It's that time of year...the ghosts and goblins are gearing up for a night of candy and fun. Costumes and jack o'lanterns have been around for hundreds of years, and they range from sweet and simple to creepy and macabre. If this is your favorite holiday, you may already have a collection of vintage Halloween decor, but whether you do or don't, here's a quick guide to collecting, displaying and storing those pieces from the past.

Yes, you read that right: five GREAT reasons you should NEVER buy vintage furniture. And as the owner of a vintage furniture shop, I should know the whys and the why-nots of buying these pieces more than anyone, right?

After decades of buying and refinishing vintage furniture, I've learned the pros AND the cons of vintage furniture and decor. So are you ready to hear the truth about buying vintage? 

There are many ways to pick vintage and antique pieces including your family's attics and basements, auctions, and estate and tag sales. But a good flea market can be a great picking place....and one of the best flea markets in the country is just a stone's throw away.

And they are fixing to re-open this weekend.  So have you ever been to the #NashFlea? Here are three tips we've learned over the years that will help you navigate a flea market like a pro.

We have offered barn quilt paint classes since we opened. Over the years, students have painted everything from Christmas trees to Tennessee tri stars, flowers and hummingbirds to snowflakes, and everything in between.

​But no matter how many of these classes we hold, we still get quizzical looks from some people when we mention the term "barn quilt."

It's spring...at least in the South: we've sprung forward an hour, we've celebrated the vernal equinox, and most of the flowering bushes and trees are bursting forth. And of course, Easter is on its way.

​We love this holiday for many reasons, not the least of which is the tradition of filling baskets with goodies, whether for our children, grand-babies, or even our fur-babies.

But where did this tradition come from? And what's in YOUR Easter basket this year?

On March 17, 2017, we officially opened our doors for business and held our grand opening weekend, welcoming old and new friends and customers. Less than a year later, we expanded into the rest of the little log cabin. Fast-forward to last March, and we found ourselves moving into a larger space just a mile down the road.

​But before we plunge into our fifth year, we compiled a little retrospective on where we started and how far we've come. 

If you've seen American Pickers, you know how Mike and Frank scour the countryside for vintage and antique finds. Their travels have taken them to far-flung places across many  states.

​In case you didn't know, Mike has become a bona fide Tennessean, with a residence in Leiper's Fork, Tennessee and he's often spotted hanging out with our friends at Blue 32 in Columbia.

So how did Sherri and I get started picking? And do we pick like the American Pickers? And where can YOU find great picking spots?  

The obvious answer: you haul it home, of course.

If you know me, you know I have a thing for anything with drawers and cubbies - the more, the better. (And a rather serious vintage mixing bowl fetish....but that's another story.) I've traveled hither and yon across the mid-state for card catalogs, usually just the 18-drawer stacking cabinets. hefty, but manageable, especially if you remove the drawers.

​Last week, a grand-daddy of a cabinet came my way, and to be honest, I'm still not sure how two of us actually loaded it in my Armada.

Adrenaline, baby. Now the question is, what to do with this 400-pound beast?

When we moved our shop to a new location (in the middle of a pandemic!!!) we found ourselves faced with dozens of decisions. One seemingly minor (but also major) decision was how to decorate the three entrances across the front of our building.

Those entrances offer passersby a glimpse into our interior space, so we wanted to make sure they are always attractive and special, and they give you a hint as to what fun finds are within our doors. With a plethora of faux flowers and foliage to choose from, somehow the olive leaves and branches felt "right." 

We know there's still a week until we raise a toast to usher in the new year, but there's no time like the present to consider your goals, intentions and resolutions for 2020.  And we'd love to hear them!

We searched high and low, and we've rounded up a dozen of our favorite resolutions for homebodies. Several of these are on our list...are any on your list?  (Do you make a list?) ​