Timeless Treasures

You've got (gorgeous) mail!

2010-04-01T14:31:00.000-07:00

Last week Alice So, a San Francisco aficionado of handwritten (and decorated) correspondence, popped by and spent several minutes checking out our vintage rubber stamps. She chose a variety for her collection, including a one-of-a-kind set of vintage stamps with names of musical instruments.

Then a few days ago, we received the most amazingly clever and unique and personal package in the mail. Stunning! Colorful! Enchanting!

Words fail us, actually. See for yourself, both front and reverse of Alice's one-of-a-kind envelope.

If you're a scrapbooker, a collage artist or a snail mail correspondent, we invite you to stop by and see the vintage ephemera we've got in store for you.

Imagine how delighted your friends will be when they go to their mailbox by the front door and receive your surprise! We applaud people like Alice who make the dying art of letter writing really come alive.

What's in the window on Sutter Street?

2010-03-24T23:28:00.000-07:00

Occasionally someone comes up with a window display that seems too tongue-in-cheek not to share with more than just passersby who see Timeless Treasures on Sutter Street.
Last week, during a visit to San Francisco, New York photo stylist Nan Whitney created a red-and-white tableau featuring a vintage advertising sign and a checked kitchen table found in France. The advert for LIEBIG-brand soups offered an immediate opportunity for creating slogans in English.
"Lie Big? Expect to pay the consequences."
"Lie Big? Well, if you must tell a lie, make it a whopper."
The symphony of red and white, including the vintage stylized red letter L, vintage red marquee numbers and the small white stool with a border of red paint, makes a simple color statement, and something for pundits to ponder.
If you're interested in purchasing something you see here -- including the vintage French glass wine jugs that you can barely make out in the morning sunlight glancing off the window-- give us a call.
To see more of Nan Whitney's work as a stylist and set designer, click here.

2010-03-19T00:18:00.000-07:00

To encourage her son Alex's love for music, Lynne Bauman of Roswell, Ga. began painting a series of colorful murals on the wall of his bedroom.
When she completed the first mural that depicts a wavy keyboard, she and Alex both loved the look of it, Lynne says, but "thought it needed something more."
She remembered seeing vintage sign letters at Timeless Treasures during a visit to San Francisco some months ago, and decided to check out the options for spelling out "MUSIC!" when she returned to the city last weekend.
So after considering several combinations of letters, Lynne chose a series that she used to embellish the mural practically the moment she got home to Georgia.
The best news of all?
"Alex loves it!" according to Lynne.

Whose turn is it to dry?

2010-03-03T21:27:00.000-08:00

Recently we discovered the perfect housewarming gift for just about everyone. . . tea towels in luscious color palettes and clever patterns that look simply beautiful in any style kitchen. Here you can see two patterns displayed on fancy vintage French hooks at Timeless Treasures.

We find them very appealing for another reason --they are designed and produced right here in the Bay Area. San Francisco art director and designer Christina Weber transforms a seemingly utilitarian object -- the everyday dish towel -- into a whimsical art textile. She collaborates with a printer in Oakland who hand silkscreens each one onto high quality linen/cotton from Poland.

Great for drying wine glasses without leaving lint and silverware minus any fingerprints, these tea towels are equally suitable for framing as a simple "pop" of subtle color in a kitchen or breakfast nook.

We are especially smitten with Christina's play on words with the "T" for tea towel, and now have in stock the four patterns shown below, available either in pairs ($42) or as singles ($22): the Stripe Tea Towel set, shown on the left, comes in willow and mineral. The Flip Tea Towel duo comes in mineral and cinnamon. Each towel measures 18" by 26".

You can see Christina's clever suggestions for using a towel to gift wrap a bottle of wine or champagne, as an oversize napkin to protect your dry-clean-only pants, to tuck into a waistband as an apron, and other details by clicking here.

The next time you're invited for dinner or a weekend away, consider packing a pair for your host or hostess. Then when you offer to dry the dishes, you know you're in for a treat.

As a gift for someone in a new place, or as a small wedding present for friends you want to congratulate with "a little something special", these tea towels are easy to mail.

Opposites Attract

2010-02-24T16:02:00.000-08:00

I love visual puns, don't you?

Take, say, the juxtaposition of a vintage fire engine and a SLOW sign.

A few days ago, as we were creating displays of new merchandise at Timeless Treasures, San Francisco, the old hook-and-ladder was placed on top of a sign laying on a table.

A bit later, someone noticed the apparent contradiction, and commented about how we can all be "so much like a fire engine, racing through life," and the SLOW sign is a reminder to -- yes --slow down.

Not terribly deep stuff perhaps, but nonetheless an interesting observation.

The antique fire truck came from the estate of a Bay Area toy collector, and the SLOW sign once was a roadside warning. Maybe one would be an appropriate gift for someone you know who has a special birthday coming up, for Dad on Father's Day or for yourself to add a sentimental element to your decor.

A piece of the past for writing about the present

2010-02-18T15:44:00.000-08:00

A few months ago, in our search for new treasures made from recycled materials, we discovered Attic Journals, the brainchild of Portland, OR, entrepreneur Michelle Sanders.

She takes covers from discarded hardbound vintage books, often cast-offs from libraries or schools, and remakes them into journals and notebooks. We placed our first order just before Christmas, and customers snatched up the unique and different, as well as eco-friendly, gifts made from children's books, cookbooks and vintage books about writing and editing .

Earlier this week we received a new collection, including titles chosen by Michelle especially for Timeless Treasures. We're especially smitten with Margo and the Tiger, shown above, which would be a marvelous gift to commemorate the Chinese Year of the Tiger (2010), and Le Francais Vivant, a perfect place for noting details about a trip to Paris.

Each one contains 75 pages of unlined white paper and is bound together with a sturdy wire spiral. You can choose from our current selection at Timeless Treasures on Sutter Street, or see Michelle's online store here.

These intriguing notebooks remind us of what Oscar Wilde said about journals. "I never travel without my diary. One should always have something interesting to read on the train."

big letters for a little lady

2010-02-18T13:41:00.001-08:00

Last spring, soon after learning she was pregnant, Tara Swain, a photographer based in Paris, Texas, emailed to ask about buying vintage sign letters for the baby nursery she was designing.

Eager to help her "long distance", we suggested she email us when they found out the baby's sex and chose a name for him or her.

So in August, Tara sent us the details: "Okay! I am ready to order the letters.... the name is Briley." The color scheme for her daughter-to-be's nursery was chosen -- lime green walls, black furniture, hot pink and turquoise for accents. "No brown, no pastels," Tara emphasized. She wanted mismatched letters, and since she planned to hang them over the baby's crib, "I'd like them to be fairly big, but not TOO big." And finally, she added, all the letters didn't have to be pink, green or turquoise. "I just like the 'junk' look." I can't WAIT to see what you work up!"

With that guidance, we chose three options for BRILEY from Timeless Treasures' current store stock, took snapshots on the sidewalk on Sutter Street for the excited mom-to-be, and awaited her decision.

As you can see, Tara chose the mix in the lowest row shown above. Briley arrived in December, and a few weeks ago her proud mama shared the photo of her snuggled in her crib beneath her name.

All we can say is, "Sleep tight, Briley!"

You can see more of Tara's work, which she describes as a mix of photojournalism and creative portraiture, here.

Nesting in Utah

2010-02-10T12:37:00.000-08:00

When Lindsey Cord, who says she has "an infatuation" with birds, came to visit family in San Francisco last fall, she stopped by Timeless Treasures to pick out vintage letters for her new place in Utah. You can see here the ones she chose.

Recently divorced and starting over, Lindsey says she wanted to make a new little "nest" for her kids and herself. "Getting those letters was my first real splurge, and every time I look at them I smile," Lindsey says.

Turns out that Lindsey, who is a photographer whose work can be seen here , got the idea from Tara Whitney, an Orange County, Calif. photographer who has blogged about using vintage sign letters from Timeless Treasures as inspiration in her studio and as props in family photo sessions.

"I love my letters and I get so many compliments on them," Lindsey says. "I'll be coming back for more!"

Kerry Morgan's perfect word

2010-02-03T13:44:00.000-08:00

Kerry Morgan of Snohomish, Wash. had a very specific request when her husband traveled to San Francisco on business a few weeks ago: stop by Timeless Treasures for vintage letters.

Turns out that Kerry had been inspired by Tara Whitney's blog, where the Southern California photographer has written and posted images of old letters she has found here and used in portraits of friends and families.

"I wanted the perfect word," Kerry says. "something that everybody would see when they walked into my house and in my kitchen. My crazy house with three little children and full of love."

Love, Kerry says, was a possibility, but that was "way too boring." So she thought and thought.

"Amore, that's it and it's perfecto!!"

There's a silly back story, according to Kerry, who worked at an Olive Garden restaurant to pay for college expenses. AT OG, as she calls it, employees were required to sing along to the Dean Martin song That's Amore whenever it came on the sound system.

"I loved it! My hubby (then boyfriend) and I thought it was hilarious and would sing that song all the time, purely because if you hear it once, it is stuck in your head for the rest of the day!

"Our house. Love. Amore. And memories of the Olive Garden," Kerry says, smiling.

"Thanks so much for these awesome letters," she adds. " I was pleased as punch when my husband got home with my safely packaged and bubble-wrapped letters. I wasted no time and they were up the next day. Right above my sink. So happy," she says.

Cupid's calling: Gifts for your Honey Bunny, your BFF and more

2010-01-28T00:47:00.000-08:00

We are huge fans of Valentine's Day. Not just for romantic, lovey-dovey signs of affection between the recently lovestruck, but as a day for sending funny cards and little gifts to special friends and family, and perhaps one fabulously memorable, one-of-a-kind gift to your sweetie.

The 14th of February falls on a Sunday this year, which means that there are about two weeks left until your surprises must be in the mail. So we want to offer you some ideas for a Valentine gift that should lead to a big smile and perhaps even a hug around the neck and a squeeze around the knees.

We have a unique handmade bottle opener with a heart-shaped cap popper shown here, a perfect possibility for your sweetie who tends bar when friends drop over. Lusciously feminine and flirty charm bracelets from La Vie Parisienne are now in stock in heart shapes as well as crowns.

Or consider something a bit more lyrical. . . an antique chocolate mould for making Valentine hearts, vintage 1940's French photo frames suitable for a portrait, vintage sign letters and numbers for creating an artful gift, vintage globes for reminding someone that he or she "means the world to you", heart-shaped French soap, sterling cuff bracelets from Toby & Max to remind someone that you are "always here" for her, a vintage abacus found in France for the one to whom you want to say "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways" and much more.

Say Cheese, Ducky!

2010-01-13T20:32:00.000-08:00

Some weeks ago, Jack and Kelly-Marie Howard of the UK stopped by Timeless Treasures during a visit to San Francisco. Like so many other people who appear to be on a mission when they first arrive in the shop, they made a beeline for our drawers and cubbies of vintage sign letters. And, as so often happens when someone begins rummaging through the old letters, other people in the store became curious and asked what they were going to spell.

Soon they were trying various combinations of letters to spell out JACK and KELLY and DUCKY, which turns out to be the name of their beloved pet. And when they were finished, we asked Kelly to be sure and send along a photo of how it all came together back home.

Recently we received a note and a snapshot of Ducky poised on Jack's hand in front of their words. Kelly says that "the words look lovely" on their bedroom wall.

"She really is a lovely pet to have," Kelly added, "and we both love and enjoy every minute with her."

in the fine print: new SF guidebook calls Timeless Treasures "a decorator's dream"

2010-01-11T11:22:00.000-08:00

We're always interested in how people find out about Timeless Treasures.

Oftentimes customers say that a friend sent them, or that someone bought them a gift here.

Other people who are out strolling around the neighborhood notice the store for the first time, and stop in.

And, of course, in the age of Blackberries and iPhones, lots of people find us on Yelp or by Googling.

A few weeks ago we learned of another way people are discovering us, when a visitor from out of town said she saw a write-up in a new guidebook, San Francisco: spend less see more, edited by Pauline Frommer.

In a section on shopping, Frommer focuses on ways to "fill your bags without emptying your wallet", and says shoppers will be rewarded for ducking into countless boutiques spread around town, investigating the off-the-beaten path neighborhoods "for little stores worth a gander."

Among what Frommer calls "individual stores you'll want to visit", she describes Timeless Treasures as "eclectic," and "quite like any other store you might have seen." She writes that the store's "real fame is in its letters -- of every font, size and purpose," and "is the word for the alphabet."

A Saturday project updates a bathroom with style

2010-01-06T22:57:00.000-08:00

The weekend before Christmas, Jason Bloom visited Timeless Treasures in search of a shelf for a storage-starved bathroom in his San Francisco apartment.

Instead of traditional shelves, he wanted something with more decorative detail that would complement his two Pop Art pieces by San Francisco artist Jenny Wehrt, whose work you can see by clicking here.

Jason noticed a Victorian painted wood valance, rescued during a San Francisco building renovation several months ago, that we had repurposed as a shelf for displaying small photo frames, a collection of old glass bottles and a limestone statue of the Blessed Virgin. "I bet that would work, as long as it would fit over the sink," he said, and took the richly hand-carved valance immediately on 24-hour home approval.

Just a few hours later, he emailed a few snapshots, including the one above. "The valance now has a new life as a shelf in my 1959 bathroom, which needed more storage and a bit of a boost in its design," he said, adding, " I hope you enjoy the mix of pop and classic!"

If you're looking for fresh ideas to liven up your living space, stop by Timeless Treasures with the measurements of the area you're working with and see what we've got in store for you.

"It's just what I wanted!"

2009-12-23T11:53:00.000-08:00

We love being part of a surprise. So when Jaime Palomo visited Timeless Treasures with his daughter Francesca over the Thanksgiving holiday, we were delighted to surreptitiously complete the sale of the vintage Underwood typewriter shown here.

Earlier this week we received a follow-up message from Jaime, who lives in El Salvador, asking us to print out a letter he was sending to accompany his gift and confirming our plan to surprise his daughter.

When Francesca, who's studying journalism in San Francisco, stopped by on her way home from class one evening last week,
she was speechless as she read the note, delighted as she realized what the gift bag contained and oh so grateful to her beloved Papa. "I can't believe it!" she said, adding, "I have such a great dad!"

It turns out that Francesca had had her eye on that typewriter for weeks, and her dad picked up on her, hmm, subtle hint when they visited Timeless Treasures together.

As a postscript, we had a call from Francesca the following afternoon, saying she'd been up nearly all night, typing away. "I am so happy! It's exactly what I wanted!"

And with that, she truly made our Christmas very merry.

San Francisco Birthday Calendar ready for Christmas!

2009-12-16T14:58:00.000-08:00

Hot off the press, just in time for gift giving to your holiday host and hostess, neighbors, friends and family who love San Francisco!

San Francisco: It's All in the Details, a Perpetual Monthly calendar photographed and designed by Daniel O'Connor, is a spiral-bound permanent reminder of dates to remember. Full of all new photographs of San Francisco details, such as gates, shop signs, sculptures, architectural pediments and more, it makes a perfect present for everyone who likes to be organized when it comes to remembering birthdays and anniversaries. It is priced at $25.

Even for high-tech people who rely on a Blackberry or a computer for tracking day-to-day events and to-do lists, a Perpetual Calendar offers unique advantages. It gives you a place to record important dates just once, and then refer to the month-by-month list as often as you wish. No worries about accidentally deleting precious personal information, like the day you adopted Rover or Kitty, or the birthday of your sister-in-law!

This Saturday, Dec. 19, we are hosting a Calendar Signing from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Timeless Treasures, 2176 Sutter Street near Pierce in San Francisco. Join us for a glass of wine or a cup of hot cider, cookies and last-minute holiday shopping.

Here is a preview of San Francisco: It's All in the Details.

perfect presents: letters from Paris

2009-12-10T00:06:00.001-08:00

For several weeks leading up to my trip to Paris earlier this fall, one guide book was on my nightstand... Paris Made by Hand by Pia Jane Bijkerk. It's a collection of brief profiles describing 50 shops in Paris, including ateliers, where artisans have a boutique and workshop together.

One vignette made me swoon. It is the story of Le Petit Atelier de Paris, where two young French ceramicists make luscious and simple porcelain objects in the city's Marais district. I dogeared that page and put it on my "must find" list for Paris treasure hunting.

And, oh my, what a great find it turned out to be!

During a leisurely afternoon visit there in early October, I met Jae and Stephane, the husband and wife team who created Le Petit Atelier, and learned about their exquisite handmade porcelain objects. You can read more about them here.

Afterwards I chose a collection of petite plates fashioned in the style of a traditional French tart, along with several dozen inch-high alphabet letters and numerals, shown here, to bring back.

Now available in limited supply at Timeless Treasures on Sutter Street are porcelain plates stamped inside with the French word amour (love), amite (friendship), sante (health) or bonheur (happiness). Whether you choose one or a set of all four sentiments, we can almost guarantee you will want to keep at least one for yourself. They can be used for serving bon bons or olive oil for dipping, as a wine coaster or a petite tray for earrings or cufflinks, or simply to enjoy as a charming objet d'art.

We can think of so many ways to use the small, smooth-to-the-touch ceramic letters. They would make marvelous 3-D place cards for your holiday table, as well as stylish words of inspiration on a table or windowsill. If you're handy and crafty, you might use them as original gift tags.

marnie spencer's very special thanks

2009-11-21T13:17:00.001-08:00

Some weeks ago we received an email from Bolinas artist Marnie Spencer, inquiring about a set of vintage rubber stamps she had spied in a photo on this blog. Was it still for sale, Marnie asked, and, if so, could she come and buy the set that day?

Turns out that the stamps were still available, Marnie came and bought them and soon after sent along the photo you see here.

We love the simple, clever concept of thanks on brown butcher paper. In fact, we've adopted it to use as a part of our weekly e-mail to friends and customers of Timeless Treasures, San Francisco.

Only later did we find out that Marnie is a North Bay artist, known for her very intricate collage making. She incorporates rubber stamp images in some of her work, which made the vintage sign printers set a great find for her.

And this week we heard that Marnie's art, which can be seen here, will be exhibited at Cafe Borrone, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, from Nov. 29 thru Jan. 17.

She writes in her bio that some years back "in a deliberate move away from abstract subjects I focused on recognizable ones -- junk yard items, old toys, games, dolls, architectural salvage, random letters and numbers."

Sounds like a fascinating treasure hunt on paper!

Baubles and Bubbly ... Come Celebrate the Season!

2009-11-10T15:24:00.000-08:00

If you're in San Francisco this weekend (Nov. 13th - 15th), join us at Timeless Treasures on Sutter Street for a little bubbly and a lot of beautiful French baubles.

“Oooo!” and “Ahhh!” over the most sparkly, festive and beautiful assortment of La Vie Parisienne jewelry we’ve ever gathered at once.

Just in time for the holidays, we have luscious French necklaces, earrings and bracelets, in long-time favorite styles and La Vie’s newest designs.

Enjoy bubbly beverages and small treats on
Friday evening from 5:30 to 7:30,
Saturday from 11:00 to 6:00 and
Sunday afternoon from 1:00 to 5:00.  

Please invite your friends . . . the more the merrier. (And that’s about all we’ll say about the December holidays until after Thanksgiving.)

We are located at 2176 Sutter Street, near Pierce and Steiner. Come by MUNI – the #2, #3, #22 and #24 are all nearby. If you drive, allow a bit of time to find street parking.

a love letter about Tara Whitney

2009-11-05T16:09:00.000-08:00

Some weeks ago the Cirjak family from British Columbia stopped in San Francisco and bought vintage sign letters at Timeless Treasures to include in family photos that were to be taken that weekend. They spelled out LOVE and FAMILY.
It turns out the Cirjaks were driving down the coast to Orange County for a long-planned photo session with Tara Whitney, a Southern California-based photographer whose casual, usually unposed images have long made us swoon. In fact, we have blogged about how she uses words as props in some of her photo shoots, and occasionally writes about it on her blog.
Earlier this week Tara wrote about her experience that weekend in July, when she struggeled with the flu and the Cirjak family patiently waited for her to be able to take pictures as they frolicked at the beach and other locations.
The Cirjaks photos are, like just about every Kodak Moment captured by Tara, simply fabulous. We especially love the one shown above, a perfect interpretation of love letters in the sand.
This morning we heard from Tara that she is coming to the Bay Area on Thanksgiving weekend and, since this trip was spontaneously scheduled, she has time for a family photo session or two.
If you are interested in getting in touch with Tara Whitney, click here to visit her website.

Berlin travel tip: A museum for everyone who loves letters

2009-11-05T11:29:00.000-08:00

If you're fascinated by typography and vintage sign letters, we have a must-see museum stop for you during your next visit to Germany.

Photographer Joschko Hammermann, whose work you can see here on his website, told us about the Buchstaben museum when he stopped by Timeless Treasures a few weeks ago. For anyone who's intrigued by letter forms and fonts, the story of this museum and the efforts by its organizers to save and display old signage from Berlin is pure delight.

You can read more about this tiny, difficult to find slice of typographic heaven here. From what we hear, it is a trek well worth making.

Like something right out of a magazine

2009-10-29T14:33:00.000-07:00

"About a year ago," Grace Partridge of Vancouver, British Columbia, wrote in a recent email, "I wandered into your lovely shop and purchased this big red r. It sat on my table for a while, then it sat on another table. Then I put it on a desk for a few months. Then I moved. Then I moved again," she said.

"I am happy to announce that it finally has the permanent home it deserves. Prominently displayed in the living room, it also happens to be the first thing you see when you walk through the front door. Thank you!"

All we want to add is, "Wow!" This vignette has all the star quality of a layout in Elle Decor magazine, showcasing a simple, fresh blend of vintage and new furnishings and decor details. We also appreciate that it can take a while to decide on a place that feels right for the vintage sign letters you choose at Timeless Treasures. Shall they go above the sofa? On a wall in the hall? In the kitchen? The family room? What about above the bed?

Sometimes it simply takes a while to find where that letter feels right at home.

Thanks for sending along this Show 'n Tell, Grace!

J is for JACK!

2009-10-09T12:21:00.000-07:00

As Stephanie and Kevin Dale of Georgia talked over ideas for decorating their soon-to-be son's room, Stephanie decided she wanted letters to spell out his name. She looked and looked, but only came across newly made letters, mostly in flowery fabrics.
"No, no, no!" she remembers thinking. "I want something in colors that will work in his room." And then she stumbled on Timeless Treasures online and read about the vintage letters used by another mom to spell HOLDEN.
"Our baby's room is painted light blue, with one navy blue wall where we want to spell his name, " Stephanie explained when she called us in San Francisco a few weeks ago. "We're also using green and orange. Can you come up with letters to spell JACK?"
Here you can see the ones she chose, with help long distance from Erin Richardson, who assembled a couple of options for her from the current stock at Timeless Treasures. A vintage highway letter and 3 old enamel and metal sign letters came together to spell out J-A-C-K.
Three-year-old Sam, who's about to become big brother to Jack, pitched in to help Stephanie unpack the letters the other day when they arrived in Georgia. "They work perfectly!" she says.

CRAVE San Francisco:

2009-09-24T11:54:00.000-07:00

More than 100 Bay Area women entrepreneurs are featured in a new guide book celebrating what its authors call "some of the most creative, interesting and gutsy proprietors" throughout the city. Timeless Treasures is delighted to be included among the San Francisco businesses that are profiled.
For those who believe in supporting small, independent businesses, there is plenty to explore. If you're looking, say, for a marvelous place to take visitors to the City who would enjoy "a veddy English cup of tea," this guide profiles local favorite Crown and Crumpet at Ghirardelli Square.
And that's just a beginning. There are photos and short comments that may give CRAVE San Francisco readers the insight and inspiration to consider, even in the current economic climate, pursuing their own entrepereneurial dream.

And they named her Sylvie

2009-09-03T11:25:00.000-07:00

As Emmanuelle Merrill awaited the birth of her second child this past April, she stopped by Timeless Treasures to choose vintage sign letters to decorate her soon-to-be-daughter's room.

Erin Richardson, who has an uncanny knack for helping people choose letters that reflect their personal design style, recommended these letters in warm tones of old brass and gold-painted wood and metal to spell out SYLVIE.

Last week, soon after the safe arrival of her daughter, the proud mama showed us the letters arranged in the baby's room. Erin "picked out the absolute perfect letters for her room!" Emmanuelle says. "I wanted to share the final product."

If you're thinking ahead to the birth of a baby, or mulling over ideas for unique and personal holiday gifts, come to our shop on Sutter Street and see what letters strike your fancy. Or email us to inquire about Letters Long Distance, a service we offer to type and letter aficionados who can't make it to San Francisco.

I Spy: Vintage sign letters from Timeless Treasures featured in Southern Living

2009-08-28T11:45:00.000-07:00

More than a year ago BJ Freeman made a one-day trip to San Francisco from Phoenix especially to find vintage sign letters for a country home she and her husband were renovating in the hills of North Carolina.

Imagine our delight when we spied her story in a recent issue of Southern Living magazine! BJ describes why she chose old letters as part of her decor. "When you're collecting vintage things, there's too much wonderful stuff to limit yourself to the color, style or original intent of the item," she says, according to the magazine. "The sign on the screened porch is actually made using letters from five different signs." She labeled the room PORCH, she says, "in case someone got lost!"