Changing things up a bit

Not quite two weeks in, and I’ve already rearranged my new wall space.

This is how I had it set up originally.  I absolutely LOVE using a ladder, opened up and filled with product; but I really NEED to sell that ladder.  So I decided to re-work the space and lean the ladder, folded, against the wall; making it easier for someone to purchase.

This is how it looks after the rearrange.  I added the black metal table on the far left, and the vintage metal bar stool.  Everything else was just moved a little.

Side by side comparison.  To compensate for the loss of the vertical display space on the ladder, I hung a few things on the wall at the top of the space.

Galvanized cubby shelf and canisters.  Little metal ‘file basket’ set on its side with stack of grubby books and electric candle.

Close up of display on top of cubby shelf.  Those little baby food jars contain some moss and hand painted tiny faux bird eggs.

Wall space just above the cubby shelf, a wire basket hung on its side to function as a shelf.  Vintage repro tin tiles that I upcycled into memo boards, a bundle of grubby books and a couple of old whisk brooms in a small tin flower bucket on the ‘shelf’.  The little wash board ‘memo board’ has clothespins backed with magnets to hold memos.

A couple more baskets hung to use as shelves above the burlap curtains.

Perfectly grubby industrial style vintage metal stool.

I was HOPING to have enough room to open up this little step-ladder.  That didn’t happen, but I was able to move it closer to the front where it’s more visible and accessible to shoppers.

With the ladder folded up, it’s more difficult to display items on it.  This metal basket tucked into the ladder just perfectly!  Tight enough to not fall out, but loose enough to easily remove.  It was a perfect spot for some garden signs.  The rusty wire baskets I had, fit nicely in the two rungs below this.  Rolls of chicken wire filled one.

A trug on top of a trug.

Trying to make the various trugs more visible, moving them to the front edge of the space.

Here you can better see the other baskets on the ladder rungs.  Big rusty and metal urn, stacked with assorted other vintage buckets and baskets.

And a few new things in my big booth!

QUICKIE!

Quickie make-over that is!

Thrifted textured metal and wood wall shelf.

The original color wasn’t baaaaaad, but it just didn’t grab me, ya know?

My first instinct was to spray paint it white, but I just happened to have my aqua paint out at the time.  So I decided, why not do a ‘quickie aqua dry brush’ that LITERALLY takes 60 seconds per shelf.  Then if I don’t like them like that, go ahead with the white spray paint.

This is how I frequently ‘display’ wall mounted shelves.  I have so little wall space to hang shelves on, plus people don’t always like taking shelves off the wall to buy them at Stars.  Sales staff IS always willing and able to help with stuff like that, but for some reason people just don’t always ask.

You can see the color better in this picture.  The white ones in front of the aqua are shelves that I left ‘as found’.

Just in: Big batch of painted frames in my booth at Stars

Even in my diminished capacity with a bum right foot, I really HAVE to still maintain my booth at Stars.  

I had started painting the big batch of frames I recently procured pre-plantar fasciitis.  Got a few more done in the brief window of when physical therapy lessened the pain and before it made it worse.  Then I suffered through finishing up the last few a little at a time . . . then took a 2 hour nap to recover!

I really have not been able to work on much other new stuff for my space, or really even go thrifting; so I really needed something NEW in my space.  The frames did the trick.

Did a little bit of rearranging in my space to make room for all the frames.  Since they usually sell out very quickly, I just propped the majority of them at the very front on my booth.  Easy to flip through and see them all.  Easy to grab for purchasing.

I  scattered a few of them throughout my booth also.

I really PREFER to hang them on the wall, but I have so little wall space and they sell so quickly and I only get in to fluff my space once a week  . . . . so ‘propped on the floor’ it is for now!

I ended up going with black on those two vintage gold frames; the ones I was having trouble deciding what to do with.  The coat of black paint then a good sanding really brought out the details.

Here’s a better look at them.

And a few of the smaller white frames prop nicely on the hanging candelabra.

I also rearranged the back corner of my booth, as shown here.  Putting the Pottery Barn cubby shelf atop a shelf; and the BIG cubby atop an old drawer to raise it up off the floor.  Then filled it all with vintage white dishes.

This white furniture was in front of the table, where the frames are now stacked.

And I moved the beach decor stuff to the table at the front. (and added a lot more of it!)

These two turquoise wood shelves were at the back of the booth before.

WISHING ALL THE MOM’S OUT THERE A WONDERFUL MOTHER’S DAY TOMORROW!!!

Here’s what’s new in my booth at Curiosities . .

I now have Valentine goods stocked in my booth at Curiosities also.

Little shelf filled with assorted Valentine-y stuff.

Pink glitter owls with hearts and keys.

Itty bitty gumball machine filled with candy conversation hearts.

Pretty Valentine gift boxes.

With metal charms attached to the bows.  (and paper shred inside of course!)

Little red birdcage with stamped pillow inside.  Tag on the side says ‘prisoner of love’.

Paper love crown.

More of a ‘spring thing’ than Valentine; bird and nest on urn.

Paris chic burlap pillows.

Child size rocking chair.

Shabby chic picnic basket.

HUGE vintage cheese box.

BIG black footed tray.  I didn’t measure it, but it’s at least 4′ long.  Perfect for a big farmhouse table.  I filled it with assorted gold stuff.  Gold finials, little crown baskets, cloches and framed picture.

Pair of rusty wire cloches with bird toppers; a red glitter love crown placed atop the larger cloche.

I completely ‘flip flopped’ the left side wall of my booth this last time.  Actually this side has NO wall.  The booth only has 2 walls and 2 open sides.  But to make the best use of the space, I ‘build a wall’ of product along one of the empty sides.  this is the side that faces OUT to the aisle.  (All of this stuff was previously INSIDE the booth. )

These three aqua shelf units were previously on that outward facing wall.  Now they face inside; backed up to what’s in the previous picture.  (kind of difficult to explain!)

A sign display as an ‘end cap’ (sort of!) of the two previous back to back displays.

Rustic wood hearts with keys.

Barnwood heart with old hinge and shutter.

Spring-ish whites.

Hand crafted ‘cranberry’ (wood bead!) hearts.

Altered heart shaped candy boxes filled with chocolate CANDLES. (yes candLes, not candies!)

Shabby white bird cage filled with dried hydrangea.

Moved the antique enamel table further into the booth against the wall; with the two shabby end tables tucked underneath.

Lots of fun new stuff for Valentine and spring decorating.  Come by and check it out.

Curiosities is open Tuesdays – Sundays; 10am – 6pm  (closed Mondays)

Again?!?! Already???

Yep.  Sigh.  I re-did my booth at Curiosities for the second time in a week!  It didn’t really NEED to be worked on again so soon.  BUT, I had to make a trip to Stars because a table sold FIVE MINUTES after I left on Tuesday; and they are having a big Birthday Sale this weekend so I needed my space to be ‘perfect’.  And if I HAVE to make the trip to Stars, I may as well stop by Curiosities since it’s ‘on the way’.

Most of the time, as I’m driving home from either mall, I’m planning out my ‘next trip’.  What I want to take in, what I want to move around etc.  So I just went ahead and did it all a little early.

I really wanted to ‘separate’ the primitive stuff from the cottage stuff.  So, I created another ‘wall of crates’ inside the booth that backs up to the original wall of crates that faces OUTward towards the aisle.

So now I have the outward facing crates full of cottagey stuff, and the inward facing one with primitives.

It’s hard to get a picture of the wall of primitives because I can’t get back far enough.  After I see how things sell arranged like this, I’ll switch things up a bit to see what works BEST.  This set up, with the back to back ‘walls of crates’ will be sure easy to just flip flop the product.

Thses two chairs are ‘sort of’ blocking the inner wall of crates full of primitives.  But I figure they are easy enough to just ‘scoot aside’ to reach things.  Gotta maximize the use of the space as MUCH as possible!

It seems like I always get a GLARE when I photograph this wall!  sigh.  I originally had a bunch of small signs on this wall, but it just felt ‘too cluttered’.  Switched them out for more of my bigger signs . . . 

And took in this old ‘stair step’ display box to put the smaller signs in.

And I still have quite a few bigger signs that won’t fit on the walls; so they are standing in a big old vintage brass planter!

AND (but you can just BARELY see them in this picture!) under the white step rack is another old crate full of the really small signs.  I am ‘not at ALL happy’ with this corner of my booth; but it’s a work in progress.  I want to find more ‘creative containers’ to put batches of signs in; then scatter those throughout the booth.  Until such time though, it’s just easier to have them all in one place!

This is what took the place of the crates that were on the left side of the entry.   This is a spot that I will change out frequently since it’s the most noticeable when just ‘walking by’.  I’m debating taking another tall shutter in and creating a small walled off space here with more room to hang signs???  

I moved my ‘greeter’ ( the mannequin!) closer to the front corner of the booth, and stood her up a bit higher.  Found a FABULOUS bright RED tutu for her today!  oooo! la~LA!

Brought in the washing machine cupboard that had previously been in my space at Stars.  (can’t get back far enough to take a good picture if it!  Laundry room signs seem to be VERY popular, so whay not a vintage laundry machine looking storage shelf?!?

Not the best picture, but this is my ‘kitty collection’ (well actually there is a bunny and a pig too!)

That ought to do for a while!  

I need to get OUTSIDE while we have this dry weather and get some furniture painting projects finished up!

 

My booth at Stars

I ‘closed off’ the secondary entry/exit opening in my booth at Stars last week, but forgot to bring my camera to take pictures!   Moved a few other things around this week to fill in spots where things had sold.  Here are the pictures:

The stuff on either side of the entrance is what gets moved around most often.  It’s always a good idea to ‘change things up’ a little.  For those shoppers who frequent the mall, if a booth looks ‘just like it did last time’ ; they are probably NOT going to explore further.

Even if you don’t have a lot of new product, just moving different items to the front catches people’s attention.    This aqua plant stand is an awesome piece for teh front of the booth because I can easily change out the items ON the shelf for a totally different look!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picnic weather???

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeell . . .not QUITE here in the Pacific Northwest.  Not this week anyhow.  Maybe next week??  In Oregon, April showers bring May showers which usually bring JUNE  showers with scattered sunshine!  Ahhhhhhhhhhhh . .  . but when we DO get sunny days, they ARE glorious!  And we soak up every ounce of sunshine we can!

So whether you save then for that future sunny day, collect them just because you like them, or like using them to store your craft supplies . . . . there’s just something special about picnic baskets!

I just stocked this batch of them in my booth at  CURIOSITIES in Beaverton. 

The largest one (bottom of the stack) is a dark wood with a 3/4 hinged lid.

With the lid opening 3/4 of the way and not just half-way; you have a bigger opening for larger items.  It also has an elastic silverware holder on the inside of the lid.  $42.00 at Curiosities.

The second biggest one needed a little TLC in the form of dry brushed Ivory colored paint.

Painted inside and out, and the lid is hinged at the back so the whole thing opens up.

I ALMOST stenciled something on the lid; but ended up leaving it just shabby.  $39.00 at Curiosities.

Second from the top is the one with the ‘pie shelf’ that I posted recently.

The shelf is designed to go OVER the pie, placed in the bottom first; then the rest of your picnic food can go on top and not smash your pie.  $32.00 at Curiosities.

I know!  This one isn’t really a picnic basket.  But it ‘fits the stack’ nicely.  $15.00 at Curiosities.

I gussied up these apothecary bottles and put them in the open basket.

I wrapped the bottle necks with some tea stained paper, then wrapped some nettle twine and tied on a couple of little keys.  $8.00 each at Curiosities.

Vintage cutting boards and wood bowls.  Cutting boards are $9.00.  Bowls are $15.00 and $17.00.  Available at Curiosities.

Vintage library card file; $43.00 at Curiosities.

It’s a ‘samll-ish’ size card file.  Perfect size to sit atop a desk.

Upcycled cylinder cloches with cat ‘knobs’.

Bird and duck topped cloches.

So many signs and so little room to hang them!  I’ve GOT to come up with a better display than leaning them against the wall!!  Have you seen any clever ways to display signs ‘in bulk’ ???  I’d love to hear your ideas!

Changed up the back wall and hung more of my bigger signs etc there.  Looks a little less ‘cluttered’ this way.

Changed up the signs on the side wall too.  Added some more white pitchers and soup tureens.

CURIOSITIES in open Tuesdays – Sundays; 10am – 6pm.

My booth at CURIOSITIES in Beaverton

Haven’t done TOO much more to it YET.  Waiting for the ‘vendor work night’ to do a major overhaul.  Kind of nice to have that time to work and not have your booth be an obstacle course for the shoppers!  Here are the latest pics:

SWEET little white picket fence shelf that Michael built from scraps.  Kind of hidden with all the stuff on it, but you should know by now that sometimes you have to DIG a little to find the treasures in my displays!

Old rake heads can be used for LOTS of things.  Hang glass stemware from them.  Use to hang your jewelry, or as a towel rack or coat rack.  Even in the garden shed to hold the rest of your tools!! ***(BONUS TIP!:  If you want to keep the old-crusty-rusty look, but DON’T want that stuff to SHED all over the place (because it WILL shed and make a mess!)  apply a coat or two of clear varnish!  I used spray varnish on these, so they are ready to use.  But ANY varnish will work if you need to treat what you have.

It’s all but impossible to take pictures of MIRRORS!  I have two very  nice ones, with distressed black and brown frames, rectangular shaped and can be hung vertical or horizontally.  Very basic style will work with just about any decor.

Lots of signs.  ALL made using reclaimed wood.

I can do custom signs too.   See my etsy shop or email me for into.

SO many signs and not enough wall space!  Don’t forget to thumb through the box of signs too!

GORGEOUS antique spool bed WITH rails (they are off to the side)  Full size.  $119.00.

So if you are going to be stuck in town with this lousy weather over the long holiday weekend, venture over to  CURIOSITIES  in Beaverton for a bit of shopping therapy!  (but don’t forget they are closed on Mondays!)

All moved in to my new BIGGER space at Stars!!

And I’m STILL hurtin’ from all the moving!  And of course I did not have nearly as much room as I thought I’d have!  But the bed did fit, BARELY.  Actually I’m going to have to build a ‘half bed’ to replace it, because there is barely room to walk into the booth right now.

If you recall the schematic I shared of how I ‘hoped’ to arrange the space, the plan was to put most of the shelves along the two open sides of the booth.  And that part DID work.  It just didn’t leave me as much interior space for other things as I’d expected. This is the entry/exit space on one side of the booth; looking in you can see the bed.

 

Narrower view.

On the right of this picture, the space between the blue and white shelf is that same entry/exit.  This view is more of the outside corner; with the spinner rack at the corner between the two biggest shelves.  And another entry/exit to the left of that other big blue shelf.

And this picture takes us all the way to the opposite side of the booth, and better shows the second entry/exit spot (and a glimpse of the bed inside!)

Looking in and across from the ‘back’ entry.

THE BED!  I love how it looks SO MUCH!!  Just wish there was more room to MOVE inside the booth!

LOTSA pillows!

The net canopy.  The one over the bed is not for sale; but I have another one that IS for sale.  You can see it hanging on the wall to the right of the bed.

This shelf is propped across the top of the side and back walls.  Perfect spot to put my sign.

Bed viewed from the side entry.

A better view of the stuff that’s on the back wall.

This is opposite the corner where the two big shelves intersect.  These shelves back right up to the ones on the outside fo the booth.

Wall stuff.

More wall stuff.

Two shabby white picket fence sections and one solid white fence section.  (they are fun to use as headboards!)

A couple of vintage spool beds, head and foot boards (no side rails though)  No room to actually ‘set these up’ so they are just propped against the wall.

LOTS of great vintage chenille spreads!

Cream color and whites.

LOTS of pillows!  Many of them completely hand stitched.

Embossed white pillow shams with NEW (still in their original plastic wrapper!) pillows.

Hand made blue cotton ticking pillow cases, again with NEW pillows inside.

Piles of pillows stuffed into a big shabby basket.

Vintage chenille hand stitched starfish accent pillows.

Completely hand stitched wool felt pillow covered with vintage buttons.  I’m embarrassed to admit how long it took me to individually hand stitch all those buttons on!  But I LOVE the end result!  Only ONE pillow got that many buttons!

The rest I only partially covered.

Still a lot of work, but SO dang charming!!

And some vintage quilt pillows.  The big square one is a removable pillow sham with a new foam insert.  The heart shaped one is hand stitched and stuffed with fiberfil.

Well that’s the gist of the new space.  Close up pictures just show all the smalls.    Had to remove two small round tables and one corner shelf to make room for the bed.  And I’m already thinking about how I can ‘make a shorter bed’ to allow for more walking room.  Just might build a ‘faux 1/2 bed’ out of old crates.  Then I could put the big basket of chenille spreads at the foot of it!

Soooooooooooooooooooo????  Whaddya think?!?!

Merry Christmas!

It seems to creep up faster and faster every year!  Even the years we DO have an early Thanksgiving!  sigh.  I’ve packed away all my half-finished Christmas projects and hauled out my box of Valentine crafts to get started on.  Had one last minute etsy order to ship off this morning, and when I got to the Post Office the outside drive up mail receptacle was all black and covered with ‘crime scene tape’!!!  WTH happened?!?!?

 Someone firebombed it earlier this morning?!?!?  I’m just sickened with the thought of all the mail that was destroyed; that had been put in since the last pick-up on Saturday afternoon.  Do these people really not have anything better to do on Christmas Eve?!?!?  Such a dark cloud over the postal workers holiday after they have worked extra hard during the busiest time of the year!  sigh.

I’ll be heading to Stars a day or two after Christmas to clear out all my Christmas stock and move as much as I can over to the big space that I am keeping.  New product and Valentine stuff will go in after the first of the year.

Here are a few pics of the last re-stock:

Metal ombre glitter table top tree.  This was a thrifted rusty tin tree that I painted and glittered.  One of the very FEW ‘traditional’ Christmas colored items I made this year.

I’m pretty happy with how I’ve got the booth set up now.  It’s ‘nicely layered’ with good visibility all the way to the back wall.

This ‘big guy’ is now at the front left hand side; and will be staying there unless/until Michael comes with me to help move it!  But of course I’ll change out what I have displayed on it every week or so.  Right now it’s got a lot of Christmas stuff.  I’ll probably put Valentine stuff there next.

And this is set up on the right side.  This space will be my primary spot for furniture that is for sale.  (all the shelves at the back are NOT for sale.  It’s just too much work to empty them out to sell, and find the right replacement)  Having permanent display shelves saves me a LOT of work.  When I DO have shelves that are for sale, they will go here at the front; and NOT be loaded full of product.

I’ve got the back wall entirely covered with beachy blue shelves now.  It’s a nice ‘organized clutter’ look.

The top of the middle shelf works perfectly for my booth sign!

This shelf is ‘cornered’ behind the right hand front stuff, for now.  It will be moving to make more room for furniture after the first of the year.

And this one is ‘cornered’ behind the big blue hutch at the left front.  You can just barely seem them in the pictures, but both of these white shelves are set atop some short and wide ‘quarter round’ shelves that Michael built for me back when we had a booth in Camas also.

They are ‘like’ these aqua corner shelves in design, but just a top and bottom shelf and much bigger.  Perfect for filling the booth corners where nothing else will fit!

My space is only 8′ wide (most booths are 10×10) and I really MISS those 2 extra feet!  AND I don’t have a ‘wall’ on the right side, between the other space (it’s really one LARGE space divided in two)  so I have very little wall space.  To make best use of the space I do have, I’ve positioned this shelf half way back, as a divider of sorts, so it doesn’t take up as much wall space.  PLUS the stuff on it is more visible from the front of the booth.

Just a little farther back, and on the RIGHT side, is my spinner rack.  This thing has never really found a ‘permanent spot’ in my booth.  Tends to get moved around every time I bring in new furniture.  It really doesn’t take up too much space, but needs room to spin.  And I really LOVE having it instead of having all that small stuff scattered all over the booth.

I bag just about all of my ‘smalls’ with header cards so that I can hang them on this rack.

When the Christmas stuff comes down, I’ll go back to hanging the small take out gift boxes back on here.  In the meantime, they are displayed in here:

And as always, birds with crowns are plentiful!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous and healthy New Year!