Spring Garden Show

It is almost here - the Spring Home and Garden show opens tomorrow, April 11 at 8 am at Monticello in Portland. Lots of work finding it, fixing it, loading it and the displaying it. My old knees are mindfull of that these days!  But it is always a fun show to set up. I love interacting with the other dealers. Randy of Madison Park is across from our booth and he has 35 wicker picnic (European and American) baskets that are so beautiful. I asked him if he bought a collection and he said he bought them one at a time and they had been great insulation on a wall in his attic for 5 years. Go see them - you will have a hard time picking a favorite.  I will post pics of them when I go back up. So the show runs through June 11 but it will change daily. So go have a look - I dare you to leave without making a purchase.... Happy Spring   Mary

A European theme

We did a new display at Monticello yesterday with a European theme.  I upholstered two chairs in linen and made some "wool" pillows that is all the rage now.  My favorite items in this display are the antique linen grain sacks. The nubby texture and heavy weight are amazing. To think of someone breaking down the fibers, spinning it and then weaving it into a 20" width of fabric is amazing to me. These sacks are from all over Europe and about 100 years old. The weaver would do stripes (red and blue being the most common) and the some of them would embroider their initials on the sacks. When they took their harvested grains to the miller they were guaranteed to get their own flours and grains back. I had intended to make pillows out of the sacks but was hesitent to cut them once I held them.  I am getting over it and you will see some grain sack pillows soon.  So get up to Monticello soon. We noticed lots of new merchandise and displays at the orther vendors too.  Time to update your house for spring. Remember to mark your calender that the Spring Home and Garden show will open on Friday, April 11and run through June 16. I have been collecting some wonderful treasures as have all the other dealers. So plan on coming up for that. Now I have to go work on that display.....

Jadite Happiness

If you collect Fire King Jadite you had better get down to Monticello soon. I put up a new display yesterday (with Bob's help) of vintage Jadite. The color is so spring like that I thought it would cheer up all the snow battered Portland shoppers. We have some rare pieces in this collection - oval restaurant ware platters - two early mark mugs - restaurant ware (heavy) mugs and lots more. I also put in one of my favorite things in the display - The Good Home laundry products. The green bottle of laundry softener/fragrance is call Green Grass. I wash our sheets in it and go to sleep dreaming of new mown fields. The purple bottle is French Lavender and you will not want to get out of bed! So the rains are back - perfect weather for a stroll through Monticello.  After helping load and unload everything I have to feed my helper so I took him to The Tin Shed on Alberta in Portland. What a yummy place! Fresh handmade food like we eat at home and I didn't have to wash the dishes. Try them when you are hungry- you can even take your dog and sit by the big fireplace on the enclosed patio!  Coming soon - fresh lavender bundles and sachets from France. The bad weather has slowed down deliveries! I will take them up as soon as they arrive.  Mary

Valentines - All You need is love and...



We have some great Valentines for all the loves in your life.  A hyacinth in a pussy willow trellis will delight anyone - and they smell so nice.  We just got in a new line of jewelry from Mama's Little Babies that uses Victorian illustrations from cats to stars and moons. There is an image perfect for everyone and they are available in pins or necklaces. They are made in America and reasonably priced too. Or choose a French heart soap in a sweet embroidered bag in lavender or rose scent.  We have a great selection of vintage paper valentines for you to choose from. So come on down to Monticello Antique Marketplace and give yourself enough time to browse all the wonderful vendors.  Love.....

Til the cows come home!

 

I love January - the holidays are over and you have some time to organize and simplify your home. So we brought out the cows, red gingham oilcloth, chicken towels and primroses. The cows are on canvas and very reasonably priced ($28-$38) and don't just have to go in your home. We had one customer whom hung it on her barn and had her husband frame it with old barn wood like a window. Now when she drives up the driveway the cows welcome her. I would spray the canvas with a clear urethane spray to protect it. My favorite thing in this display is the oval galvanized water trough with the custom made wooden seat/table top. Put it behind your couch or use it as extra seating. We had several of those troughs on the farm and I had to scrub them out way too often. But I still think it makes quite a statement. So come get your own cow. And don't forget a few primroses to make the grey days a little brighter - and they smell wonderful! All waiting for you at Monticello Marketplace in Portland... Mary and Sara

The magic begins!

We all know there is magic in Christmas.  You take a plain green tree and adorn it to make it a work of art to share with family and friends and customers. We did just that for the Christmas window at Monticello Antique Marketplace in Portland. We added antlers, pheasant feathers, vintage brass horns, mercury glass and copper ornaments and icicles for some sparkle. And there is some magic! We set that tree on a vintage galvanized water trough that has a handmade wooden top to transform it to a bench or sofa table for your home. More magic! One of my favorite pieces in the display is an old chippy door we made into a corner shelf. It sold while we were there (hard to keep customers out when they spot something they like!) but I will take another up on Thursday and it will be for sale. So go see the magic for yourself and then get home and make some magic in your own home to share with family and friends for this wonderful season. Even a simple string of lights can make the magic... have fun with the process!  The world needs more magic!  Mary and Sara

Christmas 2013

We did our first Christmas display at Monticello yesterday as it is coming! Christmas is coming! This display has a woodland theme to it with handblown insect ornaments, English hedgehog and fox mugs and a wonderful wooden chopping block (what a fun gift that would be). You have to stop in and smell the balsam and cedar candles - like talking a walk through the forest.  So get on up to Monticello to see it for yourself. Don't forget that the Monticello Christmas show opens on Nov.22 at 8:00am.  It is not to be missed as the displays are so wonderful and full of vintage treasures. We will be doing our second display on Dec.1 in the front window! Think ice and snow and silver! So have a warm, family oriented Thanksgiving and remember to donate what you can to the people in the Phillipines to help their recovery. Mary and Sara