Showing posts with label flea markets/antique shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flea markets/antique shopping. Show all posts

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Our Finds From Shipshewana

In my last post, "A Day in Shipshewana", I shared some pics of my hubby and I when we visited a local Amish community/tourist town. I also promised to come back and share a post and show you all what we found and purchased there.

On the day we went shopping, we were actually on the hunt for a few specific items. One was a big one - a pergola for our front patio area. We saw lots of pergolas, but finally decided the best and most efficient choice would be to go with one we saw several weeks ago at Lowes(see pic.)

The other items were for our spare guest room on the first floor of our house. We recently have had the opportunity to have my mom come and stay overnight a couple of times. We currently have a double-size bed in the room (which will probably go with our son when he moves into his new apartment.) The room is quite small and would feel less crowded with a single-size bed, which we will need to eventually purchase. There was no nightstand or reading lamp in the room, which my mom really likes to have to set her clock, phone, etc. on at night. So, we wanted to find a nice "cottage" nightstand and lamp. We found an old re-furnished nightstand at an antique store and fell in love with it.
I love the detail in the drawers, that were painted in an antiqued green stain.
Unfortunately, we didn't find a matching lamp. So, I stole a lamp from our living room until I find one that will go with the nightstand. I would like to find one that is a little taller than the one I have there now.
The thing about looking for certain things on a shopping trip is that you often come home with items you weren't intending to buy. That definitely was the case for us!
Because we live on a lake, anything with a "water" theme gets our attention!! A fews years ago I made a miniature lighthouse out of terra cotta pots (find it here). I've always loved lighthouses but never thought we'd have the oppotunity to buy a large lighthouse for our yard....until now!! 
We saw this cedar lighthouse on our trip to Shipshewana and couldn't take our eyes off of it!! It has a solar light on top, which doesn't shine very brightly. So my dear hubby is coming up with a plan to replace it with a bright LED light. He is even working on a way to possibly make the light revolve around to look like a real lighthouse beacon!!
The other unplanned purchase was the fish and lure weathervane below.
When my fisherman hubby saw this, it was love at first sight!!
Below he is braving the heights of the rooftop to attach the weathervane .
The completed project looks amazing!!
. . .even from a distance!!
Well, there you have it!! A successful shopping trip, even if we didn't get everything we went for!!

Have a wonderful week ahead!!
Wishing you
 Ann 
“Better joy in a cottage than sorrow in a palace” 
Spanish Proverb
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Saturday, August 15, 2015

A Day In Shipshewana

What a beautiful week of sunny, warm weather we have had!!
My hubby took yesterday off work and surprised me by taking me to Shipshewana, IN.  (an Amish tourist community about an hour's drive north of us.). We wanted to look for a few specific items for around our house, but ended up finding so much more!

Today, I am sharing pictures of some of the places we shopped. 

Our first stop was at Eash Sales, This outdoor store and more, sells handcrafted furniture, gazebos, swing sets, log cabins, wood burning stoves, poly furniture, grills, bird houses, kitchen products, home decor, and other gardening ornaments, lawn, and garden benches, plus lots of hard to find items on their 2 ½ acres of land and multiple shops. We literally spent hours there!! 

 ..Several buildings on the premisis have displays with everything from indoor water gardens...
...to yard ornaments...
and handcrafted wood mailboxes...
as well as cute and funny signs.
Some of my favorite displays included beach decor...
...a fairy garden area, with decor items for purchase to make your very own fairy garden...
There were special pet displays for dog-lovers...
...cat-lovers.
...wine enthusiasts...
...hunting and backwoods cabin decor, 

 ,... indoor/outdoor lighting features, 
and a huge display of paintings, 
photography
...and gorgeous carvings.

Other outdoor decor included birdhouses, dining and patio furniture, 

a large display of weather vanes,
rocking chairs, and wall art, 
Ken was especially drawn to a special Clydesdale horse that the owner had on display. (Notice that the Amish man showing the horse hid from my camera. The Amish do not like to have their pictures taken.)
Other outdoor decor included every size and color of lighthouse that can really light up...
...homemade baskets. (Notice the huge display basket to the right in the picture below.)
... and colorful metal flowers (for the person who hates gardening.)
Our next stop was at a Yoder's Red Barn Shops
located just a few blocks north.

Red Bud Gormet Coffee, Tea, and Gift Shop
Owner/proprieter, Ann Yoder, doesn't just bake/cook all the food served in her cafe'. She also is an artist and has hand-decorated all the dishes and teapots in her shop.

The display of tea items in the shop overwhelmed my senses!!
Wall decor for sale in the cafe' area...
This teapot on display at the checkout counter is the biggest one I've ever seen!!

Our last stop was in Middlebury, located about 10 miles west, 
at the Old Creamery Antiques, aptly named due to the building originally being occupied by the "Middlebury Creamery Co Op".
photo source
Poor guy in this old car waited for his wife to come back out, after shopping at the Old Creamery Antiques!! Looks like she never returned!! LOL!!

After a long, fun day of shopping, we stopped next door at the Pumpkinvine Oasis for some hand-dipped ice cream!
We each ordered the small (it said one scoop on the sign). Ummmm, glad we didn't order 2 scoops!!

We actually did end up buying some really cool stuff!! I will be sharing pictures of what we got in a future post, so stop on back!!!
Wishing you
 Ann 
“Better joy in a cottage than sorrow in a palace” 
Spanish Proverb
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Wednesday, December 24, 2014

An Upside Down Christmas

 It’s December 24th, Christmas Eve, and it’s just me and the hubs here at home.  We thought our son would possibly show up, as he had told us he would, sometime today. But, so far, no son. So, we may or may not see him.

This year has been what I can only describe as an “upside down” Christmas. Nothing has been “normal” this year. Because of our ongoing remodeling, we just never got the decorations out of storage. Instead, I decided to try something different...an upside down Christmas tree...how appropriate!! I also have always wanted a white tree to decorate all nautical. So, here is my nautical upside-down tree.

I thought I would also share our guest bedroom that is over the garage, as I had promised a few months ago. Here is the stairway from our garage door entrance.
 An antique life preserver and mermaid welcome guests.
At the top of the stairs is a desk and chair. It's also where the tree is hung, as well as a fishnet-covered wall, with my hubby's wonderful collection of lures, signs, and other nautical ityems.

Along another wall is my curio cabinet, where many of my tea collection is stored. I decided to decorate with some of my smaller Christms items that weren't in storage.
 On the opposite side of the room is the guest bed, with a cottage quilt hung on the wall, as well as two buoys...which we got on our trip to Maine last summer.
The hubby hung the handmade wooden buoys on some dock cleats (which are used to tie boats to). The pedestal table is an antique hand-carved family heirloom.
My hubby, who is a garage sale addict, got lots of nautical signs and decor last summer. 
The painted oar was another discount find and the map and boat bell (next picture down) were other items purchased in Maine.
Close-up of some of the nautical tree decor.
 Some of them I made myself, like the bobber snowman and the blue glass float (a glass ornament, covered with twine). I also made some fun signs, printed on wood and glass balls...
 The other room I always decorate for the season...my dining room.
 Mmmmm...chocolate!
 And, if there's time, a cup of coffee, tea, or hot cocoa!
 This Christmas coaster is one of four that I've had for many years.
 And lots of candles! I love candles at Christmas!
May you have a wonderful Christmas Eve and Joyful Christmas Day!!(We just got word that our son is on his way...so it will be a nice Christmas for us, as well!)

Ann
“Better joy in a cottage than sorrow in a palace” 
Spanish Proverb

Make it Pretty Monday @ The Dedicated House
Show and Share Party @ Coastal Charm
Making The World Cuter @ Making The World Cuter 
The Scoop Link Party @ The Everyday Home
Knick of Time Tuesday @ Knick of Time
The Inspiration Board Link Party @ Homework
Tweak It Tuesday @ Cozy Little House
The Scoop @ Cedar Hill Farmhouse
Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life
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