Recipe books - can you have too many?

Recipe books have always been a source of inspiration and comfort to me. Perhaps this is from a family tradition of loving recipes - cooking and baking and food preservation have been about sustenance and creativity for generations. Some of my earliest memories are of my mom and grandmothers sharing recipes with each other, friends and neighbors.

As I moved out on my own, one of my feelings of independence was acquiring my own recipes and collection of recipe books. My recipe book collection tends to grow and then I reduce it, keeping my favorites and copying out the favorite recipes in the books that I decide to pass along. I have been wrestling with finding a more comprehensive digital solution other than the few hundred recipes I have in Evernote. There is still something so special about paging through a book and looking at great photography and reading stories from the author. I tend to skim over all the good stuff when using an online option.

A few ways that cookbooks have been inspiring me lately...

A recent podcast episode - Happier with Gretchen Rubin, episode 169 - gave me a great gift idea. In an interview with author Joanna Cole, she shared a tried this at home tip. She buys two of the same cookbooks and she keeps one at home and one at work. She uses this for a convenience strategy when she needs to plan dinner and possibly make a stop at the store on the way home. She also uses this as a gift for parents who are working outside the home. This seems so brilliant!

A friend has been making a recipe a week from Joanna Gaines book Magnolia Table: A collection of recipes for gathering. She is combining making great food with gathering great friends. What a fantastic way to build community and enjoy delicious food and feed the need to create. So thankful to know about this tradition.

For the past couple of years, when a new cookbook is released that has been on our list of "must gets," I will buy two copies and gift one to my mom. It's fun to each explore the book and then share our observations and the recipes we want to make. We are lucky that only a few miles separate us, and I can imagine that if we lived further apart that this practice would possibly be any more meaningful.

My dad is great about finding us recipe books at auctions. One of my favorite things is to flip through books, especially the compilation books that church and community groups have made. It is even more precious to find handwritten notes from the previous owner that comment on the recipe. What a treasure!

Made with Love by Nice People for Nice People

As we have built our business, we have always loved the amazing people we meet. We are very lucky that the type of work that we do allows us to connect with some interesting, and while different, still like-minded people. And, nothing feels better than meeting someone and immediately having something in common and the building on that commonality over time. Even if that commonality is restoring an old building, or the detail on an old piece of furniture, or the character of a rusty old kid's wagon.

A little sappy. A little cheesy. We'll take it!

We have had a motto that we make nice things for nice people. (Or, sometimes find nice things for nice people.) It's the nice people who are the DAY MAKERS!

Some of the nicest people just sent photos of some of their finds at The Market. We were really humbled and pleased to see these things in their space. So special.

 These large signs have been really popular this spring. The natural wood frame makes them a favorite.

 The barn door has been looking for a forever home for a little while. We have loved it for the character and this spot is perfect! Notice the wire pull for a handle and the remaining rusty hinge.

The found several barn wood bookcases and they were the center of several displays. We were glad to see them find good homes.

 We repurposed wine staves with some salvaged canteen holders to make planters. These would also make great organizers.

Our wine barrel pub tables are still some of my favorites. We love the look of this table in this space.

Nice things for Nice People.What a great reason to keep going!

It is the season for tables

 We always feel like our business runs in seasons.

We naturally have the fall, winter, spring and summer seasons.

We talk about show season.

And, there is the phenomenon of seasons of projects. This season has been all about tables!

After acquiring several old drafting tables, Jeremy has the great idea to restore the bases and replace the tops. The end result were some pub size tables and some great desks. We have people who are using these in compact kitchens - perfect seating for four or as a desk where you can stand or sit on a stool comfortably.

 This top is actually original to the piece, but restored with some sanding, stain and a little top coat to seal it.

The best part of this table is the metal edge.

 This smaller version with the pallet top had just enough color variation to make it super interesting.

 Am I right? Great color variation!

This version shows off how attractive the desk version could be. We love the narrow drawers for just the right amount of storage.

Modern Farmhouse Style

We love farmhouse style and have been enjoying some of the modern farmhouse piece that we have been seeing in our favorite catalogs.

A customer visited with us about a table on behalf of her sister. The options we had available weren't quite right. However, we had some modern metal legs in our raw material piles. Fast forward to a very brief design session and we had plans for a table that combined the modern legs with a reclaimed wood top. So beautiful in the end!

A side note - these pictures were taken before the heatwave destroyed our flowers. You also get a true picture of our creative process - piles of wood and scraps of lumber. It's the real deal, friends!

Happy homes: Personalized Wine Barrel Head

Photo credit: Darroch family

Our heart is always filled to the brim when we get to see a project in the homes of our friends and customers.

A popular item at The Market is the personalized barrel head. We have made these for wedding, anniversary, and housewarming gifts. These have also been a popular way to say "family" and "home" in a space.

We firmly believe that objects can create a sense of place and define a structure as more than a house, but as a home.

Plus, isn't this arrangement swoon worthy?! Love, love, love it!

Entry table project

 This beauty began as a concept drawing from some friends and a request for Jeremy to build this custom entry table.

This was a project that Jeremy agonized over! He wanted to get it just right for this family and to be economical and, of course, beautiful.

In the popular farmhouse style, this entry table turned out to be functional and beautiful!

In fact, when it was near completion, we had several people want to buy it.

 We love the detail on this one! Even down to the natural wood in the bottom of the cubbies because Jeremy knew that little shoes might scuff the paint. Thankful for friends with a mind for design and you have to love the organization potential on this project!

Photo credit: Meitler family

Just the right amount of rustic and refined - this table found a happy home!

Farmhouse style sofa table

We are loving the fact that Farmhouse style is all the rage right now. The simple elegance of the classic blend of natural wood and painted wood goes is a perfect fit for our own home and what we like to create.

This sofa table was pretty outdated. We discovered that the top was removable. With a fresh coat of paint for the legs and some light distressing, we made it look fresh. The top was replaced with some reclaimed wood and was stained and lightly sealed.

We were so happy with the finished product and debated the age old question, "Should we keep or sell?"

In the end, we passed this piece along to a great couple who we met through The Market. We were so excited when they sent a picture of the table in their home.

What on earth did we get ourselves into?

This view may or may not have had me in tears a few months ago.

In full disclosure, at seven months pregnant and having the awesome opportunity to renovate a building and try to keep up with everyday life, I was a little overwhelmed. We had talked for several months about when to start phase two of the renovation of The Market. We jumped in after the holidays with a plan for the financing - things were finally in motion.

And then - we had a medical emergency that rocked us to the core. We dutifully followed through and kept the faith. In the end, it all worked out, but not without some sleepless nights and extra anxiety.

And, then, the clouds started to separate and we were ready for decisions to be made. With great patience, Jeremy would bring me to the building and we would talk through each decision. I would leave thinking, "what on earth did we get ourselves into?" and cry just a little bit.

These emotions might have also been fueled by the fact that when you renovate an old building and start from the bottom up, you eventually move to the second floor. It is at that point that all of the dirt and debris from maybe a hundred years or so filters down into the finished space. So, let's add this up - we were packing and unpacking from shows and in between, cleaning up construction dust and chunks of plaster and concrete. Fun times!

One of the best parts of having The Market is staging and showing off some of our great finds. During this season of renovation, we weren't showing off much of anything!

But, like most things, this crazy, out of control season passed. Fast forward a few weeks and when the new electrical was installed on the second floor, I was so excited. We had turned a corner!

Granted, we still have a long way to go. We have picked out paint colors and have some of the "bones" of the space in place. I can clearly see having events in our space and getting to a place where we can stage. We have even picked up a few special pieces that we have in mind for the space and we can't wait to show them off!

Helping us keep the motivation going is the installation of the fence on the north, east and south sides of the property. We got this in place early enough in the growing season that we can begin to design and plant the east courtyard area.

Yay for progress!

The Progress Principle in action

 Years ago, I stumbled on a book called The Progress Principle by Teresa Amabile and Steve Kramer. It was a great book about motivation and maintaining focus. My most important take away was that making progress on important goals is one of the motivators for employees. Over the years, I have found this to be true in not only working with others, but also motivating myself.

We are pretty certain that renovating a historic building is an exercise of patience and faith. We have big dreams for this space and have been wrestling with when to start phase two of renovations on The Market and putting together all of the pieces to make the next steps happen. This waiting is a little discouraging and there are times when we think that just haven't done enough or are behind our self-imposed schedule.

This week Jeremy had the brilliant idea to use Google Earth to look up older images of the building before we started any work. Wow! What a difference!

This was just the motivator that I needed to remember how far we have come (focus on the progress) and an important reminder of the fun work ahead.

The first collage shows a before of the front landscape and the next two show off our work so far - tree and fence removal, new windows, and new doors! A transformation!

The side and the back of the house show off just how much was hidden by the trees that needed to be removed. Removing the door to no where and the fiberglass wall of the shower (not kidding!) and just priming the siding were a huge step forward.

So, today, we are celebrating the progress, thankful for how far this project has come. And, we are hopeful for a quick start to the next phase!

Vintage finds: Vintage sacks

Vintage sacks used for flour, feed, seed, laundry, ballots or banking have a special place in my collector's heart.

I am finally ready to let go of some of my favorites and have been sorting and eventually pricing them for The Market.

One of my favorites - the Cheyenne Steam Laundry bag that we found in Denver. Check out the phone number!

What do you do with these great vintage finds, especially when some may only be in "cutter" condition? Some of my favorite projects are for pillows like the set we have in our living room. There are also some really cute potholders that I have pinned on my project board, but haven't gotten around to making. I am also a huge fan of making these into bags.

 We found this bag in an antique store. I couldn't pass it up because I loved the vibrant colors.

 A talented seamstress friend transformed a seed corn sack into a bag. I love the spaciousness and the great pockets she included. My mom has a matching version.

Another talented friend made this more modern version. I love that it is lined with a sweet "country" cotton fabric and the outside it essentially weather proof!

The Market on Main: A soft opening

 We ran across this saying,

if you think our hands are full, you should see our hearts.

I am not sure that there is a more fitting way to sum up this season of our lives. The Market on Main is shaping up nicely and we are really, really happy and very thankful for all of the help and encouragement.

It is also fair to say that we have a ton going on right now - Jeremy is coaching basketball, he has to take classes to recertify for teaching, custom orders are rolling in for the holidays, my work schedule is about the same as usual, and we have some health stuff for us and family members that has been keeping us on our toes.

So, our hands are full!

Despite it all, we had some great help from family to set up The Market. We had the chance to unpack our trailer and some of the other storage locations where we have been tucking away inventory for the past few months. Everything needed a really good cleaning and then we had the fun of trying to find everything we had packed. The good news - we have some awesome stuff! The bad news - we are still digging out items and trying to find some of our fall and holiday items. It's a daily exercise in discovery and often some declaration of, "where the heck did we put that!?"

 Things are coming together! We have some great things that we are excited to share and have had some fun shopping with some friends and other small business owners.

 A constant work in progress, but we are finding some great things that we have been collecting.

The grand opening is scheduled for Saturday, November 26. We had a soft opening on November 5 to just get some people into the space and to try out our set up.

The best part of what we do is getting to hang out with family and friends. Jeremy's siblings surprised him for the soft opening!

The Market on Main: Phase One Update

 This project has come a long way!

Phase one has been both a marathon and a sprint with us often wishing things would move faster so we could get set up and then wishing things could slow down so we could make decisions and get a better grasp on all the options. We often would drive up to the building when we both got home from our respective activities and then shine the headlights on whatever progress we could see.

So, we are almost there! The concrete floor is just what we hoped. It has some variation in color and it is easy to clean. Electrical is coming along and geothermal is almost installed. But, we are complete enough to open the doors and had a soft opening on November 5. Jeremy worked it solo because of my work commitments and he loved seeing so many friends and family. It was fun to be able to show off the space and we were thankful that it was warm enough that heat was not required.

 Since this photo was taken, the supports have been wrapped in cedar.

 

The front windows have been wrapped. The natural light from these windows has to be one of my favorite things about the space.

We also have installed black pipe handrails to help keep guests from stepping off of the ledges around the ramp at the back of the space. It was a simple, industrial looking solution for the safety concern we had about the drop down.

 The geothermal unit looks a bit space age! Jeremy sent photos to me and I was sure it was a situation where maybe I had the proportion wrong or was confused about the set up. But, no, these components are pretty impressive. We look forward to having everything connected and running before the cold temperatures hit.

 Part of the reason the geothermal installation has been delayed is because we have a huge water table under our property. When the crew was drilling the wells, they ran into water - a lot of water. We essentially have a mud pit in the backyard. Jeremy keeps reminding me that we now have a blank slate for landscaping this spring. Until then, we are thankful for the plastic barriers that are keeping most of the mud in our yard and not in our neighbor's yard or the alley. And for the bit that is escaping, we are thankful for some grace.  Maybe by spring, we can make something beautiful grow in this space?

And, the windows! We wanted something that gave nod to the original windows and would be energy efficient and low maintenance. We are so very happy with this solution that honored that beautiful arch of the original design.

There is much, much more that has happened. For instance, we have a bathroom! More soon!

The Market on Main - phase one gets closer

 A work in progress! The Market on Main continues to take shape and we are really excited that we are almost ready to move into the retail space.

Some of the major pieces have some together rather quickly in these last few days before our tentative "end of October" goal to be in the space.

The front of the building was one of the major pieces that needed to come together - new storefront windows, new double doors, new transom. The storefront windows had to be special ordered and took a little work. The existing frames were a little off square and that might be a kind way to say it. Our contractor worked to use the existing opening and to make the frame more square to accommodate the new windows.

The photo above will give you a pretty good feel of the "in progress" stage.

 Then, we had the transom and doors installed! We found these doors at an architectural salvage place in Wichita. Jeremy spent some time reaching out to Wichita and Kansas City area salvage places to see if we could find some reclaimed doors to fit in the space.

The installed, but unfinished stage. If you look to the left of the door, you can see some evidence of the work needed to make the doors more square.

 Perhaps one of the biggest transformations has been the west facing facade. We had several different things going on on this side of the building and we were able to removed a "door to nowhere," replace a window, replace some siding and remove and put siding over a section of the exterior that was covered with some fiberglass. There are funny stories with some of these aspects of the old building, best told during a tour so you can see for yourself.

Geothermal continues to be installed. We were so happy to see how the duct work was tucked into the beams. The industrial look of the duct work doesn't bother us a bit and we keep thinking about how nice it will be to be warm when we are open for shopping or working in the space during the winter. Yahoo for HVAC! Certainly not sexy, but important in the overall project.

Up next: we have update about windows and the floor and soon we will be moving in inventory!

Kansas Barn Sale

 Our fall includes several favorite traditions, but none are as beloved as attending the Kansas Barn Sale.

A few years ago, we signed up as exhibitors and we have continued to count this show as one of our favorites. The setting is perfect, the people are happy, and the hospitality is unparalleled.

The Emma Creek Barn creates the perfect backdrop. We arrived early to finish the final set up and it was just a little magical with the lights on and the sky showing brilliant colors.

 Sunrises in Kansas are the best! The morning of the show, we had some great color and slow warm up to a beautiful fall day.

 We really enjoyed putting out some of our favorite vintage finds.

 The sign inventory was on point. Jeremy worked really hard in the months leading up to the show to have a great selection.

I loved this little collection - old books, pumpkins, positive vibes, and all things vintage.

We can't wait for next year's show!