Sweet Clover Vintage Barn Sale this Weekend!

Remember a few weeks ago when I was talking about how much fun I had at Lucketts and how I wished I could be part of the community of vendors more often? Yeah, I made that happen.

This weekend I will debut my booth inside that Sweet Clover Vintage Barn sale in Frederick, Maryland! Sweet Clover used to be the Stylish Patina barn, but Kelly gave up the barn sale so that she could get some warehouse space in Falls Church where she'll be having monthly tag sales.

The barn is full of amazing other vendors who have picked some great stuff for this weekend's sale. Make sure to "like" the Sweet Clover Vintage page on Facebook to preview all the great stuff that will be in the barn this weekend.

My mom is helping with the barn sale, so some of the pieces in this space are her work. I drove up to the barn yesterday with her and brother, and we loaded a bunch of stuff into the shop. I am leaving in a little while to go up and put some finishing touches on the booth and load a few more things in it. Even though it's a hike for me to get there, I really enjoy driving through the rolling hills and enjoying all the farm land out there. The barn is located on a horse farm, and the horses come right up to the fence next to the barn. It's so peaceful out there and I really enjoyed spending the evening out there yesterday.

Make sure to "like" my page on Facebook -- I'll be posting pictures of all my goodies on there later today. Come out to the barn this weekend and make a day of it! There's a ton of other great shops/barns near by too that are listed on the Sweet Clover Facebook page. I'll be in the barn on Saturday so make sure you come find me if you decide to come out!

Being Part of the Lucketts Community

I had such a great time last weekend at the Lucketts Spring Market. Part of that was because I was so much more comfortable with the whole process and confident in my product than I was last year. And I had the boy with me, who was the perfect combination of hilarious, supportive, and helpful the whole time.

Despite the minimal number of items I came home with, as we drove away from Lucketts Sunday evening, I was quite sad that the experience had come to an end again. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how much I enjoy being part of the community of vendors at the Lucketts market. I love being part of a group that appreciates the coolness and history of vintage furniture and furnishings. I loved being there early Sunday morning, watching the market come alive with vendors and wandering around, talking to people and seeing what everyone had collected. There were young women my age who had done spaces with friends, women in their mid-30s with kids accompanying them, older couples working spaces together, and many different kinds of vendors in between. Each booth was a collection of history and the way people have lived for centuries, and so many vendors had different takes on how that history has evolved. I left yearning for an opportunity to be part of this community more than once a year.

This time last year, I wasn't sure I was going to Lucketts again, but I'm so glad I did. There's no doubt in my mind that I will want to do it again next year. And who knows? Maybe I'll figure out a way to be part of this wonderful group of people more often. Congrats to all the wonderful Lucketts market vendors -- I hope I get to see you all again soon!

Lucketts Spring Market 2013 Recap

I had a great weekend at Lucketts despite the questionable weather. Friday Bro Brennan and my mom helped me pack up a truck, load all my furniture into the space, and secure it so that it would stay dry in the overnight rain.

Saturday morning the boy and I got out to Lucketts early and set up the space. Even though it rained Saturday afternoon, I sold most of my big pieces on Saturday, which was a huge relief. Last year I ended up hauling home my three biggest pieces, so we were VERY happy knowing that two dressers and a large desk would NOT be coming home with us.

I sold this piece right before the market closed on Saturday. It was my first attempt using milk paint and I loved it! I did this old dresser in Miss Mustard Seed's Linen. 

Sunday morning we got there even earlier to load a few more things into my space. We even stopped at Home Depot on the way there to pick up some clear tarps in case the skies opened up on us again. My theory was that in a worst case scenario rain situation, I could still have my stuff out of the tent and visible under clear tarps instead of packed up in the tent where none of the shoppers could see it. We held our breath almost all day, but the weather actually got better as the day went on, and I never really had to use my tarps.

I did this little piecrust table in ASCP Aubusson Blue. It's still available and will soon be in my Etsy Shop.

Bro Brennan called this my "ace". I was happy to sell it to a really nice couple Sunday. Thanks to the boy for helping us figure out how to take it apart and fit it in a sedan!

I had a set of four of these guys out Saturday, and they sat with little interest all day. Fearing they wouldn't sell Sunday, we cut our losses and brought them home Saturday night. I may paint them and reupholster them, but we'll see. Let me know if you are interested in them! 

I made hanging planters/tea light holder/vases on Saturday night but sold not a one Sunday. A lot of people commented on how they thought they were a great idea, so I'll be writing a blog post about how I made them soon.

In the words of Bro Brennan, "This thing is going to end up in some poor hillbilly's living room." I this ox yoke it to a guy who collects them. Another person who was interested in it wanted to remove the bentwood pieces and run pendant lights through the holes, which I thought would be a really cool idea. Her husband wasn't buying it. 

This little table is still available. It's a custom blend of ASCP Provence and Pure White. This picture doesn't show how blue it is, but I believe it's in a few other pictures on this post.

I sold a pair of these chairs to a lovely woman on Sunday. I have another two that I haven't redone yet, so come back to see how I end up redoing those two!

This old antique Eastlake table is also still available. It has a custom gray blend on the first layer, covered by ASCP Pure White. It will be in my Etsy shop shortly!

The moisture made things difficult -- paint was scratching off of things easily and I ended up having to find a sample of chalk paint to fix a scratch or two. Good thing someone was selling paint at the Market!

I was a little disappointed to see this chair go because it was sooooo comfortable. I don't need another upholstery project (this red wasn't exactly working in our living room), but I could have seriously sat in that thing all day. 

Last year I had put so much prep work into my pieces that I was not willing to negotiate too much on my pieces. This year I made a conscious effort to collect pieces that didn't need a ton of work, so I was willing to let them go for less of a profit margin. I also knew that I would have a tough time offloading some of it post-market since I've been getting low-balled to the extreme lately on Craigslist. I know my prices were lower than a lot of the people around me by the end of the market, but most of them have physical shops to sell out of if their pieces don't sell so they could afford to demand higher prices.

I ended up coming home with three end tables, a trunk, and a bunch of small items that I mostly brought to make my booth look more finished. Those tables will probably be for sale on Etsy shortly, so let me know if you're interested in any of them.

The chairs and the mint table in the back were already sold when I took this picture. Everything you see here ended up coming home with me. Too bad I don't have a before picture so you can see how much was here to begin with.

Did you shop the Lucketts Spring Market? Were you a vendor? I'd love to hear how your experience was! With the Lucketts Market and all the barn sales open this weekend, the Leesburg-Frederick stretch of route 15 was a veritable furniture Mecca. It's a good thing I was a vendor because I would've spent my life's savings on furniture and knick-knacks if I had been a shopper.

Come See Me at Lucketts this Weekend!

It's been a while since I last posted because things have gotten a little crazy around here, but I wanted to drop in quickly and let you all know that I will be selling at the Lucketts Spring market again this year.

It's kind of late notice since the market is this Saturday and Sunday, but if you are headed to the market, definitely come by and see me! I'm in the same spot that I was in last year, under a big old tree and backed up to the parking field near the back gate. I'm going to try to make a sing Friday night so that it's a little more obvious than last year.

Last year, the second I got my envelope I started hoarding furniture. This year I had to deal with school and a busy work schedule, so I couldn't start acquiring things until later. Once again, Fiona Fit has pulled through for me and hauled tons of furniture.

 I'm using chalk paint and milk paint exclusively on my stuff this year so that I can crank out pieces a little faster than if I used Benjamin Moore Advance paint like last year. I feel like I have no furniture when I tally it all up but in reality I think I'll struggle to fit it all in my space. I'll have many items there, including: two dressers, three nightstands, a waterfall vanity, two drop leaf tables, a hallway table, two desks, cane-back arm chairs on casters,  balloon back chairs, and at least four end tables. I'll also have small items like little china plates, brass decorative items, and many telephone insulators.

I'll have a few aqua and mint pieces that would look great in the kiddos' rooms, but in general my palette is a lot more neutral than my stuff was last year. I love bright colors, but I also have more appreciation for subtle neutrals now, and I want people to be able to take something home without worrying that it will completely clash with their room.

Here's the info:

Saturday and Sunday, May 18 & 19

Hours: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm both days

Admission: $7

42350 Lucketts Road, Leesburg, VA

If you want to snag the best stuff, get there early! Bring cash since it's the only sure payment that everyone accepts, although a lot of the vendors are using square or paypal to accept credit cards now. If you're looking for a bargain, many vendors will give you a great deal Sunday afternoon because no one wants to haul a bunch of stuff home. Miss Mustard Seed and The Lucketts Store blog also both have great information about shopping at the market.

Hope to see you there!

My Bedroom, Finally

It was the bedroom furniture that I was refinishing for my new place that actually prompted the start of this blog, so I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I only very recently "finished" my room to the degree that it will likely be finished before I move on to another home.

More than any other room in our house, I appreciate this one. Someday I will get married and have to compromise with a silly boy and the bedroom will become a reflection of our style instead of being wholly mine. After all, most men don't go for the aqua and raspberry color scheme.  When that happens, I'll probably welcome the idea of building spaces together, but I suspect that part of me will always miss this space. This is the one room that I have complete control over, that was a total blank slate when I moved in, and is the only one that I have been able to completely transform into something that suits my personal aesthetic and my lifestyle. It is me at this very point in my life, and I love it.

This room was a nasty one to photograph. Living in a townhouse = very uneven natural light, and I was trying to take these pictures in late afternoon, so the lighting was even worse. Still, I think these capture my room and the colors in it pretty well. I've been in love with this color aqua for most of my life, and a year later I still absolutely love the fabric I chose for my curtains. My gallery wall has been a work in progress for what feels like forever, but it's finally got something in every frame. There are some pieces that I may replace along the way, but I love sitting in my big girl bed and looking at the collection of art I've curated specifically for my own boudoir.

The comforter is the same one I have had since my second year of college. It's a Marimekko print from Crate and Barrel that I was able to snag since I had a gift card that someone had given me for my high school graduation. Aqua is pretty easy to work with and goes with a bunch of different colors, and using the same comforter for seven years means its was well worth the amount I spent on it.

Up until very recently I had bookshelves next to my bed. Then I acquired an end table from my grandparents' house and I started grad school. I needed a place to put all my school stuff, and a place to put my new table, so I decided to switched the bookshelves with my new end table and a washstand that I had laying around (literally, it was just chilling in my basement). I like that I've been able to bring the lamps down a few inches, which contributes to a slightly more soothing ambiance than having it on top of a bookshelf.

You may recognize my desk from a while ago. I still love the way it looks when there's nothing on it, but man-oh-man does it start to look cluttered the second I put so much as a piece of paper on that thing. I have no plans to change it and still like the way the pattern looks on that side of the room, but I will definitely think twice before I stencil another table top with such an aggressively contrasting pattern.

The light and mirror next are next to the bathroom door. I realize that the light isn't in the greatest position, but it was one of the best places for a full length mirror and provides me with natural light to get ready in the morning, and it really doesn't pose much of an issue when the bathroom door is open.

My room is by no means perfect. The carpet is ugly. The molding stops in funky places above the bed and the window. Still, I love this room because it is perfectly "me". This color may seem childish but it makes me so happy. I love the feminine artwork and the botanical patterns and the fact that I am sleeping next to a table that I remember seeing in my grandparents' living room every time I visited their house.

More than any other room in our house, I appreciate this one. That's probably because I know that some day I will get married and have to compromise with a silly boy and the bedroom will become a reflection of our style instead of being wholly mine. After all, most men don't go for the aqua and raspberry color scheme. At this point in my life, this is the one room that I have complete control over, that was a total blank slate when I moved in, and is the only one that I have been able to completely transform into something that suits my personal aesthetic and my lifestyle.

If you want to see the evolution of my bedroom, here are a few posts for you to check out:
Refinishing my big girl bed
Learning nightstand proportion
Another nightstand attempt
Painting the room
Sewing a pillow
How I stenciled my desk
Painting my dresser's hardware

Using Lacquered Furniture in a Space

I mentioned last week that I'm really starting to enjoy pieces with more texture, rather than just the lacquered look. As I went through my images, I also realized that my favorite rooms that have shiny, bright lacquered furniture, temper that focus with lots of texture throughout the space.

For example, this room has gorgeous, shiny bright yellow chairs. But you'll notice that the black trunk has a bit of a patina, there's a wood arm chair in the corner, and the wood frame on the wall, bamboo shade, and sisal rug all provide texture that tempers the intensity of the yellow. And the fact that the brass and those natural elements are desaturated versions of a yellow-orange help move your eye from the chairs through the space.

Via Elle Decor

This room below from Lonny has a gorgeous, dusty blue shiny finish, and shiny lucite chairs. But it also has those rich floors, full of variation and depth, and that painting on the easel, which also has a subtle, layered look to it.

Via Lonny

Even Jonathan Adler, who is well known for his bright, shiny pieces, uses many different textures to give spaces a curated sense of age in his colorful spaces. 

Via Jonathan Adler

A few more examples:

Via Jenny Komenda

Via House Beautiful

Via House Beautiful

Via Lonny Magazine

Obviously this isn't the ONLY way to use lacquered furniture in a space, but it's my personal preference. I also think that if you are someone who tends to end up with a lot of vintage pieces, found accessories, etc., it allows you to add contemporary elements to the space without having them look out of place.

What do you guys think? Have you used lacquered pieces in your home? Have you ever thought about how to use them?

New Projects

Over the past month I've made a push to get as much lingering projects out of my house as possible. Two of those projects include a side table that I haven't used in a while, and an extra chair from a set I picked up for my dining room.

Originally I was going to cover the chair with a grayish green and blue fabric, but I had a gorgeous coral suzani in my stash and decided I really liked the bright coral against the gray. This chair is available in my shop.

I wanted to do a pattern on this table, but I didn't want to go with my usual herringbone. I'm also really into gray and gold right now, so I designed a pattern and used painters tape and Rub 'n Buff to apply the design. It's also available in my shop.

Linked to: Miss Mustard Seed