~MY NEW THRIFT STORE FIND...A ROMANTIC ANTIQUE BED~

For all of you who are die-hard tag sale and junk store shoppers this little beauty will surely make your heart sing!  This is my latest thrift-store find...

A GENUINE ANTIQUE IRON BED!

Can you believe it?

SCORE!

  Now...I'm NOT kidding you when I tell you this but last Thursday while out junking around in the great state of Oklahoma I snagged this antique iron bed for $45.  At first I couldn't believe my own eyes.  

A real live antique iron bed at a thrift store for $45?

NO WAY!!!!!

When I saw her propped up in a bin of truly crummy 1980 particle board beds I had to blink a couple of times before I realized I was looking directly at a antique-vintage headboard and footboard.  After looking her over from head to toe (and realizing the rails were missing) I still didn't miss a beat when it came to pulling her out from her hiding place and dragging (literally) her to the front of the store.

This particular junk store (Value Village/Payless Thrift on Penn for all you OKCity peeps!) runs everything half off the price marked (weird, but they do)!!!  So the bed was originally $89.96 but half off was $44.98!!!!

The missing rails were no big deal to me because I see them all the time in antique shops.  The rails can be found...the beds on the other hand are a lot more difficult to locate...

Anyway...as you can see I wasted no time in painting her with a couple of coats of my favorite paint.  The bed had already been painted at least once...  Had she been in her original white condition I wouldn't have repainted her....but the gold and green....um, not for me!

Another great weekend snag was this vintage shelf.

Oops!

I forgot to snap a picture of it before attaching the applique (this one is metal from Hobby Lobby).  This shelf was $8 (Goodwill) and the metal trim was $2 (half off).  That makes it $10 before paint.  I opted to brush paint this one as spray painting can get very expensive!

 Here's a picture of it up-close.  Love the distressing!  After brush painting her I lightly distressed her edges before applying a light coating of wax....skipped the dark wax on this one.  Loved it just as you see it!

Remember the lamp from last week???

I love how she came out!  Generally I paint roses on lamps such as this, but not this time.  I love the lamp just as you see her here as well! 

After thinking about it and mulling it over in my mind for several months I've finally decided to jump back into the retail world and rent a booth space at a local market here in my town.  I know this will be shocking to some of you because when I gave up my previous space in the summer of 2010 I was pretty sure I wanted to take my business only in the direction of on-line sales.

I think it's amazing how some things can change in the course of eighteen months!

I suppose much of my decision is based on there being so much fabulous, sell-able product crowding up the storage areas in my home and that includes both my Mr. AGPMan's workshop and a sizable storage unit.  Now that our own home is about where we want it to be (save for our kitchen makeover) I'm better able to see what all we have and what we can and cannot use.  Besides that, I LOVE direct selling and always have.  I love the physical displaying of merchandise as well as window dressing so when the opportunity arose for a great space with old wood floors...well I snagged it with my hubby's blessing.  The extra money will come in handy with our kitchen remodel (which is CA-CHING $$$).  My new space is honestly five minutes from my house (or less) and that made the idea of returning to booth-space-selling all the more appealing.

I begin moving in on the 15th of May...

The bed, lamp and shelf will all be a part of my new booth space....   I'm sooooo excited!  I hope those of you who are local will come see me....(more about it's location soon!).

Look how big my Miss K is getting?  She spent the weekend with me and ALWAYS loves helping me transform my junk into junque!  She's my painting QUEEN!

I promise to share more pictures as I go!  Right now the framing of my previous space is being reworked and I hope it will be a killer-looking-display once it's transformed.  

Hope your day is wonderful!   I'm finishing up the last of the special orders for Mother's Day and so happy I can finally breathe again!

Today I'm linking up with Kathleen at Faded Charm for 
WHITE WEDNESDAY

Love to you...

 

~TREASURED FRIENDSHIPS...Meeting Up With Lovely Bloggers~

Good Morning, Peeps!

I've had the busiest week ever and I decided to take your advice and get some REST!  I totally zonked out last night after a crazy-fun day.  I slept for 10 hours...  OMGOSH...I never do that!  I guess my body had had enough of burning the midnight oil!  I've yet to catch up on visiting your sweet sites...I will this weekend though...sorry to be MIA!

This morning I feel afresh and anew!  Good thing...I'm at the grind again.  When you LOVE what you do for a living it never feels like work...therein lies my greatest struggle with managing my business and pleasure!

~GINGER and ME~

Yesterday I met up again with Ginger from Glitter and Roses!  She drove down from her Oklahoma town to visit my little 'shoppe' here  in Oklahoma City.  She came back to pick up some things I was custom painting for her and her beautiful daughter, Tammy!  It has been my JOY to serve them and I just love both of them to pieces!

 ~GINGER'S MUST HAVE~

Now...I didn't have my trusty old camera with me AGAIN (errr!) but, Ginger did!  She sent me all the pics she snapped. Including the one below where I gabbing on my cell with my Mr. AGPMan! (It's a daily ritual!) :)  I'll let her share the other ones with you...  I PROMISE to show you more of my booth space when I return from my jaunt out east!  OK?

~YAKITY YAK YAK YAK~

I'll be posting the date of the grand RE-OPENING of my WEBSITE very soon!

Blessings for a lovely Saturday...

~MONDAY MONDAY...So Good To Me~

MONDAY MONDAY

~So Good To Me~

My busy weekend is over and I've successfully laid out the plans for the next seven days. I have many things I want to share with you... lots of product orders to fill as well as exciting offerings for eBay to upload. Gosh...seems like I never stop!

That's right. I don't! But, I LOVE IT!

Did I ever tell you that I LOVE MY LIFE??? God is good! All the time!

First some big news! I opened a 100 Square Foot Booth in a local Antique Market here in Oklahoma City? I did. It's been a LABOR OF LOVE (and longtime coming). It's been over twelve years since I've had a 'physical space' in which to sell my wares. I'm about worn out from all the moving and hauling... Time will tell how much I continue to LOVE IT! More news and some pictures about this soon.

How about this one...

~DREAMS DO COME TRUE~
They Can Happen To You

Did I tell you that I sent out my very first WHOLESALE ORDERS on my Cookie Cutter Keepsake Cards? I did! I am proud to tell my Southern California Peeps they can now find them in both Orange, California at THE TEA LEAF COTTAGE and will soon be carried in a sweet Shoppe in Fullerton called THE COTTAGE ROSE. Thank you to both Joan and Patsy for showcasing my work (and for Sweet Tea...my SALESPERSON of the Year). :)

I might also add...I will be carrying the Cookie Cards on Etsy later this week and eventually on my Website! If you'd like to order them just EMAIL ME! Special pricing on Wholesale Orders, too! These sweet little pretties are great for FAVORS and Teacher Gifts, etc.!

Next...

~LOSING THOSE EXTRA POUNDS~
Getting Rid of the Junk in my Trunk

After DRAGGING my feet (more like my BUMM!) for far too long I've decided to join Weight Watchers. The time has come to finally rid my body of the extra 15 pounds I've gained over the past decade. I've opted to do the ON-LINE PROGRAM because the whole "Meeting Thingy" is just NOT FOR ME!! I'm lovin' it so far!!!! WHOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO! So far I'm down 7.5 pounds. Maybe I'll up my goal to 20lbs. :) :) :)

Lastly...

~I'LL BE DRAWING FOR EXTRA PRETTIES~
(See...you've gotta read!)

Don't forget about the DRAWING for the Sachet Pillow! The winner will be announced later this week! Make your comment, follow along, post the link, upload my button, etc. for a chance to win something for FREE!

Want to know something else??? I'll be drawing three extra names from MY FOLLOWERS LIST ONLY! But shhh....it's a secret! :)

Blessings to you as you begin a fresh, new week! It very well may be the best one of your entire life...Rebecca

~MY OLD SHOPPE...and a Love Affair with GREEN~

"THE COLONIES" ANTIQUE SHOPPES

(My Two-Room Shop - 1989 - 1992)

OK girly girls!!! Just wait until you see the peek into my past I have for you THIS TIME! I couldn't resist digging out these old photos of a Shoppe I once owned here in Oklahoma City! Filled to the brim with lots of handmade pretties, the Shoppe was very successful and sold country-themed items of the day... Can you tell???? :)

NOW THAT'S A LOT OF GREEN

Back in the late 1980's I owned this little two-room nook in an Antique Mall (it was actually three Victorian styled houses) here in my state! This was the first physical store I had after doing Craft Shows and Folk Fairs for several years and I absolutely loved it...

BUCKET SUE'S

(a nickname from my grandfather)

Back then I loved everything GREEN! Betcha can't tell, huh? I offered up lots and lots of handmade pillows and wooden shelves (remember all those HEARTS?) made by my Mr. AGPMan!

When the country-craze was in full swing we stained nearly everything the same color of GOLDEN OAK! Not many things painted cottage white back then....

LOTS AND LOTS OF SWEET PILLOWS

Some of the same cross stitch patterns I used all those years ago I still use today! I just don't use the same colors....(thankfully!). I'm still LOVIN' those pink pillows...Yum!

SWEET CABINET BUILT BY MY HUBBS

Even back then my guy did LOTS of stuff for me! He made almost all of my display pieces and all the cabinets and shelves I sold. How he did this when he worked full-time is beyond me!

CHARMING CRICKET ROCKER

This precious rocking chair was soooo darling that I cried when it sold. Needed the money more than I needed the chair!

ROLLED PAPER VINTAGE CARRIAGE

I found this beautiful old baby carriage (Wakefield) at a Goodwill Store and paid $45 for it in 1987. In 2000 I sold it for $500...good investment but I was sad to see it go!

LITTLE BY LITTLE "WHITE" TOOK OVER

If you look closely in this picture you'll see me standing behind the little check-out counter...

VINTAGE JENNYLIND TWIN BED

I loved this frothy white bed topped with the Laura Ashley lace-trimmed comforter! The ensemble didn't last long! It all sold the weekend I put it in the Shoppe!

REMEMBER THE BATTENBURG CRAZE?

During those days vintage linens weren't available like they are today! No one wanted CROCHET...they wanted crisp, white Battenburg Lace! The more the merrier! :)

VINTAGE SINGER SEWING MACHINE

I truly never dreamed I'd actually use a vintage sewing machine (or two) in my home as a nightstand! The one above I sold for over $300! Now you know why finding the two I have today for only around $20 each was such a find!

GREEN WAS ONCE MY PASSION

I still have one of these parasols! I have it on top of an old wardrobe and it looks charming!

I'm soooo thankful I got rid of all that green! My love for romantic country decorating evolved into the cottage look I love so much today! A few years after leaving "The Colonies" I went on to own a pretty brick and mortar store of my own... The things I learned during those early days of business still help me today with my on-line shop and my eBay sales under the name A Gathering Place!

Hope you enjoyed another look into my past...much more to share with you in the future!

Blessings to you as you reminisce about where you've been and just where you are going...Rebecca