I bought my very first antique almost 15 years ago - a gigantic old wooden trencher bowl, nearly 5 feet long, with a beautifully smooth, well-worn patina. With a blush of excitement, I nervously shelled out $80 for it - a huge purchase for me as a live-at-home 18 year old, with no house of my own and no plan for such an oversized piece. But even with my limited experience, I knew it was an incredible deal and a once-in-a-lifetime find. As I watched my dad load it into the back of the van, I suddenly felt like a collector. An antiquer. A bona-fide treasure hunter. And I guess you could say I've been hooked ever since!

At about the same time I was buying that fabulous bowl, I was also starting my first business - Ellie's Handmade Soap. I taught myself the craft of soapmaking when I was in high school, and soon after I began selling my handmade soaps at our local flea & farmer's market. I love the exquisite balance of art and science that goes into natural soapmaking, from creating a new recipe to wrapping and labeling the finished bars. Today, I make bigger batches and have a few more handy tools than I did in high school, but every batch of soap is still made-from-scratch by my own two hands.

Creating something by hand - be it a bar of soap, a personalized hand-stitched kitchen towel, or even an artful display of antique ironstone - something that is all at once simple, beautiful, utilitarian, and rooted in history, suits my style and personality to a "T", and I am blessed to be able to earn a living doing it.

Today, my many collections include antique white ironstone, yellow ware bowls, old pewter, European grain sacks, primitive wood cutting boards, butter paddles, early rolling pins, stoneware crocks, and metal flower frogs... the last of which inspired the name for my shop! And that big beautiful trencher bowl? It finally has the perfect home, holding quilts and pillows at the foot of my bed.