Good news / Bad news

Well, I have some bad news and some good news.  Bad for ME.  GOOD for you.  The bad news first.  This is what the passenger side of my car now looks like:

It actually looks a lot WORSE in person.  You can’t really see how DEEP the dent is in the photo.  It’s deep enough that I can’t open that door anymore.  I’m fine.  My car, notsomuch!   Thanks to another driver in a parking lot who ‘saw me but thought I was going to let him to go by’, even though he had a STOP sign and I had the right of way.

Currently dealing with insurance and just waiting to hear what they decide.  Here’s the ‘back story’.  The ‘Cruiser’ is 15 years old and has served me well for the past 7 years.  I definitely ‘got my money’s worth’ out if it.  Because it’s got such a low resale value at this point, it was futile for me to have full coverage on it anymore; and most likely it is going to be deemed ‘totaled’.  And while I knew the day was coming, in the not too distant future, that I was going to have to replace it, I really can’t afford to do so just yet.  I was really hoping to get at least another year out of it.  It’s still driveable, but isn’t going to be worth squat as a trade in.  sigh.

So, what’s the GOOD news?
The good news is that because I need to drum up considerably more funds to replace my vehicle, I’m having a 50% off sale in my booths at Stars.

Look for these red and white ‘50% OFF’ coupons in both of my booths.  You have to have a coupon to get the discount.  The discount is good for everything you purchase from my booths, through May 31, 2019.  After that, I’ll be extending the sale ‘as needed’, until I have enough to replace the Cruiser.

You can also print a coupon directly from the Stars website.   The coupon on the site will look a little different than the ones I printed on my PC, but the offer is the same.

I was just in Stars yesterday, rearranging and restocking, so there is a huge variety and selection of goods awaiting your shopping, and SAVING, pleasure!  And IF there is something that you have seen in my booth in the past and always coveted, but don’t see there just now; feel free to ASK ME!  It might just be something that I pulled and took home when I changed out inventory.  I’ll be happy to take it back in for you; and even have them HOLD it ‘just for you’ at the front desk.

Time for pictures!

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As you can see, both booths are jam-packed with goods.  I will continue to bring in MORE stock every week.   I’ll be making more and resupplying the coupons too.  IF, for some reason you can’t locate a coupon while you are there; ask them to CALL ME, and I will give them a verbal okay for your 50% discount.

So, come and get it while the gettin’s are half off!!

Stars is open 7 days a week; 11am – 6pm.

Timing is everything.

Remember this cute little grey chest of drawers?  It’s been forever since I had any chests to put in my booth at Stars, so I was anxious to get this one painted and taken in.

Just DAYS after I had put it in my booth, I came across this adorable little SOLID OAK  hutch top /  cubby shelf, that looked like it would be a perfect fit to set atop the grey dresser.

I went to work on it as fast as I could.  Painting it in the same grey that I had used for the chest, and distressing it.  I was SO looking forward to pairing it with that grey chest!  Alas, when I went in the following week with the grey hutch top and some additional stock for my booths, the chest had SOLD!! Bitter sweet.  Happy for the sale, of course; but disappointed that I wasn’t able to display the two pieces together.  Lousy timing!

Here are a few other pieces that I’ve recently completed:

Off white oval three tiered night stand; painted pink and distressed.  This piece is available for purchase at Pink Door in Aurora, Oregon.

I had two of these child size chairs.  The seats were made of that white ‘dry erase board’ kind of wood, which as as you can see in the before photo, was slightly damaged.  While the damage did not affect the structural integrity of the chairs; my attempts to cosmetically repair them failed.  Pretty wrapping paper and Mod Podge to the rescue!  These have not yet been taken to either of my sales venues.

  The drawers to this cubby didn’t slide very well once I had re-painted it; so I set them aside for some other project.  Cubbies with the backing already on them are extremely time consuming to paint; hence, spray paint is my go to solution for such pieces.  A little hand sanding along the edges shabby it up a bit.  available to purchase in my booth at Stars.

Continuing with the grey color scheme on this small shelf and DVD rack.  available to purchase in my booth at Stars.

 This bar stool is BIG and sturdy.  It had a glossy finish on it to begin with, so I had to either prime it or sand it before re-painting it.  I opted for primer, which gave it an added dimension when I distressed it.  Some of the distressed areas show the white primer layer and others the original dark color.  I was very tempted to stencil something on the back, but I couldn’t quite decide what, and I really NEEDED furniture in my space, so I left it plain for now.   Available to purchase in my booth at Stars.

With two of the wicker drawers missing, I opted to just remove them all.  The cubby was in fairly rough shape, and since I had just painted the other cubby white, I decided to leave this one it’s original wood; just distressed it a bit.  It’s available to purchase in my booth at Stars.

The leopard print mannequin torso needed some ‘legs’.  I had a black wrought iron base and a tall curvy plant/candle stand.  Opted for the wrought iron base as the weight of it would make her stand steadier; and besides, her skirt pretty much covers the base.  I used nearly 100 yards of tulle to hand make her fluffy black skirt.  She is available for purchase at Pink Door in Aurora, Oregon.

A couple of smaller upcycled mannequins with fluffy tulle skirts; also available for purchase at Pink Door in Aurora, Oregon.

I’m ALWAYS on the lookout for vintage gumball machines to make over and fill with ‘fun stuff’ like seashells, spools of thread, jingle bells . . . . etc.  NEVER imagined that I’d come across a silver plated one!?!?!  It really wasn’t even very tarnished and required minimal polishing.  Such a fancy gumball machine needed some fancy filling.  Acrylic gemstones to the rescue.  They look prettier in person.   Available for purchase at Pink Door in Aurora, Oregon.

Somehow I missed getting a ‘before’ picture of this one.  It was dark brown wood, that I sanded painted and sanded again to distress.  LOVE the little drawer and the ceramic rose drawer pull that I put on it.  This piece can be purchased at Stars in Portland.

Could hardly believe my good luck when I found this set of three suitcases . . . ALL of them had beautifully CLEAN innards!!  The color is difficult to tell in the photos, but it’s a very, very pale pink.  Each is priced individually; and available for purchase at Pink Door in Aurora, Oregon.

Just waiting for the weather to cool down a bit and the outside air to be ‘breathable’ so I can get LOTS more painting done.

IT’S TRUE!! The store-wide STARS Sale has been extended!!

Normally I wait until AFTER a sale is done before I go in to re-stock.  Given that the sale was supposed to end this Monday, I packed a bunch of newly refinished furniture in my car on Sunday, to take in on Tuesday.  THEN, I got an email from the owner, announcing that they’d decoded to extend the sale.  Well, I was NOT going to unload all that stuff (2 coffee tables, 2 night stands, a foot stool, a bar stool, a small stool and a small side table!) back into my garage only to have to load it all back up again in a few days!  I just decided “What the heck!  I’ll just take it in on Tuesday anyhow!”

So, NOW there is a bunch of BRAND NEW inventory in my booth that is 50% off through Sunday, June 10th when the sale ends.

My ‘grand idea’ to completely change out my second space has been put on hold for a while.  I hurt my OTHER knee this year, working in my garden.  sigh.  This one hurts SO much more than when I hurt my right knee the last three years.  And I was being SO CAREFUL in hopes of avoiding another ‘gardening injury’ this year.  Alas, my old body just ain’t what it used to be and I’ve just GOT to slow down!

I spent the better part of May, sitting in my recliner with my leg up and ice on my knee; reading or watching TV and changing out the ice pack for another one from the freezer when it got too warm.  Two trips to urgent care and two steroid shots and I’m still ‘limping along’. Pfffffffffffffffftttt!!!  All that extra work of completely changing out my wall booth is just too much for right now.

I HOPE to get back to the original plan soon.  For now, I left most of the same stuff in the wall space booth and will change it up a bit more next week, after the sale.  I added a couple of pieces of furniture to it and re-worked it a little for now though.

Added some new items and re-arranged a bit in my bit booth too.

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So, get in to Stars while the gettin’s EXTRA GOOD.  Sale prices valid through Sunday, June 10th.  Stars is open: 11am – 6pm, seven days a week.

EVERYTHING IN MY BOOTH IS 50% OFF DURING THE SALE!

“Happily Ever After” ~ New wall space display.

Sorry that it has taken me so long to get the new booth display posted.  Been dealing with a LOT of things all at once.  Finally feeling settled enough to get caught up on my blog.

The theme for May is “Happily Ever After”.  Wedding decor.  Mostly whites with touches of gold, silver, pale pink and blue.  LOTS of vintage milk glass.

Here are some of the major elements that might be a little hard to see once they are filled with displayed smalls.  Lots of shabby white tables and shelves.

Some of the hand crafted elements.  ‘Happily Ever After’ banners made using vintage sheet music and book pages.  Bride to be crowns.  Vintage paper feathers.  Hand stitched vintage lace and felt hearts.

Vintage shabby white candelabras and metal filigree lanterns.

Most of the small shelves can be wall hung OR set on a flat surface.

I couldn’t fit ALL the milk glass and cake stands in the wall booth.  Lots more to explore in my bigger booth.

As always, aqua and turquoise.  Vintage chenille spread and coverlet.  Little aqua stuffed hearts made from vintage chenille cutter spread.  Trugs with vintage wood legs as handles, and pretty dessert stands.

Front view of my big booth.

As much of what was leftover from last months booth display as I could fit, has been moved over to my bit booth.  Bird nests, jars of eggs and moss, jars of natural elements, bark, moss, dried flowers and pods.  Some of the burlap items.

And lots of the assorted galvanized stuff.  Including that cute 12 hole cubby shelf!!

LAST DAY OF THE FIXTURE SALE & SOME STUFF IS NOW FREE!!!

Don’t have time to post pictures today.  Got to get to the store early to put FREE tags on the free items!  Michael was out late last night helping my son move his stuff from his old apartment garage to his new one.  Then tonight, Elliot will come help Michael load up the store leftovers.

They are going to be two VERY TIRED guys after all that work.  So I’m really trying to lighten their workload by getting rid of a lot of the big and heavy stuff.  Huge storage shelf, cabinet bases, 2 desks, pressboard rounds for table tops,  metal shelf.

And remember, the stuff that is still ‘for sale’ is marked down CRAZY LOW.  Those awesome big windowpane shelves that were originally $699.95 (and well worth it even at that price!)  are now just $125.00!  But the price will go back UP if we have to pay for a storage space to hold them until the fall shows.

COME CHECK OUT THE FREE STUFF!

9-8-09 Fixture sale update

Michael and I spent the better part of both Sunday and Monday packing up the rest of the store ‘office’ and putting the fixtures out for sale. Several BIG and sturdy pieces, and now the store is looking FULL AGAIN! And I am a bit panicked about selling most of it in the three selling days (this Thursday – Saturday) that we have left!

After about a five minute conversation last night, we decided to go

AN ADDITIONAL 50% OFF (on top of the already discounted price!!) ON EVERYTHING THAT IS LEFT IN THE STORE AT THIS POINT!

So, if an item was originally $40.00, and then half off at $20.00; it will now be half off again (of the 20) and sell for $10.00.

But a LOT of the items that were left in the store had been marked down to closer to 80% off, so now an additional half off that price and we really are practically giving this stuff away! (Especially the big, beautiful bookcases and window shelves!!!)

AND (heavy sigh) as I have been doing more packing I am STILL finding little bits of stuff to put out to sell! Here are pics of recent finds and the fixtures:

Primitive chairs. Originally $39.95. Then $15.00. NOW JUST $7.50 each!!! (I won’t be able to list the prices of ‘everything’, but just a few to give you an idea of how cheap stuff is right now!

The potted plants are now just $5.00 and $10.00 (for the bigger plant)

These are nice and BIG pots.

A stash of little benches that I had primed black and intended to paint designs on them and never got around to it. Now just $1.50 each!!

I made these ‘shadow box frames’ AGES ago (we’re talking Homespun Craft Mall days!!) I had stashed them at the store thinking that I would come up with a new use or update for them. Nope. They just got more and more stuff piled in front of them until now. Selling them for 50 cents each!!!

Stash of dried florals that I never got around to doing something with. Just 50 cents each now with the additional half off!

Several assorted colors and sizes of wall shelves, originally up to $39.95 ~ then just $10.00 each. NOW JUST $5.00 EACH!

Plate display racks now $1.00 each.

Some square wood plates.

Pretty pedestal bowl; too fragile to pack and haul to the shows. Now just $2.50.

A couple of Christmas wreaths.

And I found a stash of red pip berry sprays.

More of the wool felt sunflowers.

Several of these decorative plate display stands. They look much better with something actually IN them.

Might be kind of cute to display a shadow box type picture frame in too!

A whole bunch of Christmas gift boxes! The big square set is the ‘double sided’ kind. VERY sturdy. I was going to use them for gift boxes ‘once upon a time’. Now they are just for sale; nice and cheap!

On to the FIXTURES. I made Michael stand inside this one so you could tell how BIG it is. It has six (two per section) adjustable shelves. It is fully painted, inside, outside and even the BACK (the same color as the walls in the store)

A great deal at $50.00. A STEAL AT HALF THAT!!! ***(Please note: this baby is BIG AND HEAVY! You will need two very strong people to move and load it up. Michael will not be at the store available to help, so be sure to bring enough help and a big enough truck. It’s gonna be a PITB to get moved, but you’ll LOVE all the storage space it provides!

We do have it sitting on a rolling dolly to make the move through the store and out the door a little easier, but your on your own for getting it into your vehicle.

Vintage 8 panel door is now just $19.00!)

It would make an AWESOME headboard! The back side it painted primer gray.

Notice anything missing???? We had to take our big storefront sign down last weekend, when Michael could get help. We ARE still here though through Saturday.

Nice little metal shelf. I’d used it behind the counter to store my bags on. Great shelf for your workshop. $5.00!!!

Heavy duty (and just plain HEAVY!!) three drawer unit. $10.00

Matching 6 drawer unit; $20.00. These were from a chiropractor’s office. We combined them and used them for our sales counter. VERY sturdy and VERY HEAVY!

They come ‘topless’, but we do have the formica top we used available FREE.

Fully finished drawer insides.

2 drawer metal file cabinet. $5.00

Funky metal desk. $5.00. I used this behind the counter for stashing my projects on. It’s not ‘pretty’ but it sure is sturdy and has lots of usable space.

Locking storgae cabinet with electrical strip. $30.00

I didn’t get a very good picture of this one. It ‘matches’ the drawer units we used for our counter. Has one drawer and two doors and desk space with chair cubby. $$10.00. It’s heavy too!

Carpet remnant $5.00

We still have LOTS of crates avaialble, and several pieces of furniture: including book cases and shelves, dresser, desk, cafe table and chairs, conservatory, lots of unfinished pieces still available too . . . and all of these items are an additional half off the lowest shown price!

The fuurniture, fixture and overstock sale runs:

THIS THURSDAY – SATURDAY

SEPTEMBER 10-12

11am – 5pm

9-3-09: A few more pictures of what’s available for the furniture and fixtures sale:

Vintage repro swim locker baskets and textile racks: $5.00 each.

BIG tin stars with vintage multi-colored glitter. Were $29.95. NOW just $10.00!

105′ banner (we used it once!) $10.00.

Shabby chic cast iron door crowns were $39.95. NOW JUST $10.00!

These are the ‘faux’ cottage stone panels I hand painted to insert in the spots under the front windows. Not sure WHAT someone else might use them for, but we don’t need them anymore so we might as well try to sell them.

Here you can see how we usde them to cover up that ugly metal area below the windows.

The BIG pink and turquoise window pane shelves are now just $250.00!!! (originally $799.95!!!)

Particle board table tops for display tables. I set these on top of CRATES and cover with a table cloth. That gives me extra storage space in the crate!

Big bushel basket also works great as a table base.

One of a kind VERY grubby shipping crate.

Lots of greeting cards left. Stock up while they are just $1.00 each!

Very shabby shelf with wheels. This is the shelf we used by the front door to set flyers on. The wheels were really handy because when I needed to access that front display window, I just wheeled it out of the way!

Post closing ‘furniture & fixtures’ sale at Sophie’s Cottage

Meet my new best friend!!!

My big red marking pen!

You probably can’t read what the orignnal price was in these photos, but we are slashing prices on what’s left in the store to WAY below cost!

What a deal!!! Pre-lit and decorated table top tree for $5.00!!!

The post closing ‘furniture and fixtures’ sale will be THIS Thursday – Saturday; 11-5 AND next Thursday – Saturday; 11-5.

We are STILL accepting credit and debit cards (Visa and MC only)

Great grubby ole display crates!

These candles just won’t ‘pack and travel’ well, so instead of saving for the fall show, we’ve slashed the price even further!

Gift baskets at half price.

Set of three little ‘table top’ metallic trees. Originally were $29.95. NOW JUST $5.00 for the set of three!!!

Still a good amount of wood and unfinished shelves available.

Wrappin’, packin’ and stackin’ ~ day II

O dear.  OH MY!!!  There is still a LOT of stuff left in the store.

I packed up, and Michael loaded a good dozen bins of leftovers in the trailer on Sunday.

I took a little ‘shopping therapy’ break today and hit Goodwill to use my birthday discount before it goes down to just 10% beginning tomorrow.  Then headed to the store to work on deciding what to pack and what to leave for the after sale.

I didn’t get too far before I realized we are going to need more than just three more days of selling to be down to where we need to be.  So, here’s the plan: TWO ‘afte r sales’ .  This week and next week; Thursday – Saturday 11-5.

I’ll have SOME of the display crates ready to sell this week, and some more next week.   I’m FURTHER  marking down some of the stuff that ‘juts won’t pack and travel well’  (like the rest of the beachy candles and glass globe lanterns) and some things that we just still have TOO much of.

Several shelves that were $29.95 will now be just $10.00.  Lots of great bargain like that.  I’ll be spending tomorrow and Wednesday ‘going to town’ with my red marker and slashing prices on the things that will stay in the store.

I’ll post some pics tomorrow.

THAT’S ALL FOLKS!!!

We are CLOSED!  Whew!  Thank goodness Michael was at the store to help me on the last day!  Even with both of us working at full speed, people had to wait in line to pay.

Now the REAL FUN begins!  The packing!  sigh.  It’s really not ALL that much stuff left to pack.  Probably about as much as is left to pack back up after a craft show; which we only have a couple of hours to get done.  It’s the SORTING that is going to take so much time.

Some stuff will be packed up and put directly in the trailer to go to the fall show.  That’s the easiest part.   The unfinished projects  and craft supplies will be the hard part.  Over the course of the five years at the store I’ve accumulated DOUBLES  OF EVERYTHING, so that I could have handy whatever I needed for the projects I was working on; whether at home or at the store.  NOW I’m going to have to make room for ALL of it at home, in my already jam-packed craft room!

Reckon I better get showered and dressed and off to the store and start packing!

Hoping to be ready to start the ‘fixture sale’ by Thursday.  I’ll post for sure when I know for sure.