Archive for January, 2011

We’d like to thank our Partner Business
Giordano’s Floral Creations
for sponsoring our free February raffle for
A Dozen Roses

Please visit them at
1310 W. Midway Road Fort Pierce, FL 34982
(772)465-4119 (800)638-4498
http://www.giordanosfloral.com/

And tell them ‘Thank You’ from Laura’s Emporium!

Have visiting family or friends?  Take them to some of St. Lucie County’s activities for an enjoyable day.  Keep scrolling down for more.

Oxbow Eco-Center
http://www.stlucieco.gov/erd/oxbow/index.htm
Located in northern Port St. Lucie, the 225-acre Oxbow Eco-Center is dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the ‘real Florida.’ Its 225-acre preserve on the North Fork of the St. Lucie River is a living laboratory of floodplain forest, sandy scrub and pine flatwoods, and swamps and wetlands. From dawn to dusk, you can wander trails, bridges, boardwalks and observation towers on your own. Or you can join a naturalist on a guided walk. The Center, a building constructed using green building technologies, houses an Exhibit Hall and Discovery Room. A life-size exhibit that takes you on a journey down the St. Lucie River to the Atlantic Ocean, is well worth the visit. Be sure to check the monthly calendar which offers a variety of programs for both youth and adults. Art classes, swamp tales, brown bag lectures are just a few.
Editor’s note: Captivating for any age, this is a great family outing. Trails, exhibits, Center are all free, as are many of their scheduled events.  Very reasonable charge for some.

FPL Energy Encounter
http://www.fpl.com/community/learning/energy_encounter_overview.shtml
Your self-guided tour begins with an Energy Treasure Hunt led by Hutch the parrot.  As you pass through the exhibits, press a button where you see Hutch and he’ll lead you further on the hunt.  Many of the exhibits are interactive – touch screens, controls, videos, and challenges keep the kids involved – and new ones are added regularly. The College of Turtle Knowledge exhibit is open year round. Turtle Walks are available in June and July (turtle nesting season), by appointment only, and they’re very popular so make your reservation early.
Editor’s note: Everything is free. FPL sponsors several educational programs for schools and Scouts can earn their Nuclear Science Merit Badge through FPL. 

St. Lucie County Regional History Center
http://www.stlucieco.gov/history/index.htm
The Saint Lucie County Regional History Center offers a unique view into the complex history of the Treasure Coast. Be sure to pay attention as you explore the grounds – you’ll find remnants of the Spanish Treasure Fleet that gave the region its name! Venturing into the museum will reveal major exhibits featuring the native Ais Indian population, the Seminole Wars and the Seminole tribe, the fishing, cattle and citrus industries and a recreation of P.P. Cobb’s general store, complete with product displays. In addition, there are displays dedicated to the Hill photograph collection and the region’s involvement in World War II. Round out your visit by touring the Gardner house, a lovingly-restored showpiece of life at the turn of the century.
Editor’s note: $4 for adults; $3 for seniors and $1.50 for children and well worth it.

Being that Gin-For’s Odditiques has the most information on WG pottery I’ve ever found, I chose the above heading.  Besides – “West German Pottery, Art Pottery, Porcelain, Glass, Paintings, Corporate Cats, Life and Death, Puns and Giggles” seemed a bit lengthy. You’ll see what I mean when you get there, so I’ll stick to the main subject.

Ginny and Forrest collect, buy and sell West German Pottery, one of the rare collectibles that has a relatively short and definite period of production – 1949 to 1990. They boast of one of the finest selections of WG pottery in the U.S. and I don’t doubt it.  Addicted to auctions and antiques since 1991, they began focusing on W. German pottery about 1997.  A few years later, they created the ginforsodditiques.com site and began to share their still growing knowledge of the field, including makers, marks, quality, buying, glazes, values and more.

Lots and lots of excellent photos (oh, happy day!) of marks and pottery categorized by company, color, size and more.  They’ve even kept their sold items online (with bottom marks) to help you with identification, along with added notes referring to designers, glazes, shape numbers, etc.

Not content with just facts and photos, informed and practical articles on collecting WG pottery, values, etc. – Gin-For’s Odditiques created a running commentary through their Facebook page where collectors meet up to share their finds, ask questions, and make new friends.  Forrest and Ginny continually update their website, every time I visit there’s something new.

And, as I said earlier, a whole lot more.  You MIGHT be able to go through the West Germany pottery in an evening if you skip dinner and TV and your regular bedtime. But you’ll definitely have to come back again and again if you want the full monty.  A combination of wit and wisdom, you won’t regret visiting http://www.ginforsodditiques.com/.

Tell ‘em I sent ya’
Victoria

Hi, we’re Wayne and Linda and we’ll be married for 35 years this coming July.  Wayne grew up in Cleveland , Ohio and I grew up here in South Florida.  I’ve been crafting all my life and he trained as a furniture finisher with a prestigous company in the Cleveland area.  I guess it was only natural when we combined our skills and began doing craft shows in the late 80′s naming our business Sweet Dreams.

We did a variety of crafts for the first few years but then I discovered my love of painting and then the fun really began.  Together we produced a line a handpainted children’s furniture for about 15 years. It was a joy and a blessing. 

When Wayne fell and broke his back in 2006, we closed our studio in the Hollywood area and moved to Port St. Lucie.  Now that he is fully recuperated, we try to stick to smaller items of furniture and decorative objects—although, nothing is safe from my paintbrush!

Our work reflects our love of a Vintage, Shabby Chic style with lots of whites and creams.  We love to take orphaned items with great lines and give them new life and beauty.  One of our best selling lines is our Reclaimed Silver, those wonderful old pieces of silverplate that you find scratched and worn and no longer useful.  Wayne has developed a process that enables him to prime and paint them and then I paint on them, roses of course.

We love having a permanent space at Laura’s in addition to the shows we do in South and Southwest Florida.

Editor’s note:  Linda & Wayne’s Booth #17 is now downstairs just as you go through the glass sliding door.

Jose #45

Darlyn #14

Gary #33

David #7

Sandy #19

Margaret & Kim #247

Check ‘em out – maybe you’ll find that treasure you’ve been seeking!

It was a great birthday party for us!  We welcomed familiar faces and new faces, all who enjoyed an incredible buffet in between shopping.  Thank you and Happy New Year!