WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

It's Tuesday, only three days until Christmas Eve! The gifts are all purchased, wrapped and are under the tree. Most of the groceries have been purchased and I'm still baking.




I hope to be finished by tomorrow. I'll also finish any cleaning that needs to be done. I look forward to having an entire day to do all of these last minute things . Hopefully, my energy will remain intact. I hope to post some pictures of my decorations, but will have to do that on my other computer.



I wish you all the blessings possible in this season and throughout the year. Stop by often, so I'll be more timely with my blogging!!

My kitty is asking for my attention, so I will give in to her. Have a lovely few days before Christmas!! Take a nap and don't feel guilty. These are exhausting days.

Tis The Season To Be Busier Than Usual!

The shop is brimming with antiques for holiday buying.  Come one, come all!!  There's a treasure or two for everyone.  Please don't forget to check out my offerings at Serenities at Etsy.com too.  

My husband finished stringing the lights on the balustrade's of our courtyard today.  He also decorated two small trees that I have in large planters.  Simple, but hopefully, very pretty.   

Fall Has Arrived At Our Front Door~~~

Today I added a few orange flowers to our floral front door wreath.  This is how it looks now.  Next, the Halloween witch will take her *rightful* place there!

Also, my photo is a bit fuzzy, but this is our front courtyard.  I love the vintage wire furniture. 

It's a Drowning Day!

When our eldest grandson was little; he's 13 now, he referred to a rainy day, much like today, as a *drowning day*.  I thought that was quite clever and very funny for a three year old to say.  There have been so many little sayings that I wish I had written down.  Now we have four Grands and they all continue to amaze me with their words.  Recently, the youngest grandson said, after losing a tooth, I don't want the fairy coming into my room while I'm asleep!!!  From the mouthes of babes!!!

I had a fun morning visiting a *shabby chic event* and then a rummage sale.  Both were interesting and there were goodies to be purchased at both!  Someone, please tie me to a chair in my house!!  Ha!  Oh, I stopped at a really nice garage sale enroute home too~~~~all of this fun was had on a *drowning* day!!

Mid-Century Modern Patio Chairs~~~~

Are you seeing RED? 

I'm offering these four metal mid-century modern chairs for sale.  I listed them on Serenities at Etsy.com. 

Thought you might enjoy getting a *first peek*! 

Antiques are fine~~~~but so is chocolate!

Today I am going to share a recipe from a friend.  Her name is Rho and these cookies sound yummy!  Don't you agree!!

Rhos' Nutty Clusters




1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup raisins

2 tablespoons honey

Directions

1.  In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Let cool a few minutes.

2.  Stir in the walnuts, raisins and honey.

3.  Drop by tablespoonfuls into 16 mounds onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet.



Refrigerate until firm.

Ok~~~1-2-3~~~run to your kitchen and make these goodies!!  (send me one, please)

Selling Family Treasures Can Pull At The Heart strings~~~

Understand that it was my decision to sell our old Jelly Cupboard.  It's just that when it was being loaded into another's truck that all of the wonderful memories of having used it for so many years, came flooding by.  It sat in our kitchen's dining area and was the perfect spot for keeping the family's bills, and other papers, schedules, etc.  It also provided a showcase for our Daughters' pictures at different times of their lives~~~the pets too.  It was a lucious, warm pine and I kept it shining with bees wax applications.  An old friend, indeed.  But~~~now it will be elevated to the dining room of a wonderful farm house and I could tell that the new owner is going to love it too.  Good bye dear friend!

It's Antiques' Buying Time At The Flea Market On Tuesday~~~

I loaded my van and off I went with a lot of hopefullness, but a bit of apprehension too.  The economy, especially in my state, is at an all time low.  People are careful re: what they purchase.  I had decided the day before to sell antiques at market on Tuesday!

Well, I'd barely opened my van doors when I made my first sale to a picker~~~a 1920's mannequin, with half an ear, missing arms, and a skinned cheek.  He was happy to purchase and carry her away.  Later he returned and told me how good she looked sitting in the passenger seat, next to him, in his truck!  A good belly laugh followed that remark!!


Then my neighbor seller purchased two iron skillets~~~neither was a Griswald, (quite collectible) but they did have names and I think he loved my low price.  A sweet college bound young lady was elated when I sold her a shabby chic table for half off.  I remember when our two daughters went away to college, and how badly they wanted/needed furniture and accessories to decorate with.  Our oldest daughter took a gorgeous (gorgeous because her Daddy spent hours refinishing it) Mission Oak desk/table to Michigan State.  At the end of the year, some friends were helping her move out of her apartment.  They dropped the hours of work, the valued antique, the only desk DD had, down a flight of steps!!!  Bye Bye~~~Sobbing ensued!!

After the scurry of pickers/dealers went through the market, like locusts, the wait seemed endless, until the public showed up.  It was a cool, sunny day, so my hopes still lingered, until I realized that these weren't the same people who use to frequent the market, buying everything in sight.  These were cautiously, mindful buyers who were buying needful things, not frivolous decor.  My best lowly priced items quickly sold.  One lady went to find her husband and his wallet, as she desperately wanted my darling little Art Deco iron plant stand for her garden.  I waited and waited for her to return, but then I had to leave.  I hope she didn't come back.  Perhaps she was a B-backer.  (An antiquer's description of those who say they will return, but have no intentions of doing so.)  Where in the heck was her husband hanging out?  Most of the guys walking by were either carrying chains, (as in equipment dragging ones) bike seats, or bags of nuts and bolts~~~ Like the ones that one man kept trying to show to his non-responsive wife!!  Spare us!  I could see the wife thinking, *show me the money instead*!!

  Now, in support of the guys, one did buy my mannequin and another purchased antique jewelry display boxes.  Thanks guys!!!  Great choices!!! 

       
  

French Settee With Needlepoint~~~

Look at this lovely French settee.  I found it at an estate sale, and I can tell you that it was an exciting find.  I could see it being used in so many places in a home.  Place it at the foot of a bed or in a powder room.  It would make a lovely place to rest as you remove shoes in the entry foyer.  Put it in a hallway.  Wherever you use it, it will add an element of French beauty and class. 

Visit Serenities At SoopSee~~~

Visit me at httpwww.soopSee.com/profile/Serenities

It's a new shop and I transferred all of my Etsy items to this location.  They remain at Etsy too.  Both formats will be used to sell my vintage and antique goodies!!

Just Returned From Our Family Reunion

~~~~and am feeling sentimental!  Here's a selection of jewelry that you may enjoy seeing.  Each is a special, little treasure, as each of our relatives is!!

A Very Pretty French Antique Victorian Child's Coat or Dress

This is such a pretty Victorian textile.

It looks delicate, but isn't.

It could be worn by a doll or a child today with no fear of damage.

More photos~~~

Another one~~

Here's another photo from my shop from another angle.

Look up and down, as I try to use all of the space.

Everything you see is for sale! I welcome all comments.

The Way It Was Antiques~~~Shop~~~

I have a few photos of my shop that you may enjoy seeing. Look high and low, as I use every available bit of space for displaying. Ask questions, if you like.

Deleting Can Be Hazardous To One's Health!

I deleted my blog! OMG, I was so disgusted with myself. I went to a help page and came away more confused than ever! Then I began to push this and that and here I am. No, I have no idea how to help anyone else, except to say that if you lose your blog, don't dispair, as you too can retrieve it.

WELCOME TO OUR DECK

I received my annual bee sting this past week! I hope it's the first and last of the season. First, I barely felt a thing. Then I noticed some swelling and redness. Before I knew it, my arm was twice its size and the pain was relentless. I applied the old baking soda paste, but I don't know that it helped. I also used some Benadryl for the itching that followed. I could feel my entire left side reacting. My legs didn't seem to work as well as I climbed steps, and there were other, either real or imaginary symptoms. Allergic reactions, possibly?? Two little red marks remain from those two attacking Yellow Jackets, but I feel well!

I'm thinking of flowers a lot today, as I've had a battle keeping mine healthy~~~actually
*alive* this summer. It's been so hot! This is our deck earlier this season and you can see a few flowers peeking from different areas. I especially love the golden one and the ferns. My husband's favorites are the Geraniums.

Ok, I'm baaaack! Let's see if I can figure this all out. Why do I have that void space next to the photo of my cupboard? By the way, it's for sale!!!! I have it listed at Etsy. Serenities @etsy.com and also at Thewayitwasantiques.com on my website.

Here is another interesting wall cupboard in bittersweet. It is trimmed in hand painted green. I love the smooth texture of both of these painted pieces! The wall cupboard has a beveled mirror. Probably turn of the 20th century old.

Living With Antiques

This is a test!!! Wish me luck!!

Every time I hear someone mention blogging, I tell myself that I would probably enjoy doing that. Well, here I am. I have no clue what I'm doing or what I will find to share with everyone, but I'll give it a try. This could be fun or not, but I hope to share some of my antiques with you and introduce the life that goes with them. Just because something has evolved from the past, doesn't mean that it's *old fashioned*. Antiques live as comfortably in today's world as brand new items.

Many of my favorites are pieces that have retained their original paint. This wonderful, 1800's blue, corner cupboard is a perfect example.