A Journey Back in Time

I told you I would be posting another blog about my junk shop trek a few weeks ago, so here it is.

I didn't set out to go junking that Saturday morning. I actually just wanted to take pictures of something I had seen on a previous ride (those will be a future post). But after taking those pictures, I traveled on down the road a little way to Claremore, OK, home of Will Rogers (notice the name of the old hotel in the picture above?)

This is a wonderful little town for exploring antique shops; there are so many! It's neat and clean, too.

Going through antique/junk stores is like taking a trip back in time.

So let's take a short journey...

Remember these??

And these?

And, oh my goodness...what the heck is this?? It's antiquated and it wasn't really all that long ago!!! I was still using one of these things for certain jobs when we rolled into the new century.

Aqua is a trendy re-purposing color popular with the Pinterest generation.

This is some kind of light fixture but it looked like a crown to me. If it had been really cheap I would've bought it.

Claremore is home to the famous Pink House tea room, owned by a friend of ours (not the house behind the sign; that house is yellow!)

It's an old Victorian home and truly is pink. The food is fresh and delicious; the portions more generous than most tea rooms. They also serve the best scones and baked fudge you'll ever eat!

I love browsing antique/junk shops. I see so many things that remind me of days long gone and it brings back wonderfully warm memories of my childhood, my mother and grandmothers; or even toys that my son had when he was little.

But it can be a little disconcerting when I see something that I got for my wedding or something I bought new and now it's considered vintage. Whoa!

My Sister is an Angel

My sister's angel is finished!

The wings are detachable (the better for shipping). I put them on for a quick picture; that's why the one looks a little lopsided.

I'm so pleased with how she turned out. Doing the wings was a process of literally, "winging it!"

She'll be flying out this week!

And, yes, my sister is an angel in this world. The sweetest, most thoughtful, loving, selfless person you'll ever meet.

Junk/Antique Store Finds (part 1)

Last week I heard about a little antique/junk shop in nearby Broken Arrow. I decided to check it out yesterday. It's called My Papa's Barn and it was a good find!

 

I've driven past it many times, but the outside doesn't really beckon. More often than not I don't buy anything when I go junk-exploring. But once in awhile something jumps out at me. It's funny - when one thing jumps, it's like opening a floodgate. With no intention to purchase anything, I came home with four little items.

 

After breakfast this morning, I took some pictures...

The first thing that caught my attention was a pack of "Survival Cards" from the VietNam era. They were still sealed. I'd heard about these types of cards being used in Iraq to ID the bad guys, but I didn't know they'd been used in other wars.

I was an impressionable 13 year old when both my half-brother and cousin were sent to VietNam. I used to write them letters. They would bring me home Vietnamese dolls. Both boys sustained life-changing injuries (my handsome cousin died at the young age of 35).

 The years went by and that stupid war conflict wore on.

By the age of 17/18, when my own boyfriend and school friends were coming up for the lottery, I might have become a protester, but things were winding down and our attention was turning toward the MIA/POWs. I got a POW bracelet and didn't ever take it off until I watched the broadcast of the returning POWs and saw that soldier's name on the list of those whose feet once again touched US soil. God bless Lt. Col. Armand Myers. Thanks to the internet, I learned he passed away in 2002. I was finally able to put a face with a name. Here are two pages about this brave American hero.

http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/m/m121.htm

http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=24580

This weekend our leaders are debating what action the US should take against Syria. For the record, I am absolutely against any further involvement in the Middle East.

And boy, could I rant about it, but, moving on.....

My next find was a bag of dominoes in a booth where everything was 40% off. I would've passed on it, but the little tag said "great for vase filler" and I thought, "yeah! that would look cool in my black/white/stainless kitchen!"

The one thing that made me gasp was the coffee pot below (on the left). I already had the Mikasa pitcher on the right that I just love as an art piece and thought the strong lines of the coffee pot would make a great companion piece. Didn't care about the cost on this one - had. to. have. it. (fortunately it was under $20.)

And finally, I got a little bag of assorted Scrabble pieces. These will be used as ephemera on an altered book or maybe some greeting cards.

I have some other pictures ready to post from a jaunt to another little antique-y town I took a couple months ago. Check back soon!