what's in a name?

Mick & Rita were my grandparents. 

My grandmother was Rita. She's someone that I hold in the highest regard and I aspire to be like in many ways. In addition to raising 7 children, she was an entrepreneur. She sewed with great skill, doing seamstress work for others out of her basement. People, from miles around, brought her furniture to re-upholster. She had an eye for furniture and a good deal, having no problem refinishing her purchases, if need be. If you ask my dad or any of my aunts & uncles about her, the phrase "there's nothing she couldn't do" gets tossed around a lot.

My grandfather was Wayne, but everyone called him Mick. He was a hard working man with a crooked grin and a sparkle in his eye. He had a soft spot for a good yard sale or auction. When I was a child, he'd knock on our door with cardboard soda flats filled with little trinkets and treasures that he'd picked up for pennies at an auction he attended every Tuesday morning. He could see the value in those old and forgotten cast iron cars, jars of beautiful marbles, and whittled wood figurines. He knew that he was making them "new" again by handing them to my sister and I.

I named this business venture after them because I feel like
they are the embodiment of what I hope to accomplish. I plan on taking my love for all things old and dusty and putting it to good use. By shining things up, sanding things down, and reimagining items, I plan on helping to find these relics new homes, where they will be appreciated and loved again.

And this all works out pretty nicely for me because there are few things that make me happier than spending my weekends digging though hayracks at estate sales or perusing the nearest antique flea, hunting for bargains and things that make my heart go pitter-patter. I'm hoping to get a jump on next spring's antique flea market season by compiling a good selection of furniture and home goods in need of some t.l.c. now, and working on cleaning them up over the winter. I'm hoping to get my feet wet as a vendor at my very first flea market show late next spring. Stay tuned for details!

That's the plan for now, at least. So if you want to keep up-to-date with my latest finds, or just want to follow along on my journey, this is the place to be. I hope this venture turns out to be something Grandma & Grandpa would be proud of.