My Luggage Addiction

I have an issue with old luggage.

It is not so much an issue but more of an addiction.  I find it and buy it, always.  I resell lots of it but not all of it.  I love the texture. I love the colors, all the reds, blues, even the avocado greens from the 1950's-1970's.  The older the better.  

I even love the smell.  You might smell old grandma but I smell history.  I have the same love for the smell of old books.  Who used this suitcase?  Where did it travel to? I like to think of all the families who loved the piece before me. We hand things down in our house. There was a time when if you needed something you only had to go as far as my mother's basement or attic to find it.  Sadly, those days are no more but I strive to be that way for my kids someday.

I had a little suitcase when I was a child at my Grandmother's house.  She lived a short bike ride away from us my whole childhood. I loved having her so close.  I spent as much time at her house as I did at my own. I had my own room and my own toys and even a cradle for my dolls. All my other small toys were in a suitcase under the bed.  Easy access and easy cleanup. It was filled with doll clothes and items we found at yard sales usually.  I would give anything to have that suitcase now.  Or anything of my Grandmother's.  There was a house fire and everything was lost, it all burned.  I think this is were my luggage love started.

I always have luggage for sale in my booth.  I have 3 pieces there right now.

This is what I have in there right now. A train case, a blue Samsonite and a very nice vintage tan leather case with a crimson velvet interior.  It is a beauty.

I use the luggage all over my house and in my business.  My favorite is my luggage side table.  In my living room I use 3 gorgeous pieces attacked next to a club chair.  They store off season blankets and pillows.  I change my pillows a couple times a year so I like to keep the pillow covers close so I can change them whenever I want. The pieces are a little dinged up but beautiful. 

My living room end table.

I also use luggage at my craft shows. I use them to display all my items. I fill them with chalkboards, photo albums, pillows, you name it. 

I also have a stack in my garage that I will not show you due to my garage being full of my "projects".  It looks like a hoarder lives out there. A path gets you from the outside to the inside door.  I am working on a better organizing solution but until I come up with one it stays as it is.  My husband doesn't care so why should the neighbors?

Father's Day: Store Bought and DIY

Father's Day is Sunday.  I already gave my hubby his present.

Last month actually.

We had both been looking for a new watch.  Nice steel banded dress watches.

Our neighbor frequently shops at the local pawn shops and suggested we go because they always have a ton of watches.

We went to a couple and nothing jumped out at us. Some shops are downright scary. 

Then we went to a more upscale pawn shop in a really nice area of Raleigh.  There were so many choices.  Watches, jewelry, purses, instruments and all of it in beautiful (and clean) condition. 

We found what were were looking for!

Beautiful and affordable.  I am always looking for a deal and I am not afraid to ask for a discount no matter where I am so of course I asked for their best price for both.  I don't care where you shop, they offer a discount.  With my newly discounted watches we were on our way and were very happy. I had my Mother's Day present and he had his Father's Day present.

If you know me at all you know this will not be the only present my hubby gets for Father's Day.  I usually make him a present of some sort as well.  It always involves photos.

I love to take pictures.  I have never been a video person and sometimes wish I was, but I have tons of pictures. 

 Every year-round this time I start digging through files on my computer to com up with as many pics as I can of my husband and the kids. 

 Some years I have done a Shutterfly album.  These are great because I can have the kids add their thoughts and even artwork to the album.  These are always a hit.

I will make a photos album this year.  I am a long time scrapbooker and I know from past experience these are the most treasured by my husband. I know because I never see them again after her opened them.  He puts them with the rest of his treasured items never to be seen again, except by him.  

I know I have done a good job when he gets a little misty.  That is the goal.  To move him with memories from the past year.  To make him remember all the great times we had.  I want him to know that so many of the good times in our lives involve him, and often revolve around him.  

I want him to know that without him none of this works.  I want him to know how loved he is and how much we appreciate all he does for our family.

   
  These are photos I have used in the past.  I just like to remind him how much we love him.  He is not just a father.  He coaches for the kids' teams, he is a sideline cheerleader never missing a game, he is a hug after the game to congratulate or console, he is the best snuggler on the couch, and the official height comparison in our house.  You must be tall if you are taller than Dad.

It doesn't have to be perfect or elaborate.  Sometimes one great photo says it all. I will post pics After Father's Day, I don't want to post pics before he sees it.  

What are you getting your Dad?

Burlap Garden Flags More

I have been so busy lately, in the best way possible. I have been busy with some new ideas and items. I am excited about the direction my business is going.  I know it might seem easy to just throw a few new things together every now and then, but it takes planning and courage.

Courage to put myself out there every time I show the public a new idea.

I have to believe in myself and my product enough to show the world.  I think that takes courage, especially if it is an item I have never tried before.

Often I have made an item for myself or a friend or a couple friends before I put it out there for purchase.  My friends can then test the items and give me feedback. I need to know about durability, sturdiness, fading if the item is fabric.  They are my quality control in essence.  

Sometimes I have to make a few prototypes before I come up with a successful product.

Not every idea works out the first time.  

This is especially try if a zipper is involved.  No matter how many times I have put a zipper into something I still have to pin and repine a few times before I sew it in. I am ashamed to tell you how many zippers I have ripped out a couple times before I got it right.  We all make mistakes.

Most often new items are customer requests.  Usually they have been requested more than once.  The burlap wedding chair signs I have made a few times. More to come on these!

The first flag I made was for my daughter.  She won't graduate tip next year but it is a great test.  

I tested the paint first.  I ran it under the sink after it was dry.  No problem. I sprayed it with the hose.  No problem.

This was the request.  So many of my best sellers are.  My friends and customers have the best ideas. I won't copy anything.  I put my own spin on all my items.  A good friend asked if I could make this one.  Of course!  "I can make that" is my middle name. Their high school colors are black and orange.

They are going to have friends and family sign it with a permanent marker at a graduation party.  Great idea! 

To prevent fading I spray seal all these with a protective matte sealer.  I don't want the bows fading horribly.  Some fading is expected just because they are outside all the time, but I want the colors to stay as bright as possible.

Have an idea you want brought to life?  Contact me!

Fuquay Craft Show June 7

This Saturday June 7, I will be a vendor at the Fuquay-Varina Celebration of the Arts Festival.

Stop by booth # 30 and see me.   I will have a ton of new items.

I will also be sharing a booth with It's All Chic.  She makes the most amazing hand painted wood signs!

Burlap Garden Flags

I just started to make burlap garden flags. when I say just I am serious, I mean about a week ago.  

Like so many other things that I create, my clients and customers often put in requests. 

The garden flag came from an awesome friend/customer named Courtney Schearer.  She saw one somewhere and asked if I could make one for her.

I am a pretty crafty chick so I said yes.  How hard could it be?!

I did a little research and realized most are just glued together and no thought is put into weather-proofing or water-proofing.

Mine would not be like that.

Mine would be water/weather-proof.

I started by cutting the burlap 18X12". 

 This will give me enough room for words or a monogram and still fit into manufactured flag standard sizing.  

Manufactured flags are anywhere from 18X12" to 10X15" with lots of sizes in between.

I  sewed a 1/4" hem on all sides. It gives it a great professionally finished look.

I made a pocket at the top for the flag rod.  I made mine 1.5".  There is no set size.  It just has to fit over the rod.

Then I hand painted my design on the flag.  The high school grad flags are a simple block font and the monogram S took little more finesse. 

I used a multipurpose paint so I would not have to worry about running paint when it rains etc.  I tested a couple out and I liked this one the best.  Not too hard after it is dry and it stood up well to my scrubbing dry paint with a Magic Eraser.

I let it dry for 24 hours before I applied a second coat.  I wanted my letters to be bold.

After the second coat I applied my accents.  Ribbons, bows, whatever you want.  My friend Courtney wanted UNC colors, hence the Carolina blue polka dot ribbon.

So funny that a day after Courtney asked me to make this one, another friend asked if I could make a grad flag for her graduating senior for her front yard.

I will add her daughter's name at the bottom.

So fun and so simple. Take the proper steps to ensure you can enjoy your flag for years to come.

I finished the whole thing with 2 coats of a matte sealer.

They are just so pretty!

What do you want?  Contact me to bring your ideas to life!

Camper Makeover: Outside

Last year we purchased a place at the beach.   We used to have a cottage on Cape Cod when we lived in Connecticut and after we moved we missed having a place at the beach.

I am always up for a new adventure so we went a different direction this time.

We used to have a 500 sq. ft. 2 bedroom cottage 1/10 of a mile to the beach. 

Now we have a 32' camper a block from the beach but right on the bay. This is the view right out our door.  It is breathtaking at sunrise and sunset!

It needs a little work but it is perfect for our needs.

I wish I had more before pics.  I am the worst at remembering the before shots.

The wallpaper was horrible, the place was filthy, and there is a leak in the roof somewhere. Oh, and the refrigerator broke this winter sometime.

The GOOD news is that is is the perfect location, and our family fits in it.

We love the beach here and we love that we are so close to Beaufort, NC.  

I guess I should tell you our camper is in Atlantic Beach, NC.

We are working on the camper little by little, making improvements. We painted over the hideous wallpaper in white and barely grey.  We addend a new shower curtain in the bathroom, too.  I will post those pics soon.

This weekend we worked on the outside. A good scrubbing, a new paver patio, and some solar lights surrounded by white stone and some concrete edging I got off a but,sell,trade site near me for a BARGAIN!

Slowly but surely, it is getting cuter.

Next I am making new curtains.  I think the inside colors will be navy and aqua.

I am trying to decide if I will paint the outside too.

I will keep you posted about my progress. More pics to follow.  I am creating a board on Pintrest all about campers.

Check out my board here:  Camper Redo

Check back soon for updates.  Join my email list and get updates about new posts!

Craft Show Ready: Pre-Show Prepping

I actually have a show tonight and I have made my list of things to do and I am checking them off one by one.  I will be at the Sip n Shop in Apex at the Halle Cultural Art Center 6-9:30 pm.

You have already decided which show/shows you want to participate in and your acceptances are in. Congratulations! Now what?  Getting ready for the show can seem overwhelming. I have been a vendor at craft shows for over 10 years and I have learned a few things, some of them the hard way.  After all these years I finally have a routine.  It starts with getting all my products made. You might think that is the hard part, but after all these years that part of the process is easier. Getting all my products ready and packed can sometimes be a challenge.  There are a few tips and tricks that help keep things running more smoothly.

Before the Show

1. Double check my products.  I always make sure I have twice what I need for a show and multiples of my best sellers.  I pack it all up carefully. You don't want your products to be damaged in route to your show.

2. Check your setup.  This can be a little time consuming but it is always worth it.  I do a dry run before the show, especially if my space it smaller or larger than what I am used to.  I set up my display in my house or in my driveway to try new displays or to tweak my standard set-up.  I will set up my table/sand then add my crates, risers, suitcases, etc without my products to get an ides of how I want it to look.  Every show is different and if I have a single 6" table my setup is different than if I have an outdoor show wit a 10x10" space.  This gives me a chance to get a second opinion if I need it.  Sometimes I even draw out the setup in my notebook (I will talk more about that another day, it is my craft show bible). You might need a mirror if you sell jewelry or hair items.  Have more than 1 and multiple sizes.

3. Make sure your tablecloths or table covers are clean.  Seems so obvious but it is something overlooked often by crafters.

4. Get change.  You will need a variety of bills and change.  Do this ahead of time so you are not out of luck the day of the show.  You have to be at the show early and banks are not open tip 9am.

5. Pack a GO-TO bag.  Mine is actually a basket I take to every show. It has things I need to keep the show running smooth like a glue stick, scissors, tags, a sharpie, my sold tags, a box of business cards, clothes pins. and string.  Your bag will be different but I bring mine to every show. Accidents happen and a little kid will rip something and a glue stick is handy since I deal with a lot of paper.  What do you need in your bag?

6. Be comfortable.  I plan my outfit to wear the day of the show.  You want to look professional but be comfortable.  I wear jeans, a nice shirt and a cardigan most of the time. Appearances are important. Wear comfortable shoes because you will be standing a lot. Remember you are the face of your business.

7. Tables and chairs.  Make sure they are the appropriate size.  I have a couple different tables because every show has their own requirements.  Some supply tables and some don't.  I always use my own because I have practiced my set up on my tables and I know how it will look. I don't want to be stressed the day of the show because the table they provided is not as long or wide as I need.

8. Bags and packaging materials.  What will you put your items in once they have been purchased.  Do you need tissue or bubble wrap for breakables?  Make sure you have more than you need, you don't want to run out.

9. Marketing and business materials.  You need business cards. I can go through box at a great show.  A camera for uploading pics to social media before the show even starts, get the word out about where you are and what is near you to draw a crowd. Newsletter/email sign up is a great way to keep in touch with your customers between shows. Pens and markers, they walk away all day.

10. Pack it up.  This is where I struggle sometimes. I have trouble packing it all up the same way twice. Pack your items in your display if possible to save room. If you use crates put some items in the crates. Wrap items carefully so they don't break before you get there. Pack your car or truck the night before.  You do not want to be rushed in the early morning hours before the show.  Pack so the items you want access to first are on top or easy to get to. I make sure I an get to my tables so I can set them up first.  I do not want to put my displays or my items on the floor. I don't want them to get dusty or dirty and if they are on tables they will not get stepped on or knocked over.  Things can get crazy in the hour before the show opens. There are crafters moving in and people all over the place.                                               

 Remember to get a good night's rest. Bring a lunch and plenty of water. And get ready to smile all day.  Have fun! And just be yourself.

Check out my Etsy store to see some of the items I will be selling at my shows.

Click here to go to my Etsy Store

Stay tuned for more info on how to set up a craft show booth!