Being Bad in Sumner

It's been a long time since I visited downtown Sumner, due in part because of the economy and also because I kind of burned out on the stores.  It's only a few blocks long and there aren't that many places.  It doesn't take long to do both sides of the street, hitting every shop.  I haven't been down there in well over 2 years.

I figured since I took the time to visit the Old Cannery, and since it wasn't raining, I'd browse through the stores.  First I took a quick walk over the Stuck River Bridge.  The lights look very pretty at night and I'll try to get pictures before the end of the season.

"This third Stuck River Bridge was built here in 1927.  The first bridge was built in 1863 just down stream at a cost of $495.  It was rebuilt in 1884.  In 1904 the White River was diverted in Auburn into Stuck Creek to make it a permanent tributary of the Puyallup River.  The original lights on this bridge were removed during World War II.  The lights were replaced in 1991 to celebrate Sumner's Centennial.  City of Sumner 1891-1991."

I parked behind Main Street, at the back of some of the stores.  This one was called, appropriately, Picket Fence.

I do love bric-a-brac gardens.  I've always wanted to do one myself.

Out front on Main Street.

I never noticed this mailbox before.

Sumner Centennial mural, showing quite a bit of wear over the past 20 years since the Centennial was celebrated.

I think this is the Sumner Historical Society.  They have a really pretty lit tree as well, which is the City's official tree, but it didn't photograph well at all in the daylight.  

Another mural depicting 1800's life on Elhi Hill, which is above Sumner, where I live in Bonney Lake.

When I was on my way to the Old Cannery, I was blasting one of my tapes.  The song that was playing was my favourite Ultravox tune, "Sleepwalk".  I had it turned up to 11 and I was singing at the top of my lungs.  In the middle of the song, I saw this sign and in the middle of the song I screamed, "NO WAY!!!!"  I was to be a very bad girl....I swear I went in just to look.  But like any other junkie, being around all those sparkling, saturated colours, the endorphins kicked in and I found myself heaping strands onto my wrists.  Before I knew it, I was in too deep.  lol

KC's Caboose burned down a couple of years ago.  It was very sad to see it go as it had been a part of Sumner time out of mind.  It was perched at the end of the block, a few feet from the railroad tracks.  It even had a fairly large-size (about 4' long) replica of an Amtrak car on an overhang below the roof.  

This used to be a small German restaurant and bakery the last time I was downtown, and now it appears KC's has taken over the space.

I walked up one side of the street and down the other.  At least 3 trains came through town while I was there too!!!  And no trip to Sumner would be complete without a trip to the Whistle Stop Antique Mall.  I love to look at all the old Christmas decorations that are for sale.  Those old glass balls with the painted and glittered stripes are my fave and I have to force myself not to buy them.  So I go and look at them instead.  I ended up finding some amazing deals while I was there.  And no trip to Whistle Stop is complete without a few greeting barks from Kat, the owner's wirehair Doxie.  

Finally, on my way back to the car, I had to shoot Nicholson's Drugs, because I just dig the retro sign.  I went in a couple of times and it's as retro inside as it is outside.  It's like stepping back in time to a 1970's era drug store.

I liked the look of this old white gate.

This arch is a smaller version of the one I saw in Confederation Park in Victoria.  I love it.  I was able to get inside this one and see up close how they brace the trees to train them to grow this way.

Here are my purchases, except for the small wooden shadow box shelf that screams out to be painted and ephemera'ed.  So I snagged me an end-of-day glass tumbler, a green insulator (this shade is more green than the normal teal ones), 2 books of vintage linen Victoria postcards, gorgeous flowered paper, a mint condition Peter Max Design Paper Airplane book (copyright 1971), and a pile-o-beads.

Every paper airplane is intact in the book.  I bought it for $12.00, and when I got home, I checked out eBay, where bids were upwards of $80.  I got a freakin DEAL on this.  As soon as I saw the price, I knew that the seller had absolutely no idea what he had.  I'm so glad that my eyes are trained to spot psychedelic art because this book was on a bottom shelf, half buried and at the back of a very dark case.  All I could see was the bottom of the face, and I thought it was John Lennon at first, till I peered in and finally saw the "Peter Max".  The pretty papers come from The Paper Muse.  I got a few things in there as well, as she has a great selection of vintage and steam punk altered art items.  

This glass is actually worthy of it's own blog post.  And I dig the green insulator.  I'm still looking for the elusive and rare amber.

This photo doesn't do these beads justice.  I've never seen anything like them, nor did the owner of Blue Iris.  She said they've been flying off the board.  They are so unique.  Never seen them at Shipwreck or in the colossal Fire Mtn Gems catalog either.  I think she said they are Czech.  

I'm actually glad I went down there and I'm glad I treated myself.  I used some of my Christmas bonus money so it didn't have to come out of the bank account.  I will be off work starting on Dec. 22 and I'm looking forward to having a crafty holiday, in addition to going to see "Voyage of the Dawn Treader".  I may not have decorated, but making things is what makes me happy, so if I'm gonna salvage this season, it might as well be by doing the things I love to do.  I was also able to use my bonus to get my Victoria photos processed, and I picked them up on Monday, so that means I get to create a new photo album as well!!  Next week should be fairly quiet, and then I'll be off again on Friday the 31st.  

I hope everyone has a safe, peaceful and quiet holiday, Yule, solstice and/or Christmas.