Where have you been??

   I have been getting lots of emails as of late wondering where I have been, as I have not added a  new blog post for awhile. I am so sorry I just left everybody hanging. I have  had a little burn out, to much going on and things that had to be done first. First off, I hate the new Blogger stuff, I was so used to the old and it was so easy. I live in an 165 year old house, I do not except change very well. I promise I will try harder. Second, the building where I have my antique and gift shop, Richard's Great Stuff, is being auctioned off. The owner is from out of town and he is tired of the trouble and wants to make his life simpler. Well, made mine a mess. I have found a new building, just across the street. It is twice as big as the one I have. I  am going to do a antique mall of sorts. I will have 6 to 7 dealers beside myself. I am excited, scared and worried all at the same time. I am a control freak, and I can not control what people put in there dealer spaces. I may need a straight jacket. Time will tell. I just hope we all can get along, sell and be happy. Times are tough in this old world we live in. The economy is very bad and I think might, could, will, get worse. Antiques are not as popular as there once were. They younger generations coming along could care less. They only want cell phones and electronic games and things. I have never had a cell phone, probably never will. I have no desire or need to. I despise them when people come into the shop and talk on them and  distract everyone.  Very few people are that business that they need a phone shewn to there ear. It is so expensive and all the welfare and low income peoples of the world all have them, talk on then endlessly. They have to be using up all there income. I say, how can they afford them?None of my business, thank goodness.I don't often get fired up, and I had better back off now before it gets worse.
   I have a friend who lost his mother and she had a lot of pretty antiques. She bought a lot of them from me. He wants me to do an estate sale for him. That is another thing I am working on along with a move. The new building needed a lot of cleaning and painting. I have that mostly under control and the new venders are starting to move in tomorrow.
   I have been trying to promote, My Old Historic House. It cost a lot to run it and keep it up. I give tours and rent for parties and functions. I am starting to get a lot of takers. This is wonderful, but at the same time, so much work. Do you know what it is like to clean that place??? I have downsized the gardens until they are very simple. Still there is mowing, weeds and so forth and so on. I guess what I am trying to say, retirement is very busy.
   I just wanted to say to all my blogger friends. I do love you and enjoy hearing from you. I promise I will get back at this as soon as I am settled in the new space. I have lots to share, projects and  events. Stand by, hold on and be patient, cause I'll be back.
   Love a best wishes from  my Blog to yours and Sissy kisses for all. Come anytime. I will always leave the lights on and there is always something to do. Hope you all are having a beautiful summer.
                 Richard

Glue Gun Creation

    Here is a little project I made in two hours the other day. I am working on a special store display.

I used a dress form, glue gun, safety pins and staples.

I finished with a short sash and vintage broach

I used this stitched lace from India

Hand made cloth flower shoulder corsage

I covered the top of the dress form with faux pearl

Diva Day Brunch

 My Home Town, Clarksville,Mo.  about 70 miles from St.Louis and a few miles from no where ,is a small town of 436 people ,and it is nestled on the banks of the Mighty Mississippi River. We are a Historic Town, founded in 1817. It was named after the famous explorer, Clark from the team of Lewis and Clark. My house, The 1845 Historic Elgin/Cottrell House Museum is the oldest and grandest in this small town. It was built by Hazekiah Elgin  whose ancestors came  to America on the Mayflowe,.  and  fought in the Revolutionary  War with George Washington.
    We depend so much on Tourist to support out town. We have several antique shops and a large array  of resident Artist, galleries and Studios.  We have several festivals and events each year ,in hopes to bring tourist to out town. One event is Diva Day. It is an event designed to pamper women. Free gifts, t-shirts and Diva shopping bags are given as prizes. Woman are invited to come and hopefully shop. Today is Diva Day. A member of the local Chamber Of Commerce  hosted a kick off brunch at my house this morning. His hope was to bring people to do Diva day and  tour my  house. Each person was asked to give donation for a beautiful brunch and endless mimosas. We had a nice turn out. People enjoyed the food, drink tour and companionship.
   I used a lot of silver and crystal on the table. Garden flowers were everywhere, Some people dressed in period dresses, which added to the fun of the event. I had to get up at 5:00 this morning to  get it all ready. I think the table and the food were simply Divine.When every one left I had to run and open the shop.
   I wish you all could come and have a mimosas and some brunch. I will leave the lights on and of course, Sissy Dog will meet you with a jump and a kiss.
      BE A DIVA !.

Diva Day Kick Off Lunch.

Diva Day Kick Off Brunch Table Setting.

Two pretty ladies all done up in period dress.

   Today in Clarksville, MIssouri, my home town, was Diva Days. A special day for Divas to come shop, eat and play. Hopefully, most of all shop.Of course, men are welcomed as well. So far we have had mostly ladies.  This event is  hosted by our very active Art Guild. One member planned and  hosted a kick off  Diva Day brunch at my house.. He is very computer smart  and send out the invitations and got RSVP's all on the computer.  A donation was charged and we served Mimosas and all type of good food. The cost of the food was covered and I made  some money, which was good as I worked hours and hours on this event. Took parts of three days to do the shopping, get all the table ware out and make  the food. I have to go home now after work and clean it all up and put everything away.

Lots of pretty spring garden flowers dressed up the brunch table.

A good health brunch 

Some of the nice guest.

      I used a lot of silver and crystal and blue and white china. I even ironed the antique white linen napkins. We had  a nice turn out, considering it started at 8:00 AM. Every one was so nice and a couple of ladies actually wore Victorian white dresses. After the brunch I gave every one a tour of the house. One lady even played the piano for us. The weather was beautiful
     I wish you all could come and take a tour or have a brunch. I will leave the lights on and Sissy Dog will meet you with a jump and a kiss. "BE A DIVA!"

More guest enjoy the brunch

She fits right in.

What the hell?

I did a blog about these pictures yesterday. I had a bus tour come and tour, My Old Historic House. i did not save it and some how I deleted it by accident. Sorry, thanks as usual for stopping by.

After the tour of the house I got on the tour bus and took them on a tour of our little part of the world. They all seemed to really ejoy it all. Thanks for stopping by, sorry I lost the original post, somehow, with this new blogger layout. Bring the old one back, PLEASE!

  Sorry about the bad language. I am having all kind of  problems trying to figure out how to use the new Blogger layout. I say if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Why may I ask, would they go and do this and make it so hard to figure out??? Please go back to the old way, the one that was so easy and I knew how to do it!!!Richard from My Old Historic House.
   Some how, while trying to figure this mess out I deleted the last two post. Sorry. I don't even know how I did it and I sure don't know why all these empty post keep popping up. Help me! Richard from My Old Historic House

Resurrected from the Graveyard.

This is it, in all it's damaged glory. Do you think I can fix it?

Here it is. I still need to add some gimp around the edges of the fabric to cover the tacks. But I think it turned out sweet.I have to go somewhere to find the trim. I live in a small town, 450 people, in the middle of no where, so can't buy any trim here.

   Last May 2, 2011, I did a post about my wicker furniture obsession. I have a problem, when I see a piece I want to adopt it. I have been much better as of late, as I a really have no room for any more, anything. In the post last year, I mentioned  that my basement is a graveyard of wicker. I have pieces that need help down there. I keep thinking I will find some one to repair it. Better yet, I keep thinking I will have money to have it repaired. A lot of it was damaged in the 2008 flood. It was on my front porch and the nice people who came to help were a little to much for it. I should have moved it, but wanted a place for people to set while helping. So after the flood, to the basement it went. To tell the truth, I forget that it is there. I had a pipe bust this week and when I went down to the basement to see what was going on, there was all that wicker. When the plumber even commented on it, I thought it was time to do something about it.

This is the wicker graveyard in my basement. I have a few weeks  projects ahead of me. 

   I picked out one of the little corner chairs that I am really fond of. I carried it up and brought it to my shop. I told myself ,I know you can fix this chair. So I laid into it. This is the finished product. I am starting another one tomorrow. I think it turned out pretty good. I have placed it in my bed room, where there are lots of other Victorian pieces. I have found that these Victorian pieces are too fragile to be outside and take a lot of weather and abuse.  I had no ideal what to do about the woven seat, so I just covered it instead. Kind of a cop out, but at least  it is presentable.
    I hope you enjoyed this journey. Come anytime and take a real tour. I always have the lights on and Sissy Dog will mostly surely meet you with a jump and a kiss. Heck I will even invite you into my bed room, where we can set a spell and enjoy the wicker. I can just see all these pieces in a garden for a wedding. I'm sure it won't be mine, but I have some sweet Great Nieces coming up. Who knows what they will want for a wedding. Race cars, tractors, space ships. Times are a changing and I don't do well with change.
   Come see me soon. Richard

The fabric matches the curtains in my room. It is a wonderful Gothic check. Black and deep olive green.

I love the stick and ball construction.

Here it is in my bed room. The question now is, where to put it?

Maybe here?

Here?

Just added a picture of the doll house in it's new home, My Library!