100th Post Giveaway !

This is it -- just in time for Halloween !!! My 100th Post Giveaway !!! I am giving away 3, yes 3, items to 3 winners! That's a lot of exclamation points, but I'm excited to share 3 of my creations with you. Just leave a comment on this post and I will draw a name from the comments after 9 p.m. PST on Tuesday October 14th. Better yet, if you mention my giveaway on your blog, I will enter your name twice! Yahoo!

I will draw three names. The first will receive the little "Pumpkin Baby",

the second will win "Bewitching"

and the third will win the "Jolly Halloween" tray.

This is my way of saying "Thank You" to all of my blogging friends. There are so many of you that I wish I could send something to you all, but I can't 'cuz - you know - I wouldn't have time to do anything else. And that would be crazy. But, a nice thought anyway.

Sooo, it is simple. Just leave a comment on this post before 9 p.m. PST, Tuesday, October 14th. If you mention this giveaway on your blog, I will enter your name twice! Good Luck ! M.

Field Trip

Saturday morning, my hubby and I headed north in search of apple cider donuts, pumpkins and salvaged wood. It was a perfect, beautiful day for a field trip.

First, we stopped at EZ Orchards, a local produce market, where we found a couple of unusual pumpkins and the most melt-in-your-mouthiest apple cider donuts. We also purchased some great produce so the donut purchase didn't seem quite so sinful. After grabbing a cup of coffee to go with the donuts, we headed further north - toward Woodburn and Al's Garden Center. I remembered that they had some wonderful white pumpkins last year.








Well, all of that sugar and caffiene kicked in and needed to be counteracted with some protein. Sooo, we stopped at a little old drive-in and got a couple of angus burgers with special sauce - YUM. Much better.














Then on to Al's where we found an assortment of pumpkins to place on the front bench.

We were still on a mission to find some salvaged, old, wood mouldings. The Aurora Mills is the place to find such stuff. It is such an interesting place. If you need it, they probably have it -- and they had exactly what I had in mind. The perfect salvaged wood to make more signs.
















Later that afternoon, we went to Albany to pick up items from the Blackberry Junction show. It was a quick task, as many of my items had sold! The items that I brought home are now listed on my Etsy store! Take a peek and I hope something strikes your fancy. If you have any questions regarding any of the items, please email.


NEXT POST: #100 and my next Give-Away!!!! Don't miss it!! M.

Another Give-Away Very Soon!

This is Post 98. In a few days, I will offer a Give-Away to celebrate my 100th post! I've been thinking ... what I should offer? It will should probably be Halloweenie since it is that time of year and I love Halloween - just the fun, whimsical side. Not the scary, gory, icky stuff. Anyway, I was thinking I might give away one of these ....

or maybe one of these ...

Or maybe both or something entirely new that you haven't seen! It will be a surprise!

Since my last post, I have added new items to my area at Blackberry Junction in Albany. The show continues through this Saturday until 6 p.m.

Here are a couple pictures of new items. Hope you can make the show!

On Sunday, I hope to add new items to my Etsy Store. I have been so busy preparing for shows that Etsy has suffered. There will be many items for you to see.

In the meantime, don't forget to check back for my 100th Post Give-Away celebration! M.

Blackberry Junction & Deepwood

Yesterday, my friend Diane and I set up my area at Blackberry Junction (see info to the left). I have the most unusual space. It is a small area at the top of stairs that lead to the stage. Very dark, crackley and perfect for a Halloween-themed display! Blackberry Junction

begins this Friday, September 19th and runs through September 27th. There are many, many vendors and too many wonderful fine handcrafts, antiques and collectibles to list. I already snagged a soft sculpture pumpkin of vintage velvet made by Emily Engle. Thank you Emily!

This picture shows an old, old clock case with a glass door. Inside I placed an image of a little girl ready to celebrate Halloween. The case is surrounded by many more of my little "pumpkin sitters", magic wands and pumpkins.

I love these witchy stockings! I bought some vintage cotton stockings several years ago with the idea of bleaching them for a Christmas project. The bleaching didn't work and they got stuck in a drawer. When I found them this year, they seemed perfect for Halloween. What do you think?
I redressed my mannequin for the occasion and


hung a fabulous old scary chandelier! Of course - more pumpkins, big and small.

Tonight, I will begin getting ready for the Historic Deepwood Estate Antique Faire to be held this Sunday, September 21st. More info at: http://www.historicdeepwoodestate.org/. Hope to see you there! M.

Thank You for a Successful Show!

Yesterday marked the 8th year that I have been a vendor at the Coburg Antique Fair. It was by far the best show yet! The weather was perfect and there were many, many shoppers. I got to visit with many return shoppers and got acquainted with some new ones. I was so amazed everytime someone said, "I read your blog." It still surprises me that people read it. So, if you are reading this, please leave a comment and I hope to see you again soon!

Most of my "antiquey" friends were also selling: Bella Shabby (Sue and Joe), Molly Mo's (Diane), Tarte (Cindy), Auntie's (Joy), and Tickled Pink (Lisa and Isabel). Diane, Cindy, Joy and I were lucky enough to have our sweeties there to lend some muscle. That is always appreciated, especially at the end of a long day! Unfortunately, things got busy and stayed busy, so I didn't get more pictures of everyone and their beautiful spaces. I guess in a way, that was good because that means we all had lots of customers!

Thanks to everyone for stopping in, saying hello and making the show such a success! My next show will be Blackberry Junction in Albany. For more info on this 9 day, fine hand-crafts, antique and collectible show, visit: http://www.blackberryjunction.blogspot.com/. M.

Who would have guessed?

Wow! What a response to those pumpkins! How wonderful, but the down side is that I only have a limited amount. I guess that makes them extra special to those of you that purchased them. I have a few left and will take them to the Coburg Antique Faire this Sunday.

I have been making signs from salvaged boards - some with wire hooks, pillows from vintage linens, more pumpkins - some larger - and these old metal trays

and witches wands - some are gold! I hope to get them listed on Etsy later tonight. They will all go with me to Coburg this weekend.

The weather has been absolutely gorgeous. I hate to talk about it since other parts of the country have been suffering. When we have this kind of weather here in Oregon, you have to enjoy it to the max. I found every excuse to be outside yesterday. Today, it's off to work.

Soon, I will be offering my second give-away to celebrate my 100th post! I'm thinkin' something Halloweeny is in order. Keep checking back for more details! M.

Market Carts and School Back Packs

Hope you all had a nice holiday weekend. We no longer have to do the back-to-school shopping, so our weekend was spent avoiding stores if possible. I still have PTSS: post-traumatic shopping stress. I can remember spending the day before the first day of school with my son trying to get him interested in clothes and the list of supplies. He was only mildly interested in new clothes, but always more interested in pens and just the right binder. Of course, the backpack. The backpack was of utmost importance. I really had to agree. It kept him supplied, gathered, and most of the time - weighted down. On some of the gustier days, he never ended up in the next county. Shoes were another thing. He is just like his Aunt Ellen. She loves shoes and bags - he loves shoes and backpacks. I used to dread going shoe shopping with him. They had to be just "so" and so did the socks. No seams in the wrong places. Maybe I should have had my sister take him shopping? I was so glad when he began shopping for those things on his own. What a relief! I can almost close my eyes and not have flashbacks of boxes of shoes at Footlocker or the day after Thanksgiving sock sale at Fred Meyer!

On that note, those of us that shop the flea markets also need something to tote all the treasures we find. Thus, the old market cart. We can pull it around and fill it up! It can store your coat, water bottle, purse, etc. It is just another form of the "school backpack" - for shoppers! If you remember, a few months ago I made a liner for my cart before we went to Farm Chicks in Spokane. If worked great and everyone wanted to know where they could purchase one like it. Since then, I have been looking for another old cart at sales. I recently found one and made a liner for it. I will be selling this little cutie at the Coburg Antique Faire this coming Sunday!

I forgot to take a picture of the back. It has an outside pocket that can hold your water bottle, cell phone, business cards, etc. so you don't have to find them under all your market treasures!

I've been making more Halloween too! You will be able to find it at the Coburg Faire and at Blackberry Junction in Albany. The dates are posted to the left. I also put a few new things on Etsy this weekend. If you see something that interests you or you have questions, please email: mmkohley@comcast.net. Take good care and let's all send some positive thoughts to everyone in the Gulf Coast. M.