A store of rustic style, inspired by romance

Love is in the air in Moose Jaw, not only since it's Valentine's Day, but because of a new store.
Shelley Vanderbyl owns a cozy little shop, The Moose Jaw Storehouse.
The store - one room in a converted garage connected to Vanderbyl's house - is still in its infancy, having opened on Nov. 23. Vanderbyl is full of excitement, and looks forward to Moose Javians seeing what she has created.
"My store is me, and I hope people will check it out because I love being creative and sharing who I am," said Vanderbyl.
Vanderbyl is an artist, and many of her works are on display in the store. She has numerous paintings and other crafts for sale.
She has one series of paintings which tell the story of two people who are bound to fall in love, despite not yet knowing each other.
Vanderbyl, originally from Hay River, N.W.T., described her art as "having a lot to do with romance." She sees her creations simply as an extension of her life's experiences.
She explained how she first met her husband - now a pilot in Moose Jaw - in Old Montreal and how he proposed to her in a plane over Canmore, Alta., using a design he made on the ground.
Today, Valentine's Day, is Vanderbyl's favourite holiday.
She worked on various projects for the day.
Along with her own creations, Vanderbyl has stocked her store with antiques she has picked up at auctions. There are pillbox hats and hat boxes, vintage silver and dining ware, chairs, and old glass bottles.
There are beeswax candles, twig pencils, lavender jams, and chocolates.
All of it is part of the style she is trying to create.
After moving to Moose Jaw last August, she wanted to create a decor which reflected the region.
"I asked myself 'What is prairie decor? What would fit for this region other than cowboy hats and chuck wagons?'" said Vanderbyl.
She decided on creating a "sunny, earthy, rustic, warm, and inviting" mood in both her store and her creations. She also strove for elegance to balance out the rustic style, and practicality and resourcefulness to reflect the prairie way of life.
As the store develops, Vanderbyl plans to branch out and try new projects.
"I want to be able to share ideas with other local artists," she said.
She also plans to have an egg decorating class around Easter where she will teach people to decorate with natural dyes, herbs and spices.
When summer rolls around, Vanderbyl looks forward to spreading her products into the yard and even hanging items on the fence.
And when that nice weather does hit, the warm, inviting atmosphere emanating from The Storehouse is likely to ensure that the love will still be in air.