V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N !!!

Ok...let's talk about this. I'm 'on vacation' but staying home as, I'm sure many of you, are this year. I usually take some of my vacation time from work to stay at home. It gives me time to work around the house, enjoy time with my family and friends, take a little time to have some alone time to read and figure out what projects will occupy me for the summer (or fall etc.).

I have taken the week of July 4th for as long as I can remember. It seems that there is always something going on around here...a festival of some kind and let's face it, it's always a good time for estate sales. One of my favorite shops The Granary, will be open for the July 4th weekend. They are an 'occasional sale' kind of shop.
Although it's a vacation week for me from my full time job, I will put in some time at my friend's antique shop (The Colonial Housefitter) this week. (I do plan to go into the office for a short time on Tuesday morning, and will explain later. It's a surprise and someone might read this blog and spill the beans!) It happens to be right down the street from me in the village of Jamesville. I love working at Chris's shop! It's such a departure from my other job that it's refreshing. The customers are interesting and I love talking to them about their home renovations and redecorations. Some of these customers have become friends which is always a bonus.

(Photographer unknown)

So...anyway...I'm thinking that this week...I might begin to work on my home workspace. It's in need of a face-lift, in a big way! It's a small room in my house that I use for my computer, sewing and of course, it's where I paint! I don't need to paint, did that already. I used a linen white paint. Those of you who work with color (painting etc.) know that using a color (especially in a small room) in the space that you paint, is not a good thing. The wall color will skew the colors that you are trying to lay on the canvas. What you believe is a brooding sky, when the canvas leaves the studio, can look brighter or gloomy. If you are working with whites and you have a green wall, will never look quite white. So...the walls were painted linen white. It's warm, inviting and any artwork I put on the walls looks great!

I'll try to remember to take pics as I go...if that ends up being the plan for this week! ;-)

The Granary Antique Shop...

This is it...my trip to the Granary Antique Shop in Skaneateles, NY.

I was greeted by Frank's duck and goose. Believe it or not, the goose thought it was her job to protect the duck, which she did with vigor!
This is a piture of the old barn that has since become the 'shop'.
Notice the huge stained glass windows. I'll have more on them later...


3 floors of treasures....


treasures...

More treasures...

even more treasures...

now....the windows from the inside...

look at the structure of the roof...

the barn is loaded with more stuff...

the structure that holds this barn up is amazing...

lots and lots of chairs, various styles...

I just can't get over the roof structure...

I was looking out one of the upper side doors and

took this picture of the side yard...really pretty flowers...

Around the back of the building, there is a small apartment.

I took this picture through a door in the back. A few years ago,

the apartment was open and for rent and I toured it.

It's small, but boy is it cute!

Look to the left of the picture above, and you'll see the pond. Isn't it great?

This....is what I scored! First, I got this awesome stool. There's a tag on the underside that says it's from the Syracuse University School of Environmental Science and Forestry. (SUNY ESF as we call it around here).

I also picked up this tarnished, silver creamer,

ironstone soap dish and advertizing box.

Close up of the creamer.

and another of the box...it's from a paint company in Niagara Falls NY...

Here's the group.... I hope you enjoyed my trip to the shop. Honestly, it's only about 25 miles from here, but there's so much to see on the way, I thought it would be fun to take you along....