Thursday, June 23, 2016

LOST and FOUND

Today I'm going to tell you a story about loss.

Over the past couple of weeks I've thought a lot about what I was going to share with you after unveiling the photos of our kitchen renovation.  There hasn't been much over the past year or so that has equaled the excitement we felt as we finished that enormous project.

Thank you for the kind comments and emails...I remember all of you.  I feel like I've returned once again to the company of an old friend.   I've been away from HOME for a long, long time.
 
I'm a fairly passionate person...but if you've read my postings over the past several years then you already know that.  You also know I love my family and my Mr. AGP Man, my La Chaumière de Briarwood (that's my home, remember?), my little Yorkie dog named Mollie (who is now 13 1/2 years old), old lace, tag sales...and well, just creating.  

It's in my blood.
Has been for as far back as I can remember.
A couple of years ago I fashioned several vintage style Tote Bags and offered them up for sale.  I sold a couple of the larger ones on Etsy and several of the smaller ones on my website.  The one remaining Bag, a smaller one, I showcased in my local booth.  I had it draped over a mannequin and if you look at the center photo in my header you can see how I had it displayed.

The Tote Bag wasn't very large...but it spurred a great deal of conversation among the shoppers who stopped into my booth.  Unlike my website I don't offer a lot of  handmade lace-based items to customers.  Those types of things sell OK for me locally...but, unless you know firsthand the cost of old trims and lace it's easy to misunderstand the the reasoning behind the asking price of an item.
To some people, lace is lace.
To the keen or trained eye the great vintage stuff can readily be identified.  And it's often costly.

Three weeks ago I was in my booth chatting with a very nice customer (who is now also a friend) when she commented that she was happy to see the Tote Bag had sold.  Immediate panic set in because I knew it wasn't on my sold items report from the store.  From that very moment I knew it my heart it had been shoplifted stolen ripped-off!  I tried to make small-talk with my friend, but my mind was racing.  After she left I did a fairly quick, but detailed, look around the entire store and proved my first suspicion...

The pretty vintage lace Tote Bag, the one that took me hours to create, was gone.
Now...I guess it's important to tell you here that I am very aware that part of selling in retail means accepting the fact there will be loss.  I've had small things taken over the years and I suppose if you add up the value of all of them together the final tally would be fairly substantial.  Years ago when I was in retail management I caught many, many MANY people stealing from the store.  The loss came primarily from young boys who were fascinated with early gaming cards (like Yugioh).  But, we also busted middle-aged women for lifting greeting cards (yeah, I know!) and tiny little stuff that honestly made no sense to me.  By far though, the most difficult loss to swallow was when it came from my employees.  I better understand today the mindset of most shoplifters.  Generally it's isn't about need...it's about the thrill of taking something you don't have to pay for, getting away with a crime, or the false belief you are owed something.

Anyway...back to the missing Tote.

The store has security cameras and I have a couple of great ones pointing directly into my booth.  The eye-in-the-sky rarely disappoints...and we are dealing with it.

It's taken me a few weeks to get over accept this personal loss.  No...my house didn't burn down, my car wasn't stolen and no one I love was hurt. My body wasn't violated.

But, my heart was.
 Anger absolutely engulfed me and every time I thought about the work that went into making that petite little bag I was left feeling sick.  Honestly...I make things by hand because I love to create...the money I earn, although needed and appreciated, is not what drives me.  The actual hourly profit is so incredibly low (especially when making soft-goods) I've sometimes wondered over the years why I've continued.
  
When terrible things happen to us, whether it be something TRULY tragic or something fairly minor, our hearts ache.
Mine aches for fairness...justness...but mostly for healing.

Like I said...I've been pretty angry.
 This morning I picked up a piece of aging lace from an ever growing pile of vintage finds in order to begin again.  I wondered for a moment from whence all the laces, trims and bits of fabric came.  Were they fashioned by hard working hands? And how on earth did they find their way to me?  Most were discovered nestled amidst boxes filled with hoarded mementos, gathered or created over decades by the women who have gone before me.
Years of collecting led me to them. 

I suppose, not unlike the beauty found in the scraps of lace used to create my offerings, I've always believed it's possible for God to take the tiniest of scraps and unworthy pieces of my life and create something lovely from them if only I would allow Him to do so. 

And so, I did what I always do when discouraged and broken.  I returned to the embrace of the Master-Creator of EVERYTHING to trust Him to straighten the narrowed path I've found myself traveling upon...to make right again my journey... to soften my anger, quiet my spirit and restore my floundering faith in others.

 Someday, somewhere, I hope my lost Tote Bag will find it's way to a worthy person's hands...and in turn inspire them to continue on as I am continuing on...

To go where they are led.

Serve where they are called.

And once again be found.

Love to you...

Rebecca

Saturday, June 18, 2016

OUR FRENCH FARMHOUSE KITCHEN REVEAL

OUR KITCHEN - JUNE 2016
(View from Entry)

Today is the day!  I'm finally going to share with you the AFTER photos of our complete KITCHEN NIGHTMARE RENOVATION!  Now..before I begin I first want to tell you that the MAJORITY of the makeover was finished last summer.  It's taken my Mr. AGP Man and I nearly twelve months to get our heads back together and recoup from this enormous, do-it-your-selfer project.
THE BEGINNING
(January 2012)

As I go along I'm going to TRY and show the old pictures taken during the process and correlate them with where we are today!
KITCHEN ENTRY 2012

When my Mr. AGP Man opened up this wall and saw all the manifold of pipes I thought he was going to faint (they were in concrete!).  They had to be moved and barely fit in with our plans.  A pocket door was going to be installed to the right of the pipes and once the pipes were in place it ended up being a really tight fit!
KITCHEN ENTRY 2016
KITCHEN ENTRY RIGHT 2016
KITCHEN ENTRY RIGHT 2012
KITCHEN LEFT SIDE 2016
KITCHEN LEFT 2012
ENTRY TO DOWNSTAIRS BATH AND LAUNDRY ROOMS
(This is a painted Pocket Door)
LOVE THIS SINK
LOVE OUR ISLAND

One major change in our plans was NOT using the vintage counter for our island!  After we brought it home from Tennessee we realized that it just wasn't what we were looking for and opted for a change.  Found this amazing one at TJ MAXX for a few hundred dollars.  It's on wheels and can lock in place.  I may paint it one day...and then again...I may not.

I love the contrast! 

 GRANITE COUNTER TOPS and
FARMHOUSE PULLS 

 Choosing our counter tops was challenging.  We had a budget...wanted granite...maybe quartz.  Ended up choosing a granite I didn't feel I would grow tired of...I have to live with it for a long time.  

Found the pulls at Hobby Lobby!  Bought them one-half off and they ended up costing us about one-third of the pulls I first found online.  We bought several extra just in case one breaks...  They are an easy change out if I ever decide on a different look or decor.  
OUR STAINLESS FRIDGE
(Glad the White Monster in the Room is GONE!)
 THIS AREA WAS ONCE MY LAUNDRY ROOM CUBBY)
 POCKET DOORS LEAD TO OFFICE (L) AND PANTRY (R)
CUTTING OUT THE FIRST POCKET DOOR OF THREE (3) (The WORK was HUGE!)

The area my hubby is standing in was once our downstairs bathroom.  It was only a half-bath.  We opted to add a full size bath and a full laundry room once the kitchen was almost done!
STILL A LONG WAY TO GO - 2nd DOOR INSTALLED!
LOTS OF WIRING and RIP-OUTS!
 FACTORY CABINETS MY HUBBY CUSTOMIZED
 EARLY SHOT OF CABINETRY INSTALLED
(Still LOTS to Do!  Headers & Crown Molding Still to Go!)
   
RIP OUT!

When I see this early shot of my Mr. AGP Man working to the bone, it leaves me amazed and so proud of what he was able to do.  Had I truly understood the amount of back-breaking labor that was required, I don't think I would have ever entertained the idea of him doing all the work alone.

MY BELOVED...KILLING HIMSELF! :(

This may sound corny...but, I hope I'm a better wife today after seeing ALL the sacrifices he made to make our dreams of a beautiful new kitchen come true!
CHANGES ALWAYS ONGOING!
An early shot taken before the French pocket door was installed.  It was a HUGE job!

Yes...we lived like this for a long, long time!
MY MISS K and I in 2014

We really did live and work in the kitchen during the construction.  We just made do!

It was hard...but, we did it!
 HYDRANGEAS & A VINTAGE BUTTER MOLD, GRINDER & SCALE!
 THESE VINTAGE FINDS FROM MY MR. AGP MAN'S GRANDMOTHER!
 MY FAVORITE IN THIS BUNCH?
 THE NOODLE CUTTER!
 CANISTERS

I've had this canister set for a few years.  You can actually see them in other photos as the remodel was being done!
 OLD TRAY FROM A TEA CART

I still love white...lacy stuff, French, farmhouse and all things tattered and romantic.  I love the added black touches, even though sometimes I miss the pink rose decor I used (and loved) for years.
 
 OF COURSE I HAVE A TV IN MY KITCHEN!

I thought long and hard about adding a television to my kitchen.  In the end my guy wired for it ahead of time...just in case!  So glad he did.  I listen to music and sometimes watch cooking or taped shows when time permits!
A CRAIGSLIST FIND

Found this antique cabinet on Craigslist for $40 about 18 months ago.  It fits right in between the pantry door and kitchen entry opening.  I store tea-towels in the drawers and all sorts of other kitchen stuff!
 Just so you don't have to scroll up, here are the main pics again!
 I'm linking this post to all of the previous kitchen posts about our remodel if you want to check out the process...
 And so my friends...there you have it!  A beautiful renovation that took more blood, sweat and tears than it did money.  It took my Mr. AGP Man a long time to finish the renovation as he only worked on it all part-time.  When we started the demolition in 2012 he was just getting ready to go back to school to finish up a long-awaited degree in Computer Science...that meant only working on the kitchen on weekends.  In December of that same year he graduated with honors...and we were back on schedule with our big project!

Then...in July of 2013 he was laid-off after 17 years at his IT job at Xerox.
  
Things ground to a halt at that time.  Even with severance, we measured our money carefully.  As a result we lived with (and in!) a mess for quite a while.

That December my Father-in-Love passed away.

In January of 2014 my guy started a wonderful new job and we were so grateful to finally be back on track (again) with our makeover plans.

Then, in February 2014 my own dearly loved Father passed away.

By the time January 2015 was over, we were well on our way to having our dream kitchen completed.

I haven't shared much about the cost...but if our records are even close to being accurate, we believe the final price-tag came in around $10K.  That amount doesn't include the new fridge, microwave or the new dishwasher...but, it does include everything else.  

Customized Cabinets
Wiring and Plumbing
Flooring (Hand Scraped Wood)
Sheet Rock
Paint
Window
Trim (Baseboards, Crown, Molding)
Hardware
Lighting
Sink
Faucet
Granite Counter Tops
and
Incidentals

Would we do it over?  Well, probably.  Monday-morning quarterbacking is easy to do when you're on the other side of victory (or loss!).  

What I know today is that we increased our property value by at least $75K - $85K and that was before adding in the new bathroom and laundry room.  Monetarily is was wonderful.  Physically it was grueling.  

We are glad it's over.

Some things, no, many things didn't go as planned.
I opted to NOT get the expensive stove I dreamed about having.  In the end it wasn't important to me as we just wanted everything done and CLEAN again.  I may still get it later as the stove/oven I have isn't all that great.

I was disappointed about not being able to use the vintage counter as our island.  But, even that little disruption wasn't really upsetting.

  That said...I LOVE LOVE LOVE my new Kitchen and I'm so thankful, grateful and over-the-moon-HAPPY that it's completed.  This summer my hubby and I are going to California for a much deserved vacation.  We haven't really had one since the renovation began. 

On a side note...it's good to be back...taking ownership once again of the life God has blessed me with!

Just so you know...I've missed you all.

Love to you~

Rebecca   

  


 

Thursday, June 16, 2016

BEGINNING AGAIN...

MY BOOTH AT SERENDIPITY MARKET, EDMOND, OK

To my Blogger friends...however many of you might still be out there~  I'm sitting here thinking...Oh my gosh...not sure I even remember how to do this!!!  Yeah...it's been a while now...

Honestly, I don't know where to begin...sitting here typing upon my old familiar keyboard feels a bit awkward.  I've been away from it for so very long - too long.   I'm struggling to begin...  I had to go back and look at my last blog post to even know where I had left off.  Life sometimes gets in the way of life if you're not careful.
 
Yeah...it's been a while now...
 
Oh...I think I already said that~

The past couple of years have been such a learning experience for me.  Lots of ups and downs with so much change...allota stuff to muddle through.  I've discovered I'm not all that good with change.
 
Still, the world offers up it's challenges sometimes, right?  
I am pressing on.

MORE FROM MY BOOTH AT SERENDIPITY

I've been really busy working outside my home now that our kitchen remodel is finished and I can't begin to tell you how happy my Mr. AGP Man and I are that it's over.  It was such a big job...no...an enormous job!  I've heard it's best to never say "never again"...but, I'm sayin' it.
 
Especially so when, right in the middle of a MAJOR project, the main source of your income comes to an end.
 
Never Again.  And I mean it.  My guy and I survived the beginning and ending of this massive makeover aka: overhaul.  It left us exhausted.
And we are still trying to recover.  

Do-It-Yourself shows make it look so easy...and fast.

It's not!

I've haven't posted the final reveal pictures of what is now a beautiful Farmhouse Style Kitchen.  But, I will.
This week.
I promise.

A SWEET OLD CHEST
 
I still have my Booth at Serendipity Market, in Edmond, Oklahoma, and it continues to take up a great deal of my time.  I finally re-opened my website and it's feels good to dip my toes back into the online business side of my life.  Kind of weird as I've been away from it as well~  But, strangely normal, too.
MY PORCH WREATH
 
What is it that tugs us away from the things we claim to love?  I haven't figured that out yet...but I'm going to. 
 
To all of you, my longtime personal, business and online friends, thank you so much for the notes and emails over the past several months (that ended up stretching into more than a year)...  Bless you for helping me...praying for me... and carrying some of burdens.
 
You know who you are.  And you are loved.

I will begin again. 

Love to you~

REBECCA
 
  


 
 

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