All points south: Maddie Lisee to Midland

The wind was playing crack-the-whip with the van and trailer as we headed south along US31, destination, Maddie Lisee (http://www.maddielisee.com/), in Lebanon, Ohio. But the perils of the journey were well worth it once we arrived. Maddie Lisee's owner Heather Kramb greeted us with a wonderful little snack of red snapper with a ginger-orange sauce and a killer South African wine. We enjoyed spending the evening with Heather and her family, catching up on a month's worth of adventures.

The next morning, we were off to the store. In addition to her gifts as a hostess, two things we admire about Heather are her wonderful color sense and great taste in fabrics. She'd done a couple of dressers in the most amazing layers of blue, so we were glad that Joe had picked a complimentary shade for the 3-drawer piece we brought, pictured below. Also shown is just one of Heather's beautiful fabric choices. She's always kind enough to pick up some extra yardage for us. My only complaint was that our visit wasn't long enough. We left at 11, heading back to Indianapolis, destination Midland Arts and Antiques (http://www.midlandathome.com/).

Our goal is to restock our space at Midland every 3 to 4 weeks. Sales have been strong this month, so we brought in several new tables, plus lots of smalls. A favorite were some 2-foot green enamel letters -- the largest we've ever had -- spelling "TO HOUSES," as well as some killer locker baskets. We also did some shopping for Kane before leaving. Two personal finds were this terrific vintage sweater -- looks just like something from Anthro -- and these adorable fortune cookie fortune "albums" by artist/dealer Jenny Elkins. I love fortunes -- I have several jars of them, which I use for collage. But the album is such a fun idea!

This week we'll be turning our attention to KANE COUNTY, which starts its season Saturday, February 28. We'll be in our usual spot in the Main Building. I can't wait! Kane's two-month winter break heightens everyone's anticipation -- dealers and shoppers. It's going to be a great show. Come and see us. xo