Lucketts, What an Adventure!

Wow. That was quite the rush, I must say. 

And thank you all for coming! There were thousands of you! Wow. So many people. Nice people. Fun people, with kids and open hearts and kind things to say. I am so grateful to you all. People stared longingly at our original art, and then said things like "If a piece of art makes you cry, you should buy it." And then they took it home. Could you die? It's those comments that make all the work worth it. And that wasn't even about my stuff.

A few minutes later, lady who does paper flower wreaths took the time to come over and tell us how beautifully made ours was.

Lucketts is quite the event to participate with. I highly recommend it if you have a gritty or shabby chic or farmhouse look to your products. Such nice people work the show. It's so well run. Heather and Diana do an amazing job with all the organization details. Everything works like clockwork and they are super responsive to questions. Thanks so much ladies, for all your time and effort. It was an incredible show, in spite of the bit of rain we got here and there.
 

 Here's a few more pictures of the booth:

And this is my wonderful staff. Thanks to Liisa and Hasni for keeping me sane and focused on the important things. I could not have done it without you ladies!!!!

A Few Little Claims to Fame and More Stuff for Lucketts

Sorry I missed last week. It has been a bit crazy around here. But I'm here today. And I have a few exciting tidbits to share.

Let's start with Thistlewood farms. You guys remember. This is the site that inspired this post about my messy house (here) where I shameless threw back the covers and showed my own disorder to the world. It's the site where Karianne's perfect, perfect pantry caused me to wail in despair of ever having even one place in my house be that organized and clean.

Well, exciting things happened. 

She asked for readers to suggest a name for her online shopping posts (my  suggestion is in the comments here)....and she chose MINE!!! Read all about her wonderful sponsors, etc here. She mentions me way at the bottom. So go show her some love and check out the cool stuff she's gathered for you guys. You can tell her Marian sent you, if you want. But you might have to clarify that I'm not Miss Mustard Seed. She's a way more famous Marian. It wouldn't be the first time we've been confused with each other.

My other bit of fame comes from the Old Luckett's Store blog. Branches: the Barn Sale Without a Barn was a featured vendor on their blog yesterday! Yay famous! Woot. Check it out here. We are the third vendor mentioned. That was super exciting to discover.

So I bet you've all been wondering what's been keeping me too busy to post. Well, that would be book lamps, garage sales, and collages. Great stuff, right? The garage sale gods have been super kind to me the last couple of weeks. I found some incredible things. Like this huge, vintage wooden trunk.

and some amazing old forged iron serving pieces

and this cool silver plate tray. Can you see the bunches of tiny grapes all around the edge? 

Who wouldn't want a silver tray with tiny grape clusters?

I almost had heart failure when I saw an entire table covered in vintage and antique copper pieces. I only had enough money with me for a fraction of what they had. Could you die?

And the vintage and antique spoons. You know you have to have at least one of these.

I especially like the happy meal book on the floor behind them.  We keep it pretty real at my place. 

Here's a little peak at what Sharon from Hand Picked Art is bring to our booth at the show:

Isn't it funny how different our taste is, even though we hang out all the time? That's why it's good to have a partner, folks. Then there's something for everyone. 

In the studio, I have been super busy making collages and refinishing frames like this one with vintage stamps and 100 % linen backing

And this

And this. 

 DK shot the picture for me because I love dandelions. I'm having a really hard time putting it in the show. I LOVE how the chalkboard frame turned out. You guys would forgive me if I kept it, right? You 'll just have to come to Lucketts to see what I decided.

Here's a closer shot of the frame.

As far as the book lamps go, they are all drilled and bolted together, but are still a work in progress. I will have them looking amazing for the show. Please pardon the mess. Neither one has any lamp parts attached yet. The picture with the shade and the big pipe sticking out is just to show you where they are going. 

 These detail shots are the two different ways I attached the casters to the book stacks. One goes all the way through the bottom book. I had to reinforce that stack with a board hidden inside the book. The other style caster is screwed into the base book's cover.

I have a couple more pieces I am working for this show, a box and another collage, of sorts. Neither is finished, but here's a peek:

This is that piece from 1888 that I found. Please pray that the conservation glass I ordered from California gets here in time for me to pull this one together for the show. I suppose I could have used regular glass, but if something has made to to me from 1888, I certainly am not going to be the one to let it get ruined. UV glass or bust baby!

This was an experiment with MMS milk paint. I love how it chips and cracks. I'll take better photos and tell you all about this project later. But the lining will be woven strips of book page. (A Tom Clancy novel, if you must know.) You can see how I've done it on the bottom already.

So that's where things stand for now. Thanks for hanging with me. 

I always miss you guys when I don't post.

Don't forget to come to the show. I'll be there all day Saturday.

Here's the link for directions etc.

The Lucketts Spring Market

MAY 18-19, 10-5 both days

$7 at the gate

The fields behind the Old Luckett's Store

42350 Lucketts Road  Leesburg, VA

Getting Ready for Lucketts

It is a flurry of activity here in the studio. I am not quite ready for beauty pics yet, but I thought I'd give you a little taste of what I've been working on for Lucketts. (Here are pics from when I went last year as a shopper.)

As usual right before a show, there is stuff E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E.

Here's a closer look. Book Lamps in process.

These two have a similar feel, but aren't twins. They are both made of vintage technical manuals. One has casters that go through the base book. The other has casters that screw into the base book. I haven't decided if the shades will match or not yet. They will, however, be the same size and shape. I  need to recover one or both of them,so I'll keep you posted. I am totally going with Edison bulbs for both of them. Mostly because I think they are so cool.

Here is a new project I thought up in my efforts to use what I had this spring. These are pillars, platforms and coasters I made using a big branch from my oak tree that I had trimmed a year ago and kept in my shed for just such a crafty purpose. You know you've been the weird, eccentric lady in the neighborhood for too long when your neighbor sees you carrying a large oak branch up the street to your other neighbor's and doesn't even ask you what the branch is for or why you have it with you.

  These darlings are about 1/2 in thick. I thought they'd be perfect to put candlesticks on, just for that extra pop of texture or color. All the wood pieces have sealed paper on one side and sealed natural wood on the other and were grown right here in Virginia.

This is one set of pillars. They range from 2 in to 6-7in tall. I have 4 different sets in 4 different colors and varying heights. These are also two sided with paper on one and wood on the other. Both sides have 3 coast of poly-urethane, so they should hold up to a lot. I though these would be awesome on a woodland style table with candles or even tea lights sitting on them. Or you could use them on a shelf to bring some extra attention to your pretty little things.

This is one of 6 sets of coasters. Each set of 4 is double sided and ready to keep your furniture dry and add that little pop of color to your table tops.

And moving on... Sorry, I got a little carried away there.

I am pretty sure that this vintage 1960's watercolor is going to end up in this chalkboard covered frame. But I have been known to change my mind a time or two. You'll have to come to the show and see.

This is a piece I am struggling to part with. A true antique. A 1888 plate from a McCall's magazine. Que the angels singing. I still can't believe I found it.

 It's so pretty. Wanna see it up close?

I'm thinking pressed between two sheets of glass with a chalk board frame, so it looks like it's floating on the wall. Could be so amazing! Especially against a grey wall.

And who could resist a vintage Uncle Sam stacking doll?

 Love it!

This may not look like much now, but it is giving me goosebumps to think about where it's going. See the paper in the back, that looks like old wall paper? That's gonna be the mat for these vintage stamps. And the back ground will probably be muslin or linen, or something that looks like that.

Here's a closer look at those stamps.

 

And I was playing with my new Miss Mustard Seed milk paint the other day and ended up with this amazing frame to put with it.

Isn't is so deliciously grotty? All together I think they will absolutely sing.

And just because you all have been so patient (and I happened to have a camera in the studio), here is the finished "Wings And Paisleys". 

I don't love the color contrast here. It's a lot brighter in person. But it gives you a feeling of what the piece looks like. I promise to do a whole post about it after Lucketts. It will not be in the show as I haven't finished redoing the frame that goes with it. And I haven't decided whether it's going to live in my office or not, yet. But if I do decide to sell it, it will be in the November show, all clad in it's sassy vintage chunky gold frame.

Well, that's just a peek at what I have for you guys this show. Be sure to come. It really will be a super fun day. 200 vintage dealers. Just think how much trouble you could get in! If anyone buys a vintage real moose head, let me know and I'll find a prize for you. I have always wanted one, but just don't have the space for it.

Only 3 weeks from tomorrow! 

Lucketts Spring Fair

May 18th-19th, 10am-5pm. 

(I'll be there the 18th)

$7 at the door

42350 Lucketts Rd, 

just north of Leesburg, VA on 15.

13 Steps to Get a Really Good Night's Sleep

1. Look at the bay window in your kitchen and notice the pitiful state of the onion starts that you bought on a whim at WalMart 2 weeks ago and promptly abandoned, still in the open, plastic WalMart bag.

2. Take onions outside to vegetable garden.

3. See weeds and volunteer strawberries all over garden and remember that the beds need to be weeded. Put onion starts down in their bag in the shade.

 4. Look at the sunny sky and feel the first 70 degree day in months and decide "there's no time like the present". Feel the "Let it Grow" song by Ester Dean from "The Lorax" movie start up in your heart. Think how much you love this song.

5. Pick up kindergartner from the bus stop and enlist her help. When the 4th grader gets home 15 minutes later, talk her into helping too.

6. Spend 15 minutes with the kids ripping the tops off the weeds and leaving the roots and suggest they go play with the water guns you bought on clearance last fall, but have never used yet. The children run off happily to go find buckets for easy water gun refilling. Hear them start laughing as soon as they get the water guns out of the packaging.

7. Weed the entire vegetable bed. Notice while weeding that your salvia made it through the winter. remember how pretty they were last fall and be truly delighted about this. Hope the peonies won't shade them too much when they leaf out.

8. Go get the big shovel from the garage. Start to turn the dirt over in one of your beds. Have kindergartner in swimsuit come up and ask to help. have her jump with all her might on the top lip of the shovel. Be amused that the shovel barely moves. Help by secretly pushing down with your hands. Tell kindergartner now standing completely on shovel to "hold on tight".  Tilt shovel slightly backwards to loosen and turn the soil. Repeat this process several times. Think it's funny that kindergartner squeals every time you tilt the shovel back. Continue until bed is all turned over and kindergartner sees the 4th grader chasing the 13 year old and bounds off to get her own bucket and water gun and sponge.

9. Feel grateful that you thought to buy top soil at Home Depot while it was on sale last week. Haul a bag to the bed you just turned over. Dump bag on turned soil. Haul and open another bag and add it to the first, being sure to spread it evenly across the bed. Kneel down on the grass and start to crush the dirt clods with your hands, so you don't hurt the worms. Hope that the rumor that a worm cut in half can heal and become two worms is true. Be sad because you doubt said rumor is true. Notice how full of life your soil is. See all kinds of insects doing their insect things. Be happy that you took the time to build these beds years ago. Remember how much work it was and and how it took a whole summer. Remember the kids' huge cabbages from last year that were pretty, but also constantly infested with cabbage moth caterpillars. Remember the zucchini vines that ambled across the lawn, much to DK's mowing displeasure. Be amused thinking of him carefully lifting and mowing around them because he knew you loved them. Be grateful that you have a place with full sun to 

grow vegetables. 

10. Start turning over the next bed. Notice that your motions are getting slower. Keep going anyway. Haul over a bunch more dirt and dump it in. Crush the clods with your hands and marvel at how the soil can go from hard and rock-like to light and fluffy in seconds. Think about what a delicious act of optimism planting seeds is. Love how the sun feels on your face and skin and back. Think about the miracle of being able to feed yourself and your family by planting and watering seeds for a while. Feel a sense of wonder that you and your kids have been able to make this little science project work over and over.

11. Notice your hands are getting tired, that it's taking more effort to crush the clods. Notice that it's getting harder to haul over the bags of soil. Move the rest of the bags near where they will be dumped. Keep working despite the growing fatigue. Think of the passage you copied into your book of favorite quotes from Dominique Browning's (former editor of House and Garden Magazine) book Slow Love:

"By the end of the day, I'm sitting on the ground. It has taken me a while to get to achieve such intimacy with the earth. In the morning, I'm bending to reach the plants, by midday, I'm squatting;by mid-afternoon, I'm on my knees, careful not to land on the razor edged holly leaves littering the ground. By late afternoon, I'm tired, my legs are cramping, and I'm happy to release myself to the gravity of the earth."

 Relate completely with this. Keep crushing clods and blending in new soil until you can barely close your hands. Find the energy to finish when you realize that you are almost done with the whole garden.

12. Somehow manage to finish prepping the garden for seeds. Feel crazy proud of yourself. Realize you can't lift your arms or close your hands without discomfort. Step back and admire you fresh new planting beds. Trip on bag of onion starts.

13. Plant onion starts in beautifully prepared bed and feel overwhelmed with gratitude that this was the day God gave you.