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Customer Creations Spotlight Jack Wright from Exit Zero!

If any of you have ever traveled to Cape May, NJ  I am sure you have easily stumbled across an Exit Zero Magazine.  All of the happenings and places to be and be seen with are in this publication.   We had a visit from its editor/publisher Jack Wright.  Jack purchased these great over sized barn slider doors for his home but ended up using the barn doors (for now) in his shop. Jack says one day they will get into his house, but for now, in his words, they make for the most awesome artwork display.   Jack attached both doors to a ceiling beam in order to create two walls on the second floor of the shop, attaching them to the balcony.   I love the look and the creation of an instant display area.  Thanks for the photos Jack!  Suzanne

Customer Creations of the Day, Joanne Logan's Decorative Fence Garden Plot!

Joanne was perusing Picker's Field in the Spring and found this nice piece of fencing.  A short time later she shared with us the finished product.   She and her husband mounted the gate to 2 posts and surrounded the garden plot with nice blocks to trim out the area and added some annuals.  I am sure the annuals have filled the space by now.  The other neat thing they did was add solar lighting to the tops of the posts with decorative stained glass.  Looks great.  I know Joanne loves it.  Thanks for the photos.  Suzanne

Customer Creation of the Day, Sue Winston's Candle Holders!

What can you do with a bunch of rusty bed springs?  Well, here is what Sue Winston did and they came beautiful.  Sue shared with us the finished product created from the bed springs she purchased at the Royal Port recently.  After applying boiled linseed oil to the bed springs to remove the rust, Sue anchored the two bottom coils of each spring together with a small loop of wire to stabilize the pieces.  Then she added a candle in a glass holder to each coil.  Simple, unique, and fun.  Sue commented that they make for some interesting dinner conversation!  Thanks for sharing your finished product.  Suzanne

 

 

More than a Customer Creations Post! A nice Family Story!

Lisa Mutter stopped by and found an old Bond Bread box that she thought her husband would love.  She shared with us the story of her husband's Dad.  His Dad worked as a Bond Delivery Man.  Lisa purchased the box and sent me this great photo from 1949 of her husband's dad standing by his Bond Bread delivery truck.    In the photo you can see the wood bread boxes stacked inside the truck.  Her husband was so happy with this find since his dad passed away when he was 7 years old. This kind of thing helps him to connect to the dad that he lost so young.  The box is residing in Mike's hide-a-way attic tent.  You may be saying what is a hide-a-way attic tent?  Lisa had told me about this months ago.  I was curious to see that too.  She sent a great photo of the box in its new home in the tented attic.  I am in love with this idea.  What a great space to relax and enjoy things that make you happy.  I think I need one of these spaces.  If you see a tent pop up in the attic of the shop just ignore it!!!  Thank you Lisa & Mike for sharing your story and the photos of the hide-a-way attic tent!  Suzanne

Customer Creation of the Day features Susan from the Dutch Rose Antiques!

On their last trip through Susan and her husband Tyler from the Dutch Rose Antiques, Cape May Courthouse purchased a few tin trays from our Weber's Candy Collection to use for a show.  Susan was showcasing a new line of handmade soaps in her booth and sent me this photo from the show.  The trays were a perfect size and the display is beautiful.  Thank you Susan for sharing the photo.  Suzanne

Customer Creations Week Is Off to a Great Start! Tabitha Hill from Fresh Dirt Photography Starts us off!

Tabitha Hill from Fresh Dirt Photography is our first featured creator for the week.  Tabitha is a beautiful photographer that pops in from time to time to borrow and purchase items to use in her photographs.   When she came in a few weeks ago for a door with a window we asked "what for" ?  She said for a Country Door Photo Booth.  It was perfect!  Tabitha used it to photograph the Hill Wedding at their Country Wedding at Auburn Winery.  What a beautiful setting and what a creative idea.  Thanks to the Hills for allowing me to share their beautiful photo.  Suzanne

Customer Creations Spotlight Mark Bair's Carvings!

Carver and Artist Mark Bair creates one of a kind fish and whale carvings incorporated with found objects and copper work.   He has them beautifully displayed on early paneled doors that he purchased from the Royal Port.   The doors are a perfect backdrop for Mark's incredible carvings and copper work.  Thanks Mark for sharing your photos.  Suzanne

Customer Creations Spotlight Tom and Trisha Valcich's Shutters Headboard!

Tom & Trish Valcich have been in our Customer Creations spotlight before.  They love to use architectural elements in their home.  There are photos in our Customer Creations Album from their home.  Tom & Trish purchased these late 18th century paneled shutters from our shop and used them to create this beautiful headboard.  They retain some of their original finish and look perfect against the beautiful colors used for the walls and linens.  Thanks again for sharing your creative ideas.  Great job! Suzanne

Customer Creations Spotlight Kristina Zito's Corbels Table!

Kristina Zito is our Customer Creations spotlight of the day.  Kristina wanted to create a table using a round vent she had found a few years ago.  She was excited to find 3 matching decorative corbels from our shop.  She hinged the corbels together with rubbed oil hinges and then attached the round vent.  Then she added a round piece of glass over the vent.   All of the pieces fit together perfectly.  As Kristina put it, " Voila, a unique table for my porch or wherever I decide to use it!"   It's all about recycling, creating and reusing!!  Thanks Kristina!  Suzanne  

 

Royal Port Weighs in on Country Living Magazine's Predictions of the Next Big Collectibles!

When we received the latest edition of Country Living I noticed it was the issue that focused on the next big collectibles.  Make sure you check it out and see how we compare.  I always like seeing what is hot! I also like to see if we are keeping up with the times!  Mike, Sam & I try to stay hip and trendy!!  Some of their 7 categories seem to fit right in with our inventory at the Royal Port.  Category one is Wooden Sock Darners as well as Sewing Accessories.  That has always been a love of mine.  Our photo captures a few of our darning eggs along with a beautifully done quilt patch and some handmade spools.  A nice collection that is reasonably priced for any collector.  Our shop is full of many sewing and weaving items from various time periods.  Category two falls into an area that for those of you that know us is right up our alley, Iron Farm Tools.  I took a quirky photo of some of our small items but have you seen the latest iron hay lifter on our  porch.  I love it.   For Mike, the rustier the better!  So I think we rock in that category!  Category three is another favorite of ours, the Factory Cart.  Industrial salvage is very hot right now.  The factory carts are a perfect fit in our Feed Mill environment.  Our architectural inventory looks right at home on the carts throughout  the shop.  It helps create nice vignettes of various types of inventory.  The same is true in using them as a coffee table to display personal collections and create your own unique space.  Category four is Educational Ephemera such as diplomas and class photos.  My favorites are the early group class photos in front of the early schoolhouses.  I am always on the hunt for them.   I love them for the history of the architecture, as well as the clothing and styles of the time.   We love Category five, Graphic Signage.  This includes advertisements and road signs with great graphics to create unique wall art.   We have had so many terrific signs over the past 17 years come and go from the shop.  I had to add a photo of our huge directional arrow.  Can't miss that one!  Well we fell a bit short on Category six,  Natural Curiosities.  This would be in the Taxidermy department.  We actually did sell an early duck recently but it isn't really our department!  Finally, Category seven is mother of pearl flatware.  They are beautiful.  We look for early flatware including the mother of pearl.   We currently have a few settings of wood and metal but fall short on this category.  I will keep my eye out for mother of pearl.  Well I think we did well in 5 of the 7 categories.  Not too shabby!  Keep us on your list for places to go to keep up with the latest trends.  We have lots of other categories that fill our shop daily.  Stop by and take a look!   See you soon.  Suzanne