VINTAGE STATION

Down the Rabbit Hole

2012-01-22T05:17:00.000-08:00

I have fallen down a new rabbit hole....Pinterest! OMG! It is wild how much fabulous stuff is out there. I have created almost as many categories as there are items but hopefully I can start building it up. I have lots of fun things that I have copied to my computer but now I can share the wanderings around the web via my boards.

Yearning for summer....in the midst of winter.

Still dreaming in French....

And pondering new things for the store....

Check it out, become a follower and come down the rabbit hole with me...

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-20T12:07:00.000-08:00

This week we have extended our hours for the last minute rush....why not come in and relax with a cookie or two and find some fun stocking fillers?

Holiday Wanderings...

2011-12-16T12:02:00.000-08:00

We love this little birch canoe. It makes me wish I had a cabin at the mountains to cozy up in or to go sledding... or maybe sled and then cozy up.

Love this printer's plate...my dad was a printer before it was an "art" form and a college course. I have a special place in my heart for paper, print, and ink...

Sonya made the little tree using lamb's ear from my garden. And the clock is one I brought home from France. It doesn't work but I love the look.

The apple hanging is a real show stopper. Would look great in the kitchen, if only I had a bigger kitchen!

A shaggy black Christmas tree?? It looks stunning with all white ornaments or even a mixture...and you could put it up at Halloween and keep it up through the holidays. How's that for efficiency?

Memories of Christmas

2011-12-13T10:41:00.000-08:00

When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things - not the great occasions - give off the greatest glow of happiness.--Bob Hope

As a child I loved Christmas...what kid doesn't?? It meant cutting out some of the school work to practice for the Christmas pageant....

Digging into the boxes stored in the basement for all the forgotten ornaments.....

Putting up the nativity sets.....one to play with (the chipped and glued set from Woolworths) and the nice set in the dining room....

Anticipating the trip to Meier and Frank's to see Santa, ride the monorail and check out the mechanical displays in the store windows.....

And all the special things that came out of the kitchen during that holiday season....divinity, Russian tea cookies, Thumbprint cookies, Spritz cookies, fruitcake (I happen to like "good" fruitcake!) and rum balls (yuck! I tasted them every year because there had to be something good about them if Mom continued to make them every year!), eggnog, Tom and Jerry's (not for the kids but I do confess to trying it once. Didn't like it), and our family's traditional oyster stew on Christmas Eve....

Monticello!

2011-12-04T18:57:00.000-08:00

We are an invited guest at Monticello Antique Mall again this year. It is such an honor to be able to have a space during the Christmas season. Do come see our display. The show runs through December until January 2nd. Here are a few pictures to tease you:

Open House and Our First Ever Sale

2011-11-21T11:48:00.000-08:00

We're having an open house on Saturday after Thanksgiving to start the holiday season. Incidentally, it is "Small Business Saturday"and it is the day to pledge to support small businesses by doing some holiday shopping away from the big box stores. So a little celebration with refreshments and our first ever sale is in order! We're extending our open hours to 11 am to 7 pm. And we are offering 10% off everything in the store... furniture, lamps, home decor and smalls...

Wintersteen Farms and Dreamy Whites

2011-11-11T14:27:00.000-08:00

We were so happy with Wintersteen Farms' Christmas Wreaths that we are carrying them in the shop this year too. They are a thoughtful, beautifully packaged and great hostess gift for Thanksgiving and throughout the holiday season. They include a beautiful satin ribbon for hanging and if you have them mail it for you, the packaging is all ready for gift giving. A personalized card with your holiday greeting is included too. How easy can that be? Great for your out of town friends and those who "have everything". They are truly unique. You can also check them out for yourself at the shop or order online through Wintersteen Farms. Dreamy Whites is also offering a give away of a wreath. In fact, as I was browsing the web one day, I found the Wintersteen Farms wreath in Sweden! What a surprise!

Here Come the Holidays

2011-11-11T13:44:00.000-08:00

Do you want to get a jump on the gift giving? We have holiday fun packs and vintage decorations for your secret pal, co-workers, stocking stuffers and little special gems. We are both bringing new things in daily so keep coming back!

Loosen Those Belts

2011-11-02T13:13:00.000-07:00

Now with Halloween behind us (hopefully, not literally!) it's time to gear up for the big holidays. Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to connect with family and slow down a little. If you need a hostess gift, we are the place..so much to choose from and a wide range of prices.

Dressers and Cupboards and Chests...Oh My!

2011-10-25T12:26:00.000-07:00

Things Are A Little Creepy Here

2011-10-14T15:38:00.000-07:00

Halloween is just around the corner so we've added some fall colors to the shop!

It's Show Time!

2011-09-21T02:14:00.000-07:00

We are very honored and excited to once again be invited to participate in the Monticello Show. They have wonderful displays and great vendors. The show runs until October 2. They are located at 8600 SE Stark in Portland, Oregon. Also check out their blog here to see bits of the show! Here's a peek at our space.

What I Brought Home From France

2011-09-11T17:45:00.000-07:00

Sue and I hit a wonderful old barn filled with stuff...the kind of digging stuff I love to sift through! Got this sweet bird cage....

some peasant's nightgowns and work shirts....

a "vicious dog" sign....

a shaving travel kit.....

chocolate bowls....

a neat milk carrier....

an awards plaque for veal and charms for a special gateau (cake for "Kings Day")

a wonderful clock with great graphics...

a postman's bag and really cool enamel bistro light covers...

nice blue enamel pail....

charcuterie (butcher shop) labels for your next dinner party buffet...

Sue and I sure had fun poking around that barn!

Gotta Love That Chalk Paint !

2011-08-25T21:52:00.000-07:00

I have been hearing and reading a lot lately about chalk paint (not chalkboard paint) on internet and mostly Miss Mustard Seed and Maison Douce. I got pretty curious about it and Isabel was kind enough to share Phyllis deVries of Moonstone Designs in Portland who carries Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. Well, I just had to have it that minute so called Phyllis and I was there in an hour (and I live an hour away). She showed me some of her projects and gave me lots of information on how to use it. So I purchased Old White and Duck Egg Blue -- it's pretty pricey so it was wierd to pay that much for two quarts of paint since I am ever the frugal one and get most of my paint from the "oops" section at Miller Paint for $2.00 a quart. So, I raced home anxious to try out my new paint and on my way home I totaled (sob) my beloved 1998 Honda (wasn't my fault for once). So, the car thing has been a huge hassle but I started painting projects as soon as I got home (right after my car was towed away).

This is white paint added to the wax and applied over the blue. Don't like the results? You can paint again over the wax! You can also thin the wax with mineral spirits.

Duck Egg Blue table bottom finished with white wax. Top is diluted Old White. Round table is one coat of Old White.

Close-up of table top - 50-50 diluted white paint and thinned clear wax.

This oak file drawer was pretty cruddy looking so I did the limed look technique. Very easy and fun to do. The piece does need to be stripped open grain wood. This is just diluted paint, let dry, and then wipe with a damp sponge to remove paint. However, removing the paint should be done shortly after it has dried. This is very durable paint and if you wait too long after it dries, it really can't be wiped back.

Some little drawers I had in my pile which I painted with diluted paint (about 50-50) and wiped back some of the paint (no sanding). The paint can be left with the beautiful matte finish or finished with wax. There are so many great techniques with wax that I never would have thought of and I have been finishing with wax for a long time. Annie Sloans chalk paint is pretty expensive but is considered to be the best paint on the market, eliminates priming, can be used on most surfaces, is very durable, great colors and so fun to use.

Awaiting Inspiration

2011-07-21T13:01:00.000-07:00

I have writer's block! Can't think of a thing to say so here are some pictures.. you supply the inspiration!

Just Hangin'

2011-07-12T15:55:00.000-07:00

This cute little guy is just waitin' for the big one to come his way....

The shop kitty is busy sleepin'....

The flowers are growin'...

The birdies are singin'...

The beauty is bathin'...

The mice are just munchin'...

And the angel is kneelin'...

Oh, the lazy daze of summer...

More on Flea Markets in France

2011-07-05T21:38:00.000-07:00

Plan your route based on the sites you want to see and the vide greniers that are going on while there. Be aware that vide greniers are canceled if it is raining too hard but brocantes are always open...well, almost...most shops (not just antiques) are closed Sundays through Monday late afternoon and during the lunch time from about noon to four. Flea markets are usually on Saturdays and Sundays. Watch out for holidays! Who knew that the Feast of the Assumption would entail almost a whole week of shops being closed!! The French (as most Europeans) take any religious or civic holiday very seriously and combine days to make a very long weekend.

Pack your bags...I packed an expandable medium sized rolling bag containing nothing but bubble wrap inside a large rolling bag that I paid $3 for at the Goodwill. Then I packed 2 sets of clothes, underwear, nightie, extra pair of shoes and toiletries in another bag inside another big Goodwill bag. Don't waste room on lots of clothes..take my word (and Rick Steves'), you won't wear them and you'll kick yourself for lugging them all over. I used the second smaller bag for a carry on on the return trip so I had something to put breakables in.

Bring extra friends (preferably relatives so I could boss them around!)...the kind who are only there for sightseeing and not buying!! They were my mules at the end of the trip.

Fly to France, see Paris on a double decker bus for one day, and then start shopping! I flew Iceland Air and got an amazing airfare. My advice would be to arrive on a Friday, see Paris and head to the Paris flea markets on Saturday and Sunday.

Take the TGV train to a large city outside of Paris (Lyon is big enough, one of the largest markets in France and lots of shopping there too!). Why take the train out of Paris you ask? Save hours of being lost, being caught in horrendous traffic, and wasting precious travel time. The TGV is 2 hrs to Lyon where driving could easily take you 6 frustrating hours!

Rent a car and start shopping. Plan on being lost for hours on end but I used that time to scout out antique stores. I found the junky ones in the middle of nowhere with stuff piled in the yard and the barn door wide open to be the best ones. Just like here at home, if I made a pile, I got a better price on the whole kit and kaboodle.

Flea Marketing...French Style

2011-06-28T09:23:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is my take on French flea marketing in several installments....

Check out http://vide-greniers.org/ for the best shopping in all of France...brocantes (high end antiques), marches aux puces (flea markets), and, my favorites, vide greniers ("attic emptying"...the French equivalent to garage sales).

The French cannot have individual garage sales as we do but the whole town has an "attic emptying" sale once a year. Our eyes popped when we would come across one of them. They had everything from dealers with fine antiques to moms with lots of kid's toys and clothes. Incidentally, French children's clothes are so nice and at a dollar or two apiece, they were a steal!

And then we'd return to our home base and spread it all out to ooh and ahh and share. What fun we had!

Then there were the brocantes. These ranged from fine antiques at high prices to ancient barns filled to the rafters with stuff....wonderful stuff!

Plan your route based on the sites you want to see and the vide greniers that are going on while there. Be aware that vide greniers are canceled if it is raining too hard but brocantes are always open...well, almost...most shops (not just antiques) are closed Sundays through Monday late afternoon and during the lunch time from about noon to four. Flea markets are usually on Saturdays and Sundays. Watch out for holidays! Who knew that the Feast of the Assumption would entail almost a whole week of shops being closed!! The French (as most Europeans) take any religious or civic holiday very seriously and combine days to make a long weekend.

In future posts I'll give you advice on how to manage your loot. So for now you can start dreaming about your shopping trip.

Cottage Chic-ing It Up

2011-06-19T17:42:00.000-07:00

Sonya is the queen of shabby chic in my book. She does such a good job of it and has made a little set of instructions to share her knowledge. Hope you all enjoy!

My shabby chic methods are pretty simple and basic. There are so many good books out there with great techniques, but I just wanted to share with you how I do mine -- quick and easy. The first step is to determine if the piece should be painted or left as is with just some sanding and clean-up. I prepare the piece for painting by using a strong mix of TSP (wear gloves) which cleans and also gives it a good surface for painting. It may also need a little sanding before painting.

I am painting this piece with two layers of paint starting with a light blue, let dry and then paint a white top coat. This is so the blue will show through when I sand the piece. Lots of old furniture already has more than one layer of paint which often can be top sanded and other layers will show through the sanding.

Painting the top...

The paint is dry and ready for the second coat. If you want, you can now add a "resist" in spots you would like the blue to show through before painting the second coat. You can use something like wax crayons, oil pastels, or an artists resist which will keep the second coat from sticking in these spots. I don't do this very often but it's easy and can have a nice effect. Next is painting the white or second coat.

I'm kind of new at doing this part but think it's fun and like the effect. I use a heat gun (which is also great for stripping paint) to heat and bubble the paint.

More heat gun fun.

I have used this type of sander for 20 years. It has a kind of swirling/vibrating motion that is easily controllable. The sandpaper is also velcro which is nice. I use 100 grit but always sand a little on an old piece of wood when using new piece of sandpaper. It knocks off the heavier grit so you don't have swirl marks on your paint. Also, start sanding before your sander gets too cranked up to prevent swirl marks. Now, start sanding the flat areas and edges and the bubbles from heat gun. The wood and the blue paint will start to show through. I just do it until I like the look and concentrate on areas where normal wear would occur -- edges, around knobs, table legs, etc.

I have always used a "mouse" sander or a hand sanding block to sand ornate or carved areas. You can control the sanding this way so it looks natural. Now, when you are sanding the bubbles from the heat gun you are getting an effect you can't get from just sanding. Also, if you used a resist, you will get other areas where the blue will show through. You can now always go back and add a little more paint and/or take some more off. The last step I do is wipe it off and wax it. I like a wax that I have only found at Woodcrafters in Portland. It is just called "Paste Wax" and comes in a can in clear and brown. Pretty inexpensive, doesn't get sticky, spreads like a dream even when it's cold.

And you're done! A pretty little shabby chic table!

Hope you find this info interesting and helpful!

Things Look Great

2011-06-14T08:19:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm back from France...What a great trip!! I'll post those pictures later and give you my take (and advice for what it's worth) on flea marketing in France. But now for what's in the shop and what was going on while I was gone.

The lilacs bloomed....boo hoo...they came and went and I didn't get a sniff...

The girls of summer are still waiting for summer....It was in southern France....it just hasn't made it to Gresham, Oregon yet......

Sonya hit a great sale and brought in a wonderful industrial work bench......

The bird canvases arrived. We also have an apple one (you can see it in the picture below). They look great and are very inexpensive (under $25)!

There's a wonderful new place to sit and enjoy the scenery indoors.....

I saw one of these bottle drying racks at a flea market in France. I just couldn't figure out how to get it into my suitcase!!! As it was, I had 5 suitcases, 2 boxes, and my carry-ons to bring home!! That's a whole "nother" story!

The sweet angel lamp we have been waiting months for, finally arrived too!

Hope to see you all real soon.

Look Out France....Here I Come!!!

2011-05-09T20:23:00.000-07:00

In case you didn't know, I am headed to France in 9 days (but who's counting!). I am so excited to shop and relax. I have been working six days a week for several weeks now and I am really needing a vacation. A working one at that but then who wouldn't want to "work" their way around France?? Here are some of my pictures from my last trip.

Monet's garden looks pretty much like it looks in his paintings....fabulous!

Then there was Versailles......

and Marie Antoinette's petit village...

the food.....

This is inside a bakery....oh so beautiful on the eyes and lips...not to mention hips!

the shopping....(this is their equivalent to Macy's....okay, maybe not equivalent..)

heck, even the doors are gorgeous!

Needless to say, I can hardly wait! Hope to blog from there and show you some great shopping...forget the garage sales at home....hello France....here I come!!

Mother's Day

2011-05-01T22:19:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to Mother's Day...we are both mother's and, coincidentally, we both have had mothers. Sonya's mother is gone...mine is 97 years old and hanging in there! Our daughters are both mothers....so we come from a long line of mothers. We know our stuff when it comes to mothers. The shop is filled with fun Mother's Day gifts from jewelry to things to hold the jewelry. Here's just a sampling of what's "in store".

Fancy to fun to funky jewelry..

Wonderful jewelry display/storage pieces...

With moms relaxing (they are not "real" moms)....

And stern mom watching over her flock...

To real life moms who tell it like it is...

Hip Chick Digs

2011-04-28T05:31:00.000-07:00

My niece, Renee, is an avid gardener and now an author. For those of you interested in urban farming, check out her blog, Hip Chick Digs, and her book, Modern Homestead. To think it all started with a fun little blog is truly amazing!

She comes from a long line of urban farmers.... her great grandfather, raised enough food on his 50 x 100 ft city lot to actually feed his family and sell produce! Her dad (my brother) had a wonderful city farm where the kids grew up in the garden and fruit trees. My son still reminisces about how fun it was to go there and graze around the yard!

Her latest venture is raising some cute ducklings.

Some Bunny to Love

2011-04-14T06:09:00.000-07:00

This poor guy needs some bunny to love....

Whether it's a chick....

Or it's a rooster....

Git on your horsey and come on down....

Cuz we've got all our ducks in a row....

And give somebunny you love and great big hug!!!

Ecology at Work

2011-03-29T22:49:00.000-07:00

Yikes the walls are full of bugs.

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But the birds are keeping them under control...

The cats, when they aren't busy holding up the books, keep the bird and mouse population in check.

The chicks and ducks just observe.

The bunnies hide amongst the Easter fair.

It's all a fine balancing act!

Tour the Shop

2011-03-20T00:08:00.000-07:00

I had no ideas for a title for this blog so I just decided to take you on a tour of the shop. Shipments are still arriving and I wonder where to put all the stuff but somehow it all fits! The pictures need no explanation. Sonya does such a great job of taking the pictures....I'm always amazed at the shop because when I am away I imagine all the work ahead of us but when I'm there, I revel in it. I love hearing all the comments about how wonderful it looks. And it is really, really fun having our own showcase...enjoy the trip. If you are interested in purchasing any item, just email me, I'll let you know the price and shipping options.

We also want to send a big shout out to Maria of Dreamy Whites for all the help and encouragement in our continued venture. She is so talented. Just wish we had half of her energy!!

Our Ship Is Coming In

2011-03-02T00:18:00.000-08:00

We are filling the shelves with new things for you! I mentioned that we did a little shopping recently and now everything is arriving. It is like Christmas for us when we unpack the boxes. I know you are going to love everything. Here's a little sampling....

We bought a beautiful pair of sconces and they even have a matching mirror...

a really neat chandelier...

Some fun boots for the garden...

A fun mug holder...

Made of Zinc with 24 hooks for mugs, this beauty stands 24 1/2 inches tall and is 13 3/4 inches round.
You can purchase this on line now for $149.95 plus $25.00 shipping and handling

A sweet lamp...

And of course lots more birds...

Awwww Come On Spring!

2011-02-17T09:33:00.000-08:00

We are having the usual weird February weather. Here in the northwest we don't usually get snow in any great amounts or for any duration but we do get rain. About this time of the year we all start longing for spring and cursing the rain. We get little glimpses of it here and there...the tulips and daffodils are getting ready to burst, the Daphne odora is showing some pink and if you go to the nurseries now, you can see and smell what we have in store for us in a month or so...oh the wonderful smells of spring!!! I can hardly wait. Here are a few pictures from around the shop to entice you...

And with spring, comes the "spring cleaning" birdie....

How About a Little Romance?

2011-02-10T10:26:00.000-08:00

We have a nice selection of Valentine gifts and cards. How about a gift for yourself?

Just Back!

2011-02-07T22:57:00.000-08:00

We just got back from a great buying trip....a quick one but we managed to find lots of fun new stuff! Stuff should start arriving next week and then the flood gates will open. We can hardly wait but plan to Keep Calm and Carry On!

Valentines!

2011-02-05T09:40:00.000-08:00

We have several beautiful antique valentines just in time. They are absolutely gorgeous and range in price from $2.50 to $25.00.

Lampshades 101

2011-01-26T07:43:00.000-08:00

Everyone loves the lampshades we have in the store and so Sonya is sharing how she recovers a lampshade. We are hoping to feature a "how to" each month until we run out of ideas! If you want to know how we do certain things at the shop, just leave us a comment and we'll see what we can do.

Starting at the lamp shade seam, clip or mark with a pin a starting point on the fabric. Then roll the shade (see next picture) on the fabric to be sure you have enough fabric and to position a particular part of the fabric you may want for the front of the shade. A cone shape shade will take more fabric than a drum shape.

I have used a narrow piece of fabric to illustrate why you need to position shade on fabric before glueing. Mark your starting point on the fabric with a pin at the top and bottom of shade seam.

My "spray booth" is a sheet of plastic over a chair and coffee can.

Roll the glued shade onto the fabric and smooth into place as you roll. Then do a generous rough trim at the top and bottom. Follow the side seam of the shade to trim fabric leaving a 1/2" edge to glue down.

LikeUnlike

Now, carefully trim again with just enough fabric to completely cover rim of shade. Then run a good bead of glue (I use Tacky glue) on the fabric and then smooth glue with your finger to be sure the outside edge of fabric is covered with glue. Do a section at a time and then clip down with binder clips.

Voila!! Two finished lampshades (I did another one when you weren't looking).

A Unique Style

2011-01-22T23:28:00.000-08:00

We are in the unending role of finding our own style. I guess it is kind of unique... mix of industrial, shabby chic, classic, traditional. It's so fun not to be pigeon-holed into one era/style. I worked at the shop today and already lots of the things in the pictures have sold. It makes me sort of sad in one way and happy in another. I have to keep reminding myself that there is more of this stuff out there and a lot of the the thrill of having our own shop is in the hunt.

More and More and More Good Stuff!!!

2011-01-21T01:42:00.000-08:00

So here are more pictures of the shop. We are getting such great comments at the shop on the displays. What fun it is that??? It's great!!!

We went auction-ing and have brought in a great selection of old books to add to our selection. In this basket are a bunch of fun old school theme books. Such cute covers and great ephemera for crafting.

Sonya has created a fun frame out of an old wheel cover. I think it's from a Model-T.

Only one santos is left and she is standing guard over the table.

Check out the fun industrial chic (our new "favorite" term). It's like you can combine a few different words and come up with a new design.

Our signature crows are all over the place!

And even a trombone for those of you who want to pick up a new hobby...but not invest a lot!

We have several sweet vintage purses including beaded ones.

Also, our friend, Sue, from bella is offering a giveaway...a wonderful magazine that we covet...Jeanne d'Arc Living. Check it out!

Also, did you know if you like us, you can share us with all your friends? Just click the logos right below this....Twitter, Facebook, Buzz, Blog This, and even just email it.

Awaiting Inspiration

2011-01-16T20:27:00.000-08:00

So, I like to have a catchy title and a theme for the blog entry but couldn't think of one so just decided to put on pictures. Here it goes:

The old newspaper canisters are fun to use for dried flowers. They will add height to a display in an unexpected way. We actually have two of them in the shop right now, The Oregonian and The Reporter.

How about finding your way around with a miner's lamp?

Valentine's Day is coming up and she is wondering what he's getting her and he's wondering what she's holding her stomach for...is she trying to tell him something? She thinks that he thinks she's fat and he thinks he better not say that dress makes her behind look big!

He might have to get on that donkey and ride it out of town!

Here's a really neat industrial lamp that Sonya put together. Really "in" right now!

Favorites of Christmas 2010

2010-12-24T11:46:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of our favorite pictures from Christmas 2010 to share:

Sonya created the darling snow people using vintage bottles, Christmas ornaments, pearls and lots of glitter.

Ican't get enough of vintage ornaments...

The santos is beautiful on our metal topped farm table...we also get so many compliments on the clock even though it is a new repro!

We're not looking forward to putting Christmas away this year. We really enjoyed it!

And last is a wonderful nativity set I sold this year. I hated to sell it (this is the hoarder in me talking) but what on earth would I do with all eleven life sized pieces. Country Living Magazine has featured the set twice in the last three years...I bought it at an estate sale years ago and has been in the rafters of my garage since! It included Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, ahepherds, all three kings, donkey, sheep, cow, camel and all life sized!!! Yikes...the guy who bought it loves it and I am glad it went to a good home.

Crafting a Great Christmas

2010-12-09T21:03:00.000-08:00

You have got to see how cute the store is decorated for Christmas! We totally redid the front windows which is quite a chore...much harder than it looks. We fuss and discuss colors, heights of the displays and every little minutia before we are happy with how it looks. We are always so proud of ourselves when the project is done but then the shop is trashed!! We do one area and then the next looks tired and sad so we move on to the next. By the time we think we are done, it's time to start all over again! Here's from the outside looking in....

And then here are a few from the inside...

Here are some neat pictures we recently brought into the shop...Great Christmas gift ideas, huh??

We have a couple of new products in the store that have become very popular. One is German glass glitter and the other are walnut crystals. The fun thing about the glass glitter is that one side of the glass is actual silver so it will tarnish with time to give your projects an antique look. Two and a half ounces are only $4.95 and great to use if you like to do scrap booking or crafting. Use it as you would any other glitter but on exposure to the air it will tarnish (that's a good thing as Martha would say!). Here are pictures of Sonya's projects that she has used the glitter on:

The other item are the walnut crystals. A little bit goes a long way. In fact, a package for $5.95 is a "Costco" amount that should last you close to a lifetime. They are what we use to make our tags have the "aged look".

So there is a lot happening at the shop and we certainly enjoy fixing it up for you! Do drop in and check it all out! We guarantee it will put you in the holiday spirit!!

Piles and Piles and Piles of Christmas

2010-12-01T04:39:00.000-08:00

So, I have a basement from hell that is full of vintage stuff...especially Christmas! My friends all beg to go down there but it looks like one of those places on "Hoarders"!! I'm so embarrassed but not enough to spend quality time cleaning it up. Maybe someday.... Anyway, I have taken at least 10 plastic containers of Christmas to the shop and Monticello. (Monticello's Christmas Show is coming up and we are in it! Check it out here http://monticelloantiques.blogspot.com/ ) Then you too can get a small glimpse of my basement! Yes, I have about 10 more boxes of vintage Christmas down there but unfortunately it isn't in boxes...it's in piles and piles and piles. It's my way of creating more expensive Christmas stuff because I'm always tripping over stuff and breaking it..hence it becomes more collectible since there is now less of it after I trip on some.

Sonya has been busy creating beautiful things for the show. Her famous tissue pom-poms and our signage are two of her latest creations.

She also framed this sweet picture of sheep inside a Model T Ford part. Quite original and a true one of a kind.

Did I mention I have a "few" nativity pieces...for some reason I have amassed a huge collection so if you are missing some piece, I probably have it at the store. I like the animals for instant collections on display all year long...especially the sheep!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2010-11-25T07:16:00.000-08:00

Have a wonderfully high calorie holiday...I love the turkey skin crisp out of the oven...the pecan pie (I am not fond of pumpkin pie--I don't like veggies in my dessert) with real whipped cream....the yams with marshmallows....the crispy dressing (want some rolls dripping with butter with a side of bread?)...my sister's wonderful chocolate strata pie. Can't wait!!! And to see several of my nieces and their kids..there will be 4 generations there!

Oh, and then the shop will be open Friday from 9 am to 8 pm. Don't forget "Small Business Saturday". Do come work it off! We'll have an aerobics class in the back room so bring your exercise clothes with you (NOT!!).

Wintersteen Farm Wreaths

2010-11-22T01:55:00.000-08:00

We are very excited about Christmas at the shop this year. We have lots of vintage Christmas including trees, ornaments, linens to deck the halls from the front door to the kitchen.

We've extended our hours through December. Wednesday through Saturday we will be open 10-5:30.

The Friday after Thanksgiving we will open early, close late....9 am to 8 pm. Next Saturday is "Small Business Saturday" so support the small business you love..Vintage Station! And we are supporting a small business we love...Wintersteen Farms in Sandy, Oregon. They make gorgeous farm fresh wreaths.

Jeff and Kelly, the owners of Wintersteen Farms, are Sonya's son and daughter-in-law. Jeff is a "boutique home builder" but, as we all know here in Oregon, business is very slow. They have sold wreath material to wholesalers from their farm in previous years but now they are making wreaths themselves on a smaller scale.

The wreaths are very fresh and full. They include noble fir (which holds its needles much longer than Douglas fir),cedar, juniper with berries, and pinecones. We have a few in the store now. The packaging is very impressive. The wreath is wrapped in a clear bag to preserve it's freshness and includes a satin ribbon for hanging, tissue, and raffia all in a gorgeous box.

What a great hostess gift or impressive gift for family and friends! They can be directly shipped. Click here to go to their website or use the link in our sidebar.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Christmas is Starting to Sparkle

2010-11-09T21:09:00.000-08:00

We are starting to fill the shop with Christmas. Yes, it is a little early but since we are open only four days a week we need to start early. We're hoping you will love what we are bringing into the shop. More is coming and this is just the beginning!

Frenchie Bon Voyage!

2010-10-28T15:05:00.000-07:00

I am taking French lessons in anticipation of going to France next spring. One of my friends is going to Paris so we all had lunch at Le Petite Provence today. We were suppose to speak only French but it would have been a very silent lunch and we have so much to share each time we get together. My daughter kids me that we aren't really a French class but a French club...she's probably right! Oh the flea markets, I can hardly wait for my turn!!

Here are some pictures from my last trip to France. They are so ahead of us in design. This was over two years ago and we just now are seeing the acrylic Queen Anne and cafe chairs

Loved this great idea for a table...

And it was all in the Galleries Lafayette (Paris' equivalent to Macy's...Macy's never looked so good!)...

Our $200. a night hotel room close to the Eiffel Tower. The pictures in the brochure must have been using a wide angle lens! We had to climb over Sue's bed to get to the bathroom.

One of our favorite places, a graveyard! Thought I'd share these for Halloween...

Don't know why someone would want a creepy bat on their beautiful crypt....

Or the Angel of Death guarding the crypt?

Beautiful Fall...

2010-10-20T07:50:00.000-07:00

Here are some beautiful pictures of what's in store at the store. Come on in and enjoy! We are sure having a nice fall...sunny days, cool crisp mornings and nights, leaves changing, hydrangeas drying.....

Decorating for the Season

2010-10-11T01:33:00.000-07:00

Halloween time is coming up on us fast! It's going to be more fun this year as my grandson is getting old enough to be thinking about a costume. How about that Dutch Boy?? He has the blonde hair already and Daddy is part Dutch so he has the look! Can hardly wait.

And at the shop we are also getting our Halloween decorations out. Come on in and check them out.

It's Almost a Zoo Here

2010-09-14T01:16:00.000-07:00

As I look at the pictures for the blog I am surprised at all the animals. I did notice that birds seem to be "in" this year after observing what was available at the gift shows. And the farm animals are really popular. What a fun picture to have in the house. Here are a few of our offerings:

What's New?.....Lots!

2010-09-08T22:23:00.000-07:00

We've restocked and are weeding out the summer things (no pun intended!). The season is definitely changing here. I love the crisp coolness in the air even on a sunny day. September is my favorite month...could it be that it is also my birthday month?? Anyway, it's a great time to change things up. Here's a sampling of what's new:

Summer's Ended So Let's Make Room For The New Season

2010-09-05T04:34:00.000-07:00

We need to clear the shelves for the new season so we are having a sale. All of our garden things are 30% off. Help us make some room so we can get ready for fall.

We've Got a Handle on You

2010-08-24T10:36:00.000-07:00

Among our many souvenirs are a neat bunch of handles for dressers. They are so beautiful and also so hard to find! So if you are wanting to dress up some drawers come give them a look...

We Did some Fun Shopping Just For YOU!!!

2010-08-16T14:22:00.000-07:00

So, we went on a shopping frenzy in Las Vegas and found fun, fun, fun stuff. It will be arriving shortly at the shop so come on in and don't miss out. Among the items are some farm tables....

Lots of fun framed pictures.......

Lots and lots and lots of birds.......

Birds on hooks...

Birds on clocks.....

Birds in glass...

and on glass.....

Birds of all kinds...

and last but not least.....some words to live by.

You can even contact us if you see something you love but live outside the area, and we can ship it to you!

We also are having a sale of our garden things...30% off so we can make some room.

We hope to see you soon!

Lots of Fun Furniture and New Stuff Too!

2010-07-21T00:51:00.000-07:00

We continue to bring in new furniture and here is a sampling of what's "in store" for you at the shop right now...

How about this cute little settee. We think it would be darling in a bedroom sitting area. How about curling up on this sweetie and reading a book? It is only $125!!

Then there is this nice oak drop front desk/bookcase....pretty, small, a great place to do your book work at home. Just close it up and you don't have to look at the mess! It's very useful with the cubbies on the inside for storing stamps, envelopes, and those pesky bills. Then you can even display some special things with the books on the shelfs below..It's only $95!

If you like the cottage style, here is a darling dresser. It is a little shabby chic and absolutely cute!

This interesting cabinet has a top that lifts up to access the display area below and then the glass front also slides up. Keep the dust off of your collectibles and then store your books below.

How about an old wind up record player? The sound is fun (we even have some old 78s) and just think of all the exercise you'll get while you listen to some old favorites! It also has great storage.

Also, we have been busy shopping and have lots and lots and lots of new smalls...Did I say "lots"??? Oh my goodness.....we are busy, busy, busy trying to get it all priced and out so everytime you come in we promise there will be oodles of fun stuff. We have gone a little nuts but it sure is fun!

White Wednesday Anyone?

2010-07-13T14:18:00.000-07:00

I saw a blog that features "White Wednesdays" and wanted to post a link to it but I can't remember who it is...if anyone knows let me know. Until then, here is our contribution to White Wednesday.

Notice the cruet stands in several of the pictures? We went to an auction and got several different stands and lots of the bottles to mix and match. Add a little victorian to your table top!

The popular bird bathroom accessories are back in stock. We sold out of those as soon as we got them last time. Birds seem to be the "in" thing this year. They are very sweet without being too girlie-girlie.

A Little Late But.....

2010-06-30T07:43:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our road trip to The Farm Chicks Sale in Spokane. I went to Gonzaga University there so it is always like coming home when I go up to Washington. We stayed with my dear friend and former college room-mate, Christine. Had a fun time and got to see what everybody else is up to right now!

This is why we carry doll heads and parts...the art was fabulous!

These were done using zinc canning jar lids and glass lids!

A display idea using our favorite structural parts....old wooden ladders. They had built a whole room using the ladders as the structure...Wouldn't it make a cute garden room?

I really thought this was a cute display idea until my friend Christine said it reminded her of the Holocaust. All of a sudden it wasn't so cute....

The same people had such wonderful architectural stuff. They seemed to have an unending supply. That's me trying to look natural for the picture...yuck I hate having my picture taken! But do notice the neat use of the old drawer.

More cool doll head stuff....it was sort of "Edward Scissorhands-Toy Story"-ish-creepy but cool!

This clock didn't really function but the look was fantastic. Looked like it could have come from an old Frenchy building.

We NEED one of these industrial wooden gears...

Interesting framing idea...

Sit a Spell in the Garden

2010-06-01T01:22:00.000-07:00

Furniture Sale 'Cuz We Like to Shop!!

2010-05-28T08:26:00.000-07:00

We have marked down lots of pieces so that we can bring in new to us stuff. And as always, lots of fun stuff that you NEED!! Come on in and check us out!

Gardening Time!!

2010-05-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

We've filled the shop with lots of fun stuff. Lots of garden art and fun things to enjoy in the garden and even stuff to plant in the garden!

Happy Mommy Daze!!!

2010-05-05T23:59:00.000-07:00

Hope you get a chance to come in and check out our Mother's Day offerings....lots of pink, gardening, flowers, cone cards just for Mother's Day.
And we rearrange again!! Made room for new stuff and tidied up the ephemera area so more of you can fit in to the area that has become quite popular! Hope to see you soon!

Crow's Nest is Having a Sale!!

2010-04-27T21:17:00.001-07:00

Our friends at Crow's Nest are having a sale so check them out.

Do you ♥ dogs, cats, bunnies, chicks, roosters?

2010-03-09T09:36:00.002-08:00

We've got you covered!! Cute bunnies on chairs....

Kitties sleeping....

Puppies in the flowers....

Chicks on the tables.....

Frogs on the bench....

Deer on the pillows...

Roosters crossing the road (to get to the other side, I guess)....

Birdies in the potting shed....

And in the ephemera corner...

Hopping in and out of the numbered nesting boxes....

All over the place!!!

Garden Art is "In"

2010-02-28T10:18:00.000-08:00

The garden show season has ended and the new "must haves" are whimsical garden art. We have lots of it. We are fully stocked with the roosters and hens in various sizes. Depending on the size, they range in price from $50 to $300.

The metal flowers add bling to the garden too. We have various sizes ranging in price from $10 to $85. They are quite a bargain depending on your green thumb ability.

Personally, I love the garden furniture. This is the kind that only increases in beauty if left outside over the winter. Imagine a beautiful bench under a tree in the snow. What a gorgeous and easily maintained focus for the winter garden too! They range in price from $120 to $250.

These topiaries will add height to the garden too. Nothing is more boring than a garden all at one level. These topiaries will bring the eye up so you can enjoy the blue skies we have to look forward to this spring and summer.

The garden carts are a real eye catcher. They can be filled with flowers now and greenery for Christmas. They are priced at $80.

The baker's rack can work in the garden, kitchen and even the bath. They are $210. What a grand way to store your microwave, bowls, pots and pans in the kitchen or even towels and toiletries in the bathroom.

These fence pieces could even be used as a headboard or room divider. They start at $115.

And we have the perfect gift for the cat or dog lover....they are $56.

So come on in and get a jump start on the garden. We are open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 am to 5:30 pm at Division and Main in Gresham, Oregon.

Spring Is Coming Early This Year

2010-02-22T12:38:00.000-08:00

The weather here in Gresham, Oregon has been absolutely gorgeous and is suppose to continue for several more days. It has been pretty cool when the sun goes down though. Here at the shop we have been trying to lighten up the look and get ready for spring. The garden stuff is coming in and we have the shop filled to the brim with "new to us" things. We have lots of cute Easter stuff too.

Sonya has been busy crafting things. She is so good at mixing things up a little.

I love these "Little Peeps" boxes. They make such a sweet display for spring.

This doll is a very old, handmade "Mammy" doll. The fabric is so darling and she sits atop a sand filled stand. Someone made her with a lot of love.

Come on in and check the transitional look out. We are just starting to get into the spring/summer merchandise. And also, there is another great restaurant at Main Square...it is called "Sweet Betty's" and serves great breakfasts and lunches. Take a quick trip out and enjoy breakfast and then come shopping! See you soon.

Browse Around

2010-01-13T17:20:00.000-08:00

The shop is full of great items. Here is a chance to browse around the whole shop online. Garden greats you at the door. During Christmas we placed Christmas balls in the pond. We are looking forward to spring so we can float real flowers in the water!

I love this couple...they are figures for bonsai. How about some indoor gardening?

This little doll is a clothes brush and the book is "A Warning to Lovers." I wonder what the warning is? The inside of the book is beautiful.

A doll head in the nest? Does she have spring on her mind? A little birdie is telling her a secret.

We have preserved the sound of the waves under glass. The beach is a little too stormy for me right now but I do look forward to hearing the crash of the waves.

The weather we are having is perfect for the ducks. This guy reminds us of that for sure!

Our metal items are fully stocked and a little secret: the reverse side of this sign says "Go Away" so depending on your mood you can display it prominently.

Here is an overview of the north wall of the store....

down the hall.....
past the garden arbor with the fish out of water sitting on the bench...

past the linen section...

and into the back room.

We have a lot of pictures and metal signs, both old and new...

and a wonderful farmer's table to sit at while you take it all in.

And the metal items are fully stocked too. Lots of hooks, door knockers, and brackets.

The garden baskets could be used to store towels in the bathroom or fill with moss and ornaments until spring rolls around.

Start dreaming about gardening and set up a great bird house for your outdoor buddies.

Old letters with wonderful script would be fun to use in scrapbooking.

We have lots of cute ephemera for collages or old rubber stamps for spelling out your name.

We look forward to seeing you at the shop real soon. The inventory continues to fill it up with new things every time we open the doors.

The Weather Outside is Frightful

2009-12-30T09:48:00.000-08:00

We are all snuggled up and cozy...what is this white stuff that the weatherman said would be rain?
New merchandise is arriving daily as we transition out of the antique mall we were in and start bringing it all into the shop.

Lots of furniture to make room for so if we have to start stacking it, we will! We need to start with a little rearranging but we love doing that as it gives us a chance to mix it up and make new displays.

We are now going back to our regular open days of Thursday, Friday, Saturday from 10:00 to 5:30. But if the sign is out, we are in as we start the big move after New Year's Day.

Home for the Holidays?

2009-11-15T14:56:00.000-08:00

What home for the holidays might look like if we had our way:

There might be room at the table for everyone! And get a load of those legs! All that for only $125.00.

Pretty and relaxing with a little bit of color and a lot of comfort thrown in!

Great reading material and a little birdie to watch over you!

Enough room to store all the great gifts, mittens, boots, school books, bags, and junque with a chalkboard finish so you can identify the contents.

Cold weather is coming sooner than later!

2009-11-04T12:02:00.000-08:00

We have a collection of vintage skis and a lot of decor for that hunkered down cabin look: antlers, snow bunnies, geese who don't fly, sleds, Pendleton pillows and baskets for your wood. Among other things we also have brought in a large selection of vintage buttons, lace, books, and the Christmas is filling the shop too! We almost couldn't figure out where to put the Christmas but it is all finding a place. On Friday and Saturday our supply of table top trees are arriving. Can't wait to display with them!! They are beautiful and very different. We'll keep you posted and put some pictures on the blog to entice you to come on in.

Open Thursday, Friday, Saturday!!!

2009-10-19T10:13:00.000-07:00

We are going to try Thursday, Friday, and Saturday shop days. We still occasionally are in the shop on odd days too, so if the doors are open, so are we.

Halloween is in the Shop!!

2009-10-16T01:24:00.000-07:00

We have lots of fun decorations for Halloween to treat yourself or your little tricksters! Goodies for everybody and fun stuff galore are just begging to go home with you. We hope to see you Friday or Saturday this week.

NEWS FLASH: We have received such great response to our being open Fridays now so we want to start adding more days. Which days would you like? Sundays?? Thursdays?? Monday and Tuesday?? Let us know so we can start arranging our schedules. Especially with Christmas around the corner (yikes!!) we will have lots of vintage Christmas coming and wouldn't it be fun to shop for one of a kind special gifts for the ones on your list? And you could even drop a few hints about what you really want...we have lots of fun ideas for the house, garden and personal gifts too. We even have vintage gift wrap and fantastic ribbons and trims!

It's Really Looking and Feeling Like Fall

2009-10-12T17:28:00.001-07:00

Here are some images of vignettes that Sonya has created in the shop. She has such an artistic eye for creating interesting images and giving everyone ideas on how to use their purchases.
We both are really enjoying the shop and are having fun displaying our wares. Come on in and treat yourself to some of our fun stuff!

Another Friday-Saturday Opening

2009-09-18T01:36:00.000-07:00

Fall is on the way and with that comes Halloween, Thanksgiving and then the big one, Christmas. We have started to stock the Halloween merchandise. I need to dig around in my big mess of a storage room to find the vintage Halloween. Do have some cute old witches' and warlock's hats that I got at a neat sale several years ago. Also I have some vintage Halloween costumes that I'll have to dig out too! We also stocked some really neat ribbons that we got at the gift show. Cute brown and pink stripes, black and white checks, all vintage looking. I'll post some pictures tomorrow of the stuff but just wanted to get this done before the weekend so you could check us out! We will be open Friday and Saturday this week.

Put on your skates and come on down!

2009-09-10T12:14:00.000-07:00

Again we will be open Friday and Saturday this week. The chicks, ducks and crows are all excited to see you! I'm bringing in my lovely button collection for your fall crafting and more books to nestle down next to the fire with and Sonya has lots of great ideas for decorating and crafting. Don't forget to visit the Saturday farmer's market downtown to see what yummy goods are available and then swing on down to visit us.

Open This Friday and Saturday

2009-09-04T11:15:00.000-07:00

We are adding more and more every day. This week we are open both Friday and Saturday to get a few more things done. The word is getting out because we are getting a lot of return visitors, more blog hits and lots of new folks coming in to the shop. They are finding out about us from their friends and our helper, Todd the Man, who passes out flyers to all the businesses in Gresham as well as at the Gresham Saturday Market. We are living the life!! Following our bliss!!

We Have a "Thing" about Little Things

2009-08-29T21:03:00.001-07:00

Sonya has been busy creating pretty little things and I am always busy collecting precious little do-dahs for the store. We love the mail room cupboard for displaying all the salt and pepper sets and odds and ends. It would be great in a kid's room for all of their collections, in the kitchen for storage , in the craft room for some order or in the office for all the mail! What do you want to do with it? It is just the right chippy blue/grey/white metal that would go well in the modern home or in the vintage spot. Come check it out. We are still open Saturdays but are frequently open on Fridays too. We always put the signs out when we are in.

Home from Seattle

2009-08-24T20:49:00.000-07:00

We had a fun trip up to Seattle with so many stops along the way. We started out at 8 am thinking that would be plenty of time to play along the way. We did a little garage sale and thrift store shopping with a fun side trip to Fun Junk in Olympia. Boy, did we have a ball there! Just our kind of "junk" with all the boxes of fun stuff. Nancy was nice enough to let us wander into her backroom and bask in all of the fun stuff back there too. We think we'll make some baskets of "fun junk" for you to dig through at Vintage Station and hope you have as much fun as we did digging through Nancy's.

Loving to Shop

2009-08-16T20:05:00.001-07:00

Sonya and I love the thrill of the hunt. It is like a big treasure hunt with the world as the map. Next weekend we are going to the gift show in Seattle. It is one of our little vacations where we shop on the way to a shopping trip. The best of both worlds....shopping on the way to shopping!
These are pictures of some of the little goodies in the shop right now.

Filled to the brim and then some

2009-08-12T00:09:00.000-07:00

The store is about to bust out!! I say more is never enough and Sonya says, "Enough already!!" We have garden, kitchen, bedroom, baby, ephemera, books, cute crafty stuff and stuff for making your own cute crafty stuff. I love ephemera and books but don't have the time to make the cute stuff that I see so you are welcome to come and browse. We try to keep the prices very reasonable so that we can keep buying and you can keep crafting. Come see the paper crafts Sonya has created and get inspired! Also, we are going to the Barnhouse sale on Saturday (early so we can be back to open the shop on time) and get some inspiration ourselves! Maybe we'll see you there if you get up early? We plan on leaving some of our flyers there so you can find your way to our shop.

Wishin I was fishin

2009-08-01T22:33:00.000-07:00

We got a shop pet...a beautiful beta named Fred. We forgot to take a photo of him but keep posted and he'll get his picture in eventually.
The shop was fun today. We finished all of our signs...on top of the building, on the mall's post, and two more for the windows. Everyone who came in was amazed and could hardly wait to tell their friends. We were very busy putzing around and only had time for MacDonald's breakfast on the run. My daughter, Crissy, son-in-law, and baby Marlowe came out to see the progress and were impressed too. Melissa from Sweet Cakes made Marlowe's first birthday cake...a cowboy-robot-monkey themed cake. It is perfect! And Marlowe had a chicken dinner at Inca too.

Open Saturdays or by appointment

2009-07-31T22:02:00.000-07:00

We have been working in the shop on projects and keeping it open on Fridays too. It is fun fussing with all the neat stuff and meeting new friends (and old ones...like Joe and Nina) who stumble in. Our walls are filling up and we are almost ready to fill the back room with more!

Turn down the heat...Please!!!

2009-07-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

The weatherman finally says we are going to get some relief. Thank goodness as my house is sooo warm. Too many days of 100+ and even the best insulation can't cut it. Wish I could have gone to the beach to get at least one night's rest.

Opening Day!

2009-07-19T21:51:00.000-07:00

Opening day was wonderful. Thanks to all the friends and new (and we hope regular!) customers who came to make it happen. We competed with lots of goings on in downtown Gresham with the Art Walk and the Farmer's Market but lots of people wandered down our way. The bakery, Sweet Cakes by Melissa, next door almost sold out of wonderful goodies and our friends at the Peruvian cafe, Pollos Inka, did a brisk business too. Now we just need to work on restocking. We'll post new pictures of additions to the stock after a few days of well needed rest.

THE GRAND OPENING IS TOMORROW!!!!

2009-07-17T16:42:00.000-07:00

Are we ready or what???

The Time is Drawing Closer for the Big Opening

2009-07-13T23:22:00.000-07:00

A few of our favorite things

2009-07-12T21:34:00.001-07:00

Filling the Store with Special Things!!

2009-07-10T22:20:00.000-07:00

We are filling it up with fun stuff and here is a sneak preview. Looking forward to seeing you all there on Saturday.

Opening Day Approaching

2009-07-09T07:22:00.000-07:00

The goods are moving in and the opening date is set for Saturday, July 18 from 10-5. The same day as The Barn House Flea Market. Make it a fun filled day and come on in! The store is located at 40 NE Division St in Gresham, Oregon

Welcome!

2009-06-18T09:57:00.000-07:00

So we did it! We are starting our own adventure. We have dabbled in antiques for years with a mall space but now we are breaking out on our own and starting our own business. We got the place, chose the paint colors and are filling it up. Hope to see you all there soon.