Saturday, July 30, 2011

Old Wagon Seats

When you enter an antique store, do you ever stop to think about the history behind all the "stuff" you are looking at?  I have often wished that I could know about the places that these items have been and the people who have touched and cherished them.

I recently received two primitive wagon seats - wonder who sat on them and where they were going?  Did they travel long distances, or were they used by a family to go from their farm into town for supplies.  Oh, the stories these wagon seats could tell.  I can imagine a father and son on the seat riding around the farm and sharing stories as they rode.  You ask "What would anyone want with an old wagon seat and why on earth would anyone save them?".  You can bet that they were saved because they meant something sentimental - maybe their grandparents had a farm and they remembered riding in that wagon! 

These days they would be a great addition to a rustic family room as a coffee table, or placed on a porch for a small table or seat for children, or even used as primitive decor for your log cabin, country retreat, or lake home!  As you enter Memories, let your imagination go to work when you are browsing.  Think outside the box and find a "new" use for these "old" treasures!

Friday, July 29, 2011

Memories Recycled

When I had my shop in Florida called Simple Country Pleasures, it was a craft shop where I sold handcrafted items and I gradually added antiques.  Many customers who came in began to tell me that the items they saw in the store brought back "Memories" of their childhood and their grandparents' homes.  Some even came to tears telling me stories about their "memories".

I decided at that time that if I ever opened a different store it would incorporate "Memories" in the name.  When I moved back to my hometown of Henderson, Kentucky, I opened an antique and gift shop called Memories Past and Present.  Such a good choice because it describes exactly what I do - give old items a new life in the present.  I call myself a matchmaker, as I find a new home for treasures from the past.

Do you have treasures from the past that you would like to find a new home for?  Bring them to me, tell me the story about them, and I will find the perfect match!  Share some stories about "memories" that you have encountered when visiting Memories Past and Present!