Monday, December 31, 2012

Ending 2012 in Faith



Finishing up 2012 today with 

paperwork

filing

organizing

and reflecting about how I can improve and grow 
in
 2013


There's always a sense of starting fresh and doing a better job in the new year.
It's human nature to believe we will grow and improve
and become better with age and wisdom








If
 2013
brings personal challenges
(and you know it will)

I'd like to think I'm more prepared to handle them with a modicum of grace

less panic

less stress

less fear

more assurance

that in the end, all things will work out as they are meant to.



Sunday
in church service
my pastor spoke of the storm the disciples faced in their boat on the Sea of Galilee.

You know

the one that was raging
 while 
Jesus
was
 asleep
in the boat.


He spoke of storms that we're meant to ride out, 
because those trials test our faith
and bring us growth, endurance, maturity
and

greater faith







I've experienced
 many
 of the
 challenges 
life can throw at a person

and struggled through a fair number of trials

and

have come to believe 
that
God
is here

He's participating in it all

very close at hand

watching and guaging and coaching

and

hedging me about
and
providing and comforting
and
delivering
and
tenderly
discerning
what 
I
will
face


I'm thankful for the trials I have missed
due to His action of moving me out of the way.







Some folks have faced things much harder and more profound, 
and not because they deserve any tougher trials that I do.


I'm just
saying

I'm thankful

in
hindsight

for those 
He has allowed me to walk through
and
survive.

They grow us up
and
change us
and
sand off some 
rough edges

but

most importantly

they 
have taught me
that
nothing
is
uncontrolled
when we are relying on His grace and asking for 
His
guidance 
and 
direction.

My
 faith
 continues to grow
and
2013
will will be a year of growth


Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Road Trip Again!




I'm off on a
 road trip
 for a week

scouting the Midwest to see what
treasures I can find
for 
you!

Over the last 35 years in this business,
I have heard a million times,

"Ohhhh . . . you have the perrrrfect job!
That's what I want to doooo . . . ."

And
you know what?

They're right!

I DO 
have the perfect job!





I love my job.

I love traveling,
 searching,
 prowling through barns and attics . . . 
buying,

and

meeting wonderful folks
all over the country!


I love the thrill of the hunt
and
the surprise of what I might stumble
onto . . . 

Such a surge of adrenaline when I come upon some
 especially lovely item
 I never expected to find!

Pitter-Pat . . . Pitter-Pat



I love the excitement of packing my bags and loading the gear necessary for a road trip!

Trailer
totes
blankets
packing supplies
magnifying glass
M&M's
magnets
silver polish
bungees
and
a Thule
 on the top!

Hat
sunglasses
Wellies
rain gear
sunscreen
you name it - I may need it on any given journey!





I've been chased by tornadoes
swept off the road in high winds
rained out
mudded in
sunburned
barked at
chased
startled by snakes
tickled by mice
and
followed by strange men.
Or was that "tickled by strange men" ?

(Heck - I've bought antiques from some pretty strange men!)


Hi Mike - not you . . . 



There's a wonderful sense of anticipation as I set out on the road to hunt for treasure.
I have developed a network of friends and suppliers
 across the country
and
come to know a lot of wonderful folks who
share my obsession.

(Guys with 6 huge sheds full of who knows what.)
AND
I recently bought from a gentleman who'd been on the American Pickers T.V. show.


Before I leave town
I make a few calls
to determine who's got some fresh finds
and
plot my journey
accordingly.

It's pretty common for one picker to send me on to another,
so the trail can meander somewhat . . . 
but it's all good.
I may find things at auction or in someone's barn or attic.
There may be some farm sales
or
flea markets
or
junk shops.
You name it, I've shopped it.





There is a kinship among the group
and
I find I can be invited home to supper
or to share a glass of iced tea on the porch
as likely as not.
We may sit late and swap lies
or
keep on prowling by the light of a lantern.
It's always fun.


This trip is extra special
because my daughter 
Kellie
(who is my new partner)
is joining me on the trip.

We'll enjoy the camaraderie
and
kinship
as well as
the
journey!


I'll be back next week with a big truckload 
of sweet antiques for you to see
so
stay tuned!

I never know what I'll find.
I may head out with a desire for French Country
 or primitives
but find instead that I come upon a wealth of industrial chic
or
Italian Florentine and crystal chandeliers!



As the saying goes . . . 
"The worst day antiquing is better than the best day working!"

Friday, August 3, 2012

DWELL ANTIQUES & HOME


I've been keeping busy 
preparing for the new shop

DWELL
Antiques and Home

and
maintaining the quality and quantity of inventory
at
PATINA
Antiques and Home

and

neglected to sit down and share the journey
with you my
friends!


The delightful daily process of
 hunting, examining and choosing
 beautiful and soul nourishing treasures

 could 
consume all my waking hours!


THE JOURNEY
toward creating a shop
is more than
 licensing, legal documents,
 leases, list making,
 signage, 
contracts, 
operating agreements, corporate docs and construction.

It's more than
stress,
financial statements
and
restless nights.

It's even more than choosing 
the flavor of inventory
style
and
personality of your shop.




It's about 
making life decisions
and long term commitments
and
choosing
to
lock into a lifestyle
that,
once chosen,
is
there to be lived with

day in and day out.

Like marriage or child bearing,
these decisions
change your life,
for a 
long, long, long time.

There are no vacations from retail.
No
 "unsigning"
 of long term leases,
no
divorce from obligations
no way to 
opt out.

WHEW!!!!!






I've lived for 35 years in a retail lifestyle.

Owning a small business is an everyday challenge.
The shopkeeper's holidays are geared around 
what customers desire
and
the hours they prefer to shop.


Price competition from the big guys is unbelievably fierce.
Consumers cannot always afford to make a choice to own
 a one of a kind, 
handmade or antique item,
 when a mass-produced lookalike is readily available at a fraction of the price.
(Who could blame them?)


That said,
I would not dream of any other approach to life.

I have chosen who I am comfortable being.

I have chosen to be content with a small portion of the retail pie.


To present a tiny portion of the population 
with a
  small and select range of wares 
which I hope will
 enhance their live and nourish their spirit.

Limiting?
Challenging?
Thought provoking?
Time consuming?
(Questionable logic?)
Yep!


Worth it?

As the saying goes,
"PRICELESS"!




If you know me, 
you know that my life revolves around my belief system.
Being a blessing to
God
family
all others

then,
working hard to do my best 
to be self sustaining
and
to have something left over to give away.

I'm sharing with you because many ask.

. . . . YES . . . .
The new shop is coming along,
slowly

but no doubt in perfect 
time.



Prayers !



Thursday, July 26, 2012

Neutral Position





I've been collecting textiles and other items of interesting texture 
since I was about . . .

well,

never mind how long,

but 
for a
  really
long time.


I'm a lover of textures,

and this, 




possibly,

is why I live in a world of
limited color and pattern.

Many of us collect "things" and then struggle to find the way to show these "things",
without being over run with clutter.

Containment, organization and appropriate display
are not always easy.
Harmony is delicate . . . requiring a trained eye.

A subtle and limited color palette is one solution.

I'm currently
in love
with
concrete
putty
dirt
mud
stone

and similar
"greige"

shades of taupe - y
grayish
brown.





These
 "dirty", 
muddied tones 
are
simple and calm.

Easy on the brain.


They are found everywhere in nature.


They are the neutrals I'm using in many spaces
and
 upon which
I am able to display
many collected treasures.






I find my eye searches for 
innuendo and detail
in this neutral palette.





Weathered 
barn wood
galvanized metal
river rocks
gray seashells
heather
flax
twiggy bird nests

Ahhhh . . . 

Thursday, July 19, 2012

More Random Thoughts



As I continue the work of opening another shop in south Denver
I have moments when I wonder
just
how I think I'll ever be able to accomplish everything
that
need
 to accomplish
in
life.

I'm not talking about the biggies

********no*******

I'm talking about the daily chores
 of
laundry
and
housework
and 
having my car serviced
and
keeping up with 
shredding junk mail.

Hair cuts
and
dentist appointments
and
birthday parties
for
my
grandchildren.



I have a plan.

I'm going to give up housework.

........No........
my mother would never approve of that.





AM
taking advantage of 
buying
bakery bread
instead of 
pulling out the breadmaker.
Great Harvest is just across the street from 
my existing shop
and
they are awesome.
Some days I believe I COULD live on bread alone.
OK, and some butter.
A
 LOT
 of butter please.





I have tried to get off all the junk mail lists,
but,
they keep sneaking up on me,
filling my mailbox with
more catalogs
and
insurance offers
and
restaurant
fliers.



If I had the time
I'd do something creative with all that paper - 
like
 weave baskets.
But
I'd rather go on an
 antique buying trip.

So,
I continue trying to simplify life and multi task
and shred
and occasionally
sleep.





My game plan is like this:

1.) Spend one day a week just enjoying family and church.
(Also perhaps, a little nap.)

2.) Whenever possible, have a second cup of coffee in the morning.
(This may involve that bakery I was mentioning . . . )

3.) Relax each evening before bed with a good book.
I'm scheduling an hour into my plans.

4.) Go for a walk.
(Or sit still and envision myself going for a walk.)

5.) Do you think I can entice my grandchildren to clean my house???




5.) Give up trying to shred the mail and just trust that no one wants my identity.
I sometimes put it in the trash and then clean out the fridge on top of it.
If anyone has the strength to sort through that - more power to them.

6.) Stop fretting about being organized and clutter-free 
and just do what I feel like doing.

There,

I have more energy already!



Wednesday, July 4, 2012

July 4th




Happy July Fourth
to
all 
Americans
everywhere
!!!!

Have a real celebration today and remember what America was founded upon.


Wednesday, June 27, 2012

See Our Brand new Store




Yes . . . 

I'm back to blogging again
following a hiatus 
while I recovered from the best show I've ever had!

Old Glory 
Rocked
!!!!!


The new venture I've been working on was premiered at the show:

Dwell Antiques & Home


It was a huge success, and the compliments were awesome.


SO,  
MY ANNOUNCEMENT:

With new partners Kellie Brown and Melanie Everhart,
Joy will be opening
 a second shop!

DWELL ANTIQUES & HOME





While I continue to grow and upgrade my inventory 
at
PATINA ANTIQUES & HOME
in
Greenwood Village, Colorado,

we three will create a fresh and innovative shop
in the same neighborhood.

(Yep - Joy will be at both locations)

As you may imagine, this is quite a challenge
with the beautiful boutiques and antiques shops already in the area!

We're working hard to design a store you'll want to visit on a regular basis.
We want to energize and excite you.
We want to be the place you visit whenever you have the urge to be inspired!

It is our dream to present you with a joyful environment
where you can breathe in the ambience
and release all the stresses

bask in a peaceful and pleasant
shopping experience

and have your spirit refreshed
*!*





We are juggling the brick and mortar facility
and
our website/online store
as
we prepare
this
special place.


There are weeks and weeks of preparation before we'll be ready. . . 
but
we're working hard for you!



Travelling
Buying
Inventorying
Designing
Painting
Sewing
Sanding
Polishing
(you get the picture)






I'll keep you posted, right here . . . 
and,
you can follow us at the
Dwell blog

http://www.dwellantiques.com


Come Visit!








Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Don't Miss The Fun


Joy says:
"Find a way 
to get to the show!"

Old Glory Antiques Fair
this weekend
Clement Park
Colunbine neighborhood


Friday 9-5
Sat 9-4

(I'd get there at 8:30 Friday morning, 
if I was you)





Best Show!!
Best Dealers!!
Best Antiques!!

Best get there!!


Don't miss the fun!!

Saturday, June 9, 2012

What Is This Woman Up To Now???




It's a little confusing, but I'm just one person, 
attempting to do several things at the same time, 
and to do them all correctly
 I've become something like an onion.


There are suddenly many layers of Joy.


My legal business status
 is my limited liability company
called
Antiques by Joy.

(Hence, the blog you're reading . . . 
http://antiquesbyjoy.blogspot.com)
and 






As 
Antiques by Joy
I do business in several locations.

I have a delightful shop in a sweet neighborhood 
in which I sell all the treasures I search out and drag home.
The shop is called
(you may follow Patina on facebook . . . )

My friend Deb and I have filled Patina
 to the brim
and
it's got it's limitations.
Size-wise,
and parking lot-wise.

We have the perfect clientele,
and we love them oh so much!
They support us and love on us
and 
it's a happy
life.



But growth,
in this case,
requires additional space.
The landlord said, 
"no . . . you may NOT raise the roof to add a second floor".
"No."

So, 
I am opening another shop called
{like us on Facebook too!}
not so very far away from
 Patina.


Now, 
Antiques by Joy
will be doing business 
in
two locations.




That's not so complicated.


You'll have even more fun shopping in 
two stores
that are filled to the brim with
found objects
naturals
antiques
home furnishings
and
luxurious treats!

******

There will be two new partners joining
 Joy
at 
Dwell Antiques & Home.


Melanie Everhart
and
Kellie Brown

which gives
 Dwell
 a new and exciting flair
......and......
 a fresh slant on providing
 an awesome shopping experience for you.

We believe you're going to like what we three are cooking up!


and . . . you can follow us 
on facebook 
and on our blog.

Until we're open in our brick and mortar shop,
you can see us at the 
Old Glory Antique Fair
Friday June 15th and Saturday June 16th
at
Clement Park
in the Columbine neighborhood;

and keep up with us at
dwellantiques.com



Friday, June 8, 2012

Hunting and Gathering



It's early, but I'm on the road again

to seek and gather

some timeworn 

mellow

patina



It's what I do.

dwell antiques & home



The news is 
big
and it's good!

I have been working alongside
 my friend
 Melanie Everhart and my friend, (and daughter), Kellie Brown,
for some time,
 to develop a fresh design concept 
and venue
called
DWELL


We are proud to share our joyous news
with you today . . . 


dwell antiques & home
@
dwellantiques.com



For the moment, dwell is a concept, 
without a brick and mortar
home,
but our new location will be announced very soon.

We ladies have put together a business plan we're proud to share,
and we hope you'll follow us on facebook
and on our blog
until our sweet shoppe is open.




We're out collecting and compiling and editing,
(and doing our happy dance)
and
will share more details with you in a day or two!



Thankful!


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