Wednesday, January 26, 2011

A Wild Wonderful Weekend





We had a wild wonderful weekend this past weekend. We drove to Petoskey with a large load of furniture to restock our space at Then & Now. We were so please to make this trip - our space was nearly empty. December/January sales were good for furniture as well as smalls. So restock we did! Above are a few images of how it looked when we left Sunday afternoon.
However it is winter in Michigan and we had a slight delay in getting there when we hit a patch of black ice and the trailer decided to drive the suburban. Dan did an excellent job of keeping us from rolling as we headed for the ditch. Can't say much for the "trailers" driving ability, it wanted to go another way.Needless to say we had quite a bit of triage to do to furniture once we got to Petoskey. But of course a carpenter is never without his tool and touch up kit.We were greeted by Tracy and Cindy @ Then & Now with with a glass of wine to calm our nerves - perfect!
Later that evening we tucked into my brothers house with his family for lots more destressing. The warmth of family and friends can never be over estimated.
We stayed at the Bay Inn and cannot way enough good about it. It is a wonderful  inn overlooking Little Traverse Bay with an amazing view!
We woke Sunday morning to -15 degrees and the most beautiful clear sunny day.
And see now we have an exciting story!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Nothing To Do With Anything Else Other Than Me......

I met with the director of continuing studies from Kendall College of Art and Design yesterday to talk about summer classes. I am fortunate to teach in their program, youth, young adults and adult classes. It was an amazing creative brainstorming meeting along with great coffee. It's also winter and not summer, but in the winter I seem to burrow in and create, so the timing is wonderful for me. We talked about that inspires us right now.
This is what is inspiring me right now.
There is a new magazine that I am crazy about that is published in Grand Rapids, called CraftSanity. A magazine for those who love all things handmade. Handmade storied, Q & A interviews, knitting, crochet, embroidery and sewing patterns (yes in the mag!), recipes, reviews and MORE! I am so inspired by this magazine and can't seem to get it very far away from me. I want to make everything in it!
to take a look!


I also am into my knitting again. My folks gave me this realy awesome Vogue knitting calendar that has a different stitch sequence pattern for every day. Here are a couple that have taken my eye. Not the "how to" is on the back. Let me know if you want me to scan the directions to you!
So we came up with an exciting line up of classes for this summer and the catalog will be out in the next month.
for more info.
Tonight I start teaching The Fundamentals of Interior Design - and adult class. I can't wait to meet all of my new students!
Next week here at the house I am starting to teach watercolor painting. Monday mornings from 9:30-12:00, 5 classes for $100.00
And Knitting Monday evenings from 7:00-9:00  5 classes $60.00

So tell me what inspires you right now?

Sunday, January 16, 2011

A Girls Gotta Right To Brag!

I've been a little behind on blogging lately, so now I am catching you up on a few of my "favorite things", just like Oprah! Dan made this amazing cubby cabinet for me for my birthday for use in my studio. It couldn't be more perfect for me for all my treasured "stuff" that I need close at hand. When it comes to organising I think there are two different kinds of people. Some people need it out of sight - no clutter at all, that is not me. I am the type that needs it to all have a place but be within sight to stir my creativity. I adore the color, the overall size that fits on my work table and the size of the cubbies.
The next little cabinet shown above on my desk made it's appearance last weekend at the DeVos Place show. I went crazy over it! Dan is forever off loading amazing cool things when we do a show and I of course want them all (just like you!). OK so this is a business and if we took it all home we would not be making a living so I just kept my eagle eye on it all weekend when it did not sell it of course was on it's way to one of the malls because the right person just did not come through the show to scoop it up. However it showed up inside our front door, to my great delight! Now my desk is way more organised and a better place to work with another one of Dan's creations.
This wonderful pile of vintage French ticking scraps arrived in the mail this week, also to my surprise. Dan had found it online and knew that I would be crazy about it and I was! You know me and ticking, and scraps and red! I think I may have to haord it for a while.................

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Thank You!

Thank you everyone who came out to the DeVos Place Antique Show this past weekend it was a great show! Thank you also to everyone who attended my lectures on cottage style furnishings and interiors it was a lot of fun. This is always such a wonderful show, all the dealers really work hard at making it special.
We sold furniture  - Dan's creations and many smalls, including textiles, jewelry
and Valentines filled with lavender. Our booth smelled divine!
We are working hard this week to add more great product to our spaces at all of the malls and etsy.
Time to put away Christmas, rearrange your house, orgainize and create!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Grand Rapids Antique Market

                                                            This weekend we are doing the Grand Rapids Antiques Market show in downtown Grand Rapids at the DeVos Place which is located at 303 Monroe Ave. NW. The show is Saturday from 9am to 7pm and Sunday from 10am to 4 pm.  There are over 130 dealers signed up to do this show and CJ will be one of the featured speakers at the show talking about interior designing with antiques. As of this writing we are still working on numerous items for the show. We have some great antique, vintage finds as well as lots of repurposed items we will be bringing. Please stop and see us and introduce yourself.