A couple of weeks ago, I gave in to the itch to get out of the house strictly for fun and, while the floors were being refinished, I went to a few antique stores with my friend, Cheri.  We drove separate cars, wore masks, and doused ourselves in hand sanitizer, and took every precaution we could short of staying home.  I didn’t find any of the larger items on my list for all of the room projects that are in the works, but I did end up with a pretty nice antique haul. I bought the glass jelly jars for $12.  They are so sweet and the perfect size for a little fruit salad or for whisking up a single egg. I found a roll of heavy cotton twine that I thought would be fun to crochet with.  It’s a good weight for dishcloths… This is such a fun find…

Last week, I just needed to get out and away from my desk.  I had plenty of work to do and the weather was terrible, but I was determined!  I had planned it and I was going to stick to my plans.  I’m also finding that if I use “I have work to do” as an excuse, then I won’t ever leave the house!  There is always some sort of work to do. So, I went to my PT appointment to have my shoulder worked on (it’s getting so much better) and then I hit a few of my favorite antique and second-hand shops.  There is not a ton of antiquing right here in Rochester, but there are a few spots I like to hit every now and then.  I have been looking for a few things…a mirror for the living room, a large basket, and a buffet-sort-of-piece for a

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