I Have Found My Calling!!!!

Well kids I may have found my commercial calling in life. This old brochure spells it out clearly.

It even comes with directions.

And just imagine the 2010 values when adjusted from 1930.

Mr. Flannery

Its Heating Up at GYPSY LEA'S

We are getting ready for our January sale at Gypsy Lea's in Sauk Rapids. My contribution has been minimal, but I did stop by with a couple of pieces last night. The weather here on the tundra has been abysmal (even by tundra standards) but it looks like the severe cold will break just in time for this sale. We are hoping that the January thaw will heighten cabin fever and get our customers out and shopping. The sale starts Thursday, so this isn't in its final foo foo (phoo-phoo?) state. I have included a few photos of the preliminary set up at the shop.

I brought in two of these floor candelabra. Wouldn't they look great at that June wedding?

Kris & Mike's seed sorter turned into a shelf.

Its going to be a great sale.

Mr. Flannery

JACKPOT !!!

A couple of months ago I skinned an old sofa and chair and sent the hides to Robelyn at red.neck.chic. I got a great blog out of the story and a line of purses from RNC named Hogerific. The sofa was a 1920's style with maroon mohair skins.

Well I got my better than just desserts from that hide shipment. RNC sent me a super wrapped present.

The contents were beautifully wrapped in duct tape. What else?

The pillow, made with the sent hides, includes a State of Texas buckle.

The back of the pillow includes the "Do Not Remove" tag.

The pillow has a place of honor in my sun room.

Thanks a lot Robelyn.

Mr. Flannery

Soon it Will Be Gypsy Lea's Again

It has been so damn cold that it has been tough getting things ready and hauled over to Gypsy Lea's for the January sale. The sale starts a week from today and I will not be very well represented if I do not get my butt in gear real soon.

I have an old wooden tool box that I painted black that needs some feet before it will sell. I have some nice metal feet from a stove, some cast iron bathtub feet, a couple of shoe lasts that would add a real whimsical look and even some wood croquet balls that I can flatten a bit to attach as feet. Lots of options but at -14* its hard to search through the garage or storage for the pieces.

Maybe I'll just set up the chop saw and chip off the top on 4 croquet balls. I can leave them in their old chippy paint and just attach them with a lag screw through the bottom of the tool box.

Gypsy called and wanted to remind me that Christmas leftovers have to be removed. Not a big problem. But a good excuse to push some of the new smalls out to the truck.

Mr. Flannery

A Short Visit from Mr. Murphy

The work on my office spectacular has reached the Mr. Murphy phase. You remember Murphy. He promulgated Murphy's law. And he decided that he needed to visit me today.

When I had the new satellite boxes installed a couple of weeks ago I planned ahead. I had the technician bore a hole in the floor that avoided the in-floor heating system and was large enough to run an HDMI cable later. Well today was later and I started to run the cable. I started to push the cable end thought the hole and it was just barely too small. I fiddled and finagled the end. I shave off some of the extra plastic on the end. (Cutting a small piece out of my finger in the process and splashing blood on my clothes). It still wouldn't fit. So I had to make the hole a little bigger. Of course the drill wasn't charged so I had to find the charger and let it juice up. Then I had to get find a paddle bit to expand the hole. Out to the garage for a search. (It was only -9* when I went out there to rummage through the tool drawers). I found one, not the largest one, but one that will work.

Now the bit is too small to bore a hole for the HDMI end. And the spacing between the heating tubes was restricting the drilling location. So I decided to drill on the edge of the existing hole making one larger hole. Things were working well. The bit went though the rock hard 90 year old maple flooring and started into the softer under flooring. Then the bit hopped. When it jumped to the right, it cut right into the cable that was already in the existing hole. Out goes my satellite feed. Damn, damn, damn! And besides, the hole is still too small to feed the HDMI cable through the underfloor. So now I have to expand the hole, fix the satellite cable and oh did I mention that when I cut down the cable end (and my finger) I stepped on the other end and mashed the cable?

Its OK, I vacuumed up the wood chips

And I spliced the cable.

I found a second HDMI cable and started my run. Well, I got to the living room and the hole there was too small too. Being no fool I decided that a 2nd hole away from all other cables was the way to go. I drilled up from the basement, twice and had a hole big enough for the cable end. (I also got a face and head full of wood chips from boring directly overhead). So the cable is TOO short. I added another cable and it disconnected at the coupling every time I tugged a little bit. Finally its done. I check the connections, everything's OK. I turn on the HDTV with the new feed. Nothing! The damn thing doesn't work. Now I have to start over. A day of frustration and no progress. Damn Murphy, find somewhere else to roost tomorrow.

Mr. Flannery

Looking a Lot Better in My Office

My office is finally getting closer to the look that I was going for when I started with my multiple monitor, multiple TV set up. I am still waiting for a few connecting pieces to arrive from China. (Cable connectors bought on eBay).

I needed a new USB hub for the computer. I found one with 7 ports that are lighted with multi-color LED lights. It looks nice peeking out from under the computer monitors.

Mr. Flannery

A Real Auction Find

I had a good time at the two auctions this weekend. On Saturday I bought a couple of 10 candle floor candelabras, two huge metal and glass candle stands and a super tile top metal table. I brought them into Gypsy Lea's on the way home. It is really satisfying to get things into the shop without making an intermediate stop in the bottomless pit of my storage.

Today I went to a second auction. There were a bunch of interesting items, but most looked like stuff I already had. It was like my storage, only in much better order. Cindy, the seller, is a dealer at Second Hand Rose in Buffalo. I run into her regularly at auctions through out this area. We have a kind of detente where we take turns bidding on things. It seems that our tastes are very similar.

There were a few items from a second consignor. I bought a enamel porcelain floor standing bubble drinking fountain from an old school. It is a wonderful piece and the only one that I've encountered in many, many auctions. Cindy liked it a lot too. It was from the other consignor.

I bought a huge, primitive wardrobe, painted up to look Pennsylvania Dutch or similar German type decorations. I think that it is an Eastern European fantasy piece made of mostly old pieces and made to look old. It is pretty cool and I will set it up at Gypsy's this month. Cindy said that it all folds down into a pile of pieces. I decided to move it nearer the door for pick-up tomorrow. I pushed, the top moved and 1/2 the boards collapsed onto the floor. It seems that disassembly is a lot easier than I thought. So there is a pile of pieces on the floor of the auction shed awaiting pick-up tomorrow.

I will try to get some pictures tomorrow.

Mr. Flannery

-22* Oh My!!

Its damn cold here on the tundra. It was -22* when Babe and I got up this morning. We did our usual morning dance to the door. I let him out and he barely made it to the bottom of the steps. It was a quick two step then back into the house. Now Babe is a full bred Labrador, built for the cold of the Canadian wilds. He figured 2 minutes was more than enough outside time for him.

Its easy to figure out how cold -22* is. its about 60* colder than the inside of your refrigerator. The truck squeaked and groaned but started as requested. It had warmed to -18* by 9:30 when I left for the auction. Then I drove into urban St. Cloud. In the urban heat bubble it was only -14*. Damn I need some global warming.

I simply must go - Baby, it's cold outside

The answer is no - Ooh baby, it's cold outside

This welcome has been - I'm lucky that you dropped in

So nice and warm -- Look out the window at that storm

My sister will be suspicious - Man, your lips look so delicious

My brother will be there at the door - Waves upon a tropical shore

My maiden aunt's mind is vicious - Gosh your lips look delicious

Well maybe just a half a drink more - Never such a blizzard before

I've got to go home - Oh, baby, you'll freeze out there

Say, lend me your comb - It's up to your knees out there

You've really been grand - Your eyes are like starlight now

But don't you see - How can you do this thing to me

There's bound to be talk tomorrow - Making my life long sorrow

At least there will be plenty implied - If you caught pneumonia and died

I really can't stay - Get over that old out

Ahh, but it's cold outside

Baby it's cold outside

Brr its cold...It's cold out there

Can't you stay awhile longer baby

Well... I really shouldn't... alright

Mr. Flannery

Finally an Auction

Its been a long holiday season. No auctions for me in a couple of weeks. I can feel the grips of cold turkey withdrawal clawing at me. But everything changes this weekend. There is an auction at Dave Miller's on Saturday. There isn't anything special in the auction bill, but I'm sure that I will find at least a bauble or two to bid on. Then there is another very good looking auction on Sunday. It will be held in Annandale, just a 4 mile hop down the road from Flannery Bay. So this pain of withdrawal should be relieved by Sunday night.

Mr. Flannery

Welcome 2010

This little desk calendar has a 1920 patent date. Its really cool to think about the 90 times that this thing has been set to the 1st day of the year. It sits on my desk next to the digital clock and the HD TV. Some things change and somethings stay the same.

Mr. Flannery