I wanted to share a few more of my Gold Rush finds today.  One of them is so simple, but it’s one of my favorite finds of the day.  While I was touring the old schoolhouse/music hall, I found a stack of statement pads.  The top one had been nibbled at and was in poor condition, but the rest were relatively protected under the top pad and partially wrapped in paper.  I pulled out the stack and there were seven statement pads. What caught my attention is that they were for the Artist’s Guild in Rochester, MN.  How cool is that?  So, I grabbed four pads for myself and pointed out the three remaining to Cheri in case she wanted them.  (She did.) I’ve basically been using them as a large notepad, writing down quick to-dos and notes.  I mean, if you’re going to jot down a note, why not

I love French market baskets and have bought several over the years, but most of them have been sold.  I have kept three for myself, though.  I like to use them on top of tall pieces of furniture to fill the space visually, add some texture, and provide some storage for rarely-used bulky items. Before setting out for Gold Rush, I had a fleeting thought that I would buy another one if I found one at a good price.  Well, wouldn’t you know…Cheri and I came across an entire stack of them.  They were $55/each, which is a good price for this style of basket. I ended up picking a basket with a pretty weave and wood runners along the bottom to put on top of the wardrobe in the sewing room.  It’s a perfect place to stash extra pillow forms. I haven’t shown this piece in a while, but

This story involves Jeff finding a snake in our kitchen, but that’s not where the story starts. Last week, I purchased a beautiful antique dresser off of craigslist for $50.  I was cruising the furniture section on a whim and spotted it.  I could tell from the shape and finish that it was an oldie and, since it was less than a mile down the road, I decided to jump at it. This isn’t the spot where it’s going to, by the way, but we just put it there until we find a permanent home for it (there are several spots in the running.) The wood has the most lovely patina on it… …and I love the unique details, like the shape of the feet. I even like the patched-together top.  I believe this originally had a marble top, but perhaps even had a hutch top.  Although there is no