Elevate the Ordinary - Teacher Gifts

Being a mom of the most awesome variety I may or may not have failed to keep track of the calendar.  As in until last week I had no clue that Friday is the LAST DAY OF SCHOOL.

Hmmm...

A bit of teacher appreciation is in order.

Naturally, even our teacher gifts are of the "junque" variety.

What to do?

Berry baskets from your stash (why oh WHY did I not get more at Springfield - because your brilliant idea didn't occur until AFTER Springfield).

Paint the fronts with a bit of chalkboard paint.

Add a whimsical stamp.  It is whimsical - I said so!  Of course the teachers are laughing now.  School is over - their sentence has been served (the mom sentence is just beginning)!

Use chalk to write the appropriate sentiment.

Fill with junque.

Vintage bottles stuffed with buttons and lace.

Burlap bags adorned with fabric trim and filled with lavender.

Try to remember to have your kids "sign" them when they get back from school.

Try.

Just try.  Or be like me and forget so that you realize you forgot this part until after you had wrapped them up for transport to school!

Done and done.

Of course there is always the concern that said teachers are not junque lovers themselves...

Linking to:

Primp Your Stuff

Wow Us Wednesdays

Open House Party
Vintage Inspiration
Creative Things Thursday
Be Inspired
Your Gonna Love It

Vintage Marketplace Springfield Extravaganza

Well the Olympics are over and I am ever so slowly regrouping.  What, you thought they were in London this coming summer?  Ha!

Springfield Extravaganza is my Olympics of junk.  Months of preparation, four days of mental anxiety, physical exertion and all around "stop the world" this is the ONLY thing I can focus on.

Sounds a bit like the Olympics, no?!

Happy to report I sold my two "must sell" pieces and managed to get everything back home.  Of course one load is still in the car and Boy Wonder has soccer tonight...

Must get to that post haste!

Had some lovely neighbors.  Check out Vividly Vintage on FB.  A million thanks to The Wren's Nest (who makes the most magical jewelry which made me gasp out loud - the pieces are truly unique!) for making me feel so much better about EVERYTHING and for getting me!

And finally there was Cheryl and team Small Town Chick (blog coming soon - hint, hint, hint - nudge!) who made my year with their verve and enthusiasm.  Not to mention the awesome junk tote she so graciously made for me.  Words of encouragement from Cheryl reminded me that I am not alone and many of us experience the same journey.

I should have photos of these awesome folks but sadly I do not.  Know that their junk was awesome, displays terrific and they all made me happy to be part of their community.

Your in junque,

Carrie



Finding the Fun

I've been a bit glum of late.  Lots of confusion.

Lots of late night decision making (the dark is NOT a good time for that).

You all know the drill (and if you don't know, than I say yeah for you because you have totally got your life together!).  Things not going as you had hoped.  Success not seeming possible.

Feeling overlooked. 

Questioning EVERYTHING.

As I bored my husband yet again with my booth plans, business plan, definition of success, whining about people ignoring me, etc. I ended up saying this, "I've just lost the fun.  Somewhere along the way this junque stopped being fun."

WHOA.  STOP    THE    PRESSES.

Junque not fun?

He told me this was a big deal and a big problem.

He was right of course.  I kept thinking about it and Saturday night I did something I have not done in a while.  Made something just because I wanted to make it.  Headed down to my cave (you remember my "Where Women Create" studio is the unfinished, piled high with junque side of the basement - soooooooooooo glamorous) with these:

A t-shirt from my closet, a vintage cross stitch napkin and the remnants of an embroidered table runner).

I cut, I ironed on interfacing, I pinned, pondered placement and then I sewed (of course I was still working on altered scarves while I did this which reduced my "I should only do things that can make money guilt").

I came out with this:

I have no illusions that I am the first person to do this.  Lots of folks are altering clothes.  But this is me.  Actually me.  Not me trying to be what all the big shots look like.  Not me trying to get the RH, PB, Anthro look.  Just me. 

I'm not a shabby chic girl.  I don't do all white.  I love florals but I do not want them everywhere.  I like my vintage to tell a story and somehow I stopped telling my story and started telling the one I thought people wanted to buy.

I'm pretty small potato in this junque community.  I'm the girl dealers laugh at when I pull up to my booth in my SUV with the soccer sticker on the back.  That's all I've got.  An SUV.  I pack it like Tetris (which I do not do well on screen but am surprisingly talented at when it comes to stuffing the car).  I don't rent a truck.  Can't rent a truck.  Bigger overhead means less profit and possibly Mr. Wonderful and I recognize that my driving skills are not quite up to the task!

I've got no help.  No entourage to unload.  Me.  The kind of me who only buys furniture that a)fits in my car and b) I can lift by myself (note to self - working out would help).  It's not a pretty sight but I get it done.

I'm just a mom trying to make enough money to pay for soccer and horseback riding lessons.  I'd like to be bigger but this isn't the time for that.  I've lost sight of my goals.  I got them all muddied up with wanting to be recognized/successful.

That might be fun if it were working.  It's not.  When you sit at a show and miss soccer games to not sell enough to pay for those games while realizing your junque addiction stopped being fun...you realize you lost your way.

My self confidence has taken a hit as well.  I question all of my decisions.  I am afraid to try anything for fear it might be a money losing endeavor.  We all know you've got to spend money to make money but man, it just keeps flowing out, out, out.

So I sat.  I sewed.  I finished.  I liked it.  I had fun doing it.  I will wear it with pride at Vintage Marketplace.  Slowly I will find my way back to me.  I will find the courage to be who I am and stop caring how I am received/perceived.

I will fly.

Yours in junque,

Carrie

Linking to:

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Primp Your Stuff

Wow Us Wednesday

Share The Love

Open House Party

Springfield Junque and Facebookapalooza

Hard at work corralling my junque for Vintage Marketplace.

Those automotive metal boxes are full of prisms.  I love the juxtaposition of bling and blue collar!

As the countdown continues you have a chance to participate in a fun FB event this weekend.

Check out the following (copied directly from the site):

 

Attention! Lovers of all things vintage (and junk too) are cordially invited to the first ever Vintage Marketplace Facebookapalooza! What is this you ask? Jon Jenkins of Vintage Marketplace, Sue Whitney of JUNKMARKET Style, along with Ben Ashby and Deb Kennedy from Folk Magazine will be live on Facebook for a pre- Vintage Marketplace part-tay!!!!
We will all be available for one hour beginning at 9AM Eastern time on Saturday, May12, 2012 to discuss the nitty-gritty of the first ever Ohio Vintage Marketplace tucked inside the Springfield Antique Show and Flea Market. Hop on to http://www.facebook.com/SpringfieldAntiqueShow and join in all the fun! Come armed with questions, comments, pictures, a sense of humor, and any other information you would like to share about Vintage Marketplace. Your par-tay hosts will do their very best to answer all questions thrown in our direction!
Vintage Marketplace is just around the corner….May 18 -20, 2012 in Springfield, Ohio. On your marks, get set, COME JOIN US!!! Talk to you on Saturday and look forward to seeing you all at Vintage Marketplace!

Vintage Marketplace/Springfield Extravaganza

Feels like the calendar is in fast forward now!

Next week it will finally be here:

Our action packed Vintage Marketplace Schedule

Welcome to Springfield Extravaganza
May 2012!!!

Introducing the all new….....
Vintage Marketplace

On the cutting edge of Vintage, Art, Design & Antiques; this select group of exhibitors will inspire the next generation of enthusiasts with their unique style, energy and determination to share what they love

The Expert is in the House:

JUNKMARKET…Create Your Own Style, One Piece of Junk at a Time

Sue Whitney of JUNKMARKET and JUNKMARKET Style is the nation’s industry leader in “junk” style. What is “junk” style? It is the combination of roadside acquisitions, flea market finds, vintage for 400 please, and antiquities all wrapped up in one very stylish, affordable, green, and user friendly lifestyle package. The world is ever changing…JUNKMARKET stays abreast of those changes and offers fresh, innovative, and approachable concepts for you and your home. From the beginning (over thirteen years ago) the original JUNKMASTER had a vision: to pursue her passion and share it with others. That’s something she will never transform.

Special Guest:

FOLK Magazine…Sharing the American Dream

We are all about REAL AMERICAN LIVING: the country, sweet tea, indie music, antiques, road trips, small towns, comfort, home, artists, locally grown and locally made, one-of-a-kind art, open spaces, photography, patriotism, simple living.... and the little things. FOLK Magazine will be joined by 15 plus specialty vendors and can be found in the FOLKbarn all three days. Make sure to stop by and say hi!

Featured Vendors:

The Vintage Marketplace is chock full of fine vendors oozing with style and offering up the finest vintage wares anywhere. Here are just a few…Urban Farmhouse, Time Worn Interiors, Histories, Vintage Farmhouse, and Nostalgia's Cottage. Check back often…we will be highlighting different vendors regularly!

Friday, May 18, 2012

7AM to Noon: Early Bird Shopping; Admission $12…good for all 3 days.

You know what they say…”The Early Bird Gets the Worm”! This is a great value for all you serious shoppers. See you at daybreak!

10:00AM to Noon: Painting Demo and Shop-Along with the Expert

A special deal for all early birds in the mood for some education…and a whole lot of fun! Join the folks from Annie Sloan Paints at the JMS & Friends Design Booth and watch and learn how to transform a vintage piece of furniture from beast to beauty. Immediately following, join JUNKMASTER, Sue Whitney in a crash shopping course. Wear you’re running shoes…she knows how to make her way around a market. This is not a museum tour with headphones, so be ready to rumble! You can expect prizes and giveaways…stay tuned for the nitty-gritty!

Noon to 6PM: Regular Shopping; Admission $7

Bring on the crowds and let the next wave of the party begin!

4:00 PM to 5:30 PM: Blogger and Friends Pot-Luck Party

Once again, make your way to the JMS and Friends Design Booth. JUNKMASTER, Sue Whitney along with Jon Jenkins, Lanette Lorsung, Amanda Ficek, and Kathy Stantz (local vendor and blogger) will be your expert panel and impart their collective wisdom in the art of having fun! Beverages will be provided by your hosts…but you have a job too…bring your own junk! What does this mean? This is what we like to call a “junkers’” pot-luck. Bring a munchable to pass in a creative container ala junk. You can drop your dish at the JMS booth when you get to the show or bring it with you when you come to the party. The table will be set by Sue Whitney and the merriment will commence at 4 PM. Prizes will be awarded for the most creative containers!

6:30 PM to 8:30 PM: Barn Dance - Boot, Scoot, n’ Boogie!

Join Jon Jenkins and Sue Whitney for the first ever Boot, Scoot, n’ Boogie Barn Dance at Springfield Extravaganza. Details are in the works….stay tuned as the saga unfolds. Just a heads up…cowboy/girl get-up is strongly encouraged, but not required! Prizes just may be involved….just saying

Saturday, May 19, 2012

8AM to 5PM: Shopping

8AM to Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner: Vintage Marketplace Treasure Hunt

From opening bell to discovery of the hidden treasure ….a Treasure Hunt will take place under the tents of Vintage Marketplace. You will uncover clues at each of the individual dealer booths…but you have to ask! A prize will be awarded to the lucky treasure hunter who is the first to find the “booty”. Consider that your first clue! Treasure maps can be picked up at the JUNKMARKET & Friends Design Booth upon arrival. Good luck to all!!

10:30AM to 11:30AM: Summer Entertaining with Sue… JUNKMARKET Style

Summertime is the perfect time to entertain your friends and families either indoors or out. Be our guests at the JUNKMARKET Style & Friends Design Booth for an interactive demonstration on how to set your summertime tables in three different ways. Katie Palmer of SoBo Style an Ohio local will be Sue’s featured guest. Watch and learn as table tops become works of art using something old, something new, something borrowed, and maybe even something blue…or green or orange or red. Only time will tell. Attend this presentation and you WILL become the host/hostess with the moistest. See you there!

1:30 – 2:30: Vintage Bingo

Please join your host of Vintage Marketplace, Jon Jenkins, Sue Whitney of JUNKMARKET Style, and the folks of FOLK Magazine, in the FOLK barn for a folksy game of vintage Bingo. Now there’s a tongue twister. Enjoy a meet and greet, play the time honored game of Bingo, and maybe even win a prize. BINGO!!

4:00PM to 5:00PM: Stump the JUNKMASTER

Feel free to bring your finds of the day to the JUNKMARKET & Friends Design booth for some expert advice. Did you find something you just had to have, but not quite sure what to do with it?? We’d love to help you out with some creative solutions. First come, first serve!!

Sunday, May 20, 2012

9:00AM: Final Shopping Day Begins

9:30AM: “Final Stretch” Prize Drawing

Kick start your day with Jon Jenkins of Vintage Marketplace, Sue Whitney of JUNKMARKET Style, and a representative from FOLK Magazine before you’re off and shopping the final day! Coffee and donuts will be served and a drawing for the “Final Stretch” prize drawing will take place. Entries for the “Final Stretch” prize will be accepted throughout the show, but you must be present at the show on Sunday to win!! The festivities will be held at the JUNKMARKET & Friends Design Booth. Space and donuts are limited, so get there early!!!

4:00PM: Closing Bell

                              Are you over the moon excited yet?

        Hope to meet some of you fabulous blog folks in my booth!

 Since all posts should have pictures here's a shot of a fun set of vintage glasses that will be making it's way to my spot under the big tent.  Ice tea on me!

                              

 

 





Rural Society Show Countdown!

Just a few more days to go and then I shall begin the long trek up to Mt. Vernon, OH.

Vintage treasures await this weekend at:

The Rural Society Antique & Garden Show

Warwick Farm

16620 Wells Road

Mt. Vernon, OH

Show hours:

Friday 9-5

Saturday 9-3

A delightful array of vintage vendors, tasty food and gorgeous garden plants set against the backdrop of a stunning farm (recently featured in Country Living Magazine).

I spent yesterday in my driveway playing Tetris with my car.

Here's a bit of what I'll be bringing:

Of course that's just the "big stuff".  I have yet to fill every nook and cranny with the smalls...

Hope you can join us for a wonderful event.

Junque on!