Back to Smithfield…

If you read my last post, “I Took a Day Off,” you will know that my friend Chris and I made a little jaunt to Smithfield, VA last week.  It is the home of the:

When I left off, we had toddled off to have lunch after a lovely morning spent nosing around some of our favorite haunts.  So after we finished, we made a beeline for some of the antiques shops along Main Street.  Our destination was Return Engagements and we popped in a couple of other places on the way there.

Apparently I was stupefied from our big lunch because I forgot to take any pictures to show you.  Return Engagements Antique Gallery is in a building listed on the National Historic Register. Built in 1826, it was known as Atkinson Storehouse and is constructed of handmade Virginia bricks. The building was used to store dry goods and crops such as peanuts.  It has three whole floors of great vintage stuff to rummage through.  It is owned by Carla Mingee. Carla is another one of those angels whom I have had the good fortune to have come into my life.  Last Fall, knowing what I do, she introduced me to a collector who wanted to divest herself of some of her enormous vintage Christmas collection.  Now this lady has previously supplied Return Engagements with Christmas ornaments that Carla has sold in her shop.  But instead of taking them for her own shop last autumn, Carla sent her to me.  How nice is that?

But it doesn’t stop there.  Recently, Carla let me know that she had a bag full or ornaments for me.  Well, I thought that was very nice and I was anxious to see what she might have for me to buy.  And then she told me that it was a GIFT!  

Here is my bag of goodies.  I just know there is going to be some very cool stuff in there.  I mean look at that wonderful angel on top!  She may be a little distressed now but she will have a glamorous resurrection once I am finished with her.

Of course, I found some wonderful little treasures to buy there, too.

And here they are.  Look at that great little diorama ornament with Santa coming out of it!  I love the boot, too – so cute.  Can you make out the glass Indian Chief?  He is pretty unusual.  I can’t wait to get busy making something with these!

Oh, and I forgot to mention that  Carla and I have never actually even met each other!  She was not in the shop the day we stopped in.  The kindness of strangers.  I am so lucky.

Think I’ll head on out to the workshop now.  Thanks for stopping by!