Storewide Sale during Kerrytown Open House

Sunday, November 13th     10:00-6:00

20% off, plus Merry Multiples!

We've been as busy as Santa's elves getting FOUND ready for the holidays.  Lots of folks stopped in last weekend to nibble on cookies and get a first peek at our festive finds.  This Sunday, we'll be part of the Kerrytown Market & Shops annual Holiday Open House.  We hope you can join us for the festivities and special deals. The Open House is one of 2 days this season where we have storewide specials.  The other date is the crazy first Friday of December when we celebrate Midnight Madness (Dec. 2).  We'll have 20% off  storewide, PLUS you can combine the special with the season-long promotion we call Merry Multiples for over 30% off on things that you need a half dozen of. Here's how Merry Multiples works - if you buy 5 of a particular thing, we give you a 6th one absolutely FREE.  That discount is available everyday until the end of the year.  If you make your list and buy in quantity at the Open House or Midnight Madness, you get almost a third off.  Great if you need hostess gifts, ornaments, candles...or a half dozen chocolate-filled candy canes!      Continue reading

It was a busy week as we scurried to get things ready for the weekend festivities. Thanks to everybody who stopped in for some early shopping.   Below are a few photos.  More later. Winner!  We're pleased to announce that Kathy Rockwood's name was drawn this afternoon  from almost 200 who registered this weekend for our in-store raffle.  She will receive a $50 gift card and an Au Gres polar bear. We found wonderful snowpeople this year. We decided to keep our snowflakes cool in the Coke cooler so they don't melt. The back shelf is piled with vintage ornaments.   Love these felt snowmen!   We found a nice style reproduction feather tree - and lots of little ornaments to put on them. It's getting late - I'll post more photos later - just wanted to give you a quick look.... G'nite Mary   .   Continue reading

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Have you picked up your pumpkins and mums at the Farmer's Market yet?  A bright grouping on the front porch is a quick way to spruce up the entry for Fall.  Here's a sampling of the Autumn colors you'll find at FOUND this weekend: Pumpkin and Crisp Apple soy candles from Green Daffodil. Various shades of orange and yellow candles - and black for Halloween.  Autumn candle rings, potpouri and rolled candles with hand applied leaf shapes. Burlap Boutique added some Halloween trim to some of their recycled coffee bags! Lori from StoriesDivinations brought in a few Halloween and Fall themed note cards.  Even the backs of these cards are special.  Send to a special friend or even frame these little gems.   Button bracelets for Halloween 0r between... Sweet little treat cones. This vintage Fiesta Chop Plate would be great any time of year!  Orange used to be a seasonal color, but this year I'm seeing it everywhere.  (My neice had orange roses in her wedding bouquet during the summer - they were stunning.)  Enjoy the brilliant colors of the leaves as nature puts on its annual show!   . Continue reading

I seek out things for the shop that have interesting type and fonts.  Love the variety that can be found  in old school yearbooks, like this script on the cover of a Michigan State Yearbook (yes, it IS Michigan State, not U of M, with that wolverine cover) Here's a WW II era high school yearbook with great type and photos Love the letter M on these milk bottle tops! mmmmmmm....  We have some pretty complete vintage sign making kits at the shop right now.   I especially like the old school sets that include letters, words and pictures.  Teachers and students could make flashcards or even compose entire stories using these rubber stamps.  It's pretty unusual to find ones that still have most of the pieces.     Right now, we have 2 versions of the Classroom Printer. There's a lot you could write with all those letters and words! Interesting typography is all around, no?  We have an antique displayshelf for Sunshine Biscuits. Note the drop shadow on this logo.   I googled "typography" and got lost in the results....if you love typography, here's a link for a site called I Love Typography. Regards, Mary     . Continue reading

  Since it's back to school time, chalkboard paint seemed like a good thing to use to spruce things up at the shop this week.  I used blackboard paint on top of this vintage wood table/desk. It was an easy application. I buy the Rust-o-leum brand. Before actually writing on it with chalk,  the paint needs to settle for 3 or more days, then be "conditioned".  To do this, use the side of a white piece of chalk to completely cover the surface with chalk, let sit for awhile, then wipe off with a dry cloth or blackboard eraser.  Repeat the next day, completely covering with chalk and erasing. Then it will finally be ready to write on with chalk.  After that you can use a damp cloth to wipe it off occassionally. If you don't condition the painted surface, it will keep the "memory" of every mark you put on it. I also picked up a green can of chalkboard paint and put it on a display wall.  When it's ready to be "chalked up" the color will be toned down a bit.  I think I'll like it better with the white added.  We already had several big display panels conditioned with blackboard paint.  My blackboard handwriting can't compare to my grade school teachers, but using chalk is fun.  While it can be a bit messy with chalk dust, I love the idea of having permission to draw or write on walls and furniture.  What kid wouldn't love a craft table with a chalkboard top?  Here's what we hung from the "chalkboards" in the back of the shop: These are GIGANTIC early 1900's school anatomy teaching aids.  This skeleton guy is definately taller than I am!  Here's his BIG FOOT: You probably recognize these Max Brodel illustrations, as they are the standards that have been used in biology and medical textbooks for years.  We have six from the set, but only had room to hang two of them.  I love the detail of these American Froshe Anatomical Charts - this set was produced by the A. J. Nystrom Company specifically for use in classrooms.  They came from an auction at a high school that was being torn down.  I bought them from a woman who went to that auction - wish I had been there! Regards, Mary         Continue reading

Finally.... here are the photos from the July 2011 collage & assemblage workshops with mixed media artists Lynn and John Whipple.   The first day's focus was collage - vintage papers, adhesives, paint and messy fun!   By the end of the day, most projects were finished and framed in shadow boxes.  Some wonderfully creative work! Here's the fun group of ladies (and John) at the end of the first workshop.  Those smiles say it all! The second Whipple workshop was 3-D assemblage in a found box - below is the group that joined us on Sunday. Some folks took both days of class and others just came for the assemblage class.   Most of the day, I was back at the shop, so missed getting photos of the finished boxes.  My pictures are most works in progress... It was another lively day, full of creativity!  Thanks Lynn & John, and all who participated.       Continue reading

  It's been a busy summer for workshops at FOUND.  I'll use the next couple posts to show photos from the series. We were thrilled to host textile artist Chris Roberts-Antieau earlier this month.  Lots of creative sketching, planning, cutting, ironing and sewing took place in those two days! (Thanks to Pat Johnston who took these photos) The workshop started with sketching and drawing.  Then the fun of selecting colorful fabrics began!  Numerous tables throughout the room were STACKED with textiles of every color and pattern.  At the beginning of the workshop, they were all arranged by color in very neat piles.  By the end of the workshop, they looked like this.  Lots of creatve textile combinations happened in the meantime.   Chris pulled out her scissors - instruction in cutting, fusing and layering commenced!  Slowly, but surely, fabric "pictures" began to evolve.   A good iron is essential in doing art the Roberts-Antieau way! On the second day, the sewing began!         I was amazed as I watched everybody interpret their initial concepts onto fabric.          Two days wasn't nearly enough time to finish - work will continue at home.   The variety and lively use color and pattern in these projects was amazing.  We need to schedule a reunion for  this creative group of women in the autumn - after the finishing touches are completed.   We send a HUGE heartfelt THANK YOU to Chris (with help from Chris, Celibeth and Sylvia).  We're so fortunate to know you!         Continue reading

Lots of things have come into FOUND this week. In Wisconsin, I found several dozen vintage metal tags that were used on a dairy farm to identify the cows.  Emily scrubbed them clean and they would be neat for jewelry or altered art projects. Cuff style bracelets made from recycled license plates!  A big selection of these fun accessories is now in stock.  Just $12 each.  My 5th grade nephew is now a FOUND finder, too - he found me a set of pool balls this week.  If you want the 8 ball, better hurry in! Vintage plastic piggy banks.  In a half dozen styles. Handcrafted earrings made of recycled paper - from Michigan artist Sue Rosengard.  The earrings below are another new arrival from Sue. More robots arrived.... More things are coming in almost every day.  And I love to head out on vintage treasure hunts this time of year.  Hope you can stop by soon and see what else we've found. Regards, Mary owner & finder   . Continue reading

    Our summer workshop series continues next weekend when Chris Roberts-Antieau comes to FOUND to teach a two-day fabric arts workshop called "Textile Wit & Wonder". Saturday night we're hosting a trunk show and you're invited! 

Chris Roberts-Antieau Trunk Show

Saturday, August 6. 6:00-9:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m. Short Artist Talk by Chris

Free Event @ FOUND

Chris is best-known for her “fabric paintings,” which find humor and irony in everyday life and pop culture. Her colorful booth at the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair is always amazing with huge scale applique work. For the FOUND trunk show, Chris will also be bringing some smaller scale pieces, framed prints and cards. She'll be happy to sign copies of her book. At 7:00 Chris will give a short artist talk, followed by a Q & A about her work and the creative process. We'll have the documentary film, "The Life of Chris Roberts-Antieau: A Love Letter to Tom Waits", by Angela Kline running throughout the evening. We hope you can join us in this celebration of creativity! P.S. We measured the workshop space at the Kerrytown Concert House a couple days ago and decided that there is plenty of room to fit 18 participants, so we added 2 more spots! If you are interested in taking the Sat/Sunday class, register at foundgallery.com.     . Continue reading