The Nostalgia of Toys

Well, we have passed Thanksgiving and now comes Christmas!  The shopping frenzy has begun!  The types of toys that are around now are so very different from those of my childhood.  Now, I am not going to give away my age, but, I loved what was around for me and my children as well.  There is something special about a toy that makes you move, build, think, and imagine.  This year I have been on the hunt for just a plain old baby doll.  I don’t want it to talk, eat, wear fashion clothing, or do anything automated.  I keep a selection of “babies” for my special little people and I love the imagination they have when playing with them.  I have been scolded from time to time by a two year old if they are not properly dressed in their clothing and shoes! Those wonderful old cars, trucks and tractors can move earth today just as good as they did back in the day.  Take some time to visit your favorite antique mall (which of course is South End Antique Mall) and discover what types of nostalgia you can bring to your gifts this year!

Remember those pull toys that used to drive you crazy! They are still around!

Blocks  give freedom to build, spell, and design.

Cars, trucks and tractors! Wow!

Don't pass up those old toys and children's furniture!

Old dolls are a chance for you to design clothing and replace shoes for a new life.

Don't Forget Thanksgiving!!

 

Poor Thanksgiving sometimes gets pushed to the curb due to the Halloween and Christmas rush! Take time to dress up your table settings and home with some great vintage Thanksgiving themed items.  Honestly, it is a great excuse to have your family, friends and extended families together for a time of good food and great fellowship!  Those wonderful old turkey platters and really set-off your perfectly roasted turkey (or whatever your favorite main dish is).  Those old die cuts are very welcoming on your front door as well.  However you do it, just don’t forget it!  Friday, November 25^th – 27^th is the last store wide sale of the year for us.  There is at least 10% off most items in the store with some vendors giving deeper discounts.  November is a very busy month for

the Aurora Colony stores.   Many of the downtown stores will be having open houses the weekend of November 4^th.  On November 12^th, there is “Trimming the Aurora Village” with more holiday open houses.  The weekend of the 25^th – 27^th is South End Antique Mall’s sale as well as Open House weekend in Aurora.  On December 3^rd – 4^th is the “Wine & Chocolate Walk” and this is a popular one! Make sure you get your tickets starting on November 1^st for this event.  Go to “aurorawineandchocolate.com” for more info on the tickets.  All in all, Aurora is the place to be during November and December.  Mark your calendars now!  You can get all the info you need at the Aurora Colony Visitors Association website.  Make sure you make South End Antique Mall your first stop!

The Elegant Color of Fall

 

A big THANK YOU to all of you who visited us this last weekend at our parking lot sale!  We really enjoyed meeting our old friends and making new ones.   Mark this blog as a “favorite” and you will never miss out on upcoming sales!  I know we are just into the middle of August, but fall color is creeping up quickly.  Are you the kind of person who plans ahead for their seasonal décor?  We have vendors who are already ahead of the game!  Plan a visit to South End Antique Mall to find a great selection of fall color and vintage décor.

Love those old woven baskets! You can fill them with anything seasonal!

Select beautiful plaid fabric and add shades of green and orange for accents.  So cozy!

Oh that beautiful old brown pottery!  Display on a shelf or table full of dried botanicals!

The Art We Live With

 Have you ever wanted to own original art for your home?  It truly is within your reach! Finding vintage quilts can satisfy this need.  This beautiful hand stitched quilt is a combination of quilting, applique and embroidery.  There is a variety of colors and it has been expertly designed and executed.  South End Antique Mall has a great selection of vintage quilts and quilt tops.  August 13^th is Aurora Colony Days! This is such a fun event with an outdoor antique market, a parade, a concert and lots of food. There is also free admission to the museum. South End Antique Mall will be having another terrific parking lot sale August 12^th – 14^th.  This is a storewide sale with at least 10% off inside and out.  We are celebrating all weekend so take time to stop by.  Mark your calendar for this special weekend in August; it is going to be great!

Celebrate Dad!

 

Father’s Day was founded in Spokane Washington in 1910 as a compliment to Mother’s Day.  It wasn’t officially recognized until 1972 when President Woodrow Wilson made it an official holiday!  Father's Day falls on June 19th this year.  I have always felt that our poor father’s get left in the dust compared to Mother’s Day.  Take time this year to celebrate fatherhood, those special men and the paternal bonds you have in your life.  The Aurora Colony Visitors Association is sponsoring a “Father’s Day Car Show” on Saturday, June 18^th from 9:00 to 1:00.  Lots of vintage cars and good food will be spotted in the downtown area of Aurora.  Take time to stop by South End Antique Mall and discover the wide variety of terrific Father’s Day gifts we have available. Our last parking lot sale was a huge hit in spite of the rain.  Our next one will be Friday August 12th - Sunday August 14th.  This is another indoor/outdoor sale during the Aurora Colony Days and our vendors are already stocking up for this one!  Mark your calendars now!  

Time for Celebrations!!

 

We love to celebrate just about anything, but this month we have three reasons to celebrate!  Mother's Day is getting here quickly and we have some wonderful inventory in place for the special woman in your life.  Our next celebration is we have a new vendor whom we are very excited about.  She has been selling vintage and antique items for over six years.  We want to welcome Kari to the South End Antique Mall family.  She has a great selection in place now and will be adding more as the days go by.  She is just getting started but, I have a feeling she will fill this space up quickly. I am including some pictures of her items just to get you excited to come in and check out what she will bring! Welcome Kari!  Our next celebration is our 17^th Birthday!  We are so excited to have been in business for 17 years and are looking forward to many more years.  We celebrate our birthday on May 28^th – 30^th.  It is our biggest sale of the year and you are invited to the party!  The entire store is 10% off with many vendors giving deeper discounts.  We open space in our parking lot and the field next to the store for even more items.  Our vendors save up inventory all year just for this sale so there will be lots to see.  Be sure to mark your calendar now to celebrate this special birthday with us!

Easter Greetings!

We want to wish you all a Happy Easter and a blessed time with your families.  We will be closed on Easter Sunday as we spend time with our family as well!  We will be open through Saturday and will resume our regular hours on Monday.  Stop by this week and enjoy some of the Easter treasures you will find at South End Antique Mall!