Monticello Spring Home & Garden Show 2013

As I mentioned in my last post, which was quite awhile ago, I was asked, along with my good friend, Mitzi, to participate as a vendor in this years Monticello Spring Home & Garden show. So, as you can imagine, I’ve been busy getting my goods ready and together. This week Mitzi and I set up our space and I have to say, I’m really happy with this first time collaboration.

We both went to vendor night last night to put the finishing touches on and I was so excited to see how all other vendors booths have come together. So much good stuff in one place is almost too much for me to take. There were so many things I wanted to bring home and I’m sure, if you are in the area, you will want to bring many things home to. I did manage to snap a few pictures of our space.

It’s kind of hard to  see it in these pictures, but my work bench (the biggest thing I brought) is in there too. Here’s a picture of how it turned out.

The show starts tomorrow and runs through May. Vendors will be restocking frequently so plan on coming often to see what new goodies will be there. Will be back soon with some new Spring Show updates.

What I am finding

First week in March has come and gone. February flew by. So much going on and no time to blog. I have been on a trip down south (Southern California) and a trip to the Oregon Coast and during and in between there is always shopping.

I made a big decision at the end of last year to take some time off from doing shows. After five years of doing the fabulous Farm Chicks in Spokane, WA, I decided it was time for a break. I love doing shows, getting to sell my goods and meet fabulous people, but as I’ve said before, it is a lot of work. That said, I have really been focusing my efforts on my booths and it has been paying off. My sales have been great and life is good.

If you’ve been following my Facebook page you have seen a bit of what I’ve been finding out there. Here are some things I have found just in the last couple weeks.

This cutie just needed some sanding and new glass knobs and will be off to Stars this weekend.

Two little dirty white dressers. Have already been cleaned up and I sold the one on the right to my Mom to use in her sewing room.

These goodies were found on one of my trips to Eugene to see my daughter at U of O.

I found this lovely tablecloth at the flea market last weekend.

Found these goodies and the flea market too.

You know I always love finding blingy bits.

Love this yard long landscape painting.

Vintage aprons are always fun to find.

I had to chase down the dealer of this pretty floral watercolor.

And finally, my favorite recent find (and a keeper for now) is this

I thought it was a print, but my husband thinks it’s a painting. The back has a neat old Meier & Frank label on it so I don’t want to take it apart. I love it now matter what.

So, there you have it. Just some of the things I have been finding lately. There’s more, but some have escaped my camera and have gone directly to my booths.

At the beginning of this post I mentioned my decision to take a break from doing shows. Well, I have some exciting news. I have been asked, along with my good friend Mitzi, to do a space at the Monticello Spring Home and Garden show which starts in April and runs all through May! I am super excited to be collaborating with Mitzi. She always has great style and finds the best stuff. As we get closer, I’ll be giving updates and posting some sneak peeks. TTFN!

Playing with Paper

Vintage wallpaper, that is. Having collected vintage wallpaper over that last several years, I always like to find new uses for it. There is just something about it that adds a little something special to a crafty project. If you’ve been with me awhile here, on my blog, you may remember this post where I made some cute tags out of vintage wallpaper. I have covered clipboards, cabinet panels, lined sewing drawers, covered vintage jewelry boxes, and much more, but one of my favorite projects has to be this one.

A few years ago, I bought a plain and boring folding screen on Craigslist for next to nothing and covered it with a patchwork of vintage wallpaper, primarily wallpaper with roses, of course. This cutie has long gone to a new home where I hope the owner is enjoying it.
Recently I found a not so cute, vintage suitcase and decided it needed a little help. So, I dug into my stash and came up with this.

I did both sides. This one is a keeper as I’m going to use it to store old photos/negatives.
I was so happy with how this project turned out, I just kept on going. I had this plain two small drawers, over two bigger drawers dresser that I had picked up at the thrift store. I didn’t want to do my usual shabby chic paint treatment on it so I just decided on a distressed finish on the body and a patchwork of wallpaper on the drawer fronts. Changed the knobs to some cute glass ones and voila! Instant cute! Okay, maybe not so instant, but it really didn’t take me very long at all.

Here it is fitting in nicely in my Monticello booth. In case you’re wondering, I used plain old wallpaper paste that you get at Home Depot to adhere the pieces to the drawer front. To make it a little more durable, I applied a coat of matte Modge Podge to the top and that was it. I didn’t spend a lot of time planning where each piece would go, just kind of put them together so they overlapped a bit.
So, other than playing with paper, I have just been doing the usual trying to keep my booths stocked, going to exercise classes, (I’m loving the Barre Fusion class I’m taking at the local yoga studio) and hanging with my family. Haven’t been finding any really amazing things out there. I think it’s harder to find stuff this time of year, so I  continue to purge my collections at home to keep my booths well stocked. I have some plans to make some things too. Oh, and I also have a fun trip coming up next month that I’m really excited about.
Since I haven’t said it here yet, Happy New Year! I know I’m a bit late, but better late than never. Until next time, TTFN rose loving friends!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

French basket/Early Christmas Gift to Me

I have been a big fan of Corey Amaro’s blog Tongue in Cheek for several years. Her take on French life, photos and stories just fascinate me. I have been living vicariously through her on her Brocante (French flea market) adventures and periodically check her online store to see if there is anything I simply can’t live without.

So, when a few weeks ago I spotted a sweet little French basket she found at the Brocante, I just knew that I had to have it.

I loved it’s simplicity, but what really sold me on it was this.

it was lined with the most lovely French roses ticking fabric.

When I received it in the mail yesterday, I was so tickled to have this sweet little item from France. I quickly remembered some vintage millinery flowers that I have been saving for just the right thing.

And voila! My sweet little French basket all prettied up. Here’s another shot.

Hope you are all having a lovely 12/12/12. Just did Pilates and am getting ready to go see Anna Karenina with Isabel. Good times! Will be back soon hopefully with pictures of our Holiday Home! TTFN!

Long time, no blog

Hello. Not sure anyone is still checking my blog as it has been so neglected lately. I have been periodically posting on my A Thing for Roses Facebook page, so if you haven’t already, and want to, go on over and like me.

We had a couple weeks of really rainy weather up here in the PNW. I don’t do much when that happens, with maybe the exception of catching up on all my tv shows and movies I’ve wanted to watch. I have done a little crafting.

Inspired by my good friend Mitzi, who made the most adorable vintage bling Christmas trees (two of which I had to buy, aren’t they so cute?)

here are a couple I made.

Also, after making several (I lost count how many) vintage bling button bracelets to sell, I finally made one to keep for me.

I used all my favorite buttons. Love that it is super blingy and am looking forward to wearing it during the holidays.

I also spent a little time putting together some new/vintage earrings. Love this super simple craft.

We had a lovely Thanksgiving with my girl home from college and I haven’t even begun to think much about decorating for Christmas yet, but I just couldn’t resist bringing this little cutie home from my last visit to Monticello.

So that’s about it. Heading over to Monticello tomorrow to help Mitzi move into the front window and fluff my space a bit. I’m super excited to see what she comes up with.

Vintage Halloween

I had been planning on doing a post about my good friend, Mitzi’s booth at Stars, but Stars beat me to it.

A few weeks ago I took some pictures of Mitzi’s booth all decorated in vintage Halloween. It is awesome. Here is one shot I got.

To see more of Mitzi’s goodies check out the Stars blog.

Mitzi has two great spaces at Stars and is getting ready to bring in her Vintage Christmas goodies soon! And let me tell you, Mitzi is one of the best Vintage Christmas gals I know. She will also be the featured guest vendor in the window at Monticello in December. So excited to see her magic!

Not a lot going on with me right now, which is why I haven’t blogged in awhile. Getting used to not having my #1 girl home, although we recently had a very brief visit from her. She seems to be adapting well to college life. A lot better than I am adapting to not having her around.  Will hopefully get back to posting about my vintage junk and projects again soon. Don’t give up on me yet!

TTFN!