Road Trip: Iron Accents

Traveling northwest of Gainesville GA on 129 (Cleveland Highway) you will find this fabulous shop as you pass through Clermont. (www.ironaccents.com)

Owner Valerie, and designer Terri have perfected every inch of this beautiful shop to make this a "must visit" destination!

The shop is set up in dozens of creative and fun vignettes, utilizing architectural antiques such as columns, windows, doors, corbels and much more, to create fabulous areas for displaying their unique home and garden accessories and furniture.

And, of course, the signature iron accent pieces of all kinds are found in every nook and cranny!

Valerie has a genius for finding the best primitive antique and new furniture and accessories.

Interior designer Terri pulls it all together with her special talent....drawing from many years of experience as a shop owner.....to make it all so fabulous!

I love how they display the rooms in a creative and practical way.....to give visitors a fresh idea of how to transform their own living spaces, or those of their clients, into a new environment....using new or vintage pieces.

I love this cool window repurposed into a functional curio cupboard.


There are awesome primitive cupboards, tables, and trunks everywhere.........

...and you'll have to go through the store several times to take it all in...... seeing new things each time.

From a merchandising point of view, their use of space is truly amazing, and I was really inspired by it all!

Be sure to visit Valerie and Terri (just click on the link at the top for info) when you are in the beautiful NE Georgia mountain area!

Road Trip: The Incredible Jane.........

Sometimes, when I angst about not being able to travel to CA or WA or TX where so much of the hot antique/art action is, I forget there are places to explore in my own backyard.

Nestled near the old downtown area of Gainesville, GA is the most incredible shop, and the most incredibly talented metal sculptor named Jane Taylor.

I practically hyperventilated when I saw this place from the road.......now this is my kind of stuff.....rust and metal and BIG junk everywhere! Then when you pull in the drive and start to focus on the unique metal sculptures of every type....everywhere.....it's just amazing!

My photography does not come close to capturing the experience of discovering the magical wonderland of creativity in metal that you'll find here......

.....from a trumpeter and child.......

.....to a trellis with gramophone and shovel-head flowers and leaves.....


.....to a wonderful ballerina......

(check out all those details)


(love those door knob knees)

.....to a spider in a web......

....to a collaged metal bench.


There are also huge wood creations and architectural structures.....


And then INSIDE the cottage are more creations!

The above shelf is my favorite piece!

Awesome chandelier.....one of dozens--all so unique....

Cool button bouquet....

There's so much to see!

I changed my mind...this shelf is my favorite piece!


Well, maybe this angel is my favorite piece.....oh gosh...I love it all!

How cute is this adorable little kitten--one of two--that Jane had just rescued the day before! She has no tail...believed to be part Manx....and is so sweet! It was hard to not take her home with me!! Jane is hoping to keep the two together and find a perfect home for them!


I was so disappointed that my photographs of the GIANT yard flowers made from shovel heads, the angel on the roof, the 4' ant made from metal chair backs, the trash can cat, and many more didn't turn out.....I really need a better camera!
But you should see this amazing art, and meet this talented artist, in person anyway. (Jane is open Wed. through Sat.)

I really wanted to go.......

My son has embarked on his journey through Central America WITHOUT ME!

I really don't know why a 24 year old guy wouldn't want his mother to tag along on his 3 week adventure!!! What's up with that? So what if this particular Mom is a paranoid flyer....... afraid to eat or drink anything while traveling for fear of getting ill......thinks she would contract a tropical disease with every mosquito bite......would suspiciously eye every local male as a bandito who would kidnap and ransom unsuspecting Americans.....shudders at the thought of staying in super cheap hotels....etc.... etc.....(I'm really not that bad......um...well maybe a little)

OK, so he is a really SMART kid to leave his mom behind!



But I can still travel with him via texts (if there is a signal), a few phone calls, and very tiny pictures from his camera phone (he travels so light--no camera), and I must resort to view stock photos from the internet of the places he has been and is going, until he returns home and downloads all his phone pics. I follow him on google maps, and read about all the interesting places he will see.......



He began his journey in Belize and did lots of diving......then trekked into the jungle to wander around in caves.....then explored Mayan ruins.....then traveled via bus to Flores in Guatemala to see the ruins of Tikal......now he is headed to Antigua, and I do not know where else....then eventually on to Honduras to dive some more on Roatan.....



Yes, I am pretty nervous for his safety traveling alone, and I worry a lot, but I know he is having the adventure of a lifetime, and I trust his care to God....as I have every day of his life.

AND.......I have made him promise to take me on the next trip!!! (Yeah, right)

July show photos......

Lakewood show is underway, and we're thankful for our sales today---the summer months are unpredictable, so we never know what to expect.

These corbels sold in advance, and I already regret not keeping them! What was I thinking? Those would have been killer on my mantle....this business can really be torture!!


Martha's cool punch cups on polka dot ribbon really made the gazebo area shine!! They just didn't photograph very well......but her French design ice cream table set looks so cute....


The corbel mirror will soon reside in a General's home (he's currently in Afganistan, but retiring soon)! I'm very proud.......and thankful for the technology of the camera phone!

I had this junk garden at the last show, and loved how the Sedum bloomed right in time for this show!

I'm loving this green concrete piece of Martha's..........oh the torture!