The Vintage Trailer Show Presented by The Red Door

Coming up soon...

A show we are attending and selling at in Elk Grove.

This is the first show they have done here.

Dave and Kathy are very supportive of our endeavors and we wanted to return in kind.

So, Mr had a few boards that he wanted to have cute sayings on.

They looked like this. About 12" high.

They were the ends of some discarded project that we picked up.

A little persuasion later, he let me have one for my project.

I hope it goes along with the theme of the show,

and,

of course,

someone buys it...wink.

Hey You Texans

Just wanted to share a little of my pride and joy

My grandson has an etsy shop

The Silver Craftsman

He's 15 -- years old!

and will be a vendor at the Funky Finds show

at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth

on November 10th

Booth 418

Free admission

and raffle prizes.

You can see more of him here

and... there is a discount if you mention his face book account...

These are his creations,

his work,

his little business.

How's that for a grandson?

no flies landing on this one.

So, if you are in the area, be sure to visit

this two day event in Fort Worth.

Everywhere I Go

"Everywhere I go, everywhere I go" (Jesus will go with me)... this song has been running through my head as I am going around disinfecting doorknobs, refrigerator handles, stove knobs, phones, etc. Wow! we sure do use a lot of things. The computers were long overdo on cleaning of the keyboards, too. Another song is "Through it all" the phrase, "I've been lot's of places"... Hopefully, this will catch any germs that are lingering.

We are recuperating from the flu. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I guess when I handle cash I need to wash/sanitize my hands more frequently. Any ideas on how to clean money? beside 'laundering' :-)

To add insult to injury, my mouth has been swelling, fat lips look strange on me... it could be a food allergy that is starting, who knows... ice has helped and I am staying in so that I don't make babies cry and grown men run for cover.

***************

On another note, I am gathering up various items for our next sale. The knotted rug that I just completed will go and I rolled up the orange fabric into a ball and it looks pretty. An old non-working alarm clock, but it looks so vintage, a little ironstone creamer with delicate orange and brown flowers along the top, etc. Most of what we brought home from our previous sale will do. It seems that we sell only about 1/4th of what we take, but if it is not there at the sale, it will not sell... We always take a trailer full, we just can't help it.

A Little of This and A Little of That

Life is so busy

or is that just an excuse I use?

I am finally getting to see a wall in my living room.

The living room is always a treasure trove of items that have been finished and cannot

take either the heat in the summer or the cold in the winter.

We - well I use that term lightly, because it is Mr that does

all the heavy lifting around here.

Ahem, we..., are using up some of the items we have had

stored in the living room. 

For instance - I don't have a Farm Table in the center...

yes, that is where they go when they are finished.

Sometimes, there are two...

I do have a stack about two feet high of

old bound volumes of a local newspaper that went out of business.
Read about them here.

I am trying to figure out how to make some money on these

very large books that were donated to us.

I see that the University Library has the same ones in a Special Collection Section

of the Campus Library. They are not allowed out of the room.

Here they are, sitting in my living room, right next to a few oil lamps,

a wine bottle opener that we will sell, a bookcase, some back issues of some magazines

and so forth.

They are rather interesting to look at, but other than that...

Dating back to 1868 to 1944 - now that was a long time ago -

you can see the improvements to the city,

the cost of goods - incredible in these high inflation days.

Pictures of women's fashions, grocery ads,

news from the war front.

We went to a show yesterday, almost in our backyard.
It was called Mes Amis
(no, I can't say it either)

Here are a few pictures taken by Mr with my cell phone.

We were based on a little patio area and because of our E-Z up canopies, had shade the whole day.

Some others were based on the street under natural canopies of trees.

It is still in the 90's here in September. And, yesterday was no exception.

Notice the wonderful Farm Table and I see "me" in the background.

Everyone, and I mean everyone, likes the island in the background.

Here is a closer picture.

You can kinda tell when someone likes something, they come up to it and "pet" it.

We sold things that we really, really liked. But, we have plenty for our next show in about 3 weeks.

Does this remind anyone else of that children's book "Hats for Sale"?

A corner of a table was devoted to a "Wedding" Theme.

Well, that is all I have for now.

When we "do" a show, it is like moving twice in one day.

You get where you are going, unload, set everything up like in a house,

then, a few hours later, you pack it all up again and load it up.

We had a helper, in the form of a friend, "Frank" who wanted to help us

load up at the end of the day. He really put away some "gold, silver and precious stones"

with all his hard labor.

Thanks again, Frank.

Jewelry Bouquet Finally Finished!

I have been working on this project for what seems like forever!

It has been strewn all over a desk in the corner of the kitchen. It is a good thing that we don't have a large family that would have to work around it.  I would work on it, then stand back and wonder where I was going with it from here.

I made a much smaller one a while back in silver tones with pearls and rhinestones. Then, I wanted to try out  gold tones with pearls and larger. Well, it takes a lot of jewelry and I was looking for mainly vintage stuff for both of them.

They are so different in size

I guess I am happy with the results. It is either a hate or love relationship with this. Either it is way too gaudy or it is just what you are looking for.

I have seen these on etsy and the prices are incredible.

I added this locket at the bow sight. Sometimes brides want to remember someone special on their day that cannot attend the wedding. Perhaps a parent or grandparent or special friend. This way a picture is tucked into the locket and is part of the special day.

Another side view. I used not only brooches, but earrings that are vintage.

Here are some more of the silver toned one

I am so happy to finally "cross this off the list".

I have them sitting in a crystal vase to keep them upright and not crush the ribbons.

I think it is a pretty cool idea to be able to keep your bouquet for years.

I keep on admiring it...

Here's hoping someone else admires it and will buy it at one of my shows...

Joyfully joining the parties at:

Made By ME #40 Linky Party and Features

Shabby Creek Cottage Transformation Thursday #161

Wednesdays Adorned From Above Blog Hop

Feathered Nest Friday

Meeting La Dolfina at Alameda

Yesterday we were selling at Alameda

And, our neighbor was Terri of La Dolfina in space T7

I guess my daughter Terry has been a follower of her blog for quite a while. The two (Terry/Terri) have never met, so at the end of the day, she gave me a hug to deliver to Terry for her. She has quite an eye for collectibles that are sea-worthy, ocean themed and just really unique.

************

Anyway, here are a few shots of our space

We had a few flags. We put them up to dress up the space and to also,

hopefully, make our space memorable to visitors.

I had one that did not fit well on its pole, so I draped it over a table and had red, white and blue things for a display. A customer came and wanted to buy that particular flag, wouldn't you know it?

Our "Lovely Bones" lady was there and generated some interest, but not enough to send her home with someone, so she will travel to another show this weekend.

You can read about her transformation on this post.

The green nightstands, 

This white chest,

and a table similar to this one

was snatched up be a dealer before 7 am

My neighbor from across the way had gathered these sweet tiny roses and bundled them for selling. She presented me with a bouquet early and they nestled below this footstool in the most charming way.

Another few shots. As you can tell, I am not very talented at arranging my wares. I get by and that is it.

A island/workstation, whatever you want to use it for... that Mr has created from repurposed items. He is getting a name for his zinc tops and also the things he brings to a show. Some have told us, they shop us first, which is very humbling to us.

A busy, busy day

We are readying ourselves for a sale in Downtown Sacramento tomorrow. We do this show/sale once a month on the second Sunday.

My preparations includes last minute yard sale shopping. There have been many times we have found a treasure while out yard sale shopping and then took it to a sale the next day and profited from it.

We are also rearranging our cargo trailer. We need to pack it up so that when we hit those inevitable bumps that  our items will stay in place and not fall down on something else, etc. And, because we always find something we think we need to take last minute, a lot of times I need to unpack what we already packed and repack (wow, that makes you tired just reading it)

We recovered an outdoor settee with some denim fabric to give it a fresh look. I got a duvet cover out of denim and it was just waiting for the right time. Mr wanted the scraps for rags, but I voted him down because I see some quilt squares from a pattern I just saw in a magazine. He graciously let me have them.

I am making our lunch today for tomorrow. Fresh vegetables and fruits, sandwiches, a salad or two, oatmeal packets (for the convenience), setting the coffee on the timer for an early wake-up (2am), and making sure my change is in the truck. Plenty of water, tea, etc. We are setting up and selling in our space for about 12 hours, so it makes for a long day along with my body thinks that it is noon when it is really only 8am.

I am also going to make a dessert and perhaps a salad for the Bible study evening we will attend after we return tomorrow afternoon.

All this and I need to get into my bed by around 8:30 to get a few hours of sleep before that alarm goes off. It is not even dark in the summer at that time!

Next week, we will be at a show in nearby Roseville. It was highlighted in a magazine for one of the best shows to attend.

http://theoliveandrose.blogspot.com/2012/04/huge-congrats-to-mes-amis-vendors.html

This blog author is the sponsor/promoter of the show. It has been running for several years and we have a good time. I do the same preparations for this upcoming show as I do now.

In other news... I have been working off and on, mostly off because I am making this up as I go along, on this project. I think I am finished.
Here is it = a jewelry bouquet. I have it sitting in a crystal vase with the wrapped handle down inside it to keep it upright.

It has been a work in progress. I saw one of these, but much, much larger at a shop. Then I went on etsy and I was astounded at the prices they were asking. If you know me, you know that I deal in vintage jewelry and I had many pieces that would just not work for resale. Here is a way that I thought I may be able to utilize them.

Here is it laying down on a silver platter that I picked up. Mr likes it upright, I may take both to see how well of a reception it will get. It is smaller than the ones I saw and hopefully that will be a selling point, because when you get a lot of jewelry on these, they are very heavy.

I have another one sitting, staring at me to do something else with it. It will be gold toned with white ribbon and "pearls". It is not something that I would use, (not planning on marrying again after 40 years with my husband), but there seems to be a market for these. We will see.

What Came First, The Chicken or the Egg?

A real puzzler, huh?

This is my find from a sale last weekend. During the winter, sales are few and far between. It had also been raining, so if there were any sales, they were inside the garage. I know, a garage sale should be in a garage, but most of the time, they are held in front of the garage, spilling over onto the lawn and sidewalk, and down the driveway if you are in the country.

Back to the find of the day.

These birds of a feather were all in a box at one sale. They hadn't even seen the light of day yet.

I started to ask about one and then decided to ask for the whole box. You know, no need to unpack, I'll save you some work, etc. Well, the whole box for $10.

There are a couple art glass style, and one that has feathers, but I am pretty sure he/she was never alive.

Several are wooden, a few ceramic and one that is like a primitive doll. Two more are pewter.

All in all, they count over 20.

We will be going to a show or two here coming up and I want to display them as a group in a wooden box. After all, they deserve to keep themselves company. 

And, somebody collects chickens...

A Phone Interview

I had a phone call for an interview. 

Who knows what will come of it, but it involves something we did last year in Moss Landing.

The sale this year will be held on the last Sunday in July.

Check it out

Perfect weather.

Get out of the valley heat and come to the coast where it is always fine.

(OK, so I'm prejudice)

If you remember we got this

Rather a surprise for me, as I don't consider myself a great marketer,

 but, I will take it all.

Stay tuned for more information about my interview.

Marathon Month

October 2 was the start of a marathon month of shows.

Well, actually 4 this month. We did the Alameda show last Sunday and this Friday we will travel to the Roses and Rust Vintage Home and Garden Market, in Anderson, California, leave there Saturday evening and come on down nearer home to the Sacramento Antique Faire for Sunday. On the 22nd we will again travel a little north and do a show in Willows called "Gathering Better Junque". This link doesn't really tell you about the show, but rather the wonderful ladies that sponsor it and they do an incredible job at that.

For quite a while we have been gathering special items for these shows. For this weekend, we will be featuring "I wanna be a cowboy" theme. I have tin dishes, cowboy hats, boots, bandanas, deer horns, horseshoes, and old cast-iron griddle, etc. I wish I had taken a picture (vingette?) of it before it got packed into our cargo trailer. We also have another theme we have been working on: children's things. We have a small oak table with two chairs, a child's rocking chair, two dolls, a cradle, complete with the padded mattress and quilt, Winne the pooh clock and other "stuff". Sometimes in our gathering of things we just seem to run across items that go together. We have been saving them for a theme and we will see how this all works out.

Last Sunday we took many similar items to Alameda, here is a taste. And where, oh where, did my "watermarks" go? hmm
Okay, looking into the space, and traveling left side around the back to the front - does that even make sense?

a metal hutch top from a parts store on a metal topped bottom, with casters

Locking red nightstand on a small desk with a chair

A variety of nightstands, they seem to be the "butter on the bread" for us

A queen size quilt that I made - yes, it is the "block of the month" one. They are not my colors, but perhaps someone else will enjoy it.

A hutch/bookcase with glass doors

This is a 3 piece set, chest, mounted mirror on the chest and a small bedside table

A red island, work station that got so much attention (and sold)

A vintage grey rocking chair on a stained wood farm table and under that is a coffee table with stained parque wood top and shelf. There are vaious small benches and plant tables also here. The table and coffee table sold to a couple that are opening up a gathering/business place on Filmore Street in San Francisco and they wanted the dark stained wood furniture to decorate it with.

Here are two hutches, one with a metal top and the other wood. The all wood one sold.

I have some ironstone dishes and silverware in the basket on this red farm table with red legs. Under the table you get a peek of bed springs that were rather popular. Yes, bed springs! Decorators use them for candle holders, funny vases, grouped in threes - who would of thought? old rusty bed springs!

It is hard to describe the beautiful day that accompied our sale that day. Lovely clouds, the skyline of a huge city in the backdrop and temperatures that would leave those in those hot states drooling.

It is getting ready to rain, so we have packed all we can into the trailer and we are pretty much ready to hit the road on Friday. It will be around 3 hours up to Anderson, a quaint town with a rural feel. In the spring when we went there, we really enjoyed the laid back attitude and the friendliness of the shoppers, for a reminder of our time see here. It will be a different venue (or place that they are having the sale), but I am confident that we will have a good time, even if we don't make tons of sales.