PLANES, SUVS & PICK-UP TRUCKS--WINTER 2015 JUNKIN ADVENTURES

Hey, Y'all! I know it may seem like I've forgotten to check in here, but it's already been a SUPER BUSY 2015! It seems I've been on the road more than at home. The proof is in the miles...15,000 frequent flyer airline miles, 175,000 miles on my good old SUV "Mattie Mae," and 1,200 miles on my brand new pick-up truck, "Beebee," that we've had for less than a month!
So, suffice it to say if someone could figure out how to type and drive SAFELY I'd be checking in here a lot more often! Here's a peek at my latest adventures--

In the past couple of months I've visited some of my favorite places in the Great Pacific NW.

M & M Antiques, Monroe WA

 

M & M Antiques, Monroe, WA

 

M & M Antiques, Monroe, WA



Abundance Vintage in Centralia, WA



Camas Antiques, Camas, WA



Camas Antiques, Camas, WA

Camas Antiques, Camas, WA

Camas Antiques, Camas, WA

Celebrating Downton Abbey at Camas Antiques, Camas, WA



Monticello Marketplace, Portland, OR

Monticello Marketplace, Portland, OR

Upon my arrival back in Texas in February we took a larger space at Brenham's Hermann Antiques Mall where we've had a booth since 2013. The far side front window space went from this--

Hermann Antiques Mall, Brenham, TX

to this.


 

 

I'm really enjoying all the extra room for goodies and the wonderful sunlight from the window. The gorgeous chandelier belongs to my mall neighbor and was in her parents' home. Isn't it lovely?

Just the essence of the 1880s building and this sweet town known for its delicious ice cream and abundant bluebonnets makes it a fun place to work in--also, the fact that items have been selling as fast as I can get them loaded in. (Always a great thing!) 

As spring quickly approaches we are getting ready for this weekend's Rusty Chippy Show in Huntsville, TX. This will be our second year to do this fantastic show and we're taking some great vintage porch and garden items to celebrate SPRING! Hope to see you there!

Here's another SURE sign of spring in south central TEXAS-- that's right! TEXAS ANTIQUES WEEK (S) is days away!

Until next time,

Peace, love, and

all the good stuff!

TAKING IT ON THE ROAD

Hey, Y'all! 
Garden Cat Vintage 
kicked off the New Year as a vendor at the recent Brenham Winter Antiques Show. Despite the miserable cold January rain that fell outside, things were warm and cozy inside the Washington County Events Center during this weekend show. We took along a pair of wicker rockers, a lot of garden and farmhouse items, as well as a set of Mission style furniture from the early twentieth century.

 

 

It was fun to do this antiques show which has a rich tradition and long history in the Brazos Valley of central Texas.

The Brenham Winter Antiques Show included lots of terrific vendors including our dear friend, Garden Antqs Vintage. Her space was beautiful as always!

Next up for Garden Cat Vintage is some BIG news for our space at Hermann Furniture and Antiques in Brenham...Stay tuned!

In addition, we're going to be setting up at Rusty Chippy Show March 14 & 15 in Huntsville, TX!

And perhaps most importantly, it's only seven weeks until Texas Antiques Week!

Until next time,

Peace, love, and

all the good stuff!

 

SPRING CLEANING

Hey, Y'all! Compared to the excitement of setting up Garden Cat Vintage at Zapp Hall Antique Show, Rusty, Chippy, Hippy, Vintage, and Garden Show and JUNK Hippy Roadshow, these last few weeks have been quiet at the hacienda. In this quiet time, I've been working on some long overdo deep cleaning and organizing. Not too exciting, but believe it or not, I'm more inspired and full of creativity after taking the time to sift through weeks of junk mail and boxes of stuff we should have gotten rid of a long time ago. 

I've always enjoyed how a space feels just by moving furniture around and freshening it--without going out and purchasing a lot of new box store stuff. I recently purchased this old rose watercolor and it inspired a new layout in our room. I stacked a screened cabinet on top of a homemade  bead board cabinet we've had for years. Together the two pieces look like they've always been together. 

Hubby's sweet grandpa made me the little white birdhouse for my birthday years ago. I like the simplicity of it crowning the old cabinets. 

The metal piece on the wall is from an old screen door. To the left is a mantel shelf I bought at a Dallas flea market about 20 years ago. It's got a new spot above an old chest of drawers full of my favorite decorating books--all of Rachel Ashwell's, in fact. The bed skirt and hooked rug were purchased at yard sales.

Time was the only investment in the redo. But if you begin in one room...it leads to refreshing other spaces!

Since we share an office and I have enough collections of books and magazines to open my own library, something had to be done to corral all the STUFF. Our desks, once facing each other in the 

center of the room, got scooted to the perimeter. Next all the book cases and shelves got placed together on the same wall and a once china cabinet 

got a new life as a vault for stacks of vintage fabric and Bark-cloth. Now I can find the glitter, ribbon, and latest Flea Market Style in seconds! 

 

Since I was on a roll, I reworked our Garden Cat Vintage booth at Hermann Antique Mall too!

HaPPy SpRiNg, sweet friends!

Until next time, 

Peace, love, and 

all the good stuff!

DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS

Hey, Y'all! I've been putting the miles on my good old SUV, Mattie Mae, driving from Fredericksburg to Brenham with more than a few stops in between. My mom and I recently drove out to the January Fredericksburg Trade Days to see lots of great JuNkIn' friends and their fabulous wares.
Let me tell ya, the stars at night may be big in bright

deep in the heart of Texas, but the chippy,

rusty, and lovingly worn are plentiful deep in

the heart of Texas too.

 Garden Antqs Vint now has a permanent space in Barn One at FTD. Here's a few peeks from her

January vignettes. She promises a fun, different look and even more incredible pieces in February!

 

 As we exited Barn One, here's the view we saw...

I'm thinking only in Texas can you shop for

great JuNk and see longhorns at the same time!

As this is the year our sweet girl graduates high school, many of our recent travels include destinations with universities. There's a little less time to JuNk, but there's always time to enjoy a beautiful, warm January day and a walk through a San Marcos park.

 

 In other news, I have finally written the two best words every author loves, "THE END." However, in many ways it's just the beginning of edits and revisions for VINTAGE MURDER The Next Jimmie Rae Flea Market Mystery. Please stay tuned, I'm still planning a spring release date.

When I'm not hitting the JuNkIn' trail, visiting universities with Sweet Girl, or editing VM, I'm usually taking another load of treasures to our booths

at Hermann Furniture in Brenham or Circle P Antiques in Navasota.

We'll also be setting up GARDEN CAT VINTAGE at

JUNK HIPPY ROADSHOW in Rosenberg Feb. 22 and at the

RUSTY, CHIPPY, VINTAGE, HIPPY & GARDEN SHOW in Huntsville March 15 &16.
 

Next time I'll be sharing pictures from our travels to the lovely Pacific NW.

 

Until then,

Peace, love, and all

the good stuff, sweet friends!