Antiques by Joy

Looking For Answers

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 16:47:00 +0000

There has been a

tremendous response

to my blog posts about finding your

REAL JOY

and doing what brings you fulfilment in life!

Thanks for following along and sharing your desire to succeed in your retail endeavors.

Our lives can be

"fulfilled"

in so many respects:

faith, family, health, contentment, friendship, career . . .

My focus is in regard to

career.

That field where you are happy to spend time every day, smelling the flowers.

I'm talking about a real business career.

The kind that will support you if all other sources of income are taken away and you're relying solely on your business to pay your mortgage and all your other bills,

in addition to supporting itself.

The kind of income you can build a life on.

A lifetime ago, I began my business with practically no resources and no experience.

OK, delete "practically".

What I did have was boundless energy, cockeyed optimism, determination and passion for my dream.

Because I had no one to turn to for advice, I stumbled into every pitfall

and encountered every setback a small business could endure.

Bruised but determined, I took each mudslide in stride and forged on.

It's almost impossible to build a successful business today it that manner.

With the Internet bringing your competition right to your customers' fingertips,

the playing field is not the same.

Even forty years ago, the better way to succeed would have been

follow a responsible business plan

and

consult an experienced entrepreneur

on the finer points of

marketing, buying, display, customer satisfaction, closing the sale, employees

and so on.

Today, that's imperative!

Lack of knowledge in

these areas is why most small retailers close their shops within two years.

Two years and all their resources, (often borrowed money), are forfeited.

Then, there are those wonderful little retail shops that thrive and prosper and make you think,

"WOW - I wish . . . "

If you're one of those people

designed to be in business,

you may be wondering how to get where you want to be.

I am here to help you do that.

I've seen women with little experience,

working on a shoestring budget

get what they're looking for in business - with the right coaching.

Are you the owner of a small business that's all you ever dreamed it would be?

Would you be happier with more profit and fewer headaches?

Are you looking at the competition and thinking you're missing what it takes to stay ahead?

Wondering why some businesses take off and soar to the top?

Are you counting the number of "lookers" versus the number of "purchasers"?

Are you wishing your average sale was larger?

Can you discern at what point your shopper has emotionally become a purchaser?

Do you overcome objections and close the sale?

You can look for answers to these and all your questions here.

If you're reading this blog and thinking,

"YES!!!"

then you can move to the next level in growing your business

with some time and trial tested consultation and coaching from a forty year professional.

Follow The REAL JOY as we begin to answer real questions readers are asking!

Welcome To The Blog! Get Your "SPECIAL GIFT"

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Fri, 25 Jul 2014 14:04:00 +0000

Welcome to Antiques By Joy!

There has been a veritable bouquet of new friends and readers at Antiques By Joy lately,

and I'm taking this opportunity to say how delighted I am to have you join me here!

This is where I explore and share all sorts of
meanderings, memories and musings . . .

and invite you to tarry awhile,

relax

and break away from work and stress and life's little cares.

It's healthy to take a few minutes each day to just breathe deeply, stretch your body and soul,

and escape to a place where you can be

thankful and share a smile.

I find that some weeks I post more than other weeks . . .

I take time away for buying trips and often have a hectic schedule at the antiques shops . . .

but I always return to the quiet pleasure of sharing my thoughts and experiences with you.

If you look through the previous posts, I've been tracking my beginnings as an antiques dealer

from the time I first longed to be in the business . . . through the throes of set up and many of my
faux pas of business development.

I started that series because I hear nearly every day,

"How did you get started in this wonderful business?"

OR,

"I wish I had a shop like this."

I have older posts about learning to "pick" with my grandmother,
and
her incredible talent and enthusiasm for life.
There are how to's and what if's and buying trip exploits
scattered throughout the pages for you.
You'll hear about me, my philosophy, my faith and my background,
and some pretty crazy things I've tried.
(Some were great fun and some were total flops.)
This is the real Joy, freckles, bruises and all!

I've always believed the old adage that laughter is the best medicine . . .
and you may feel free to laugh at me and my wonderful trials and errors!

So, grab a cup of tea, and take a few minutes to look through the blog posts for some
fun and funny
memories
and some relaxing (and hopefully) enriching reading.

Can you imagine . . . Joy is busy
along with partners Melanie and Kellie
organizing our autumn displays!
In retail it's imperative that we stay a couple of months ahead of the season,
so that you can shop, ponder and plan your own seasonal decorating.
This requires us to purchase spring garden items while it's icy and snowy, and Christmas ornaments while it's still steamy July!!!!

We exist,
"out of context"
sometimes,
so hopefully you don't have to!

Thank you for taking time to read along my friend,
and please know that I am honored by you being here!

If you begin
"following"
the blog,
you'll see every once in awhile that I will offer a
"SPECIAL"
for you readers alone!
Simply click "FOLLOW" on my home page.
As a
WELCOME GIFT
to you
you may use this code
THROUGH THE END OF JULY
at Dwell Antiques & Home

"JOYFUL READER"
and receive 10@ off any one JOY tagged item!
(This offer cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts.)

Beginnings

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Tue, 22 Jul 2014 13:03:00 +0000

Ahhh . . . innocence!

Opening my first antiques shop in south Florida was a dream come true.

I loved to hunt . . . and gather pieces of history, and bring them together to tell a story.

I wanted to immerse myself in the beautiful timeworn patina of the past.

I wanted to present these delightful treasures to others who would love them as much as I did!

I wanted to open a charming place where people could come and relish a bit of their time, away from the hustle and bustle of the ordinary.

My little dream came true.

There is something to be said for barging blindly into the business world with absolutely no idea of what you're doing . . .

(When I say I made it through by the

Grace of God,

picture a kitten deciding to cross the interstate at rush hour.)

Folks who are savvy, educated, experienced

and certainly better capitalized than I was

have failed to succeed.

Stats will tell you 67% - 75% of small businesses fail within 3 years of opening.

I believe it was meant to be.

Enthusiasm and passion and loving what you do can seemingly create an energy of their own.

I signed a lease and decorated my shop and ordered business cards and designed window displays and placed ads in the local shopper newspapers and opened my doors.

My little shop was in a busy strip center at a major intersection of Fort Lauderdale.

It was unique at the time - there were no other shops

specializing in 'primitives' anywhere in the area.

It was across the street from the brand new Broward Mall

which was the largest grossing mall in the country within 2 years of opening.

I was discovered by the "going to lunch and shopping for the afternoon ladies".

They told their friends.

Soon

my little shop was a phenomenon.

My accountant asked questions.

"How have you done this?" he asked?

I shrugged . . ." I guess I don't know" I answered.

"If you can figure it out and tell me, we will bottle it and make a fortune!" he said.

And through all these forty years

I have studied and noted . . . recorded and graphed . . . strategized and experimented.

Forty years of small, retail business have taught me that there are key elements that are necessary
in building a successful venture.

Those elements, (call them rules), are universal and work for retailers anywhere.
They are simple to understand and critical to implement.

There is more to come . . .
at
Antiques By Joy

A Rose By Any Other Name

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 04:17:00 +0000

I began my business back when I was barely old enough to sign a legal document.

I walked right in and signed a complicated 30 page, five year lease that might as well have been in Greek for all I understood.

It didn't matter that the rent was more each month than the total I had in the bank.

It didn't matter that this huge, empty storefront was so big that all the inventory I owned or could afford to buy wouldn't fill half the space.

I wanted an antique shop, and I was on my way.

I was excited . . . I was ambitious,

I was eager . . .

I made just about every mistake a girl could make.

When I was a child I had a voracious reading habit and read everything I could get my hands on.

I was thrilled by independent women and women who took charge of their own destiny.

I was going to be one of those women.

I also had a great talent for memorizing what I read,

and a penchant for memorizing epic poems and things like

The Declaration of Independence,

and so many lines of famous literature.

When I decided to open this antique shop,

I wanted the emphasis to be

linens and quilts.

It made perfect sense to me when a line from Robert Louis Stevenson's poem came to mind and stuck in my brain.

'When I was sick and lay abed

I had two pillows at my head

And all about me dale and plain'

The pleasant land of Counterpane.

Now, in our family, we knew what a counterpane was.

(Doesn't everyone?)

The word is Old English.

It was the bedspread that topped your bed. It covered all the blankets and sheets and was purely decorative and was often the "fancywork" showpiece made by a bride to bring to her wedding bed.

I decided to call my shop The Counterpane, and to always have the most beautiful quilts, coverlets and bedspreads among my antique treasures.

It was a lovely, romantic notion.

Remember that I was the oldest daughter, of the oldest daughter, of the oldest daughter, of the oldest daughter of the oldest daughter.

Five generations living in the same town, sharing history and stories and vocabulary.

My great great Grandmother Evans could tell stories of her great great grandmother.

We had words and expressions and memories from more than 150 years of women,

passed down and cherished.

Duh.

Apparently

I was the only living person, (beside my family members), in South Florida who had any idea what the word meant.

I sort of shot myself in the foot before I even opened the shop doors.

"Huh? What kind of a shop is that?"

People must have been truly baffled.

Months after I opened, a shop owner in the mall asked me why I had chosen such a dumb name that had no meaning for anyone.

(His shop was called The Artful Framer, a play on words from Dickens' Artful Dodger.)

I blushed and told him he should broaden

his reading skills.

The good news is that the shop flourished and grew and prospered and enabled me to achieve many of my other dreams in life.

But, no thanks to the handicap I had placed upon it from the start.

One of the keys to a healthy business start-up is in the name.

A name tells potential customers who you are and what you do and gives them a reason to walk in your door.

A name shouts out from your signage that you exist and are open for business.

A name defines the business . . . telling the world you have goods and services they desire!

My name sounded like maybe you were going to be injured when you came to the counter!

Not an auspicious beginning Joy!

There was one advantage to this ambiguous name . . .

I'll never forget the day a line of ladies were checking out at the counter . . .

One said, "My husband is beginning to wonder why your shop is listed for every other check I write in our checkbook."

The lady behind her remarked, "My husband asked the same question . . . I told him this was the deli where I get his lunch meat."

These husbands were going to be shocked when they found out who I was.

All this to say,

there are easier ways to succeed in business and

there are harder ways to succeed in business!

I can recommend many tips for success based on my early days of trial and error!

Stay tuned as Joy continues to explore business!

Think You've Got What It Takes?

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 06:14:00 +0000

You think you've got what it takes?

This isn't for the faint of heart.

If you've been following along, you know I'm talking about finding your

R E A L J O Y

in life,

namely,

getting to do

every day

what you love

most.

For me, that's retail.

The wonderful world of seeking out,

gathering together,

displaying,

presenting

and

selling

the incredible ideas, products and services

that your

customers

desire.

Watching them come back

again and again

and invest in you!

My specialty is in retailing - in a brick and mortar storefront

and

building an incredibly loyal customer base

that loves what I can do for them.

If you've been dreaming about being in charge of your life,

of being your own boss

and

creating your own lifestyle

then follow along.

While retailing is not for everyone,

it just may be that you have what it takes.

Did you recognize yourself in the first two posts in this series?

Did you nod your head and think, "yep - that's me"?

Did you score well in the test on the previous blog?

You may be ready to embark on the most wonderful and exciting journey of your life!

I hear you - "it's intimidating, scary, overwhelming, a really big step" . . . .

IT IS!

There's no denying it - the energy and resources you'll invest will be greater than you've ever imagined.

That's why you shouldn't try it alone, or with less than adequate training and guidance.

Like flying a jet full of passengers,

you will have more success with the advice and coaching of an experienced professional.

When you have someone who's travelled the path successfully guiding you through the process,

it needn't overwhelm or defeat you.

Perhaps you've been in business for a while and are floundering . . .

wondering why some shops are flourishing while yours is merely existing.

Sales may be lagging, customers lethargic, the competition looking fierce.

You have an opportunity to follow along and examine a multitude of ways you can improve your level of appeal, traffic, sales, business revenue, satisfaction and customer loyalty.

We will explore it all!

There's a

R E A L J O Y

in doing what you do so well that your customers recommend your business to their friends and family.

There's a

R E A L J O Y

in having testimonials from your customers - every day.

There's a

R E A L J O Y

in meeting lots of "first time" new customers every day.

There's a

R E A L J O Y

in knowing your business is growing and thriving

and you can breathe deeply and feel

truly blessed.

If you think it might be time for you to take a step toward your

R E A L J O Y

follow along.

Today, we're going to examine your
CONCEPT
Lets talk about what you think you have to sell the world.

Who are you?
What's your concept?
Who cares?
What research have you done in this area?
What makes you think that you should open a shop?
Who else sells this same product/service?
Have they succeeded?
How will you do it better?
Who would become your customer?

Let's hear your answers.
Really!
Get out your pencil and answer these questions before you go any further.

This is the way I started out, nearly forty years ago:

Who are you?

I'm Joy, and I love antiques and history and home decorating. I've studied and practiced what I love, and people say I'm good at it!

I have a penchant for turning the ordinary, boring, run of the mill room into a desirable, WOW space that people are excited to call their own.

What's your concept?

Everyone who likes home decorating is looking for something that expresses who they are and how they want the world to perceive them. They're bored with shopping the existing home furnishing and decor stores, because these venues don't offer enough items that are unique, original or exciting.

Who cares?

People I'm talking to have expressed an interest in sourcing unique, exciting home decor like they've seen in my home and in the homes I've helped style for family and friends. The problem - They're not finding what they want, or can't quite envision what they can do to give their house a vibrant and "one of a kind" look!!!!

What research have you done in this area?

I've visited scores of home decor stores, large and small, chains and 'mom&pop' shops, and conversed with shop owners and salespeople about what their best selling items are and what customers are seeking that they can't find anywhere.

What makes you think that you should open a shop?

Friends and family, and owners of and guests in the homes I've styled, have asked for my contact info, because they want me to help them restyle their homes. They want to get that special look. They say I should have a shop where they can come and purchase the sort of unique items I've procured. They love what I do and wish they had access to my style. When I mention what I do, people clamour to learn more and they ask for my advice. They love the items I'm showing them.

Who else sells this same product/service?

Interior Designers provide a similar service, but on a one on one basis - and they can be a little intimidating and more pricey because of the time they invest. Antique shops are often filled with great old things, but not with an eye to what their customers are seeking. No shop exists in my area that does what I want to do, on a personal level.

No one around has a retail shop where interesting antique items have been chosen for their originality, personality and usefulness.

Big stores in the area try . . . but . . .

Have they succeeded?

They can satisfy a lot of people, but not the niche group that I'm focused on. The big stores have ignored this strata of customers, because it demands personal searching which is more time consuming and customer oriented than they can be. They can't stock a big store with the hand picked antiques I'm talking about.

How will you do it better?

I've got a knack for identifying and sourcing one of a kind and antique items that create excitement and desire with people in my area. I want to get to know my customers and then buy the things that express their personalities. I want to offer more personalized service. I want to share the story behind each piece I have for sale. I love to bring history to life, I want to cherish and re-use and bring new life to old objects.

Who would become your customer?

I believe a large number of the customers who shop in the local home decor super stores are less than satisfied, with service, product quality and choice of merchandise. I believe half of them would prefer the chance to shop in a smaller, more personal environment and to deal with the owner. I think antiques lovers will become my customers, as well as home decorators. I believe people of any age or income can appreciate what I want to present.

Apply these questions to your concept and think about your answers.
Do you have a great concept?

Stay tuned for the next installment
of
finding your
R E A L J O Y

Who's Going To Tell You?

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Sat, 12 Jul 2014 07:20:00 +0000

Who's going to tell you when you're growing up that you can explore the desires of your heart

and create your own business

and

do anything you really want to do?

And,

if someone does tell you

are you going to remember it

and take it to heart?

We are more likely to be pressured into choosing a major in college,

and then,

following through on that because,

after all,

all that money was spent on our education

and we

NEED

to be doing something in whatever field we chose to spend money being educated.

Or,

we grow up and get married and begin creating our home and family

and

get a little bogged down

with the daily stuff that makes up life...

and when we look for a job,

we take the one that fits our schedule

and is easy to drive to

and

oooohhhhh

so many other parameters that make sense at the time.

And so it goes . . .

the artist is doing data entry

and the dancer is working for a bank . . .

and

YOU KNOW

what I'm talking about here!

So,

we dream a little . . . and wish we could jump careers

and be what we always wished we could be.

We ponder and we scribble a plan on the back of an envelope

and we talk to our best friend about how we really

wish

we were able to live our dream

but . . .

"maybe in a few more years . . . "

But we've grown up to be responsible adults with people depending on us and reputations for being reasonable and dependable and careful.

So,

we keep on keeping on

and

count the years till retirement and pension.

Maybe

THEN

we will take off and lead mountain climbing expeditions

open that Bed and Breakfast

antique shop.

Even then we look at the things that bring us our real joy

and know that there are

perils and dangers and risks

oh my!

There are statistics about how many people start businesses and see them fail in the first two years.

We don't know where to start.

We aren't certain we can do it.

What if????

And so . . . . we don't.

We weigh the pro's and the con's and let the naysayers tell us we are too inexperienced

or too old

or too something.

I'm here to encourage you.

I'm here to cheer you on.

I'm here to lay out before you the questions you should ask yourself

you're debating whether

you can follow your heart,

you dare to dream

you can begin to do the things you've always wanted to do,

if you can find your

real joy

Let's take a preliminary quiz to see if you have the entrepreneurial spirit :

1. Have you daydreamed about the thing you'd be doing if you didn't "have"

to be where you are?

2. Have you taken pencil to pad and actually tried to sketch out the desire of your heart?

3. Have people told you, "you should be doing" that certain something instead of what you

ARE doing?

4. Do you find yourself sharing this interest/dream with other people?

5. Do you teach others what you know?

6. Do people ask you to teach them about your interests?

7. Do you get energized just thinking about this desire?

8. Would you rather be doing this activity than anything else you can think of?

9. Are you an expert or set on becoming an expert in this field?

10. Are you hesitating because someone has convinced you you can't succeed?

11. Are there fears about the mechanics of proceeding?

12. Are you a problem solver?

13. Do challenges weary you?

14. Do people like you and enjoy being around you?

15. Do you have a reputation for being honest and trustworthy?

16. Can you work long hours?

17. Do you have a need to prove that you're right, or can you concede a point with grace

even when you know the other person is wrong?

18. Are you good with money management?

19. Are you willing to wash the windows, sweep the floor and clean the toilet in addition to

doing what you love?

20. Are you organized?

21. Are you a smiler or a frowner?

22. Can you keep your personal opinions to yourself?

23. Do you have a knack for reading people's body language or verbal clues?

(are they healthy, depressed, sad, happy, anxious, scared, excited?)

24. Are you a happy, vivacious, outgoing person?

25. Are you a good listener?

I don't think I really need to give the correct answers - but 1-9, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 18-20, 22-25 should be a happy, vivacious YES!

13 and 17 should be a resounding "NO"!

10 and 11 are designed for contemplation.

I hope 21 is "smiler" - cause that's what people are counting on from you!

If you took this preliminary quiz and feel you have most of the marks of an entrepreneur, then I think you're on your way.

Continue on our journey

and learn more about finding your

Real Joy

Where I Began . . . The Real Joy Hunt

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 13:32:00 +0000

I remember a time
when I was working at a job I really didn't love.

I was young, and needed to earn a living and the job was there and I took it.

But

it wasn't what I really wanted to do.

I had this job, and was good at doing it,

but it didn't satisfy the craving in my heart for the creative yearnings that were nested there.

Because no one had ever taught me that I could follow my heart's desire.

I learned at a very young age to dutifully do the things that were set before me
to do them well
and to be thankful that I had the ability to work and live a good life.
I was healthy and strong and smart and able.

There were things you should do in life, and I had obediently fallen into one of them and was working diligently to be very good at it.

The problem was,

it went against the grain.

It wasn't an outpouring of my natural talents and abilities and loves.

I wasn't following my heart.

It was an insurance company sort of position.

(I was good with crisis management, and numbers and with people - no denying - but this was boring.)

Meanwhile,

I was newly married, furnishing a new home, and for fun I was picking antiques for my aunt's shop.

My grandmother and I would travel the backroads scouring barns and out buildings, farm sales and auctions, tagsales and thriftshops,

seeking the wonderful items the shop needed.

The thrill of the hunt!
The
real joy
was my weekends of exploring and finding treasure.

My grandmother was coaching me to dig through, pick over and unearth hidden treasure.

Ah . . . the thrill of finding a hidden diamond in a barn of old rusty tools, cracked leather harnesses and burlap feedsacks!

She was a pro when it came to the negotiation of prices.

Integrity, consideration, politeness, balance of power.

Grandmother was a diplomat.

I would often find a treasure for my new house!

A huge old wood bowl, a collection of soft, timeworn linen dishtowels,

a leather bound book from the Civil War era, a chippy ironstone pitcher . . .

The weekends and vacations spent doing what I loved were enough to assuage my growing boredom with the work week . . .

for awhile.

There were times I daydreamed about the next jaunt into the Tennessee mountains

to do what I'd rather be doing.

Just touching a 100 year old oak splint, egg gathering basket could set my mind to imagining the life it had seen.

Was it there when the Civil War was being fought?

Was it fashioned by the hands that had to leave to go to war?

Was it used by a young widow who never saw her spouse come home?

History was my passion - and it was fueled by the simple, beautiful, handmade items of yesteryear.

Made of necessity

used daily

tenderly cared for

long living

story telling

food for the soul

I wished I had more time to spend learning about and being immersed in this kind of living history.
This was the
real joy
of my life!

I wished . . .

And I kept on working away at my day job
because no one had ever told me I could follow my heart.

This was what real life - "grown up" life - was all about.
You did whatever you had to do to get to the reward of what you'd really love to be doing when there was time.
We all knew that.

Until things changed.

Follow the saga of finding
YOUR
real joy!

The Real Joy . . .

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 04:47:00 +0000

The

real joy

of my life is that I get to do what I love . . . every day.

Not everyone can say that their work days are their "fun" days, or that they look forward to going to work.

I decided many years ago that I wanted to make a career out of the things I loved to do . . .

the things I would choose to do if I had a choice.

For me, owning a small business offers the challenges and fulfillment I desire.

I get to do the things that delight me.

I am stretched, tested and challenged in a way that confirms my abilities, builds my strength and makes me proud of my achievements.

Like an athlete who spends a lifetime disciplining the body, mind and spirit in order to compete effectively in competition,

there is a drive to excel for the sake of excellence in some area, in most of us.

That desire to experience, enjoy, master and share your love for your chosen interest will direct you to your
real joy
in life.

Your passion may manifest itself in the love of pastry making or the joy of oil painting or the satisfaction of boat building

- only you know where it lies -

but if you've got it - you've got it.

In our two South Denver antiques and home decor shops,
we sell
"lifestyle"

creating a stylish and comfortable environment where customers connect emotionally with specially chosen pieces for their homes.

By combining a passion for history with a delight in hunting for the sort of pieces my customers long for - then connecting the two, the adventure, excitement, energy and rewards abound.

The magic is the satisfaction I derive from doing what I love.

I sell a cumulative package that is my accumulated knowledge, my practical experience, my wisdom, my intuition, my abilities, my gifts . . . . professional expertise.

Identifying those elements of life that

(first),

we're really good at

and that

(second),

we never tire of

the critical first step

finding your

real joy

in life.

In my next post we'll look at questions that will help you identify your passion and indicate whether you're cut out for being in business.

Follow Joy on Facebook
using the link above!

Cooking In A Snow Storm

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 03:17:00 +0000

In my previous blog post I told y'all that I am trying

Door To Door Organics

a local company

that delivers all organic products to my door.

(Hence that catchy name.)

I got home Wednesday and there were my two perfect boxes

all insulated with ice packs.

I found everything I'd ordered, clean, cold, wrapped meticulously and perfectly packed.

Eight Meals

This afternoon I began by browning organic beef and putting it into my slow cooker

with carrots and potatoes to simmer into a hearty beef stew with organic beef broth.

It appears I will have enough for 8 servings, so I'll refrigerate several portions and freeze some in lunch/supper sizes.

I usually end up making vegetable soup with several of these by adding whatever fresh veggies I have on hand which stretches even further.

Two Meals

I preheated my oven, breaded my organic pork chops and washed my yams.

Into the oven it all went.

Eggs went into a pot to hard boil for some lunches.

Steamed some organic broccoli.

Washed and cored my apples and prepped them to go into the oven

when the chops and yams came out.

I now have two pork chop suppers with yams, broccoli and baked apples.

I sampled the yams while I waited for the apples, and I can truly say I haven't tasted any as sweet and delicious as these since I was a child in the south, and we grew our own.

Eight More Meals

Tomorrow, I'm making a white bean, kale and sausage soup . . . . and will top it with freshly grated Parmesan. (Organic - don't you know?)

Great with croutons made from my organic whole grain bread and butter and garlic.

Apparently,

who am cooking only for one most of the time,

and who loves to eat out with friends several times a week,

now have 18 meals on hand.

Not to mention, salads with avocados and the most delicious tomatoes I've eaten in years.

Not to mention the organic pears I'm adding to salads with crumbled bleu cheese and walnuts.

Not to mention the eggs and toast and half and half and breakfast items.

Do you know that there is such a thing as

organic bacon?

Yes, Virginia

there

fresh, Colorado, grain fed, humanely grown, free range, organic, happy bacon.

Next week's offerings just popped into my email inbox.

I'm ordering salmon and chicken

and

I'll let you know how that works out.

P.S.

My juicy, tender, thick, crisp,

pork chop supper is

AWESOME!

Now, being the sort of borderline skeptic that I am about new things . . .

I'm still waiting to figure out how this is all going to fall apart and somehow disappoint me.

Stay tuned.

Confessions Of A Non Organic Type Girl Who's Trying To Repent

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 16:43:00 +0000

Subtitle:

Joy's Most Simple List Of How Life Will Begin Improving In 2014

(Because it wouldn't let me make the title above any longer.)

Okay . . .

Confession #1

so I've

never been a

real successful, long-term, granola eating, organic type,

health food kinda girl.

I've had my moments - notoriously profound and always relatively short lived,

of getting my act together and eating 'right',

doing lots of home cooking and taking plenty of vitamins.

Truth is,

I'm totally busy loving my two wonderful antiques shops, styling homes, travelling around to buy antiques, being a voracious reader, teaching a class and loving social media,

not to mention family, church and friends.

I keep occupied.

There are things I let slide.

Filing, bookkeeping, dusting, cooking.

Junking,

(I mean antiquing),

is much more interesting than a lot of other things!

Confession #2

I prefer to keep up with the things I like doing, and

find justification for not doing other things.

Besides, healthy cooking and eating just sound soooooo boring and time consuming

and as if

potato chips and bacon could be prohibited!!!!!

Can you relate so far?

Can I hear an 'AMEN'?

However,

2014

is slated to be my year to do some things I promised myself I'd accomplish in 2013.

(And 2012 . . . and 2011 . . . and . . . you get the picture . . . )

I'm NOT going to go crazy gangbusters and flash in the pan right off the bat.

(Is that wayyyy to many colloquialisms in one sentence?)

I AM beginning in a moderate way,

to improve.

I'm a simple

'one step at a time'

kinda girl.

I have to prove to myself that this will be worth the

time, money and effort it will involve.

and that bacon will not become a thing of the past - just saying . . .

Confession #3

I truly

don't care to hear one peep

out of those who already have found nirvana in eating everything organic.

Or those of you who cook everything from scratch and bake your own bread

and make your own butter.

Love you girls . . . but I don't need ANY pressure here.

(Read "encouragement" or "suggestions" or "recipes".)

This blog is by a successful, professional, leadership type,

(stubborn, hard headed, firstborn,

gotta do it my way)

sort of girl

who has just taken the first simple step and will proceed at her own pace.

Confession #4

That said,

if you want to read along and hear the pitfalls and progress of what I'm trying,

then

welcome to my world.

I'm going to share some

V E R Y

simple ways to make life better in 2014.

Simple.

Repeat: Simple.

Confession #5

I hate a hard sell.

I detest salesman trying to push products.

I abhor friends and family members conning me into something they're sold on.

I hang up on telephone solicitors.

-I'm a nice person - really I am -

I was helping my daughter in the kitchen on Christmas day

and reached into the fridge for milk for my coffee,

and found

a GLASS milk bottle.

Like from the 1950's.

It read organic.

I rolled my eyes.

She's healthy . . . they eat real food . . . she writes a blog . . .

okay -she's perfect.

I only have cream in my fridge. For coffee.

I don't tolerate milk.

I mean, my digestive tract doesn't tolerate milk.

I spent too many years being force fed milk as a kid, and was ALWAYS suffering.

Who knew in the 1950's that people couldn't digest cow's milk as well as calves can?

Anyway, I took note while rolling my eyes.

'Door to Door Organics'.

She tells me they really deliver to her door.

"Not just milk mom - all the groceries you need."

"We go to Costco occasionally for some things, but basically, these guys do the bulk of our work for us now."

I ask, "doesn't the milk spoil while the food sits outside your door all day when you're away from home?"

(Can you hear my doubtful tone and sarcasm?)

"Nope - they pack it in ice and you can leave a cooler in a special place and they follow your instructions!"

I think to myself,

it sure would be nice to not have to go grocery shopping.

End of thought process for that topic.

Later on I thought,

I get into trouble choosing groceries, NOT because I'm stupid or uneducated about what's good for me - but because I am tired and hungry and want immediate gratification and don't want to stand around cooking after Ive been on my feet for 10 hours.

**Please note - this is NOT an advertisement - just the facts of what I'm learning this week - about a bunch of things, including myself.**

Confession #6

Several days later, after a terrible bout of my lifelong diverticulitis and feeling generally miserable,

I thought to myself,

"you need to get healthy and stop eating all the junk food and processed garbage that you exist on".

Boring!

Time consuming!

Expensive!

The end of the foods I love!

I'm too old to change!

I don't want to!

were my responses to self.

Can you just

see

the two little shoulder sitting creatures - angel and devil - sending messages to my brain?

Back to work,

and my daughter and I are in the shop together

and she's online during a quiet moment,

ordering her weekly delivery of Door to Door Organics.

I try to peek over her shoulder in a nonchalant way to see what it looks like,

but she's done in a flash

and

I get nothing.

Hey - I'm not so proud.

I ask what that's all about and she brings their page up and shows me the simplicity of the weekly package,

in which I can swap around

and substitute items I like for those I wouldn't eat,

and order anything I want from their list of about 1,000 groceries.

(and they have sales - like in your regular grocery store.)

I sit down to check it out.

I try a mock order - (you know) - just to see how

complicated and tasteless and expensive and annoying it will all turn out to be . . .

and she gives me an "invitation" code that gets me 50% off my first order on the basic box.

What can I say . . .

I'm progressive and experimental and open minded . . .

It arrives tomorrow.

I am thankful that my dear daughter is so smart. I don't know where she gets it from!

Confession #7

Meanwhile,

don't preach at me

to do a clean sweep of my pantry and freezer.

I will eat my bacon and my chips and my Paul Newman pepperoni pizza and all the other non organic goodies I have in the house.

I may even buy more if I feel like it!

In my delivery tomorrow I'm getting:

3 sweet potatoes

3 Roma tomatoes

green kale

1 avocado

garbanzo beans

almonds in dark chocolate and sea salt

ah haaaa!

broccoli

1 large orange

1 anjou pear

2 granny smith apples

2 bananas

2 pork chops

stew beef

half & half

raw sugar

butter

whole wheat bread

asiago and parmesan cheeses

olive oil

sea salt

all organic, mostly local or Colorado,

some Kosher

tada!

It's a small beginning . . . taking a step toward the good life.

There are wonderful recipes and meal suggestions for simple cooks like me.

I have a link to 100 ultra healthy crock pot meals from some health food nut online, so I can be inspired to have supper ready when I get home.

Not just soups and stews and mushy things either.

I never knew I could bake and brown a whole chicken in the crock pot!

I'm gonna blog through this and be frightfully honest with you.

So that's my beginning and so far . . .

it couldn't be easier!

*January is "white sale" month - linens are on sale at the best prices of the year.

Take a quick look at yours and see if this is the time to replace any!

* Stamp prices go up on January 26th - so you may wish to purchase more "Forever" stamps at the old prices before the cost goes up!

* Did you know that laughing out loud burns lots of calories?

Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Thu, 28 Nov 2013 00:08:00 +0000

A few of the things I'm thankful for . . . .

Although I lost my mom this season, I'm thankful for a wonderful family

filled with people who accept me and hug me and love me.

While a lot of folks feel alone in this world,

I have an incredible network of family and friends to laugh and share life with at any time.

I am especially thankful to work side by side with my daughter, and a group of delightful women!

I'm blessed to make a living doing the work I most enjoy.

I do what I love and love what I do.

Add to that, that I am surrounded by friends who are supportive, talented,

encouraging and appreciative of

the world of antiques, history and making a home a special place.

My community of faith . . . those around me who love to celebrate our faith.

There is a bond and communion in shared ideals and beliefs.

My sweet home . . . perfect for my needs and so cozy and warm and pleasant.

I actually think about how grand it is to have been born into a culture and time

where hot running water and indoor plumbing and central heat are the norm.

To cozy up in my favorite chair with a good book and a cup of tea,

to turn up my music and sing outloud,

to cook, nap, putter with decorating or do laundry . . .

it's all heartwarming when you think about it.

I realize how special it is that I have the luxury of making choices in my life.

Sometimes they seem insignificant to me, but I know there are millions in this world who

would look at my life and see a wealth of opportunities and choices to be had.

Friends!!!

I have circles of friends who enrich every aspect of my life.

They are every age and stage of life, scattered and near . . .

We are connected . . . woven together like the warp and weft of a huge, strong tapestry.

They are part of who I have become.

I am needed.

It's a basic human desire . . . to be needed and found useful

and hence,

to sense that we are valuable to those who know us.

I am thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Autumn Decorating

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Thu, 22 Aug 2013 11:51:00 +0000

There is a promise

autumn

in the air,

and

that always nudges me into a

fresh decorating mode . . .

gathering and collecting

and filling jars and cloches with the

small items

from around the house.

I have filled one tall apothecary jar with acorns,

one with tiny, antique, white ironstone doll size tea sets & dishes,

one with small, leather, pocket-size bibles and prayer books from the 1700's and 1800's.

Mellow wood bowls now cradle creamy stacks of linen napkins,

dried artichokes or fragrant bundles of cinnamon sticks.

I love

incorporating seasonal bittersweet and shocks of wheat or hops.

Crockery is back out on the counter, filled with wooden implements, prized for their timeworn patina.

Silver cutlery is on display . . .

(as I anticipate serving some of the delightful fall pies and cobblers with steaming cups of coffee.)

Both of our shops,

Dwell Antiques & Home

and

Patina Antiques & Home

are freshening and ripening with the bounty of the harvest season.

There are antlers and dough bowls, bread boards and baskets, dried hydrangeas and pumpkins appearing every day . . .

and

in the twinkling of an eye

you'll find both shops been fully transformed into a wonderland of autumn splendor!

This is the time when we polish up our reserves of silver plate

trays and urns and flatware.

The 1800's ironstone and transferware appears in stacks

with

pitchers filled with autumn stems.

Botanicals, gourds, copperware and huge wooden bowls will come in and disappear quickly.

Our displays are so much fun to create

but we are delighted and thankful when they're plundered by excited customers

who

choose their favorite items to cart home.

Designers came in yesterday and turned the shop topy-turvy as they extricated a truckload of freshly displayed items. While we're honored to see them fly out, there is a momentary catching of the breath when we say goodbye to those precious antiques

so recently scored!

These are precious days, near the end of summer, a fresh awakening of the senses . . .

an opportunity for a fresh palette . . .

a time to

THANKFUL

Come visit us in the South Denver neighborhood of Greenwood Village, Colorado.

Dwell Antiques & Home 5910 S. University Blvd. Greenwood Village, CO. 80121

303-795-3454 Monday - Saturday 10-5, Sundays by chance or appointment.

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Wed, 29 May 2013 12:53:00 +0000

Every so often I get an overwhelming sense of thankfulness.

I live a simple life, and enjoy simple pleasures . . .

so,

it doesn't take anything major to bring me to this place.

It's the way the birds sing early in the morning,

or,

the way the sun shines through my window,

or maybe

a song I hear.

It can be holding hands with one of my grandchildren

or,

breathing deeply

while

walking barefoot though the freshly cut grass.

I suppose it has much to do with the way I was raised

and

the stories I was raised on.

I was born into a large family

of five generations.

Blessed

to have not only grandparents,

but

great and great-great grandparents living,

I was privileged to learn the history of the family.

It was my greatest delight to listen to these

incredible

men and women

as they related their

struggles and successes.

"This was your great-great-great grandmother's teaspoon".

"This bible belonged to your great-great-great grandfather".

True stories of their quests

were more thrilling than any fairy tales or novels.

Great-great grandmother could recount history from her grandmother,

taking me back to the time just following the Civil War.

The struggles and privations,

the journeys and risks,

the sorrows, successes and joys

of their lives

were the most astounding stories

because I knew they were real!

They lived through wars and Depression, droughts and epidemics.

They struggled against loss and poverty and being uprooted.

They began again . . .

and again.

I grew out of these people.

My strength and courage and endurance

in my life to come

seemed guaranteed

because I was made of strong fibre.

If they could do it . . .

chances were I could too.

They assured me.

They were behind me.

More importantly,

they had gone before me,

paving a road that they had forged

generation by generation.

The most important thing they taught me

was,

"enjoy the simple pleasures

every day."

More to come . . .

Memorial Day Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Mon, 27 May 2013 12:52:00 +0000

Happy Memorial Day!

Thoughts of my country and freedom crowd my head this weekend

and

I am thankful to those brave and dedicated men and women

who

have given their time

and hearts

and

in many cases,

their very lives

to insure that

can live in a free and safe country.

So,

as we go about our weekend

and

enjoy our picnics and parties and bar b ques,

let us take a moment or two

remember.

THANK YOU

and

GOD BLESS YOU

to each of those who have served us and protected us and died for us

and for our freedoms.

They took the high road

and

did not stop until their job was done.

My heart is so very thankful that we live in

the land of the free,

because of the brave!

One of My Favorite Stylists

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 15:02:00 +0000

Isn't it nice when we meet people with whom we connect?

I connect with this super talented guy.

Although I've never personally met Matthew, we are indeed on a first name basis.

(At least I refer to him by his first name.)

Truthfully,

my dear friend and soul mate

Matthew

has not met me.

At the risk of sounding like a stalker,

LOVE

this guy.

If you're not familiar with his work,

allow me to introduce you.

(Being as we're such good

friends!)

LOL!

Hop over to Matthew's link and see what he's up to.

Matthew has been styling for the best photographers and magazines and books forever.

He's got his own now - and you'll see that he's

the ultimate

repurposing and upcycling and styling and creating.

Did I say

"I love this guy"

www.holidaywithmatthewmead.com

FOLK Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 14:04:00 +0000

There are few products I endorse in my blog,

but this morning I want to mention a new magazine I've subscribed to,

called

FOLK

I just received my initial copy and am fascinated by how lovely it is.

It's filled with real people,

sharing

real stories

about real life.

I found myself identifying with the stories and musing about conversing with the writers.

(A sure sign of a good writer/editor is the ability to engage the reader in this fashion.)

Content, photography, advertisement,

every detail is delightful!

Subscription price is very reasonable.

With a cup of cocoa and some cinnamon toast it made my snowy Sunday afternoon perfect.

Living the Good Life!

Sample them online at

www.magazinebyfolk.com

Joy

Dwell Antiques & Home

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 17:14:00 +0000

DWELL ANTIQUES & HOME

dwellantiques.com

http://www.facebook.com/DwellAntiques

5910 South University Boulevard

Greenwood Village, Colorado 80121

(South Denver, Southeast corner of University Blvd and Orchard Road)

303-795-3454

Monday - Saturday

10am - 5pm

~additional hours by chance or appointment~

Dwell has had a delightful first quarter after opening in September of 2012!

We are evaluating the success by reviewing what we've been doing to be true to our concept.

Some of our touch points are:

seek the unusual

add fresh treasures to the shop daily

display with an eye to how you might like to use an item in your home

rotate displays weekly

search for one of a kind and handmade items

feature the creativity of numerous local artists

incorporate elements of nature

love well made pieces

repurpose

upcycle

offer design consultation, in store and in your home

celebrate each month with a special event promotion

keep a wish list for your dream items

offer social media contact points

play happy music

do our best at what we do

The Dwell Girls

are

studying fresh design ideas

searching for local artistic talent

buying all over the country

refurbishing vintage and antique items

listening to our customers ideas

reading up on the trends

enjoying life

It makes us happy to do what we do

and

it makes us happy

making you happy!

Drop in and browse

soak up some atmosphere

and

know that each month will look different

Dwell Antiques & Home

as we find fresh

and

seasonal

bounty!

Photos I've Collected

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 02:12:00 +0000

Over the years I have amassed a huge box of old black and white photos.

mean

HUGE

I have family scrapbooks

and

photos I've bought at antique shops

and

those I've found at estate sales

and

many that have apparently just attached themselves to me

in some magnetic and random fashion.

I love history and fashion

and

studying the way people lived a hundred or more years ago,

but

really

where did all these photos come from?

I have primarily photos of women and children.

There are hard faced, tough, prairie women

and

sweet, hopeful brides

and

careworn, weary mothers with eight or ten children gathered round them.

I have gun slinging gals

and

nuns

and

sets of sisters with starched pinafores.

There are curls

that some momma rolled up in rags the night before

and fussed over for hours

while a patient papa blacked his boots

and slicked down his hair, wishing his stiff collar was not choking him.

I've got a truckload of straight laced, prim and proper matrons,

posed in formal studio settings

with several generations of progeny staring somberly at the camera.

They wear their best clothing, tight, starched and uncomfortable.

There are families who've included their strutting chickens, huge hogs and favorite horse

in their photo

presumably to impress or reassure kinfolk back east that they had made it out west and were prospering just fine on the prairie.

There are women mountain climbing

and

women sightseeing

and

a woman posing with her prize mule.

I'm not quite sure how I came by all these,

what I want to do with them,

but

apparently

I can't get rid of them.

There's something so poignant and appealing

about the history these photos hint at

that

I'm holding onto them

just for the pleasure

imagining

what stories

they might tell!

Accomplishments

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 04:44:00 +0000

I have accomplished much this afternoon

and

am finally able to relax

and

enjoy a bite to eat before a nice warm soak.

There were boxes of small items to be cleaned and sorted and inventoried and priced.

There was laundry to be washed, folded, hung, ironed and put away.

There was vacuuming to be done.

Dusting away some cobwebs.

There was the dishwasher to run and dishes to be replaced in the cupboards.

Just the ordinary household and work chores that we all have to cope with.

It's been a pleasant time of tidying and rearranging some pretties that I had been taking for granted.

I think I have a sweet little nest

and

am living the good life.

I enjoy refreshing my bookcase displays and counter top collections

and

organizing my closet

for the coming week.

Now

home made soup

and good bread

and

a cup of tea.

Time to pick up my book and nestle in with my late supper

and enjoy the beauty of all that has been accomplished.

I'm so easily pleased with small touches!

Finding My Calling

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 15:42:00 +0000

Part of my

Antiques By Joy

business is home styling.

I visit the home of a client and tweak the look they're going for.

Sometimes they have no idea about what they want, and I have free reign.

Often they say,

"I want it to feel like your shop."

My mother says I began my styling career at the age of 4,

and

I can recall some of the projects I conned her into.

I dreamed up a bedroom that had purple and lavender

(1957 - and where did I get that idea at age 4?)

T.V. was still in black and white.

Not that we owned one.

She tried to dissuade me,

(apparently there was no purple she liked,

or,

no purple in her fabric stash).

She compromised with curtains and dust ruffle

a delicate white cotton printed with tiny lavender rosebuds

and

(I insisted)

vivid purple

throw pillow.

Mind you she made these herself, because that's what our family did.

I recall regularly

haunting the fabric store with her . . .

a 40 minute walk from our house,

where we would browse for hours

and

dream of the possibilities!

When I was about 6, we walked to the store to purchase fabric for a new outfit

for me.

I will never forget the excitement of entering that big old fashioned place,

breathing in the aroma

taking in the colors

and hearing her incredible words,

"you may choose ANY fabric you want,

as long as it's not over thirty nine cents a yard"

... remembering an

angel choir . . . .

By 12 years old I was living in a world that was changing.

(NOT in my little world, but in the bigger sense.)

The Hippie movement brought tie die and psychedelic and neon intensity to our color world.

Being the worldly, well read 12 year old that I was,

my design sense was evolving, and I wanted

MORE!

There was no decorating budget to prevail upon for my room

I had to improvise.

I plowed through my mother's extensive collection of bargain fabrics,

(friends often gifted her the remnants of their projects because she was "crafty"),

and came up with a hunter green burlap and some hot pint print and began to picture the contrast they would create beside one another.

It wasn't quite the psychedelic combo I needed,

but

when I unearthed the next component,

a chartreuse gem,

(Oh the 50's were a heyday for chartreuse!!!),

I knew I was on to something!

I rummaged about and found the ultimate fourth:

turquoise with a touch of chartreuse!

Bingo!

I patiently upholstered my hand me down dresser

and even trimmed it in chartreuse prairie points

I cut from a school folder I found in that color,

using recycled upholstery tacks I scrounged.

(Stop laughing!)

I pleaded for a gallon of intensely pink saturated-hue paint.

Now this was serious - we didn't paint much at our house, because paint was expensive,

but after much pleading I got that paint with my babysitting money.

Fifty cents an hour was what I earned, and that included doing household chores while babysitting.

We dragged my little area rug out to the back yard and using our big zinc wash tub, dyed the rug hot pink with Rit Dye from the local Five and Dime.

Oh, I was on a roll!

Ultimately, I conned my mother into letting me have the "pole lamp" from our living room.

It had filigree ball shades at three heights, and cast the most enchanting shadows.

That evening, breathing a sign of almost complete contentment, I had my final brainstorm.

My parents were out and I knew just what I wanted to accomplish.

I dug around in the utility closet where we stored the Christmas decorations and found

three red light bulbs.

Installing the red bulbs and flipping the switch, I melted into my hot pink/chartreuse/turquoise

haven

and simply revelled in the creation!

When I awoke in the morning, I discovered my dad had replaced the red bulbs with normal ones.

His reprimand was that he didn't want me using the Christmas ones.

(About 10 years later it dawned on me what that was all about.)

I don't believe I've ever had so much fun as I did with that decorating project.

And that was the day I

KNEW

I had found my calling.

Filing And Sorting and Shovelling Oh My

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 23:51:00 +0000

It's the first day of February,

and I'm catching up on filing and paperwork.

I'm living the

GOOD LIFE!

There is always

too much

of that filing and sorting and shredding and organizing

and

never quite enough time to do it properly.

It's not my favorite thing to do

by far

and so I tend to let it pile up until the pile topples over

and

I fear that if anyone sees the messiness of stacked and toppled receipts and invoices and business cards and whatever,

they will think I'm one of those hoarder types who needs to have

intervention.

I can see it now . . .

they will shake their heads and say,

"we

always

knew

she was a little strange

and now we have the evidence

poor dear . . .

buried alive under

several tons

of crumpled receipts, paperclips, manila file folders and notes to self!"

Mind you -

this debris is essential to my business

as any antique dealer will confirm.

We faithfully keep exacting records of each item purchased

and

add to that

receipts

for the supplies we buy

to clean, polish, restore, repaint and refurbish every little piece.

Why the paper towels alone run into the thousands of dollars!

There are mileage record books and checkbooks and all those business cards of hundreds of people who wish to

sell to us,

or paint for us,

or convince us to advertise with them.

dare not

discard anything so vital to our potential success!

There are paint sample cards

(oh my . . . I have thousands of those),

and even tiny chips of actual paint we have peeled off some old thing

to save for reference

for that day when we

NEED

that beautiful shade of robins' egg blue.

It's a little embarrassing!

That's just the tip of the iceberg

but if I blog any longer

I'll lose daylight hours

and

tomorrow it's back to the shop

and whatever paper is still drifting through the air will once again settle in odd places around the house.

if you ring the doorbell and I don't answer,

please

please just give me time to claw my way out from under my mountain

and run to greet you!

Don't call the authorities.

Happy filing!

Botanical prints today are courtesy of The Graphics Fairy @ www.thegraphicsfairy.com

Joy is partner/owner at

Dwell Antiques & Home http://www.facebook.com/dwellantiques

Greenwood Village Colorado

303-795-3454

How Do You Choose Those Beloved Items?

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 17:26:00 +0000

Those of you who have followed me for a while know that I have

two

little antique shops here in

Denver Colorado

which

I manage to do because I have a partner at

PATINA ANTIQUES & HOME

Deb Platt

and

two partners at

Dwell Antiques & Home

Melanie Everhart and Kellie Sloan Brown.

Not to mention several excellent friends who manage to keep me rolling in a million ways!

(You know who you are)

We partners have individual styles and preferences and life experiences and dreams and goals

but

all in all we have a common desire to enjoy retailing our favorite things in the two shops.

I believe the visitors to our two shops are able to discover a variety of treasures,

old and new

that spark their interest

and get them

excited

We love to share with you when it comes to the

stories and provenance

we've learned about an object.

We are forthright in revealing the age of a treasure

the general location where it was found

whether it was

handcrafted

mass produced

and

all that we can surmise about the object

from our years of life experience and study.

As shoppers, most of us purchase items based on a quick emotional tug.

We see something that appeals to some inner desire or memory.

"I want to be an organized person and this will help me."

"Oh ... my granny had one of those and it reminds me of those sweet times at her house!"

"That color makes me feel happy - and I want that 'pick me up'."

The items I personally buy for resale in my shops are

often chosen

because of my own reflex emotional response to them.

There are those that tug at my heart and make me want to know their story,

there are those whose patina cries out to be touched, like a mellow old wooden bowl.

There are those whose color is particularly enchanting, with layers of age-old paint colors revealed.

There are those that someone has listed on our "wish lists".

Once in a while I'm the only one who sees beauty in a find.

That sweet little treasure might sit there for way too long,

and I find myself doubting my ability.

Then, along comes the soulmate who reaches out and strokes that lil treasure

and sighs

and knows exactly what I saw in it.

Yes!

When you stop in, whether it's in our brick and mortar shops or our Etsy shop,

we hope you'll connect with us.

That's what makes it all worthwhile!

www.dwellantiques.com

www.antiquesbyjoy.blogspot.com

The Search

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 04:30:00 +0000

Once again, I'm on the road,

searching for one of a kind and hard to find

items for the shops.

I'll be pulling out

VERY

early in the a.m.

It's one of my favorite challenges in the business :

putting on my favorite old jeans and hat, work gloves in my back pocket,

comfortable boots

coffee in the cupholder

music playing

On the road again

zigging and zagging cross country

to visit my favorite haunts

and some good ol' boy pickers.

The anticipation is amazing

envisioning the possibilities!

I love scouring through loads of tantalizing old treasures,

and sometimes some pretty strange salvage

(aka worthless junk)

hoping to find those special pieces

that

delight will my senses!

always

expecting the mother lode

that sweet spot where I'll walk into a barn full of breathtaking antiquities

to sort through

......

each piece more fascinating than the last

......

untouched for generations

each one in pristine condition when I blow off the dust

......

Undisturbed history

just waiting patiently for

with all the stories buried along with the treasure

......

Excuse me,

I was caught up in the dream again

I'm back in reality

and I know it's tedious

dirty

heavy hauling

driving for hours and hours

day after day

......

and there are spiders and snakes and rusty nails and

lions and tigers and bears

OH MY!

(It's just that I don't want you to envy me too much!)

I love to set off on a road trip

with miles before me

good music playing

and

the

dream

alive in my heart

Wish me luck!

Antiques By Joy
selling at
Dwell Antiques & Home
Greenwood Village, Colorado
303-795-3454
dwellantiques.com
facebook.com/dwellantiques

Dwell on the possibilities

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 03:31:00 +0000

I've been

looking back over the last year

and

my journey, thoughts and struggles

expanding my antiques business.

A lot of prayer and calculation and heart searching went into the process.

Dreaming, sketching

more praying.

Dwell Antiques & Home

opened in September of 2012

just south of Denver proper,

5912 South University Boulevard

Greenwood Village, Colorado

Three capable, determined women

each with a strong skill set

decided to come together to create the dream.

DWELL
is not a typical antiques shop
and

there are no hard and fast rules about what we collect and present.

We bring an ever changing collection of found objects from our forays . . .

items that have a mellow patina
memories
connections
some special essence,

hoping that our clients will find DWELL an interesting and enchanting place to visit.

The ambiance we strive to create is one where you'd like to spend time perusing,

even when you're not looking for anything in particular.

We love it when you identify with an object and delight in it.

We'd like to invite you to visit,

to relax and stroll through the shop,

enjoy the music

and the fragrance

and the hand picked items that speak to our hearts.

Grab a coffee just 5 doors down

and

if you have time,

pull up a vintage stool or chair

and

chat with us awhile.

We're happy to give advice on styling your home

in a way that reflects
what you're all about.

We'll make notes in the

Wish Book

about the things you're looking for,

and hunt for them on our journeys across the country.

We'll help you think outside the box when it comes to

"what do I do with the huge 16' expanse of wall"

"I want a headboard with charm"

"I need to work around the 9000" TV my hubby just brought home."

We love a challenge!

Come see us at Dwell Antiques & Home

Monday - Saturday

10am-5pm

http://www.dwellantiques.com

303-795-3454 Dwell Antiques
303-795-0816 Patina Antiques
www.facebook.com/DwellAntiques
https://pinterest.com/dwellantiques

Baby it's Cold Outside

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 00:57:00 +0000

Baby

it's

COLD

outside

In the negative digits here in Colorado, and the windows are icing up

inside as well as outside!

This is a day for doing

just what you feel like doing

and keeping warm and cozy in every possible way.

I'm taking to time to count my blessings.

It's the day for building a fire if you have a fireplace

or cranking up the thermostat

just

little

and brewing a pot of

Swiss almond coffee

and baking brownies or homemade bread.

My vegetable soup is simmering

I've lit my delightful

Votivo

candle

and chosen a nice thick to novel to transport me.

My music is playing in the background

I have on an extra thick pair of ski socks

and

I'm enjoying the big leather chair and the mohair throw.

I'm feeling blessed

and

warm and cozy!

Hope you get to take advantage of the day

and do

whatever you wish.