Market Day in Georgetown!

It was a wonderful turnout!  I was so impressed with the other booths, the music and the constant flow of people. The weather was perfect too.  I really got lucky to be on Main Street on the end.  This gave me the freedom to spill out of my 10x10 perimeter.

I took three larger items: the dresser, the desk, and the coffee table.

The rest were smaller: a wicker table, two french chairs, the child's table set.

The dresser seemed to attract the twenty-somethings.  They seemed to love the gold detailing and geometric shapes.  It also gave them a good idea of what I could do with their furniture.  Several people came by to take pictures of it.  I wasn't sure how to respond to that.  Were they wanting to try to copy my idea? Or did they just want to get a picture so that they could think it over? 

The desk seemed to appeal to an older crowd of thirties and forties.  

They liked the moving keyboard shelf as well as the computer-ready cord slots.  The ASCP French Linen gave the desk a roughed up grey look that will work for practically anyone.

The day was full of laughs, conversations, hard work, but most of all, learning. I will post some of the things I learned next time!

Child's Play

Ok, I stepped out of my comfort zone on this one! When I came across this child's table and chair set, I knew I wanted to do something special.  I considered stripes or stencils.  I knew I wanted a bold pattern.  I decided to try decoupage with fabric.

I was nervous, but the second I held the fabric up against the table I knew it was going to be a hit!

This fabric is so dynamic!  I was thrilled to find it in the scrap bin at Hobby Lobby.  I used the Mod Podge made special for fabrics and followed the directions on the bottle.  Once it was dry, I sprayed a coat of acrylic on it, sealing it.  Now little girls can do all sorts of messy activities on it and the mess will wipe right off!

For the chairs, I chose Duck Egg in ASCP.  They were originally white, so I made sure to distress them enough to let that white show through.

I posted this set on Facebook and sold it within thirty minutes!  It was so exciting!

I am also very happy to know the little girl who is getting the set.  She is darling and this perfectly suits her.

I think I will keep my eye out for more children table sets.  This was fun!  And I have more ideas.... of course!

Market Pieces for my Booth

I absolutely LOVED working on this chair!  I am a huge fan of cane-back chairs.

I really liked how the arms of the chair turned out.  That crackle looks so good.  

I debated about whether or not to paint the cane, but I really feel like this looks good keeping it natural

 I have a secret desire to learn how to cane.  But I will have to add it to my super long list with upholstery,  and sewing.  It seems the more I learn, the more I want to learn!

Distractions!!!

Distractions can really interfere with work, but sometimes they are a much needed break.  This weekend I had a wonderful distraction!  Four bunnies!  My friend rescued them from an abandoned nest and a cat.  There were originally five bunnies, but the cat got one of them.  I have raised 2 squirrels, 2 bunnies, countless amounts of birds, turtles, and mice.  I love rescuing small mammals.  Squirrels are my favorite so far, but these cottontails are so stinkin' cute!

This one is Bugsy.  They are about the size of a mouse; they are the smallest bunnies I've ever seen.  Based on their fur, eyes, and ears, I believe they are about 9 days old.  These bitty bunnies require feeding every 3 to 4 hours so I have been pretty busy.

Market is fast approaching and I still have a ton to do.  But who can be stressed out when they are holding one of these bitties? I will post pics of some of the furniture going in my booth tomorrow.  I will have to hand the bitties over to Nina (my mom and partner in crime) so that I can get things done.

Getting Ready!

I am so nervous about the Market on May 10th.  I guess I am equal parts nervous and excited.   I find myself darting around trying to get projects finished up so that I can start working on the details.
Here's what's done:

• Got the tent
• Created/ordered/received the brochures and business cards
• Recruited help with the transportation, set up, and working the booth
• Designed a layout that I think will work

What still needs to be done:

• Clean all small items
• Price the merchandise
• Finish up the screen door backdrops
• Make pillows
• Make a sign
• Get a rug? (not sure about this)
• Pack up everything and get it ready to move

I love to keep busy and this is certainly keeping me busy....

The Road to Round Top (Part Two)

This is part two of a series about what I learned at a popular antique market.  In the last post I talked about a new store by the Junk Gypies and arriving at Round Top.  Here's the part where I really started to pay attention to the details in booths.  I looked at how they were set up, arranged, how people were responding to them, which booths were getting a lot of traffic, and what styles appealed to me.

Zapp Hall is one of the meccas of Round Top.  I have not looked into the history of the building but it is pretty amazing and seems to be at the core of this antique village.  As you can see, the booths are breath-taking with lighting and drapery.  The display is layered in such a way as to draw your eyes into every piece in the booth.  Wow!

 

So here were some of the lessons I learned...

A major part of making your booth appealing is using height.  You want to cause your customers to look at all levels of your booth.  You want their eyes to be drawn upward as they scan around.

It is also important to layer.  Creating some sort of backdrop helps to limit what your customers can see.  Now they see only what you want them to see and they are no longer distracted by other booths or clutter.  I also peeked around this screen and found all of the empty boxes that the owner had used to bring her items in.  So this backdrop also served as a barrier between her inventory and her supplies. 

 

Setting a scene was another tactic booth owners were using.  I am guessing this is so the customer can more easily picture that piece of furniture in their own home.  It also gives your customers decorating ideas.  So even if their home does not currently look like this, the customer can visualize it and dream of how they want their space to look.  Not everyone can look at piece of furniture and instantly know where it can go in their house or how they will use it.

Using empty space was very important as well.  This gal used this wrought iron framing and placed a covered table on the front and then the back.  The frame was sandwiched between the two tables.  She then hung silver platters from the frame and placed different silver pieces on the tables.  Notice she used shelves, a layered cake stand and a magazine rack to layer her items and fill more space.

 

I will be setting up my first booth in two weeks.  I am trying to be realistic about my expectations and capabilities. I will try to use some of each lesson incorporated into my booth.  It won't look as awesome as these, but you've got to start somewhere!

 

Wish me luck!

 

The Road to Round Top (Part One)

The next few weeks will be a whirl wind as I prepare for my first market.  My nights are spent making brochures, designing business cards, painting, waxing, sanding, cleaning, and planning.  My mom, Nina, has helped a lot with picture taking, pillow making, furniture scouting, and even a little painting.  My husband, Jas, has helped with some of the sanding, all of the lifting, and has begun to help me with some of the booth details.

While all of this is going on, I have still been trying to learn as much as I can about this business.  During April the Curbside gang hit the road and travelled to Round Top!  

My mom and I were both excited about this trip because it is a week long gathering of antique dealers, store owners, crafters, garage sale enthusiasts and junkers all coming together to buy and sell everything awesome under the sun.  I decided that this would also be a great way to research and gather information about markets, shows, my customers, my competition, prices and the quality of the furniture makeovers that were being sold.

First stop...  Junk Gypsy!

 

This was fun, pricey... but fun.  I learned a lot about styling, marketing and branding from these gals.  I drooled over their store: The Junk Gypsy World Headquarters.  The store is fantastic, the land they built on is picturesque.  And their style is contagious.  So contagious that many ladies were dressed head to foot like gypsies, almost like a costume party.  The Junk Gypsy ladies have a shrewd head for business and marketing.  The line to the cash register wrapped around the store.  T-shirts were $40, so these girls were making a fortune.

 

Next on the list was the tent city of Round Top!

The tents of Round Top were not a disappointment. 

In the next part of this series, I will show you some of the displays and point out many of the lessons I learned.

 



Spring has Sprung!

Thank goodness.  I am always so ready to get my yard back, ready to see green, and ready for the Bluebonnets of Texas!

One of the many things Texans are proud of is our state flower, the Bluebonnet. And the minute I saw them springing up on the sides of the road, I knew I had to do a photo shoot.

This is a beautiful jewelry cabinet that I will have in my booth on May 10th.  This cabinet was a dull brown and made such a beautiful transformation with the Old White ASCP and a little clear wax.

 

I have to admit, I was so tempted to keep this!  But I knew there was a deserving mom out there somewhere who might get this for Mother's Day.  Can you imagine what a great present this would be?  The inside is completely covered in a soft pink velvet and each drawer has compartments that very in size.

This gal is full of surprises.  The top has a lid that opens with a mirror.  There are special places for rings and earrings in that top level.  Both sides of the cabinet fold out to have a secret place to hang all your necklaces.  I love that because it prevents tangling.  The design of this cabinet is so well thought out.  Maybe a woman designed it?  I like the thought of that.  If you are interested in more information about the cabinet contact me!

Treasure Hunt

     This past weekend I went out thrifting with a friend who normally shies away from thrift stores.  I tried to recruit her to the thrifting side by taking her down isles and pointing out the amazing "stuff" I was finding.  She did not share my enthusiasm and we stared into each other's eyes trying to relate to one another.  And the truth is, she is one of my best friends, but we may not share this treasure hunting passion.  And that's ok.  This way of shopping is not for everyone.  My friend explained that when looking at a tarnished bowl, she does not see all the possibilities, does not understand or care about patina, instead she sees an old rusty bowl.  I get it.  And I appreciate the time she took to try to connect with this passion of mine.

Here are some of the treasures I have found.

I love this pitcher!  So beautiful with the faded pink blossoms on the front.  Pottery and dishes are common finds at thrift stores.  If you enjoy piecing your collection a little bit at a time, you can find gorgeous pieces that you may not have been able to afford at regular price.

Here is another piece of dishware that would work so well on a dinner table.  Not only is it a shade that can coordinate with so many patterns and colors... it has the lid!  Finding an item with a lid intact brings a smile to my face. 

 





Another common find at thrift stores is mirrors.  Large and small and in so many styles.  You can look for small mirrors to create a grouping, or you can find large mirrors with a beveled cut and a chunky frame to go above the couch or fireplace.

Don't forget art work.  Many times you can find original art, oil paintings as well as framed art.  The styles will vary and it may take a little more time to find a picture with your colors and motif.  But to snub the artwork thinking it is all going to be outdated is a mistake.  People are constantly changing out the art in their homes.

Silver is another deal that shocks most people.  You can find silverware, platters, and bowls.  I like to mix the patterns, so finding a piece here and there just makes my collection more interesting.  I always keep a look out for big serving spoons, you can't have too many of those...

ok, maybe you can....

 

Special thanks goes out to Nina for helping me photograph these pieces.  It was fun scrambling around Georgetown to get these shots.

We even found an old abandoned barn to explore!

 

More about that adventure on another day. 

 

Next, I will be heading to Round Top!  I am so excited!  I will be ready to share tons of great ideas and finds with you next week.  I will also continue to feature items I plan to have in my booth at the May market.  Each of the items above are available as well.

 

 

This week we'll be looking at all the treasures you can find in thrift stores, garage sales, and flea markets.

I love running across a great deal.  In fact, I frequent thrift stores so often, I know which ones I like for furniture, which ones I like for books, which one I like for glass ware and so on.  My poor family has to put up with me running in to check for anything new that I haven't seen.  And that is another part of the appeal, there is no telling what you'll find because they are always putting newly arrived treasures out on the floor!

You might be surprised at what you can find!

I absolutely LOVE this bunny!  It is actually a soup bowl and has a place for the serving spoon to rest between the bowl and the lid.  I paid $5.00 for it.  Some people might look at the scratches and complain, but I think it gives the piece more character. 

I will be going through my treasures this week to show you all kinds of possibilities!

Many of the pieces I will be showing will be for sale at my market booth on May 10th.  Be sure to check back often or follow me so you can be the first to see what I will be selling.  If you see something you like, contact me and I can put it aside for you!

Let's talk Logos

Information Overload!  As I spend my evenings and weekends trying to educate myself on Small Business, I am overwhelmed by all the resources and information that are available.  I do think I am beginning to find other furniture restoration business owners to use as a model of good decisions.  One of my favorite business owners is Miss Mustard Seed.  She is amazing!  Not only can I see what pieces she is working on, she also has an excellent blog with wonderful advice for a gal like me.

Ok, now about Logos...
I am noticing that a logo is pretty important for marketing a small business.  A logo is any image and/or words you choose to associate with your business.  It will be the hook that pulls your customers in. It will appear on banners, signs, business cards, webpages, blogs, photographs, icons for Pinterest or Facebook, letterheads, stickers, stamps, brochures, etc....

I am in need of a logo already.  I want my logo to be consistent on my blog, my Pinterest account, Facebook page, Etsy store, and the business cards and brochures I am designing for a market I plan to do.  I also need my logo for the photographs I post; the logo will be a sheer stamp at the bottom of my photos which will allow anyone using my photographs to know my business name.

The first step of my plan was to look at as many logos as possible... that was crazy, so after a while I looked at logos that had symbols I felt were associated with my business.  I found that clean, simple logos were the most appealing to me.  I also liked having something that would have a meaningful symbol along with the name Curbside Revival.  I will want to have both the symbol and name on signs, banners, business cards and brochures, but I might like just having the symbol for icons, stickers, price tags, and stamps.



I love silhouette logos.  This one is my favorite.

The silhouette is clean and simple.  It will look good on paper, on a sign, as a stamp, or online.  The symbol has furniture and design elements. 

It is so PERFECT!!!

And it is so taken by a business out of Dallas. 
Boo hoo!

Ok so I began to look for silhouetted images that I felt represented Curbside.



This logo is another example of amazing!

I really like the paintbrush and feel like it needs to be somewhere in my logo.

It  will help my customers understand that I will be using painting techniques to update and transform their furniture.
I played with the idea of placing a crown on top of the paintbrush.  Could this symbol help to convey a message of revival?  I knew it would give my logo an elegance that I felt was important.

I found a free graphic of a crown on graphicfairy,com . 

I played around with fonts on PicMonkey and found this to be my favorite.

I am using this as an interim logo for now on social media.  But I plan on replacing it with a logo that will also have the paintbrush or furniture elements I need my customers to recognize.







LOVE the chair in this design!

I like the simple use of color and curvy lines.

So now I will compile all of the ideas and images I like and I will send them off to a designer.  I hope to get a few logo choices.  I will pay for a package that gives me the rights to the logo and the ability to mark images, make signs and banners, and everything else I need.


It will be exciting to post my logo on the blog since you have insight to all the considerations I am thinking through!  Can't wait!

Spring Fever

This was a busy week!  Time off from school proved to be fruitful for Curbside.  I was able to complete four pieces:

• The night stand is little sis to the Berry Dresser
• The headboard is a twin that I picked up and worked a long time on
• The painted knobs go to an unfinished dresser I painted in AS Provence

 I will write more about those pieces later. Today I am spending time on this great little table.

It did not start out this way....

                                      This is how I found her.  Sad and dried out.

 

When I saw her I thought she could be so pretty if the wood could be restored.  This made me think of the great things I'd heard about Miss Mustard Seed's Hemp Oil.  I decided to give it a try.  I simply followed the directions and rubbed a layer on the top, allowed it to sit for about thirty minutes, and then wiped off what remained.  Here is the result I got after two applications.

 

I could not believe it!  I am very impressed with this product and highly recommend it.  After I restored the top, I decided to paint the base with Annie Sloan's Old White and did a wet distress.
I was thrilled with the result.

 

This little beauty is available!  Let me know if you are interested in buying her.  Or if you like this look and would like me to work on a piece you already have, contact me.

Next time, I plan to write about coming up with a logo.  See you then!

 





 

 

 

Are You Ready for a Revolution?

Funny Story!  On a whim, my husband and I decided to go check out a property in a nearby town.  The property was a large garage/warehouse that had half of it converted into a house.  An artist had lived there and used half of it to live in and half of it as a store for the artwork. Jas and I thought it was worth looking in to.  So we set out on a Sunday afternoon for Bartlett.

Well, it was a bust.  The place was much smaller than we had dreamed up in our heads and we knew it would never work.

But the story goes on....

Bartlett is a tiny town with one main street.  The property we were investigating was off the main street.  A strange building caught my eye and I told Jas to turn around.  It looked abandoned and also like it had survived some sort of fire. As we circle the block to go back, I tried to find the back of the building.  Nothing. Then I saw a giant structure with scaffolding.  We parked and got out to investigate.... It was a fake building with only a front!

 We were on some sort of set!  My eyes started scanning around and I noticed props and fake statues, fake signs, trash, across the square was a whole different set.  No one was there so we began to explore.  It was so interesting.  I could tell it was a post apocalyptic theme.

It was so cool and the props were great!  I wanted to back up the car and load up with all of the wonderful chairs, tables, chicken coups, file cabinets, tool boxes that were piled up on either side of the street. So tempting!  But of course I didn't take anything.  

After leaving and doing a little research, I found out is was the set of the TV show Revolution!  It is one of their sets around the Austin area.  Wow, I never thought I'd be on an actual TV set....