Northern Neck Creative Mecca

When we first started our shop several years ago, we had a guy come in and look at our jewelry and some loose stones that we had. It got to the point that we called him by name and we became friends. Stephen Redd is an interesting character. He is unique in his looks. At first sight you would say that he was an aging Hippy, or even an Mountain man. Stephen in spite of his long hair and flip flops is a real gentleman in the best sense of the word. He is a kind and gentle person who takes care of his aging mother. He is talented as well.

He is our local silversmith making bracelets, ear rings, and pendants out of silver, copper, and stones that he hunts and either facets or polishes. We have his hand made pieces in our shop for sale.

Stephen also writes articles every week for the local paper "the Rappahanock Record." This is a once a week local paper for Kilmarnock and the Northern Neck of Va. He writes about what happen a 100 years ago on that particular week. His family have been here for generations, and he says that it is fun to find things that mention his own family.

Variations in the Northern Neck

Robert Goolrick has been a familiar face in town and in our shop. He seems to delight in whimsy. Last year he just had to have a coffee table that had been made of an old wooden rocking horse from the nineteenth century. The photo above gives us a picture both, of Mr. Goolrick and of a wooded area in the Northern Neck. No one knew that our friend, who pops into the shop to look and visit, was an author of two very good and popular books. His first, "The End of the World as We Know It," is a self revealing story of a tortured childhood surrounded by a "proper" southern family. Writing this book has helped to free him from his past.

His second book is a novel, "A Reliable Wife," a murder mystery that takes place in Wisconsin in the early part of the 20th century. It has been a number one best seller and on the new york times best seller list for the last 32 weeks. It is masterfully written starting out more traditionally and building into an exciting and different approach to a murder mystery.

Now our friend's fanciful side comes out yet again. He has bid on and would like the dog that we designed for the local Animal Welfare Group. Good luck on acquiring Flash! Thanks from all of us.

POST NOTE:       
The day of the auction our friend won the super dog flash, who will be going to a great home!

Danielle Grinnen of Deliante Designs

We have so many talented people in the Northern neck of Va.. This morning we ran out of COFFEE, OH NO! So we went to our local coffee shop Charlotte's for breakfast.  Who can cook without coffee?  Not me.  While we were having coffee and one of her delicious bagels with cream cheese and bacon, Danielle came in with her baby and little girl.  We met Danielle several years ago.  Just as she began her Rug business.  It has been exciting to see it grow.

It is truly exciting to be in a small rural area where there is so many creative things happening. With the use of the web you no longer have to be in the BIG CITY to do great things. Danielle turned her Paintings into designs for her rugs.  Having talent like Danielle's and the desire to create and to produce your art can happen any where.  Hooray for Danielle and for her wonderful rugs and for her fight against child labor that the sales of these rugs make possible.

You Never Know

I have a very good friend in town whose father it turns out was a well known German Sculptor. He worked in bronze and his sculptures were all based on the human form. To visit her home is to experience life in a sculpture garden. Delights at every turn.
He wrote about his feelings about life and sculpture in an article printed in England. In his sculptures he tried to connect the humane aspect and the spiritual aspect of man. He believed that the true dimension of life lay beyond our material life. therefore there need be a connection between art and religion. He seemed to be a man of great faith.
He is to Germany what Henry Moore is to England. It is a privilege to know of this remarkable human being, whose daughter holds him in such honor.

summer time

It has been way hot this summer. Makes one think about cooling off.  For some strange reason we got on a ice bucket buying binge.  We had the Arthur Court Champagne Cooler Rabbit, looks like something out of the Danny Darko movie. This week we purchased 5 ice buckets.  We found a two Lucite ones one with ice cube shapes as a handle.  A Dansk Ice bucket made of teak. We had not realized how much these older Dansk pieces bring.  One like this listed on 1stdibs for $600.  Who would have know years ago.


The Lucite Ice Bucket below resembles the one we found.  It has a swivel lid. Another unusual ice bucket is brass with a Lucite handle and a mercury glass liner.  Another was a glass basket with bumps and lines and a metal handle.  It is interesting how some days you have runs on things both in the items you find, and the items you sell.  Another coincidence is when someone expresses an interest in an item. Out of the hundreds of items in a shop that item will immediately be of interest to a great number of other people.  When an item sells you will have several people come in wanting the same item.  Years ago we had a large fiber glass rhino head.  It was from a movie set.  We got it to get people talking about us.  The day we sold the Rhino head, 3 people came in wanting it, including an architect who came in to look at it to design a room around it.,  We never thought we'd ever sell that thing we just thought it would be a draw.

Chris Trimble on the web

It's about time that Chris, who deals in 18thc and 19thc antiques, has made it into the twenty first century. He has done this with a real bang. You can see most of his shop, Trimble's Tavern by clicking here.



Chris discovered a love of History when he took 5th grade history at Walsingham Academy, in Williamsburg Va. Living close to where history actually took place did a lot to fire his imagination. We lived on Hickory Signpost Road. Some say that this road was the route that the Indian boy, Chanco, took to warn the settlers in Jamestown about an Indian Massacre. The boys were able to ride their bikes to Williamsburg and to the Jamestown ferry to Surry County. One of our friends gave Chris several military patches. He was hooked on collecting. For years he specialized in military antiques.



As you'll be able to see from his site, he still has some nice relics from the Civil war. His grandfather had Auslew Gallery in Norfolk, so he also has a love for paintings. His father runs The Trimble Collection in the Kingsmill shops in Williamsburg.

Strange sights on the road

Well....He's on the road again! This time taking along a friend. It's more fun with friends.



Lewis sends back unusual things he sees along the road. Here is a photo of a TRUCK? carrying what I do not know. It looks almost like a strange caterpillar crawling up a hill. It is amazing what things you see on the road.

Stonehenge or Foamhenge

Below is a funny sign warning you not to deface the monument......I wouldn't! Would you?




Stonehenge or Foamhenge, that is the question. So if you can't make it to Stonehenge maybe you should try the alternate on this continent Foamhenge. Located near the Natural Bridge of Virginia. This is eerily like the original. Unfortunately the architect of this monument had a castle like studio not far away and some overly zealous people burned it thinking that foamhedge was an embodiment of evil. So much for creativity and live and let live. Some people need to get a life.



Below is Merlin the magician his face is said to be cast from a friend of the artist who has deceased, he thought that his friend look like Merlin should have looked.




Yes, the same Natural Bridge that Washington surveyed, and was owned at one point by Thomas Jefferson. The bridge has been listed as one of the natural wonders of the world. Unfortunately it did not become a state park and was up for sale in 2007 for a mere $32,000,500.00. I couldn't find out if it sold, so if you have a little cash lying around and want to do some thing great buy the property and start a state park. I went to Natural Bridge as an eight year old child. The hotel was wonderful and the only draw was the bridge itself. I must say I was appalled at the commercialization of the property, when I went back years later. Below is an oil painting by Edward Church of the Natural bridge.

On the Road again / Sidewalk sale results

Ever Since we got our van last year any excuse for a buying trip is a good excuse. This time Lewis is heading to the western part of the state. Our outside sale ended up to be a nice event up and down the street with 3 shops participating. Another neighbor came over and suggested that we do this at least once a month in good weather.

Sidewalk sales are great for clearing some room in the shop. If you catch Lewis in the right mood you might just get a really good deal. Over the last year we have gone through some changes and some of our older items don't blend as well with some of our newer ideas. So clearing certain items out, and bringing in more of our style is good.

Look for more sidewalk sales. Maybe I'll post some of our super buys on the blog.