They Put Me In Charge? ?

The World Famous Bricoleurs

(okay, maybe only State or Nationally famous)

went on a trip to

Remnants of the Past

(otherwise referred to as ROTP)

where they are selling in a two day show this weekend

To make a long story shorter...

they left ME in charge for a day...Friday

Whoa! is right!

I made an appearance there to go over my 'cheat list' one more time.
You know, unlock the door, turn on the lights, count the cash drawer.
(I personally love lists...)
The laughing one is Terry, the scared one is you know who...

Before my daughter arrived, I made a small tour of all the "Sheds" have to offer
and I just scratched the surface

There are many metal 'statues' to see

Just outside the back door is a full nursery

Rows of pots line the back walkway

It's going to be fun,

scary,

informative.

I will be representing (in my poor way) their style

and famousness (is that even a word?)

Check back later to see how I did...

Where I've Been

This past weekend we went down state to Atascadero. There is a lovely ranch that rents out their facility and we were the recipients, with about 150 others. Our travel trailer followed us faithfully and was there to let us rest our weary heads at night and also to provide our own restroom and shower. 

We affectionately call this place 

The Barn

It is owned by the Taft's and weddings, receptions and our own

group uses its grounds for gatherings and retreats.

You approach it down a long road that leads you into the foothills

The California mid state is a mixture of dry grasses and rolling foothills.

You approach a bridge that crosses a dry Salinas river

with horse ranches on either side of your way.

From the top of the bridge the huge old barn awaits.

The inside walls are adorned with antlers, bear hides, taxidermied mounts,

old calendars, neon beer lights and just about anything related to

living in the wild west.

Straw covers the majority of the inside floor and someone is usually

using a hose to spray it down to keep down the dust.

Out back, there is a BBQ pit, and large three sink area for washing up

your dishes.

The owner has many acres that are sowed in hay, with a lake thrown in for good measure.

We took the walk to the lake - about 2 miles one way (it was probably less, but seemed like more)

Old and young fishermen were trying their luck with poles, lures and small boats.

Little ones sat in the sand on the banks and played.

Some moms visited on the picnic tables nearby

while dads gave tips to their sons on the best way to hook the fish on the line.

I am told there is a 'cabin' in that lake area also - about 1500 square feet of cabin, that is.

(that is larger than our home)

Sometimes young ladies make it into a dorm for the duration of the retreat.

We had community meals that were planned by teams of families.

Sometimes a younger couple would head up the planning and buying of what was needed.

When the time came, many willing hands were there to help out with the preparation, cooking and serving.

It was such a blessing to see the working together of many minds.

Bible studies, testimonies in song, games, ice cream cones, specialty coffees,

and good old fashioned visiting were to been seen at all hours.

Much better photos can been seen if you desire to look up Taft Barn, Atascadero.

There seems to be no lack of wedding photos from those who have used it.

I do not know these folks, just wanted you to get a glimpse of where we were.

Here is a shot of the inside of our trusty trailer - a little 18 footer which suits us to a "T"

So, that was my last weekend, how was yours?

A Memory Moment

As I was vacuuming, I had a memory moment...

Years ago, my youngest hated the vacuum, or was deathly afraid of it, whatever.

When it would be turned on, she would run to a chair, climb up, curl up in it and hug her blanket. There was no way I could convince her that the vacuum would not eat her, suck her up in it or otherwise.

Today, the thing seemed so loud that I wanted to curl up in a chair and hope it went away. I wonder if my little girl remembers those times.

Fabric Giveaway at Busy Hands Quilts

Visit this awesome Quilt Shop/ Blog and see what's happening

10 1/2 cut yards! Enter, enter, enter...


 

<a border="0" href="http://busyhandsquilts.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt214/hearts4homeschooling/BusyHandsQuiltsButton.jpg" /></a>

http://busyhandsquilts.blogspot.com/2012/05/its-giveaway-day-win-stack-of-star.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BusyHandsQuilts+%28Busy+Hands+Quilts%29

Who knows if I did this right... hmm, there is supposed to be a blog button for her blog, but I don't know...

Anyway, look, enter and possibly win.

hmm, got the button, but I don't know if it will take you there, ahh, the simplicity there used to be...

40 Years

40 Years

More years than some have been alive

it's longer than most mortgages

Moses was 40 years in the wilderness herding sheep before the Lord called him to deliver the children of Israel

40 Years

Some call it the "Ruby Anniversary"

40 Years

When you have been married to someone for 40 years, you tend to finish each others sentences,

know what is for dinner without even asking,

are familiar with life's routines,

you know the other's intense like and dislikes,

you wonder where they were that day when you recall a childhood memory.

40 Years

Yes, its been that long that we have been married

It seems like just last year or the year before, time flies so fast

And yet, I remember the children being born,

The first high school graduation

The first wedding

(is is possible that they have been married 20 years this month?)

(are they even old enough to be married?)

The first grandchild

and more to follow

The first death of a loved one before we thought it was time

40 Years

a lot of water under the bridge, as they say,

So many memories, so many more to make

it has been a wonderful 40 years.

Happy Anniversary to my Mr

The Vintage Bricoleur in an Ebook...

At our Alameda Point show last weekend I overheard someone telling my daughter Terry that there was a nice picture of her in the magazine for the Remnants of the Past show that is coming up in June (the 2nd and 3rd, - mark your calendars)

This is the premier show of the west coast in many opinions. My daughter - head honcho of

The Vintage Bricoleur

has sold there for the past couple of shows and keeps getting invited back...

Go to the Remnants Of The Past web page and there is a ebook option on the left. Click on it and you get an idea of the type of vendors that show/sell here. Top-notch, people... Go through the book and on page 20/21, there she is, a sweet person and you can't help but buy from her. Her space and her wares are in the background. If you didn't find it try this... http://remnantsofthepast.com/booklet/booklet.html. Now you see?

They have a store located in the High Hand Fruit Sheds - an old fruit shed that has been converted into a shopping experience for anyone. It holds, besides "The Vintage Bricoleur", a restaurant, flower shop/landscaping store, fabric store, wine tasting, rug store, art gallery, candle shop and more. Many of these shops offer classes in their expertise. It is air-conditioned and has been recently retrofitted with solar panels that provide a good deal of the energy to run this whole thing. If you go to this blog post, http://thevintagebricoleur.blogspot.com/2012/05/vintage-bricoleur-in-may.html you can see the fruit sheds, the solar panels on the roof and more of the store front located inside. There are exhibits of pictures of when the sheds were used to pack fruits from the many orchards and farms that populated the area many years ago. That is before it was "discovered" and one area of the town of Loomis boasts million dollar mansions.  A destination for sure, whether it is a hot day or a cold windy day. You can spend hours here and the weather will not affect you.

If you are in the San Luis Obispo area on June 2 or 3, you must visit this show. Besides the show, there are many things to do there (don't get me started)

Anyway, a proud mother just wanted to let you know...

Just a Few Things - OK, a Lot...

This month will be very busy. We have already gone over to the bay area and did the show at the
Alameda Point Antique Faire. It is always held on the first Sunday of the month. We anxiously watched the weather to see if we could use our canopies. When the wind blows over about 15 mph, it is just too windy and it can take a canopy and send it along into someone or their items. Blessedly, the day was outstanding in weather and the wind was only breezy enough to keep us happy, and our canopies were well used.

I took a few pictures with my phone to show you some of our items that we had for sale. Warning~ picture heavy.

I just loved this cabinet. It could be in a kitchen, bath, closet, etc. Extra storage is always popular with me.

My Mr take mundane items and restores them and sometimes turns them into functional pieces for the home. Here are several "islands" as we call them. They are around 36" high, just the right height to work from if you are standing, or if you want to pull up a bar stool, then it will hit just right.

Old wood on the top and shelf came from a library that was torn down and is now reused here.

I "called it" and said this would be the first one to sell... and it was. It had large wheels on one end and smaller, swivel ones on the other. Our buyers were thrilled with its wood top and shelf below.

This one also has casters for easy mobility and a metal top. One customer makes jewelry with heat and wanted a top that would not burn  if she set down her tools on it, but the size was just not appropriate for her. Someone else, tho, found this just what they wanted.

This one also went home with a happy customer. It also has a metal top.

See my cash register on the top here? I also have fliers for other shows, business cards, sold tags, my license and other stuff in the tray. There is a drawer on the other side that opens with slots for my cash. I always take out the extra and put it somewhere else, so that there is only just enough to make change. I can't keep an eye on this constantly. The Lord has watched out for us so that we have not had any thefts, but I don't want to 'tempt' someone with carelessness.

The lovely old boiler on the shelf had wooden handles on the side and the lady that bought it wanted to plant in it for her backyard.

I made this banner for the cash register area, but it kept falling off if I taped it somewhere. I tried the metal braces for the canopies, it didn't look right on the island where the register was either, so it went back into the box and I will have to figure out something else.

Any ideas?

*********

We had no less than three tables... This one, with a metal top

This one had slide out leaves on each end. It is now in our space at the store.

This one is very nice also, it has wheels on the legs, sorry you can't see them...

The metal chest, coffee table, whatever it is called was a delightful find for someone.

We had our outdoor/indoor settee. I covered it in a denim, but I an now wondering if the color is off-putting...? We had only one person 'try it out'. She said she had one just like it at home... so she didn't buy it.

Nice dresser, very vintage in style and workmanship.

This one is for Gigi... 

This little planter is sitting next to a vintage restaurant coffee cup, for size comparison. A young lady had it and I asked to take a picture for my friend. The young lady paid $15 for this, planted with some succulents...

I know my friend will do just as good or better with her plants when she decides to sell them.

OK, a few more pictures and you are done.

This narrow cupboard got the most attention. I thought it was rather for a child, but, people were coming up with the most inventive places to use it.

Here is my 'chicken area' with lots of butter dishes.

And, this junky area is hard to see... It is mostly 'guy' things. I try to have something for the guys, but the ladies always look too.

Thanks for coming along with us to our Alameda show.

Perhaps I will post pictures of our next show in downtown Sacramento.

"Giveaway Time"

I know you all want to enter this giveaway...

Image from The Silver Craftsman

OK, I'm just a little bit prejudice... well, A LOT!

Because, ta da... it is my grandson that is the Silver Craftsman!

Think action figure in tights, helmet, cape flowing from the fastenings on his back...

Well, again, just picture a 14 years old young man who has this hobby and is incredibly talented. Yes, enough to make jewelry and other special items for you and me.

Go to his Etsy store here and you will see what I mean. Isn't it wonderful, incredible and just inspiring?

I got this information from The Virginia House who is hosting this giveaway... Jillian is giving away a $20 gift certificate to Sheldon's shop ... and Sheldon is offering Free Shipping for this week. The more you comment or order, the more chances you will have at winning this certificate.

I personally like the pendants with the little extras hanging from them. Well, just to let you in on a little secret, I have tried some of this silver stuff and it is not as easy at it first appears. You have to know what you are doing and also have the right tools. Just to say...

So hit up Jillian at The Virginia House and see what is happening...

And, don't forget to visit

http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheSilverCraftsman

And, thank you Jill for doing this.