Expo Showtime Again

Once again, it's time for the Antique and Collectable show at the Expo center. I got it all set up on Friday and we had a GREAT selling day. Gina drove down from Everett late on Friday night to help Jim on Saturday. They also had a great selling day! I am so thankful for the good sales. We've had a lot of expenses since summer, so this is quite a big help.

Enjoy the pictures of our goods, I actually didn't get to take photos until Late Friday. I didn't get the photos taken until quite late in the afternoon.

Tea Time Tuesday...#153 Time for St Patrick's Fun!

Oh it's March and time for some St Patrick's fun! I think the Irish invaded my home this weekend. With Easter being late this year, I delighted in decoration with my St Pat's goodies. Often, I have to get out the Easter things right after Valentine's to enjoy the Easter items....but not this year!

When I was decorating on Saturday, I discovered that I didn't own a Belleek tea cup. I have a couple teapots and some sweet small pieces of Belleek, but no tea cup! I checked on line, but the freight was pretty high. That's understandable, as Belleek is so fragile. We were exhibiting at the spring Expo antique and collectible show, so I decided to look around for one at the show. Yes! I did find one at a booth run by a darling little couple. The price was very fair and NO freight. I was so excited.

This little vase was a gift from my friend Ann who brought it back to me when she went to Ireland. It's just charming.

My teapot was lonely without a tea cup!

I tried this tea by Twinings.....buttermint. It is sooo yummy. It's a very light and smooth mint tea. I really like it...try it!

This photo shows a few more of my Belleek pieces in my hutch.

I think they're doing a little Irish jig!

An Irish blessing....

Kissing.......

We were busy last week getting ready for the spring show. It's a lot of work, but we did well again and that makes it all so much fun! Jimmy had extra help from our nephews Patrick and Markie, along with Markie's girlfriend Jessica. It's alway fun to have some young blood with you!

Here's some pictures of our booth for you to enjoy.

We had a great show and had some fun along the way. Next show will be in October, but Jim is thinking about doing the city wide garage sale in May!!! 

Tuesday Treasures and the Expo Show

This past weekend was taken up with Jim's Expo Antique and Collectible show. I usually don't find too many treasures but I sure did this time! The little bird in the cage is a music box. Someday, I hope to find one like Tasha Tudor owned but this was just sweet and didn't cost too much.

The pink lusterware teapot was a find and a bargain. As I shared before, the one from Vermont arrived broken last summer and the the one from Concord MA won't hold water, so I have been hoping to find one to use with all the lovely teacups I do have!  I couldn't resist this one for $26!

When I decorate for Easter in my tea room, I like to add my Peter Rabbit items. I have been adding to my collection of the Beatrix Potter figures that go with her little book. I love Mrs Tiggy Winkle and I found her at the show.

Another sweet addition...Hunca Munca.

One of the vendors at the show often has Tasha Tudor books. He knows I'm a collector, so he usually brings something I can't seem to resist. I had this little "Tasha Tudor's Treasure" but this copy has
sweet little illustrations drawn by Tasha to the owner of the book. I love to find these and up grade my books.  Each book as a very charming little drawing.

Here we are on Friday after we got all set up for the show. Let the fun begin! We had a great show. We have some wonderful customers who really support us and make the hard work all worth while.
I'm showing some photos as I like to document Jimmy's shows. Enjoy.

Linking up with Bernideen's Blog
Linking up with Sandi's No Place Like Home

Clark County Show and More Smashed Pennies!

Yesterday was set up day and early bird buying at the Clark County Antique and Collectible show in WA. It's about a 45 minute drive across the Columbia River from Oregon to Washington. We do this show there once a year, in January. It's a bit smaller than the Expo show but it is one of our best selling shows. The people are really nice and fun at this show. Jimmy is looking pretty happy at the end of the day.

I do his displays for him and it's fun for this old retail shoppe owner. We had retails stores most of our married lives...pharmacies and gift shoppes. This retirement hobby is fun for us both.

Enjoy some photos of our booth. Unfortunately, I didn't snap pictures until the end of the day, so a lot of our goodies are missing from the photos....but then, I am not complaining. I am thankful for such a wonderful day of sales!

You get to know a lot of people in the trade. There's a man who does Estate sales and the shows who knows I collect smashed pennies.  He brings me pennies at each show...isn't that nice? I got 3 yesterday. I did a blog post earlier on my collection, but wanted to share a bit more about the pennies.

According to Wikipedia, this is the definition of these pennies which are also called elongated pennies.

"Elongated coins are coins that have been elongated (flattened ore stretched) and embossed with a new design with the purpose of creating a commemorative or souvenir  token.  The collecting of elongated coins is a branch of numismatics. Elongated coins are categorized as exonumia."

This is my very first smashed penny that was given to me by my Uncle Rich when I was just a girl. I always loved it and saved it. It's the Lord's Prayer.

This is my Penny Passport~the keeper of my collection.

I have started a second book now. It's a great way to keep these together and enjoy them. My granddaughter Ava likes them too, so I got her a book.

These are the new ones I received yesterday...the Golden Gate Bridge, A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, featuring Santa, and the 10 Commandments. Really cool!

I did a little research and the first smashed penny was done in 1893 for the Columbia Exposition in Chicago.

Today, most machines look like this. I like this kind as I can crank the wheel and watch the operation. Some machines just pump them out and you don't do anything. You can find them at museums, historical places, souvenir shoppes and amusement parks.

They are divided into 3 groups....

1. OLDIES...1893-1965

2. Modern Elongateds...1965-1985 or so

3. Contemporary Elongateds...1988 to the present

As with all collecting, it gets detailed. If you are interested in more information, there's a lot of information on the internet.

One last bit of information. If you have an iPhone, there is an app to find locations to get smashed pennies! It's called PENNY FINDER. I did download it on my phone for fun. It will give you local locations, locations by states and even international locations. FUN FUN FUN!