Whispering Pines Antiques - Amarillo, Texas

 Once we entered Texas on Route 66 while on our road trip,  I quickly checked the back of my Romantic Homes Magazine to see if any shops were close by. Little did I know I was about to find a fellow blogger and a place I want to get back to soon!

 Lucky for me, nestled between a row of antique shops on 6th  Street, in the Historic San Jacinto District of Amarillo, Texas, I found a unique home decor shop,Whispering Pines Antiques.  

After being on the road a while, and then entering this shop with its welcoming country prairie theme, the homey atmosphere made me want to just settle in for the day.  I have a particular fondness for all things bee related, so when one of the first accessories I saw was the bee skip atop this cupboard, I knew I had found a kindred spirit in shop keeper Angie Mitchell. Angie was so welcoming and gave me all kinds of information about where to shop in the area.

Then I looked down and saw the checkered floor - similar to Melange's, but not set on the diagonal - another sign!   I was in awe over the way Angie layered her linens on the twin bed in the middle of the shop - there was burlap, and leopard, grain sacks and linen and it all worked beautifully together.  

 

 A fireplace sits center stage and even though my visit landed in the dog days of summer,  it seemed to call you in to stay a while.

This tabletop display shows how Angie brings the outside in by incorporating pine cones, greenery, antlers and lots of pine wood to carry on the cabin feel.

Surprises pop up in smaller vignettes - here a vintage pair of ladies lace up boots sits perched alongside a vintage bottle and vanilla scented candle.

A pine bough wraps itself around vintage crib springs - a pair of shutters tucked away behind while a gorgeous carved chair presents itself in front.

Angie has a second twin bed dressed in the second room. I love the way the white linens were layered with the earth tone floral giving it a pop of crispness.  A breakfast tray sits on the bed complete with plates and napkins.  At this end of the bed, two busts sit with another serving of dishes - perhaps company is coming?

Heading back into the main room I looked up and there was a full size canoe suspended from the ceiling!  The pine paneling throughout the main room provides a honey hued glow and serves as a perfect backdrop for displaying forest greens, warm reds and even a shabby piece or two.

Good lighting makes an impact without being obvious and Angie has it down.  Lamps cast soft glows to accent various pieces such as on this vignette of a salvaged grate,  a bowl of vintage photographs and a couple big Texan seashells.

The natural light cast on this dress form sporting a garden apron makes you think she's going to grab the basket and head out into the crisp morning to gather flowers or pick the daily vegetables in the garden.

The shabby porch railing was one of my favorite pieces in her shop.  The ghost and green pumpkins filling up the pull cart next to it left nothing to imagine - it was easy to picture it on my own front porch. As I thought about Whispering Pines Antiques, it is that which makes it such a beautiful escape - anyone can walk into this store and see a use for the merchandise. So stop by whenever you are in Amarillo!  
There are 17 antique shops and malls next to Whispering Pines Antiques
located at 2727 SW 6th Ave - a quick jaunt off Interstate 40 on historic Route 66. 
And if you can't get there right away - visit Angie's blog www.whisperingpinecottage.net - you can't get much better than a virtual coffee break with Angie and her gorgeous shop!

Truckers Road Trip!

Yesterday we started our "truckers road trip"! My husband and I decided to take a road trip from Sacramento, California to Springfield, Illinois to pick up some rubber tracks he bought for our rice harvester from a fellow rice farmer. The trip is 4,000 miles total! We are driving a Ford 250 and are towing a trailer. Crazy right?!

When he told me he found some tracks in Illinois and he was going to hire a trucker to bring them back to California my mind started racing! I love to treasure hunt so I started thinking that if we went to pick up the tracks, I could shop along the way AND we would have to bring the tracks back on a large trailer so if I uncovered a large find, I could load it on the trailer! So I made my proposal, "Mike, what if we went back to pick them up? We haven't had a vacation yet this summer and I have never seen the midwest."  Well, I think Mike knew where I was heading because he responded, ". . . and you could shop along the way!". He was so thinking like I was! I love when that happens.

As we planned the trip, we tried to think of every scenario we may come across, including weather. Farmers are always thinking about weather - which is a good thing in this case because Mike thought about what may happen to my found treasures on the trailer if it started raining. After checking into storage pods and seeing the rental price, Mike decided to build me a "treasure box" to go on the trailer.

Here it is! It is 4 feet x 4 feet x 8 feet - he must have thought I would find some big pieces so I am crossing my fingers! 

 The box should protect my finds from weather and secure them wherever we end up spending the night.

We plan on heading south down CA Interstate 5 and the heading over to Highway 58 and then hook up with the old "Route 66" Interstate 40 the next few days, going through Kingman, Arizona and then heading towards Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

 So follow along as we travel cross country and if you live along our route, be sure to leave a comment and maybe we can meet up!   Or, if any of you know a great treasure hunting spot, great restaurant since we are foodies, or shabby chic shop I can visit along the way let me know!  So what do you think the chances are of me filling my "treasure box" up?! I'll keep you posted!!

Restore and Rework

Who would have thought that in July it would be a perfect 75 degrees at the Sacramento Antique Fair. It's no secret how much I love attending this event!  Last Sunday, I met two friends there, ran into two of my cohorts from Melange, and met vendor Cisco Diaz from Restore and Rework.  One of the best things about the Fair is meeting new people, learning about antiques and networking with other vendors.

Cisco has been "restoring and reworking" for about a year.  After the mortgage business took a turn for the worse,  he told me he had no idea what he was going to do but knew he liked building things from scrap wood and decided to try building a business out of repurposing.  He turned to one of his hobbies and started up his business which includes participating in numerous antique and flea markets throughout California, a website and an Etsy site.  Here, a french end table got a fresh coat of white paint. Spindles and an old mason jar fill a wooden box.  Cisco fashioned the box's handle from a piece of rebar.

An homage to my twelve years in Catholic school, this collection of Mary statuettes caught my eye as I wandered through the aisles and drew me into Cisco's 'Restore and Rework' space.  A brief look over and around and I noticed something different about this vendor.  Rather than mostly frilly and feminine vintage, it was masculine, clean line, industrial chic vintage with just small accents of feminine pieces.

Cisco builds many of his own products from repurposed wood and other materials, and he has a woman who stitches up pillows for him, from burlap he stencils, and satchels made from vintage feed sacks and grain bags.  Cisco often brings along his daughter, Danielle, to help him out during shows.  A bright and personable 17 year old, she often helps her dad with the painting, making the business a family affair.

 Birdhouses were made from old spindles to which he added found hardware.

The economy is responsible for so many people changing life plans. Its interesting to see how people handle speed bumps in the road of life. I loved the surprise of the unexpected in some of his displays.

A man's bust watches shoppers from inside a cloche.

A rusty scale seems to age the abacus sitting next to it.  The shabby step stool could have been used by the same youngster who used the abacus for math homework.

Standing out amidst a cluster of gray index file boxes, this white floral frame pops - a bright spot of soft femininity in a sea of industrial metal.  Cisco also added some variegated coleus in a galvanized pail to add an organic touch.

After visiting flea markets for years now, I've seen suitcase after suitcase filled with linens for display but this was the first time I've seen vintage photographs displayed in one.  Some people say it makes them sad to see photographs at a flea market, like their families just threw them away.  I like to think of it as someone cared enough to salvage them to give them hope at a new life - perhaps added to a shadowbox or in a collage.

Spools of jute rope are displayed in a hanging basket -

a vintage subway sign can be seen in the background.

Hand stencilled letters and numbers find their home in an old drawer.  Clearly, Cisco has a knack for repurposing and creating out of found materials.  I wish him nothing but the best as he continues to build his business, Restore and Rework.  You can contact Cisco by email restoreandrework@att.net, by phone 510-708-6388, his website or etsy site. Check his website to see what show he will be participating in next. As I looked around his space before continuing on, one more display caught me by surprise.

 

 Tucked inside a wooden box was this vintage photograph of a boy holding a rosary.  The boy seems pensive as if he is praying for something, but at the same time he looks relaxed.  Looking at the photo I couldn't help but think of the photo as an iconic symbol of these economic times.  When life throws you a curve, remember to let go and let God.  I believe God has a plan for all of us, whether we know or understand why things happen, a little faith goes a long way - and my faith is something I cherish.

Before and After: Chalkboard

After remodeling our kitchen, we were left with a whole bunch of cupboard doors.  The finish was well worn but they were still in good shape so I decided to try making one into a chalkboard.  I sanded it down, sprayed primer on it, taped off the raised frame, and painted the inside panel with three coats of chalkboard paint.  Since it is so close to summer, I thought the popular turquoise color paint would be best.  I painted on two coats, let them dry thoroughly and then sanded down the edges to give the chalkboard the shabby look. 

Now the cupboard door has been repurposed and is a fresh new chalkboard ready for a student headed off for college or to use for family messages in the kitchen!   This prototype came out pretty well so I will be refinishing the other old cupboard doors as well!   This one is now for sale at Melange!

The Flea Affaire

Every year about this time, a fan of Sierra College, in Rocklin, Arts Programs opens her beautiful yard to the public to host "The Flea Affaire" - a flea market in the California foothills!  Here a vintage tricycle welcomes guests with its basket filled with flowers!

As visitors drive through the gate, visitors are asked to donate one dollar to the Arts Programs, but get a raffle ticket for one of the prize baskets in return.  The site is gorgeous - a home site which includes a bass pond, barns, vegetable garden, etc.   The garden theme is repeated in all the vendor spaces as well!

Jennie and Doris, two Melange vendors, shared a space - Jennie brought her gorgeous gray upholstered chair along with lots of darling tutu's and other shabby furniture

Doris has been a regular at the Flea Affaire for years!  Here Doris displays some of her bird house creations on a shabby plant stand.

Doris filled this wonderful little cart with seasonal flowers for her display!

Karryann and Lisa, of Gracefully Vintage in Historic Folsom, brought this whole tabletop of vintage candlesticks along with shabby furniture and a space full of treasures!

My friend, Diedre, teamed up with Lisa and Karryann to display her creations in their space.  I just love these paper wreaths she made - I bought one to use at a bridal shower I am having for my niece!  The addition of the "Je t'aime" tag sold me!

The turquoise blue framed mirror in Heather's space caught my eye - it is one of my favorite colors, reminding me of my beach days growing up!

Saturday is my day to work at Melange, so I had to stop by really early, shop, and then get back on the road to the store.  I was one of the first to drive through the gates and found some wonderful treasures!  

The six Mica chandelier shades I found will be the perfect addition to my rust chandelier.

An original floral, oil painting; a funny mirror that reminds me of my age; some sheer, pink, ruched gloves for my frilly friend; a sweet vintage doll dress to put in my hope chest and the shabby paper wreath made by my friend, Diedre, were my cherished finds this day.

As I was leaving I noticed this baker's rack filled with vintage hats - it was so hard to walk by - but if I had stopped, I would have been late to open the store.  Vintage hats are so much fun and people come into the store looking for them all the time - mostly for theme or costume parties.  "Mad Men" parties seem to be really popular, the Kentucky Derby is always a big hat day, and lastly, the Royal Wedding added to the popularity of hats and fascinators this year!  I recommend the "Flea Affaire" to all shopping enthusiasts and I love that it supports the arts - something my heart will always cherish.

Before and After: Shabby Beach Chair

Spring cleaning!  I've been trying to clean out one of my sheds and I am happy to say I have put a dent in the project!  I found this old chair in the back of the shed - I think it has been there about 18 years!  I've used it to stand on when painting rooms in my house so there was a little "history of our paint jobs" on it!  Not to mention, spiders, dirt, mud, and everything else that comes from living in the country!

It is extremely well made and there is not a wobble to it so it is a perfect candidate for a makeover! There are metal rods embedded into the rungs where your feet would land while you are sitting so it is extremely sturdy.  This chair was deserving of a new life! So I promptly began cleaning it up, first with just water and a brush, but then I ended up with a sander!  The years of paint splotches were not coming off with just my elbow grease so to the power tools to the rescue!

To prevent any of the stains on it to bleed through the paint, it was primed with some gray spray paint because that was all I had left in the shed and I thought to myself, "It doesn't really matter what color you put underneath if you are going to paint over it." Then I had to decide, always the hardest part, what color should I paint it?  This chair was a relic from the 50's and had been a teacher's desk chair.  Perhaps red?   It is just a simple chair, no embellishments, so it would fit into a cottage, country or coastal setting.  Tiffany blue!  The color has become much more popular lately and this chair seriously needs brightening up!

I started brushing on the paint really thick at first, wanting to get this project done and into Melange for our sidewalk sale.  The paint was wearing thin and the brush needed to be redipped in the bucket - but I liked what I saw.  The dry brush was creating a great shabby dry brush effect and texture, with the grey primer coming through underneath the tiffany color. It was beginning to be reminiscent of an old beach chair that had sat out for years so I continued with a dryer brush and covered the whole chair.

This shabby beach chair  had been freshened up and ready to be brought back to a life.  Gone are it's days sitting in the front of the classroom and in the back of the shed with the spiders and dust.  A whole new life awaits this chair to whomever cherishes it from Melange!  And you can imagine the new stories this chair will have to tell!

Before and After: Birdcage

I found this beautiful birdcage sitting all by itself in a corner at a Hospice Thrift Store - it is quite large and had definitely been lived in by a fine feathered friend as some areas were covered with evidence!

The Evidence!

Birdcages are great for decorating and they sell like hotcakes at Melange, and I had never seen such a well crafted aviary as this before so it came home with me, despite it missing one of it's caster wheels.

  While cleaning and scrubbing it down I noticed a label on it I hadn't seen before in my haste to grab this before another customer!  

 The label said "Designer Aviaries" so I looked it up online - Turns out this the Medium Designer Oak Aviary made by Designer Aviaries out of Grants, New Mexico, original purchase price $698.00!!  They have been making beautiful aviaries since 1988!  I HAD HIT THE JACKPOT! Whoo Hooo!

Now I HAD to keep it and I had this empty corner in my living room that was longing for companionship but would it fit? 

 

I brought it into the house and put it in the corner and it just fit and filled in the corner nicely, but the oak wood just blended into my caramel colored walls so i decided to paint it white

All Painted!

This birdcage could easily house a bird, it was complete with perches and even a pull out tray to clean the cage but I am not wild about the idea of having to clean up after a bird, and I love the idea of having some live plants in my living room so I decided it was about to become the home to my pothos and a fern or two!

I found a gray embossed footed pot and repotted my pothos - it was just the right scale for the top of the cage

My repotted my fern in a light robin's egg blue pot and placed it inside the cage, then added a sweet footed robin's egg blue ceramic bowl with a bird perched on the lid and placed it near the cage on my hearth.

I placed the cage on the stand in the corner - now the crisp white cage stands out against the colored walls!  The extra shelf at the bottom is a great home for the extra couch pillows, and the plants love living in this corner where the sunlight streams in.  
 
The plants got a little more light when I took the cage off the stand and put it directly on the hearth - hmmmm . . .which way should I leave it?  I'll live with it a while!   So the birdcage came from a lonely little corner in a hospice store to a new corner in my home filled with living things -  now I have to decide - leave the cage on the stand or place it directly on the hearth?  Can you help? 

Which do you like better - post a comment below and/or scroll past comment section and cast your vote to help me decide - just check one choice or the other and then click vote!  We'll see what everyone thinks! One thing I do know is that bringing life back to discarded things is something I cherish!