Almost everything is tagged and tallied.  The van is packed.  The weather forecast is amazing.  All of the planning and hard work will finally be rewarded…or will it?  Now that the Lucketts Fair is at my door step, I’m feeling a little fearful.  What if people don’t buy my stuff?  Are the prices too high?  Too low?  What if people coming to meet “Miss Mustard Seed” are disappointed when they see me in person?  Will my booth look as good as I picture it in my head?  This is not the first antique fair I’ve done, but it is a little different from the others I’ve gone to as a vendor.  I’m doing this one by myself.  I’ve always gone with a partner, so success of the booth wasn’t entirely on my shoulders.  Flying solo is pushing me creatively and professionally, but it’s also a greater risk.  My booth will be a

In preparing for Lucketts, I’ve been trying to make things that are interesting to display around my booth and sell.  I bought some papier mache eggs and thought I would experiment a little.  So, I tried decoupaging antique sheet music on a few… …and painted a few in chalkboard paint. They’re just a little different and fun.  We’ll see if they sell. I had several questions about my tags, so I thought I would show how I make them.  These are super easy and I can make more any time I need them. First of all, I am blessed to have a great friend and designer who designed the style and layout of these tags for me.  She fit nine on a page, so I can print them up by the sheet on card stock. Using a paper cutter, I trim the tags into strips, so they’ll fit in a

A couple of days ago, my dear blog friend, Funky Junk Donna, left a comment for me. “You are indeed SMOKIN’! I’m so inspired I feel jittery. Maybe I should stay offline until school’s back in. Nah… I can handle it. Smelling like coconut sunscreen while reading isn’t a bad thing. 🙂 Seriously, that lampshade is killer. LOVE that idea! I also commend you on building your entire line. Most would purchase and resell. You’re crafting it all! Oh my gosh… You will be so successful! Donna “ She’s always encouraging to me, but this comment really struck a chord.  I created a line?  Me?  I’m not a big designer.  I never went to design school.  I’m just me.  A mom of toddlers, who was stepping on Cheerios, changing diapers and making bottles while I worked on this stuff.  I thought about her words and strolled into my dining room/Lucketts

I just primed five pieces of furniture, sanded three doors, installed some hardware, glazed a chair…and the list goes on and on.  It’s nuts, my finger nails look dirty 24/7, and I’m tired.  Here are some of the things I’ve completed over the past week.  I bought this dresser almost a year ago at Goodwill and it’s been sitting in my basement.  I love the lines of this piece, so I’m not sure why I’ve neglected it for so long, but I’m glad I finally finished it and I’m hoping the right buyer comes to Lucketts to give it a good home. I refinished the top in its natural wood tone and painted the base in a chippy grayish blue over white.  Distressing, an antique glaze, wipe on poly, and glass knobs finish it off. I also hand painted this “Haystone Manor Farm” sign.  It is so tempting to keep this one,

Do you realize how awesome we are?  I’ve been thinking about all of the hats we wear as DIY bloggers and I was pretty darn impressed with us as a group.  We sew and slipcover… …design rooms… …and take pictures all along the way. We repaint, refinish, reinvent, and repurpose. We build… …by ourselves and on a budget. And we inspire others to get out their big-boy power tools and follow in our footsteps. We rescue, reupholster, and renew. And then we teach others how to do it, too. We are our own stylist, photographer, writer, editor, publicist, tech team, marketing firm, and sales force. And most of us are moms, hold full time jobs, and/or own a business. We are the women who blog.  And we are a force to be reckoned with.