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

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Join our group traveling to Paris in April 09 (ONLY 1 SPOT LEFT!)
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2009 Saturday Sale Dates!http://www.redshedonline.com/page/page/5468573.htm

Next Saturday Sale: Feb 28th 8am.

Paris Apartment Chic Sofa finds it's family, Truth or Fiction?

We have all been shaking our heads over this lovely Paris Apartment Chic living room set that is featured right now at the Red Shed. How it came together is just a little unbelievable.


Valarie and Michele M. found the couch at a little shop in another city. We initially didn't buy it though really, everything about it was perfect, Red Shed "Cottage Chic".

It had a gorgeous dark gray pantina. Heavy, solid wood, beautiful carving and just the right amount of shabby. Most of the caning is perfect and the center section of caning is shaped like a heart.


Fabulous lions paw legs...

Why didn't we buy it? I don't know, really heavy, didn't have the truck with us, we were in a hurry.... Anyway, it was just one of those things that we lost sleep over. After about a week I went to M.M. and said, look I am losing sleep over that great couch, and she said, Me too! We called the shop, gave her a credit card over the phone and arranged for pick up.
The next time Michele Jones came to the Red Shed, she took a look at the sofa and her jaw dropped. "Oh no! Do you hate it?"
She just started laughing and said she had the rocker and chair that matched the set exactly, and had kept them in her home for years because she loved them so much, and was not ready to part with them.
Both pieces need the caning redone, but she was right! They are a matching set!

So what do you think? Were they meant to be back together?
The fabulous sofa is only $399.00 and each of the chairs are offered at $100.00 each...as is.

MJ says that if she gets the energy to do the re-caning, she will just buy the sofa and keep the whole set!

Will you beat her to it?

Adorned Wooden House Plaques Art Class 4 at the Red Shed

Thursday found us at another great "Runs With Scissors" altered art class at the Red Shed. This class was so great because we learned so many new and fun skills. Teachers Jeannie and Michele had our kits ready so that we could jump right in and learn the skills.
We had lots of photos to choose from, and some participants brought their own...
We learned several different faux rusting techniques....
We learned all the different steps to paint and antique our plaster birds (molded from an antique original)....

We learned how to flatten a vintage silver spoon and how to metal stamp the spoon with words.......

So we began cutting...............

Jeannie taught us how to distress and age our wood..........

Everyone's favorite part was smashing and metal stamping the silver spoons. Just whack them flat with a big hammer and an anvil, then align and pound your metal stamps to form your words. Very thereapudic to take your agressions out!

Isn't it exciting to see women using a BIG Hammers?

Then back inside and start assembling and gluing.......

The picket fence sections weres made a great surveyor's measuring tape purchased on ebay...

Jeannie and Michele teach the fine points of adding dimension, motion, texture, and interest to each piece.....(My favorite line from Jeannie.."Make sure that no glue shows because it will take away the mystery of the piece...")
Every person went home with a finished project, and they were GORGEOUS! The bird apears to be carrying the spoon, which the girl is riding. The spoon says "Dream" and "Soar" and "Believe".........

Now we can "Believe" in projects of the future...........

"Amazing" Displays at the Red Shed

We get so used to seeing the amazing displays at the Red Shed, that sometimes we just take them for granted. The last few days several new customers said that they were just "amazed" at the gorgeous displays and "how had they not known about us, sooner?". So I started looking at the cottage through their eyes and I thought should share some of the awesome montages currently at the Red Shed. (most, thanks to the talent of our in-house designer, Michele Jones) Remember that we usually change everything several times between our Saturday Spectacular Sales (Next date, October 25th), so chances are what you see now will be completely changed by the 25th. Enjoy!