(Photo by Cheryl-Anne Millsap)   

    The little book, dated 1894, caught my eye. With its rich turquoise, red, and gold filigree cover and the title “About Women: What Men Have Said” it was impossible to resist.

    I couldn’t help but wonder who had purchased it first. Was it some heartsick young man, seeking to find in the words of the poets what he couldn’t find a way to express on his own? Or, perhaps, a long-married man in search of a romantic token for an anniversary. It might have been a mother, hoping to curb the rebellious tendencies of a wayward daughter by reminding her of the virtues most desired at the time by the opposite sex. There was no inscription or message on the flyleaf so I’ll never know the book’s journey before it arrived at Anita Trinkle’s new shop “Eye Candy,” but it doesn’t matter. The book, wrapped in tissue and with a scrap of lace as a bookmark, came home with me.

    Even in an age of constant wireless communication, there is something about a beautiful book that is hard to resist. And the little volume filled with verse and scraps of poetry singing the praises of the “fairer sex” is a peek into an age when women were valued for their purity, demure manner and motherliness above everything else.
.
    Organized by months of the year, each day of the month features a few flowery lines from poets and authors like Shakespeare, Ruskin, Thackeray and Byron.  Flipping through the pages, I stopped, for no particular reason, on August 18. The passage for the day was from Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables.

    “The glance of a woman resembles certain wheels which are apparently gentle but are formidable…You come, you go, you dream, you speak, you laugh, and all in a minute you feel yourself caught, and it is all over with you.
The wheel holds you, and the glance has caught you.”

    Ah. Obviously, as the book makes clear page after page, there forces that never change. And, as was the case with the book in my hands now, love at first glance is nothing new under the sun.


If you go:
Eye Candy Antiques
3017 N. Monroe Street, Spokane, WA 99205
509-434-8146
Mon. - Sat:10:00 am-5:00 pm

Cheryl-Anne Millsap is a freelance writer based in Spokane, Washington. In addition to her Home Planet and  CAMera: Travel and Photo blogs, her essays can be heard on Spokane Public Radio and on public radio stations across the country. She is the author of “Home Planet: A Life in Four Seasons” and can be reached at catmillsap@gmail.com
  

Some people have the right idea.

I've written about Kelly Tareski before, but after reading about it on her blog, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to learn a little more about her outdoor spa.

Tareski, who owns GardenStone Creations in Airway Heights, coerced (or canoodled) husband Monte into using an old claw-foot tub she had been saving to create a place to enjoy a hot soak under the stars on their Nine Mile Falls property. While that might be a big request for most of us, Monte is in the business of moving things around. He owns Cascading Creations and spends most days moving big rocks, building walls, steps and water features.

In a few days she had her heated outdoor tub, surrounded by flagstone pavers. Kelly whipped up burlap curtains and cajoled (or canoodled) Monte into building a vanity using an old sink she'd been saving for another project.

The result? A beautiful, nature-inspired place to soak and dream under a big Eastern Washington sky.

Unfortunately, as happens with most good ideas, now everyone wants in on the act. The kids like the outdoor bathtub so much Kelly has to schedule her own play time. Isn't that always the way?

You can read more about Kelly Tareski's “Suite Outoors” and see more photos of the project here

Cheryl-Anne Millsap writes for The Spokesman-Review and is the editor of Spokane Metro Magazine. Her essays can be heard on Spokane Public Radio and on public radio stations across the country. She is the author of “Home Planet: A Life in Four Seasons” and can be reached at catmillsap@gmail.com

You can stop driving by or walking up to press your nose against the glass. Pink, Spokane's newest and most unique shop will have a soft opening tonight in conjunction with First Friday activities and will open officially Saturday morning at 10 a.m.

The business is owned by partners Celeste Shaw (of the popular Chaps restuarant), Lana Neumann, Erica Parish and Chris Lynch. The women have been working in the former Luminaria space since March to create a unique and stylish place for local treasure hunters. As you might expect, Pink is filled with one-of-a-kind vintage and shabby finds as well as handmade and reclaimed objects. No space is left untouched. Even the massive vault will shine as a gallery for Lynch's paintings.

Neumann and Parish have filled one of the streetfront rooms with their unique handbuilt furnishings. Their use of vintage salvage including massive chopping blocks, industrial materials and soft-as-butter leather is attracting attention across the country. You can see more of their work at dejaneu.com

Holly Baublitz and Becky Ellis from All That Glitter will be involved and have already relocated that beautiful old greenhouse from their shop in Spokane Valley. Now it shines in a corner of the new store.

Stop by soon and check out the newest old things in town. I'm sure you be tickled, well, you know.

Details

Pink is located at 154 Madison, one block west of the Old Spaghetti Factory.

Hours are Wed - Sat 10am - 4 pm.

For more information call 509-838-2054.

I spent an hour or so yesterday talking to people at this year's Farm Chicks show.

If you have a hankering to walk around in petticoats and cowboy boots and like the idea of decorating with vintage junk- the shabbier the better - the annual sale continuing today at the Spokane Fair and Expo Center is the place to be.

The crowd is always big and the people-watching is fantastic. And, of course, there are bargains to be had. As I talked to people there were a few complaints: Topping the list was the option of paying a larger admission fee to get in before the throng but the sheer volume of shoppers was a grumbling point, as well. But, on the whole, everyone was glad to be there and having a great time.

Sunday is my favorite day. The aisles are not as congested and vendors do restock so there are still plenty of treasures to be found. The “Man Cave” will be open again today for husband-sitting.

For more photos from the 2011 Farm Chicks Show in Spokane click “Continue Reading.”

This weekend is your chance to find a treasure at the Third Annual  Spokane Symphony Associates “Upscale Sale.”

I’m a big fan of the sale and try to never miss it. (I wrote about last year’s favorite finds here.) 

This year’s sale is bigger and better than ever thanks to Carol Worthington-Borodin’s donation of more than 10,000 pieces of fine china and 1,000 pieces of fine crystal. Worthington, a noted appraiser and antiques dealer, donated pieces from her former pattern-matching business. If you've ever wanted to add to your china collection, or you're looking for pieces to complete a set, this is a perfect opportunity.

Other always-wonderful-to-find items include furs, silver, musical instruments, books, linens and holiday decorations.

The Upscale Sale has become the place for scoring great deals on antiques, designer clothing, brand-name furniture as well as vintage rugs, costume jewelry and household items. More than 150 individuals have contributed to the sale.

For a $5 admission, early Birds can take advantage of the 5:30 - 7pm Thursday evening preview sale and shop before the sale opens to the public Friday morning at 8am.

All proceeds benefit the Spokane Symphony.

See you there?

Spokane Symphony Associates “Upscale Sale.”
Where: 1027 W. 3rd Ave. (Between Monroe & Madison Streets.)
When: Early Bird sale Thursday, June 2, 5:30 - 7pm.
Regular Hours: Friday, June 3, 8am-5pm, and Saturday, June 4, 8am-3pm.

    I try to travel light. I don’t like a lot of luggage and I don’t bring a lot home with me. In fact, most of my souvenirs tend to be things for my children. But my weakness gets me every time. Textiles. I love fabrics, especially vintage fabrics.
    I recently spent a week in Iceland. I was on my own and had no itinerary or agenda. I wandered the streets in any direction I chose.
    On one street, just off the main shopping district in Reykjavik, I noticed a small red building, decorated with a red cross. I could see the words, in English, “Second Hand.”
    My kind of place.
    I opened the door and walked in. The tiny shop was full of locals looking through the racks of hand-knitted Icelandic wool sweaters. The sweaters were beautiful but what caught my eye was a bundle of fabric in the window.
    I tried to get the attention of the two women working in the store but neither spoke English. Finally, a young woman realized I needed help and translated for me. She had the women bring out the fabric so I could get a closer look.They were four old woven flax or linen curtain panels in a soft, golden, natural color. They were clean, soft (obviously laundered many times) and in wonderful condition.
    “How much?” I asked.
    The young woman asked the two older women.
    We finally determined that there were four curtain panels at $8 U.S dollars each.
    “Not much, eh?” the young woman asked with a smile.
    “No,” I said. “Not much at all.”
    I measured the panels and realized that there were at least 8 yards of wonderful fabric selling for much less than it all would have cost in an American shop. Vintage European fabrics are very popular now and can command high prices in antique shops or at flea markets.
    “I’ll take it,” I said, gesturing to the women.
    They wrapped the fabric in paper and I carried it out of the store.
    Of course, when it was time to leave my luggage was considerably fatter. Not only two bulky Icelandic sweaters (one purchased later at the same shop) crammed in, but eight yards of fabric, as well.
    The remarkable thing? When I got home I discovered the curtain panels were exactly right for the two large windows in my living room and dining room.
    I haven’t hung them yet. I don’t know if I will. I may repurpose the fabric in some way. But simply looking at the material gives me pleasure. Every time I see it I remember my adventure in Iceland and how I brought home a suitcase full of vintage gold.

(To see a photo of the fabric, click Continue Reading)

Cheryl-Anne Millsap writes for The Spokesman-Review. Her essays can be heard on Spokane Public Radio and on public radio stations across the country. She is the author of “Home Planet: A Life in Four Seasons” and can be reached at catmillsap@gmail.com

(photo by Cheryl-Anne Millsap) 

   This weekend, if you want to have it both ways, you’re in luck. For those of you who love to spend hours trolling for vintage bargains each spring at the Custer’s Antique and Collector’s Sale, but would really love to know just how much that family heirloom Great Aunt Sadie left you is worth, the Spokane Fair and Expo Center can provide one-stop entertainment.

   The 13th annual Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture's Antique Appraisal Days will be held at the Custer’s sale again this year.

   Experts and qualified appraisers will be available both days to consult. Items are limited to hand-carried items only and no firearms are musical instruments are permitted. The cost is only $5 per item (Limit 5 items per person) and all proceeds will go to the ongoing restoration and support of the historic Campbell House.

   I’ve been to a number of the MAC Appraisal Days and I always have a good time. It’s fun to see what people bring in and there are always surprises and unexpected discoveries. And, if you pick up a great treasure at the sale and would like to know more about what you’ve found, well, the experts will be just around the corner.

Details:
When: Saturday April 30: 10am-7pm and Sunday May 1: 11am-5pm
Where: Spokane Fair and Expo Center
Fees: Admission to Custer’s Antique and Collector’s Sale is $6.
  

Take one Air Force kid with a Moroccan mother, mix travel, careers in nursing and graphic design, stir in a big romance and a love of antiques and you have the story of Kris Mack.

After graduating from Eastern Washington University, a stint in nursing, graphic design and marrying back into the military, Kris Mack landed back in Spokane. And she’s landed with style. She's working with partner Wendy Allen and their new shop, Artemis, is opening this weekend.

I was able to get her attention long enough to answer a few questions about the road to Spokane and what we can expect from Artemis.


What brought you to Spokane?

“(My husband) Brian received orders in 2009 to Fairchild AFB where he is a pilot in the KC-135.  We moved here in January of 2010. My parents now live in the Tri-Cities, so it's nice that they are close.”


What made you decide to start a business here and open a store?

“With my own business, I could create an environment of positive energy and help other people.  I learned these principles from my own grandparents in Israel. My grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Morocco and they owned shops there.  My grandmother Simi had a restaurant.  I don't know that grandma ever made a dime from her cooking.  They fed Muslims, Christians and Jews and really lived this incredible life.   They touched a lot of people's lives regardless of religion with their generosity and sense of community.  This shop symbolizes so much for me.” 


What can we expect from Artemis?

“You'll see a lot of new artists, funky antiques, vintage clothing, upcycled furniture and an expanding clothing and jewelry line.  Artemis supports local artistry and craft. One hundred percent of our new clothing, jewelry, furniture and art is made in the USA.  We are committed to spending our dollars locally, buying wholesale from and promoting new designers from the USA.”

How did you find just the right vendors for your store?

“The deal with local vendors was really serendipitous.  Last year I bought a desk from Al and Lynda Rogers of Yesterday and Today Antiques and I just kept coming back.  Once we had begun construction on the shop, I heard that they were closing up and it just gutted me.  I sent Al a quick note and asked him to get in touch with me and from there we had a series of conversations that lead to them putting their antiques in our shop!  I started searching for other vendors. I found Ronni Ryno of Glamarita and Kadra Evans of  Assassin Apparel.  I just sent them a note and they responded.
I found Jessica Fouche and Rachel O'Brien on Etsy.  Artemis will have their jewelry and soaps and lotions.  
 I also met a lovely woman, Judy Rosier of Frosting, that will be providing Artemis with our free cupcakes on Saturday.  We are also looking into carrying some items from Gladys Hanning of Junebug.”  

With Artemis launched, what’s next?

“Our new website artemishop.com coming in 6 months We also have  a daughter business called 'Pickn' Chicks.'  We will sell your estate (buy your estate in some cases) or help you clean out your garage, barn, house.  We're developing that side of the business currently.”


Artemis Grand Opening Details
Where:3109 N. Monroe
When: Saturday, April 16
Hours: Mon - Fri: 10 am - 5:30 pm; Sat: 9 am- 5:30 am; Sun: 11am-5:00 pm
For more information call: 509 995 8860  
(Vendor inquiries welcome)


Cheryl-Anne Millsap writes for The Spokesman-Review. Her essays can be heard on Spokane Public Radio and on public radio stations across the country. She is the author of “Home Planet: A Life in Four Seasons” and can be reached at catmillsap@gmail.com
  

Put away that list of spring chores. Forget about cleaning out the garage and tidying up the basement. It's time to go out and play.  And by that I mean out to Chattaroy for the Spring Funky Junk sale.

The sale is going on this weekend at the Irish Dance Hall Grange in Chattaroy and Hollie Jantz Eastman and Jennifer Wood have filled the hall with all kinds of treasures of her own and other dealers. Hollie's been posting tempting photos on her blog and so has Jennifer.

I drove out to the sale last year and took a few photos (I even snapped a few local treasure hunters with happy hands) and I can't wait to do a little treasure hunting again this year.

Here is the list of this year's vendors:

Apropos (Kathy Simmons)
BallyHoo Girl (Christy Dunham)
bizi (Jamie Anderson/Paris Flea Market, CD'A)
A Brush Stroke Away (Denny Wuesthoff)
The Catalog (Ashley Reynolds)
Hudson's Holidays (Shirley Hudson)
Iona's Antiques (Traci Brush)
Junebug Furniture and Design (Gladys & Celia Hanning of the Mad Hatter Flea Market)
Joey Vintage (Shawna Moran/Jenna Burgener)
Joy Harvest (Funky Junk Hollie Eastman & mom Gail Jantz)
LadyBird Jewelry (Erin Campbell)
Nestting (Ann Caster)
Orphaned Decor (Leslie Willmann)
Out of the Woods (Tudy Kvenbo)
Pauper's Candle Company (Krista Webber) Playhouse Soaps (Funky Junk Jennifer Wood)
ReVamp (Dore Schiller)
Rustic Radiance/Burnett Photography (Cary Burnett-our photographer!!)
Rusty Pine Junk Co. (Barbara Ackerman)
Shabby Stems Furnishings (Holly Dalke)
Scout Vintage Clothing & Accessories (Robyn Pirie)
Sisters Creed (Kristin Johnson & crew)
Sophia's/Angel's Attic (Kristen Dobsen/Linda & Jon Gardner)
Touched by Time (Kathy White)
Two Women Art & Antiques (Dianna & Fielding Chelf of the Two Women Barn Bazaar)
Unexpected Necessities (Jennifer Walker)
The Vintage Show (Coquille Gallagher)
The Wren Nest (Nicole Froemming/Vicki Penna)
Yesterday's Connection (Funky Junk Jennifer Wood)
  

The details:
Funky Junk Spring Antique Show and Sale
When: April 9 & 10, 10 a.m.—4 p.m.
Where: Irish Dance Hall Grange: 8216 E. Big Meadows Rd. Chattaroy, WA 99003

Directions: Go north on Newport Hwy (which becomes Hwy 2.) Follow Hwy 2 past Cat Tails and turn right on Elk-Chattaroy Rd. (at the Solid Waste Transfer Station).Right on to Big Meadows Rd for three miles. Look for the pretty pink signs!

Admission: $2 (kids 12 and under get in free)

   
Our list of Saturday errands took us out to Big R in Spokane Valley. Always the opportunist, I took advantage of the fact that we were in the neighborhood to make a quick stop at three side-by-side shops on Trent.

    I peeked into All That Glitter first and talked to Holly Baublitz and Becky Ellis. I love the architectural elements that define the interior. A vintage greenhouse frame and a wonderfully shabby gazebo carve what would be a wide-open room into a space with lots of interesting nooks and crannies. It’s not all girly glitter, though. Holly told me they’re doing more with industrial and salvage pieces, as well. (Look for new merchandise scored at a barn sale this morning.)

    From there I moved on to The Mad Cow next door. I missed The Mad Cow’s grand opening recently but got a chance to meet Heidi Tobler and her daughter Hannah when I stopped in today.  Each room is full of wonderful shabby finds and I loved the creative touches in every corner. Can't wait to go back.

    The last stop was This Old House & New. I’ve been in This Old House plenty of times but I found it particularly hard to walk away from several sweet chairs recovered in vintage fabrics. I’ve been treasure hunting for a long time and have always had a fondness for orphaned chairs (among other things.) I poked around in Jennifer Walker’s Unexpected Necessities space. As always, she’s filled it with cotton-candy pink and white vintage goodness.

    So, pardon me if I give myself a pat on the back. I got the Saturday errands done and managed to snag a little junking time for myself.

    Hope your day was just as much fun!

(Click Continue Reading for more photos)

Cheryl-Anne Millsap writes for The Spokesman-Review. Her essays can be heard on Spokane Public Radio and on public radio stations across the country. She is the author of “Home Planet: A Life in Four Seasons” and can be reached at catmillsap@gmail.com

  

You could spend the weekend cleaning out the garage, putting away the snow shovel and doing all those early spring chores that need to be done. Or, you could poke around in someone else's garage and find a treasure to bring home. Easy choice, right?

This weekend is the spring Shabby Stems Furnishings sale at the home of Holly Dalke. She will be selling vintage items, furniture and other one-of-a-kind finds.

You worked hard all week. Reward yourself. Take a break, get out to Holly's garage and do a little treasure hunting.

Spring Sale

Where: 3225 W. 7th Avenue

When: Saturday, March 19

Hours: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Directions: West on Sunset Blvd, right on F Street, proceed straight. Turn right on 7th Avenue at the corner of E Street and 7th Avenue. Look for a big white house with a picket fence. Have fun!

Since I started writing my Treasure Hunting column in 2003 (I started the blog in 2004) , I’ve written a lot about my fondness for vintage clothing. I dressed in silk Flapper dresses while in college and was married in a delicate 1900s cotton lawn  summer gown. What most people don’t know is that my first business was a vintage clothing shop. With my husband’s help, I took an empty storefront on the “arty” side of the city and turned it into a space that was equal parts store and artist’s salon.

Surrounded by racks of sheer Edwardian cotton dresses and bouffant tulle prom dresses from the 1950s, my friends and I - most of whom were actors, artists and musicians - spent happy hours talking, laughing and enjoying being young and free.  When my first child came along I closed the store and rented spaces in the more upscale antique malls in town.

So, in addition to a love of all things vintage and shabby, I have a sweet spot for vintage clothing. Which means I have a sweet spot for Carousel Vintage Clothing.  

This week, I decided to feature Jenny Stabile, owner of Carousel, as one of my Treasure Hunting profiles. I enjoyed getting to know her better and think you will, too.


How did you get started collecting/buying/selling vintage clothing?
“I started almost 6 years ago just thrifting for funky finds of any kind and I came across a couple of vintage dresses that just struck me. That’s when the dress-collecting started. I started selling a couple of years later when my bedroom apartment started to resemble a large walk-in closet! I was working full-time at a coffee shop and I thought I might be able to also make a little extra money from my hobby.”

You moved into the former location of Finders Keepers and purchased some of Deena Caruso’s stock and fixtures when she moved. It all happened pretty quickly, didn’t it?

“I opened on August 13th. It took me about a month and a half to negotiate my lease, get my licenses, paint and remodel, price and display merchandise, decorate etc.  All of which I did almost completely on my own! It was really hard but I'm pretty proud of myself! Thankfully I didn't have to take out a loan, I had been building a savings for this.”

Where do you get your love of vintage?
 “I think it’s just always been there! Really, I don’t remember not loving it or being influenced by it somehow. But I think I get a lot of it from my Mom. She was always telling me stories of how her mom dressed in the 50’s and 60’s. And she was always hitting yard sales and thrift stores, bringing home all this great stuff. I always felt like I was missing out on something if she went to a yard sale without me! She actually met the midwife who delivered me at a yard sale so I guess you could say vintage was born in me!”

Where would you like to take your business?
“I would love, down the road, to open a second store. Not necessarily vintage, but a boutique with a mix of some vintage décor along with recycled/repurposed clothing/accessories/décor. I love making something new out of something you wouldn’t expect. Like turning bottles into lamps or something. And I have a background in coffee so maybe throw a little café in there, too.”

What do these vintage garments posses that newer fashions do not?
“Oh my! Everything! There is so much attention and thought put into each detail, every seam. Every part has a purpose.”

Do you have a favorite fashion period?
“I really love the 1950’s and earlier the most. Mostly back through the 1920’s. The quality of the fabric that was used, the quality of workmanship and design just doesn’t exist anymore. You rarely see synthetics used and when you do it’s sometimes hard to tell them from silk or rayon, the quality is so fine.”

What unexpected problems/blessings have you encountered as a new business owner?
“I wouldn’t say problems, but maybe challenges. Probably the most difficult is just educating people about how vintage fits. A lot of vintage fabrics are woven, so there is very little or no give at all. I think we’ve become accustomed to everything having stretch, even formal wear. Not so with vintage. If it looks small, it is. If it looks large it is. Also, women were wearing ‘shapewear’ even under day dresses so the waists tend to be smaller than the rest of the dress. And lastly, clothing was often custom fitted to each woman (just one of the things I love about the past!) So it really is just about finding the right fit and style for you.”

It sounds like you love what you do.
“Having the opportunity to own my own business is a blessing. I feel like everything I’ve done the past few years since I knew I wanted my own shop has led to this. It’s everything I hoped for. Owning Carousel is the happiest and surest about what I’m doing that I’ve ever been. I can’t imagine NOT doing this!”


Carousel Vintage Clothing
110 S Cedar
Spokane, WA, 99204
Hours:
Tue-Sun 10-6
Mon 12-5

For more info call: 509-838-2877


  

Admit it. All this gray-skies-and-rainy-weather atmosphere has gotten to you. Wouldn’t it be nice to do a little shopping and bring home a pretty vintage treasure?
You bet it would.
I feel the same way. That’s why I’m looking forward to Fielding Chelf’s Spring Opening Sale. Today (Friday) from 5pm- 8pm and Saturday March 12 from 9am to 3pm, you can browse antiques, collectibles, vintage finds and one-of-a-kind handcrafted jewelry. That ought to brighten things up a bit, don’t you think?

It’s high time we kicked off the junking season. I'll see you there!

Details:
Where: 3326 S. Grand Blvd. (Just behind Performance Chiropractic)
When: Friday, March 11, 5-8 pm and Saturday, March 12, 9am - 3pm
  

(photo by Cheryl-Anne Millsap)

    Each week I record my Home Planet column for my Sunday Morning Essay program on Spokane Public Radio. After my studio time I always try to stop by The Vintage Rabbit, which is located on the street level of the same building on North Monroe.
    

    Owner, Jan Richart is usually there and we chat for a few minutes as I look around.
    

    The Vintage Rabbit (here’s a Spokane Grapevine post about the store) was one of the first places I discovered when I moved to Spokane in 1999. I decorated my new house with old things, many of them Vintage Rabbit finds, so over the years I’ve become familiar with many of the dealers there.
    

    Last week as I walked through the booths, I noticed a woman shopping in the same space. She was looking at a large vintage locker-unit in a corner and after a minute, snapped off the price tag hanging from a string.
   

     “This is my new armoire,” she said, turning to me with a big smile.
    

    That’s the way it is with treasure hunters. We get so excited about our ideas and finds we just have to share.
    Kris Mack introduced herself and we talked for a few minutes while Jan helped her clear out the big piece and get it ready to go. It seems we have a similar story.
    

    Kris just moved to Spokane a year ago and is now slowly filling her new home with funky vintage finds. As a designer, she has a good eye. Drawn to a more industrial look, she and her husband love to create one-of-a-kind pieces from unique antique and vintage items.

    “I love looking at things and imagining them in a different way,” she told me. “It’s a way to save money and to be creative.”
    

    I snapped a quick photo of Kris and her $200 find - which will become an armoire in the master bedroom - and I’m looking forward to writing more about her.    I’d also like to introduce her to all of the other junkers out there.

    You can read more about Kris Mack's design work here.

  

There are finds and then there are the finds you find all over again.

In 2006, I was invited by a Treasure Hunting reader to join her for a day of antiquing. I met her at Apple Annie Antique Gallery in Cashmere, Washington and joined Soap Lake Collector's Club for lunch at the diner there in the mall. After lunch we spent several hours looking around the mall. I bought two pieces of green Fiestaware and we were saying goodbye when I noticed a pile of items just inside the door. One of the dealers was just bringing in new merchandise and had dropped it off at the door while she moved her truck and got down to the business of tagging and displaying.

One item in particular caught my eye. It was a small round, weathered, wrought-iron table. The glass was missing but otherwise the shabby white table was in great shape. I could see it in my garden or sitting beside a favorite chair.

When the dealer walked up I asked her what she wanted for the table and she studied it a minute and said, “How about $18?”

Sold.

I brought it home and put it in the garden shed until I could find a place for it. We sold the big house in the suburbs soon after and downsized to a cottage in the city, I got rid of a lot of things, but I brought the table with me. I knew it had potential.

For the last five years the table has been in the garden shed here in the city. Waiting until the time was right.

Maybe it was the unexpectedly bright sunshine on a February day, but I woke up this morning in a mood to do something different around the house. After my coffee, I moved a few things around. Declaring the end of the worst of winter, I put the white cotton slipcover on the sofa and replaced the heavier oriental rug with a lighter jute rug. I also moved the leather ottomans I've used for a coffee table since moving in.

Staring at the empty space in front of the sofa, wondering what would look good and still do the job, I remembered the iron table in the garden shed. A quick trip to Pier 1 for a new glass top and it was done. I've got a brand new look built around a fine old find.

Cheryl-Anne Millsap writes for The Spokesman-Review. Her essays can be heard on Spokane Public Radio and on public radio stations across the country. She is the author of “Home Planet: A Life in Four Seasons” and can be reached at catmillsap@gmail.com

    This Thanksgiving, as I usually do, I'll decorate the table simply with a few favorite items: a carved wooden pheasant, a vintage table cloth, the family china and silver. We'll sit down together to eat favorite foods, celebrate and enjoy one another's company.

    But this year I do have something new, or, rather, old, to bring to the table. Recently, on a trip to the Gulf Coast, I attended the Peter Anderson Festival in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. As we walked toward the booths of artists and artisans, we passed a small antique store. The owner of the store was holding a sale before closing the doors forever and everything was deeply discounted. I didn't have much time so I went immediately to the section of the store where all the linens were displayed and picked up three pieces. I have a thing for heavy, hand-sewn French linen and I'd immediately noticed three little pieces, two table runners and a small tea towel, on a shelf.

   I held up the linens and asked for a price, in a bit of a hurry because I needed to catch up with the rest of my party. The owner looked at what I held in my hand and shrugged.

   “How about $2?” he said. “I told you everything needs to go.”

   I was thrilled. The pieces would sell for much more than that anywhere else. I handed him the $2 and ran on to find everyone else.

    This year, when I set the table, I'll add two miniature pumpkins that grew on a vine in my backyard; they are the last remnants of my summer garden. (You can read more about the pumpkins in my downtoearthnw.com Growing Green column.)Tucked around them, I'll add one of the linen pieces I brought home from the south.

    I've been so busy lately, I haven't had much time for treasure hunting and I've missed the adventure. The few minutes I spent in the antique store were a treat. As was the bargain.

     I can't think of a better way to dress a holiday table.

Cheryl-Anne Millsap writes for The Spokesman-Review. She can be reached at catmillsap@gmail.com

This morning I packed yet another lunch. I've been getting school lunches ready for more than 20 years so it's second nature to me now. My first child started school in 1991. Three more followed.

Now, the oldest is out of grad school and part of the workforce. The youngest is in high school. There are only two more years of school lunches to go.

As I folded down the edges of my daughter's brown paper sack this morning, I remembered the plaid metal lunchbox I carried when I was in elementary school. That brought memories of milk in paper cartons, freshly baked peanut butter cookies and the clatter of conversation and laughter at the long tables in the “lunchroom.”

Several years ago, I picked up a similar metal lunchbox and kept it in my kitchen. But, when we downsized several years ago, I sold it at a garage sale. (Over the years, I've developed a “catch and release” philosophy toward antiques and collectibles.) I wrote about it in a past Treasure Hunting column

I'm working from home but I think I'll make myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and pour a cold glass of milk. Cheers!

    Too often, women who love to spend hours looking at vintage items at a flea market or in an antique mall, do it entirely on their own or they go with a group of friends. They wouldn’t think of having a husband around.
    This is definitely not the case with Kelly and Monte Tareski. The couple, who own Cascading Creations, share more than a business. They share a love of junking that has found an important place in their relationship.

    “I have always had a passion for the weathered and worn out item,” Kelly told me.  “As a child, I remember going to the Southern California flea markets  and spending all day digging, hunting for the perfect piece of junk and at a young age being able to negotiate the ‘right price.’”

    Eventually, Tareski wanted more than just fun. She wanted to make a career out of rescuing and re-imagining vintage items. Fortunately, her husband shared that desire.

    “Just in the past couple of years I have had the opportunity to turn that passion into a business. With Monte's passion for the same, it makes it very easy to go treasure hunting and we have so much fun together,” she says. “One of our favorites is when we get the call to go ‘pick’ at an old homestead.”

    Transforming a building on the grounds of their Airway Heights stone business, Tareski turned her new project, GardenStone Creations into an appealing and popular place for shoppers. She was able to find a way to combine her love of the hunt, with a desire to own a unique business.

    What came about is an outlet for local artists, artisans and creative types.

    “I am a huge supporter of local artisans and the buy-local movement,” Tareski says. “I am proud to say that I have my shop 80 percent stocked at this time with local merchandise from local businesses and artisans. I’m working towards 100 percent.”

    But, once a treasure hunter, always a treasure hunter. As proud as Tareski is to have started a business and carved a successful niche in the competitive antiques and vintage market in a relatively short time, what matters the most is spending time with her husband and having something positive and productive to show for it.

     “We not only love the hunt, but getting to hear the stories behind the treasures we find,” she says. “Then we love retelling those stories to our customers who purchase the items.”

Harvest Treasures ( For more info click Continue Reading…)
Saturday, August 14 at GardenStone Creations in Airway Heights, Kelly Tareski will present Harvest Treasures, an event featuring hand-picked vendors selling antiques, hand-made crafts and one-of-a-kind items.
Here are the details: For more information call 509.244.0900
Where: 1515 S. Lyons Rd, Airway Heights
When: Saturday, August 14

    Often, for those of us who are drawn to ordinary objects that have been used and loved, the things we rescue become part of the family.

     This is especially true of Gladys Hanning.

    “I have collected and brought home many pieces of furniture, paintings, books,” she says. “Our home reflects my passion for hunting these wonderful imperfect treasures.” She especially loves vintage art.

    “ For years I have collected still life paintings of fruit. Most of my canvases are signed, but by no one you'd know,” she says. “I discovered them at garage sales and auctions (paying) $25 at the most. I have filled the walls in our kitchen with these beautiful pieces of art.”
   
    Hanning says she learned to love vintage pieces from her parents.

    “Collecting has always been apart of our life,” she says, specifically mentioning her father's love of cookbooks. “He was a chef.” Her mother was also a treasure hunter and Hanning honors those finds.

    “Several pieces of furniture my mother purchased at garage sales for $5 have found a place in our home, as have my father’s cookbooks.”

    Like many who love the thrill of the chase, Hanning has turned a love of rescuing old things into a successful career.

    “In 2002 my daughter, Celia Hanning joined me in my interior design business, ‘Junebug Furniture and Design’,” she says. “With her background in design she has added an amazing and vibrant energy to our collection and offerings.”
 
     What started as a hobby has grown into a successful business. And a lot of mother-and-daughter fun.

    “Together we are passionate junkers. We can't drive by a yard sale without stopping, and of course, there are the early, early, morning estate sales,” she says. “We are always on the hunt for one-of-a-kind treasures to be repurposed, repainted and restored.”

    Now, with the popularity of Shabby Chic and junk decor, Hanning has put to use the skills she’s honed over the years.

    “My passion for junking began as a way of life and grew into an appreciation of the imperfect,” she says. “Comfort, simplicity and a sense of practicality are the key elements to my designs.”

    And nothing defines comfort and simplicity than that ubiquitous symbol of summer: the lawn chair.
 
    “Over the years I have found several metal yard chairs from the l940's. I have given each of my girls a pair and have several lined up in our driveway,” she says.”

    The chairs aren’t just part of the decor. One of her painted metal finds becomes a place to sit for a moment and reflect on the good life. And a good day’s work.

    “The best part is after a day of junking,” Hanning says. “It is the perfect seat from which to view not only our beautiful landscape, but the prizes of the day scattered around our driveway.”
  

Details:

Gladys and Celia Hanning, along with selected vendors, share their finds with shoppers at their annual antiques sale, 'The Mad Hatter Vintage Flea Market'.
Held each fall in the Five Mile Prairie Grange, this year's show is set for October 1st & 2nd. For more information read the Junebug blog

To see more photos, click Continue Reading
 

Continuing my Treasure Hunting series on what sparked a life-long love of vintage in local collectors and dealers, this week’s profile features Hollie Jantz Eastman.
Eastman is one of the co-owners of Funky Junk Antique Show.




    Like so many of us, Hollie Jantz Eastman’s love of old things was a habit that started at home when she was allowed to select several of her grandmother’s Christmas ornaments.

    “At the time it didn’t matter at all. “I just picked up the six different colored ornaments and put them in a box,” she says. “They didn’t go on my tree that year, but the next year I was glad that I had them.”

    Eastman had no idea just how much the ornaments would come to mean to her. Almost a decade ago, Eastman’s grandparents were killed in an accident just 10 days before Christmas and the ornaments gained deeper significance.


    “Those ornaments are just Styrofoam bells, fancied up with thread and glitter and paint, but they have come to represent the era that I love so much,” she says.  “The same in which my grandma started her life a wife and mother.”

    Now, Eastman finds inspiration and comfort each time she places one of the handmade pieces on her tree.


    “They have graced and glittered my Christmas tree every year and reminded me of my lovely grandma,”  Eastman says. “Since that bleak holiday ten years ago, Christmas has since begun to be joyful again for my family and me.”

    As a successful entrepreneur, Eastman spends her time searching for vintage items to sell at her own shows and other venues, and she has discovered an affinity for mid-century modern finds.

    “When I started junking for real, and made it into a life’s occupation, it was the vintage 1940’s and 50’s that I was drawn too,” she says. “And it is those vintage items that still speak most vividly to me.”

   Eastman finds personal inspiration, as well.

    “As I navigate the journey of being a wife and a mother,” she says, “all it takes is bringing out those ornaments on a December day to bring it all back into focus.”

Click here to learn more about Funky Junk Antique Show.

Cheryl-Anne Millsap is a freelance columnist for The Spokesman-Review. Her essays can be heard on Spokane Public Radio and on public radio stations across the country. She is the author of “Home Planet: A Life in Four Seasons” and can be reached at catmillsap@gmail.com