Past The Pink

All I am going to say about the pink, is I repainted it back to the old color and a customer came to pick up a special order and one corner was still pink.... she said "ooh, it looks very french".  OMG.

I'm still putting the shop back together after the big show and today finally got the finishing touches done.  Above... I have a great supply of white ironstone and vintage restaurant ware.

Waxing Poetic charms.

"Love Conquers All"

It really does, doesn't it?

LOVE this tiny button card that had Paris written across the top... Gianna Rose heart soaps.

Well, it's time to bid a fond farewell to this vanity.  I've had it in the shop for years and finally am done with it.  It is up for sale.  It is in great condition and smells very fresh from storing all the soaps in the drawers over the years!

A lot of you have wanted this over the years... and I'm sad to see it go, but sometimes you just have to move on.

You'll have to fill out proper forms to be considered.

(smile)

One more thing, if you click on the picture to get a better view of the vanity, I NEED you to know that I took the picture right after the show and the view in the mirror is, well.... I'm sorry!

Sugar Cane My.... An Angry Little Post

"Yes you can!  I'll take one gallon, eggshell of Sugar Cane."  I am so excited for the changes I'm making in the shop.  "What?!  Yes, it said Benjamin Moore, Sugar Cane."

I had just read an ENTIRE blog post devoted to the beauty of the Sugar Cane color, she HAD to find it.... hell, she should KNOW about Sugar Cane, she is an expert after all.

"I'm just sure..."  I'm starting to deflate, she can't find it in the computer.  "Oh here it is," she says "they put a space between the words".  

Please. (And a little eye roll).

As she puts all the special little drops into the base coat I am thinking of how this special color is going to lighten yet warm a couple of walls.  The shaker revs up and I am comforted by the sound of its vibrations, knowing that by the end of today.... magic. 

"Light pink is what you wanted right?"

 

Peasant

"Sugar Cane," I corrected her.

Merry, merry little day I'm having.

As I'm pouring the liquid gold into the paint tray, I'm surprised it's not a little........ different.  Oh well, who cares, I have Sugar Cane!

You know, not only will this room look nice with the new color, so will THAT one.  I think I'll try a little section so see what it looks like with the painted squares on the floor.  Hmm, pretty but a little light.  It just needs a second coat, so while I wait for that to dry, I take all of the card displays off the wall.  Happy, happy.  Taking out nails, filling holes.

One coat on half the wall.  What's off here?  Oh, the greenish tinge in the white ceiling paint is making the Sugar Cane look a little off.  I'll have to paint the ceiling.  No biggie, it'll pay off in the end.

In my perfect little day of painting and creating magic, I'm noticing that my neck is starting to hurt from pushing and pulling the roller brush across the ceiling.  Small price to pay for SUGAR CANE.

Obviously it will all need a second coat, but after that, dreamy, wonderful Sugar Cane.

Oh, put a second coat on the wall in that other room.

Okay!  Time for the second coat in the card room... but first I must go out the front door and come back in so that I can thrill in the glory that IS Sugar Cane.

Hmm.  Well, it's just in need of that second coat.

Second coat on and drying.... my neck is starting to get a little angry, so I don't quite finish the last section of the ceiling.  Who cares, I've got tomorrow.

Out the front door again... to thrill once more at the surprise.

Hmm.... it just needs to dry.... everybody knows that it looks DIFFERENT when it's dry...

Folks, with the card room and half of the room towards the back painted, I have a slightly lighter version of Pepto Bismol with a little cool lavender thrown in... only slightly lighter.

In my earlier post, I spoke of my excitement of this "old world look" of pink, as well as mentioning that I am no fan of pink.

Why didn't someone TELL me?  You... you... and you as well!  Is there even such a thing as "old world" pink?  You KNEW I was making that up.

I will go back to Champeau Paint Store tomorrow with my tail between my legs and my aching neck and beg her to help me with the MESS that IS Sugar Cane.

Escape With Me... Rather, Let's Pretend

I've gotten into this habit, good or bad I'm not sure yet, of spending time every morning going through the "Land Of Blog".  If you're reading this, obviously you are as well.

Today I came across a blog called Cote de Texas.

This gal is an interior decorator in the Houston area.

She has shared a home for sale she found on the Sotheby's web site.

Her insights are very entertaining and when she calls the home pretentious, she isn't kidding.

The game is to guess who the decorator is.  I had no clue, maybe you will.

The home is going for a cool 15,000,000.00.

While I am really turned off by this kind of in your face wealth, I couldn't help but dream of spending some time there.  Go and take a look, you'll admit it as well.

Click here for a day dream.

                                          

Passing And Sharing, A Gift To You

I wanted to share this beautiful picture with you.  It's rare that you see an old photo like this where everyone is smiling.  Usually, the faces are very stoic as they were probably waiting for that huge flash explosion or just nervous about how to look in a picture.

This must have been one happy day.

Behind the scenes at the Vintage Nest of Door County was a treat.  Trust me when I tell you we knew down to the most minute detail what everyone had in their booth. I watched this photo for weeks knowing it was just a prop.  When we were packing up, I just had to ask Katie if I could possibly buy it from her.  She kind of eyeballed me for a minute and then said "why don't you take it for now.  We'll share it and then when I have a project for it you can pass it back to me".   She also has a large group photo of this day that she is going to share with me.  I will share it with you as well.

Please feel free to take this photo for any project you might have.  I would love to see the end results.  Just email them to me.

So today the sun is out again and it is the time of year where I tend to have new ideas for the shop.  I'm going to spend the next ten days painting and moving big pieces.  I have new ideas for every room in the shop.  

I was inspired by a blog I read on the color pink.  I'm not a big pink fan but this person shared the color Sugar Cane by Benjamin Moore.  It's the kind of pink that has a warm, old world feel.  I will take pictures along the way and post them... so if it's horrid I can at least basque in your sympathy!

Just to add one more little note to this rambling post... What an odd time in my life.  Both of the boys are out of the house.  Remember those little peanuts that used to run the register?  When we were in the building next door and shared space with the bakery Danny got a job bussing and Ben, who was 12 at the time, worked the counter.  Ben got lots of tips because he knew how to work those dimples... he still does but in a different way!

We were always close and I'm feeling some emptiness and the county feels a little different without all the school functions and music lessons.

So to round out this rambling post, one door closes and others open.  For instance, my new friends who share lovely things with me like the photo above, and for the same friends who have sweet little children to remind me that this time in my life may be an odd transition, but little 18 month old Owen sets me straight that it's a great one.

Winter Break All The Way To Sturgeon Bay

I am really feeling relieved to have the Vintage Nest of Door County Show behind me.  Thank you to everyone who attended and supported this crazy thing we just did.  I have just about finished breaking down the show and have lots of fun things to add to the shop.  Actually, I am quite inspired to rearrange and re do the whole shop.  

Sunday, John and I just had to get out of the house and not think about how we should be breaking down the show and decided to take a detour.

Before that, let me share a couple of Nest pictures.

Above is a darling young woman who found the perfect pair of shoes for dancing.

How sweet is she?

So.  Fire and Ice Festival.  Ice sculptors, snow sculptors from all over the US,  people from all over the Mid West.

Julie.

We had a great time and may have gotten a couple of People's Choice votes.

The snow sculptures were down by the Maritime Museum.

We NEVER go to these things.  You know, when you live here the draw is not the same as it is for a visitor.  So with cabin fever and all, we ended up having a great time!

We started out having some great spicy black bean chili at The Inn at Cedar Crossing.  (my frank opinion is this place is not near as good as it used to be, but luckily the chili has not changed).
Leap Frog.
Tugs down by the old bridge.  Zoom in to see the name of the barge.
Kissing the fish.
Happy Valentines Day!

Vintage Nest Show Held Over This Weedend

Last weekend was the official show for the Vintage Nest of Door County.  

Feeling rather good about ourselves and our customers when we got a big case of the dreads thinking about the storm that was coming through on Tuesday and the thought of loading and having to get out of there so quickly.

Then someone said "Hey! It's the Fire and Ice Festival in Sturgeon Bay this coming weekend, wouldn't it be great if we added some new things to our booths and opened one more time?".

Yes.  Quick phone call to Marge (our temporary landlord) and we were in.

Frankly, we would have paid not to have to pack it up!!

So if you missed our show last weekend, you have another chance and if you were there last weekend, know we have added some new items. 

Hope to see you there!

Angie

Some day I'm going to learn how to use smaller props.

Finally! A Great Magazine When Most Have Folded

  Guess what's hit the bookshelves?  That's right, the long awaited Flea Market Style Magazine!

I spent a good hour going through all the pages and will go back time and time again, I just know it.  There's very little advertising and practically every page if FILLED with fantastic ideas.

While we will have this for sale at the shop, you can also get it at the larger bookstores.

Enjoy!

A Lovely Escape To You From Me.

Today I am home alone, which sometimes is the greatest gift I can give myself.

The snow is coming down and I really can't go anywhere.  Other than refilling the bird feeders and walking the dogs, I've nothing to do and I'm relishing every moment of it.

So I lit a fire and checked my blog.  I love to do this when I have lots of time because you tend to float around the world all from your armchair.

So today, I checked comments and found one from the "Brocantess". (click here).

She left a lovely comment and I went to check out her blog.

What a treat!  I'm inspired all over again.

As I scrolled throughout her blog, I found this.

Brooch Bouquets. (click here).

The whole blog is lovely, but scroll down to the last post for the the pictures of her beginning.

Check both of these places out.

You'll thank me for the escape and the lovelies.

Happy day all.

Held Over By Popular Demand! (uh-oh)

The Vintage Nest of Door County will be showing again this coming weekend.  We were discussing the snow storm coming in on Tuesday, the process of packing up before that hits, when we remembered that quite a few customers were hoping we would be here longer.

With the big festival coming up this weekend in Sturgeon Bay, people were telling us to stay.  So after a quick call to Marge to see if she would let us stay in the building, all was set.

Of course this means I will be spending this week on the road in search on new items to bring in!  (such a hard life I lead...).

How cute is this purse with the bird's nest hanging on the mail box!

I adore this.  Small Town Vintage took a silver tray that had openings around the edges,  tied ribbons to it and hung it.  How fun this would be in so many areas of my house!

Okay, so Sunday quieted down and we got a little loopy.  The hats came out.  This hat was in my room and when Julie put it on, she donned it the "face-lift" hat.

Here's Joan, one of our favorite customers, trying on a vintage velvet hat with a big rose in the center.

I caught Mary Beth trying on one of Carol's painted gardening hats.  

Even our customers bring in lively topics of discussion!

Here is Katie of Small Town Vintage tweaking one of her displays.  The four of us are all so different which made for such fun this weekend.  We all know each other, but we didn't "know" each other.  Katie has the best display ideas I've ever seen.  She has more talent in her pinky finger than most people.  Someone wondered how she slept at night with all of these ideas she keeps coming up with.  Don't even get me started on her children!  Claire is seven and I think she is "Eloise" in disguise.... she was adored by many Friday night in her fabulous dress and matching hand bag.  (She has a flair for the dramatic).  And 18 month old Owen.... well let's just say he won't have any trouble getting the ladies or anything else he wants as he gets older.

Above left is my best gal, Carol.  This woman knows how to treasure hunt and isn't afraid of any dumpster!  She goes where no man would go and comes up with stuff that we just drool over!  I've always thought that Carol has a real zest for life.  Nothing keeps her down and she is always up for adventure!

There is Julie in the middle.  Friday night was a preview party and let's just say the party was in the back... or wherever Julie was!  Her laugh is infectious and she knows how to make a sale. Julie never stops rearranging and making things look new.   She brought along her friend Heidi and by the time the weekend was over we were five pounds heavier with the fantastic sweets that she had made.  (smile).

A good time was had by all, and the best was seeing all of you there.

The Big Weekend Has Arrived!

We have been at work for about 10 days now.  I think there were only two days that I didn't make the 45 minute drive each way.  Truthfully, working like this and with such good company made the drive home each evening down right dreamy.  

Above I took the old chair back that only had a little burlap left on it and stuffed it to make a memo board.  That was fun.

Sometimes you can take the simplest of things and just make them into little works of art.  Wait till you see all of Small Town Vintage's hand made items.  Eye candy.

It's funny how everyone is unloading all of the boxes and it just looks like stuff that should go to the dump, but when loved a little and given purpose to, it just shines and makes me want to take it all home.

In a Haystack and All My Best, Julie have so many treasures as well.

I'm looking forward to this first time event and hope to see many of you there.  

This was a total labor of love.