~ Cider Antiques ~

Packed and Ready for the Vintage Show

2009-11-14T17:52:00.000-08:00

We are packed and ready . . . one Van and one rented U-Haul. I guess I do have a lot of stuff, lol! Those garment racks and wicker shelves do take up a lot of space. I also decided to bring my Dress Form this year. She takes up a lot of room too. I hope she shows off the dresses and coats well and earns her keep, lol.

My hubby updated my business card (we added Etsy and my twitter address too). This pretty image is on my Business Card. I think she is sweet!

Hope the weather isn't too sunny tomorrow . . . so there will be a good attendance at the show. I'll let you know how it goes : )

Vintage Hats, Coats, Scarves and More!

2009-11-10T09:53:00.000-08:00

I have two great white wicker shelves that I hope to take to the Vintage Clothing show this year. Just 5 days until November 15th. I'm wondering if I could put one on the roof of each car? They are really light . . . the problem is likely making it into the underground parking garage at the Chateau Laurier Hotel. Now that would be fun . . . being 1 inch too short of the required clearance. Maybe I'll check on those height limitations, LOL.

Here is another preview of some items I will be taking with me. I have a large selection of wool and mohair hats. Beret's and Beanie style too. Great for winter!

Some neat old 70's purses with matching accessories.

Many colourful scarves.

Bright Red and Plaid seem to have my attention this year!

Great for early Christmas shopping.

I have vintage hand knit hats, mittens, gloves and socks too . . .

A great selection of old jackets and blazers ~ it is faux fur leopard btw ~ so don't yell at me : )

My daughter and I have had fun co-ordinating the tags I bought on Etsy with each item.

They come in all shapes and sizes. Some are absolutely works of Art. So pretty!!!! I use the big ones for labelling my coat racks etc. That way I get to keep them.

My American neighbour delivered 2 commercial grade garment racks yesterday. Thanks so much!!! I bought them online at Target in the USA. They will ship packages as a "gift" to another address, so I had them shipped to a US location. It is amazing how expensive they are locally. Thanks so much Cathy for bringing them up to Canada for me! I need strong racks for heavy coats and these new racks are perfect.

I'm getting there. My basement booth/display is almost done. I wish I could just wiggle my nose and move it all Sunday morning, LOL. I hope it all fits in two vehicles! My mom in flying in from Nova Scotia tomorrow to visit and to help me at the sale. My goal is to be pretty much ready before she arrives. So . . . back to work I go : )

Happy Halloween ~ with a True Ghost Story

2009-10-29T15:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!

~~~ A True Story from my Childhood ~~~

When I was about 10 years old my cousins (2 girls and 2 boys) moved into a beautiful stone farm house on a 100 acre property. It was the typical center hall plan layout with a staircase in the middle of the home and it had a hidden staircase at the back that went directly to the kitchen. I am an only child and loved spending the summer with my cousins. I got to be the 5th sibling. As kids, we just loved all the different ways to run around that house and play hide and seek.

The house was truly beautiful in the daylight, with the large windows on all sides and deep window wells. The gorgeous antique glass seemed too pretty to cover up with window covering. Since there were no immediate neighbours in the country the windows were left uncovered. At night the property was always extremely dark however. . . . and the shadows from all the old maple trees moving in the wind became quite spooky.

From the very first day my relatives moved into that home everyone felt that the front parlour room to the right of the main stairs had a very odd feeling. It felt occupied. Taken. Non welcoming. No one wanted to lay claim to that room. Very unusual for a large family.

It was immediately called "The Nothing Room". Since old Victorian homes don't really have basements all the non essential boxed items, that usually would have been delegated to a basement, went to the Nothing Room instead. It took a long time for those boxes to get unpacked. They were stacked and forgotten for months. The room had a pull out couch eventually, but no one ever wanted to use it. Even at Christmas time when there was a shortage of places for guests to sleep . . .no one wanted to sleep in that room. Not even the adults or any of their four cats.

My cousins family eventually began to inquire about the history of the house and who had lived there previously. We learned that a woman had indeed died in the parlour and under suspicious circumstances.

The following summer . . . the previous owners came to visit and asked if it would be possible for them to have a picnic at the rear of the property . . . where the ashes of their mother had been buried in a Maple tree. They also wanted permission to return every year on her birthday. Sure enough, they confirmed that their mother had died in the Nothing Room.

After the family's first birthday picnic my four cousins and I ran all around the 100 acre property looking for Mrs. Usher's Tree. We found it eventually. It was a hallowed out tree (rather like the one above) and marked with a small plaque.

From then on we felt a little more at ease about the house. Just knowing who "the presence" belonged to made us all feel a bit more comfortable. We still didn't ever sleep on the pull out couch though. That was for Mrs. Usher !

Although I have never seen a ghost I can certainly say I believe that you can feel a ghostly presence. What do you believe? Do you have a story to share?

Ottawa 25th Vintage Clothing Sale ~ Nov 15, 2009

2009-10-26T11:11:00.001-07:00

The 25th Ottawa Vintage Clothing show is just around the corner. It is on Sunday November 15, 2009. Three weeks until the big day! I am a vendor this year at the show. I will be in booth #11 ~ in the Ballroom, at the Chateau Laurier Hotel, downtown Ottawa.

A few weeks before the show I start to think . . . do I have enough? I want to go on a spending frenzy and buy more, more, more! But alas, after looking at all my treasures I can conclude that I do indeed have enough. My husband concurs!!! The hard part is deciding what not to bring, LOL. For now, . . . I'll focus on my favourites.

Two rhinestone bows adorn this royal blue gown. These are oldies . . . with the "C" clasp at the back.

This gown flows so beautifully.

As many of you know . . . I have a love for lace. I think I will bring less than I did last year . . . but I will still have some beautiful Victorian pieces to offer.

The aprons and vintage lingerie did very well last year. I will sort through them all and make my final selections this week.

Edwardian lace is just amazing. These old undergarments make wonderful doll dresses ~ if you can bear to cut them!

This all white 1950s vintage Prom Dress will be the Belle of the Ball at the show.

Red and black can be difficult to photograph I find. This black beauty is stunning . . . I hope you can see the detail in the photos.

Just perfect for Christmas or New Years Eve.

The red gown is a designer dress by ~ Edith Flagg ~ California

This teal prom dress is silk. The matching jacket is so sweet.

A very full skirt that shimmers in the light.

I have 25 vintage coats this year ! Can't wait to get my new garment racks delivered.

I just love this cream Swing Coat with the matching mink muff and collar. So pretty!

Plaid is really in this year. I have dozens of plaid items ~ coats, shawls, scarves, dresses and skirts.

I love the pattern on this coat. Very 60s.

I have lots of casual dresses and skirts too.

Hope to see you at the show !!! Stop by and say "Hi"

My Silpada Party

2009-10-19T08:36:00.001-07:00

Two posts today : ). I had my gal pal party last Friday and it went very well. My friend is a rep for Silpada Designs. You can see the catalogue online at www.silpada.ca. I had about 20 ladies over for wine, snacks and bling : ) It was a great evening.

I can't believe I didn't take a single picture! I had my camera ready but was too busy having fun and being a hostess. I guess it is better not to be flashing the camera at your guests : )

I wish I had taken a few pictures though.

I snapped a few pics of my favorite items in the catalogue.

If you love silver jewelry, Silpada is for you!

It was a fun evening. Thanks to my hubby for taking our son and some of my friends boys to see a movie! And thanks to my daughter for helping me get the house ready (for several days!).
~~~~

Project Finished ~ Dresser Reveal

2009-10-19T08:22:00.000-07:00

The dresser project is finished and it looks lovely all in white.

~~~~

Here is the Before Picture:

It is all set up in my daughter's room and was quickly topped up with teen trinkets on the top.
~~~~

Here is the After Picture:

It holds a lot of clothing which is great for teenage girls!

The Home Depot wooden appliques worked out well.

Two per packet (much cheaper than Lee Valley).

The glass knobs I bought on eBay worked out well too !

It is nice to have the project finished : )

Happy Thanks Giving Canada!

2009-10-13T19:55:00.000-07:00

I am late with my greetings . . . that's what happens when the computer is disconnected and the painting bug takes over. I have painted 3 rooms and a dresser in the last 7 days. I ordered glass knobs on ebay for the dresser I am refinishing. They might arrive this week. Can't wait : )

Hope my fellow Canucks had a great Fall Weekend and enjoyed the changing of the seasons with family and friends.

Decorating Mode ~ Paint, Appliques and Quilts

2009-10-08T10:08:00.000-07:00

Look what I found at Value Village (thrift shop) recently. A pretty pink and green quilt with matching pillow shams. How could I resist? I like roses and my daughter loves stripes. We both liked the bright green accent color.

The quilt purchase soon lead to buying a green throw . . . .

and the new favorite color has lead to the discussion of paint chips.

We'll see . . . so much for the bargain, LOL.

I have been working on refinishing an old dresser that will be quite pretty when it is done. I am painting it white and added a little texture to the front with scrolls and wooden appliques. I will add crystal knobs when it is done. I hope to have it finished next week. I am having an evening get-together for my neighbours and girlfriends. My daughter's room will be the designated coat room . . . so the pressure is on to finish the dresser. I have a full week to go, so I think I am OK for time. Here is a peek of my work so far.

Here is the before picture. It was pretty dark and needed some TLC.

It has a nice shape though.

I have also been selling and buying stuff on my Kijiji. Have you ever used that site? I love it. It is for local items that are too big to mail. I sold the kids swing set (not used for several years now) and used the money to buy this beautiful cream Wing Back Chair. I was very happy with my "trade."

I also found this pretty love seat for peanuts and delegated our old one to the basement. It certainly is far cheaper than buying new. With teenagers and multiple pets it is a better way to go.

This picture is for Brenda : ) You mentioned you were looking for a nice neutral color. We just painted the bathroom "Alencon Lace" . . . love the name by the way. It goes with any color scheme and provides a nice soft background.

So . . . I think I am in decorating mode or something! Must be the nesting instinct before winter. It is nice to get the painting jobs done while I can still open the windows. Enjoy the Fall while it lasts :)

Fall Flowers and Shop Update Pending

2009-09-29T12:08:00.000-07:00

I love sunflowers. Our kids plant them every Spring and they look great every Fall.

I think this was our best specimen this year : )

It was back to work for me today taking pictures of lace hankies and pretty dresses. I think my camera skills for close-ups need some practise after the summer, lol. Maybe it is the rainy weather and grey lighting . . . or I really am out of practise! I will have to try again tomorrow.

This dress is just amazing and really should be shown in better light.

It is too small for my size 8 dress form . . . so my daughter may have to model it for me later today.

They certainly knew how to make a pretty party dress in the 1950s.

I have some silk hanky holders and wedding hankies ready to update the Bridal Section of my Etsy shop.

I like the net-lace hankies the best.

The Cosmos is enjoying the nice warm Fall weather. Ther isn't much colour across the fields yet. Maybe next week.

I am still looking into the idea of a brick and mortar shop but will likely set my sights on the Spring. It takes a while to save some money, build some partnerships and finish a Business Plan. I'll keep working on it though : )
~~~~~~

Terry Fox Run ~ A single Dream, A world of Hope

2009-09-24T06:52:00.000-07:00

I am sure you know of Terry Fox . . . even if you are not Canadian. Terry became famous for his Marathon of Hope ~ a cross-Canada run to raise money for cancer research, which Fox ran with one prosthetic leg.

He is considered one of Canada's greatest heroes and is celebrated internationally every September as people participate in the Terry Fox Run, the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research. Terry's goal in 1980 was to raise $1 from every Canadian as he ran across the country. To date, more than $400 million has been raised worldwide for cancer research in Terry's name through the annual Terry Fox Run, held across Canada and around the world.

Each year Canadian children participate in school hosted Terry Fox runs. This year the run is on Friday, September 25th, 2009. The same day as my son's 13th Birthday.

I will make my donation this year in honour of Deb's mom (Land of Nod Studio's) and Carolyn's Dad (Draffin Bears) . A cure for Cancer is within our reach.

Heartfelt Wishes for Deb

2009-09-22T05:49:00.001-07:00

Many of you may also follow my good friend Deborah at Land of Nod Studio's. I am sad to tell you that Deborah's mom has lost her battle with cancer. You may wish to leave a message on Deb's blog here . Please send your love and hugs Deb's way. Karen xoxoxo

~~~

Judith Marie Kemp
Nov 1, 1945 - Sept 20, 2009

Doing some Homework

2009-09-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

So what's a girl to do when her hubby is away for a week on business? . . . go shopping for shops! I guess we'll find out if he reads my blog or not, LOL. Are you out there Steve????

Anyways . . . today I stopped by 68 Mill Street in Almonte to take a peek. It is the store with the cream front and bay window about half way up this block (to the left of the red one).

A closer view up the Street . . .

A lovely old post office with a clock tower is across the street . . . quite charming.

Here's the front door . . . . I am told the new owner gets to choose any colour(s) they want for repainting the front.

The Bay window would certainly make a nice store front . . . and the neighbour to the right is nicely done. Bright and cheery.

Here is a view from the inside looking out. Needless to say fresh paint, new flooring and shelving would be required. I spent the day wondering around main street chatting with other store keepers. They were very friendly and encouraging ~ Thank you! I do know some of them already . . . as I have been a shopper in this town for a while.

There is new development in the works too. Just down the street they are re-doing one of the larger store fronts. Looks like it will be quite impressive. The town also has funding from the goverment to develop a walking path/picnic area beside the Mississippi River, from one end of Mill Street to the other.

A fun day full of inquiries . . . and perhaps more questions than answers : )

Almonte, Ontario

2009-09-14T14:58:00.000-07:00

There is a cute little town near by called Almonte. It has a sweet little shop for rent that I just may check out this week. It is located on Mill street and is already surrounded by Vintage, Antique and Gift stores. A very pretty little town.

I keep looking at this lovely, but empty, litte store. So . . . I put a call in to the agent. I have often thought about having my own shop and just may look into that a bit more this week. It's only 20 minutes from my home . . . so quite workable. Stay tuned . . .

Poof I'm there !

2009-09-05T06:34:00.000-07:00

Photoshop is a wonderful thing : ) My hubby put me in the driver's seat of the sporty Mini Cooper I found on eBay. More my style than a muscle car. Still liken' the red though!

Thank you for the dozen red roses Mom ~ They are gorgeous!!!

Enjoy the long Labour Day Weekend Canada !

Flying Time and Vintage Mustangs

2009-09-03T08:20:00.000-07:00

I must be thinking mid-life or something! My 44th B-day is today. That sounds very mid life to me. Not so thrilled about that. My "little girl" just started High School this week and my baby turns 13 in two weeks. Where did the time go? I think people buy fast cars to try and race against time. I guess this is more of a boy/muscle car . . . but I like the candy apple red : )

I guess I'll go get a hair cut and buy a candy apple instead. That's more within my budget, LOL.

Old Montreal

2009-08-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

We went to Old Montreal for a few days. What a beautiful city! Cobblestone streets, cafes and Artisans. Life size Art to amuse you. I just love these ladies . . . quite the story!

Here is a close-up picture of their faces.

~~~~

Update: The ladies in Bronze is called "Les Chuchoteuses"

(The Gossipers)

By: Rose-Aimee Belange

It can be found across from the Gallery St-Dizier

at 24 St-Paul West (corner of St-Dizier),

one block west of St. Laurent Street.

Montreal is only an hour and a half from Ottawa. We hadn't been there in ages, so we decided to go for the weekend.

We didn't buy any Art though . . . too many choices maybe. There was certainly lots to look at but I wasn't sure which one to pick. My husband loves to paint . . . so he says he will try and paint one of our photos : )

Very pretty at night too !

The kids go back to school on September 1st. The summer has flown by. One more big event before school starts . . . The Jonas Brothers concert on August 31st. I'll get my teenie bopper hats ready, LOL. Then its back to work, honest.

New Kid in Town

2009-08-05T11:37:00.001-07:00

This fluffy guy came for a visit. His name is Harry Potter. Harry/Hairy it all works, LOL. Isn't he gorgeous! A pure white Samoyed. He enjoyed the pool area but wasn't too keen on getting wet.

A self proclaimed Life Guard too.

He made sure everyone played nicely with no excessive splashing.

Harry really was not very interested in getting that pretty coat wet.

He just came from the Spa don't you know : )

And what did Cider think of our well groomed handsome guest?
I think her look says it all !!!!

Not going to pose for a picture today Mom.
She was back to herself once Harry went home.

Found the sun : ) in Picton, Ontario

2009-08-04T09:26:00.001-07:00

If the sunshine won't come to us . . . . we will go to the sun : ). My dad lives in Picton (Prince Edward County), Ontario. It has proven itself in the last 15 years as an ideal location for vineyards. They are all doing very well. We visited several wineries and cheese factories. The two go together I guess! Certainly enjoyed the nice weather and pretty outdoor cafes.

Check out that blue sky . . . so nice to see (Ottawa got 11 inches of rain this July ~ hoping for a sunnier August)

This is the entrance to The Grange of Prince Edward. Such a pretty location . . . full of antiques too!

This is my son hiding behind the elaborate mask, LOL.

Many pretty lake views.

The grapes seem to be doing well this season.

Check out this mesh . . . no birds or bugs for these berry bushes.

We had a great few days in Picton. The kids enjoyed the ice cream, chocolate and fudge that we found along the way. They have the tourist thing all figured out !

Rain, Rain, Go Away !

2009-07-29T10:05:00.000-07:00

What a weird July we are having here in southern Ontario. We have had rain just about every day this month . . . and when it didn't rain in the day it surely rained at night. It is hard to plan your day around that. Especially with kids.

My Boston Ivy is certainly happy and will be consuming my entire house soon. If I don't post again soon . . . . assume it won ! It has reached the roof line now. The shrubs are so large it looks like a tropical Rain Forest. I do cut them back frequently . . . . really I do. I am losing the battle though.

We even have fog most nights because there is so much moisture in the air. Little did I know I live in the tropics (without the heat, however).

I have been rather lazy this month with my postings and Etsy store updates. I will try to do better in August : ) Hope you are having more sun and better weather than we are.

~~~~~~~ Think Sunshine ~~~~~~~~~

Better than Yoga for Stretching

2009-07-13T06:48:00.000-07:00

I must say staining a deck makes you stretch a lot ! It is too hard on the knees to kneel and you have to move too frequently to use a towel . . . so the stand, lean and stretch method is the fastest. I also had to paint the white trim on the covered part. Stretch up . . . Stretch down : ) Better than Yoga.

We have had so much rain lately (note the green grass) that this has been a two week project. It needed two coats but it is finally done. Thanks to my helper : )

My Nanny's birthday was yesterday. She would have been 95. The Lillies in my garden were transplanted from her flower garden. Still going strong, year after year : )

Hope you are having a great summer !

More Dress Pictures ~ for the Bride to be

2009-07-08T10:30:00.001-07:00

As requested . . . I have posted additional pictures of the Silk Wedding Gown I have listed on Etsy (which limits the posting to 5 images). More pictures posted below.

My dress form is a size 6 - 8.

Thanks for visiting!

Happy Canada Day!

2009-07-01T03:59:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Canada ~ 142 years old on July 1st, 2009.

Happy Fourth of July to our American neighbors

(or neighbours, if you are Canadian, lol).

Note the new planters ; ) Hope they are exactly as we have left them when we get back. Maybe the flag will help. My cast iron rabbit is hiding in the backyard.

See you soon. Have a great long weekend!

Unwanted Attention

2009-06-29T15:42:00.000-07:00

We had some unwanted attention last Saturday night. My cast iron bunny was the only witness it seems. Unfortunately I can't get him to tell me what he saw. Around 12:30am some vandals decided to ring our door bell (daaa?????) and then smash my nice stone planters on my walkway.

I tried some "Gorilla Glue" to repair the damage, but it just didn't look right so I went out and bought some new planters today. I really liked my old planters . . . but I am thankful they were not thrown through my front door or living room window. I bought some light fibreglass ones today. They can't do any damage when airborne.

You can see from the muddy foot print on my porch that the thug was pretty big.

I like having a big dog! She looks nice and calm in all my pictures but trust me . . . she won't let anyone mess with her mum. Here she is . . . shortly after our scare . . . getting lots of "good girl" pets.

P.S. We do live in a good neighbourhood. Really. Just some stupid teenagers carrying out their twisted idea of fun. My husband and I had a long chat about that with our own soon to be teenagers.

New Driver !

2009-06-23T09:25:00.001-07:00

My neighbor has 2 boys a few years older than our kids. He said they should be able to safely operate a riding lawn mower . . . long before they ever get anywhere near his cars! We thought that sounded like great advice. So, our 14 year old daughter learned how to use our riding lawn mower last weekend. She just did the flat part between the trees and practised turning.

Note how Cider is running for cover, LOL. New Driver!!!!

Looking good on those turns : )

Cider supervising ~ safely from the deck : )

She did seem to know it was all new.

Princess Lace Gown and more . . .

2009-06-17T04:06:00.001-07:00

This Edwardian Gown is a beauty. I just love it. I have listed it on eBay . . . ending this Friday. I decided I just couldn't limit a posting to five pictures. Etsy really needs to re-think that. For really special items I like the option of posting up to 24 pictures : ). Yep, I used them all!

I have had the dress since last Fall . . . when I worked at the 3 day Edwards Estate Sale. I have enjoyed having it, but must move it along ("Selling is part of the process" my husband reminds me ~ LOL).

It has a Flocked Velvet Train ~ with a Chiffon Ruffled edge.

It is so small that my size 8 dress form could not model it for us. I would guess it is size 0.

It has a solid pink lining, with a light Chiffon lining above that.
The top layer is Princess Lace.

The train gathers beautifully and extends for about 24 inches.

The Net Lace is still strong ~ no breaks, rips or tears in the mesh.

Amazing for a 100 year old gown.

I was told by the family that this gown belonged to Catherine Wilson - wife of W.C. Edwards (1844 - 1921). Mr. Edwards was a prominent Canadian Business man (of Lumber Mills) and a Parliamentarian. Edwards served as a member of Parliament from 1891 to 1900, after which he was appointed to the Canadian Senate upon the recommendation of Sir Wilfrid Laurier (the seventh Prime Minister of Canada). The Edwards lived a life of elegance and refinement. I am sure Mrs. Edwards was the belle of the ball in this gown!

This prominent family once owned the Victorian Estate located at 24 Sussex Drive ~ now the residence of the Prime Minister of Canada.

Another well know lady owned this gown. Her name was Elizabeth Edwards. She was a world traveller and worked for UNICEF for many years. I purchased many of her dresses.

The fabric is actually hand painted. So much detail !

This gown is a more reasonable size. A size 4 - 6 instead of a zero.

I imagine it being worn by a Ballroom Dancer. The fabric sways so nicely.

Hope you are having lovely weather in your part of the world. There is only one more week (and a bit) of school for my kids and then it is summer holidays. June 25th is their last day. I have lots to get done before then . . . the count down is on, LOL.