Productivity While Standing Still

Well - it has been a week since I have posted a blog and by my standards that is unacceptable.

I'm sew sawry y'all!

The main reason for the delay is that I'm on hold regarding my booth move in. That's disappointing but understandable. The folks at Paris on Ponce are changing a LOT of things right now - I'm but a fraction of the change coming that way - so they're busy and still working on finalizing the new spaces. All that said - it's making me feel like I'm doing nothing...

But I am keeping busy. Maybe you have interest in what my life is like beyond the vintage...so here goes...

All in order, all in a day's uh - to-do list + thoughts and observations + useless fodder:

1. I Woke Up!
2. Crewcut Catalog
3. Thought on Procrastination
4. Bedding Blunder
5. Baah Humbug!
6. Camis for My Cub
7. Quiltorial
8. Succulent Propagation
9. Lea's Divine Dinner
10. Wow, Steven Tyler went there
11. Blogging Counts!

I am My Audience

I keep saying 'I am my audience'. Jury is still out as to whether or not that's a viable business strategy - but it's what I know and it's what feels right - so it's what I'm doing.

I'm shopping for and selling to people that like what I like, people that are drawn to the same lines, colors, and textures as I am. Also - people who are searching for a vision that they can't come to on their own. To that point, I care a lot about how I'm marketing this venture - the pieces I'm choosing to sell, my signage and booth decor, the way I talk about what I'm doing (here, on Pinterest and on FB)...even my price tags are a detail I'm super nerdy about.

I've designed a tag that I'd be drawn to...and I hope it serves my audience well. I want to scream the prices because - let's face it - that's the bottom line. I also want to provide details about the pieces - certainly if there's a known maker or designer - I want to educate my shoppers about that. I am conjuring up descriptions that are informative and fun. Such as - "Super collectible but more importantly - SEXY!"

As with everything I write - the descriptions are conversational - and hopefully not obnoxious. I chose to write them on my typewriter because 1) I never love my handwriting and 2) it's so charming and vintage all by itself.

Here's a peek. Enjoy!

Progress Part 2

Alright - so today is yesterday's tomorrow - and the day I said I'd attempt the log slicing again. It happened!

Lea and I worked on our front porch with the mitre saw for about four hours. The sad news is we still don't have enough effing slices!!! Grr.

We've decided we'll hang a large print on the wall directly so that we don't have to cover that area with rounds. Seems a little like a hasty short cut but I'm really not sure we have enough wood otherwise.

Today I cut around 300 slices and I have a plan to get the rest cut in the morning before Lea, my mom and I move all of my merchandise into the booth tomorrow.

*sigh* All that is real overwhelming and probably means I should go to bed...rhut now.

Real quick - here are some photos from our day:

Bag o' slices! 

Progress at Paris on Ponce!

Lea and I went to the shop yesterday (gahd, was that just yesterday?!?) and began decorating my two "walls". I love the way Skip (an owner) at Paris on Ponce has decided to delineate the vendor spaces in the area where I'll be. It's open and I think it will feel fluid for shoppers.

So - spaces are marked off by these great partition walls that they built. As a vendor, it's my job to decorate them - to give them personality - to set MYSELF and MY BOOTH apart.

I had a hundred ideas of what I might do from fiber art (i.e. - a friend suggested finger knitting a dozen + skeins of yarn to cover the whole wall) to a hand painted mural to to to...the list went on and I was having a hard time editing myself.

Operation: Poor Chair

I found this chair - er - partial chair a while back and wanted to save it (her)...to give her new life.

This was one that Lea shook her head at originally - i.e. "honey it only has two legs and no seat."

It was in someone's garbage but it had perfectly in-tact double caning around the sides and back...I just had to save it!

Fab Finds

Here's a little peek at some of the goodies I am bringing to Paris on Ponce next week.

1. Mid Century Corner Unit - bookcase / shelving / cabinets - lovely!
2. Mid Century coffee table - beautiful lines
3. Four Mid Century Teak Chairs (peeking out on the left) black vinyl seats.

Reindeer Cookie Jar(?)

Today Alice and I woke up and went to an estate sale in a nearby neighborhood. Most of the furniture was a bit traditional for my taste - about 30 years too old for my liking. Ha.

I did find one thing I had to have...

'Mrs. Crafty' if You're...

I've mentioned that I make things. Really - Lea and I both make things. It's a family affair, y'all!

In the past week we've worked on a couple of things worth sharing.

We're making bud vases out of some fallen Poplar near our home. Lea perfected this product when she made them as wedding favors for our nuptials last summer. Hang them on the wall or group on a table. Inside is a small bud vase - they're adorable. Simple and sweet. I'll post another picture when I get them hung at Paris on Ponce.

Better Luck Next Time

Last weekend I participated in Highland Row Antique's monthly market. They open early and stay late on the first Saturday of every month with a boat-load of new stuff each time. I was a guest-vendor of sorts since I don't have a booth with them. It was a learning experience. I hung out all day and didn't sell anything big.