Wow! How did THAT happen?

Well, just checked in to see amazingly that a whole month + has gone by since my last blog .. where the heck did that time go???  In a slight defense, the last month has been busy.  I bit the bullet and went to Brimfield to sell for an afternoon at my girlfriend's booth.  I brought some primitive things that I no longer have an interest in plus a few Halloween items that I am making .. wanted to test the waters, so to speak.  Did not sell any primitives :-(, but  did sell 4 of 9 Halloween items I made (not trying to be secretive here, but want to take a pic and post them but I don't have my cable with me - but trust me, at least *I* think they are super cute!!)

And, then two of my other shops had week-end events during the month, so had to do some booth fluffing for the Fall season.  And then.... went in to Boston to check out a weekly Vintage Market to decide if a friend and I want to do that for the month of Oct.  So, long story short, we are doing it, decided on Monday and have to bring things in on this Thursday to get in for the Open Studio weekend.  This should be interesting ... a very urban, vintage market as opposed to the "shabby" type of stuff I usually do.  I'm hoping that my jewelry made from typewriter keys and other bits and bobs will do well .. we'll see.. will try to report in next week to let you know how it went ... and hope to find my cable to put in some pics.

Happy Fall!

Wanda Lee

Terrific finds!

Well, I have been finding some great stuff!  Will put up some pics as I take them, but so far a few are keepers!  Found a great wing chair to go in my living room (yes, I know, I have to get rid of sell or donate the two wing chairs that I have in there now, but the shape and colors of this chair - not to mention the  price!! Could NOT pass up!  Pic to follow as soon as I get it home :-)... (as mentioned, my son avec truck, is coming from Colo. but as yet has not arrived to help me w/ transport of chair).  The other find, is a WONDERFUL bedroom set - yes, a whole suite! I was NOT looking for a bedroom set, have been extremely happy w/ my brass and iron bed, but this set is the first I have seen that I would trade my old standby for.  French, dripping w/ those great embellishments, from the '30's, and would ordinarily break the bank - but found it at a yard sale!  What caught my eye was the bedside table and vanity bench in the driveway - I was interested in either/both if I could afford them - and then saw the sign that they were part of a set including bed, vanity table, 2 dressers, and mirror for over vanity table - yeah, right - thousands, no??  NO!  $150 !!  yikes! I told the man I had to think about it (refinishing/painting, how to get them home, how to fit all of it in my bedroom, to keep or sell?), took me until I got home to realize that I could sell the tall dresser (which I had no room for) for more than the whole set would cost, and then it would be a no-brainer :-).. so now, how to get it home :-) :-)  The vanity alone is to-die-for!  Pics to follow!
And to top all this off I went to a Hospital Fair that I usually have good luck at.  I noticed the prices were a lot higher this year (probably because they were building a NEW hospital :-)), but still, a few bargains to be had.  I could not get near the jewelry tent so went to the linens - found a few nice pieces of fabric and a nice feather pillow, got a great mirror, a few pieces of china, etc.  But then went back the next night and at the end of the night it's a fill a bag for $5 and make offers on some stuff.  After I made a ridiculously low offer on a lamp and metal stand and it was accepted, I hadn't even gotten them back to my car when they announced over the loud speaker that it would now be FREE!  So, I made a little charitable donation there :-), but might not have gotten the pieces I wanted in the crush of people now crowding that spot!  LOL!  So there you have it - my expensive but bargain filled week!

I'm baaack!

Well, it's been awhile - but I've been busy! 
I think I've bitten off a bit more than I can chew - but loving every
minute! In the Spring, as I mentioned, I took some space in a new
shop for me - LOVE it!  Great shop with all the kinds of stuff I love,
great dealers, and even better - great customers!  :-)  So far I have
been more successful than I could have hoped, so it's a win for
me!  I also maintain a space a lot closer to me - not nearly as
successful, but it is close to me and I have been there since they
opened so I hate to leave.  I also have joined another group
of dealers in a monthly occasional sale at Dragonfly Hill in Byfield,
MA.  It's kind of a grind w/ the packing up, unpacking, and then
doing it all over again 4 days later to bring it all back home again
(well, hopefully not ALL of it!  LOL!)  Sales have been OK, not
great, but it is just starting out and I'm sure it will wind up well
as it gets more known. 
And to top it off, I retook (is that a word???) a small space
up here at the lake in Wolfeboro.  It's a very nice little shop,
LOVE the owner, but don't know if I can give it what it will
take to be really successful this year. 
So, have you been keeping count?  That makes FOUR shops
that are keeping me hopping and on the road -maybe I am
getting too old for this!  LOL!  I will definitely take pics soon
and post some, but right now I'm just getting back into the
writing mode.  Hope I can keep it up.
On another note, I did manage to fit in a WONDERFUL
trip to Europe in June!  Stayed in Barcelona, Spain for 5 days
and took a 7 day cruise to Monaco, Tuscany, Rome, Naples,
and Palma - fantastic time was had by all! 
And now I'm looking forward to a visit from my son who lives
in Colorado - I'm expecting him to stay awhile and that's OK
by me - I haven't seen him since last October!  So, in between
visiting with family and taking care of 4 shops, I will definitely
try to check in here more often! 
Thanks for reading.... have a great weekend!

Some finds and a project

So, sorry it's been a while since I logged in - life happens, ya know??  I have spent the last week or so deciding to take a spot in a shop that I love - White Home Collections in Wilton, NH.  This was a big decision for me since it is over an hour away from me and the rent is more that I'm used to paying - but I think I'll be happy there.  I already like all of the other dealers from doing one of their 3-day occasional sales last month, so it should be fun.  My mind is being taken up w/ display ideas since the space is a bit cut up but I think it will work out fine.

With this in mind, I happened to stop at a yard sale over the weekend (70 degrees here!!!) and picked up a few things:

The silverplate items will be pincushions and the bits of jewelry will be incorporated into my jewelry pieces.

Now, if my DD Heather is reading this, yes, I AM having my own yard sale in a few weeks, but I don't have these cute items to put in it!  LOL!

I also had this great dresser given to me, BUT it reeks!  I really don't have too much hope of salvaging the whole dresser, but I can use the drawers for organizing and display:

I'm still fighting w/ my new camera and am beginning to think (no, I pretty much KNOW) that I will never be a "photographer" - not like my DD!  But, you can get the idea, no?

My last project

I scored a couple of "frenchy" tables at local SA awhile back.  They definitely needed some TLC however:

And then after a little paint and decoupage:

I *did* fix the antiquing on the legs, but I think I will paint the next one black!! LOL!

Rainy Sunday in NH

OK! I've had it!  I'm ready for the sun so I can go outside and paint some projects!
ok, ok, I've also got to clean up the yard from the winter detritus - old leaves, branches,
etc. that those snow days leave behind. Bummer!  Why can't it just be fun stuff??