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What a treat to meet Eddie Ross and Jaithan Kochar this week-end. First at a lovely dinner given by Michele of My Notting Hill fame. It was a chance for this novice blogger to meet some of the pros. Her home is lovely, and her husband a handyman extraordinaire. He built the addition! Himself!! And he cooks!!!Michele and Eddie at the party.
The blog world is amazing. There were so many connections besides blogging. Linda from Haven on Hanover used to live in my old Alexandria neighborhood and now lives a few blocks from my daughter's old house in the Richmond Fan district, where I also lived part time. And she and her husband both went to our favorite football school: Penn State (Go Nittany Lions). Her last post here was about my favorite Richmond alley.Here's Michele and Linda with Thomas of My White Shirt .
Bob of Homer's Odd Isn't He, Janet of JCB and Meg from Pigtown*Design. 
Michele, Anne Hardock and Gretchen Ginnerty of Dwellings by Design.
Jaithan and Beth of Chinoiserie Chic & Style Redux.
Lauren of Pure Style Home and Terri of Wind Lost, a blogger from Calgary.
Not everyone was a blogger ... here are the guys.
Saturday we met outside the DC Expo Center. Jaithan greeted everyone as we arrived and kept us on task during the tour.
Eddie and Jaithan had already scouted the booths and asked what special thing we were each hoping to find.
We covered china, glass, silver, furniture, prints, jewlery and textiles. I think everyone learned a thing or two. This was a beautiful display of blue transfer ware.
This silver toast rack was an expanding design to accommodate thick and thin breads. Tres pricey. But one of our group found another one for $20.
I got a tip on the primer (Zinsser, the fast drying shellac kind) Eddie uses to prep furniture before painting that I'll be putting into practice.
The white chairs were cheap and could be easily spiffed up with different paint and fabric.
Eddie stressed the importance of talking to and learning from dealers. This print series of jewelry designs on a black background would look stunning matted and framed in a powder room or a dressing room (we all have those right?). The dealer was a friend of his and had a large collection displayed.
Everyone had a chance to ask questions.
And again it was good to make connections with other bloggers like Meg from Pigtown*Design. I found a great post here for she wrote about castles in Wales for the boys to read.
At the end we had a photo op.
So here's what I got ... An old carpenter's folding measure. I have some of my great-grandfather's carpentry tools but this I'll carry on shopping tours. (Yeah, I know a dollar bill is six inches, but this is much classier.)
Two coverlets. Green and red. I can see them on a table at Christmas with an arrangement like this, or under the tree.
and last a silver napkin ring engraved Harrison B Smith (too bad the first name isn't Holden). I have a large collection of rings and every family member has a special one.
It was such a great day. Jaithan was on the spot arranging and "herding" our group. Eddie is the real deal: gracious, down to earth, practical, imaginative and inventive. He and Jaithan have a lot to teach. Thanks guys!!!
They came from a church hall originally.
I glued one leg, tightened one back piece and used my favorite restore product.
I stitched on a length of ribbon for ties and there they were...all fixed up.
My SIL had two of these chairs languishing on the porch.
The seats were off so I got some black vinyl and the two extra cushions and recovered them.
I cleaned the brasses with a salt and vinegar solution (shades of chem class) and polished them off with a thin coat of olive oil. There was actual detail of hearts on the door handle.
