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buying & selling antiques

guide to shopping my space at Lucketts 2014

If this is your first time shopping my space at the Lucketts Antique Market, this post is for you! If you’re a regular, this will just give you some updates or maybe get you geared up for the event. I’ve been asked a lot of questions about what to expect from the fair and my booth in particular, so I thought I would share a shopping guide to answer everyone’s questions at one time. Here we go… THE WHERE For those who have attended before, I’m in the same place I’ve been for the past three years, but I now have three spaces instead of two. If you’re new, I know an overhead view of the event might not help very much, but here it is. My booth is located in the red circle. So, I’m located on the gray gravel at the corner of the pea gravel. If you’re

May 15, 2014 31 Comments

buying & selling antiques

what's in the truck

We loaded the truck this evening and, unlike previous years, it didn’t rain! It has rained most years when we pack the truck, which isn’t a huge deal, but it’s a pain to try to keep everything dry. It was very soupy (humid) and threatened to rain, but waited until everything was in the truck. Whew! It was also the smoothest truck-packing we’ve ever had. The guys who came to help worked so hard and were patient with me as I requested things be moved into the house first for a photo shoot, then out to the truck. For three of them, I think this is their second or third year helping, so they have become Lucketts-packing-pros. We are really blessed to have young men like this to help each year. Here are some things that ended up on the truck… This black desk actually belonged to my dad’s grandma. He

May 14, 2014 67 Comments

Before and Afters

More French Chairs

We’re on the final stretch to Lucketts. The truck gets loaded today and we’ll set up our space tomorrow. I’ve been working on things and shopping for so long that I’m really looking forward to it finally being here. I told you I have French chairs coming out of my ears, practically. I usually have four or five. This year, I have nine…I think. That might not sound like much, but I feel like it’s a lot. Here’s one I just finished a few days ago…. If you think that chair looks familiar, you’re right! I bought this pair of chairs a couple of years ago and painted them in Shutter Gray with a wash of Ironstone. I brought them to the Lucketts Holiday Open House when I was a vendor there and they didn’t sell. So, I brought them home and used them for a while. I tried to

May 14, 2014 17 Comments

Before and Afters

Boxwood Dresser

For those who have been asking for furniture makeovers, well, you’re getting them now! And I have about 12 more pieces in the basement that still need to be hauled up for their chance at a picture. This piece is actually a sort-of-custom dresser that’s already spoken for. I received an e-mail a few weeks ago from a reader who was looking for a dresser in a specific style. She sent some pictures along of other pieces I’ve painted and I just happened to be buying two dressers in the style she was looking for. Jeff and my dad picked them up for me and I gave her first pick of which one she wanted. She picked the one she liked the best and asked me to paint it in Boxwood, but gave me liberty to paint it however I wanted. That was awesome, because I usually don’t do custom

May 11, 2014 34 Comments

buying & selling antiques

the "young at heart" Lucketts giveaway

The Lucketts Spring Market is just one week away! I teeter between bring-it-on and give-me-just-another-week! I’ve already started stalking the weather report and my pile of finished furniture and packed boxes is rapidly growing. This week is about finishing the pieces (mostly upholstery) that I’ve been procrastinating on and doing some easy last-minute things like sewing pillows, glittering tiaras, making SOLD tags and tagging items I bought on my trip to Virginia. I’ll also try to squeeze in some last minute shopping, if I can. The truck gets packed up Thursday night and we’ll haul everything down on Thursday. I usually wait to set up until Saturday morning, but last year we had a morning drizzle and I ran out of time. I was still unpacking boxes when the crowds descended and I hated that. I work so hard and have a plan in my head and I am

May 10, 2014 15 Comments

buying & selling antiques

While getting ready for Lucketts…

A lot of food gets burned, because I’m trying to fit too many things into one day. I’ll check my e-mail or set up a photo shoot while I’m trying to cook and inevitable food burning happens. I should be making my bed and picking up every day, since our house is on the market, but that doesn’t always happen. I stay up way past my bedtime, because I’m working in the basement all day and then doing computer work at night and there just aren’t enough hours… We carry a lot of furniture. A piece gets carried to the car, to the basement, up to the house for photo shoots, back to the basement, up again to be loaded, unloaded at the fair and then loaded one last time into the buyer’s vehicle. It’s a lot and I’m sore! I get really dirty during the day. We should have

May 8, 2014 24 Comments

buying & selling antiques

Lucketts Giveaway #2 |

It’s time for Lucketts giveaway number two! We’re still sorting out the winner of the “Lucketts is worth hours in the car or taking my shoes off at the airport” giveaway and will announce the winner soon. Until then, here’s our next giveaway – it’s called “the gang’s all here” giveaway! Can you guess what that is? Shopping at antique fairs is something that’s more fun to do with friends. Well, usually…if you’re not elbowing each other over a piece of ironstone, that is. The Lucketts Spring Market has been growing each year, partly due to word of mouth and friends inviting friends. We want to reward those who are caravanning and carpooling to attend this awesome event that totally lives up the hype. We will be giving away free entrance to the fair PLUS 30 minutes early admittance to the largest group attending the fair together. That doesn’t

May 3, 2014 14 Comments

Before and Afters

One of my favorites… |

This is one of the pieces I finished yesterday… Yes. I painted it that way on purpose. That’s not the before. I’ve learned that some people get it and some people don’t! I’ve been really inspired lately by pieces that are heavily worn, distressed and chippy, so I decided to take the distressing on this piece to the extreme. And the result is one of my favorite pieces that I’ve done in a while. Here’s how it started… I did take process pictures, so I’ll share a tutorial, but as a quick rundown, I painted it in a base coat of MMSMP Grain Sack followed by the Wax Puck and Hemp Oil to act as resists. I then applied a coat of a custom mixed color – equal parts Shutter Gray and Trophy. After a heavy distressing, I finished it with Furniture Wax and a little bit of Antiquing

May 2, 2014 58 Comments

I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

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