Hi, Honey...I'm Home!

 

I feel like I have been going full speed for the last month and a half with virtually no stopping.  There has been so much going on that neither of us has been able to slow down.  I actually feel extra sorry for Dean since he has a full-time job that demands so much of his time -  yet, he has been there supporting me with the past two shows, moving the shop and helping out at Deep Creek Vintage.  Not to mention the hours we had to spend at our rental property miles away getting it ready to sell.  No one could ask for a better husband!

 

 

I love this man....

Now that the dust has settled, what do I want to do with my now free time?  I want to work on our house.  I have spent so much time getting things ready for the shows and the new location that our house has suffered.  I want to decorate!  I want to go through every room and redesign and freshen up!  I want to do more to the yard!  I want to run through the fields and twirl around while wearing my flowing white dress!

 

 

Photo:  Pinterest

Well, anyway...back to reality.  I have a lot I want to do and I plan to share my projects with you as they come along.  I honestly don't know which room I want to start, but it may have to be my spare bedroom/office.  I think my life needs some serious organization, and that room is the hub of it all...but I want it to look pretty.  No before picture, yet....I need to straighten it up before I take any! It became a storage space after we closed the store and it's a mess.  The front porch needs painting...but rain is in the forecast all week....darn. 

 

It's just nice to have no where to go, a list of things to get done around the house and time to do them. And, ummmm, perhaps catch up on a few soaps.... I'm even planning to have a real home-cooked meal tonight!  The local Arby's will miss me this evening.....

 

Yes, tomorrow I will tackle the office.....may the force be with me!

Opening Day at Deep Creek Vintage!

Opening Day was unbelievable!  All of the hard work that Cheryl and Tim have put into this venture over the past several months has definitely paid off.  The house is beautiful and the customers really seemed to enjoy their visits with lots of goodies going out the door!  I am so happy that Stone Creek gets to be a part of this family of wonderful owners and talented vendors!

 

Built in 1850, the mansion is breathtaking throughout. Here she is, dressed in true glory for the first day!!

 

Here are some shots from around the house before the doors opened this morning.  Pictures do NOT do this justice...it is a feast to behold as you walk through the doors.  Every vendor has their own room and every room has it's own personality.  There are also stories that some rooms may have certain visitors from time to time.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With more available on the porch and in the yard!

 

 

The first customer of the day, Mary (shown here with Cheryl), arrived before the official opening time - and customers streamed in non-stop all day.  It was incredible!

 

 

 

There is no doubt that this will quickly become a true destination with more to come!!

 

Hope to see you there!  Find us at:

 

Deep Creek Vintage

9110 Jefferson Davis Hwy (US Rt. 1)

Fredericksburg, VA  22407

 

HOURS:

Monday thru Saturday, 10-5

Sunday, 11-4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Vintage Home Market - This Weekend!

Dean and I are running around like chickens getting ready for this show!  No time for sleep (as I type this at 4:00 a.m. pulling an all nighter working on some furntiure).  Not only this, we are also very busy getting our second home in the Washington, D.C. suburbs ready to put on the market...which goes live this weekend.  Seems like when it rains, it pours on us!

 

Did I mention that I also have to get things ready and moved into our new dream space at Deep Creek Vintage before the opening next weekend?  Like I said, I have no time to sleep...

 

Fast forward to July...I'm hoping that as we are vacationing in the mountains of Tennessee, we can look back on these last few weeks and smile at all that we got accomplished.  No doubt, we really need this vacation! 

 

For those local to the Richmond, Virginia area, here is the show information and a $1.00 off coupon!  I am not sure where we will be set up, but please if you come, stop by and say hello!  I'll be taking lots of pictures this time (unlike Lucketts) and I'll try to get some sneak peeks in before then.

 

 

 

Vintage Home Market link here.

 

 

 

 

 

Hope to see ya'll there!

 

The Mustard Seed Milk Painted Dresser Desk

One thing I really love about my job is the fun I have when painting my furniture.  Sometimes I will paint a piece with one color and leave it be, but lately, I've been feeling the creative side of me.  It can come and go, so when I have it, I run with it.

I found this sweet little Dresser Desk at a yard sale this past weekend.  She needed some love and a new back leg, but I saw the potential!

I've been wanting to do something in the MMS Mustard Seed Yellow paint that I had just bought and thought that this piece was a nice size and shape to use it on. 

I sanded and stained the top then gave the rest two coats of milk paint, but it just needed a little something else.  I love it when Marian (aka Miss Mustard Seed) handpaints designs on her dressers, so I pulled in my inner MMS and came up with a design in my head.  I mixed up a small batch of MMS Ironstone milk paint to do the details.  Yes, I know I don't have the touch that she does, but we are all supposed to add our own twist, right?  Seriously, I have more to learn on this technique, but I still like it.

When I started painting the details, the Mustard Seed was still chipping (after letting it sit overnight).  I let it keep going, and when I was done with it all and gave it time to dry,  I used a sanding sponge to give it a good disressing. Two coats of wax, and she's all finished.

The best part of this piece is that it's has a hidden desk! 

This will probably be going with us to the The Vintage Home Market next weekend.  Hope to see you there!

The "Rivah" Inspired Dresser

Yes, I've been slacking a little on my furniture flips, but I'm finally getting back into the mood again.  Well, perhaps a lot of it is that I had to kick myself in the behind to get ready for the Vintage Home Market and our new room at Deep Creek Vintage.....both of which I need to be finished in less than two weeks!

 

As with most furniture re-do hoarders, I have a fairly large stash in the garage, but I went on a junk hunt anyway and found this adorable 1940s/50s dresser.  For the show, I want to do a little section geared towards beach living (and the Rivah), and this dresser screamed "pick me, pick me!", and I'm so glad that I did.

 

Not having a real plan, I started mixing a custom blend paint out of several different flat paints I had laying around, then added Plaster of Paris to make it a chalk paint.  I drew inspiration from this painting (that I also found during one of my hunts) and went with a deep turquoise.

 

This is the color I came up with.

 

 

Does anyone else re-use their plastic coffee containers for paint?  If not, it's great!  We go through coffee like crazy in this house, and instead of throwing those containers away, I finally found a good use....and the paint keeps for a long time!  Plus, they usually have handy little handles.

 

OK....back to the dresser...

 

I gave it a good coat of the turquoise, then added some undertones for the distressing part.  I had originally left some of the wood "faux painting" showing, but once I tried on the new knobs, the orangey color just didn't work.  So, the dresser got a final all-over coat of the turquoise.

 

  

Once all done, I handpainted a compass rose on the bottom of the front.  It's a good thing that I never became a surgeon...my hands are not steady at all!  However, I knew that I would distress after I was done, so it all worked out, I think.

 

 

After adding a darker wash to a couple of the panels and giving it a good sanding and distressing to show some of the undertones, I waxed it all over with clear wax, then went over that with some homemade dark wax (two parts clear wax to one part ASCP Graphite).  That gave it the age look I was going for. 

 

Last, but not least, I added these super cute knobs I found at Hobby Lobby....

 

 

...and, the end result is this:

 

 

 Ready for a new home on the water (or a beach home wannabe).  Will be available at the Vintage Home Market!

 

 

 

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