March 28, 2013

Some more of my thimble collection.  Here we have one from Scotland, a butterfly from somewhere in Europe, I don't remember where, one from The Hermitage in Nashville, and a horse one from TN as well.

March 27, 2013

This is a cute little brass frog that I think I lifted from my mom's collection.

March 26, 2013

This is a pretty little carved replica snuff bottle I got at a museum.  I can't remember which one, although I am leaning towards The Field Museum.

March 25, 2013

In honor of my birthday, I am posting a few shots of a letter my Grandpa Tom wrote to me a few days after I was born.  I was the first grandchild on both sides of my family, so it was an extremely momentous and exciting occasion...  I have this lovely typewritten letter framed in my hallway.

March 24, 2013

This is another of my Japanese silk embroideries from my Grandma Chris.

March 23, 2013

This is a pretty square jar I got at ARC.  The shape is really unusual and I was really surprised the lid was still with it.  

March 22, 2013

These are two little brass birdies from my Grandma Rae's collection,

March 21, 2013

This is the carved jade finial that is on top of the orange ginger jar lamp I photographed for March 1st. 

March 20, 2013

This is a little ceramic jar that contains the ashes of my kitty Jerry.

March 19, 2013

This is a cute little brass box that came from my Grandma Rae's things.  

March 18, 2013

This is a pretty Japanese cigarette case with Mt Fuji on it.  This also came from my Grandma Rae's things.  She never smoked, as far as I know, and this seems too feminine for my Grandpa, so I'm not sure who this originally belonged to.

March 17, 2013

This is a called an Inuksuk.  My dad and step-mom got it for me on a trip to Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada.  Inuksuk are ancient Inuit structures that were built in the image of a man and are the signature on the Arctic landscape of a hunter who has previously passed this way.  They are messengers indicating comfort to travelers  safe passages, natural shelter and good hunting.

March 16, 2013

These are carved bone or horn dice we found in a desk when we cleaned out my Grandma Rae's apartment.  They probably belonged to my Grandpa Chuck.

March 15, 2013

These are a stack of cute little orange dishes.  They are either salts or sake cups.  I got them at ARC.

March 14, 2013

This is a cloisonne set from my Grandma Rae, its a matchbox cover and a dish, which I guess could be an ashtray, but it doesn't have any notches to hold the cigarettes, so I'm not sure.  They are Chinese

March 13, 2013

These cute little kitties lived with my Grandma Rae next to her fireplace.  We loved to look at them and pet them whenever we visited.  I'm assuming they are Chinese, because I don't recall a lot of cats in Japanese art.

March 12, 2013

This is a pretty crystal jar from my Grandma Chris.  It's filled with yarn, another obsession.

March 11, 2013

A terrible photo of a carved jade Buddha.  I believe this came from my dad when he was stationed in Japan in the 90s for a few weeks.  It is really pretty, although you can't tell from this awful pic.

March 10, 2013

This is a brass candle holder in the shape of a Chinese dog.  I am not sure which grandma this came from.  Maybe my mom can help if she reads this blog.

March 9, 2013

More ginger jars.  These are all from ARC Value Village.  I don't think they are "real" antiques or anything, but they are real purty.  The one in front even came with crystallized ginger in it!  No I did not eat any of it.

March 8, 2013

I found this awesome type drawer at an antique shop.  It was used to store type blocks for old-fashioned printing presses.  I love it!  I keep looking for another one with no luck.  

March 7, 2013

When I was growing up, my grandparents lived in Sister Bay, WI, which is in Door County.  If you don't know where Door County is, it is ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE STATE from the Twin Cities, at the very tip of that little finger that reaches out into Lake Michigan.  That's a long way in the car with your little sister.

This is a matchbox from Al Johnson's Restaurant.  I don't actually remember ever eating at Al's, but I do remember that the place had a sod roof with several goats living on it.  The roof was typically Alpine, with a high peak, and those goats just had a happy old time scampering about on the grass.  We always looked forward to driving by Al's on the way to the farmhouse to see the goats.  I haven't been back since the grandparents moved to MN in 1991, but I hear the goats are still there.

March 6, 2013

I have three of these framed embroidered silk panels from my Grandma Chris.  She was a travel agent and traveled EVERYWHERE.