People don’t believe me when I say I got married in a strip mall between Ray’s Discount Liqueur and the Dollar General.

It’s true. But I should also mention that in this strip mall is one of the best antique malls in Kansas, The Ridge in Shawnee, KS. It’s big. It’s friendly. It’s full of useful and otherwise strange things to browse for as long as you can stand it – they were baking fresh cinnamin rolls in the back cafe that filled my nostrils with a sense of cozy warm kitchen goodness. (But they weren’t ready yet!) With that kitchen inspiration that I found a new (old) kitchen gadget that I just had to have.

I recently got hazelnuts and was curious what to do with them. Turns out they are the perfect thing for grinding in this way cool mid-century style grater jar. At first it seemed nonfunctional – then I remembered this gadget is from the “old days” when you took your time to make stuff and things moved slower – but the rewards were greater. So just a few nuts at a time (and my favorite ingredient; elbow grease) and I had myself a jar full of fresh ground hazelnuts! The perfect addition to my morning oatmeal, my next batch of cookies, or on top of a salad.

But let me share with you some of the strange and unusual finds I also could have purchased if I were in the market from some dolls. Strange dolls. Very strange dolls.

This colonial looking yarn and wood doll would be delightful in your crafty cottage…but wait there’s more!

If you’re in the habit of collecting nuns to remind you of your childhood school days or if you’re too young for that….maybe you fondly remember the movie Sister Act? Nuns on the Run? No? Just me…okay.

A-ha! Now here is something everyone needs – something for the people; Russian dolls. I have always wanted my own set of nesting dolls – now I could satisfy my child hood yearning and refresh my memory on Russian leaders. Win-win!

I hope you enjoyed my vintage finds as much as I did. And if you’re not in Kansas City I strongly urge you to go to an antique mall near you.

If you do live in Kansas City, and are in the market for a place to get hitched, I also strongly recommend the Pavilion between Ray’s Discount Liqueur and Dollar General. \

  Although I would encourage your guests to find unique wedding gifts at the Ridge rather than the two stores on either side.