Ginger Junker

06/17/2026

06/17/2026

Come check out the overhaul! Lots of new inventory, display changes, and vintage treasures waiting to be discovered in my Ginger Junker spaces at Freakin' Antiquin' Vintage Market✨

06/16/2026

06/15/2026

Not every treasure shines.

This rusty little advertising match holder caught my eye because the original advertising is still visible after more than a century.

Painted on the front is:

“Compliments of Viets & Harms Hardware and Implements, Cole Camp, Mo.”

Pieces like this were often given to customers by local businesses in the early 1900s. The covered compartment held wooden matches while the textured metal strip on the side served as a striker. Before disposable lighters, these practical advertising pieces hung in homes, barns, workshops, and general stores across rural America.

Viets & Harms operated a hardware and farm implement business in downtown Cole Camp, Missouri, during the early twentieth century. Historical records indicate the firm was also associated with an early Ford agency, serving the agricultural community as automobiles began appearing on rural roads.

Cole Camp, settled largely by German immigrants, grew into a thriving farming community in Benton County. Hardware and implement dealers like Viets & Harms supplied local residents with the tools, equipment, and necessities needed for everyday life.

Based on the style, construction, and business history, this piece likely dates from around 1900–1920, making it well over 100 years old.

I love finding items like this because they’re more than antiques—they’re pieces of local history. A simple match holder tells the story of a hometown business, the families who ran it, and the people who used it every day.

That’s the kind of junk worth saving.

06/11/2026

Help me decide before I fire up the plasma cutter!

These metal pieces are going to become pendant lights, and I’m working on the design stage. I’ve narrowed it down to a few pattern ideas, but I’d love to hear what you think before I start cutting.
Which pattern is your favorite?

Would you choose one pattern all the way around, a combination of a couple of patterns, or something completely different?
Keep in mind that these examples are just inspiration. Since I cut everything by hand, the finished design will be my own interpretation rather than an exact copy.
Drop your favorite letter in the comments.

06/10/2026

A little history of my ability to do uncommon things...

I think I’m wired a little differently. I’m ambitious, curious, and sometimes that creates unusual results.

When I want to learn something, my first thought is usually, “I can do this.” Then I figure it out as I go.

My siblings are the same way. We weren’t born knowing how to plasma cut, build an airplane, or farm thousands of acres. We learned by trying, making mistakes, asking questions, and doing.

We’re not afraid to learn while we’re in the middle of doing.

So here’s my challenge to you: try the thing. Start before you know everything. With the amount of information available online and a little determination, you can learn almost anything.

I truly believe most people are capable of far more than they give themselves credit for.