It’s crunch time. It’s 10:00 at night and I’m just coming up from the basement to work on this post. As usual, I had some grand plans for my post today, but the late hour and a body that needs sleep made me change my mind, so I thought I would just share some random thoughts as I’m getting ready for the fair. (It seems like the random posts get the most response, anyway!)
- I always get stressed out when I’m getting ready for the Lucketts Antique Market. Every year I say that I need to start getting ready 6 months in advance, but that never happens. I’m like a college student pulling a week of all-nighters in order to pass.
- Despite the stress, I always feel inspired as I’m painting and pricing and shopping and pulling it all together. I seem to work best under the pressure.
- I never know how my booth will look until I set it up Saturday morning. I just buy things I love and know it will all work together.
- I always feel like I need more stuff and then when I fill a 17′ moving truck to capacity with overflow in my van, I realize I have plenty.
- This is usually the time when I forget to eat until about 2:00 and then I kill half a bag of Fritos followed by an obscene amount of Raisinets. This year, I’m using my tools and am staying on track with my eating and workouts…so far. (Thanks to Stacy and Becky for the encouragement.)
- A lot of my dressers are in the ugly stage right now, which doesn’t help with the stress. I’ve been doing this long enough to know that they will work out and I must resist the urge to put them on the curb with a “free” sign taped on. Seriously. That happens with almost every piece.
- I’m working on five pieces at one time, so I will have a bunch of before & afters all in a row and you’ll all leave comments wondering how I got it all done in such a short time. Well, it was about two weeks in the making, that’s how!
- My floors get very fuzzy as I’m getting ready for Lucketts. Every time.
- I’m pretty sure that I got paint stripper, saw dust and horse hair stuffing all on the seat of my pants today.
- My family really carries me through the crunch time.
- I’ve decided I’m going to treat myself to a massage when Lucketts is over.
48 Responses
Hi, I met you last year at Lucketts. I wanted to know if you’ll have any chandeliers. I’m desperate for one and am hoping to get there very early Saturday morning. Any luck with your things?
Do ever do any shows in the Gettysburg/ Chambersburg Area ?? I hope I can make it to Lucketts !! I just LOVE your style!!!!
I’m taking a girls trip up from Roanoke for the market and we are getting really excited. Can’t wait to meet you in person and see everything. Hang in there.
Hi Marian we are doing our first outdoor fair next weekend and the weather forecast does not look good. Can you please offer advise on how to prepare? We would need to move tons of items into our store before Friday in order to move them all again to the beautiful brick street
space in front of the store on Saturday morn. Storms forecast on Friday so what’s a girl to do?
Please don’t tell me pray for good weather…I’m on it!
YES!!!! The ugly phase. I know exactly what you mean. I usually cry and second guess during every project at that point.
I need to paint myself a sign with the Van Gogh quote,
“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.”
The funny thing is that even midway painting that sign, I’d probably have a ugly phase which would make me want to scrap the wood ;D.
PAINT ON! MAKE THIS LUCKETTS EPIC!
This comment made me LOL! What a cute sense of humor you have!
I can relate, though on a much smaller scale than your mountain! I find I go through a lot of Bible verses when I’m painting and sanding my way through crunch time. Good luck with the sale. You’ll be fine, I’ll just pray for sunny skies that weekend for you OK?!
This post really made me smile. Thinking of you (and all the other Lucketts vendors who must be madly shopping, stripping, painting, and distressing right along with you). Wish I could come!
Dear MMS, Thanks for your thoughts about getting ready for Lucketts.. Wish I could be there! Be sure and get your rest in the meantime. Hugs, Anne Boykin
Love your 7th comment 🙂 You keep it real!
Im with you about the massage! I have a Red Door Spa certificate just waiting to be used! Can’t wait to meet you at Lucketts!
Marian, you will be just fine. Catch your breath…your space, your things and you will be wonderful for all to see. I know I am just excited to see you again, you inspire and teach all that want to be apart of your special world. Your heart shows in every thing you share for all to see, that is the best gift of all. Sending hugs to you and your family, what a special family to be in.
I can only get to Lucketts on Sunday and I’m sure your booth will be empty by then! But I am glad I can at least come on “bloggers day” so I can see everyone!
I am coming to the market for the first time and am so so excited! Two of my girls and I are riding up Friday and sleeping on my friends living room floor who lives close by. We all have kiddos that we are leaving with our hubs to come have a blast. I have ants in my pants I can’t wait! My friends aren’t really thrifters or antiquers, but I’m sure they will have the bug when we leave.
You may not entirely be feeling it right now, Marian, but you are blessed! The support of your family and the ability to do something you love (so very elegantly, BTW) is a true gift. And GOOD FOR YOU staying on track with your healthy lifestyle through this hectic time. If you can survive these last few days with no (or minor) deviations than you know you have a lifestyle change forever. These stress-filled times are when so many people lose their focus. It’s an easy excuse! Be kind to yourself but putting your personal priorities first has to feel quite empowering!
I keep hearing about Luckett’s but since I am on the west coast of Canada I won’t be getting there any time soon. I can’t wait to see your photos.
I too work well under pressure and can accomplish tons in a short period of time. While managing to free myself of things that I don’t really need to do.
Love this post, Marian! It sounds like me down to a T. I also tend to not give myself enough time when I am prepping for an event, and end up staying up until the wee hours of the morning of the event, squeezing in a cat nap, and then cheerfully greet my guests and end up miraculously pulling it off without a hitch, or at least without any catastrophes. It’s good to know that there are others out there that fit in that group of procrastinator that work best under pressure! I think some of my best work, not to mention my most stressful, has been accomplished under pressure but those are the moments and pieces that I am most proud of! Thanks for sharing some of your weaknesses with us. Those are the weaknesses that make us human, but surprisingly empower us at the end of the day when we can sit back and admire what our busy hands created in little moments. It’s just another little reminder that in life, it all works out in the end 🙂
#6 I need to drive past your house more often. I have a feeling, in my opinion, that your dressers don’t know ugly. Have been wanting new ones in our room forever.
Remember the phrase “too blessed to be stressed” and the stress will pass, you are doing a great job.
I thought the same thing about #6, Wanda. LOL!
You not only deserve a massage, but an entire day at a SPA!
I do not see any “for free” signs on any of your pieces in your future but it is nice to know that even you have those moments when you are creating your furniture art. I hope your stress level stays as low as it can!
Thanks for letting me know I’m not the only one who feels this way! I’m totally stressing out about Lucketts, and don’t think I have enough pieces. Trying to have faith that it will all get done!
Loved this post, Marian. I can’t wait to see your booth at Lucketts. Last year I was in awe of it all. 🙂
Best of luck at Luckett’s. I like reading that your bureaus in the “ugly stages” almost go to the curb. I often feel the same way but usually i can make things right!
Funny how we can all work well under pressure. I remember when we lived in the UK, we were about to sell our house and the real estate agent told us it would sell quicker and for a higher price if we painted the outside. It was the middle of winter but my husband and I came home from work in the dark,got into our painting clothes + coats+ hats + gloves with plastic gloves over them and painted the outside in the freezing cold by security lighting!! The lighting kept going on and off on the timer but we managed the first coat and then finished off in daylight the next day!! How mad we’re we? Happy to say we sold the house that weekend for a higher price than we expected.
Good luck with all you ventures. X
Some time I will have to actually head off to your section of the country and check out Lucketts. I live in the Pacific Northwest so it is a bit of a stretch, but would love to come and meet you in person. I laughed at the discription of your house as you are getting ready, that is what I found everytime I had a yardsale when my kiddos were little. As to the horsehair. One time I was given a very nice piece but it was stuffed with horsehair. I am deathly allergic to horses. I broke out all over in horrible welts and my eyes were a mess, had to list it quickly on Craig’s List for free just to get it out of my garage. I was scared of that beast and it would have been such a fun project otherwise.
I know you are crazy busy – but how do you polish your wax on all those pieces of furniture without your arm falling off. I just did one dresser and had to take a break for a day. Wow!
This is going to sound really dumb, Marian, but where do you live and where is Luckett’s?
It sounds super!
I know all your pieces will come out beautiful. Good luck with the show. Wish I lived closer. x
Wish I lived closer so I could go to the event. It looks like you are going to have some FABULOUS things. You definitely deserve that massage!
You’re right… it’ll all work out. Can’t wait to see what you are working on. It’s been a while since we’ve seen any of your painting projects. No pressure tho’ 😉
And, you are definitely going to need that massage. Good luck with the show…wish I could be there.
NO tengo pero quisiera pedirle si puede uds. enviar en castellano (Español) sus articulos gracias desde Argentina.
I am getting ready for a show in Franklin Tennessee and it made my day to hear what is going on in the Mustard Seed World right now! We are living in parallel universes!
Marian…your hard work will be the benefit of many who love your creations and purchase them…I am looking forward to seeing you at Lucketts…and this time, I will have my van!!!..
And you will certainly deserve that spa day after Lucketts!!
Marian, when I had my booth at an antique mall, I experienced the exact same thing – your list could’ve almost been written by me, save for a few items – before our grand opening. I think the nature of the business and the people in it tend to follow this pattern. Just keep in mind, you always do a great job, and everything always turns out gorgeous in the end! You will sell almost everything with few leftovers, just remember that everyone loves MMS and you’re golden!
I often say I will get a massage when “so and so hard thing” is over….but, alas….I never do. Maybe I will change that.
I often say I will get a massage when “so and so hard thing” is over….but, alas….I never do. Maybe I will change that. (I left incorrect info on my other comment. sorry)
Ghee whiz….one day I hope to retire so I can find Lucketts! We don’t get out of school until June 6 so it is impossible for me to drive from FL…..and be back on Monday….I can identify with #1-8 Nine would be:white paint on favorite red Ralph Lauren shirt 🙁 I did the Lakeland Fancy Flea this year and vowed I would just be a customer next year….Enjoy the process….we all love your work, books, ideas. You need to take a least one week and PLAY after Lucketts!
Lol, you’re probably so busy you won’t even be able to read these comments until your day at the spa after Luckett’s, but a few things I can find as lessons learned in your post about preparing for a show such as this: 1) one CAN be too blessed AND stressed (you!); 2) I’m glad it’s you and not me 3) I want to plan to come to a future Luckett’s fair because I’m geographically close enough but didn’t learn about it until recently with blogging & I was already committed with other plans this time; 4) I’m so happy to now be blogging and get all this good info for new treasure hunts and 5) I’m gonna be careful about what I wish for in blogging so I don’t end up as crazy busy & stressed like you!! Best to you, Marian, in your quest for for undoubted success this weekend at Luckett’s! 🙂
Rita
You’ve been doing this long enough to know that it will all turn out wonderfully! I just wish I lived closer to witness it all in person!
Deep breaths!,
Barbara
marian,
you most definitely deserve and will need a massage after lucketts! best wishes for a successful show…all the anxiousness will disappear once you have your booth all set up and the mobs of people arrive to buy up all you have to offer! you go girl.
massage sounds divine. And don’t forget to treat the hubby and the kiddos for putting up with you. (don’t mean it to sound negative, I just know how it is with men-folk when gals get overwhelmed). Kudos to your family for their help. Sounds like it’s a family affair on many levels. Carry on!
Oh I wish I lived closer! I would love to shop or even sell at a marketplace like Lucketts. We don’t have anything like that here on the coast of NC. We have one dinky flea market nearby. It’s dirty and never have much to get excited about. The Raleigh flea market at the fairgrounds is pretty good but it is a three hour drive.
Good Luck at the show.
I just love your work and love your posts! I just looked where Lucketts Antique Market is and it is in VA! Well, it looks amazing but I live in Wi. and I think if I were anywhere near you, we could be friends! You have such a wonderful eye for making things new and fresh again. Good Luck at the Market.
Hey Marian… go for the Spa day! If we were still in Baltimore I’d be over to Lucketts like a flash! HOW I miss being in the B-W area with easy access to all the stuff the east coast has to offer… but that’s another topic altogether. Have a fabulous sale! What a lovely thing to know so many “friends” are looking forward to your being there with all of your gorgeous finds!
That was a fun list to read and relate to. It totally gave me a visual of you elbow deep in projects, dust, paint stripper and paint. Phew!!!
Cindy
Girl,
I swear the reason I know you is to make me feel like it’s not just me. Thanks for always being honest about where you are in your life and work. It makes the rest of us realize that just like you, we are all doing fine.
Can’t wait to see your booth. I may sneak by a little early, like on Friday when we’re all setting up to snag me a piece of that delicious ironstone you keep teasing us with.
From one Marian to another
hi…… stress…hahahaha…. no we never get stressed before a big show…lol…
cant believe its already here..andi have so very much left to do !!
just wanted to remind you that lucy (bel monili) and i will be selling at LUcketts too and a shout out on the blog would be awesone ! …hoping we’re doing dinner saturday ??? (i talked to donna and i think lucy mentioned it to you ?)
cant wait to meet you in person !
jeanne/juNxtaposition