Re-exploring Key West

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Tick Tock Clock Shop

A yahoo group that I belong to, Quarter Connection, has been having a challenge this year to finish a project once a month.   As you know, I have done several and have met my challenge each month.   In July, I said I would build the building for my Tick Tock Clock Shop and in August I would do all the furnishings and clocks.   Well, it's done and it is really cute.   I love the scale and I love the fact that the shop is lighted.

The first two pictures are the clocks and shop in a box.     A little daunting.


 
July's challenge got the shop finished. 


 The August challenge got the shop filled with the furniture and the clocks. 
 There were lots of clocks  
 
Made for one very cute shop.  

On to September challenge.    

This is really a great challenge.   Lots of unfinished items, now finished.  

Friday, August 23, 2013

Old Bones Antiques - Fuel for the Collector

As you know, I love my stuff.   Key West is an interesting place to live but if you are an antiquer or junker, it's been slim pickins for awhile.   Hurricane Wilma in 2005 cleaned out so much stuff.   When people throw out all their old stuff and the insurance proceeds pays for replacements, there aren't things going on the resale market.   When you lose collectibles thru rust (salt water certainly damages metal) and water damage and they are lost forever; it takes a long time until things build back up and hit the market.

Well, recently I discovered a new shop   (I don't know how long it's been there, but new to me) and I LOVE IT!  Old Bones Antiques and Local Art.    It is a very great shop with lots and lots of things in it.   You have to look at everything because it is jammed packed full and I love that in a store.      It's nearly at the corner of Fleming and Grinnel Streets in Key West.  




Monday, August 12, 2013

Hoarding or Collecting

If you have been following me for awhile, you know I like my stuff.    I love yard sales and I am quite experienced on EBay and Etsy.   I do lots of swaps and have  TONS of miniatures, lots of ATCs (Artist Trading Cards) and now I am doing charms for charm bracelets.     I have a small house (about 1600 square feet); the house was smaller when we bought it, about 1200 square feet but we enclosed a porch that added to the space and gave us a TV room and eventually for me a little art studio space.

Now why would I bring this up.   One of my friend has apparently been mentioning my acquisition tales to her friend.   It just so happens that her friend owned this house quite a few years ago.   Her friend  asked "Is Sheila a  Hoarder?"    My friend was adamant that NO, she organizes her stuff.  

Now what do I consider a hoarder.   I know there is a technical definition, but I believe a hoarder puts their health and safety along with the health and safety of their family at risk.   I don't do that.   Have I mentioned that my husband runs his business out of our home and has clients showing up all day.    It would be a severe problem if his clients couldn't get into the house. 

Now, what is a collector.   In my opinion, it's someone who collects items that complement a larger grouping of the same and/or similar items.   Generally, and certainly in my collections, it is someone who purges their collections from time to time to improve the quality of the collection.   

I collect Raggedy Ann's Here , snowmen Here,   doll chairs Here, dollhouses Here, elephants Here  and probably a lot of other stuff that I forget from time to time.  Here's a picture of one half of my living room (the other half is my husband's office)   Here

I don't understand people who don't collect things.   I collect lots of things and my life is always interesting.   Never confuse a Collector for a Hoarder.  

I'm giving you a little link to a YouTube video.   My sister tipped me off to this video.   She thinks I must have been that way as a child because I've always liked my stuff.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg&feature=player_embedded