Antique Road Trip

O'Neil's Antiques

I know when I set out to write this blog I wanted to focus on crafts, family, and life in NYC. Well I can't help it is my love of crafts and family are also tied into my love of travel. This Thursday (yes during the blizzard) my family and I started out on a road trip from New York to North Carolina to visit some family. Since the weather was bad we decided to drive about half way and spend the night near some of our favorite antique stores around the Delaware/Maryland border on Rt. 13. If you haven't figured it out already I am infinitely interested in tradition. I am a firm believer in understanding your roots before you can grow and spread your branches. So I guess it is no surprise that antique store amuse me. Walking through an antique store is like walking through a mini time capsule.

Loving all the books I found

One of our family's favorite antique stops is O'Neil's which is a few miles before you hit Maryand.  We have been coming here for years and absolutely love the big collections of estate jewelry, antique furniture, and treasures spanning a few centuries worth of nostalgia.  We were saddened to see that within the next few weeks the store will be closing.  The lovely couple who owns O'Neil's have decided after over 25 years they will be retiring.  On the bright side appointments can still be made to view their jewelry at their home.  Since everything was pretty much on clearance I went to work digging through each section looking for treasures. (Yes that is me sitting on the floor exploring craft books... the owners did say to make myself at home :)

Maybe I'm addicted, but at least its a healthy addiction

While there are so many beautiful things I would love to buy I decided I would focus this expedition on finding craft books, patterns, tools, and supplies.  I love looking through books to get ideas.  Many of the crafts I grew up with in my family seem to have faded as video games and computers have become the way to entertain so its pretty difficult sometimes to find resources.  Antique stores are a great place though to find these lost treasures.  Usually I feel lucky if I find a book or two but this trip I guess I was rewarded for braving the winter weather.  I  found so many craft resources that I actually had a hard time picking which books to buy and which I had to leave behind. With just two antique store stops I had literally piles of new craft goodies.  If you are looking for a cost effective place to load up on supplies antique stores, thrift shops, and yard sales are a good place to start.

Holding some of the new craft stash!

As for our followers, you can look forward to many new items in our Etsy Shop within the next few months.  The hardest part is going to be deciding where to start!  There are so many good ideas that inspire new items for my personal collection as well as the shop.  I even found some patterns I remember my Nannie working on when I was a little girl.  I love when we find little trinkets that remind us of our past.  Nannie was such an important part of why I am the crafter I am today so those things that remind me of her are extra special.  Antiquing turned out to be a successful part of the trip but we still had a few hours drive until we could begin our weekend getaway with some of our Southern relatives so we once again hit the road.  While flying is definitely a faster way to travel I wouldn't give up our road adventures for the world.  There is nothing like meeting new people, discovering hidden sight seeing gems, and spending time with your family.

We continued driving down south and decided to take a route that would bring us over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.  For those of you who have never traveled this strip it is a combination of tunnels and bridges with a beautiful view of the water.  We were lucky enough to hit it just as the sun was setting.  The view was so colorful that we decided we couldn't just quickly pass it by.  Instead we stopped at their rest area.  There is a restaurant there with water views as well as a gift shop and convenience area. It is also a great place to stop and take a few family photos or just enjoy the spectacular view.

After all the snow we have had in New York this year it was incredibly refreshing to stand by the ocean on a warm day, listen to the seagulls and the churning of the water, and watch the sunset.  On that note, I will update our readers next post on the rest of the trip!

A sunset so perfect it almost doesn't seem real

For Part II of our road trip adventures click here!

 

A weekend to recharge

Most of last week I had one of the worst head colds of my life.  I woke up Friday feeling a world better and decided it was a sign I should do something with my weekend.  As soon as I got out of work I hit the road and headed for my aunt's country getaway.  I had been resting all week, but I needed a different kind of rest.  Don't get me wrong, I love modern technology but there is something so alluring about disconnecting for a few days every now and again.  It takes a little getting use to but having no cell service isn't always a bad thing.  Not to mention the wide open space is a nice reprieve from my family's small NYC (yard lacking) apartment.  I try to get to the country as much as possible and spring with all the flowers and baby animals is a great time to visit.

The ride up was great and I even got to see a few little critters by the road.  I am a huge animal lover so even a little rabbit hopping along puts a huge smile on my face.  After the long drive I finally arrived and  every second in the car well worth it.  I am always amazed by how many stars twinkle in the country sky.  In New York City with all the lights we are lucky to see a handful on a clear night.  What a difference a few hours up north can make.      

Saturday morning I slept in, woke up to a great breakfast and then moved to my favorite spot, the porch.  I love sitting there drinking my coffee watching the birds, rabbits, fox, chipmunks, and even the occasional deer grazing on the lawn; all against the backdrop of the mountains.  This trip brought another beautiful surprise.  We have a new little visitor, Rush (as I named him) the hummingbird.  I have never seen one in person and to watch how these tiny little birds seemingly float, and then zip away is incredible.  He just kept buzzing past us all day long running for a quick snack before rushing off again.  If it wasn't for the buzz he made I wouldn't have known he was there half the time.

We ran into "town" to get a few things later in the day.  I discovered a few new antique stores that were already closed, but they are a must for my next trip up.  While I love the small organized commercial antique stores, there is something about the random "antique barn" you come across in the small country towns.  I love exploring the rooms upon rooms of random, unorganized, seemingly forgotten stuff.  When you find something you want, its like you personally discovered a treasure waiting to be taken home and brought back to life.

When we pulled up back at the house it had gotten much colder.  A group of clouds had rolled in and with the help of a beautiful big full moon they created ripples in different shades of blue across the sky. The picture does not do it justice but I thought I'd give you a glimpse.  The way the blues blended together inspired a new blanket idea.  I have a bunch of projects lined up but I'll let you know when the project is complete.  As for the rest of my trip, since Sunday meant a return to the city I tried my hardest to soak in enough country to hold me over until my next trip. I spent the rest of the night rocking on the porch wrapped in a blanket, enjoying some quality time with some people I love, and admiring the simple joys in life we so often are too busy to notice.   

  

From a simple string

I am blessed to have come from a family of inspired, creative individuals.  I am the oldest of five children and have a very large extended family.  They have taught me that there is something special about the sharing of handmade creations.  For generations we have passed down the skills and traditions of working with your hands to make unique creations.  The time we spend together creating has left me with many treasured memories.

While people often think a girl in her mid-twenties should not be as excited about crafts as I am, it truely is a part of who I am.  Time and again I find myself fascinated with how something small can become something magnificent... From a simple string of yarn comes a baby's first blanket, a scarf to keep you warm on winter adventures, or a washcloth used to care for your home.. perhaps most amazing is how a string of words can become a story.  Handcrafting is my family's story and each piece I make becomes apart of that.  I can only hope that the items I make and the stories I share can become something special for you and your family.

I am new to blogging so please bare with me as I learn and I will do my best to share stories, insights, and ideas with you.