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.