Happy New Year

New Year's Resolutions
63% of people say they are keeping their resolutions after two months
67% of people make three or more resolutions
Top three resolutions:
1. Increase exercise.
2. Be more conscientious about work or school.
3. Develop better eating habits.

Featured Shop ~Black Dog Salvage~

Hi, my name is Christa. I handle the online sales for Black Dog Salvage, here in Roanoke, VA. We're apx 4 hours from Washington, DC, 3 hours from Charlotte, NC and just 45 minutes from Virginia Tech. We have a 40,000 sq foot warehouse filled with architectural elements, antiques, home & garden accessories, custom designs, local artisans and much more. We get new arrivals in every day, so our inventory is always changing.

We started an Ebay Store a few years ago and have enjoyed meeting buyers from around the country. We're now finally catching on to the world of blogging and are excited at the opportuntity to connect with more people & continually update our website with our blog.

We have a passion for reclaiming & renewing architectural salvage. Sadly, many lost treasures end up in landfills - we often hear customers say 'wow, I wish I hadn't thrown that away' after walking through our warehouse. Our goal is prevent that from happening, so we're always looking for opportunities to help save quality salvage.

In the spirt of the season, I'd like to share two salvage projects made here in our shop.

Christmas trees!
No watering required…
No needles to pick up…
Decorate as much or as little as you like…
Sally, the Sally Dog, would like to introduce the first tree

This first tree was made using salvaged Antique Wrought Iron Scrolls

It has a great Dr. Seuss feel & sways with the wind!

The base is an antique wheel rim

We loaned the tree to our nice customers who were on
The Old Southwest Parlor Tour (link: http://www.oldsouthwestinc.com/) this year

It looked great on the front porch of their wonderfully restored historic home. The house is part
of The Millers Hill (link: http://www.millershill.com/) project, where a block of historic homes
is being renovated by Roanoke City.
If you like checking out historic homes, this parlor tour is worth checking out
and a great way to get into the holiday spirit!

Our second tree is made from two Antique 5-Panel Doors

We first saw this in a book called 'Salvage Style' and fell in love with the idea

We now always have one up in the shop during the holidays

and here's mine @ home…
We added 's' hooks to the doors, so we can still hang our ornaments.
It truly is the perfect tree & folds flat which makes storing easy!

Sally, the Salvage Dog & all of us here @ Black Dog Salvage
wish you a safe & happy holiday and best wishes for the New Year!
For more information or to check out the Black Dog Blog, please visit our website:
http://www.blackdogsalvage.com/
or stop in & visit:
Black Dog Salvage
902 13th Street SW
Roanoke, VA 24016
(540) 343-6200

http://stores.ebay.com/Black-Dog-Architectural-Salvage

Recycled Christmas Card Craft

Just take old Christmas cards or photocards and cut them out in any shape you want and laminate. Now you have some fun placemats to use year after year. I think I see a few pink noses. Join the fun http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/.

A Christmas Hello!

I've put the spotlight on a few of these links below. Plus I have so many more to be featured

this up coming year. Stop on by and wish them a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

http://www.gardenantqs.blogspot.com/

http://www.hopetreestudio.blogspot.com/

http://www.thelittlepinkstudio.com/

http://www.shabbyscraps.typepad.com/

http://www.thereddoorantiques.com/

http://www.arttakesavillage.com/

http://www.vintagebliss.typepad.com/

http://www.thevintagenest.com/

http://www.gbloomstudio.blogspot.com/

http://www.redshedonline.com/

http://www.sassytrash.blogspot.com/

http://www.scrappyjessi.blogspot.com/

http://www.antiquesinoldtown.blogspot.com/

http://rosespetitemaison.blogspot.com/

Featured Shop ~Scrappi Jessi~

Hey there my name is Jessi Nagy aka "Scrappy Jessi" or as some of my friends call me "Barbie Girl" I have dabbled in art, photography,scrap booking,collecting,crafting for as long as I can remember. I was always up to something. My Life is full of adventures. I believe you should live out loud. Live in full color.(while secretly feeling like I'm on candid camera) I swear i say it out loud all the time. "is this a joke?" "where are the cameras?" Some things are just so crazy or silly that I totally believe I'm being punked. I have had my Blog for for about a year and a half. It has been such a thrill getting to know people from all around the world. I LOVE that they just "Get" me. I have had the opportunity to meet several of my blogging friends in person.What a treat. We always automatically just click, like were old friends. I have made so many wonderful friends through blogging. I think my favorite part of the whole thing is the emails, letters, and gifts that i receive. I'm so touched when people tell me that i have "Brightened there day", "made them laugh", "brought them out of a bad mood" I have a lot of readers who are ill. They tell me they come to my blog to "escape" if only for a few minutes. They also tell me they are "living vicariously through me". That my friends is what this whole blogging world is about. I started an ETSY store in June. to my surprise it is doing really well. I have had lots of custom orders. Not only for my tiles, but tags, canvases, books,wands, crowns, atc's etc... I love doing custom work. I always feel like I have made something special. One of a kind. The customers are always happy with there orders, and in turn, that makes me really happy.

http://www.scrappyjessi.blogspot.com/

Christmas Tree Craft

These little trees were all the rage in the 60's. I've been collecting vintage earrings to make one. They are a bit on the funky side but a fun craft to make with those missing or broken earrings. Merry Christmas to you today. Join the fun http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/ Thanks to doecdoe for photos. http://www.doecdoe.blogspot.com/ She found this tree at a thrift store for a great price $12.

Featured Shop ~The Vintage Nest - Lynn~

Both of the dresses are made from vintage pillow cases.

Hi, My name is Lynn and I am a treasure hunter and owner of the web boutique TheVintageNest.
Nesting....creating or settling into a secure refuge. Nesting is a feeling that comes from within when we're furnishing our homes. Here, at theVintageNest, you will find mostly vintage or antique decor with a past, time worn elegant pieces, shabby but very chic, sweet romantic cottage, beach cottage chic coastal charm, new country style, European French flair, old garden items and architectural pieces, primitives, vintage pillowcase dresses, pretty linens and sometimes just something totally fun and quirky. Handmade, homemade, remade, and well made...for your cozy home. Combining the Old with the New makes your home a reflection of your personality and stresses the importance of nostalgia. These old pieces are romantic in that they honor our love affair with the past....our childhood and family. If you love it, feather your nest with it....it works. I hope you'll come for a visit. Here is just a small sample of things you will find in our nest.
http://www.thevintagenest.com/ http://lifeatcedarhill.blogspot.com/

Featured Shop ~Sassytrash - Nancy~

Meet Nancy!

Welcome to Sassytrash! I have always been interested in repurposing vintage treasures into new creations-- especially making hall stands out of vintage wood panel doors, mirrors, and architectural finds. I also love to work with old lamp parts, wire, metal, ephemera, fabrics, and well, just everything vintage! When you pick up a treasure, however humble, that has been around for so many years, some would wish it could tell of the people it has known, the places it has been, and the eras it has survived, and others would, without a thought, discard it. How awesome to be a part of the unique sorority of talented sisters who love and work with “old things”, and how extraordinary a time to be able to share ourselves through our blogs. I have only been a blogger for a few months, but it has so expanded my work, my friendships, and my world. I used to be rather embarrassed by what I did, never being quite able to explain it, but what a relief to find kinship with others who understand. We are the original recyclers, waiting for the world to catch up.Currently, I am located at the Lakewood 400 Antique Show in Cumming, GA- every third weekend of the month. Please stop by 453 in Hall G and visit sometime. http://www.sassytrash.blogspot.com/

Vintage Christmas 1957 Catalog

More photos from this catalog. If you click the image you can see the prices. Oh my! Happy pink day. Join the fun http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/

Featured Shop ~The Red Shed Gals~

HI, I’m Valarie Jolly, one third of the group known as The Red Shed Girls. The Red Shed is located in Grapevine, Texas. We have been in business 3 years and we have two buildings, a historical cottage, and a “Shed”, as well as an acre of gardens, filled with Cottage Chic – Reinvented Vintage Décor. We remake almost all of our furniture, and love to find unique or unloved items and recreate them into a shining treasures. We are only open Monday – Friday, and then we have six huge “Saturday Sales” each year (next is Dec 6th!). For the Saturday Sale the entire property is redecorated and it is meant to evoke the style of a rambling European Flea Market. We work non-stop for 3 days to set it all up, and it is all torn apart (by our dear and avid customers) within an hour after opening.
We are best known for two things. First, our fabulous displays on the day of the Saturday Sale. Many people come, just to see the displays. We try to keep things fun and light-hearted. We have literally had customers say they were moving from Texas, and we were going to be the one thing that they would miss the most! The second thing is that we also own a travel agency, (which is housed in the back of the cottage). We host antiquing group shopping tours each year to the Paris Flea Market, and to other US destinations, like the Junk Bonanza in Minnesota. If that didn’t keep us busy enough, we also have Altered Art Classes in the shop in the evenings a couple of times a month!
All of our exploits are on our website and our blog. I have only been blogging about 6 months. I stayed up until 1 or 2 am on our antiquing trips, just to keep the blog up to date. Later people told me they were “hanging on every word”(Boy, that's a lot of pressure)! It really is a lot of fun and we have met so MANY, MANY, great people though the blogging community.
Come visit us at The Red Shed!
http://www.redshedonline.com/http://www.redshedantiques.blogspot.com/

Featured Shop ~Vintage Bliss - Tricia~

My name is Tricia Samsal. I have been in and out of retail since I was 16. I have sold just about everything. I have done every aspect of retail, from cashier, manager, and owner of 2 antique & paper art stores. My first shop was called Victoria Gardens. My Mom and I ran that shop for a year and half. I kinda just did my own thing for a few years and then the opportunity came for me to open a shop again in 2005. So of course I had to jump on it. But then some unfortunate circumstances came up and I had to close the shop again after only 6 months. I love love love having my own shop. One day I will get that back again, but for now I love going around to different towns and selling my goods at vendor shows and art fairs. For the last 3 years I have been setting up vendor tables at shows like Art Unraveled, First Fridays in Phoenix, a few scrapbook shows in Phoenix and Tucson, and my favorite La Maison Rustique. I sell paper art supplies, vintage and antiques, and mixed media art. I am addicted to buying and selling. It is just too much fun! Sometimes I keep a piece for awhile and then sell it when I'm done oodling over it. I figure it's time for someone else to oodle over the piece. I have met so many awesome people through all these shows. I have made some great friendships, I love them all. I also sell a few of my goodies at some shops in Arizona- Hollywood Regency and The White Porch in Globe. This past summer I got to shoot a craft segment on our local morning tv lifestyle show called Sonoran Living. That was so cool. I have never been on tv before. It is a little addicting. I'm ready to do that again,too! It is great to be able to do everyday what you love, and I am. I only hope to be able to one day have my shop and do this all the time. Thank you for listening to my story. Blissfully Yours, Tricia :) http://vintagebliss.typepad.com/