Pictures from the show

Every Husband’s Nightmare Bazaar is now officially OPEN for business.  Tonight, 5-8pm  for Preview Night, there is a $3.00 admission charge, which entirely goes to the Washington County Food Bank.  Parking is always free and admission is free for the rest of the week.  The NEW LOCATION for the show (since the old exhibit hall has been demolished!) is the Cloverleaf Building at the far back of the fair complex.  You enter off 28th, which is right behind Albertsons.

Here are pictures of the items I have in the show:

LOTS of cute journals at really great prices, $5 – 8.00!  Perfect little gift for a co-worker or work part gift exchange.

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I brought HUNDREDS of these handcrafted vintage sheet music rosette ornaments this year.  Last year I only made one box of them and they sold out after the first two days.  I made she to make PLENTY of them this year.  These make great package toppers too.  Priced from $1.00 – 2.00!

UNIQUE wreaths, wall and door decor in lots of different sizes and styles!

I scoured thrift stores and estate sales all year to curate a huge assortment of vintage salt and pepper shakers to make these cute snow folk!  I bet you can’t buy just one!  Fun upcycled Christmas ‘trees’ made from vintage aluminum Jello and tart molds.

Unique gift boxes make great decorative items too.  They are the perfect container for a gift card.

Throw pillows with REMOVABLE holiday decorations so you can still use them AFTER the holidays are over.  The wreath is even ‘separate’ and can be used otherwise!

Decorative weathered wood shutters with removable wreaths too.  Take the holiday wreath off and add different decorations for each season.

They have somewhat been ‘buried with product’, but I’ve got some wonderfully grubby step ladders, 4′ and 6′.

I use a 6′ ladder in my garden and put planters with wave petunias on each rung.  Buy the end of summer it looks like a waterfall of flowers!

Handcrafted mini cupcake ornaments.  TOO cute glittered high top sneaker key chains.  Red glass jar lanterns with metal candy cane ornament attached.  BIG gold glitter reindeer: these have glitter on BOTH sides.  Perfect for window decor and you don’t have to look at the ugly bare side from the inside!  Hand stitched red and turquoise vintage style ornaments.

Hand painted signs.  Pink or white shabby chic stockings.  Adorable red truck with Christmas tree ornaments.  Hand stitched grey wool felt Scottie dog ornaments.

Hand crafted banners.

And a few photos throughout the rest of the show.  There is SO MUCH MORE than I could ever show you in pictures.  You need to BE THERE and see it all in person to really enjoy it.

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And of course, the infamous FOOD AISLE!  And this is only one side of it.  There are always samples out for you to taste test before you buy!

The show runs through Saturday, November 17th.  Open 10am -8pm weeknights and 10am – 5pm on Saturday.  HELPFUL HINT:  If you prefer to avoid crowds when shopping, come in the evenings!!

Is it JUST ME???

Okay, so we just finished up the ONE holiday show we are doing this year. After five years, we closed our retail store in September. Usually we have the store to run and keep full AND do 2-3 holiday shows. But we weeded out some of the shows this year. And you would THINK that that, and the fact that the store is now closed, would have made everything easier, right?

Well, it didn’t. Because we had SO MUCH stuff (even after three months of selling out the store at close out prices!) and just ONE selling venue, it became one VERY BIG job. ( we concluded to NEVER take that much stuf to a show ever again!) Anyhooooo

I am almost ALWAYS thinking about “what’s next” I guess.  And due to my spine damage and limitations therein, I’ve HAD to become even more of a ‘plan aheader’.    Michael’s involvement in the shows is to help deliver the product, and then pack up and take home the leftovers.  That’s it.  No small job, but fairly brief ones compared to the amount of time I spend preparing for a show.

I have to unpack and display the trailer full of stuff it took him just an hour to unload.  Then pack what’s left back up for him to haul back to the trailer and then into the storage shed.  (he does help pack up, out of necessity.  It’s just too much for me to get done on my own in the limited time frame we are allowed)

After the show I buy him dinner and thank him for his help.  And as exhausted as I am from all that work, I’m ready to start planning the next show!  To discuss the set up and what worked and what didn’t and what we should do differently next time.  My brain is working overtime on ideas.  THIS is when I am MOST inspired to think about the next show.

ironically, thinking or talking about the next show is the LAST thing Michael wants to do at this time!  Is it just me???  Or are you other ‘creative souls’ out there like this too?  With your brain in overdrive with ideas for the next thing so soon after finishing up the last thing?

I feel like I do my best thinking while it’s fresh in my mind.  If I wait too long, I’ll forget what an inconvenience a certain thing was and forget to change it for the next show.    How about you?

Spring 2008 shows dates

We are only doing two shows this spring:

Spring in the Country at the Clackamas County Fairgrounds; April 8-12 (Tuesday – Saturday)  http://www.canby.com/laurieb/spring/index-spring.html

Every Husband’s Nightmare at the Washington County Fairgrounds; April 22-26 (Tuesday – Saturday) http://www.nightmarebazaar.com/about.htm

IT’S SHOWTIME!!

Country Christmas in Canby runs this week and Every Husband’s Nightmare, next week.  Between the shows and the store, I’m not going to have a lot of time to blog.  This is a good time to look back through recent posts and get some decorating and gift inspiration and get an early start on your holiday shopping!

SPRING 2007 SHOWS

 You’ll also find our wares at these area bazaars and shows this spring:

CREATIVE CLUTTER BAZAAR; FOREST GROVE, OR

March 23rd – 25th; March 30th – April 1st  

HOURS: Friday & Saturday: 9am – 6pm; Sunday 10am – 5pm

44708 NW Plum Hill Lane  Forest Grove, OR  97116    For more information call Juanita Lint 503.359.1946

Pictures from last spring’s show.      http://www.PictureTrail.com/gid15289803&pathID=1686937

SPRING IN THE COUNTRY; CANBY, OR

April 3 7;  Spring in the Country, Canby, OR. This annual bazaar features plants, garden art, quality gifts, handmade crafts, antiques, collectibles and much more. Admission is free. Tuesday-Friday. 9-8pm, Saturday 9-5pm. Clackamas County Fairgrounds, 694 NE 4^thAvenue, Canby. For further information including directions please call 503-266-7704.   http://www.canby.com/laurieb/

SEASONS IN FOREST GROVE;

April 17 – 21, Seasons in Forest Grove Antique Show and Marketplace. Featuring antiques, vintage garden, primitives, cottage furnishings, china, linens, farmhouse kitchen, gourmet foods and other one-of-a kind vintage finds. Free admission. Special preview night Tues. 5pm-8pm, Wed-Sat. 10-7pm, Sun 11-3pm. Located at the Historic Holbrook Lodge, 2019 Main Street, Forest Grove. For more information call: 503-936-2885.

EVERY HUSBAND’S NIGHTMARE BAZAAR; HILLSBORO, OR April 24 – 28,  More than 150 vendors offering their best hand-crafted gifts, shabby chic, garden décor, floral, collectibles, antiques, and gourmet Oregon foods. Free admission and parking. Show hours are 10am-8pm on weekdays and 10am-5pm on Saturday. Washington County Fair Complex, 873 NE 34th Avenue, Hillsboro. For More Information: 503-848-6375   http://www.nightmarebazaar.com