Monkey Socks or Sock Monkeys

It wasn't too long ago that I found a package of "monkey socks" for sale at an estate sale we were at.  I had to have them.  They are the type that people make sock monkeys from.  I was very excited and had to tell everyone that would listen to me about my great find.  I don't wear them often because I don't want to wear them out!

Dan has collected sock monkey's off and on for years now.  The collection grows and then he sells some off or gives them away.  We get down to only a few and then more sock monkeys begin appearing.

What makes each sock monkey unique are their outfits, hair and eyelashes. They all seem to be different.

This little fellow has clothes made for him.  He kind of scares me in an odd way.

Sock Monkey's were all originally made from socks made by the Nelson Knitting Company and were known for their red heels.  They began manufacturing their red heeled line in 1932.  It was from these red heels that the sock monkeys got their mouths.  There have been many other sock companies that made similar socks since.  Most of the sock monkeys we see today are from the 1950s or from the 1970s when there was a resurgence in the making of sock monkeys!

I think this Mom and baby sock monkey are cute!

This little guy is all made up.  I think he must be a member of a sock monkey band.  What do you think?

This sweet little girl sock monkey was a gift to me from my friends Debbie and Dorothy.  I had been out of commission for a bit and they sent this over to my home to cheer me up.  It did just the trick!  Thank you Debbie and Dorothy! There is nothing like a sock monkey to cheer you up when you are feeling down.

This sock monkey is orphaned and looking for a new home!  He can currently be seen in our Mall.  He looks lonely and I hope somebody else gives him a home before I do.

During the Holidays my friend Christine brought me over this new sock monkey! It is huge.  This has to be the biggest sock monkey I have ever seen.  Here he is towering over Buddha.  Buddha is not fearful, however, of this giant, godzilla size sock monkey.  Buddha knows the only way to get through fear is to face it and pass through it.

My mother and her friends took the sock monkey idea a bit further.  She made me a sock reindeer about 25 years ago and mailed it to me in San Diego.  It has been with me ever since!  It has become a tradition in my home to hang up the sock reindeer every year during the Christmas Season!

I once saw a sock elephant come into our Mall.  It sold pretty quickly and I regret not buying it.  Sock elephants are pretty rare I think.

I hope you enjoyed the sock monkeys!  Next time you see one stranded somewhere be sure to give it a home.  Give one to a friend.  It just might be what they need to make their day.

J. Hill Art

J. Hill has been an Antique Dealer with us for many years, in fact, almost since we opened our Mall.  We met J. Hill even before that as he was a customer of our small shop called the Little Antique Store located here in Lincoln City, Oregon.  We also did the Magic of Christmas Shows with him in Portland which was a wonderful Holiday show that we still miss.  

J. Hill is a great man.  Notice I didn't say nice but GREAT!  It is true in every sense of the word although he would never agree with me and would be very embarrassed that I had said so.

Well, J. Hill was in today to work his booth and bring in more of his original art.  I told him that so many of his customers and collectors wanted to meet him.  He was very shy about it and didn't want to talk about it.  But he finally agreed to let me take his picture.

J. Hill is a very modest man and is borderline shy as I just mentioned.  You may have noticed that I called him a great man.  It is true.  We have reasons to know this and we would never discuss them publicly but please know J. Hill is a man who lives quietly with the highest moral and ethical standards and has great integrity.  And we LOVE his art!  This is what J. Hill looks like folks surrounded by his art and objects he loves.

J. Hill has a whimsical way of painting and we know so many of you collect it and love it too.  Here are some photos and a small sampling of what he brought in today.

This piece I thought was fun and I almost had to buy it for myself.

J. Hill has best been known for his fish, bird and owl paintings but his newer dog pieces are lots of fun, too.  

So for all of you J. Hill fans out there (and we know there are many of you) you now know what J. Hill looks like.  J. Hill has finally said he will call us before he brings down his next load of art.  J. Hill says that he doesn't want to do any sort of reception, as I wanted to do, but he will gladly bring down extra art and will show his art in the back parking lot, visit with you and make you some great deals on his original pieces.  It will be the best way to meet him folks so stay tuned to the blog and to our facebook page and we will give you as much advance notice as possible about the timing of J. Hills next visit.

Also, don't forget to stop by our "Little Coffee Cart" and pick up some tasty Bridgetown Coffee and fresh baked brownies to enjoy while visiting our Mall and with artist J. Hill.

Monday Morning!

It is Monday Morning and the beginning of a new week.

Check out this video of Dan.  It will surely help cheer you up this Monday Morning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyzEkQ2rHbw&feature=g-upl&context=G22adee0AUAAAAAAAAAA

Sometimes I wonder why?

I was wondering around our Mall yesterday and I spotted this record player.  I had to take a picture of it and I wondered why?

Why would someone make a Donny and Marie Record Player and how did it end up in our Mall?  It truly is an odd item but I am drawn to it.  

I continued to work and to notice things around me.

Dan had brought in some daffodils.  I love them and their bright cheery yellow color.  They are so refreshing this time of year and bring me hope of spring!

And then Alan tried on this Japanese Mask and was looking goofy.  I had to take a picture of that, too.  Certainly someone wearing a Japanese fighting mask would draw ones attention!

It was a fun day at our Mall.  We worked hard and I decided to put up my little easter bunny's near the front register.  They are cute and remind me that Easter is not that far off.

As I downloaded these pictures off of my phone this morning I had a moment of clarity.  It wasn't that the objects I chose to photograph were unrelated.  What I saw as the pictures appeared on the screen was that I was seeing "yellow."  Even the Japanese Mask has a yellow liner.  It has been so grey around here lately that my eye was being drawn to a warmer color...yellow.  I guess that is why I collect yellow Bauer ware.  It is a bright cheery color that brings me warmth.

Have a great day everybody!

I did a quick "film" yesterday at our Mall.

I hope this link works and that you enjoy my fun project from yesterday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5f4Y-I9dQw

We haven't forgotten our blog!

We will be posting to our blog in the very near future! It has been so stormy, here on the central Oregon Coast, that it has had all of our attention. Spring Breaks are just around the corner. We are getting ready! Talk to you soon.


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A preview of our BACK ROOM SALE!

Dan and I are staging a Store Room SALE this weekend, March 10th and 11th.  We have two storerooms in our Antique Mall and things have accumulated for 13 years.  We are digging them out and staging a Store Room Sale that will be accessed through the Holmes Road side of our business property.  I have taken a few pictures and will post more over the next couple of days, either here, or on our facebook page.  Oh yes, the Sale can be entered at 9AM on Saturday and 11AM on Sunday.  It is going to be crazy, fun and filled with wacky stuff.

This doll scares me.  I don't know where it came from. 

This lantern has been electrified.  It still is cool.  It was hard to let it go.

Our Mall occupies the old hardware store here in Lincoln City.  It's last incarnation was as a True Value.  We found this sign in our conference room upstairs behind a table.

So you are getting a sneak preview.  It is going to be a lot of different things and it is time to let it all GO!  Don't miss it and it is worth the trip over.  Check us out on facebook for updates!