a cute wicker chair in this corner, but really wanted an upholstered one. I found this chair with the fabric cover at Serendipity. If you haven't been there yet, you should go! Gail is a doll to visit with and she has a darling house full of treasures. She and her mother do a beautiful job. Serendipity is located at 4407 East Superior Street in Duluth, Minnesota.

Ahhhh..... getting ready for the snuggles and bedtime stories. One of my favorite times of the day. With a bigger bed I find myself snuggling longer and falling asleep with her. That's never a bad thing. She's only little once, right?

Can you believe it used to look......

like this?! I am so glad we switched their rooms and updated both of their spaces. They love their new rooms. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend! We are going to be cutting down trees and clearing out the brush so we can build Snowman Hill! We will opening this summer...more details to come on that.

Pulley, Wheel Thingy Candle Holder

2010-03-15T06:21:00.000-07:00

I have a couple of these wheel looking things, I think they are huge pulleys. They are very heavy and kinda fun. I've been looking at them everyday in the garage for months when I come into the house. So why not use them!

It lays flat and about an inch from the table, so the wheel spins. Perfect candle holder. It would be cute for office supplies as well. Well, there are many things you could do with it, but for now, it will be a candle holder on my front porch.

Does anyone else like to light candles outside? I do!!! Have a great Monday everyone!

7 days until Spring!!!

2010-03-12T06:57:00.000-08:00

Spring is just around the corner ladies!!! Are you as excited as I am? I can't wait to see all the perennials peek out of the ground. Have a great weekend! I have some fun stuff to share with you next week!

Shabby Bedding on the way!

2010-03-09T06:35:00.000-08:00

I have been adding the finishing touches to Vallie's bedroom makeover. I just wanted to share this darling bedding that is on the way! Yes, I do LOVE ebay!!! I saved $45.00 by winning this set online, I can't wait to put it on her bed. I am hoping it's here by Friday. I will post the entire makeover soon. Still adding the fun details.

Trashy Wall Art

2010-03-01T07:11:00.003-08:00

Do these look familiar to anyone? I think they are probably from the 70's. They have been sitting in my garage and are very ugly and were ready for the trash can! But wouldn't they be cute in a little girls shabby bedroom?

I took the flowers off and spray painted them pink and the board white. Spray paint does wonders!!! I love Rustoleum's 2x coverage.

Ahhhhh, so crisp and clean. Trashy wall art made shabby! This was a super easy project and took about 30 minutes!