What’s new with Summer Porch

After years of selling exclusively in my shop, Summer Porch on J Street, I am going to be selling online too. I am really excited for you to have access to some great items on my website. For years I have been lamenting over this process and now it’s about to happen!

I will be writing weekly blog posts about what is happening in and around Summer Porch. For example, every year Summer Porch is involved in the East Sacramento Garden Tour. This event is on Mother’s Day weekend and celebrates Moms and families.

I want to hear from you also. What do you want? What are you looking for? How may I help you with your home and garden décor needs?

For the past 15 years, I have been hunting for treasures near and far. My love for vintage and antiques started when I was a child. My Grandparents lived in Nevada City, California. My love for all things vintage starts in my Grandfather’s basement where he would show me artifacts of years ago, arrowheads he found nearby, old bottles and tools and pretty much years of collections. There was even an Indian grinding rock up at the park near their home. I spent hours playing in these magical places not even knowing their real significance. You know when you’re a kid you think everyone has this experience. Well not only did I love the outdoors my indoor experience was so rich. My Grandparents home was a Victorian historically registered. They had an attic and that was the first thing I did after kissing them hello, was to run up and look for treasures of bygone days. Oh this was to die for. They had a carved Indian bust statue (was kinda scary but cool). They had a Victrola Record Player and it played! An old trunk encapsulated the most amazing comic book collection starting from the 1940’s. They had transoms above every doorway oh I can go on and on. My memories are rich with love and ambiance. There was also spiritual activity in their house, but it was never scary, very welcoming.

When I started collecting and buying for myself I realized the nostalgia connected to these inanimate objects. Memories can flood you when you see just the right vintage find. Even when you don’t feel emotional attachment to vintage furnishings you still feel the respect and curiosity that made that thing significant to another person.

I can’t tell you how many people have come into Summer Porch and have commented on the primary bowl set by Pyrex, “the yellow one was my Mom’s macaroni salad bowl!” Each bowl has a special recipe attached to it. “Oh my aunt had that exact China pattern and we loved going to her house for Christmas Eve every year.” I receive many wonderful comments about vintage housewares and textiles. I really love the reaction people have when they come into the shop for the first time. They seem to really enjoy seeing many things from the past. Even the younger people go crazy over rotary phones and vintage typewriters! “What is this, you actually had to do all this to talk on a phone?” Hey it wasn’t that long ago we had landlines and manual typing contraptions! I just love the comments.

I’m just so glad people like the vintage décor. To me Vintage never goes out of style it just gets better!