This is the place where……………

History was made……….

A baby girl was baptized…………

A small girl played in……….

A girl dreamed she would marry……….

Love was found…………

Music was played…………

Songs were sung…………

Rivers run wild…………

Pure beauty lives……….

Friends were made………….

Winds blow free………….

Of never ending stories……………

Close to my heart…………….

A girls heart was broken………….

It feels like home………….

This is the Wayside Inn with the Grist Mill, and Martha Mary Chapel. They all reside on the same historical property in Sudbury Mass, and in a sense are part of who I am today. I have had so many different experiences in this magical place. I just felt compelled to share some of them with you. It is a very special place to me…….

I should start out by saying that I am not a very vain person, In fact I would say that I am just the opposite, but every artist needs a self portrait right? So here is a few attempts at mine. Please excuse some of the blurriness in some of them, I dropped my camera a while back so I think it might have messed with the clarity a bit.(Oops!!) My birthday is coming up soon so I think I will ask for a new one. Suddenly I have had a wave of inspiration, not sure where its coming from but here goes…………In fact this could be a precursor to the next game. A myriad of self portraits from all of you bloggers!! Yes I think it would be fun !! Go for it!!

First off I wanted to thank everyone who participated in the favorite antique game. It was fun to see everyones amazing collections. If there is anyone else that would like to play please feel free to leave me a comment and I will gladly add your link to my page.

After a long day of tagging and hauling out the items for the yard sale, I am content with the fact that we sold alot, made some money, but more importantly cleared out some clutter in both of our houses.

It always amazes me to think that other people want my so called junk. Although if I wasn’t busy hosting the yard sale I would have been out there myself with the best of them finding more great treasures. More than half of our customers told me that they themselves should be having their own tag sale instead of buying more junk that they didn’t need. I think one reason that people love antique hunting is because certain objects remind us of memories from the past. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard people say oh honey look at this bleepy bleep I used to own one of these when I was a kid. This is one aspect of the business that I love, and brings me to my next story.

About a month ago I was in a great little antique shop in Grafton. As I scoured the store for treasures, I came across something familiar. The object was not only familiar but it was something of mine from the past. It was a mother of pearl inlaid hairclip that my grandparents had given me from a trip to Mexico. I had sold it about ten years ago at a yard sale. The dealer was there so I asked her where she got it from. She said that she had purchased it from another shop a couple of months ago. It is so amazing to me to think that after ten years something from my past showed up in an antique shop. I then wondered how many hands it went through until it finally ended up in that shop, and how many more it will go through in this lifetime.

Part of the job of being a dealer is trying to buy cheap and sell for a good profit. It is inevitable that another dealer will come along buy your merchandise mark it up again and resell for a higher profit. It’s just part of the foodchain game. It is a crap shoot as to where its final resting place will end up. This cyclical event could go on for years until the antique has finally found a good home to someone who collects and loves it. Even if a dealer decides not to sell the item in a shop, alot of antiques are sold on E-Bay and then sent to some far off place across the world.

Maybe I analyze things to much, I tend to do that, but it’s just food for thought for when you buy an antique try to imagine where it has been, who has touched it. Has it touched the life of someone else. Eventually you might even rediscover something from your own past like I did!!

I thought I would share with you some of the things in my home that are green. I seem to have alot of green objects. I think the reason why is is because green is such a soothing and organic color to be around.

In the first collection I have included a sample of some of the green fabrics I have,new and vintage.

Here is a couple shots of my best cat. As you can see his eyes are a beautiful shade of green. He is the nicest cat you will ever meet. I love him dearly.

These are just some other random fun green shots.

The picture was taken in my mothers green room in her house on my wedding day. It is one of my favorite pictures from that day.

I hope you enjoy your weekend. As for me I need to get up super early for the yard sale my mother and I are having at her house. Wish us luck!! and that we make millions!!

Ok, Google Analytics tells me that I have had alot of traffic on my site from the last two days, so where is everyone? Am I all by my lonesome in the favorite antique game? I was really hoping to get some players featuring their collections of fabulous antiques. So I guess I will sit here with continuing anticipation………………In hopes that you all will join in on the fun.

While participating in Sadie Olive’s I Saw Red game it occurred to me that it might be fun to try something fun over here a little different at Antique Therapy. The more I thought about it the more challenged I was to see if I could come up with something clever for everyone to participate in. So here is my simple yet fun idea.

One of the reasons that I started this blog was to have a place to talk about and share my love for antiques and decorating. So far it has proven to be not only a wise business decision for me, but also a place where I have met so many new friends who also share in the love of decorating, collecting and selling antiques. Most of these women truly seem to have a passion for not only antiquing, but are truly clever and artistic in how they have chosen to craft their businesses into more than just a job. They seem genuinely happy in what they are doing and offer nothing but encouragement to those who are new to the business. And for that I am grateful.

In the past I never would have pegged myself as being an entrepreneur, nor would most of my friends and family. But I feel I have finally found my niche and true calling. So you ask, what does all this rambling have to do with talking about your favorite antique? Well I will leave it up to you all to think about and post on your own blogs. I myself need to think about it. Please let me know if anyone thinks this is a good idea and would like to play along. I am not offering any prizes , I am just merely passing on some more inspiration and hoping that you all will join in with me. So please dig out your favorite antique or collection and explain why that piece means so much to you. It could be a family heirloom or can be as simple as a great yard sale find that you want to share with everyone. Whatever strikes your fancy. I hope that you will all play along. I started a Flickr group called www.flickr.com/groups/favantique/ if you want to add your pictures there. Or you can add them to your own page. I can also post all of your blog names on my site so everyone can see who is playing like Sarah did. P.S. Sadie Olive I hope you don’t mind, You have inspired me to start a different game!! Please let me know if you want to play. Stay tuned for some of my favorites!!!! Good luck.

Here is my first picture of My favorite antique.

About a year before I got married my Grandmother from my fathers side gave me this small sweet silver sugar spoon for Christmas. The spoon was originally given to my great grandparents as a wedding gift. When My grandparents got married they then gave it to them as wedding gift. My Grandmother then passed it down to us. It is by far the most special antique that I own. It is simple but elegant at the same time. Right next to the spoon in my china cabinet lies my grandfather’s parents silver plated tea set. He gave them to me about two years before he passed away. My grandfather wasn’t one who usually gave gifts, so the set is very special to me. On the other side of the tea set is my great grandmother on my mothers side etched wine glasses. I love them because they are classic and timeless. The last piece in my favorite antique section is my silver baby cup. The tiny etching on the rim is so sweet. These antiques are not just objects to me they are a part of my own history and lineage. It is my hope that I will pass them on for generations to come.

Now that I have posted a few pics of my favorite antiques it’s your turn. Don’t be shy now join in on the fun!! If you want to post your fav you can start today if you like and we will run the game through till Fri June 20th.

I found a few more people to join. Check their blogs in the next few days for their favorite antiques.

List of participants

Shawn at www.euroantiquemarket.blogspot.com/

Karen at www.graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/

Katie at www.harringtonhouse.typepad.com/

Sue at www.vintagerescue.typepad.com/

www.enseignedegersaint.typepad.fr/

I just wanted to tell you all about a fun little event that is going on over at the www.sadieolive.com blog.  She has asked people to participate in finding something red to photograph and post on their blogs. So I thought I would help pass the word around as well as participate in it myself. I am going to have to come up with something clever to photograph. If you need more details go to Sadie’s site. Good luck on finding some creative shots!!

Ok, so I didn’t think I would be able to find many things in my home that were red, but to my pleasant surprise I found many objects to photograph.  Sorry but I couldn’t wait to share them with you so I am posting them a little early. Here we go!!

The pictures here are from a great book I own called the French Inspired Home. I just love the colors  in them mixed with antiques.

This shot was from April when I talked about how my family and I reenact a part of history during the Revolutionary War. Notice the British soldier AKA Redcoat or the slang term they used for them was a Lobsterback. It is odd that my brother and I are both wearing red too!!

This one was when I was recently in NYC. The Valentino display is about as red as you can get.

These few shots I recently took at a Red Sox game, how appropriate!!

Wow this was alot of fun. I wonder what the color of the month will be next month?

I don’t know about you but I had a nice relaxing holiday weekend. The weather was perfect for being outside and just taking in the sunshine. I hit a few yard sales on Sat and then went into Lexington on Sunday. We decided to go somewhere close for a nice walk so we went on over to the Hartwell Tavern. Built in 1733 the tavern was witness to the start of the American Revolution. Located along the infamous Battle Road the tavern acted as both an inn and pub. I took a few shots of this beautiful area. I am so lucky to live near such amazing beauty and history.

Tis the season for flowers and anything garden related so I thought I would share with you some of my latest thrift store, yard sale, and antique shop finds for my home. I was looking for a tin topped buffet garden table for my deck and finally found one. I added some great succulent plants to put on it. I just love the way they look. They are very zen with a french Jardin flair. The two small white chippy pots I found at my favorite consignment shop for a dollar.

As I move on over to the other side of the deck I have a small seating area. The wicker love-seat I recently bought at a yard sale for $25. I then found this great alabaster shell and filled it up with some more zen succulents. I am debating if I am going to keep it or sell it in the shop. What do you think? Would you guys buy it? The wrought iron shelf I have had for years. I love to load it up with flowers and anything garden related.

Here is my new gardening bag that I got at Target. I filled it up with garden gloves, copper flower markers, and all of my shovels and things.

The topiary I found a few weeks ago at an antique shop. I then purchased this cool galvanized chalkboard garden marker. So cool!!

Remember the orange bee tin I told you that I got at Brimfield? Well here it is. This is one of my favorite finds for my home. I seem to be drawn to things with bee’s on it lately. Note the Honey label. Here next to the bee tin I found this awesome Majolica pitcher. It has a big chip on the top of it but I only paid a dollar for it so I don’t mind. It is fabulous anyway!!

I have this crazy idea that I am going to set up a booth at Brimfield in Sept. So in the mean time I need to find some display pieces. While hunting around I managed to find this cool terrarium as well as this mirrored display shelf. Even though they are new they will be well suited for Brimfield displays. Along with them I have started to find more things for the shop and for Brimfield.

Here is the french architectural lithographs I found in NYC, along with a pretty french jewelry box, some french herb crocks, herb book, pretty salt and pepper shakers, a cool french bobin holder, vintage fabric, a pretty English pink tin, some vintage ribbon trim, and some great mirrored place card holders. Whew that’s a mouthful. I hope you enjoyed your long weekend as well as my new pics!!

Wow what a crazy week it was. It started out with a visit to Skinners auction house, Then Brimfield madness and onto NYC for the weekend. I have seen more antiques in a week than most people see in a year. But am I complaining? No way!! It has been so much fun hunting for more treasures for the shop.

We actually stayed in Hoboken this time because the hotel prices in the city were completely outrageous. Most of the average hotels wanted at least $400 a night for a basic room. Sorry but there is no way I would blow $800 bucks for two nights. I wont waste money like that.

Despite the fact that we had to take the subway into the city we had a great time. I think we walked about 15 miles in one day. Mainly because I had one goal, and that was to find all of the flea markets in town. I had done the research way before the trip to figure out where they were. I even got linked up with one of the flea market sites which is at www.fleaspeech.com.

The first flea that we hit was called Hell’s Kitchen. There was plenty of eye candy here, including furniture, old printing blocks and oodles of fabulous vintage clothes. NYC is the mecca for vintage designer clothes. You cannot walk a block without seeing something spectacular there. I must say like everything else in NY the prices were outrageous and the dealers weren’t really into haggling. I myself am a big-time haggler so needless to say I did not buy a thing at that market. Here are a few pics from Hell’s kitchen.

The second market we went to was quite a hike away from Hells kitchen. It was called the Garage. This place was filled with two floors of treasures. Again the prices were high but the merchandise was much nicer. I actually bought two beautiful French lithograph architectural plate drawings from a book. They are magnificent!! Here is a shot from the Garage.

On Sunday we met up with some old friends and their son and walked up through Madison Ave ,5th Ave, and then through Central Park. I took a few shots of the fashion eye candy, the park and some fancy 5th Ave architecture. I almost fell over when I saw some of the clothes and window displays.

Valentino’s display was one of my favorites. This white dress looks like it would fit me perfectly.

I guess you could say like most women I love clothes, bags, and shoes, One of my favorite shows is Sex and The City. I kept telling my husband if you see Sarah Jessica Parker let me know. Needless to say we did not run into her and Matthew. But I did manage to meet the actor who was recently in the Polaroid commercial and in a Subway commercial. I randomly just started talking to him on the subway and he told me he was an actor, artist and photographer. He gave me his website. I then went back to the room and looked at it only to discover his work on tv. Only in NYC right!! Please enjoy the shots of the rest of our trip. If you get the chance to visit the city do it soon before the summer heat kicks in. Believe me you don’t want to be on the subway face to face with a bunch of sweaty people. On that note happy hunting and enjoy the week!!

Aahh what a spectacular day we had at the Brimfield show. We started out relatively early. The weather was initially cool but warmed up throughout the day. The fields were brimming with excitement as deals were made left and right. The crowds were plentiful and if you dug deep down there were bargains to be had.

The first booth we stopped at had a European flair. so we were immediately drawn into it. While talking to the dealer in the booth I discovered that she was from Germany but resides in Pennsylvania. Doris Dixon is her name. Doris was so friendly and knowledgeable. You can check her website out at www.dorisdixonantiques.com . It was such a pleasure to meet her. Here are few pictures from her booth.

We bought a few treasures from her and then went on down the road to discover a friends booth from Concord.

If you haven’t heard of Nesting On Main then you are seriously missing out on something wonderful and magical. Their store has an eclectic mix of new and old things with a french flair. It is by far one of my favorite antique shops. The girls are always so friendly and welcoming. Melissa does the Brimfield show every year with another gal Carrie from another shop in Concord. Here I shot a few pics of their amazing space at the show.

To my amazement right next store to Nestings booth another talented lady Sue Bradford set up a lovely booth with a similar style to Nestings. I had my eye on a sweet little orange tin with a bee on it, and just had to buy it because I couldn’t get it out of my head all day. I went back at the end of the day and she still had it tucked away, so I managed to get it for a better price. It was my favorite purchase of the day. Here are some pics of her cool booth as well as some random shots throughout the day. Enjoy!!

After an eight hour day at the show we came away with some great little treasures to show for. We can’t wait for the next one !! Until then happy hunting.