Chloe Rose - Vintage Style

Holiday Open House at Camas Antiques - November 11-13, 2011

2011-11-11T08:25:00.000-08:00

This weekend is the Holiday Open House at Camas Antiques. I ventured down there yesterday afternoon to stock my booth with festive treasures and did a little rearranging.

The front window was dressed in beautiful shades of white and silver and just glimmered. It was beautiful. Check out the Camas Antiques blog for photos of what awaits you :)!

Location:

305 NE 4th Ave

Camas, Washington 98607

Contact:

JoAnn Taylor

360-834-4062

Hours:

Mon -Sat 10am-6pm

Sun 11am-5pm

Vintage Friendship Images to Share

2011-09-28T17:15:00.000-07:00

As I sit here, I am getting ready to go meet my best friend from school for a much needed visit over coffee. Her birthday was last week and I bought a gift for her earlier this year at an antique show. It's a little book titled "Friendship True and Sweet". I'm guessing it is from the 20's.

I was drawn to this book because it had a poem in it about Old Friends and New Friends. Years ago, I had given that poem in a card to her and I thought it was cool to find it again in an old book.

I scanned in a few of the poems and images to share with you....my blog friends.

Enjoy!

Lavender Love

2011-08-08T15:05:00.000-07:00

On his way home from the beach this weekend, my husband stopped off at the Astoria Farmer's Market. He surprised me with a fresh bunch of lavender from Latitudes of Lavender. Awww....He knows what I love.

We discovered the lavender growers several years ago when we walked through the downtown market and I kept smelling fresh lavender. It took us quite a while to find them because we could smell the lavender 4-5 blocks away from where they were selling. It was so fragrant! We just followed our noses :).

It didn't take me long to divide up my lavender and spread it throughout the house. Each of the pictures below are part of the original bunch he brought home.....

In the Foyer

On the Kitchen Counter

Above the TV

And Finally...

On my Nightstand

A ten dollar bunch of lavender can go a long way to freshen up your decor!

Blessings!

Christa

Birdsong Tag Swap....the finished tag book

2011-08-07T10:33:00.000-07:00

This past week I received the tagbook that Karla Nathan, from Karla's Cottage (my favorite blog!) put together from her Birdsong tag swap. I love these little pieces of art.

Right now, I have it hung off of a little shelf that I made from a piece of a galvanized house gutter cover (weird, I know!). The gutter cover came in a long sheet from a recycling center. I cut it and then bent it over to make a lip so that I could set pictures in it and hang things from. I think I need to hang a couple more little items and then it will be complete.....

Blessings!

Christa

Camas Vintage Street Faire - August 27th

2011-08-05T16:10:00.000-07:00

Mark Your Calendars!

It will be here soon.....Saturday, August 27th

9 am - 4 pm

The downtown streets of Camas are lined with wonderful vintage vendors from around the area. Come stroll through the town and shop from both the vendors and the quaint little shops along the thoroughfare. The faire is hosted by both Worthy Goods and Camas Antiques. Camas Antiques is located in a turn of the century department store and has both a main level and basement to browse through. This is a great opportunity to take a day trip and do some antique shopping.

Blessings,

Christa

Barnhouse 2011 Photos.....

2011-08-02T11:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning, my mom and I ventured out to Barn House for their annual flea market. My mom has never been to this and I wanted her to see what all the fanfare was about. I've told her all about it but it's really something that you have to go and experience. She was amazed, as was I. It is always a feast for the eyes :).

Old galvanized buckets and vintage jars with lacy white Queen Anne's Lace were everywhere.

How Beautiful!

One of my favorites.....Lisa Johnson with "A Thing for Roses"

Behind the curtain...

I loved Worthy Goods signage made from old wire....

Madison Park was inside the barn....

Busy Shoppers.....

And the band played on.....

Other Blog Posts with Barn House 2011 Photos

A Cottage Industry Part I

A Cottage Industry Part II

Blessings!

Christa

92 and Rolling.....

2011-07-30T16:27:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday, the boys, my mom, niece, and grandmother went on a fun outing in Portland. We took the max train downtown to Voodoo Donuts, a Portland landmark. My grandma is a donut fanatic and had never made the trek......

After waiting for an hour in line (yes, they are worth the wait!), we got our dozen of donuts and went outside to enjoy them on the picnic tables outside. The weather was wonderful! Not too warm and a nice breeze.

Grandma looking surprised at her dozen of donuts....at 92, she's still a ham.

After finishing our donuts, we hopped the Max to go uptown to Pioneer Place. We love our Apple computers and ipods, so the boys enjoyed their first trip to the Apple store. I fell in love with the mini Macbook Air.....I'd really LOVE to have it....but it's not in the budget right now.....

We also visited the H & M store. This was my first visit to their store and I was excited to visit. I bought these adorable rose hair clips in three different colors....ivory, black, and pink.

We snapped Grandma's picture in front of Tiffany and Company.....this is our little inside family joke. Years ago, Grandma said she wished she'd been named something different than "Irma Alfreda"....so she picked the name Tiffany. So we've always affectionately called her "Tiff". I think she looks cute sitting there with her box of donuts :).

After the Pioneer Place excursion, we were off to Ikea. Ikea is one of my favorite stores to visit.....I'm always in awe of all of the organizing ideas. I could spend hours in there! I bought a few things for the house, but one of my favorite finds were these white metal flower pots. I fell in love with the punched lace work edges. I bought three to use in my office for organizing.

It was wonderful outing for our family and an opportunity for my kids and I to make memories with their great-grandma.

Blessings!

Christa

Birdsong Tag Swap

2011-07-20T10:41:00.000-07:00

Several months ago, Karla Nathan posted a call for a tag swap featuring birds. The subject of the tag swap was inspired by her Birdsong creative retreat she hosted. I participated in one of her previous swaps, "Puppy Love" and treasure the little tag book she put together for me. I jumped at the chance to do another one.

At the time, it felt like I had all the time in the world to get it done......but I just couldn't seem to think of how and what I wanted to use to create my tags. I kept looking for just the right paper and embellishments to use, but nothing really seemed to jump up and inspire me.

So, when the deadline for the tag swap was soon approaching, I knew I had to come up with something.....and these are what I finally put together......they are simple but incorporate some vintage elements....

A roll of bird theme paper from Camas Antiques......

Tags cuts, pictures pasted, and trimmed with cotton lace.......

Sparkling with vintage glitter, old white buttons, and tied with scraps of lace.......

I'm excited to get my tag book back.....I love to look at all the artwork from other swappers. I'm sure that I'll be pleased :).

Blessings!

Christa

Pictures from the Portland Antiques and Collectible Show - 2011

2011-07-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

I think I've finally caught up on my sleep from the antique show this past weekend. (I've slept until 11:30 several mornings this week.....shhhh!) It was a good year as a vendor and judging from year's past, it looked like the attendance was up overall.

I didn't have the opportunity to snap some pictures until Sunday morning, so my booth looks kind of bare.

After returning from the show, we ventured down to Camas Antiques to re-fluff our spot.

A full booth is a happy booth!

I love these nesting boxes. These would be perfect for setting up your own vignettes, storing fabric, scrapbook supplies, or whatever your heart desires!

My next scheduled show is the Camas Vintage Street Faire on August 27, 2011.

There is a new junk market scheduled for August 18th at the McMenamin's Edgefield Grounds. The lovely owner of Collage, Maria Raleigh, is hosting this new event. If you've never checked out Collage, it is a feast for your creative mind! So many fun items to look at.

I've always loved McMenamin's and think this would be a fabulous venue for this sort of thing.

Blessings!

Christa

The BIG One - Portland Antique & Collectible Show

2011-06-29T18:27:00.001-07:00

It's Almost Here!

Mark your calendars! The Portland Antique & Collectible show is scheduled for July 9th & 10th. It opens on Friday the 8th for early buying and runs through Sunday afternoon.This is their biggest show of the year, with over 1200 booths. You can do some serious shopping here!

We will be outside again this year in space #143. Stop by for a visit, we'd love to see you! We will have some great vintage furniture and wonderful romantic country decor.

Camas Antiques - Some Recent Snapshots

2011-06-27T16:40:00.000-07:00

While adding some new things to our space last week, I snapped a few pictures of some of the things that caught my eye at Camas Antiques.

I love the feel and atmosphere of the store. It has a relaxed feeling from the moment you walk in the door. It is located in a 1900's turn of the century building and I think that adds to the charm.

The girls at Camas Antiques.....

I want to bring home these chair prints from Lara Blair at Modern Prairie Girl.

My humble little spot.....It's slowly getting filled to capacity. It's amazing how much you can actually fit into a space. It was still a little bare when I snapped these pics.

I love these black signs from Primitives by Kathy. They always have such timely advice :). There is a nice selection of them to choose from.

Julie, from Kindred Roses, was in the front window this month. She had some adorable items from her trip down south to Texas.

I loved this little white chair, but it has found a new home.....it was gone last time I went into the shop.

Blessings!

Christa

I love this time of year.....

2011-06-26T18:03:00.000-07:00

Hands down, this is the best time of year for garage and yard sales. There are so many to choose from....it's tough to know where to go to first!

This past Friday, I ventured out for some shopping and came home with some great treasures.

Some wonderful vintage laces and trims.....there were some really old ones in here and I love them! They are perfect for tucking into little vignettes around my house. Some of these look like they were actually trimmed off some old petticoats.

Some wonderful ironstone dishes and silverplate trophy bowls and plates.....

A sweet book of poetry and a fabulously crazed gravy boat.....I've never seen a piece with such dark lines....I think it's pretty cool looking ;).....

Blessings!

Christa

Bittersweet.....

2011-06-23T07:15:00.000-07:00

This past week my 10 year old graduated from 5th grade. He will officially start 6th grade next fall and will enter middle school. To celebrate their transition, the class held a big party with a DJ, lots of food, and a slideshow.

While watching their slideshow, I actually got teary-eyed. There were pictures of all of the kids from baby photos to recent shots. My son's baby pic is what got to me.

He was such a sweet baby (I miss that time so much) and has turned into a good, loving, and smart young man.

It is bittersweet for this mom.....so much to look forward to but missing the little baby boy from yesterday :). You make me proud, Bubba!

Blessings!

Christa

Wonderful Junking Weekend

2011-05-31T08:50:00.000-07:00

Every Memorial Day Weekend, Long Beach, Washington and the peninsula are host to the "World's Longest Garage Sale". Sales pop up all over the towns and the long jaunts in between them. I was a lucky girl this year and found some wonderful things.

Here's a peek at some of the goodies......

Some of these will be painted and others will simply be cleaned up......

Love this italian metal candle sconce and the old cast iron base desk lamp....

Most of these items will be found in my new space

at Camas Antiques over the next week or so.

I also found one of my very favorite things....old floral wallpaper. I was so excited when I found these!

One of the special things that I found this weekend was a copy of a recipe book that my mom had bought for me when I was little. My copy has been long gone for years, but it was fun to reminisce with this one. I remember the pictures in the inside and we even made some of the recipes in it. For 50 cents, I can make some things with boys this summer.

None of this would be possible without the sacrifices made by our men and women in service. Thank you for protecting our freedom on this Memorial Day.

Blessings!

Christa

Du u Yudu? Well....We Du!

2011-05-21T19:58:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago, I purchased a Yudu machine. I've been wanting one for a long time.

My husband and I watched an informercial, at least a year ago, promoting it. I've also seen them on one of the shopping channels, too. At the time, they were out of my price range and I couldn't justify the expense. They were cool but realistically there are a lot of neat-o machines and gadgets out there vying for my attention and money. On my want list is a Silhouette machine, a new fancier camera, an update to my sewing machine, and I could go on.....but the wants just get more expensive :)!!

The Yudu machine went on sale at our local Craft Warehouse for $170. I had some money from the business, as well as, from my birthday, so I decided this was the time to get it. The other deciding factor was that we were going to a vintage show and my husband suggested that we make some t-shirts to wear with our company logo on them.

Here's one that I made for myself with the logo on the front.

I enlisted some behind the scene help from my seven year old :).

(He had to hold the bust up because my dress form is down at the antique store)

I have never screen printed before. Therefore, there was a steep learning curve for me with this machine. My advice: Just be patient and practice.

The Yudu package that I bought only came with 2 emulsion sheets, 1 computer transfer paper, and no emulsion remover. I'm here to tell you....purchase these in addition to what comes with your machine, so you don't drive yourself nuts.

First, you will probably go through several emulsion sheets. It takes some time to know how wet is too wet for the screen, as well as, when the screen is fully dry. Buy yourself some extra. I found a lady on ebay who sells 10 of them for 22 bucks. I took me three screens to get it right.

Next, in regards to the computer transfer paper. I couldn't believe that I only got one sheet. What happens if your printer misfeeds?....which mine did, by the way! I bought a pack of 50 of these on Amazon for $20 or so. My local Office Max wanted $48 for a set of 50 sheets.....I about fell over.

Finally, you will want to purchase the emulsion remover. If you do not have it, you will have to gently scrape/rub off the emulsion which is like thick jello and glue mixed together. It took me 30 minutes to rinse off my screen without it. It took about 5-10 minutes with it.

In the end, am I glad that I bought the machine?

Yes. I would still buy it.

It's like anything new that you learn....practice makes pretty!

My future Yudu plans include use of an early 1900 catalog that my mother found for me at a garage sale years ago. It has some beautiful drawings of ladies, toiletries, dishware, etc. I've been scanning in some images, but have to clean them up in Photoshop.

Those will be my next Yudu surprises!

Here's a necklace I made with the scanned in images of the catalog toiletries....

Blessings!

Christa

Recent Re-Fluffing

2011-05-17T06:51:00.000-07:00

While we were away at the Junk Salvation show this weekend, I was fortunate to sell one of my dressers at the antique store, too. This gave me the opportunity to re-fluff my spot yesterday. I'm still in my small one, but I'm looking forward to expanding into a larger spot in a couple of weeks :).

Here's a couple of photos of the recent re-fluff.....

Blessings!

Christa

Junk Salvation or Bust!

2011-05-15T20:30:00.000-07:00

We returned from the Junk Salvation show in Puyallup, WA this afternoon. We had a wonderful time, met some great people, and shared our junking finds with the vintage loving crowds at the show. It's time to put our feet up and relax.....aahhh!

Some photos from our booth.....

One of the things that I love about the shows are the new people that you meet.

Across the way from us, was Cinnabar Blue.....she and her daughter were from the Chehalis area. She had a lovely display of a garden theme which included fresh moss from her home out in the country. It was beautiful.

We met up again with Peggy & Bill Stacy with Cricket on the Hearth. I love the arbor they built for their show space. We originally met Peggy when she was part of Junk Between Us Girls (JBUGS) in the Madras, OR area.

I also love Roost Re-imagined. This is Sarah Voss and her mom Pam. I admire Sarah's energy and ingenuity...she does just about everything......welding, carpentry, sewing, painting, etc. You Go Girl!

On a different note....

Beginning June 1st, I'll be moving into a larger space (Yay!) at Camas Antiques. I'm looking forward to bringing in more furniture and vintage wares to select from.

Our next show will be the Portland Antiques & Collectibles Show, July 8-10.

Blessings!

Christa

Smile....

2011-05-05T13:55:00.000-07:00

I sat down at my desk this afternoon and while flipping through some papers, found one my favorite childhood mementos. How it has survived all these years, I'm not sure.

For those of you from the Portland, OR area, you may remember these two guys. It's Bumpity and Fred from Sunday mornings on Channel 2. They were a puppet show on during the 70's through the mid 80's.

I enjoyed Bumpity and Fred.....my husband and I always liked Fred's sneaky laugh in particular. It sounded like a cross between a hee..hee..hee and a light hearted hiss.

A lot of times they had a local librarian on who would read a book and they often showed pictures on air that kids sent in. I talked my mom into letting me submit my picture. I never did see it on air, but I did receive this postcard from them.

It brings back some great memories of that time in my life and makes me smile.

Spring is in the Air.....

2011-04-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

Dare I say the word.....sunshine?! We've been enjoying some wonderful sunny days in the Pacific Northwest this week. After a cold and wet start to spring, we've finally had a break in the weather. I have missed you, Mr. Sunshine!

We've been getting things ready for the upcoming show season. We've been reshuffling our growing inventory of show items in our garage. It's amazing how fast you can run out of room! Our next event is Junk Salvation, which is May 13th & 14th in Puyallup, Washington.

I shared a few weeks ago some of the necklace pendants that I wrapped but hadn't soldered yet. I created some additional ones and finished soldering them yesterday. Here's a sampling of a few of them.

I also bought a fun new toy to play with......I haven't even opened the box yet.

It's the Yudu....a personal size silk screening machine. I wanted one for awhile and I've had some ideas of what I want to do with it. I'll have to set aside an afternoon to work with it. There's always a learning curve with a new contraption so, I'll share my results....the good, bad, and the ugly :) in a future post.

Blessings!

Christa

Junk Salvation Coupon

2011-04-12T19:45:00.000-07:00

We will be a vendor at the Junk Salvation show in Puyallup, Washington on Friday, May 13th and Saturday, May 14th. (I'm so excited!) We have already started to pack the vehicle with goods for the show!

If you are planning on attending or know someone who is, you can use this coupon to receive $1.00 off of your admission.

Stop by our space and say "Hi", we love to meet our blog readers!

Blessings!

Christa

Down Time....

2011-04-05T12:14:00.000-07:00

Spring break started yesterday. I work part-time at the local school, so I'm on vacation with my boys. So far, it has been nice to just relax. Nowhere to go....no schedule....ahhhh!

The boys stayed with their grandma last night and hubby went to work early this morning, so I've had some nice quiet hours to myself. (Bliss!)

This morning, I worked for a bit on my taxes (ugh!) and then felt the need to create something. So I put together and taped a few pendants to solder.

I had some vintage wallpaper and sheet music that I put together for these.

I love the pink roses on this wallpaper!

I'm planning on bringing a nice variety of necklaces to choose from to the Junk Salvation Show in Puyallup next month. I just booked our hotel room this morning. I'm very excited!

Blessings!

Christa

All Dressed Up....

2011-03-29T19:35:00.000-07:00

First....let me say, I love dress forms. I'm especially fond of the old vintage ones. I have one in my dining room with my husbands great-grandmas wedding dress on it. It's one of the favorite things in my house.

So when I was out shopping at the Goodwill several weeks ago, I was excited to find a shelf full of these miniature dress forms. At first, I passed them over because they were $1.99 each, which I thought was a bit over-priced. They were made of resin and painted a peachy color with a brown stand. On the front was a faux burgandy rose and ribbon.....not exactly colors that I have in my house. However, they were dress forms and I started thinking about the different things I could do to change the look of them.

Several weeks later, they went on sale and I picked up 20 of them. There were more, but I couldn't imagine what I was going to do with 20 of them :).

So here is a transformation of three of them........What do you think?

Blessings!

Christa

Going to Junk Salvation....

2011-03-26T18:54:00.000-07:00

Mark your calendars for the next Junk Salvation show!

It will be held Friday May 12th & Saturday May 13th.

This show is located in Puyallup, Washington.

(Puyallup is southeast of the Tacoma / Seattle area.)

I've been putting away some great finds just for the show :).

Where Did the Time Go?

2011-03-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

Seventeen years ago, I was 19 years old and Jason was 21 and it was our wedding day.....March 19, 1994. We were both on spring break from college and were ready to start our life together.

Fast forward 17 years, we've had an interesting journey full of ups and downs (and all arounds!). We've shared many joys and weathered plenty of storms. I wouldn't trade a day of it.

Happy Anniversary Honey!

You are a good man and I'm so blessed that you are mine!

Giddy-up Green.....

2011-03-17T18:02:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Last week, we had a few precious hours of sunshine and I found myself at Ulta. I'm not a big makeup girl but I've always enjoyed painting my nails and toes. When I walked in the door there was a big display of OPI Nailcolor that sucked me in......It was their Texas Cowgirl collection. Hmmm.....I kind of liked the sound of being a Texas Cowgirl.......and I have a ton of pink and red nail polish......

So, I toyed back and forth with a couple colors, but decided on "Don't Mess with OPI" green.....just in time for St. Patty's Day and Springtime.

Giddy-Up!

Blessings!

Christa

Through the Window.....

2011-03-10T22:20:00.000-08:00

Tonight, Camas Antiques was full of activity as the vendors and the store prepared for the Birthday Party Celebration this weekend. The sale starts tomorrow at 10:00 am and the first 50 people in line will receive a free gift. Many vendors have sales in their spaces and a lot of new inventory has been coming in the door!

I took some photos of both front windows to share with you.

This is the small front window with my Spring theme.

Mack & Momma did the large front window. She chose a whimsical birthday theme. It is adorable and filled with sweet little treasures. I apologize for the blurry pictures but I was taking them outside and it was dark :).

Blessings!

Christa

Window Dressing....

2011-03-09T18:51:00.000-08:00

This past week has a been a whirlwind around our house. Our oldest son finished his basketball season this past weekend, my husband has been studying for his college finals, and I have been putting together the goodies that I'll be bringing down to the window at Camas Antiques. This weekend is their 7th Birthday and they will be celebrating with dealer sales, cake, and giveaways.

This afternoon I set up the backdrop in the store window and hung up an old window pane on the ceiling to drape grapevine and nets from. I didn't have my regular camera so I took a couple of shots with my cell phone to give you a peek of the window coming together.

The backdrops are the panels my husband made me a month or so ago from old galvanized roofing sheets and old white chippy wood siding from a house. Above those I hung a strip of galvanized metal shelving that holds the letters that spell Spring.

I was really wanting to use some robins eggs in my displays but couldn't find any at the craft stores in my area......so I improvised and bought a big container full of these brightly colored styrofoam eggs.

I bought a can of spray paint and some Martha Stewart aqua glitter and started their transformation.

I learned something though.......

Don't leave your eggs sitting in wet paint.....it will melt the styrofoam. Obviously, I was a little heavy-handed with the spray paint :).

I used these little blue eggs to nestle in with the Spring letters and made a few nests for the window display.

Tomorrow, I'll finish filling up the window and bring some new things down to my regular space as well.

My space will be 10% off for the entire weekend!

Blessings!

Christa

Happy Birthday Camas Antiques!

2011-03-02T19:26:00.000-08:00

Camas Antiques will be celebrating their 7th birthday starting Friday, March 11th and it will run through Sunday, March 13th. The first 50 people in the store each day will receive a free gift. Many of the vendors will be featuring discounts in their spaces. I will have 10% off in my space.

Mack & Momma will be decorating the large front window (she creates some of the cutest little hats!) and I will be decorating the smaller side window. I must admit that I'm a bit nervous, but have been busy squirelling away some fun things to decorate with. I'm looking forward to the sale for some great shopping :). Hope to see you there!

Blessings!

Christa

"Free" Books.....

2011-02-23T17:06:00.000-08:00

Well, sorta.....free.

I'm talking about the ones you can check out of the library for no cost.....

I've been wanting to read a few books on altered and mixed media for techniques and ideas to use in my collages.

Our local library district has a wonderful online system that allows members to check out books via the internet. If you know the name of a book or an author, you can look up the book and have it delivered to your nearest library branch. I love this service. I discovered it several years ago when we were living on one income. I couldn't afford to buy every book that I wanted, so I'd check it out and decide it was something that I really needed or not. I think I checked out every organic gardening book our library had!

Lately, I have had a couple of books in mind, like Pretty Little Things by Sally Jean and Layered, Tattered, and Stitched by Ruth Rae.

This past weekend, I sat down and ordered a stack of books to peruse over the next week or two. If I fall in love with one, then I can go out and buy it. If not, it goes back to the library to be used for "free" again :). We're expecting a snowstorm tonight, so tomorrow may be a great day to nestle in and read!

Blessings!

Christa

A Trip to the Yard Garden and Patio Show

2011-02-20T20:59:00.000-08:00

We've had a few sunny days in the Portland area this past week and it has me yearning for Spring. I saw that the Yard, Garden, and Patio show was open this weekend at the convention center, so the hubby and I made plans to go over and look. I took my camera along to snap photos of some of the things that I thought would be good inspiration for our yard.

Not Your Average Pile of Rocks......

These caught my eye. The rocks are nicely rounded and smooth.....river rocks. They are all similar in color and make a very pleasant grouping. I wonder what they are using to keep the piles stable?

An interesting display of fire, stone, and water....

One of the things that I saw used in a lot

of displays was moss....many varieties.

The use of moss gives this structure age....like it has been there for awhile.

Over the Arbor.....

I was instantly intrigued with this arbor when we walked through the display gardens. The lighting in this section of the show was very dark and I struggled with getting a good photo of the arrangement above the arch. This is the best photo I had to show how large it was. It was filled with branches, moss, dried hydrangeas, dyed coffee filter flowers and such. It was beautiful.

Here's a couple of close-ups.....

A little birds nest.....

Hens and Chicks with a splash of Whimsy

Repurposed Pipe Fountain

For as long as I can remember, I have loved the sound of flowing water. Whether it is a trickling creek or a bubbling fountain, I love to hear it. There were many large fountains to look at here. I took note of this one, as it is repurposing pipe as a decorative element.

Creative Fountain for the Wine Lover

I thought this was a cute tabletop fountain for the wine lover. There were many wineries at the show....these are not the type of garden shows that I've been to in the past :). We each enjoyed a glass of wine and we brought home a bottle of sparkling riesling.

Blessings!

Christa

A Handy Hubby = A Happy Wife

2011-02-13T20:15:00.000-08:00

I'd like to introduce you to my husband, Jason......the other half of Chloe Rose.

When I have an idea of something that I would like constructed, he's my go-to man. He can make just about anything that I ask for. I just love that! It makes my life so much easier, knowing that I can depend on him to build that "just perfect piece" that I've been looking for.

He can take one of these old six pane windows (love them!)

and some of these old white chippy siding pieces and make some pretty snazzy things with them.....

Today, he made this super cute potting table from an old table, a window, and some repurposed porch railing pieces.......

and a set of these backdrops (made from the chippy white siding and some old corrugated metal sheets) for a garden themed window that I'll be doing for Camas Antiques next month......

Last weekend, he made this adorable fountain from a vintage cast iron sink and an old beehive. It sounds wonderful out on my front porch :).

In the past year, he's also made an entertainment / tv stand out of some reclaimed barnwood. This picture is before I had a chance to decorate it :).

He also put a new Corian top on a old dresser. I got the dresser for free at a garage sale, but the top was severely warped. So he took that off and put the new top on and I added some paint and presto.....a cute little buffet for the kitchen.

This is one happy wife who's thrilled to have her handy hubby!

Blessings!

Christa

Junk Salvation - A Big Thank You to the Funky Junk Sisters

2011-02-07T08:13:00.000-08:00

Saturday, February 5th, was the first Funky Junk Sisters show in the Portland, OR area and it was a huge success! I would like to send a (HUGE) Thank You to Linda & Dixie for hosting the show. They did a fabulous job putting this together.

If you didn't make it to the Portland show, you don't want to miss their next one. It is in Puyallup, WA on May 13th & 14th. We have decided to join them at this next venue, so we will be on the hunt for some great vintage finds to bring your way! Start planning your trip :).

Some quick snapshots of our space......

Blessings!

Christa

Sneak Peek.....Chloe Rose at Junk Salvation

2011-02-05T06:17:00.000-08:00

Here are the photos of the booth at Junk Salvation.....I had camera problems last night (battery was dead), some sneak peeks of what you'll find :)!

If you are in the area, stop by! There are certainly some treasures to be found here.

Blessings!

Christa

Junk Genre Television: What's Your Favorite Show?

2011-01-24T22:04:00.000-08:00

I'm not a big TV watcher....never really have been. Occasionally, I'll find a series that really sucks me in, but I must admit, this year I have been a huge fan of the "Junk Genre" reality shows. I don't mean "junk" in a bad way....I mean "junk" in all its vintage goodness :).

So, here's the breakdown of all of the junking shows that I'm now addicted to (our DVR has to work overtime to keep up with the recordings):

American Pickers

on History Channel

One of my favorites.....I wish I could tag along on their junk trips :).

Storage Wars

on A&E Channel

My new favorite show......Barry and Darrell are my favorite cast members. YEP......Not a big fan of Dave's. I wonder if he really thinks he's all that or does he just play it up for the show?

Auction Hunters

on Spike Channel

I've only caught this show a few times.....looking forward to more episodes. So far...so good.

Cash & Cari

on HGTV Channel

Again, a fairly new show to me, but very interesting. She sets up and runs estate sales and has a storefront, as well. I love her car and enthusiasm.

Pawn Stars

on History Channel

One of my hubby's favorite shows....Rick gets some interesting things in at the shop. I like that they will consult experts and explain an item's history. I've learned some interesting tidbits from this show.

Hardcore Pawn

on truTV Channel

This is a newer show for us, too. This is the hubby's new favorite. Perhaps, a bit of a Jerry Springer vibe to it?

Did I miss any shows?

The days of "Antique Roadshow" being the only TV fix, for us junkers, has come to a close.

So, what's your favorite junk show?

Blessings!

Christa

And the Winner is.....

2011-01-23T10:08:00.000-08:00

The winner of the Somerset Life Magazine was entry number 4. Tara , you are the lucky winner of the Rainy Day Creative Inspiration Giveaway. I will contact you via your blog or email to get your mailing info. Thank you to all who entered!

Blessings!

Christa

Rainy Day Creative Inspiration Giveaway....

2011-01-15T08:10:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be fun to do a giveaway today. Every girl needs some inspiration on these long and gray days of winter.....me included!

The prize is the latest copy of Somerset Life.... my favorite magazine. I love to flip through the pages for inspiration for decorating my home and business. The artists are top notch and the magazine is made with thick quality paper. I have a copy of every one. These are definitely a keeper!

The Details:

To enter the giveaway, just answer the following question in the comments section:

Where do you get your creative inspiration from?

You also may receive a second entry, if you create a post on your own blog regarding this giveaway. Just leave another comment that you did it and I will add your second entry.

A random winner will be drawn Saturday, January 22nd. Entries accepted through 1/22/11, 7:00 pm PST.

Speaking of creative inspiration, there will be a ton of it at the "Junk Salvation" show hosted by the Funky Junk Sisters. The show is scheduled for February 5th, 2011 in the Portland Oregon area. Some of the best purveyors of junk will be there displaying their vintage wares....I promise you, it is wonderful eye candy!

Print off the following coupon for $1 off your entry to the show.

Blessings!

Christa

Just a Bit of Romance....

2011-01-12T07:50:00.000-08:00

The last couple of days I've been down at the antique store decorating my space to celebrate Valentine's Day. During autumn and winter, I had a fairly neutral palette for the space, but with Valentines Day and the promise of Spring approaching, I brought in the color pink, sweet roses, and a dash of glitter. Just a bit of romance......

Reflections of Gratitude

2011-01-06T14:19:00.000-08:00

Recently, I had a few moments in the craziness of my life to take a moment to reflect on the past year. I'm not big into making resolutions, but I do like to learn from my experiences. Taking a couple of minutes to think about 2010, I had the following thoughts.

2010 was a hard year for our family, probably one of the hardest I've been through since I was a teenager. I've watched both of my parents struggle for their lives due to major health problems. It has felt strange to arrive at the time in my life where my parents, who have always been strong people, have taken a step into the next season in their lives.

I've seen both friends and loved ones cope with chronic unemployment and make their best efforts to survive in this economy. I know acquaintances that have lost their homes and families who have had to live out of their cars. 2010 was a doozy.

Despite the downsides of 2010, I am reminded of how much there is to be thankful for in my life. My husband has a good job and has managed to keep it during all this economic turmoil. I have been blessed with a part-time job at the local school that my children attend. My family is healthy. My parents have both made a full recovery from their heart problems. My business, Chloe Rose, has grown more this year. I have made so many new friends through my vintage business both in person and online. For all of this, I am grateful.

Thank you to my blog readers. You Rock!

Christa

O Christmas Tree....

2010-12-12T20:40:00.000-08:00

We put our Christmas tree up this past weekend. The boys were so excited to decorate it. They jumped right in and worked together to string the lights and hang the ornaments (no arguing or fighting, it was wonderful!!). I enjoyed watching their enthusiastic expressions and giggles as they did it.

Years ago, both my mother and my husband's mother collected ornaments for us as we grew up. When we moved out, we were each given our ornaments from Christmas' past. As our children have grown, I've done the same thing for them. They will each have a set of ornaments to take with them some day.

Here's a few of my favorite oldies.......

This old santa ornament was given to me in 1978 by the little lady who played the piano at church on Sundays. She was also the lady that played the piano at our wedding 16 years later :).

Our first Christmas together ornament from 1994....

One of Jason's (the hubby) vintage Winnie the Pooh ornaments from when he was a child. Tigger and Eeyore are somewhere on the tree, too.

Wishing you a wonderful memory filled Christmas Season!

Christa

Blog Giveaway - Vintage Inspiration Bundle

2010-12-09T13:08:00.001-08:00

Today is the day to enter for the vintage inspiration bundle that I put together for the Funky Junk Sisters in celebration of the "12 Days of Christmas".

If you are the lucky winner, here's the bundle of goods that you will receive:

Small Silverplate Ornate Platter

Chandelier Crystals

Old Sheet Music & Millinery Flower Decoration

Vintage Laces

Vintage Linen and Crochet Doilies

Fabulous Sparkly Vintage Earrings

Vintage Skeleton Key

Vintage Number Cards

Junk Queen Ornament

To enter the giveaway, please go to the Funky Junk Sister Website. They have the different ways to enter there.

The Funky Junk Sisters are hosting a much anticipated show, "Junk Salvation", at the Washington County Fairgrounds (near Portland, OR) on February 5th, 2011. I will have a spot there packed with some great finds.

If by chance you are not the lucky winner of this bundle of goodies, check back soon on my blog, as I will be doing one more giveaway before Christmas.

Blessings!

Christa

Junk Salvation....Coming to the Portland Area - 2/5/2011

2010-11-21T15:43:00.000-08:00

The Funky Junk Sisters will be hosting their show, Junk Salvation, this coming February 5th at the Washington County Fair Grounds in the Portland, OR area.

I signed up for it yesterday. I'm quite excited for the show. It'll be the first winter show that I've done in several years. The nice thing about it is that I already have some nice furniture pieces set aside and I'll have several months to get ready for it (that's great for a slow poke, like me!)

Blessings!

Christa

Holiday Open House - Camas Antiques

2010-11-11T20:30:00.000-08:00

The Holiday Open House at Camas Antiques starts tomorrow, November 12th at 10:00 am. The first 50 guests on Friday and Saturday each receive a gift. Kettle corn and cider will be served.

I've fluffed and stuffed my little spot and added some fresh cedar sprays for decoration. It smelled so good putting it together tonight! In celebration of the Open House, I am offering 10% off everything in my booth for the weekend!

Camas Antiques

305 NE 4th Ave.

Camas, Washington

98607

360-834-4062

Hours:

Mon -Sat 10am-6pm,

Sun 11am-5pm

Holiday Blessings!

Christa

Give Me A Sign.....

2010-10-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

Our household has been invaded by the creeping crud the last couple of weeks. Between myself and my two boys, we've spent a small fortune on mucinex and cough syrup. I'm finally starting to have some more energy after being off work for a week. Bad stuff!

A couple of weeks ago, I received a sign for my spot at Camas Antiques. Ever since I found Signs By Diane on Etsy, I have wanted to have a sign for my business painted by her. She does such a beautiful job. I was very happy with what I received.

After admiring a rosette headband on a lady, I thought I would try my hand at making one. I looked on the internet for directions for making fabric roses. I found some great ideas, but settled on this one: http://studio5.ksl.com/?nid=61&sid=8120153

Here are a couple of other directions that I thought looked great:

http://portabellopixie.typepad.com/RolledRosesTutorial.pdf

http://duhbe.com/blog/?p=807

I love ivory muslin, so old flour sacks were my fabric of choice. I tore them into strips and and used them to make the flowers. I didn't bother to iron the strips, as I wanted a more frayed look to them. I added some old pearl beads to them and finished the backs with ivory felt.

I also made some barrette or corsage clips. I added some white feathers for accent. You could clip these in your hair or they look great on a jean jacket.

Here's some quick pics from my antique store space.......

Loved these antique porch columns so much that I kept a pair for myself! The other pair are for sale at Camas Antiques....

Old spools of twine and thread.....

Little rosette and some vintage bottles.....

Blessings!

Christa

Papier d'Amour

2010-10-15T16:16:00.000-07:00

I admit it....I love old paper....I always have.

Over 25 years ago, my grandma gave me a stack of old 1950's catalogs from Sears and Montgomery Wards. This ten year old poured over the pages; amazed and amused at the clothing styles and colors. I kept these for many years, but eventually recycled them (which I'm kicking myself for) when I moved out of the house.

Fast forward a few years....my tastes in paper have changed a bit. I love old letters, newspapers, postcards, and other ephemera. Recently, I came across a stash of wonderful old papers at an auction. I found a farm ledger from 1834, letters from family members dating from the early 1900's to 1950's, receipts of all sorts. I love the richness and history of these handwritten notes and ledgers. I can't wait to use these in some collages and in some soldered necklaces.

Thanks for letting me share the paper love!

Blessings!

Christa

It isn't Pretty....But it Sure was Fun!

2010-10-07T07:30:00.000-07:00

For years, I've wanted to try soldering. I love charm bracelets, pendants, and decorating my home. Yesterday, I took the plunge and attended a "Soldering for Virgins" class by Sally Jean. If you haven't seen her work, you should.....right here------->Sally Jean

This was my first time making any kind of jewelry. I have never used a jump ring before, nor the 5 different type of pliers needed for this type of work. I felt like I was all thumbs. However, I was determined to get as much as done as I could.

Her class was very fast paced and she kept us on a tight schedule. I was thankful for this because I can easily get caught up in my perfectionism and really get nothing done. As Sally Jean says "Love & Embrace" your work. Well, I'll embrace it, but I'm not sure that I love it :o).

We created a charm bracelet with several different sizes of glass and added found objects, if we wanted.

My favorite charm.....it has "truly" on one side and "her" on the other. These were cut from an old 1940's letter.

The roses were cut from old scrapbook paper.

This charm was made using two flat sided glass beads.

This charm had a button placed in it, thus it was thicker and more dimensional than the others. Mine turned out lopsided, but I like the idea.

In the end, my solders were lumpy, bumpy, and not very pretty. However, I had a wonderful time learning from Sally Jean. I can't wait to practice on my soldering this weekend.

Blessings!

Christa

~ The Little Spot ~

2010-09-27T06:55:00.000-07:00

After almost hanging up my hat on my antique business and some long pondering thoughts about what I really wanted to do...........

I found a perfect little spot.

It's not too big and not too small.

It's close to home which lets me

spend time with my family.

It's in a historic department store building

in a beautiful tree-lined downtown.

This little spot can be found at Camas Antiques in downtown Camas, WA.

305 NE 4th Ave.
Camas, Washington
98607
360-834-4062

Hours:
Mon -Sat 10am-6pm,
Sun 11am-5pm

New items are added to my spot every 2-3 days.

Stop by and Visit!

Christa

Creative Inspiration! - Art and Soul Retreat

2010-09-10T20:09:00.000-07:00

I have felt the need to carve out some time in my schedule for some serious creating and crafting. Sometimes it just become a necessity :o).

While browsing through my copy of Where Women Create, I saw an ad for the Art and Soul Retreat in Portland. It's coming up the first week week of October. (I can't wait!)

The invitation and passes came in the mail last week and are adorable. (I am so excited!)

I picked two classes to attend. The first one is a printing and transferring class and the other one is "Soldering for Virgins" by Sally Jean. Last Christmas, my in-laws bought me the Simply Swank soldering kit and I haven't used it yet (shhhh!)....I'll finally get to break it in!

Blessings!

Christa

Guest Post: The Fresh Look Of White in Your Bedroom Decor

2010-08-31T19:59:00.000-07:00

I was recently asked by Jabbour Linens to do a guest post on my blog. After looking at their online store, I was impressed with the quality and beauty of their linens, as well as their longevity (80 years in business!). I was honored to share their view on the fresh look of white in the bedroom.......

A purely white bedroom décor brings forth a sense of serenity and airiness. White décor makes the room appear to be fresh, more spacious as well as romantic or modern, depending on which décor theme you want to incorporate into your bedroom. There are two popular ways of bringing white into your bedroom décor. You can use a white on white décor or use white accents to decorate the bedroom. In this post, we will discuss both of these methods.

When using a white on white color theme in your bedroom décor, the very first thing that you must do is get rid of any clutter in the room. Place the shoe rack in the closet and put the laundry out of sight, in the hamper. This is done to keep a fresh and serene atmosphere in the bedroom. White on white décor does not work as beautifully as it should when the eye is interrupted by unnecessary objects.

Now that this major step is done, you have to decide on how many shades of white you want to work with. There are many versions of white, cream and off-white that can be incorporated into your bedroom décor. If you would like a more romantic feel to your bedroom, try painting the walls cream and use white, antique white and off-white beddings. Imagine a beautiful antique white bed post that is draped in creamy fabric with soft off-white sheets opposite a cream colored chest of drawers. Use different textures in your white on white fabrics to show the soul of the colors and décor. If done properly, the result is absolutely heavenly.

When using white in addition to color, it plays a wonderful role as an accent color. Warm color stories such as Bordeaux or coffee are trendy colors to use in bedroom décor right now because they bring a sense of romance and a touch of excitement. However, the most popular, by far, is still a light blue and white combination. Light blue is a soothing and calming color that works very well with any shade of white. Think of the effect that a large body of water has on your senses and bring this fresh, serene feeling to your bedroom décor.

Whichever color story you choose, a shade of white should be used to paint the moldings and the ceiling as a way to tie the walls with the accessories. The furnishings and bedding in this white décor should be done in a solid white. The white used in this version will stand out a little more because they are playing off of a bigger, more major color and therefore standing out. If you want to make a real impact here, try adding a white couch or piling white pillows on top of the bed. White lampshades and curtains are also good accessories to give the room a clean look.

Both décor techniques here are reliant on light. Natural light works very well to bring a feeling of airiness, but if you don’t have enough natural light, it would be a good idea to make sure that you have enough proper lighting to brighten the room and let your whites shine.

R. Jabbour & Sons first opened its doors in New York City over 80 years ago. Passed through four generations of family, R. Jabbour & Sons continues to be a trusted and highly knowledgeable resource for the finest bed, bath, and table linens. Its loyal following of customers rely on the utmost attention to detail and service

Back from the Barn House Flea....

2010-07-31T14:16:00.000-07:00

The Barn House Flea was fun and inspiring. This was my second year and they must have had record attendance. The road out to the farm reminded me of photos I've seen of the lineup for Woodstock :o).

I am always amazed at the talented vendors who come here. The following are some photos from the show.....

Debbie and Laurie (in the background) from Worthy Goods...they are such sweet and kind ladies.

Sue from Bella Shabby.....

I love the ruffles on the cushions Sue made for this garden settee.....so darn cute!

Retreat......

I was smitten with all of the white in their display.

This table was adorable....and the old hubcap they used was unexpected and unique.

Annie, Fannie, and Abigail

I love the abundance of Queen Ann's Lace. Beautiful!

Lisa from a A Thing for Roses.....I love Lisa. She always has a smile on her face and is a sweet lady. I purchased some very hard to find (at least for me) vintage pink rose wallpaper from her. After I got home and unrolled it, I'm wishing that I bought a couple more rolls. It's very pretty and just what I needed for papercrafting.

I adore Lisa's bling-bling belt buckles. I may have to get one of these in the future!

Isabel from Maison Douce.......her lovely pillows.....

Joy from Auntie Joy's.....she is such a hoot. I love to listen to her laugh....it makes me smile and is a bit contagious.

Barnhouse Eatery.....I didn't get a chance to sample anything but it sure looked good.

Blessings -

Christa

Returning From Portland Antique Expo

2010-07-15T07:16:00.000-07:00

The Portland Antiques and Collectibles was a great show and a nice opportunity to visit with Julie from "Kindred Roses" and Joy from "A Day in the Life". It's always fun to reconnect and see how everyone is doing. These wonderful ladies will be at the upcoming Barn House Flea Market (I can't wait!).

The show was on some of the hottest days of the year. Several of the days were in the triple digits! I was very thankful for my canopy :o). The heat was actually a welcome change from the soggy spring that we've had in the Pacific Northwest this year. My garden is greatfully soaking up the sunshine :o).

Here are some photos from the show. I forgot my camera, so these were snapped with my phone.

One of my favorite things lately....white thread of all kinds.....Julie's enjoying the shade in the background :o).

These sachets smell fabulous.....I adore the scent of lavender.

Joy soaking up some sun in Julie's chaise lounge.....it was a beautiful weekend!

Blessings!

Christa

It's almost time.....Portland Antique Expo

2010-07-05T08:46:00.000-07:00

It's been a put your head down and work time at our place lately :o). The hubby has been sawing and sanding. I've been painting and sewing. We've been working diligently getting ready for the Portland Antique and Collectibles Expo.

A sneak peek of one of the goodies, I'll be bringing with me......

If you are in the area, here is the information about the show:

July 10 & 11 - Portland EXPO with 1400 Booths

A great Palmer/Wirfs Antique & Collectible Show with more than 1400 booths filled with everything from estate jewelry, vintage toys, furniture from early American oak to European, paper Americana, china & glass including Fenton, Cambridge, Heisey, Tiffany, enticing smalls in silver, enamel and gold, country store, decor for every room in your home, kitchenware, coin-operated items such as jukeboxes, antique tools, costume jewelry, vintage clothing, barware, men's & ladies' antique watches, Native American, quilts, textiles, clocks, phonographs, sterling flatware, holiday memorabilia, lunch boxes, board games from the '60's, pop culture items, vintage gambling items, sewing, dolls from the 1870's to the 1970's. Western Americana, tobacciana, toy trains, price guides.

Saturday 9-6, Sunday 10-5
Admission is $7 - Good for BOTH days

Expert Identification & Evaluation offered all hours of the show. $5.00 per item.

Visitors to All PWA Shows - Sorry, Dogs are no longer allowed

The weekend of the 31st will be the Barn House Flea Market. I can't wait to see what's in store from all the vendors. It's a feast for the eyes! Julie from Kindred Roses will be out there this year and I'm sure she'll have lots of goodies!

Blessings!

Christa

Junque Groove.....

2010-05-14T13:40:00.000-07:00

The last couple of weeks I've made it to a couple of thrift stores. It feels good to shop after a bit of a hiatus due to family medical issues.

I've got my junque groove back.....

Some of the things I've found lately......

Vintage P & G Laundry Soap Bar....got this last weekend at the Barn House. They had a bowl of these bars and they looked great displayed together. I would have loved to buy the whole bowl, but I could only afford one :o). It's now tucked into a corner shelf in my breakfast nook. I love the simple graphics.

I found some great feather pillows. I love the old ticking and how they plump up after a good washing and drying. Even though they are used, I bring them home and wash them in HOT water. In order to make sure that the feathers get dry, I put the pillows in the dryer with three tennis balls.

Yep, tennis balls. These keep the feathers moving around to ensure even drying. I'm not sure that I would use this method if I had a brand new dryer, but since mine is older and will need to be replaced in the next year or so.....I let it rip.....and the pillows come out so plump!

I also found some great vintage advertisement hangers. My favorite thing about them is that the they are from Portland and the phone numbers were 4 digits long......

More vintage wood and wire hangers.....

One of my very favorite finds recently was an old linen pillow cover. It feels so soft and silky.

Some sweet pink pillow ticking and pink rosebud fabric......

And finally, all the doilies a girl could want. I admit it....I've always loved doilies. Now, I have plenty to use in my decorating.

God Bless and Have a Wonderful Weekend!

Christa

Saturday's Vintage Adventure.....

2010-05-10T07:30:00.000-07:00

I love to shop for vintage things. I could almost call it an addiction really. If it's old, painted white, chipped, rusty, ruffled, lacy, or silver, I get really excited. I love to fill my home with weathered and well-loved treasures.

My idea of a good time is a trip to the Goodwill or an uncrowded garage sale.

Unfortunately, my nine year old and six year old sons don't share the same passion as their mother for treasure hunting (Not for lack of trying on my part!) Normally, I can work around their distaste and leave them with their dad or their grandparents, but that didn't quite work out for me this weekend.

I had been waiting to go to the Barn House sale, as well as, the Mother's Day garden fair in Camas this past Saturday. I realized Friday night that if I was going to go to Barn House that my boys would be joining me. Oh boy, this was going an adventure....I thought to myself.

The boys and I hit the road Saturday morning and got out to the show about 15 minutes after they opened. It was shoulder to shoulder women with a few husbands mixed in to stand in the checkout line so their wives could shop.....lol. I had intended to take pictures of the displays but there was no easy way to get back out to my car where I had left my camera.....so here are some other blogs that have some fabulous photos of the show. Trust me, they had much better cameras than I anyhow ;o).

http://antiejoy.blogspot.com/2010/05/barn-house-see-for-yourself.html

http://isabellang.blogspot.com/2010/05/barn-house-season-opening.html

http://aviewfromthecoop.blogspot.com/2010/05/barn-house-here-we-come.html

http://athingforroses.blogspot.com/

http://www.barnhousebh.com/

My own Barn House Boy

We stopped at the Garden Fair in Camas on our way home. The boys picked up some flowers and baskets for their grandmothers and I bought some Hens & Chicks....the plant version.

We also found Julie from Kindred Roses selling her vintage wares. She was enjoying the beautiful weather and I bought some of her delicious french lavender and plumeria goats milk soap.....if you haven't tried it, you should.....it's heavenly. I buy it for myself and also give it away for gifts....

The boys on the last leg of their vintage adventure.....they survived.....and so did I!

This Little Heart......

2010-04-16T18:02:00.000-07:00

As my sister and I stood quietly in our father's hospital room, the aged hospital volunteer slowly fished the little red glass hearts out of his pocket. He placed one in each of our hands and told us that these were to be a reminder of this day. "A reminder? Why would I want to be reminded of this?" I thought to myself. Our father had just come through a four way by-pass heart operation. I glanced at my dad, who was still hooked up to tubes and a monitoring wires from the procedure. I was still in disbelief that we had come so close to losing him, yet so very thankful and grateful that we hadn't. I looked at the little shiny heart in my hand. It felt smooth and cold. I realized that the little heart was not to be a reminder of such a sad and fearful time of my life, but rather a reminder to be appreciative and grateful. It is the reminder to take better care of myself, especially now that I have two parents with heart conditions. It is the reminder to call my parents to and check in with them. It is the reminder to say, "I love you" to my husband and children.

This little heart now resides on my nightstand......a gentle reminder of what is important when I wake up and start the day.

Got My Fix.....

2010-01-29T08:40:00.000-08:00

I admit it......I love Somerset magazines. My favorite is Somerset Life. I needed an inspiration fix, so I snuck out of the house for a few hours and stopped in to pick up the latest copy at Borders.

I was pleasantly surprised to see an article featuring Barn House inside. It was a fun read. I was amazed at their last Flea Market and the amount of work and detail that they put into it. Definitely worth a trip!

I also found a new show that I really enjoy watching. Has anyone watched American Pickers on the History Channel?

It follows two guys who travel around venturing through the garages, barns, and fields of junk collectors. I love the history of some of the stuff these guys pull out of the piles stuff. Not to mention It's a pretty good show and now on our permanent Tivo list ;o).

Blessings!

Christa

Decorating for the New Year......

2009-12-30T06:27:00.000-08:00

It is quiet here this morning. The boys are sleeping and the satellite tv is not working, due to too much snow on the dish outside. We received our first snow of the year last night and it looks beautiful. The first snow is my favorite and I love how it looks on the fir trees out in the yard.

It has been fun re-decorating after putting the Christmas decor away. I had some fun things that I collected at some flea markets and antique shows this past summer, as well as, some bits and baubles from Grandma Rose's.

Vintage pearl & white buttons, french postcards, vintage baby shoes.......

Vintage bottles, old padlocks & skeleton keys, metal colander & thimbles.....

Old letters, vintage silver & lace & buttons....

One of my new favorite things.....Jason's (my hubby) great grandmother's wedding dress. It has some damage here and there, but I love the beauty of it. His great grandmother was a tiny lady....the dress doesn't even come close to fastening on the back of the dressform.

Wishing You a Blessed New Year in 2010!

Christa

Wishing you a Blessed Christmas Season......

2009-12-11T17:36:00.000-08:00

(A sweet picture found at an Estate Sale earlier this year)

Today was the first time I have visited my blog in months. I thought about taking it down, but that seemed so final. I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue blogging. I decided to just let it sit for awhile. Just think about it.....

In the passing months, Summer turned into Fall and we are now almost officially into Winter. The boys started school. I started a new job at the local middle school. My husband went back to college at night. My husband's beautiful grandmother Rose passed away. The picture below is her in the mid 1930's. (I love how the curl falls on her forehead) She was such a loving and giving person. Our family will miss her so much.

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas season!

Christa

It's Coming.....Kindred Roses Flea Market

2009-07-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

The time is fast approaching for the Kindred Roses Flea Market to be held in Camas, Washingtion this coming Saturday, August 1st.

I've been busily painting and sewing this past week to get ready for the show. We're experiencing a heat wave here in the Pacific Northwest, so I've spent the entire day indoors enjoying the air-conditioning. I always seem to be much more productive when I'm comfortable :o).

The following are some photos of some of the vendors who will be participating in the show. You can also check out the Kindred Roses blog to view more details and pictures of what we have in store!

Kindred Roses (Julie & I) at "Junk Between Us Girls" in Redmond, OR

Lisa and Peggy (Junk Between Us Girls) at our Whimsical Wishes Show

Erin from Rickety Picket

These are just a couple of the vendors who will be joining us.....there will be 10+ showcasing their vintage treasures just for you!

You can find us at:

Kindred Roses Flea Market

2847 SE 2nd Ave

Camas, WA 98607

9 am-4 pm

Blessings!

Christa

The Barn House Experience.....

2009-07-23T21:10:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, my husband took off to the beach for his annual salmon fishing adventure, leaving me at home with the boys. This is not normally a problem, but I had plans to attend the Barn House Flea Market. So I arranged for a sitter and took off to enjoy my Saturday morning.....

I arrived at Barnhouse to find such beautiful displays from all of the vendors......it was just amazing. There were so many things to look at. I was there for several hours going through each booth to make sure that I didn't miss anything. I am redecorating my kitchen, so I found some fun things to incorporate into the decor......I'll share photos when I'm done :o).

Unfortunately, that morning, the battery pack on my camera quit working, so I was unable to take some pictures to share with you of the show. I cringe to think how much a new battery pack is going to cost.......However, the following are links to some of the vendors who were there......they took some great photos.

Barnhouse: http://barnhousebh.blogspot.com/

Bella Shabby: http://bellashabby.blogspot.com

Maison Douce: http://isabellang.blogspot.com

Auntie Joy: http://antiejoy.blogspot.com/

Little Cottage BG: http://littlecottagebg.blogspot.com/

Molly Mo's: http://mollymos03.blogspot.com/

Blessings -

Christa

Fun at Junk Between Us Girls - Redmond, OR

2009-06-29T11:05:00.000-07:00

Kindred Roses

We traveled to Redmond, Oregon this past weekend to participate in the Junk Between Us Girls (JBUGS) show. Redmond is located in central Oregon where the climate is dry and warm.

My hubby, the boys, and I left Friday for the three hour trip to get there. We arrived in the afternoon to meet up with Julie, my partner in Kindred Roses, to set up our booths. After getting the trucks unloaded, we headed back to the hotel to rest up for the next morning.

On Saturday, the day of the show, we were greeted with beautiful weather and got to meet some wonderful new people. One of my favorite things about participating in these shows is all of the people who come through. I always end up having some interesting and fun conversations by the end of the day :o).

The Red Barn at Cricket Song Farm

Peggy from Cricket Song Farm and Lisa from The Back Porch put on a fabulous show and I look forward to joining them for their Harvest show on October 3rd. In addition, they will be vendors at our upcoming Flea Market in Camas on August 1st. Want to see more pictures or find out more information about the upcoming shows? Stop by our Kindred Roses blog for more information and photos.

Blessings,

Christa

The Sweet Summertime.....

2009-06-22T20:36:00.001-07:00

This past weekend, we traveled to Vashon Island, Washington. It is located in the Puget Sound west of Seattle. Our reason for going was for Julie and I (Kindred Roses) to participate in a flea market hosted by the lovely ladies from Island Thyme. They had a quaint little shop located in the town of Vashon.

We met up with our friend Erin, from Rickety Picket who makes wonderful wood signs and fun vintage decor.

We're off and running again this weekend.......If you're in the area, stop by and visit us in Redmond, OR this coming Saturday, June 27th at "Junk Between Us Girls". It is sure to be fun and a great opportunity to do some shopping!

I Survived the Farm Auction......and Loved Every Minute of it!

2009-06-01T21:01:00.000-07:00

It's two days after the farm auction and I'm still exhausted.......tired, but loved every minute of our little adventure. This was the first time I went to an auction. I've watched them on television, but had never participated in one before. Frankly, I found them a bit intimidating. Bidding against someone? Hmmm....I wasn't sure about that.

After discussing it with my husband, we decided to take a trip up north to attend the auction. The location was about 2 1/2 hours from where we live, but it looked like it would be worth the drive. We weren't disappointed!! One family had resided on the farm for over 100 years.

The farm was nestled in the foothills of Mount Adams and was bordered by a crystal clear creek. It was so warm out, I was tempted to roll up my jeans and go wade in it. My photos don't do it justice......

Our auction adventure began when , my husband and I woke up at 4:00 am to get ready to leave. We were on the road in our old Ford pickup by 5:00 am. We left our boys with our in-laws for the day. We arrived around 8:00 and looked through the different lots of merchandise. There was so much stuff that the auction company was running two separate auction rings. We made two lists of the stuff that we were interested in and my husband went to one ring and I went to the other. We would periodically check in with each other to see what we bought. The bidding started shortly after 9:00 am and our final purchase was made at 8:30 pm. By 10:00 pm, we were loaded up and were heading home. We stopped for a bite to eat and didn't lay our heads down on our pillows until 1:38 am. This was a long and adventurous day!

Here's some quick snapshots of some of our treasures.......

An old wagon.....this is a keeper for my garden area.......

A vintage dressform.......she's in great condition and is available for sale here.

These sweet antique rusty metal pieces....perfect for altered art projects

I'm still digging through all of the stuff....separating the good from the not-so-good :o). I will have a lot of fun things for our upcoming Kindred Roses events. We'll be off to Vashon Island in the Puget Sound in a couple of weeks for our next flea market. If you're in the area, stop by and see us!

Blessings-

Christa

Gardening on a Shoestring......

2009-05-26T22:45:00.000-07:00

After a cold and wet Spring, we have had our first extended length of beautiful weather here in the Northwest with more warm weather on the way. It is such a welcome change....

My husband (Jason) and I spent this past weekend putting in several raised beds for our vegetable garden. The last several years, I made do with an area next to the house with some pretty lackluster soil. We live in an area with a lot of clay and lime.....so the soil is hard to work and can be quite clumpy. I was able to grow both tomatoes and peppers pretty well, but not much of anything else.

This year we wanted to put some effort into making the garden look nice and upgrading the soil. We were working with a limited budget, so we made every effort to find and use items that we already had or were free or little cost.

To begin our project, we used some old barn wood taken from a local tavern remodel (free!), recycled fencing and posts from his grandparent's former garden (free!), and the little garden gate was a wooden screen door that I picked up from the side of the road this past weekend (free!). Jason cut it in half and fastened it to a post....wah-lah.....instant garden gate. He did such a great job putting this together.

The most expensive part of our project was the 3 yards of topsoil that we used to fill the boxes.....$90. Who would have thought dirt could be so expensive :o)? We planted Bell Peppers, Onions, Corn, Lettuce, Acorn Squash, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, and Green Beans. Some were starts and others I planted from seed.

I also planted a mini herb garden in an old washtub......Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Oregano, and some chives......I love using fresh herbs in spaghetti sauce.....mmmmm...

This tricyle was a hand-me-down from the boys' cousins and they had outgrown it, so I decided to make it part of my garden decor. I couldn't resist adding a basket to it, which was a dime at a garage sale over the weekend, and filling it with white impatiens. I poked in a "Jardin" sign that I had made. As soon as the basket was on it, my youngest was intrigued with the long-forgotten trike again......."Mommy, I want to ride it, please!" Funny, how that works :o)!

Green & Frugal Gardening Tips

These are few things that I do when I'm gardening that are both "green" and "frugal".

Water my plants with leftover cooled coffee. I drink coffee every morning and there is usually some left over. Rather than pour it down the drain and waste it, I add a little water to it and water some plants with it.
Add my coffee grounds to my compost pile or sow directly in the garden.
Create a compost pile....
At the end of the season, save your seeds for next year. There are some good resources on the internet regarding how to properly save seeds each year.
Check out gardening books and magazines from the library rather than purchasing them.
Be Resourceful - Ask family or friends if they have any leftover garden supplies or plant starts. Check your local craigslist, freecycle, and yard sales for free or inexpensive supplies.....you never know what you'll find!

Blessings,

Christa

A little bit of Spring Sunshine.....Camas Garden Fair

2009-05-06T06:29:00.000-07:00

This coming Saturday, May 9th, Julie and I will be at the Camas Garden Fair. This is my first year doing this event, but Julie has been a regular for years with her wonderful soaps & lotions (try the French Lavender!). The weather forecast is showing a comfortable 70 degrees on Saturday. I am SO excited for some nice weather! As mentioned in my previous post, it has been so cold and dreary here in the Pacific Northwest. Sunshine, here we come!

We've been busy putting together some wonderful little treasures just for the garden show. The hours 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. This is a well attended show, as this is the 12th year, so shop early for the best selection!

Here's a sneak peek of some of the goodies awaiting you.......

Blessings -

Christa

Cold

2009-04-28T16:50:00.000-07:00

If there is one word I can use to describe the past 4-5 months, it would be cold.....then wet. We are into Spring over a month and the warm days I can count on one hand. It has been so cold and damp in the northwest.......I'm so looking forward to some sunshine and warmth!

This past weekend, we held our Kindred Roses show. The vendors were amazing and brought some absolutely wonderful treasures. I was so impressed. Friday, during set up we enjoyed some brief moments of warmth. Saturday was cold and drizzly.....but we had a great time checking out each others junque.....check out our Kindred Roses blog for some more wonderful pictures.

Blessings -

Christa

Whew...I'm done!

2009-04-10T08:20:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in my previous post, it truly has been so busy around our home.......tax preparation, school yearbooks, and getting ready for our spring show has kept this girl hoppin'. I've missed updating my blog! It's truly one of my favorite things to do.

I'm officially through with taxes and assisting with the yearbook, so now I can focus on what I love to do.......sewing, creating, and painting for our upcoming, Whimsical Wishes show. It's only two weeks away! Be sure to visit the Kindred Roses blog to get a sneak peek at our vendors and some of the fabulous things that will be there........

These are some of the things that I've put together the last few weeks........

Blessings

Christa

How to Tell When You've Taken On Too Much.......

2009-03-21T19:26:00.000-07:00

When your cat starts feeding herself.......

This was a clear sign that I've taken on more than I can handle. My poor cat, I felt sorry for her when I saw this :o(. Fortunately, all my projects do have deadlines, so I won't be on this crazy schedule forever........ and my cat will get fed.....

It has been almost a month since my last blog post, which is not like me. I like to write at least once a week, but just haven't been able to set aside the time lately. I truly enjoy my blog.....I look forward to posting.....even if no one reads it, it's still an opportunity to document a little piece of life.

This past week, my husband and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary.........love you, honey!

I've also been busily working on my son's school annual and finishing our taxes......oh, I can't wait until these are done!

My in-laws arrived at our house this evening, which is why I have a few moments to myself to post to my blog! The boys are out staying with them for the night.......in the motorhome, just few short steps out my front door.

They have been gone for the last few months traveling in Mexico and down south. My mother-in-law brought me home a box of shells she brought home from the beaches while in Mexico........I love all the shapes and sizes. She brought me some big ones and some really tiny ones. I want to put these in some vases and old bottles.......

They also brought me home some pretty silver pieces for my birthday.........I have wonderful in-laws.......

Blessings,

Christa

Chloe Rose - Vintage Style

Holiday Open House at Camas Antiques - November 11-13, 2011

Vintage Friendship Images to Share

Lavender Love

Birdsong Tag Swap....the finished tag book

Camas Vintage Street Faire - August 27th

Barnhouse 2011 Photos.....

92 and Rolling.....

Birdsong Tag Swap

Pictures from the Portland Antiques and Collectible Show - 2011

The BIG One - Portland Antique & Collectible Show

Camas Antiques - Some Recent Snapshots

I love this time of year.....

Bittersweet.....

Wonderful Junking Weekend

Du u Yudu? Well....We Du!

Recent Re-Fluffing

Junk Salvation or Bust!

Smile....

Spring is in the Air.....

Junk Salvation Coupon

Down Time....

All Dressed Up....

Going to Junk Salvation....

Where Did the Time Go?

Giddy-up Green.....

Through the Window.....

Window Dressing....

Happy Birthday Camas Antiques!

"Free" Books.....

A Trip to the Yard Garden and Patio Show

A Handy Hubby = A Happy Wife

Junk Salvation - A Big Thank You to the Funky Junk Sisters

Sneak Peek.....Chloe Rose at Junk Salvation

Junk Genre Television: What's Your Favorite Show?

And the Winner is.....

Rainy Day Creative Inspiration Giveaway....

Just a Bit of Romance....

Reflections of Gratitude

O Christmas Tree....

Blog Giveaway - Vintage Inspiration Bundle

Junk Salvation....Coming to the Portland Area - 2/5/2011

Holiday Open House - Camas Antiques

Give Me A Sign.....

Papier d'Amour

It isn't Pretty....But it Sure was Fun!

*~* The Little Spot *~*

Creative Inspiration! - Art and Soul Retreat

Guest Post: The Fresh Look Of White in Your Bedroom Decor

Back from the Barn House Flea....

Returning From Portland Antique Expo

It's almost time.....Portland Antique Expo

July 10 & 11 - Portland EXPO with 1400 Booths

Junque Groove.....

Saturday's Vintage Adventure.....

This Little Heart......

Got My Fix.....

Decorating for the New Year......

Wishing you a Blessed Christmas Season......

It's Coming.....Kindred Roses Flea Market

The Barn House Experience.....

Fun at Junk Between Us Girls - Redmond, OR

The Sweet Summertime.....

I Survived the Farm Auction......and Loved Every Minute of it!

Gardening on a Shoestring......

A little bit of Spring Sunshine.....Camas Garden Fair

Cold

Whew...I'm done!

How to Tell When You've Taken On Too Much.......

~ The Little Spot ~