Soft Vintage Views

Network minion got a chance to take a few pictures of the store this weekend.  I am trying to achieve a soft old world look.

Looking towards the front wall

A micro existence

tin central

Looking towards the front window from the aisle

Winter Activities

The holidays have ended and now we are full into the winter. It is time for the store to get some extra attention. The General Hoardmaster has been busy cleaning up the aisles and stocking the shelves with a whole bunch of new inventory. It's so tedious, since each box must be evaluated. Some objects need to be  cleaned before they can be put up for sale.  Others are ready to go, and need to find just the right spot on a shelf. It can be downright nervewracking!
Chris has kept at it and accomplished a lot over the past month. The store is prime and ready for you to come and explore. I must admit, the Network Minion has no new pictures to share at the moment, but I couldn't wait to tell you about the new stuff on the shelves!

Happy Holidays From Fort Plain Antiques

the new shed outside the back door

Fort Plain Antiques has a new addition! There is a shed outside the back door! This shed is a great addition to FPA and we hope to house larger and more cumbersome objects in there. It's another project for Chris, and along with the busy holiday, he finds himself humping things out the back door and displaying them in this new area.

the view from behind the counter where Chris sits

The lights are on here at Fort Plain Antiques this week as we keep the store open for those that have yet find something interesting and unique for their family or friends in this holiday season.
For your convenience, we are open every day this week, including Christmas Eve, from 12 noon through six, and we still have a great coupon offer you can take advantage of!

Stop on in and have a totally different shopping experience as you browse through aisles of treasures that invoke a memory or two! Chris and I sincerely wish you and yours a happy holiday!

the wagon wheel wreath above the front door

Special Holiday Coupon Deal!!

50% off sticker price of one item under $50!!
Print this out and bring in on your next visit.

Elfen work for the Minion Wife

There's so much to do at the store with the holiday season approaching. I've tried to get a head start by working on some Christmas displays in the 2nd floor of the tower.

pastel tree decked out in pink and purple

It's been fun picking through the boxes of ornaments and vintage holiday goodies. To celebrate the season, we are offering a 30% off Holiday Sale until December 31. 2011. Come on down to the store and find a treasure for that special someone on your list!

wooden boxes...wooden barrels....baskets....above the front door

glass glowing in the front window by the stairs

birch logs frame the Christmas display

Santa hangs out in the red and white kitchen collection

delicate embroidery on vintage linens

There's still much to do and the Elfen Minion Wife is working hard with Hoardmaster Santa to keep putting fresh merch out....just in time for your holiday pleasure!

Halloween Horse

We had just arrived at the store early on Sunday morning so we could try to get some cleaning done. It's best to do this type of chore when no one is shopping. I have been working upstairs in what we fondly call "the linen room".

The linen room, before the overhaul

This room is the second floor of the tower and we have chosen this room as the resting place for the myriad of linens and textiles that Chris has for sale. This room has been getting attention every week now for about a month and I have been spending my extra time after work and on weekends to help. Chris was working on a monstrous shelf unit that he is installing on the second floor to hold our vast selection of records and magazines.
It was quiet and peaceful, like it should be on a Sunday morn.
Suddenly there was a sharp crazy knocking at the back door! I put down the dust rag and ran down to open  the door. There outside the door I could see an insane skeletal ghost of a horse! I didn't have a minute to gather my wits! KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! Again at the back door.
"Chris! Something really creepy is out back! It's like a skeleton or something!"
He came running down from upstairs...looking at me in disbelief. I am a jokester he probably figured I was goofing around. But sure enough there it was, plain as day, a skeleton!
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK... As much as I was afraid of what would happen, I realized that this persistent soul was coming in, whether we liked it or not! Chris flung open the door and this creature galloped right on in! Happy Halloween!!!!

happy halloween horse

The End of an Era

It's the end of an era at Fort Plain Antiques. Chris, the handsome bachelor antique dealer, married this network minion of blogging fame.

Mr. and Mrs. Takacs

Under sunny skies,  in August, Mr. & Mrs. Takacs lovingly took their vows in front of family and friends.

The vintage place settings for the wedding were supplied by none other than Fort Plain Antiques!

The magical moment lasted so briefly, after a few months of anxiety-ridden planning and saving. A short honeymoon trip to Maine followed, with treasured quiet moments at the sea.

Lighthouse - East Boothbay Harbor Maine

It felt so good, this joining of our lives! Now the dream fog has lifted, and we are settling down to this new path that we have chosen together. 

Chris has been busy getting back into the swing of things at the store. It has been a long summer of bargain hunting amidst all the wedding prep, and there is a nice stockpile of vintage merch ripe and ready for autumn harvest. It's such a frenzy in the summer, with plentiful village-wide sales and opportunities around every corner. The aisles in the shop are lined with boxes full of items that have too long hidden from the public's view. With all the extra activity this past season, things have piled up and together we are devising plans on how to empty these boxes and fill those shelves. To top it all off, Fall has arrived and cooler days mean we all are getting ready for the winter season ahead. The list of tasks that must be done grows longer as the days grow shorter!

aisles chock full and packed with stuff!

I have always wanted to help Chris with the store, but I already have a full-time job and teach part-time on top of it. We are working to change that, and I will be adding Fort Plain Antiques to my list of steady employers. There's a lot of work there for one man and there's never a day off for Chris. When I think about my new role as his wife, I think of the ways that I can help with the store, like dusting and cleaning, watching the store so we can expand the hours, helping with displays and holiday items, organizing...the list goes on and on. With some additional help, Chris will have more time to find unique stuff! And I hope to fill in some of the gaps, so he can sleep better at night and not worry about the store and this heavy load as much.
Things are bound to change at Fort Plain Antiques. I can't wait to see what happens next.