Antiques and more... Frye's Measure Mill

Another unique place on our "Antiques and More - East and South of Peterborough, NH" Google Map is Frye's Measure Mill in Wilton.  It is located a little off the beaten path at 12 Frye Mill Road (which is at the intersection of Davisville Road and the Burton Highway), but there are signs from Route 101 to help keep you pointed in the right direction.  The meandering drive to this out-of-the-way location actually helps to set the mood!  Stepping into Frye's is like stepping back in time. 

As you drive up the driveway, you can see how the main building hangs out over the water and holds the wheel that provides the power for the woodworking machinery in the mill, as it has been since the 1850s.  Once inside, it feels a bit like you have entered a museum, with wooden and Shaker-style boxes, period lighting, folk art, pottery, antiques and high quality reproductions, but with the warm and inviting feeling of a home.  The smell of fresh cut wood greets you, and you know the workshop is not far away.  Some of the earliest products of the mill included round and oval pantry boxes and measures, and since the late 1960s, at the request of Canterbury Shaker Village, the mill added Shaker box reproductions created with the same commitment to excellence as outlined in documented Shaker tradition.  On Saturdays, from June through October, visitors can get an in depth look at the antique water-powered machinery on the 1 1/2 hour mill tour.  (Typically at 2:00 PM, but call or see Frye's website to verify.)  Beyond the workshop and main floor, the gift shop continues upstairs with a  Christmas-themed loft and out into the mill yard, where you will find a small, antiques-filled barn and the old mill garage, where antique fire trucks and firefighting apparatus are on display.

A historic landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Frye's truly has a little bit of something for everyone (even those who are not necessarily inclined to antique shopping).  Their regular hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM to 5 PM and Sundays from noon to 5 PM.  From the day after Thanksgiving until December 22, the gift shop is open 7 days a week.  (Hours can vary, especially in winter, so check their website for details.)

P.S.  Have a particular interest in old mills?  Check out the SPOOM, Society for the Preservation of Old Mills, website.   Dedicated to preserving historic mills and informing the public about the significance of the milling industry in early America, they've got information about mills and events throughout the U.S.

Antiques and more... White Home Market

In Peterborough and southern New Hampshire, we have some wonderful opportunities for antique and consignment shopping.  We recently created Google Map that highlight many of the antiques shops in Peterborough and areas to the East and South.  (A map for shops to the West, towards Keene, is still in the works.)  To the East, only about 15 minutes away, is one of my favorite shops, White Home Collections.  The shop occupies a large white farmhouse house on the south side of Route 101 East (at Route 31) in Wilton.  Three beautiful floors of antiques and gifts that artfully flow out into the three attached barns, porch and patio areas as well.  They have a wonderful mix of antiques and vintage styles, including items for the home, garden, holidays, apparel, and more.  And they do a wonderful job displaying their items to make them look fresh, interesting, useful and beautiful!  I feel like every time I go there, everything is completely new!  (You can see lots of photos on the White Home Collections Facebook page.)  Driving past one time, I noticed a customer quote on the announcement board under their sign.  It said something to the effect of "WHC (White Home Collections) is the happiest place on Earth!"  I totally agree!

To add to the fun,  White Home Collections has a second location, called White Home Market, just up the road!  White Home Market is open only three days a month, but it has a new theme each month and fresh inventory every day.  Back in June, I had the pleasure of checking out the "Cottages and Cabins" Market with one of my sisters.  It was amazing!

In addition to the small house at the market location, there was a bright, spacious tent filled with beautiful items, great ideas, and happy people.  Although I wasn't looking for anything in particular, it was impossible to look around without finding something I HAD to have!  :)

Luckily, their next market weekend is right around the corner, August 17-19, with the theme "Worn, Weathered & Wonderful".  Additional market dates include:

     September 14-16 - Black, White and Gray
     October 19-21 - Bountiful Harvest Home
     November 16-18 - Deck The Halls
     November 29 - Customer Appreciation

I can't wait!

2012 Medal Day at The MacDowell Colony

On August 12, The MacDowell Colony will honor photographer Nan Goldin with the 53rd Edward MacDowell Medal.  This prestigious award is presented to an artist for outstanding achievement in his or her field.  The artistic discipline in which the award is given rotates in order to celebrate all of the creative fields practiced at MacDowell.  Goldin, best known for her provocative, blunt and autobiographical work, which often depicts intensely personal moments and scenes, is the fourth photographer to receive the award.

The awards ceremony begins at 12:15 PM and will include remarks from MacDowell’s Chairman, Michael Chabon, an introduction of the Medalist by writer and critic Luc Sante, and remarks from 2012 Medalist Nan Goldin. Following the awards ceremony, guests can enjoy a picnic lunch on the grounds of the Colony (bring your own or pre-order a picnic basket from the Colony for $20), and from 2:00 - 5:00 PM, MacDowell artists-in-residence will host open studios for guests.

Since the Colony is typically closed to the public to ensure the privacy of the Colonists, Medal Day provides a special glimpse into the studios and lives of the artists that come here to create their art. 

The MacDowell Colony has 32 artist studios situated on 450 acres of fields and woodlands in Peterborough, New Hampshire, and welcomes more than 250 artists from the United States and abroad each year.  Disciplines include architecture, music composition, film and video, interdisciplinary art, theatre, visual art, and literature.  Artists-in-residence receive room, board, and exclusive use of one of the studios for up to eight weeks.  The Colony is a registered National Historic Landmark.

Note, added 8/6/12:  In conjunction with MacDowell Medal Day, the Sharon Arts Center will present an exhibition of photographs by Goldin and a group of photographers whose work will explore the dialog of life.  The exhibit will run from August 10 to September 1, with an opening reception on Friday, August 10 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM.  The reception is free and open to the public.  For more information, see the Sharon Arts Center website.