Sunshine And Lazy Days

Isn't she just the picture of summer?
My son's girlfriend spent time making these sweet headbands.
As always, having all my kids together is a most special gift for me.

Hello to all of you on this summer day!

I know I haven’t been posting as regularly as I normally do.

Why?

It’s simple. I’m just a bit worn out. After pending six month preparing for the Farm Chicks show and doing project after project, I need a well-deserved break.

Don’t get me wrong—I’m not sitting around reading romance novels….My oldest son and his girlfriend were here for 3 weeks and just left on Friday. We just enjoyed being together. Shorts, tank tops, and flip flops. I did a LOT of cooking and cleaning up afterwards. My son always has a long list of his favorite dishes for me to prepare. Our time went by way too fast.

My garden is in a sad state of neglect. I’ve been spending a portion of each day weeding and cleaning out planting area. I have also dusted off my elliptical and I’m getting back to regular exercise. (Side note: Although I’m not a huge fan of the Black Eye Peas, I find their music PERFECT for working out).

Another wonderful thing has happened the last couple of weeks…

SLEEPING IN!

I have been dealing with insomnia on and off for the last several years (age-related, I’m sure).

Well….since I don’t have to get up each morning around 6:00 to get the kids ready for the school bus, I’m actually able to leisurely wake up around 8:00 or 8”30….it’s a little bit of HEAVEN.

I’m working on a couple of dress forms. I am FINALLY getting around to making a form for my own home and have a custom order for a local antique mall shop owner.

I am also feelign the need to update the guest cottage. I pulled out the area rug I have in the living space yesterday and was happy to find that the space looked bigger and fresher. That will be the jumping off point for some facelift work in my wonderful little cottage.

I’ll be sure to keep you posted on any updates that happen there.

I am not going anywhere, just enjoying the wonderful warmth of these summer days and resting a bit.

Isn’t that what summer is really all about?

Here’s to slowing down a bit and taking a rest…

Cori

Here’s To The Fathers Today

Happy Father’s Day to my Dad (above) and my husband (below).

How fortunate I have been to have these two good men in my life.

There are many similarities between these two men:

They both provide well for their families.

Work very hard.

Do the right thing.

Love their children well.

Value family.

Never let us down.

Love unconditionally.

AND, yes, now they both have

grey beards : )

Handsome and distinguished.

Thanks you Dad and Mike for all you have been to me and my children.

I love you both very much TODAY and EVERY day.

There are two more special Fathers in my life-my two younger brothers.

Mark.

and Chris.

I love you both celebrate the wonderful men and Fathers you are today.

Never underestimate a Father’s love.

As the song goes “Father’s don’t just love their children every now and then. It’s a love without end. Amen”

Cori

A Patriotic Backdrop

Hello to all of you

I apologize for being out of touch this last week. I must admit that I have been a bit exhausted after the big Farm Chicks show.

My oldest son and his girlfriend are also here and we have been busy spending tie together.

Yesterday was Flag Day. We went to revamp one of the spaces at the store.

We hung one of the huge flags we have along the back wall.

We had fun moving this around and working with the flag as inspiration.

The vintage doors and shutter really work with this Old Glory space.

Here’s hoping that this wonderful symbol or our great country will draw customers into the space to pick up a treasure or two.

Enjoy the rest of your week…

Cori

10 Things We Learned At The Farm Chicks Show 2011

#1 – Taking on a big project like this one is best done as a team. Diane and I have worked for six months to make sure this show was a success. Our hard work paid off.

We did it!

#2 – It is nothing short of a miracle that these wildly creative and talented vendors can set up these fabulous display and storefronts in just nine hours that we have in the halls on the Friday before the show.

#3 – Although we can do most things we do without the help of our husbands (schlep furniture all over the place, paint, drill, repair)—we could NOT have pulled this “Adventure” off without the help of our husbands—Mike and Craig.

Craig took our idea of a large mason jar lamp hanging fixture and made it happen. Although this didn’t sell, it sure got a LOT of attention at the show. Many people took photos of it and are probably saying something like this to their husbands "Honey, do you think you could make something liked this?….”

#4 – We know that it is possible to turn a taped off 10 foot x 10 foot space into an inviting place to shop in just 9 hours, even when it’s your very first antique show.

#5 – We could have brought about a dozen of these coffeee and potato sack chairs to the show to sell. Not only did the three we brought sell quickly, but everyone was stopping to look at the once they boasted their little red “sold” tags.

#6 – Rearranging your booth and shaking things up on the second day of the show will serve you well. Some shoppers come both Saturday and Sunday. If they visit your booth the second day, it’s good to have some new items and a different display.

#7 – Being there to here the sweet stories from your customers is priceless. A couple from California bought this sweet Davy Crockett case. They planned to give it to their 27 year old son. Turns out he used to sing the “Davy Crockett” song every tie they drove to their weekend home. They loved the memory.

The really old baseball milt and ball? A woman picked it up to look at it and saw that it had “Mo” on it. That was her husband’s nickname as a child and she just knew it had to be a Father's Day gift for him. Isn’t this what antique and vintage items are really all about? Evoking a memory or a feeling from our past.

Sweet.

#8 – Having great bags for your customers to bring their treasures home in is such a nice touch. A few people bought small items “just so they could get a bag”. Thanks to Diane for cutting, pasting and stamping for hours to end up with these one-of-kind dress form bags fir for a princess or queen.

#9 – It really helps to have a nice sturdy chair like this red one. It ended up doubling as a ladder when we needed to get a lamp down, check a price on an item that was high or sit down for a spell during a very brief lull in the shopping (our booth was almost always occupied with customers).

#10 – There is nothing like “being there” when a customer finds a treasure that they just can’t live without. This dress form went home with a beautiful young woman named Taylor. The look of pride as she carried it away was a sight to behold. We just know that she will cherish this original piece of art we created for years to come. It was simply “love at first sight” when she laid eyes on Amellie Saturday.

It’s good to have a dream.

Stretching yourself to new limits is a LOT of work, but oh so rewarding in the end.

If you’re thinking about doing something like this—take the next step. You won’t be sorry.

Thanks again for following along with me on this journey.

Until the next one…

Have a great day.

Cori