A Few of our Favorite Things

There is guilt that comes with not updating your blog on a weekly basis. I have lived it now for over 3 weeks. With me it's not so much what to write as it is what pictures to post. I'm all about the pictures when I look at other blogs. I do not have a worthy camera nor do I have the picture taking talent that so many bloggers posses. So I feel a compromise coming on...for now it is not an updated picture of the shop, but just a little nonsense and fun.
Good segue into the next topic ~ February Faves, a top 10 list of JB Knacker's favorite things right now! Cue Sound of Music melody: Doctor Zhivago and other romances, Metal Bedsprings that pinch nose and eyelashes, snack sets and snack cakes and skeleton keys...these are a few of our favorite things...! I'm trying way too hard, so on with the list without music...let's see... old dress forms & satin seam binding, pink rick-rack & metal movie reels, shiny buttons & crystal chandeliers. The list goes on & on, so I promise pictures very soon!
Just a quick note to entice you to the shop. Regular hours (Tuesday-Friday 1-6pm and Saturday 10-3pm) are back and we have kicked-off February with a special treat ~ a beautifully wrapped wine glass featuring our "February Faves" ephemera tag when you purchase $25.00 or more!! We started this last Saturday even though it was still January, and the customers responded. They took great care to pick just the right wine glass with the perfect ephemera tag on it as each is unique.
The old place looks good. We're quite taken with our paper & trinket room upstairs, and think it will inspire you to create! New finds include a set of ironstone dishes, a full scrapbook from 1929 all about Shakespeare's plays and actors of the time (all written in wonderful script lettering), big old white cupboard and so much more. Thanks for stopping by ~ Brenda

Therefore...and other wordy words

I have been told I can be a bit wordy. I have even noticed it myself. It was brought to my attention again after I read the proof of the JB Knacker ad I sent to our local paper. I quickly whisked an email off to said local paper, hoping they would remove all the wordy words I had plunked into our ad before going to print...especially the word "therefore!"
Speaking of getting rid of the not-so-necessary, I believe Julie & I have truly edited the shop as we ready for this Saturday in our "Saturdays only January." JB Knacker looks like a wintry Scandinavian home w/ all its whites, neutrals and textures. We like it! But I must admit...I'm itching to get the shop a little more "wordy." I need more words like concrete birdbath and metal-topped work table and maybe some ironstone platter or butter pat verbiage as well as small painted table and chunky cake plate words. Oh yes, a noun like cupboard and an adjective like primitive would fit nicely in the front room as would ticking feather pillow. Did I tell you I love adjectives like funky, old, white, painted, chippy, retro, metal, rusted and vintage to name a few. Therefore, being wordy is a good thing, right?!

Saturdays in January

Beginning January 3rd, JB Knacker will be open on 5 consecutive Saturdays 10am-3pm. We won't be open during the week at all. Just on Saturdays: Jan. 3rd, Jan. 10th, Jan. 17th, Jan. 24th and finally January 31st. We are excited for this change of pace at the shop! January tends to be a bit of a slower month, and with that in mind, we wanted to mix it up a tad, create a little excitement, get the town gossiping and really make the old place SHINE each and every Saturday!! Now, we will return to regular programming in February with the debut of JB Knacker's February Faves and the launch of our wine glass give away through Valentine's day. Stay tuned if you're curious...

Merry Christmas & thank you...

Julie & I wish all of you a blessed Christmas. You have helped to make this season a most successful one. In fact, it has been our best holiday season ever! We feel so fortunate to have our passion as our business and doubly so to have such kind, creative and adoring customers! OK...adoring may be a bit strong, but we feel your love and are ever so grateful to you!
We want to remind you all about our after Christmas sale going on from 12/26 through 12/30 during our regular business hours. So that means our doors will be open Friday (12/26) 1-6pm, Saturday (12/27) 10-3pm and Tuesday (12/30) 1-6pm. All Christmas will be 50% off ~ something we have never done before but are very excited to see how it goes...and we hope it all GOES! And to sweeten the deal, we are adding 20% off all of JB Knacker inventory (we sound like a real live commercial now). So come on out to the shop, stomp the snow off your boots, enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and load up on your favorite vintage and vintage inspired goodies.
And remember, we are open only on Saturdays in January ~ 5 Saturdays to be exact! We are really pumped about whooshing the shop into something fun and a little different each Saturday. It's all about creating excitement w/ a new look and new stuff each time. You won't want to miss even one Saturday!
Julie & Brenda

Told You So!

That's what I should have said to husband...but you know me, wouldn't want to rub anything in. We had a heck of a Friday and Saturday at the shop after Thanksgiving. The old galvanized bucket was stuffed w/ names for our $50 gift certificate giveaway... and the WINNER is ~ Dawn Graber!! Custom orders for window sash letters and soldered charms are written all over my hand and up my arm as the calls and emails have been coming at a quick pace. The shop will get whirled around again before this Saturday as it is Gilbert's Christmas Festival (yes, I said Christmas...who around here celebrates winter anyway...just a little dig at the flier that went out about this little shindig). The tour of homes and Santa Claus are the big draws on this day and of course, cookies and cider and such. I am thinking Friday night might be a late one as we give the place a fresh look w/ our new finds and creations. Would love to have you by the old place on Saturday w/ extended hours from 9am - 6pm. Thanks for your continued support!

giving Thanks

What would make customers swarm to a small rural town on the biggest retail shopping day of the year? To shop JB Knacker, of course! My husband, the disbeliever, thinks we ought not be open on Black Friday (he likes to give me a hard time but secretly he is my biggest fan). I believe we have a duty to be open on this day. Where would all the people who hate to shop the big box stores go? Where would they find their JB shred? Who would welcome them and ask how the kids are or let them know their new haircut is not too shabby? Where else could they make a snowman or throw a snowball and sip hot cocoa & coffee after coming in from the bitter cold? OK...JB Knacker, again. Yes, we will be open and proudly so! We will have extended hours from 10am - 6pm on the day after Thanksgiving. Our vintage goodies and unique gifts will be well-stocked and the shop will smell of hand-cut soap and french vanilla coffee. We will wrap your new found treasures in white butcher paper and tuck them into our ephemera tagged craft paper sacks. If you came all the way from DesMoines or Mason City or some other far away place, we'll make sure you have a bottle of water for the road or a cup of coffee to keep you alert. We are proud of our small town heritage and thankful for our loyal creative customers...thank you from the bottom of our hearts and see you on Friday!
There will be a drawing for a $50.00 JB Knacker gift certificate on Saturday, Nov. 29th at 3:00pm as we close up shop and wrap up a wonderful November at JB Knacker. All you have to do is visit us in Gilbert on Friday (10-6pm) or Saturday(10-3pm) and throw your name in the old galvanized bucket. Also if you see something on the blog that you Have to have just contact me and we'll work out the details...this will also get your name in the drawing for $50!

Brenda & Julie

Best Day Ever!!

JB Knacker Handmade Journals...$16 each
JB Knacker soaps~they make shop smell heavenly...Goose-sold
bed-sold...baby doll-sold...pillow-sold
galvanized sled-sold..."J" "O" "Y"-sold...2 of 3 concrete planters-sold...1 of 2 windows-sold


And I mean the best...well at least in a shop owner's terms. The crowd was steady for the Christmas Bash and the weather perfect...cold and just soft flurries of snow. We were as ready as we were going to be w/ fresh evergreen strewn about and a harvest table of homemade goodies w/ piping hot apple cider and coffee. Customers shopped and mingled and laughed and kids w/ rosy cheeks and winter sweaters were here and there. All things "organic" flew out the door...wire clam baskets, old hockey skates, sleds, letter window sashes, flour bins, statuary, painted firewood boxes and so much more. Indeed, it did seem that anything needed to make a statement in Christmas decorating was sold! It was great to see customers that we only get to see once or twice a year and always great to have our true, blue steadies come through the door. Thank you for a wonderful day!
Julie & Brenda