Panache Store ~ St. Charles, Illinois...

After the Flea Market last Saturday, I stopped at "PANACHE" ~ a FaBulOuS store I have not yet been in, in St. Charles, Illinois... I was pleasantly surprised ~ there was a darling out-building that contained all sorts of ARCHITECTURAL SALVAGE!!! Although the pieces had a hefty price tag, I really enjoyed the eye-candy... The inside of the store was just as darling!!! - It reminded of me "Anthropologie" - my most favorite store!*!*! There was a mix of 2-die-for T-shirts ~ scarves ~ jewelry... Most of the display pieces were vintage... I definitely will go back when I have more cash in my pocket!*!*!*! (click on any picture to enlarge... To leave feedback - click on comments...)

FaBuLouS Architectural Header!!!
PeRfeCtLy ChiPPy!!!
~ I won't tell you if this one went home with me or not!~

Outdoor Shed ~ Picture does not do it justice...

Inside Shed...

I have such a weakness for "Architectural Salvage"!*!*!*

KANE COUNTY Flea Market - Illinois...

I drove to Illinois on Saturday to the KANE COUNTY FLEA MARKET - Just shy of a 3 hour drive for me... I knew this would probably be the last of the outdoor markets for this season... It was sooooo cold and windy... I had my "down coat" scarf, & gloves on... Lots of the vendors were displaying their Christmas items with the HoLiDaYs just around the corner... (click on pictures to enlarge... Click on comments to leave feedback...)

Iowa Junk Gypsies Booth...

This darling "Radiator" went home with me!!!!
It's going to be the main focus for my Christmas Vignette!!!

I Love ViNtaGe BLUE Items for Christmas!!! I always do our guest bedroom with them... It was refreshing to see this color display...

As I was hunting around in this lady's outdoor booth, I come to find SUE SHOPS AT ALL MY SALES IN CEDARBURG!!! ~ She even had one of my tables there in her booth from an '08 Fall SaLe!!! Sue & her husband are from Wisconsin - about 30 miles from us!!!

As always, I made a "pit-stop" at my dear friend, Terry's House before hitting the road back home... Terry lives less than 5 minutes from the fair grounds... We had a moment of fun with these witch hats blurred in the mirror on Halloween Day!!! Doesn't she have FABULOUS HAIR!!!!!

I decided to take the backroads home... It was just about dusk when I drove through LAKE GENEVA... It was sooooo beautiful... The road is right next to the water... In the winter it freezes over and cars drive on it...

Sweet "Aunt Loretta"...

My "just darling, sweet-sweet" Aunt Loretta passed away early Friday Morning at the the age of "97"... She was such a cutie!!! Almost always she would adorn herself with sweet little pins/brooches, along with matching earrings and handbag... - A real detail person!!! - I must take after her... She found fun in being a "Red Hat Lady" ~ LoVeD Pansies ~ Had seasonal displays on her door wherever she lived... Up until a couple years ago she still E-mailed me and did her own laundry... Her Singer Sewing Machine kept her busy with major alterations - zippers - hems - sleeves... She loved shopping at the "Turn Around Store" and would do alterations for both herself and others. She ALWAYS brought joy to others - had an amazing light spirit about her - always accepting the way things were and knowing that we're never given more than we can handle. Living so long she had a heart breaking family life - a husband with alzheimers for 8 years - and 2 daughters both dying from cancer - one just 2 weeks ago... In her 90's she had to move 4 times - so hard for an older person... With each move she would round up a volunteer or handyman to get her little furniture & wall hangings placed just right!! - Fussy like me!!! I think I took after her more than my own mother... I will truly miss her phone calls... She passed on in a season she loved - "Fall"...

RED HAT LADY...
I just LOVE this picture of Aunt Loretta in her RED HAT!!! Most certainly she was having fun with the girls!*!*!*!

I had postage stamps made for her with the Special Red Hat PICTURE!!! photo.stamps.com I mailed them to her using the stamps"... They stirred up quite a conversation!!! I will treasure the letters she sent to me with these stamps... Look at her beautiful handwriting...

Aunt Loretta & Me... Look at her cute "Pansy Pin"!!!

A Fall Visit to Cedarburg... Aunt Loretta in her PLAID FALL PONCHO!!!

FALL was one of Aunt Loretta's favorite seasons... Each year I would send her a box full of "Bittersweet Berries" for her to decorate with. We both looked forward to this harvest... Oddly enough, we do not have any growing on our property... I have a secret hiding places along the wooded railroad tracks where I would get them...

MYSTERY PACKAGE... Just a week ago on our doorstep I received a "Mystery Package" addressed just to me - It had 2 LIVE BITTERSWEET PLANTS - male and female... THERE WAS NO SENDER'S NAME ON THE BOX - just the company name where it came from in Michigan... Somehow I think it was her that sent them...



Jeff and I planted the bittersweet and tagged them with orange ribbons so we can recognize them in spring... Whether they were sent by Aunt Loretta or not, they will bring a smile to my face come Fall, as I fondly think of her and our love for the season and each other... "Bittersweet"...

~AUNT LORETTA~

It's PuMpKiN Time**!**!**!

Wisconsin's weather is PeRfeCt for PUMPKIN GROWING!!! Our quaint Historic Town is getting ready for it's annual "Pumpkin Walk" ~ tomorrow night ~ on "HaLLoWeeN... Hopefully I'll be home in time to see them ALL a glow!!! ~ I'm headed out early in the morning to Kane County Flea Market in Illinois ~ YES**!**!**! I'll be wearing my "down" jacket...

These pumpkins line our winding driveway from mid-September till Halloween...
I pile the left-over ORANGE ones by the cornstalks through Thanksgiving Day...

LoVe My "Owl"**!**!**!

The leaves are falling like CrAzY right now!!! As I drove in the driveway yesterday, my vintage concrete "Owl-In-The-Bird Bath" greeted me... I really don't think he gives a hoot!!!

Funny story about this Bird Bath ~ just a few weeks ago, Mel our mailman was backing up out of the driveway - hit the bird bath and sent it over the edge of our retaining wall OMG!**!**!
Amazingly ~ it has survived with only a large hairline crack... Hope it fairs well over the winter... (click to enlarge photos...)

ChiPPy!-SHaBBy! Crusty Old Paint!*!*!

As I prepare to "nest" for the long winter months ahead, one of the first things brought inside are my cement/concrete planters... Most of them get stored in the garage, but a select few ~ that have weathered to a FaBuLouS PATINA over the summer months - get used inside the house...

This AwEsoMe Planter found the PeRfeCt Place in the "Guest Bedroom"...
I've loaded it with "Rose Hips" that I picked up at our local Maxwell Street Flea Market some weeks ago... PeRfeCt for our ThAnKsGiVinG Holiday Guests!!!

Close-Up of the "Rose Hips"... I'm always sorry if I don't buy them at the early October Flea Market... JoAnn, the seller, ALWAYS has them for sale then... They make for such nice color at ThAnKsGiVinG Time!*!*!

"PeRfeCtLy ChiPPy" ~ Crusty Old Paint Patina!!!
This planter has probably seen the last of "outdoor" use... It is now aged to perfection!*!*!*!

BeSt Ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mineral Point ~ Wisconsin...

Less than a week ago Jeff & I made a stop in MINERAL POINT - WISCONSIN... In years past we would always make a yearly stop there & do some great antiquing... I still have some favorite pieces I've gotten from there... Things have changed ~ almost all of the antique shops are now gone... It's sad... This small town has incredible architecture and historic sites. The building are made of local stone...

The store was closed ~ as many times before... Window peeking was fun though!!! We heard from another shop keeper that their basement is packed full with fabulous architectural salvage and antiques - they demolish building as part of their business...

We got exited when we saw the OPEN sign - you never know what one might find!!!
Unfortunately, mostly "small brown stuff"... We walked out empty handed...

Incredible Stone...

Halloween up in the widow's walk!!!