First signs of spring

For some, the first signs of springs include hearing birds chirp, trees blossom, or flowers bloom.

For us, the first signs of spring mean the first trips through barns and sheds for new treasures. We typically slow down over the winter months because of the cold and because we don't have a lot of storage. Until our spring show schedule picks up, we try to manage the inventory we have on had an not add a lot to the stash.

Yesterday didn't feel much like spring - a balmy 20 degrees! It didn't keep two of my favorite guys from finding some treasures.

Be on the look out for some of these great finds at the studio and in our spaces for upcoming shows!

Fall at the studio

It's beginning to look a lot like fall at our studio!

We are gearing up for some of our favorite shows. Check out our show listing and as always, we keep our "sometimes hours" at the studio or are available for shopping by appointment. You can also see our booth (and a lot of other great booths) at Eclectic Charm in Manhattan.

September 25 & 26
Fabulous Finds on Highway 99
Treasure abound all along Highway 99. Stop by the studio for some great vintage shopping.

September 25 & 26
Pumpkin Patch Arts & Crafts Fair
Get your fall fix at the 42nd annual event. We will have some hand painted signs and small furniture items with our friends with Eclectic Charm.

October 3
Kansas Barn Sale
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hesston, KS

Unpack the trailer sale - a good idea or no?

This is the season for spring shows and we have been burning up the roads.

First, the Red Barn Outdoor Market near Benton, KS.  We followed that up with a trip north to the Funky Junk Market in Funk, NE.  Then, we went south to Dewey, OK for the 2 Friends & Junk Sale.  All fantastic.  But, whew, we are exhausted!  So much good stuff has been passed on to great people.  We have met so many new, cool, like-minded people and reconnected with treasured friends.  We are having a blast.

Now, to unload the trailer and reset the studio. We have a love/hate relationship with this part of our work. It's always fun to dig out new inventory and reconfigure what we have on hand, and it also means carrying some heavy stuff. Ok, not some.  We carry a lot of heavy stuff.

I pitched an idea to my husband and he thinks I am crazy. So, I'll pitch it here and you can confirm or deny if this is a good idea.

My idea: have a unpack the trailer sale.  We name a day and time and set everything out in the grassy lot behind our studio.  We'll make some great deals and I'll slowly reset the studio.  You get great deals and maybe I don't have to carry as much heavy stuff as far. Win-win.

If you are thinking that all of the stuff left in the trailer is all the stuff no one bought at the sale, you have to know that we always pack WAY more than we could ever sell in a space during a one or two day show.  We are prepared for anything. That means we always bring home a lot of good stuff and if we shop on the way home, we might even have some new treasures.

Plus, our show schedule means that we have neglected anyone who is local who wants to browse.  We just couldn't pack and unpack and pack again and keep on the road.  So, the unpack the trailer sale would be a great way to catch up with anyone in our area who has been feeling the need to take a look at some signs or has wanting to check out some great vintage finds.

So, what's the verdict?  Have an unpack the trailer sale or no?

Kansas Barn Sale Recap

 We are celebrating the end of a fantastic day at the Kansas Barn Sale.

The day began a little on the cold side.  I was confident that I had packed plenty of layers, but not confident that any of them actually went together.  Most of the day, my mom and husband had to answer my question - "Do I look normal?"  I asked a lot because as the day warmed up, I kept peeling off layers and I was constantly worried that in losing a layer, I began to look more uncoordinated.

We stayed overnight with friends who live about 30 miles away from Hesston.  Our morning began pretty early and we enjoyed a quick ride to the show.

As we started to unpack the truck, we were witness to a beautiful sunrise.  It was one of those mornings where it seemed like the sky was on a dimmer switch.

 We had a great view of the sunrise and before we knew it, it was show time!

There were so many people who attended the show!  The line to go through the gate was unbelievable.

 We had a lot of fun putting everything together.  We have been collecting things for this show for an entire year.

 My husband has been creating so many cool new signs.

 We had several things that we hoped would find good homes, including this great bench.  (Mission accomplished, though it did hitch a ride back home with us for a delivery.)

 The wine ring spheres were by far one of our most popular items.  I loved this because my dad  helped us put them together.

 We had little sections  - a display of sewing items and a display of cooking items.

 I was so happy that both of the big welcome signs went home with someone.

 I am a big fan of fall displays and those what we threw together with the wine ring spheres and pumpkins were some of my favorites.

 The chicken waters with the star designs drilled into them were some of my favorite.

I have to admit that there is this moment just before the show begins that I am in love with our display.  We have worked so hard and have things just how we want them...and then things get chaotic. My husband gets a huge kick out of watching my compulsion for resetting things.

When it was all said and done, we had a great day.  My favorite thing is reconnecting with some of our old friends.  We have so many great people who love junking and handmade items as much as us.

Vintage finds: treasure hunting

One of the best things about having booth space in a consignment store is that on an almost weekly basis, you have an excuse to shop for great vintage items.

This week we reset and expanded our space in Eclectic Charm in Manhattan.  After we had been drenched in a surprise (and much needed) rain shower and loaded and unpacked and set items and moved them and moved them again, we finally felt happy with the arrangement.

Then, it was time to browse!  We found some great item - my favorite might be the giant cloth American flag.  It is a little bigger than what we needed for a project for my brother and sister-in-law, but we might have another idea.  Our other finds were two small industrial tool caddies, a pressed tin box, cast iron fence finials, two costume jewelry pins, a wooden slat piece that is screaming to be a jewelry organizer and the really neat wooden etched Indian profile.

This week was hectic and stressful and I was short on sleep.  But, our time together on Wednesday night - setting up and shopping - was a definite high point.

Vintage finds and kindred spirits

We enjoy speculating about the activities of "normal" people on any given weekend.  We are usually running around with a giant to-do list and tackling more than is even possible to accomplish in a day.  One of us will say to the other, "You know, normal people lay around and watch golf on a Sunday afternoon."  We have not had a relaxing weekend afternoon in ages.  I am not sure it is part of our fabric.

This Sunday's adventure - setting up a booth space at Rerun Consignments in Council Grove.  We decided to take this leap for a couple of reasons - we really like the owner (and have only heard good things about her business) and we need storage space!  We hope that in the process of getting a few things out of the house, we will make some sales and contribute to Darla's business.

We had a furry of activity on Saturday night.  We both had been busy all day and met up at the house.  We had a few things that we wanted to finish and several items that needed to be cleaned and prepared for packing.  A couple of the projects we completed are the 'always and forever' repurposed window frame, the turquoise message board, turquoise photo frame, a jewelry organizer, and a Christmas tree from scrap wood.  We also picked up some awesome pumpkins from a friend - check out the white Cinderella pumpkin we staged in the wine barrel ring sphere.

While setting up our booth, we met a fellow consignor and I think I made a good friend.  I shopped her booth and found so many things I loved.  She has a great eye and I know I will return to pick up a few things for our home.  I love fellow junkers/vintage finders; they are true kindred spirits.

Keeping it real

 You know those moments when you are equal parts amazed and horrified.  We (or at least I) had one of those moments a couple of weeks ago.

We cleaned out the garage.

I am not talking about a quick pick up and sweep the floor.

I am talking about a take-EVERYTHING-out and sort-through-EVERYTHING. We, as amazing as it sounds, fit everything back into the garage, only in a more organized and logical fashion.

Things I learned:

1.  We have a lot of stuff.
2.  We have a diverse collection of stuff.
3.  We have enough projects to last us two lifetimes.
4.  My husband tends to work quickly and not put things away.  I tend to hound him about putting away the things he's not using.  My logic is about saving time (and my sanity) by not asking for and looking for the hammer or tape measure or a screwdriver every five minutes.  But, to each his own.
5.  We have a lot of cool stuff.  I mean it.  We have some great things in line for some upcoming sales.  My husband has a really good eye and a creative mind, so the next couple of shows should be a ton of fun.

If you ever think that we have got it all together, just remember this picture.

Vintage Treasures Market

Today was a huge adventure for us.  We set up at our first major event to sell some of my husband's hand-painted signs, repurposed furniture and other items.  The Vintage Treasures Market was held in Emporia at their mall and was highly supported by Sudio 11.  (We fell in love with their store last January.) 

We were super excited to see how our items would be received and I was also super excited to get some things out of our house - we have been bursting at the seams.

We had more success than we could ever imagine.  The crowd was consistently strong in numbers and also super friendly.  We ran into people we knew, met some great new people, and also learned from other vendors and customers who had similar interests.

The first hour was a mad house!  I asked my husband how much time had passed since the market had opened and he said only 47 minutes.  We had sold so much and were trying to hold items for people, help people who wanted to pay, respond to questions, and rearrange the booth so it looked nice.  Whew!  We were so thankful to have my mom's help during the whole day, especially when we ran out of receipts and needed more singles (and a Starbuck's run).

We learned so much!  The next time we set up, we will be better prepared about what to pack and we will have a better idea about what might sell.

Overall, it was an awesome, awesome day.  We were so happy with the turnout, our sales, and the great people we met.

A perfect Saturday...basketball, junking and chocolate!

 We enjoyed a beautiful Saturday.  The weather was gorgeous - around 60 degrees in January in Kansas.  We had a great day planned - watching basketball games for two of our nieces, shopping for unique finds and chocolate, and hanging out with family.  And, to top it off, it was the start of a three day weekend.

The basketball games were great.  Both of my nieces' teams came  up short in terms of a win, but both girls played hard and we really enjoyed watching them play.

My oldest niece played in the same auditorium where I played my high school league tournaments.  Being back in that place and watching basketball made me feel really nostalgic.  And, apparently, protective of my niece.  Her assistant coach should never yell that she needs more out of her when she is playing her butt off.  I may or may not have yelled back at her, "What did you say?"

After the first game, we had a short break before my other niece's game and we decided to take in some stores downtown.  My husband earned the eagle eyes award for the day by spotting a cute little store on the corner.  He insisted that it looked like a place I would like, so we found a parking spot and walked back up the block.  He was right!

Studio 11 is everything they promise on their website - they "make junk look good," offer a wide variety of "funky, junky, recycled, and handmade things", a great atmosphere (the historic building is awesome!), and friendly customer service.

The sign in front of the store promises Pinterest classes.  Doesn't that sound like fun?! You can follow all of their boards on Pinterest.

Their door has a sign that says, "Push it, push it real good."   I always laugh when I see that on a shop door.  This sign was indication that I would like the vibe. 

Our finds included these two awesome bowling pins.  They are lovely with chippy paint and great color.  We had always looked at vintage bowling pins and finally made the purchase.  I also grabbed some of their 'keep it junky' stickers to share with friends who are just as crazy about vintage and handmade.

Our other find was these great pendants.  One side says, "Vision is the art of seeing things invisible."

And, the back is this beautiful floral.

This one says, "starlet."

And, the other side has a cute little bird.  This color of blue is one of my favorites.

We bought one for my mom, too.  Hers says, "Gram."  The staff was really great about shortening a chain to just the right length for my mom.

It is safe to say that if Emporia was a little closer, I would be spending a lot of time and money at Studio 11.

Our next stop was the Sweet Granada.  I have blogged about this great store before from quick stops this fall and last fall.

 Even though the day was unseasonably warm, the sign in the front window promised that some chocolate would chase away winter blues.

And, this stuff does the trick!  The Pop Choc is delicious and the perfect balance of sweet and salty.  We also bought a selection of other items from the case and some of their homemade fudge.

 My husband was a good sport to go shopping.  I think the chocolate helped. 

 And, my mom was a good sport to pose in a picture with me, even though she didn't want to be in front of the camera.

We had an awesome day.  We even made it home in time to knock out some of our backlog of outside chores that we save for warm weather.

The Junk Gypsies

 The Junk Gypsies is one of my new favorite shows on HGTV.  Sisters and designers Amie and Jolie are a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll.  I like their style - air stream trailers and old pick up trucks, things with a little rust, and lovely layers.  Their story, style, and the fact that they work with their family in making a thriving business from humble beginnings, really inspires me.

They had a special a few weeks ago and I wanted to be sure to grab a necklace that had caught my eye and along the way, I picked up a couple of other items.

My number one find was the air stream pendant with their tag line - not all who wander are lost (also a quote from j.r.r. tolkien).  I love their use of the Madonna image and you'll see it in a lot of their designs; I couldn't resist getting the pendant.  And, have you seen their packaging? Great imagery on their label on a awesome brown paper box.  Love.

And, I couldn't resist another tote because I love the design and I love bags of all shapes and sizes.  This bag in particular is just the right size for a road trip travel bag.

Set your DVR to catch and episode of Junk Gypsies.