We love antique games so I wanted to highlight some of the truly unique pieces that we have in at the moment. The most unusual vintage games that we have are the Victorian board games and the Victorian Fortune Telling Game called ‘Le nombre 13’ all of which are quite rare.

Also the ‘Loto’ games, which is the French version of Bingo, are wonderful not only as a collectors piece but also to break apart and use the pieces for altered art or jewelry. We even have two 1920s printing sets that usuable as well as some interesting cubes that many use for decoration. ‘The Nain Jaune’ game is in perfect condition and a true collectors piece. 

These make such wonderfully unique gifts that we are always trying to gather as many interesting ones as we can. Here are some pictures of what’s new!

We just got in this month’s box of antiques from France!

Ohhh so many treasures and I already have several favorites that I think are truly unique including the micro mosaic cross, the traveler’s relic and the ball clay holy water font. We have some fantastic new dance cards, pins and a really cool rosary made out of coffee beans and a crucifix that has a little hidden compartment with dirt from the Catacombs inside. Everything will be out in the shop starting Thursday and we would love for you to come take a peak in person if you are in our neighborhood. But in the meantime here are some pictures!

Just a few ideas for some unique Valentine’s Gifts! I love giving something unusual that will be cherished forever so here are some alternative ideas for a gift for your loved one.

In antiques we have some really fun items including vintage French perfum labels (framed and unframed), Victorian pins and lockets, his and hers 19th century jewelry boxes, a fabulous Limoge liquor set of six cups and a flask, vintage magazines and sheet music, old locks and keys (key to my heart) and Flemish art boxes.

In local art we have some great new pieces that Debbie Savar brought in including handmade boxes, small journals, matchboxes and original paintings. I have some specially made heart ornaments by Kim Groff-Harrington that are made with animal cracker tins and other interesting metal parts and pieces. I have love inspired shadow boxes filled with keepsakes and can also make up a unique sachet of a postcard and other trinkets just for you for $12. 

And of course all my jewelry creations and other one of a kind objects. Enjoy the pictures and come see us!

Debbie Savar’s original work as well as her journals and art items.

Just a little sneak peak into some of the new things we have in the store and a little highlight on some old things that sometimes get overlooked!

I love anything souvenir related that pre-dates the 1940s so I decided to create theme of highlighted objects this week called ‘Souvenir de Paris’ (a few are Italian but I didn’t think you would mind).

These are all little trinkets and treasures and the most wonderful of them all are the little souvenir charm books that I have brought in from my own collection, they are filled with black and white photos and are in perfect condition. I have been hoarding the little enamel ones for sometime now and feel that I can let them go to new homes. All of these items are in the shop as of tomorrow so feel free to come by The Curious Nest and take a little trip to Paris!

 I also have a little section of jewelry I have made with little enamel pieces with Paris monuments but I haven’t had time to take pictures yet. So here are some pics in the meantime and feel free to email for prices or just come see the goodies in person!

We were so excited today to receive a fabulous box of antiques from France! We had been concerned that it was possibly lost but low and behold it came today intact and chalked full of wonderful treasures. I have attached a few pictures I took quickly while at the store of some of the new pieces but there are more than what you see here. In addition to the enamelware canister set and the flower postcards we got in a fantastic collection of hundreds of vintage religious medals! They go from $1-$12 each and we even have matching vintage medals (including St. Francis of Assisi that are not pictured), Joan of Arc pendants and other more unusual medals. We also have in rosaries as well and 1920’s holy water fonts, a gorgeous folding icon and various statues. I also took a quick picture of some of my favorite trinkets and treasures that we got in which include an incredibly detailed micro-mosaic in onyx piece, a micro-mosaic locket, art nouveau matchboxes, dance cards, a Joan of Arc pin and lots of other pieces as well. Our case of antique jewelry and bits and pieces is very full as of today!

So if you are in our neighborhood do come by and see all our new treasures! I will be sending out an email tomorrow or Sunday with the class schedule for winter but the samples are already out in the store as is the sign up book so that is another reason to stop by. If you have any questions about prices feel free to send me an email but the best thing is to come see them in person!

I just finished re-arranging and re-stocking the Curious Nest to bring in the New Year and my friend Mary reminded me that black eyed peas are thought to bring good luck in January…so if you look closely in our new window display you will see bowls of black eye peas here and there. I also decided to highlight several of my favorite things: butterflies, globes and coral branches all combined to create an intriguing combination of vintage treasures and artistic delights. The real butterflies are vintage treasures that come in globes and a few in shadowboxes while the vintage globes I use to house little vignettes as well as highlight jewels and the black coral branches I use pretty much everywhere in my own art as well as in my home for decoration (we sell them for $18 per fan). So we invite you to come take a peak at our new treasures that abound and in the meantime we wish you a very Happy New Year! Also we will be closed on January 1st but back open again on the 2nd and here are some pictures to tempt and hopefully inspire your own decorations.

We have decided that we will be open Wednesday Decemeber 22nd to make up for the fact that we will be closed on Saturday December 25th for Christmas this week! So if you are still looking for a few last minute gifts we have new ornaments from Kim Groff-Harrington, more red ticking lavender sachets by Katie Galbraith, matchboxes by Debbie Savar and all kinds of other goodies under $20.

I also just made a few pearl drop earrings with both vintage caps and also sterling caps. They are all $35 each and I can make them in any color or style and will have my supplies with me while I am in the shop so I can make them while you wait! Here are some photos and if you have a moment come see me in the Curious Nest this week Wednesday-Fri and also on Sunday!

I just wanted to share with you some of the wonderful treasures we have in at our shop for the holiday season! Since so many people have a tighter budget this year for gifts I tried to find as many interesting and creative things from both local artists as well as our vintage French finds. So here is a little peak at some of the things we have in at the shop that are all under $30! I also have at least 50 pairs of earrings that I have finished this week which include vintage buttons and other trinkets that are in the $24-$38 range.

 Antique Botanical Prints from 1897 (includes one color print and two black and white engravings) $24 each

 The ‘Zen of Bird Watching’ book is printed through a local non-profit publishing company on recycled paper $12.95

 Circle Creek Soap which is all hand poured and wrapped by a couple in Arlington, Wa. (we just got all the scents in today which include: lemongrass, lavender, rosemary/mint, peppermint tea tree, just tea tree, orange clove scrub, and citrus lime zip) $4.50 each

 Debbie Savar’s Cards and Jounals $8 (small)-$20 each (large)

 My Found Object Sachets $12 (a vintage French postcard, old keys, old dominoes, buttons, glass flowers, ect.)

 The Curious Nest Gift Certificate (any amount)

 Handmade Pillows from local artist $24-$34 each

 Kim Groff-Harrington’s Urban Bird’s Nests $34 each (ok just a little over $30)

 Kim Groff-Harrington’s hand cut tin ornaments $16 each

 Katie Galbraith’s lavender sachets made locally with vintage French material including red ticking $16 each

 Marissa Motto birdhouses $24 each

 The Salvage Studio book $21.95 (this is a perfect gift for a crafter along with a Found Object Sachet or some of the bits and pieces that we have available)

 Vintage European Souvenir Books (each has vintage photos from European cities c. 1920s-1940s) $15 each

 My Vintage French Stamp Pendants $12 (I made these with resin…there will be a class later)

Vintage Swiss Tins $3.50 each (pansies, sunflowers and birds)

I just got a box of some of my favorite books to sell in the shop! I wanted to have a few books that really grasped the ideas not only behind creating and inspiration but also with keeping sustainability in mind. I think these books do just that and have some really fantastic ideas for craft and for home decor.

The first book is The Salvage Studio by Lisa Hilderbrand, Beth Evans-Ramos and Amy Duncan which is chalked full of fantastic ideas for found object jewelry, vintage domino clocks, a chair spring candle chandelier and fabulous ideas for creative spaces. It has instructions for 35 do it yourself projects and a huge abundance of ideas for additional creations. I adore this book not only for its great ideas and gorgeous photos but also for the immensely creative women who put their heart and soul into writing it. I hope to have them in for a book signing later in the year but in the meantime this is a must have for anyone who is interested in found object art.

The second book is Eco-Chic Home(rethink, reuse and remake your way to sustainable style) by Emily Anderson which is a fantastic book for anyone who wants to create beautiful and elegant earth friendly home decor on a dime. Some of my  favorite projects in the book are the recycled magazine bowl, button napkin rings and a braided rug. There are also more complicated projects like reupholstering old chairs and making a fantastic folding screen with black board paint but what I like most is the straight forward steps and the simply chic  outcome of each of the 65 projects. There is even a great chapter on gift wrapping that intrigued and inspired me.

The third book is Backcountry Betty(Crafting with Style) by Jennifer Worick and it is just too cute for words. It has tons of fun nature inspired projects that take you from the beach to the urban jungle and everywhere in-between. Two of my favorite projects are the aluminum can luminary and the clamdels (poured candles in clam-shells). This is a great project book for all ages and is so charming in its approach and 1940’s style  that I couldn’t help but love it.

And finally I just had to have a few copies in the shop of The Zen of Bird Watching (wit, wisdom and inspiration) by Bruce Barcott which is a sweet book of quotations about birds from Burroughs to Coco Chanel. It is a perfect stocking stuffer or just a lovely book to flip though while having a cup of tea and gazing out the window for a glimpse at our bird friends and neighbors.

All of these books will be in the shop on Thursday and they are all published by a local non-profit publishing company that prints only on recycled paper. Come flip through a copy or two and get inspired to create or just enjoy the words of these unique authors.

It is shaping up to be a very busy week at the Curious Nest! We just got a box from France of all kinds of little goodies including vintage religious medals, art nouveau dance cards, Victorian jewelry boxes, holy water fonts, a gorgeous baby blue enamel canister set and other amazing finds. So we plan on having everything priced and on the floor by opening on Thursday.

We will also have Circle Creek Soap back in stock with new scents to choose from for holiday gifts or a little treat for yourself. They are $4.50 a bar and are hand poured, cut and wrapped by a local couple who we adore. It is my absolute favorite soap and I am completely hooked on the orange and clove scrub. We will also have new art pieces in including some fun little pendants I am making with vintage French stamps and resin and other more intricate jewelry creations are in the works.

And most importantly, Saturday Dec. 4th from 11-6 we will have our dear friend Jane Silberberg in the shop doing a one day trunk show of her handknit scarves and also some of her one of a kind jewelry. I wear one of her scarves everyday all through winter and into the spring because they are so beautiful, warm and long enough to wrap artfully around ones neck that I simply cannot go out without one on. So come in and see our new treasures!