Back to Blanchard and Basics

Tomorrow marks our last day at the booth in Boyne City.  We are bringing  several pieces that we have on display there back to our shop in Blanchard.  While the people were wonderful and the location  absoultely beautiful; time and distance proved to be a challenge,  especially when it came to stocking and staffing the booth.  I felt like I was neglecting our shop in Blanchard  when it came to deciding which items to feature in each location.  I wanted my favorites to be in both places, and that just wasn't possible.  It was great fun to be part of Dunagain's, even for a short time. I encourage everyone who has not yet visited, to put Dunigain's Antiques on your list of things to see and do when you head north toward Boyne City.

Be sure to come and see us in Blanchard, as Best Friends Antiques of Blanchard is well stocked for the late summer and early fall.  The barn is full of old favorites, along  with several new items,  including two great potting tables, a wonderful red water can; very unique and a personal favorite, two small cupboards, several small and large pine and painted totes, garden accents, tons of crocks and more.  We will be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday through August, and then return to our Saturday and some Fridays schedule after September 1st.   Always best to call ahead.

Best Friends at Boyne City.

We have just opened a Best Friends Antiques booth in Boyne City! Boyne City is located bout ten miles south of Petoskey and our booth is located in Dunagain's Antiques, at 209 Lake Street. An amazingly beautiful area, with views of Lake Charlevoix from the pier across the street; it feels like a vacation just to be there.

We are looking forward to meeting Boyne City residents and those who are visiting for the summer. We are also hoping to see some of our mid-Michigan neighbors when they wander up north for a few days. Please stop in and see us when you are in the area. Dunagain's is open 7 days a week from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Spring is coming for sure, because I'm starting to look for the daffodils. Pass an old abandon house and a large old barn every day on the way to work. One couldn't tell where the driveway was, except for the row of daffodils that blooms every spring along each side of the barely visible two track. The barn is falling down, and long since given up its treasures. The house is small and also beyond repair, but the daffodils still come up every year. Some how I know the lady who planted them wore chintz house dresses with aprons. She baked pies, and made lemonade from real lemons. She had grandchildren, and she planted flowers. I know her because my grandmothers wore chintz house dresses with aprons and planted flowers. Thanks to her for reminding me about the simple wonder spring brings.

Another sure sign of spring, is the opening of Best Friends Antiques on Saturday, April 2nd! We have gathered new treasures over the winter months that include a beautiful iron bird cage stand and a unique iron plant stand. We found a cupboard with 1930' green paint that needs a watering can full of daffodils and pussy willows on top. Other winter discoveries include new crocks, benches, one more blanket box, a green kitchen table from the fall Breckinridge show and a few unique architectural pieces that will complement both garden and indoor decor.

Plan to come and help us welcome spring!

Finding Fall

Welcome to Best Friends Antiques fall update. After Blanchard's successful Harvest Festival last week end, we are looking forward to celebrating fall. The trees are showing hints of color and most of the nearby farms have harvested their produce. Roadside stands have a plethora of pumpkins, squash, gourds, corn stalks along with great apples and seasonal vegetables. We are nestled in the midst of huge sugar maples that share their brilliant color with us each year. The shop hosts a barn full of painted and country furniture as well as other unique primitives. The workroom on the south east side of the barn is also being put to use for the first time, as it holds school desks, tables, and an amazing old green cupboard. The little guesthouse is open to offer crocks, blanket boxes, tables, totes, chairs, windows, shutters, and more. Our fire pit has been put to good use during these past cool rainy weeks. It is set up to offer toasted marshmallows and hot cider to visitors who stop by to warm their hands and feet as they browse the grounds of the shop. Please come and celebrate fall with us.

Welcome Spring!

The harshness of this Michigan winter is easily forgotten, as we inhale the heady fragrance of the lilacs. They are in full bloom along the roadside, in our yards and in our hearts, as the memories of our favorite gardeners/grandmothers are awakened by that unique scent. The beauty of flowering fruit trees, and the emerging strength of new hostas quell worry about one final frost. We are all about welcoming the amends nature makes every spring. Best Friends Antique shop is filled with unique items inspired by the anticipation of planting, growing things, and basking in the warmth of the sun. From antique garden tools, sprinklers, and wonderful old watering cans to wicker plant stands and painted "old porch" furniture, the shop welcomes our friends who are emerging from a long winter's nap. Be sure to join us as we celebrate the wonder, hope and promise of the season.

Butter Bowls and Bread Boards

We opened Saturday, April 4, to welcome first visitors of the season who were looking for hints of spring. The sun and crisp fresh air invited a surprising number of people who talked about their quest for simple, but classic ways to add to their current collections and decor. It isn't always possible to point to a single "favorite," but this week end it was definitely primitive wooden butter bowls that received the most attention. Those we sold, ranged from very large to small, all with unique and interesting wear. Why butter bowls and bread boards? The bowls, handmade during a less complex time, represent hard work, durability, beauty and offer multiple uses. The bread boards have similar appeal, but were simply made of wood that was left, and put on the counter to be used as needed. Both of these items originated during a time when life moved a little slower and choices and options were fewer. Bank failures and lay offs loomed then too, but people did the best they could with what they had, and each other. They made it through just fine, and so will we. There is something current and comforting in the message these primitive old pieces send.

Open....sort of

Sandy and Jane stopped by yesterday and asked if they could look through the shop. This is always a dilema for us, and most likely, for other shop owners as well. The shop isn't officially open until the first week in April, so it is still festooned with holiday decorations left to languish in late December when the temperatures dipped too low for the furnace to keep up. In addition, the treasures collected during the winter months are stacked in the aisles, blocking easy access for the early birds who are seeking that special find. Jane and Sandy said that only adds to the fun of discovery. :) We know the disappointment of driving through a town, finding an interesting shop only to have it closed. It was fun to throw open the doors, letting the warm sunshine and our first customers launch the season, even if both spring and the opening of the shop won't be official for a few more weeks.