Notes from A Cottage Industry

Lick or Treat!

Here's my man Vince at the Pumpkin Patch a few years back on Sauvie's Island in my favorite city of Portland. He'd much rather run around sans clothing, but since he's part chahuahua his hair is a tad bit thin, so he needs the extra warmth in fall and winter.

For any of you that have not been to Portland, and Sauvie's Island, well, you NEED to go.  In Autumn they have a huge pumpkin patch, with a farmers market  set up with gourds, and corn and mums and crafts as well as the pumpkins. (In spring and summer you can cut your own flowers by the bunch- such fun!)
Happy Howl-o ween!

Miles and piles of inspiration

I've built up a bit of inventory to be painted. It's overwhelming, even for me.(and this is only about a third of it. The rest is my workshop!) It's all so inspiring. Every piece a new project, a new blank slate just waiting to be re-invented. I love it.
Beds, tables, chairs and dressers. Odds and ends. wallpaper, knobs, and fringe. I get so many ideas flowing through my head when I look at each piece that it is hard to know where to begin. And colors. Gosh, I can envision each piece in a multitude of colors, so I have to decide on a theme to get myself going. I like to do my pieces in groups, so they show better in the shop.
Today I do believe I will tackle the vintage high chair, a little table or two, and maybe the rocking horse....(hmmm, looks like a baby theme is emerging here...) This should be fun! I have some darling washable felt booties and cute patchwork burpies to add to this collection, so this is truly  going to be sweet as can be.

Love at first sit..er, sight...

So...you remember this chair?
(the photo does not do it justice- soooo much prettier in person!)
I dropped it off to be reupholstered some 5 weeks ago.
Well, I got a call last Wednesday saying it would be done Friday.
I could hardly wait to pick it up. Would it be cute? Too patch-work-ey? Gorgeous? Gawd awful!? The anticipation was killing me. KILLING me I tell you.
Drove to the shop with my daughter (the maid of honor) and got the chair. 3 words. Fab... U... Lous!
Not only fabulous, but soooooo comfy! BEYOND comfy really.
She redid the entire chair just as it was originally- a down cushion, tufted back with darling fabric covered buttons. Too cozy for words. After about, oh, 10 seconds of discussion, my daughter and I decided this chair was clearly not suitable for my shop. No,no, no.  It needed to stay right here with me. It was simply meant to be! I am already envisioning myself reading books and sipping tea in this chair by a glowing fire, with my pups at my feet. (*sigh*) I can hear the words to that wonderful song from My Fair Lady- "Wouldn't it be Loverly?" 
All I want is a room somewhere,
Far away from the cold night air.
With one enormous chair,
Aow, wouldn't it be loverly?

Oh ya, that's exactly how I feel about this darling, wonderful chair.
I am sending all of the extra fabric I bought to my Mom for her to sew coordinating pillows for me (she can give them to me as Christmas gifts- I promise to act so surprised!) Now, I need to decide WHERE I am keeping this new found treasure...and of course I will need to build an entire room around it...oh, how I love a project.

Work in Progress..

Just wanted to share another little peak into the progress the new shop is making.... not sure what the night crew cleaning gal was thinking when she mopped the raised cobble stone area. It looks like she lined up the pumpkins and Indian corn for inventory. Hmmm, I'd better adjust that.

Here's Dolly in her new spot. (yes the photo is very blurry, I forgot the darned tri-pod again) Isn't she fabulous!? She looks like she has always been there.
I still have to hang things on the walls, and I am going to paint a verse or 2 up high around the ceiling. I also got the most delicious chandelier that I am going to replace the front florescent lights with..yecht!( I hate florescent lighting...so harsh and bright.) I had hired an electrician last Saturday, but he was a no-show. Man I hate that.
My son will be hanging my leaded glass paneled door hopefully this week as well. (if the ceiling can take the weight) and I will share more (clear) photos of Dolly up close and personal... oh, I am having such a fun time with the new shop.

Tonight I am painting a large oval sign to show my little shop's name on the front and back. it will hang outside the shop from the flag pole that was left by the Pearl Divers. I may need to paint the pole, as it looks like a copper cane to me right now. I will also add a little bird perched on the pole, welcoming one and all to the mall.

Transformation (outside) Complete!

You like? Yes, the OUTSIDE is complete! Remember it before?

I am one proud little shopgal.

I know I have been gone a while, but my life suddenly got busy...and complicated.  I am back now, and here are some pictures of my handy work!

My favorite part of the outside of my new shop is the moss pitched roof. I was going to use thatching, but at the last minute decided to try moss, and I LOVE it!If you click on the photo, it will enlarge and you can really see the moss growing over the sides of the roof.
I rusted the roof tiles and added oodles of faux ivy. Did ya see the little birdies that have made a home above my door?

...and the birds nest in the ivy growing in the pot by the door?

Does this all say WELCOME to you? I hope so.

Hello Dolly!

I have been searching for a vintage dress form mannequin for ages. I finally gave up last week and decided to take a chance and order a new one on ebay. I plan on using the dress form, which I have named Dolly, for showcasing my charm necklaces.

I was told it had 3 spandex type fabric covers; black, white and red. Great, I figured. I can experiment with one (with paint) and have my mom sew a new cover from muslin or burlap by dismantling one cover and using it for a pattern...
It arrived today, and it only had the one black cover. I decided I had nothing to lose by painting the fabric. I began by doing a coat of Kilz spray primer on the entire thing.

Once that was dry I painted Dolly with a wheat color latex, then glazed over her with a tobacco brown lightly. The photo doesn't capture the depth of the color, so you'll have to trust me when I tell you she looks mah-vel-us! All worn and vintage-y, just like I wanted.
I gotta say even  though she is not quite finished, I was so psyched with how she is coming along that I just had to share. I mean, I have been a bit preoccupied this week, and once I started on this little project, there was no stopping me.  Dolly will be moving to my shop bright and early tomorrow (If I get her last details done tonight!) I will add the finished picture in the shop once she is all done, but for now, here is how she looks.... 

Good bye for now

I am knee deep in all sorts of things (recovering from the Craft Fair, painting the new shop, and too much other stuff to bore you with now) so I won't be posting for a few days I am afraid...I promise to share pictures of the new shop as soon as possible....please don't forget me!