What a Fabulous Show It Was!

Oh my goodness!
It was better than I imagined.
In fact, it was my best show ever! 
If you missed it, you sure missed out.

The Vintage Marketplace at The Oaks

Christie and Rita out-did themselves again.  Everything was great - the beautiful weather, the food from Rainbow Oaks Restaurant, my fellow vendors, and of course the customers!  The Lord really answered many faithful prayers and it was truly a blessed weekend.

I got pretty emptied out the first day, which was great but I felt it was a little sparce for Saturday.  This show I really tried to save money on gas and get more sleep plan things out better to be more effecient by staying the night out there rather than making the 100 mile round trip three times.  I didn't stay the first night (set up day) because I really, really need my Husband's help to set up.  On the first day of the show I did plan on staying the night at my BFF/SNL's house near by.  But when I sold so much the first day I felt I had to come back home for more stuff.  But my Husband absolutely forbade me to make the drive.  He knew I needed the sleep (since I had only gotten 4 hours in the last 2 days) and as far as not having much for the second day of the sale?  "That's what's supposed to happen - you're there to sell your stuff!"  He was so right, I know I would've stayed up way to late getting more stuff ready - and it was sooo nice to get some much needed sleep that night.  In fact, I overslept almost an hour!  If he hadn't called to see how I was doing I would've probably slept all day!  Well, maybe not all day but at least all morning.  ;).

Anyway, enough of that, let's get to the fun part.  Here's my space.

I figured out how to add my name to the photos.  Go ahead and laugh.  I never said I was smart with computers or photo editing.

This is the second vintage vanity stool I've made like this and they never make it back on the truck.

I still have my folding screen I painstakingly covered with vintage sheet music.  Yes, I'm whining about it - it was a lot of work!  I don't just throw it on, I really do spend a lot of time choosing the sheets and arranging them by their varying shades and lyrics.  OK, I'm done now, I can move on....really.

I'd take it home and keep it for myself but unfortunately my son colors every surface in our house with anything he can get his little hands on....I'm so not kidding.

 

 

The white chaise went pretty quickly to a customer that couldn't wait to lay out and relax on it at home!

This is the first time I've ever brought a folding table to put my stuff on.  I kind of like how easy it made some of the set up but I really did because lugging heavy furniture on and off the truck is so hard!  Furniture is what I love to to fix up the most but larger pieces rarely sell at these types of sales.  Customers can't just stick them in the back of their cars like a chair or small table.  Although I prefer to display my smaller items on the furniture I refurbish, I may be able to live with the covered folding tables.  Now that I think of it, it sure saved me A LOT of time, too.

 

I LOVE the way this little box with drawers turned out.  I plan on showing the before and afters of some of these creations later.

This is my absolute favorite project I did for the sale.  Aqua is one of my favorite colors and I always hesitate painting anything that color because I don't know how likely it will sell.  My Husband loved it too so I told him if it didn't sell we'd keep for our bedroom, it matched perfectly.  Well, surprisingly enough it was a big hit!  I was sad to see it go but happy so many people were lined up to buy it and the other boxes and drawers as well.

 This little curio was a labor of love but didn't sell at the show so it will be going in my booth this week.

I also came back with this large wall shelf so it, too, is going in my space at the Mission Galleria.

These pretties will be available in my space, too.  I finally added the rest of the sheet music crystals to my chandelier.  These seem to sell pretty quickly so I'm sure it will be gone soon!

This chalkboard headboard was such a fun project for Wayne and me to create together.  I'd say we make a pretty good team.  He is so supportive of everything I do.  I have to say I'm pretty blessed.  ;).

This little magazine table went home with a happy customer.

Sheila from Tattered Goods had her eye on the chalkboard door.

I ended up trading my ceiling tin mirror for a one-of-a-kind, custom necklace by a customer named Denise.  I going to email her as soon as I decide what I want it to say!

 

 

this photo courtesy of Sherry at GOT ART

That's what I got of my space.  I did manage to take a couple of photos of this amazing mannequin created by Denise of White Horse Relics.  You just won't believe it.

Is that not crazy?  Denise from White Horse Relics is so super talented.  I just love her stuff.  You'll have to check out her blog - I added a link below.

Well, that's me in my space.  The sweet and lovely photgrapher, Claire Brocato, made her rounds snapping up photos of us vendors.  You can check out a lot more at

The Vintage Marketplace on Facebook.

There are also a ton more photos and posts about the show....

The Hostesses with the Mostesses:

Christie Repasy of Chateau de Fleurs

Rita Reade of Mammabellarte

And some of my Favorite Vendors:

Sara and Abbey of Sweet Magnolias Farm

Debbie of Blossoms Vintage Chic

Tricia of Vintage Bliss

more from Tricia here

Sandra of Under the Sun With Me

Denise and Ashley of White Horse Relics

Amber of Black Rooster Cottage

Robin of The Furniture Queen

Sheila of Tattered Goods

Awesome Customers:

Cruisin' Over Sixty

Truly Tattered

Got Art

I will be adding more links as I come across them.  There are so many amazing and talent vendors at this show.  Christie and Rita (and Dean) are just the BEST!  I am so blessed to be a part of this show. 

It's the best show ever!

Be sure to join us again in September.

Have a super blessed week everyone!

Missy

Happy Anniversary White Wednesday!

Can you believe Kathleen at Faded Charm is hosting her 100th White Wednesday post?

I am so thankful to her for so faithfully hosting this "blog party" each and every week.  Although I haven't always been able to link up every week, I do enjoy browsing all the amazingly beautiful posts.  I've found some of my most favorite blogs, ideas and inspirations there.  I decided this time for my WW post, I'm giving my best shot at a photo collage, all whites of course.  Hope you enjoy.

Please head over to Faded Charm and join the celebration.

Happy 100th WW Anniversary Kathleen!

Have a super blessed week everyone!

Missy

Make Room for Mom

For my Mother's Day post, I'm finally going to share some before and afters of my Mom's new place.  We decided to call it "Grandma's Cottage".  It just happens to be located right in our own backyard so it's pretty easy for the kids to visit Grandma whenever they want, hence the name.

Like many of you, our family has been affected by the struggling economy.  A couple of years ago we moved our drywall business home after our office and shop lease expired.  We still had our little office out back so it worked out fine until work just kept getting slower and the insurance costs, etc. weren't worth it anymore.  That's when we had to make some difficult choices.  We closed our business which unfortunately put family members out of work.  It's not easy to tell your sister-in-law (who also happens to be my best friend of over 30 years) and your own Mom that they no longer have a job.  It's been a difficult road but the Lord is good.

Eventually, my "hobby" of painting furniture and having fun creating things turned into a needed additional income for my family.  I was going to turn that little office into my studio.  But the Lord had other plans.  One day my Mom faced her own reality and knew she didn't have many choices.  So the plans for my little studio were put on hold while new ones were made for Grandma's Cottage.  Come with me as I take you on a little tour...

Here's our little office behind our home.  I'm sure I have a picture somewhere without the pergola started but that was probably before I had a digital camera so I'm not hunting for it.  ;).

The entrance has always had french doors and sidelights.  Well, except for when it was really orginally built, it had a roll up garage door prior to transforming it into our home office when we first started our business.

That's what it looked like right before we took out the custom built-in cabinetry.

You can see that my Husband had to do a ton of patching after removing it all!

Aaaaaah, much better! With a little drywall, mud, new paint and carpet - it's all new again!

Mind you, we only had about 2 weeks to get all of this completed.  In the middle of it, my 3 kids and I came down with that awful flu.  We did ALL of the furniture moving and decorating the same night she was coming to stay so you may notice a few things that aren't quite perfect. (Like wires and a leaning mantle.)  While she was tirelessy trying to finish cleaning her rental {with a sprained ankle :(. } my Husband and I were cleaning windows, moving in furniture and hanging pictures, plates and chandeliers.

My Mom obviously knew we were fixing up the old office for her but she had no idea I had been sneaking things out here and there as we were packing for the storage unit.  She had no idea how much we were actually doing to make it really special for her ~ especially for her first night here.

And did I mention that my Mom also has 3 adorable miniature schnauzers (Spencer, Sophie and Bella) that were coming with her? We also had to build a picket fence and gate just for them. I'll share those photos in a minute.

We were on a super-tight budget so we saved every where we could.  I was so excited when I went through our moulding pile we salvaged from job left-overs and found we had exactly enough baseboard for the room!  The carpet was the end of the roll at Lowe's so we got a big discount, less than $50. for the entire room.  Sure we had cut and patch but it worked.  The room already had can lights, window casing, crown moulding and french doors so we started off a little ahead of the game.

We had the satellite company run a cable to the cottage and my daughter spent the whole day programming all her shows to record on the DVR.

 Here is the view from my back porch.

This is the first view my Mom was going to see as she entered the side gate to her new home, Grandma's Cottage.



This is where my Mom was crying.  ;).

We painted the walls the same color I had used when I surprised her by painting her living room at her old house.  It's Taupe by Dunn-Edwards.  I just LOVE their paint.

Now for my disclaimer...

you may notice the little heater next to the sofa, the dark rug with tulips (not the light pink and green Rachel Ashwell area rug with roses), the air conditioner in the window, the mini-kitchenette in the mirror's reflection, and what may seem to some people as a bit of nick-nacky clutter.  This tiny cottage is an actual living space, my Mom's home, not just a pretty place to take a nap or sip some tea.  She has to spend most of her time here and I knew she would want some specific, special sentimental things set out that warm her heart. 

She is living with her 3 dogs, getting dressed, putting make-up on, watching tv, sleeping, paying bills and cooking her frozen dinners in her tiny microwave.  Not that we don't let her in our house, but you get the idea.  After all, the only thing she doesn't have is her own bathroom.  We could only squeeze so much in there and not to mention that all that plumbing did not fit in the budget.

So here's a re-cap...

 Before

After

Before

After

 Before

After

Before

After

I think I'll save the picket fence before and afters for next time.  This is getting to be a lot of work.  Ha-ha!

Thanks for taking the tour with me.  It was actually nice to go back and look at all the photos of all the work we (mostly my Husband) did.  But believe me, I can work an electric sander that nobody's business.  Sixty-something rough and splintery pickets don't scare this girl!

Well, I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day, whether as a Mom, with your Mom, or someone that serves as your Mom.  Happy Mother's Day to you all! 

And most of all, Happy Mother's Day to YOU Mom.  I love you and it's been nice having you around.

Blessings,

Missy

A Show in Huntington Beach and a Reception in Riverside

Hello!

Just wanted to let you all know that we'll be in Huntington Beach this Saturday selling our latest furniture and decor.  Please join us and many other super talented and creative vendors at the:

Vintage and Handmade Marketplace

hosted by Behind the Picket Fence

This Saturday, April 30

9am to 3 pm

at Old World Village

Huntington Beach, CA

It ought to be a great time, hope to see you there!

Well, I'd better get back to work.  I'm afraid I got a little behind while I worked on a wedding reception the last couple of weeks.  It turned out beautifully but boy was it A LOT of tedious labor, more than I had anticipated.  I'm leaving you with only a few pics I took of the decor set up on my patio because  I'm waiting for the professional photos that my good friend, Michelle (Shellie) of Broad Division Studios, took.  She's almost done editing.  It'll be worth the wait, she's an amazing photographer.

Have a blessed week everyone!

Missy

Sweet Anne from Fiona & Twig

Hi all!  Just a quick post to share a giveaway offered by the sweetest and most humble blogger I know, Anne Lorys from Fiona & Twig. 

I'm sure most of you already know that she has a fabulous blog but one of her most recent accomplishments is that of a professional photographer.  Her work was just published in Romantic Country magazine!  I haven't gotten my copy yet but Anne has posted the beautiful pages and as a special treat, she is also posting many more amazing photographs from the shoot that weren't published.

Her giveaway is a SIGNED copy of the latest book by FIFI O'NEILL, Romantic Prairie Style! 

I sure hope I you win it!

Click here to enter!

And be sure to visit Fifi's blog to learn more about her fabulous book and Anne's blog to see just how wonderful she is (regardless of the giveaway!).

Have a super blessed week everyone!

Missy

P.S.  I promise I'm not a COMPLETE loser, I haven't forgotten about MY giveaway I promised!  I just have some serious disorganizational (that's a word, right?) issues to conquer.  ;).