JUST A FEW THINGS......

I had an article written up about the shop and my creations in a local paper, Athens Now and here is a link..http://athensnowal.com/ Thanks Ms. Ali Turner.

SAMOVAR GARDENS

I have the most wonderful loose teas at the shop.

 A young couple have started their own line of home grown loose teas. Caleb and his wife grow their own plants and herbs, dry them at their home....and are a truly homegrown business.

 What they don't raise, local orchards provide..things such as peaches, apples and strawberries. With the help of a few friends who also grow what ingredients the couple do not, they will all get together and have tea parties...deciding what herbs and fruits go together best. Samovar Gardens is the name of this green earth company and here is a link. http://www.samovargardens.com By the way....Samovar is the name of a vintage Russian tea maker!

TI had a write up about thN.

GIRLY GIRL PURSES

 Girly Girl Purses...https://www.facebook.com/GirlyGirlPurses is one of the vendors at the shop. Janet Dearman does wonderful work. She tells me she is always looking for fabrics...I know exactly how she feels. Everywhere I look, I search out VINTAGE!!!

 I have lucked out and found a couple wonderful people who help me find some of the most fantastic choice vintage pieces...doilies, hankies, dinner napkins, table clothes...etc...etc...I really don't think I would have a business if it weren't for the 2 LOVELIES. They own their own business.. Ms. Patty Green of  Sisters Antiques, here is her Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/SISTERSANTIQUES an a gentleman known only to me as Mr. Reggie  and the name of his online business is Aesthetic Restorations.

 I met a wonderfully nice lady who added this pretty couch to the shop, Ms. Karen is into 

antiques as well. In fact she works at an antique mall, Champagne Lane Antiques and here is a link to their Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/champagnelaneantiques

This is an example of my Prairie Boudoir Line... I am about to start a line of dress made from slips and I preferably vintage. I will be adding lace and doiliies to colorfully dyed slips.  

THE SUITCASE....is full of vintage pieces, baby clothes and socks, bonnets and gloves. It even had extra buttons on the card. Anyway...I found all this wonderful stuff in an OLD brown paper sack....and I got it for a steal.....@ $2.00 whole dollars!!!! I use it as display...I can't bear to part with it...lol

HAPPY CUSTOMERS...

 And this is one of my favorite customers. I have created several custom pieces for her. She loves to go searching for pieces for me to put together, 'In your own special way', as she says....I tell my customers that you can dress my creations up or dress them down...She loves to dress them down...notice the work boots and long-john shirt...lol. Thanks Ms. Janet.

Last but not lease I found this to add.

I found this today....It has lots of lovely ideas for uses of vintage doilies and old lace. I thought some of you would like some simple ideas for Holiday presents and gifts.

 http://dishfunctionaldesigns.blogspot.com/2012/05/vintage-lace-doilies-upcycled-and.html

THE BOUTIQUE

It is hard to believe that is has been almost a month since my last post!!!

 I have been so busy...I am sure you can imagine.

The hardest part for me was getting all my ducks in a row with the dreaded 'Tax Man'....lol....but finely I got all done with a big red bow...lol. I have actually paid all my bills from my sales for the month!!!! Now I need to pay my bills and then pay ME!!!!

Here a couple photos of the main room. I added vintage sari's to the ceiling to create layers of visual interests. I hung old paper umbrellas in corners and on one wall I papered it with old photos, pages of books, bits and pieces from an old scrapbook from the 30's and 40's. I want to really give a feel of living in 'ol dayze' when you had to do and make do with what you had.

 At this point the decor is pretty minimal. I want to use more furniture from the Art Deco Era and I have 'put it out there' to bring to me and the shop...

 Of course since I took these photos I have changed things around....a lot!! I love to move furniture around for some reason....It makes me happy...lol.

I put the rod in the corner like it was done back in the day when you didn't have a closet or a shelf-robe to put your clothes in. The clothes drying rack is an old homemade one. I have some of my jewelry, totes and hats as well as my clothing. My lovely hubby built me a dressing room from 3 old wood doors. It turned out wonderful...Thanks My Love.

 At the moment I am making up some simple Prairie Aprons for the Holidays. I am making some like my grannies use to wear. They have a little bib that is pinned to the shirt/blouse instead of a tie off around the neck. I am using brass quilting pins and old sheets and pretty vintage hankies with a little tea bath.

**I am working on a line of Boudoir Clothing with a nod toward the 20's and 30's. I will be posting photos of this soon.

In the meantime.. I have a fair size room that I hope to fill with the work of other artists from the North Alabama area.

  Things such as purses from Girly Girl Purses, loose teas from Samovar Gardens, fancy Halloween masks by Belilah, I am talking with other artists so we will see who considers themselves true artists and who doesn't.  

Until Next Time....