Orphan Plates

Although china has not been a great seller for Booth 58, I cannot pass up a deal on a sweet dish. Plate, platters, and pieces of transferware are everywhere in my own home. Hung in most rooms, filling cabinets, holding odds and ends, everywhere you look are the signs of my obsession with plates. When I find a lonely, orphan piece at a tag sale, or Goodwill, I cannot leave it. In my mind, I try to justify why it needs to come home with me. Some of my friends have said it is O.K. to have sets of different dishes for different seasons..like fall dishes, ones for summer. But I am talking about just stray dishes, no mates, no way they will ever be a set. I am like a dish rescuer...it needs a home.

Now I am very picky about my dishes. They have to appeal to me, or be a piece of an obscure set I have started to collect...like my Homer Laughlin Valentine dishes, white with red trim and pastel flowers.
What? You didn't know it was O.K. to have Valentine dishes? Well, of course, it is. And I found the sugar bowl at a church rummage sale this past weekend....for fifty cents.

Scare on the Square

Mark you calendars for Friday, October 29th, 4-6 pm. Each year historic downtown McKinney hosts "Scare on the Square", a safe time for young children to dress up and visit the shopkeepers for treats. The streets are closed and the children can parade around town, collecting as many goodies as they can carry. In the past I have made the circuit accompanied by my own cowboys,a monkey, Mickey Mouse, several delightful fairies, a ballerina, and Buzz Lightyear. This year you will find me with a different crew ages 5,4,3,2, and new. We start out at 4 o'clock because it gets very crowded, very quickly. It is a delightful time to enjoy the streets of downtown with your own little goblins...or just come along and enjoy mine! Antique Company Mall will probably be open late that night..stop in and say hi.

Booth 58's New Helper

Another grandson has joined the entourage of little helpers at Booth 58. Although he hasn't ventured out to the Antique Company Mall yet, his brother and sister have pitched in to help out with the fluffing, restocking and sweeping. The grandparents are amazed at what cheerful helpers we have had the past two weeks, when they have accompanied us to the booth. Oldest Grandson loved helping sweep up the " paint crumbs" that appeared after moving the vintage furniture around. Granddaughter "fluffed" the pumpkin dolls in a little white rocker and serenaded customers with her lullabies. It won't be long before number 3 joins us in the fun! Welcome Aboard, little one....