Angels Come in All Shapes and Sizes

I admit I have been obsessed with Angels lately (see my December post). Maybe it is just the signs of the times, or heartfelt concern for those who are struggling right now, those who are close to me and those around the nation. I am looking heaven-ward, and even my collecting is reflecting it. I mentioned to the other Red Shed Girls that I wanted us to present a "Love takes Wing" collection for Valentines and Spring. I know that real angels don't have wings, and I don't love all winged beings (hate fairies, and hate hate winged dragons), but as I have felt comfort in finding these cherubs, I have been reflecting on the other angels in my life, and how thankful I am for them.
Many of you have met Mitzi, Michele Jone's mom, at our sales. She works tirelessly to help me check people out quickly. I appreciate her so much, and never tell her enough. She has only missed one sale in 3 years and that was because she had a broken pelvis! (and she called to say how sorry she was!)

(Mitzi, above..dressed for the occasion! EVERYONE who knows her knows she is an ANGEL!)

Many of you have also met Michael. Mike has helped us set up, carry furniture to cars, made Starbucks runs, and has shared his talents as a photographer for our web site for years. He never asks for anything in return, and I always know if we need him, he will be there ("Mike, I just bought a 500 lb white velvet couch and I can't get it out of the SUV, can you be here in 5 minutes?")
You may not have met Andrea or Lynn. Both of these dear women help us set up and merchandise the night before the sale. (Sometimes ALL night before the sale). Lynn says it's "fun", but I know better! Both are happy and positive, and have no idea how much we appreciate them. Neither Mitzi, Michael, Andrea or Lynn, have ever asked for (or received!) a penny of compensation. They are friends. They are Angels.

Sometimes Angels come bearing gifts. Donna B, below brings us the most fabulous gifts for absolutely no reason. (She says it's because the Red Shed (Girls) brings so much joy into her life). It started with homemade coffee cake last Christmas.
This Christmas she brought us each a package which she had decorated by hand.

Inside were these soft snuggy slippers, with a note that read "Use these for a little R&R after the big sale!" How divinely thoughtful! We are always saying how bad our feet hurt, and in December they are cold too!
I just had to take a picture of my very happy feet:

Some Angels just HAVE a Gift........
Tracy Dunn has been a long time Red Shed customer and friend. She mentioned that she does Reflexology Massage (keeping with our "feet" theme), and so we talked her into trading a few antiques from Paris for a couple of "sessions". Let me just say that she got the raw end of the deal. It was Heavenly! Tracy has a GIFT. She is one of the most kindhearted, loving, and spiritual people I have ever met, and she brings all of this to her Reflexology. She comes to your home, you get into your PJ's, she rubs your feet for an hour, then quietly leaves while you pour yourself in bed. If you are in the Dallas Ft Worth area, and want to give an Angel as a gift to someone, (or yourself), you can contact her at tdunn123@verizon.net for more information.

(Tracy, above, not only is an Angel, but I think has an angel. Notice the orb in front of her leg in the photo)

***

Finally, Angels come as cherished friends that we meet along the way in this crazy business and in our big-little blog world..

Theresa Cano, of Garden Antiques. I think Theresa almost started this whole blog thing among those of us who love all things white, and chippy, and rusted. The first time I heard the word "blog" it was in the same sentence with Theresa's name. I think she may have single handedly put Country Home out of business, because she some how covers more territory, takes better photos, and now I get my daily "fix" from her instead of my magazines. Her camera broke recently and though her son beat us to the punch, I really think she missed the boat by not ACTUALLY taking donations towards a new one. She probably could have bought a new car. Though I have yet to have the pleasure of meeting Theresa in person, I consider her a friend. When I first started blogging, I sent her an email and said "PLEASE CALL ME! I AM READY TO PULL MY HAIR OUT!" (ie. why do the photos load backwards in blogger?) and she called me right back. If you are not visiting her blog daily, you should. We should all recognize her as our Angel of Antiques.

I also want to mention my dear friends, Donna, Rhonda, and Randi, at Curious Goods in Malakoff, TX. The whole lot is talented but Donna (below) has more creativity in her little finger than I have in my whole body. And talk about sincere and kind. Last summer I was in their shop with my grandson and Rhonda (who also happens to be a championship fisher-woman) mentioned that they were going to have a "Fish Camp" for some of the kids in their family the first week in August, and Brandon was invited. Well I didn't think much about it, because it was a family thing, but my grandson called me up the last week in July and said "What time does Fish Camp start?". I called the CG girls and they said "Of Course, he is invited!". Well ,they took those kids fishing to a private lake, out on boats, came back and watched videos and played video games...He had a ball! How do you say "Thank you" for something like that? We took them a small, homemade gift to the shop at Christmas time, and when we got back in the car, I found out that Rhonda had slipped Brandon a whole sack full of fishing lures, including some vintage. I told my husband, "there's just no way to get ahead in the kindness game with those ladies".

Thanks for letting me share a few of the Angels in my life. And you may not know it, but you also just got a little preview of the "Love takes Wing" collection that will be for sale soon.

We are actually FINALLY doing the painting and floors (ourselves) in the Red Shed this weekend, so pray for us and look for lots of new inventory soon!

Best and Blessings Always,

Valarie

Join our Soldered Charm and Textile Altered Art Classes
http://www.redshedonline.com/altered_art_classes.html

Come with us to shop at the Paris Flea Markets!
Join our group traveling to Paris in April 09 (ONLY 1 SPOT LEFT!)
http://www.redshedonline.com/altered_art_classes.html

2009 Saturday Sale Dates!http://www.redshedonline.com/page/page/5468573.htm

Next Saturday Sale: Feb 28th 8am.

Junk Bonanza Antiquing Trip Day 4

After two days of 6 am Wake up calls, we all got to sleep in until 7 am today! Yea!! First stop on our agenda was the Secret Destination that won't be much of a secret after this post.


After months of digging and lots of driving on the pre-trip, we discovered:


THE COTTAGE HOUSE, 4304 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55407 (612) 825-4934.


They welcomed the Red Shed Girls with open arms....






The Cottage House looks like a small house with a little white picket fence out front. They hold a once a month occasional sale each with a changing theme (dear to our hearts, because it is just like the Red Shed!). They completely rework the entire building including painting the walls, and sometimes the floors. Boy is it worth a trip!


Once you get past the front arbor, the bargains start to appear.....

Owner, Ted is a talented designer and artist, and one of the nicest men you will ever meet. Here he is with one of his vendors, Linda, who I think looks like "Rainbow, My Painted Pony". She and her friend Judy have a great eye for display. Country Western music serenaded us as we shopped.

As you go into the cottage you realize that it is actually very large, with a second story, a huge covered back yard and a second building in the rear! Eye catching displays are in every room and cottage antiques overflow in every corner........

I hate to even mention the prices...Let's just say that if we had a semi-tractor trailer instead of a U-haul, it still would have been full!

You may recognize the Globe turned pumpkin below. Ted designed it and it was featured in Country Living. Of course, this pumpkin is now on it's way to live in Texas!

Thanks so much for the wonderful goodies he provided from his friends at Firefly Bistro, which is where we also had lunch.

Our next stop was Hunt and Gather. Once again we were greeted like ROCK STARS!

Hunt and Gather has such great displays and collections! The Red Shed Group just went nuts! More flash cards, lots of movie marquee letters, and so much more. My photos did not all turn out, but I will have more posted soon.

Here is one cute lampshade display....

Our last stop after lunch was Guilded Salvage. Oh my goodness, I thought the ladies would have a heart attack when they walked inside! We were again greeted by Scott......Christina and Ellie, the circus dog, who helps check out.....

There were gorgeous architecturals as far as the eye can see...

Everything is very well organized and reasonably priced. We were truly only limited by the shrinking space in our van. Scott had items marked with "Red Shed Girls" prices. It was so sweet! I'm not sure there is a corbel left in Minnesota.


Why is there no place like this in Texas? (or Colorado, Oklahoma, or North Carolina), the girls were asking.
Believe it or not, this was the last stop on our trip. We were going to go to a flea market at 6am in the morning, but by this time, only GiGI, our turbo-shopper was even remotely interested.

Here is a photo of the packing process of our van. You can understand why no one even wanted to look at a flea market!

One last farewell dinner at Bacios and it is off to the airport tomorrow morning (we get to sleep until 9! Michele and Kay are driving the U-haul back to Texas and they will be back to the Red Shed in Grapevine, Tueday Morning. Would anyone like to come help unpack? PLEASE?

Another great end to a fabulous day of antique shopping in Minnesota. I hope we have been able to educate our dear customers and readers on why this is such a great destination and trip. I will try to post again tomorrow if possible, but stay tuned for more photos and adventures from the trip, as the other participants photos are loaded. Visit Margo's Junkin Journal or The Blessed Nest blogs in a day or two for photos and trip adventures from another point of view.

• Thanks SO MUCH to all of the GREAT ladies who joined us. It was so amazing to have a dozen woman, most who have never met, get together, get along, and take care of each other for an entire long weekend of shopping, junking and antiquing. Thanks also to Ki for sponsoring the Junk Bonanza, which was a Huge success and inspired this trip. Be sure to visit her blog and her new website at http://www.junkrevolution.com/.

**Update...Last we heard our U-Haul drivers Michele and Kay had stopped at Diamond Jim's Casino in Iowa....that's the last we have heard from them!

Junk Bonanza Group Antique Shopping Trip Day 2

Hunting Season opens TODAY! Christy's great shirt says it all..."Junk Hunter". She bravely led us into the Wild Woods of the Minnesota Junk Bonanza.

The Junk Bonanza is held in two huge buildings..
Fabulous Displays are as far as the eye can see.

Love the architecturals! You just don't see these in Texas...My favorite Pink Scale, Unfortunately someone grabbed it before me!

Wonderful local stores are represented at the sale. Loved this turquoise display!

Ramshackeled Treasures

Loved this Mustard Island from Kathie's Finds

These were so interesting! Purses made from books by Elegant Treasures. One of them had a little blackboard on one side...

The Picket Fence Gals had a cute spindle bench and a great cabinet made from cigarette boxes.
All the new official "Red Shed Girls" found lots to like!

GiGi, among the Gorgeous, Gorgeous pieces at Fern Hill

Stacey is "springing to life"
Kay is getting ready for fall.

Shelly is looking sunny!

Marcy bought this great childs water fountain.
All the Red Shed Girls met Joan Steffan of HGTV's Decorating Cents. She was SO SWEET!
At lunch, Dr. Amy collected our Pedometers...

Answer #1 for the "health benefits of Junking and Antiquing", Valarie had logged 2 1/2 miles before lunch time!

After a full day we started loading up the two vans....

And the U-Haul which will be driven back to Texas. Uh Oh! We still have 3 days to go! We promise you are going to see some creative packing. That truck will be loaded to the ceiling. Our Houston folks are glad they have been "evacuated" to Minnesota. So are the rest of us!

Stay tuned for Day 3, The antique shops of Buffalo, many of which are opening JUST for the Red Shed Girls.