The Wedding Planners

My youngest daughter is getting married this Fall and, together with my oldest daughter, we're doing all the planning ourselves.  We just had a bridal shower this past weekend, and it was hosted by six close family & friends, which made planning, budgeting and execution of detail relatively stress-free.

We invited forty (both mine and the future SIL's mom have large families), and we hosted the shower at my home since our property allows for ample parking.  

Gifts abound, and this photo was snapped while guests were still arriving, so I didn't even get the entire mountain all in one photograph:

My oldest is a great organizer, and she put order to all the prizes just before guests arrived.

She also readied baskets with 'paperwork' - name tags, pens, games, recipe cards to be received, and thank you envelopes for addressing - at the ready for when guests arrived. 

The food buffet was fairly simple:  finger sandwiches, veggie & fruit trays, a pasta salad and some chips (we planned the shower for 1pm for light snacking).  We had enough food for twice as many as invited!

The dessert buffet included three choices:  sugar cookie fruit cups, petit fours, and tuxedo brownie cups, all tried-and-true winners:

A door prize was awarded to the guests who had these head shots of the Bride & Groom (which my daughter photoshopped onto circa 1970s and 1980s pictures) on the bottom of their plates.  The groom looks a little wet from rinsing the plate for the photo. ;)

Talk about a Fiesta!  Fiesta ware, that is.....my daughter registered four colors of West Virginia's own Fiesta ware for her new home, and she received lots of it!  The best part of it all was that her shower was timed, though not intentionally, simultaneous with one of the two annual Fiesta ware factory tent sales!  One niece traveled just 65 miles north of town and hand-picked a whole crate full of my daughter's colors in various pieces, and her total cost was incredibly better than even a Kohl's cash and % off promotion could offer!

Keeping with tradition, I made a bouquet of all gift ribbons (so many people now use gift bags!), and my daughter was very careful NOT to break any!  And that's fine with me!

It was a great soiree, and I'm happy my daughter has so many great family and friends in her life to celebrate this very special time with her.  I love my girls and love sharing this experience with them both.

And the very best part of the planning so far came in an email this morning. Our next item on the "to-do"  checklist was getting wedding invitations ordered.  We had been working with mocking up the invites on one of "FineStationery.com", William Arthur designs.  I had previously 'liked' Fine Stationery's Facebook page, and came across a contest that "Celebrity Style Weddings Magazine" was hosting which ended August 12th.  I woke up this morning to an email stating I had won - a $200 gift certificate to Fine Stationery for wedding invitations!  Can you say perfect timing?!  We're super excited to apply this to our order, as staying within budget is definitely a priority for our planning.  

We have other irons in the fire toward planning a rustic, semi-formal wedding in late October.  With being an antique dealer with my two sisters, I've been gathering a myriad of supplies since last year, including linens, mason jars, and other rustic accessories.  I'll keep you posted on our progress. :)  In the meantime, if anyone wants to offer any pitfalls to avoid or secrets to success in being our own wedding planners, I'm taking notes!

A New Economic Frontier? Let's Discuss....

Are We Heading for a New Economic Frontier?

You’d almost have to be a hermit not to acknowledge economic matters happening all around you today – whether it’s gasoline or food prices, your kids’ tuition expenses, parent care, or postponing retirement because of gaps in health insurance or income.  My husband, who is a Ph.D. in Economics, often discusses these matters pertinent to all of us, both socially and in his professional life.  One day over lunch, he posed one of his open-ended comments to me, stating he just didn’t understand why inflation wasn’t climbing as it had in the 1970’s, and that he felt it was inevitably coming.  The most recent bust in the market of September, 2009, the high unemployment rates, shrinking production – this is a climate ripe for inflation, wherein by definition, prices of goods and services generally and progressively increase and interest rates for borrowing follow.  However, something counter-intuitive is happening in our economy.  Demand for new goods has not increased significantly, shortages of goods and services are generally not occurring, prices are generally not soaring, and borrowing rates of interest remain low. 

As a layman, I offer my thesis as to the reason why inflation has not taken center stage in our economy.  There is a HUGE secondary market growing in our economy, and it is the market of used, or second-hand, merchandise sales.  Since 1995, online community sales have sprung up, whether by auction or fixed price sales, offering buyers and sellers a new means of transacting business – one in which each player has a say as to how things are done in the economy, including setting prices.  And according to one of the most popular online communities’ (eBay) annual reports, its new way of conducting business must be working, as annual net revenues have grown from $1.26 million in 2002 to nearly $14.1 billion (yes, billion) in 2012.  Its stockholder’s equity climbed from $3.6 million in 2002 to $20.9 billion in 2012.  As of 2012, eBay had over 112 million active users and more than 350 million listings globally.

There’s also Ruby Lane, which was founded in 1998 by Tom Johnson and Jim Wilcoxson.  It has grown immensely since its beginning, boasting some impressive metrics, including over a half million active items listed by over 2,000 shop owners (August 7, 2013).  Ruby Lane is an S Corporation, so its financial data is not as highly visible as its online competitors’, but one can reasonably conclude with its demonstrated growth that financial results are highly favorable over the past several years. 

Etsy is another fast-growing community for the secondary market, due in part to increased fees, both sales and maintenance, for eBay and Ruby Lane.  Etsy also helped itself when it began relaxing its rules, changing eligible requirements for items listed (now including vintage as well as hand-made goods).  According to Etsy’s website, as of January 2013, Etsy has "22 million members and over 800,000 sellers in nearly 200 countries.  In 2012, its sellers grossed more than $895 million in sales."  Etsy was certified as a B Corporation in 2012 (which basically means it is a company with a business mind and sense of commitment to community).

 According to the National Flea Market Association’s website, “Our country has over 1100 flea markets that provide opportunities for approximately 2.25 million vendors conducting over $30 billion in sales annually.  Flea Markets are visited by over 150 million customers each year.”  

With statistics like these, is it any wonder why we (whether buying or selling), who share in this secondary market of auction and fixed sales pricing, are helping to hold down inflation in our economy?  Is it because we simply don’t demonstrate demand for typical new retail offerings?  Or is it because we are most content in the world of recycled, gently used and/or highly collectible goods?  Whatever the answer, it makes sense whether you’re a lay person or an Economic scholar, that without the demand on new goods in the economy, lesser demand creates a surplus of goods, and surplus of goods impacts pricing of these new goods in the market.  Prices tend to rise when demand exceeds supply, and prices tend to decrease when supply exceeds demand.  That is the basic economic theory of the law of supply and demand. 

So, could it be that the online business model will go down in history as the one that generated a new economic frontier?  All you scholars out there – why not take my thesis and run with it?  And all you buyers and sellers out there – pat yourself on the back for doing your part to keep inflation in check! 

Note:  While I realize this topic is not the usual light discussion we're all used to seeing in the blogosphere, it's an important element of who I am and how I think.  I originally wrote this blog (and now updated) while an active seller on Ruby Plaza, the beta operation Ruby Lane started in 2010 and abandoned in 2012.  With an MBA and undergrad degree in Accounting, I actually enjoy the world of business, and found mastering the mechanics of running an online shop on Ruby Plaza both fun and challenging.  Even now, in my fun world of hobby antiquing and selling in a bricks and mortar store, I still am driven by the business side of the venture.  

Back to [Old] School

Panoply's all set for the back-to-school scene....circa 1960 and prior. ;)  Sister M & I spent most the day Friday re-staging our booth space to reflect the [old] school classroom scene, circa 50 years or more ago:

We've had the long bench for a while, but fitted it with this set of six (yes, 6!) of the most fabulous little chippy, white slat-seat chairs, just waiting for their next life, classroom or otherwise.  If you look closer, the table has a few of those old, familiar items from yesterday's classroom - the retractable George F. Cram map of the United States (in vivid color!), the teacher's ruler for the chalkboard (remember those, to draw straight lines with?), that huge school bell (which we hoped we might be chosen to ring, alongside of our favorite teacher?), a vintage crayon tin, and a couple of personal chalkboards.

And how about that clipboard stenciled with the old-school eye chart?  Remember being called in line to have your vision screened by the school nurse?

And while we were planning to go back to school, shopkeepers everywhere were planning for the boost in sales they hoped they'd be having.  So, we set up a little shop scene consistent with the times:

We put together all the old-school office supplies:  the Paymaster check-writing machine, the manual  CASH journal, clipboard, hole punch & receipt holder, and corrugated board/metal box file.  There's also a vintage metal receipt holder (not visible, behind the file box, under the table).  The fabulous EMPLOYEES ONLY sign is an authentic one, not a reproduction.

An old chicken coop forms the base of this vignette, giving the appearance of a little jail cell.  The antique, framed lithograph lends itself to what selling on credit leads to (the worried entrepreneur on the left), so perhaps the chicken coop appearing to look like a jail cell could be telling of  the feeling of a buyer who uses credit to make purchases. :)

We broke down at least three other vignettes to make room for new items, and boxed many of smalls, preparing to purge soon, either via a flea market or yard sale venue.  All I can say is that some folks are in for some treats when they shop what we've purged.  One summer item sister M decided she didn't want to take back home and store was the old bike we had staged for summer, so I suggested she set it up just outside the store while we were working.  Here's what she did:

See the FREE sign?  And no, it's not on the red RAV4!  Within an hour or so, one gal shopping the store stopped, as if in disbelief, so sister M quickly went out to let her know it was for real, courtesy of Panoply. She came back after work to pick up the bike, moss on the seat and all.  :)

We staged some other vignettes, but I'll save those for another post.  We still have some tweaking we want to do to our other displays, so stay tuned to see how we're feathering the nest for Fall.  Until then, watch out for the school buses and all those young 'uns trying to cross the road!

Linking with:
Common Ground Be Inspired #151
Savvy Southern Style Wow Us Wednesdays #130
Timewashed Blissful Whites Wednesday

Coming Up for Air

Hello, fellow bloggers and readers!   I'm taking this chance to come up for air before my next round of projects kick into gear, and to catch you up on recent adventures of Panoply.  Seems we've been awfully busy hunting & gathering with some better-than-usual estate events these past couple of months.  Sisters M&J just got back from a whirlwind trip to the northeastern area of North Carolina, where they worked hard, assisting J's daughter-in-law and parents with sorting generations of 'stuff' tucked away in a garage on the family's property.  They left early, last Wednesday morning, and returned Friday evening.  What they accomplished in between makes me tired just to think about it.  I had family and home obligations during that time, so I didn't go, but it's a good thing- it left more room to haul stuff back.

The crew involved three generations:  parents, children and grandchildren.  The tools of choice were a golf cart and a Kubota all-terrain vehicle to navigate the property's acreage without having to drive on and off the main road to enable accessing and carting the loot from garage to house for initial sorting.   Sorting became an organization task, separating the boxes as: 1) picks for resale, 2) yard sale designation, or for 3) personal retention.  Sister M took her Rav4, and they were loaded to nearly max capacity upon returning to WV when the trip's task was complete just 60 hours later.  The total job is not finished, but this was a really good push to make a dent in the family's project.

I joined M&J Saturday morning for what ended up being a twelve hour day to sort all of this:

Additionally, there were large items along the floor in the foreground (not pictured).  We had a system going:  M and J alternated unwrapping everything and making a first pass at cleaning items in the washtub just behind these tables.  I was in the area to the top and right of this frame, on the computer, listing and indicating for each of us.  There were a couple of neat collections among all the stuff, like this array of shaving mugs (with some glass mixed in this photo below):

Twelve hours later (72 for M&J), we'd managed to shift stuff from one set of boxes to three distinct piles of boxes.  For the record, my husband thinks we're crazy, but enjoys seeing us happy and having a good time together on our ventures.  This was my designated pile:

Sunday, I spent another eight hours (two with M&J to go through the linens received), and six unpacking my stuff, and cleaning what hadn't been cleaned. 

I started soaking linens while unpacking these goodies:  

I brought home a nice set of glasses with a 'C' monogram (nice coincidence that one of the family's surnames begins with the same initial as mine), a wonderfully large brown transferware tureen and underplate, Noritake china service for six + additionals, and Nippon blue & white china, including serving bowl with lid.  The lid to the tureen may show up on a subsequent treasure hunt, but for now I can think of several other ways to use it besides its intended purpose. 

Yesterday I finished resorting all of my stuff, cataloging what's in each box, and the linens are clean and folded (another five hours, totaling 25 hours for my involvement alone).  Everything's now ready to get ready for resale, lol, which will entail pressing linens, tagging and pricing items, and carting them to our antique mall booth space for styling (do you think we're crazy like my husband does, lol?).  M&J each have their own stashes to do the same with.  How fast and by what method each of us operates is as individual as we are.  We do, however, collectively & cohesively style our space vignettes from each, to achieve an overall complemented look.  And, of course, how fast it sells is almost totally out of our control.  One thing's for certain:  we're better at hunting & gathering than we are at eliminating (we tend to indulge in long periods of fostering finds before letting go).

J's gone back to OH, and sister M and I have plans to reset the store very soon, starting with a couple of large furniture items recently acquired.  We plan to break down a couple vignettes, relegating some smalls for an upcoming community yard sale in September, and bringing in some of these recent finds.  Hopefully, I'll have photos of all that by next week.

August....yes, August, is THIS week!  And with the last few days of break in the weather temperatures and humidity, it actually feels a little more like Fall here!  This October my younger daughter is getting married, and I've been gathering vintage items for that for over a year.  Next week family will be hosting a shower for her, and we've decided to have it at my house, mostly for ease of parking.  Somewhere in between I'll be forced to move a large portion of my guest room furniture and my basement boxes of vintage and antique items to allow plumbers access for some updates being planned.  

Never a dull moment, but hopefully some breaks in between to come up for air.  I thought summer was supposed to be lazy!  Are you taking in deep breaths with all your activities?

Window Treatments - Not-So-Plain, but Simple

Window treatments can be a real money pit in a home's decor, and most folks explicitly stipulate in home sale contracts whether treatments stay (generally they, along with hardware attached, do). In my home, all the window treatments are uniformly styled with wooden blinds, no drapes or curtains.  In fact, the only curtain in my home is one shower curtain - in the bathroom I call mine (the Mr. and I do NOT share bathroom space in this house).

For an otherwise plain, straight-edged curtain, I recently added a deep, hand-crocheted vintage lace to the curtain, spaced and draped across evenly among the hooks. It was an easy styling for a great piece of vintage lace that was likely originally intended to trim a bed sheet.  To the right is a glimpse of the uniform all my windows in my home sport.

I have a couple of family members who have integrated some other easy styles into their window treatments that I'm sharing today.  One treatment is with the use of cloth napkins, dressing up a kitchen area.

Two napkins are draped over the center, and two of a different pattern are simply twist-tied and tacked at the corners.  How cute and easy is that?  For another look, at the kitchen sink window, the napkins are gathered and  twist-tied in a pouf.

The poufs are simply tacked into the window frame on each side.  Architectural salvage hardware adds a nice flair inside the window frame.  Vintage hankies would be another nice alternative for these two previous looks.

Another family member uses sheer fabric yardage to create a nice, transitional look in her home, three different ways. Each of these are in one large, open space - living room and dining room. Here's the first treatment, over a large picture window:

In this arrangement, the center of the fabric is shaped into a rosette pouf, the center pushed down and billowed around tissue paper, then simply tied with a hair tie (Goody's).  Then the fabric is draped evenly on each side until reaching the corners.  At the corners, and two more evenly spaced points along the sides, the fabric is simply gathered & tied off in poufs.  The remaining fabric simply falls just below the window ledge.

Another treatment, over French doors, utilizes the rosette pouf over the center, and then drapes over curtain tieback hardware at each corner.  The fabric then falls to the floor.

A third treatment, this time at a sliding glass door, drapes the fabric over sheer panels utilizing a double rod:

The panel on the left side falls to the floor, alongside the sheer panels, but the right side (where the door slides) falls only to the handle.

I really don't have a preference when it comes to window treatments.  I think if I lived near a coast, though, I may lean toward simple blinds, shutters or sheers.  Over the years, I've used draperies (pinch-pleats & shirred), blinds (vertical, horizontal, honeycomb), and valances (poufs, pinch-pleats, box).  One thing's for certain - you don't have to break the bank to create a little style in your home.  Vintage lace can be scoured from estate sales, napkins can even be purchased at a thrift store, and sheer muslin can be purchased inexpensively at fabric outlet stores.

How do you treat your windows?

Postscript:  I was super excited last week when I was featured on Common Ground's "Be Inspired Top Visited Links". Thank you, Debra, for continuing to host this party and allowing us all to connect with each other to showcase our weekly projects.  While my project was solely the work of a master seamstress, not my own, it was a pleasure to showcase Doris' talent and, at the same time, draw in new readers.  Welcome, new readers!

The Masters - Taking a Lesson (No, Not Golf!)

I know how to sew, but I also know how to calculate my personal satisfaction when it comes to time & money spent and what I get out of it.  That's why I called on a local pro to make a slipcover for a chaise lounge I've had now for a couple years.  Here's what the chaise looked like when I bought it:

I bought the chaise at auction, and it was like new, upholstered in a Waverly print of violets, and I placed it in our sunroom.  It wasn't a fabric I would have chosen, but it was beautifully finished, clean, and oh so comfy! For the past two years, I have been wanting a slipcover.  Last Fall, I helped a friend move who, in turn, gave me a bolt of 10 yards of leftover duck / sailcloth fabric she had used for her family room couch.  BAM!  I called a local textile shop and found a seamstress who makes slipcovers, and she put me in her cue for late October.  Disappointed that she didn't call me back, November came, and I got busy with holidays and didn't want to fool with the project.  At Christmastime last year, I decided to put a French matelasse twin bedspread and sham on it, to tone it down so it would blend better for the holiday and winter season.  Here's what it looked like last winter:

For those who follow me, you know it's not easy for me to convince Mr. P. that decor can change more than once in one's lifetime. He didn't like the coverlet, and he wanted the original fabric back.  But I also knew he wouldn't like a slipcover so, like I said before, I didn't want to fool with the project. Spring was coming, so I granted him his wish and removed the coverlet back to the original floral.

Long story short, my seamstress, Doris, came through about a month ago, and drove to my home for the initial fitting for the slipcover. She immediately unfolded that 10 yards of fabric and began her magic.

 She has been doing this for over 50 years (!!), worked in two - now defunct - retail stores in town (one of which my mother had worked in for a short time).  When she finally told me she was 88 years old (!!!), I simply couldn't believe it.  She was on her knees for over 4 hours during the fitting, with hands nimble and  mind sharp!

I told her I wanted to take notes in case I ever did decide to do this on my own, so she was very gracious in providing instruction as she went, pointing out particulars, such as nipping curves and tucking generous selvages into edges.

She made sure the corners were tucked Army-sheet tight.

Doris marked the edges of both side of fabrics tucks, where seams would eventually be.

I loved her tools:  her trusty scissors, knee pads, a wooden ruler, nubs of chalk, a box of stainless steel t-pins (she complained about having a hard time getting the same size replacements, as many of hers were getting dull from use), and an old can opener magnet to have the pins at the ready - all in a plastic supply tote.

She had me fit and pin the cushions, allowing for the cording (the appearance of ticking in the fabric is actually the shadow cast from the sun shining through the blinds in the sunroom's overhead windows).

Three weeks passed, and Doris came over today for the final fitting.  Humorously, she said, "I'll bet you thought I was gonna die before I finished your slipcover, didn't ya?"  She was worth the wait!  Her work is so meticulous and professional.  She brought a roll of quilt batting, to help smooth the fabric for a better fit (sorry, fuzzy picture).

She cut the batting to fit over the cushions, just enough to wrap each of the two.  Stuffing the cushions was tricky - Doris did the backrest cushion while I snapped a photo, but it took both of us to wrangle the long cushion into the slipcover.

Doris uses metal zippers for her cushions.  Next, she assured a great fit by tucking, taping and tacking. For tucking, Doris used a similar approach as when she fitted the slipcover, taking her ruler to push the fabric down into the side seams.  But this time, she used bits of the batting to stuff in, adding to a clean, smooth finish.

 For taping, Doris sewed one side of the back, and continued to the underside of the pleated shirt, with velcro tape for a zip-lock close.

Finally, for tacking, Doris uses upholstery tacks to clean finish the underneath selvage, and further pulling the sides down for a nice, tight fit.  I let her show me how she does this, and the spacing between, but did not complete the process, for ease of taking on/off.  Knowing Mr. P., I would have to return to the floral soon after Doris' departure.

For the finish, I asked Doris to stand by the chaise so I could take her photo.  She obliged, rightfully proud.

Recap of my chaise lounge slipcover project:
Original gavel price of chaise lounge at auction:  $250
Cost of 10 yards of heavy duck / sailcloth:  $0
Cost of labor and additional materials for slipcover ("list of findings" as Doris called them):  $190 (less than half of the estimates I calculated online).
New friendship struck with Doris, the Master:  Absolutely Priceless!

What a joy Doris was to have in my home!  She is just 4 years younger than what my mom would have been this year.  Though she was very different from my mom, she was also very much the same, and it felt like a little visit from my mom, having her by my side.  I'm so happy she came into my home.  And, after we hugged and she drove off (yes, she still drives!), Mr. P. came in to see the finished product.  His only comment:  "She does really good work doesn't she?  But I still like the green (really?  green?) better".

So, before I return to the floral (before the finished product, I was negotiating the change with Mr. P. by saying it would be a nice neutral for the Fall and Winter seasons), I took photos of the chaise with some neutral pillows in the sunroom.  I'd say I'm getting one step closer to how I want this sunroom to be.  After all, I'm taking lessons from the Masters. 

Now, if I can get my industrial cart back from the store display, and hang my recent chandelier purchase from a friend that's currently stored in the basement, and maybe a sisal rug.....hopefully Mr. P. will find it all irresistible.  Changing decor is definitely a process in my house.  But  it's a results-worthy process.  :)

Linking with :

Savvy Southern Style

Timewashed

A Stroll Thru Life

Blue Egg Brown Nest

Common Ground

City Farmhouse

Miss Mustard Seed

Holy Cow! What a Sale!

Billed as WV's largest estate sale this year, I can honestly vouch for that after attending this weekend's opening day, just nine miles north of Charleston on WV I-79.  Helen's House of Antiques (formerly known as a lumber warehouse), all 20,000 square feet of its contents, is being sold in a series of weekend estate sales by one of our local antiques dealers, Chuck Hamsher, of Charleston's Purple Moon (Purple Moon Estate Sales).  Holy cow!  They even had a wooden cow for sale (about the size of a calf)!  See for yourself (first two photo credits, Douglas Imbrogno):

It's hard to even imagine the magnitude of the work that went into organizing this series of events, knowing from personal experience in hosting estate sales how taxing the detail is.  The warehouse has been sectioned off, so as to stage the sale into a number of weekends.  The host has said it will continue for as many of four weekends (July 5-7 being the first of the series), until the contents diminish.

The photo above shows only one section.  On this first weekend, there were eight sections distinct to me and sister M, who went with me on this fantastic sale.  You can see, in the upper section of the photo, makeshift walls and plastic, separating other sections of the warehouse yet to be uncovered.

Having attended the owner's attempts at auctioning her inventory prior to her death, and knowing the widower was quoted as saying they "lost their shirt" in that venue, we weren't expecting to find good prices, and thought we would be in and out of the sale.  In fact, we were betting many of Helen's original prices would be what the host would start with on the first weekend. Wrong!  We were pleasantly surprised!

Very quickly, our hands were full, and there were no baskets or shopping carts.  We found a wicker tea cart  (for sale) with two shelves, vintage aqua/green - like sea glass - and started loading our smalls. Others soon caught on, but not before they would look at our cart, and all the smalls loaded on it, and think it was another display for their personal picking!  "Sorry, these items are ours" - we must have said that at least two dozen times.  They were loving our things as much as we were!  I got to the point where I was saying, "I'll sell it to you once I get outside"!  I scored a super vintage bingo cage and stand, complete with Bakelite handle and wooden balls, and I could have sold that at least six times!

And packing the cart?  Let me just say - we had things stacked and nested almost twice as high as the cart was, a spectacle to behold, at the very least.  For big ticket items, you had to grab a staff member and have them write a ticket up, giving you a copy, with your name, phone number & time on the ticket.  I guess if you didn't claim it by day's end, it was up for grabs again.  We only had one such item.

Two hours later, we found ourselves in line to check out, hot and sweaty.  M said she felt like she had just finished cutting the grass, and my mascara felt like it was melting.  Another dealer from our mall was there, and she said "it's like going to the Y - this is a workout!".  There were no drinks or food (a suggestion we made for following weeks), and we did not use the restrooms.  We loaded our car, found we still had room, and went back in for another round.  The second time was not as intense, we didn't purchase as much, and the crowds were beginning to thin out.  But it was definitely no cooler inside with fewer people. Multiple fans were trying their hardest to tame the humidity and rising temps.

So many bargains!  So many people!  M said afterward that she felt like she had gone to a party - we talked with so many folks (some we knew, some we didn't), felt so festive that prices were so reasonable, and got all jazzed up with the finds we scored!  Definitely a dealer's paradise.  The only caution I would mention is that the warehouse definitely had a dank odor about it (those allergic would need to be aware).  We tested many cabinet doors and drawer slides that had problems operating properly as a result of moisture issues. Using the sense of smell was key, too.  If it couldn't operate and it smelled, it was a definite 'No!'; if it smelled and could be laundered or scrubbed, a definite 'Yes!'; if it was questionable, then it boiled down to price and whether the risk was greater than the potential reward.  But prices on furniture were cheap:  a drop-leaf cherry gate-leg table-$50; original wood, Hoosier cabinet with flour sifter and two side cabinets-$300, as just two examples.

The sale will continue as long as the hosts find it weekend-worthy, through the remainder of July.  If your're traveling along I-79 in WV, take exit 9 (Elkview), and it's just quick jaunt off the exit.  There are even food and lodging along the exit, so it would be a great stop for a night.  Happy hunting!  By the way, the cow was stickered at $2,000, probably the highest priced item there.