Girls Day Out - Antiques and Trains

Yesterday, Friday, the 9th, Mom, the girls and I went to our favorite antiques store in New Braunfels, Red Rooster Antiques. I found lots of pretty goodies, but only came home with a depression glass vase. I was very disappointed that they remodeled and now the entire front room is all booths and tables and the actual floor space for displays has been reduced by more than half!
Anyway, I found really cute transferware plates. I would love to start a collection with them but I know it could easily and quickly become an expensive habit! That little Aunt Jemima was a old plastic syrup bottle and it cost $125!!! I was shocked! I thought $10-$15 tops!

I'm really thinking the next time I drive through New Braunfels I might have to run in to purchase these bottom two plates. I have no idea where I would put them but they are just so cute and I want them to come home with me. Really bad. Especially the one on the right, it reminds me of Doctor Zhivago!
After walking around Red Rooster we walked over to the Train Depot museum next door. CC and I had a scary experience there last year so we didn't really get to walk through and enjoy it, but this time we did.
In the room where the huge train display is, this sign was posted.

Thank goodness the man working there was much better than last time. He was an older gentleman that fit right in with his surroundings. He was fun to talk to!

Mom, CC, Lena and I walked back to see the trains. Last year there was only the caboose. This year there was the first engine, dining car, box car (that hasn't been opened yet) and the caboose.

It may sound crazy, but I have always wanted to be a train conductor. I know it's not realistic but I think it would be so very,very fun! I was giddy with excitement when I saw I could stand where the conductors stand and even pull the rope for the bell! It was FUN!!!

Mom even joined in on the fun!

We then walked over to the dining car. The dining car can be rented out for parties... such a neat and original idea!!

There was a CD player inside and several big band and instrumental CD's stacked beside it. It just looked like it would be so fun to have a party there.

I told Mom being in there made me want to take a train ride somewhere....anywhere!

Lena didn't seem to be enjoying it too much. She later told me she hadn't eaten anything all day and had a bad headache.

I was lucky to get one picture with Lena.... she is just not too into pictures. I think I may have scarred her by always having my camera on hand!

Mom really had fun in the dining car.

We walked over to the caboose. It was really neat. A sign posted inside said that if the conductors had to spend the night on the train they slept in the caboose. It also said the conductors would give signals by lantern to the those in the caboose to apply the break or speed up and slow down. The caboose was really neat, but like Lena said, it smelled like pee.

Me and CC. I usually don't have too much trouble getting a picture WITH CC. Taking a picture of her is quite a different story!

I loved this old wagon with old trunks piled on. It definitely gave a very nostalgic feel!

And as we were walking back to the car I snapped a picture of Mom and Lena.

We had a great time just spending time together. I have been so bogged down and busy with school that I have really had zero time to relax and enjoy myself. I told Mom and the girls that after my finals were finished this week I wanted to go to Red Rooster and waste time. We did just that. And we had a blast!

Red Rooster Antiques (Part 3)

I am finally sitting down to wrap up my posts on my and CC's little day trip to New Braunfels to Red Rooster Antiques. Part 1 and Part 2 have alot more photos of the beautiful things inside the antique store... these photos are the cute things we saw walking around the town square.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Right across from Red Rooster was this house. It was all decked out in Christmas decor. There were life size carollers, a life size sleigh and horsey, lights and decoration everywhere. Click on any of the photos to enlarge.. you just can't see the detail when they pictures are small.

Can you imagine what the inside must look like? I was tempted to knock on the door and ask if I could see... I really was...but there was an iron gate and it was locked so for now I will just have to use my imagination! How long do you think it took to set this up?

So as we began to walk this was the view of the sidewalk and streets. I just love the leaves everywhere... it has such a "seasonal" feel to it... does that make any sense?

The marker said this was the first hotel in the town. It was old, looked like it has tons of history to tell, like something straight out of a movie set.... and I LOVED it!

And then we happened here... The New Braunfels RailRoad Museum.

I was thinking CC and I could get some neat photos of and on the railroad track. WRONG! What we got was quite the scare!

So we walk in and this older chubby man with glasses greets us and informs us that there is a two dollar donation recommended. He continuely told us until we actually took the money from our purse and put it in the box.

The museum was neat. The first room had old photos and a RR crossing sign, things like that. The entire back room was one HUGE model train set up with two trains.

And it was complete with TWO tunnels.

Mr. Chubby, the name I've given him, looked like some character out of a horror movie. You know, the psycho kind that lives with his mom and secretly kills people in the basement and buries them in the backyard....or stores them in the deep-freeze? You get my point. Chubby, soft hands, pens in the pocket, a little....off. Odd!

He just stood there while we were looking around the model looking at us. I tried my best to ignore him. I think I was probably talking kinda loud and fast, typical of nervous behaviour. It just kinda freaked us out.

He brought over some pamphlets about NB and good dining places and other museums. He also gave me a flyer about a model - train convention in San Antonio. It could have been fun...but if the other model train enthusiasts are anything like him.... I'll pass!

We never heard to bells on the front door when it opened. But I swear to you... we both heard Mr. Chubby tell someone "We have guests." Spoookkyy.....

We never heard another voice. We kept our backs to that front room and continued to look around the model trains. I think we were too scared to move. So we turn around and there is this tall old man leaning against the wall just staring and watching us! He had an old dingy long white/yellow beard. Shorts on and a sweater. And a black beanie. And he reeked of smoke.

We smiled and walked the heck out of that room. Mr. Chubby said "There's an engine and caboose in the back. Go on back and take a look. Just don't try to walk out of the caboose. Be sure you walk back through the front. There's no platform back there... you could fall."
As we were slowly and scarily walking back we could smell the cigarette smoke again. But sure enough.... there was the engine.

I told CC we will look at them in turns. But NO ONE goes in the caboose. It was actually pretty neat. And I would have liked to have been in a group of people so it wouldn't have been so scary. We were the only people there!

So I ran up took pictures of the engine and inside the caboose and ran down and then Sierra ran up and looked inside the caboose.

When we were leaving the tall really spooky man was walking back toward the caboose. I told Sierra in a stern, commanding voice..."It's time to go!"

It was so darn scary. And probably not the smartest thing for a mom and young teenager to do. Maybe we have just watched too many scary movies. But the whole feel of it was off...just not a good vibe. But we made it out and I wouldn't do it alone again. EVER!

We had a good day... just me and my CC! We were trying to find a good, small German bakery to grab some coffee and pastries at but nothing was open. So we ended up at Sonic...where else? Chili Cheese tator tots, vanilla Dr. Pepper (CC's) and a vanilla cherry Coke (me) and then we drove home. I loved spending time with her like and plan on making it a point to do it more often.

Red Rooster Antiques (Part 2)

I am so enjoying this day off. I left work yesterday at 9:45 a.m. to begin my FIRST vacation of the year...seriously! So I tried to beat some of the last minute grocery shoppers and spent two hours fighting my through the aisles. Nevertheless, I found some dark chocolate K-cups for my Keurig...delicious I might add... and I added some Peppermint Mocha coffee creamer and my goodnes... HEAVEN!

This morning I got up and made a HUGE breakfast for Emil and the girls. Now Emils at work...last minute rush jobs. You should see some of these jewelry pieces he has been working on. Last week he had...get ready for this.... a 48 caret tennis bracelet. It had 24 2-caret diamonds and it was set in platinum. Who wears things like that? I would be terrified to wear it! Someone could bop me on the head, take the bracelet and buy themselves a house and a car and maybe even some furniture! Ha!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now, on with more of my Red Rooster Antique pictures.... Part 2!


I love pinecones. I try to hide them through out my floral arrangements and in the mantle arrangement. I saw these cute pinecones on display there. The tips look like they were dipped in glue and the dusted with green glitter. I think these are great for holiday displays and you can make them to suit the colors of your house. And, I think it would be a great craft idea for children to match the colors of their rooms or the tree in their room. You could then tie a cute ribbon to hang from the top and now it's a pretty ornament. These cute sparkly and glittery ornaments were displayed in a black plant stand. I loved the way it looked. I couldn't resist not taking a picture.

I absolutely fell in love with the distressed look of this cupboard. I can just picture it in an old farmhouse. I am sure if this cupboard could talk it would have many, many stories to tell. You can click on the photos to enlarge them and see the goodies placed inside!

This beautiful white chair held a white porcelian hand which held beautiful white and blue delft buttons and pendants. I wish I would have bought some.. they were all around $2 each!

This display was on an old vanity dresser. I loved the small red tinsel tree. The green tree and green ornaments just add to the vintage look. I loved the way this was displayed and just HAD to take a picture!

This lamp was beautiful. Sierra lived it. It has such charm!

Old perfume bottles and a small pink tinsel tree. Again, everything was beautifully displayed.

Am I the only one in love with this pink cabinet? I tried to get more pictures of the beautiful dishes on display but my camera decided to "error" them. Just click on the photo to enlarge it. You won't be disappointed. I think it would also look wonderful in a little girls room holding her dolls, nutcrackers, necklaces and books. Now I think I want it for Lena's room.

Now this section had the most unusual items. There were lots of these "rides" that must have come from McDonalds.. There was also a life-size Ronald McDonald in the corner. I didn't get a picture of him.. he was scary. On the shelf behind this ride was some old moving blankets and a beautiful chandelier. Click and enlarge and you'll see it. There was also some old rusty signs and old, vintage couches. I wished I would have gotten a picture of those.

I think besides that beautiful china cabinet in part one, this was my favorite thing in the store. It's a ceiling. The blue was just amazing. And the gold was so rich and luxurious. It is truly just amazing! I didn't get to see the price on it, as it was behind so many things, but I would just LOVE to have this in a room in my house!

I wanted to get a better picture of this red tree but it was about 12 feet tall and I couldn't get the whole thing. It was beautiful though.

This area had lots of old cookbooks and other neat displays. The cook book Sierra's hand is on was from some island (Rum's Point) and it included recipes on how to cook turtle! Seriously.. gross!

Another beautiful display area. The cabinet behind her had an old doll thingy and a beautiful old beaded dress. I thought of all the neat things I've seen on blogger with old birdcages like the one behind CC. I just don't have the talent or the time to create a beautiful birdcage creation.

A wall of old skeleton keys and lots of other iron pieces. Pretty neat...

This dollhouse was absolutely wonderful. The only problem, the back open area was facing the back of an old dresser so you can't see how wonderful it was inside. And it was impossible to get a photo of it. Each room was a different wall paper. I can just imagine the joy this brought to the children who played with it and the many "families" that lived there.

Me... taken by CC.

We found this wonderful distressed mirror. I wanted to take a neat reflection photo...didn't quite work out.

So we tried again.... you can see the camera... Sierra looks like she's growing out of my shoulder.. but we sure had fun!

I will try to post my last set of photos in a couple of days. They are some photos taken around the town square...and a scary story. Really!

I am going to enjoy the rest of my day off with my girls.. I might not post for a couple of days.. but I hope you all have a wonderful extended weekend!