For Sale

I recently began selling some of my Kat W. Designs artwork at a few local stores, including Lola Belle Co. in Leonardtown,  Cecil's Country Store in Great Mills, and at The Vintage Source, also located in Leonardtown but only open once a month.

Because I love and shop at all of these wonderful stores, and because I consider the wonderful women who run these stores to be friends, I made sure that each shop had at least one item and sometimes more that was exclusive to their shop alone.  Each of my fine art prints are printed on high quality archival paper and framed in shabby chic inspired beautiful handmade wooden frames.

Over the next few weeks, I will be taking you to each shop and showing you not only my artwork, but all of the wonderful things these three shops have for sale this spring, but today I'll be taking you around The Vintage Source since this weekend they will be open for business on Saturday and Sunday!

Those of you who have been visiting my blog for awhile know how much I love The Vintage Source and their wonderful array of reasonably priced furniture and vintage accessories.

And it's always a treat to see how they have everything displayed in the shop.  Today when I was there, the girls were all frantically arranging, painting, and getting everything ready for their big weekend.

Some of these scenes will look beautifully pulled together and ready for customers, who line up early in the morning in anticipation of their doors opening, but others will show you how crazy the shop can be right before a sale.

As the VS girls rushed around moving large pieces of furniture, fluffing, and organizing as I snapped away today, they reminded me how much still needed to be done before they were ready to greet their customers on Saturday.  But they indulged me none the less and let me capture some of the chaos that comes before the beauty that we as clamoring buyers get to see after all of their hard behind the scenes work is done.

It's always a treat to see what new treasures they have found from month to month, like the beautiful transferware bowls pictured above.

And the way they create such a homey and inviting atmosphere with their appealing mix of vintage, antique, and funky accessories.

The picture above is a great example of what a massive undertaking these sales are each month.  Not only do they find the furniture they sell, but they also refinish, repaint, and even reupholster much of it.  In the final days before each sale, they are busy prettying up the place.  But before everything is made beautiful, there is a whole lot of rearranging, moving, and jumble going on.  Then, like clockwork, it's all magically done by the time they open.

I say magically, but I was just tired from being there for a short while today watching them scurry around painting, and hauling heavy furniture from one place to another until it looked just the way they wanted it to.  Imagine moving and redecorating your house every single month...yeah it's kind of like that!  I told the girls today that I'm WAY too lazy to own a shop like this, but I'm really glad they aren't!

Because they are so full of energy, lazy people like me get to come in and buy the fruits of their labor, like this beautiful piece.

Or this one...look at the beautiful detailing on the legs and the side!  And trust me when I tell you that it won't last long.  These sales have people lined up around the block and you better get there early if you see something you love on their New Arrivals page!

You never know what you'll find, like a beautiful botanical print in a gorgeous frame...

Or a to die for cupboard that would look oh so good in my house if only I had a little spare room!

There are vintage dishes, glassware, and wonderful serving pieces.

Something for nearly everyone.  Wouldn't these vintage purses be perfect for a wedding or the prom?!

And here is a find I spotted today.  It's a wonderful piece of artwork by the famed American folk artist Nancy Thomas.  Nancy Thomas' artwork is prized by collectors around the world and her artwork has appeared in numerous magazines, movies, and museums.  Her artwork has even found it's way into the White House!

The one above is a large metal piece from her original calendar series and is no longer in production in this large size.  When it was available in this large format it sold for almost $300.00, but today I saw it priced at The Vintage Source for only $150.00!!  Someone will be very lucky to get their hands on one of her wonderful pieces for such a low price, and I'm sure the collectors will be fighting for this one!

 That's what the girls at The Vintage Source do, they find great deals and then pass them along to you!

They also just find cool stuff, like this little guy above...

And if I had my new patio already, this set of 4 metal lawn chairs would have been mine!

 

Let me tell you, it was hard to stay focused today while I was there, with all of the great things they have for sale it's easy to want to walk out with everything they have.  But then I settled myself down and remembered what I was there for...to drop off some of my cards and artwork for them to sell.

Sorry for the lousy picture above, I was so busy looking around and jabbering that I waited until the light was low and didn't have my tripod with me so the picture of my artwork isn't the best.  But that's ok, it just means you'll have to visit The Vintage Source this weekend yourself to see my artwork and the other wonderful things they have for sale this month.  The iris piece above is exclusive to The Vintage Source, and I have a few other pieces there as well.  To see more of what's available for this sale, click HERE!

If you are in the area, and even if you aren't, you won't want to miss this sale...happy shopping!  And a special thanks to Sheryl for letting me sell my artwork through The Vintage Source!

And Happy Birthday to my handsome boy, he's 3 years old today!  Love you Quinnie!

A Sneak Peek and A Reminder

I finally got a little mojo going last night and finished the tree in my living and dining room.  It's not a complicated tree, or even a tree in the traditional sense really, but after several days of staring at bare branches in a container I decided it was time to dress them up a bit. 

Once I'm done with both of these rooms I'll take some pictures to give you the full effect of it, I'm really loving the way it turned out.  Simple and natural with a touch of sparkle and beachy'ness, my favorite combination this time of year.

I also wanted to remind you of a few wonderful things going on this weekend.  Starting today, there are two wonderful barn/tag sales happening.  One is at Ekster Antiques outside of Leesburg, Virginia.  I featured Ekster's last sale in a post (HERE).  And several of the photos I took at that sale are also gracing the pages of this month's Romantic Country Magazine (Yipee!!), which should be in your mailbox or on newsstands sometime in the next few days.

If you live in or around DC or northern Virginia you won't want to miss this weekend's barn sale at Ekster!

The other sale which starts today is a tag sale going on at Chartreuse and Co. in Frederick, Maryland.  I've never been to Chartreuse and Co., but my dear friend Connie has and she tells me it's a "must" see.  If you click on the link above to their site you'll be treated to lots of photos of all of the wonderful things they currently have for sale!

It's also a Vintage Source weekend, the last one for 2010, and it's sure to be a good one!  The Vintage Source girls always end the year with a bang, and based on their "New Arrivals" page this sale looks like a great one!  During their sale weekend in December last year I picked up my lovely horse pull which holds my Christmas stockings!

I also want to take this opportunity to say goodbye to a wonderful woman, great friend, and one of the Vintage Source "mommas,"...Cathe Chiomento.  From the moment you meet Cathe you can feel her warmth and great infectious personality.  Cathe also has an amazing sense of style as you can see by the photos above of her home, which sold in just a week!  She and her husband are moving back to Pennsylvania to be closer to their children and grandchildren and St. Mary's County will be a little less bright once they leave at the end of this month.  Best wishes Cathe, and I can't wait to see all of the beautiful things you will do in your new home...I'll definitely be coming for a visit sometime soon, with camera in hand!

And last, but certainly not least, don't forget about the wonderful sale going on this Saturday at my friend Susan's home which I wrote about HERE!  Trust me when I say that you won't want to miss this sale either, and why not make a day of it and go to both Susan's sale AND The Vintage Source's sale...with lunch in between of course! 

If you live too far away to go to any of these sales never fear.  Over the next week I'll be sharing with you a few of my favorite Etsy stores and online retailers.

And for those of you who live in southern Maryland, I'll also be sharing a few of my favorite local stores so be sure to check back!

In the meantime...Happy Shopping everyone!

Old Friends

I'm still plugging away with work and have barely scratched the surface on decorating, but I'm getting there, slow and steady wins the race right?!

Each year when I pull out all of my Christmas decor, there are a few items that appear like old friends.  They are the tried and true, the items you wouldn't part with no matter how much money someone offered you for them, or how tattered and torn they become.

When we remodeled our house, we had planned to add a fireplace but decided to wait and put one into the sunroom which is still in the works...maybe Santa will bring me a sunroom?!  So last year I needed to find a way to display our Christmas stockings even though we lacked a mantel.

Enter the horse pull I found at The Vintage Source's Christmas sale last year.  I love it and think it's the perfect substitute until we build our room with a big stone fireplace.

The reason I needed a way to display our stockings is because these aren't your run of the mill stockings, they were made with loving care by Mr. Tide's grandmother, Grammamom!

By the time Mr. Tide and I got married, both of my grandmothers had passed on, so I was fortunate that he still had his mother's mother and a step grandmother on his father's side.  Both women were wonderful people who treated me as if I had always been one of their grandchildren.

We married in June, and by that Christmas Grammamom had already knitted me a stocking to match the one she had knitted for Mr. Tide when he was just a little tyke!  I was both surprised and delighted to have one of these treasures made with so much love.

When our daughter came along she once again knitted a stocking to join our family of beautiful stockings.  Since our daughter was born on Constitution Day, she added a little American Flag to the stocking.  She was like that, smart, thoughtful, and caring.

Each stocking features a Santa complete with a soft mohair beard, sequined trim and two tiny silver bells, one adorning Santa's hat and another at the tip of the toe.

When our son was born, Grammamom was getting on in years, but she still managed to make him his very own stocking.  His was the last one she knitted herself for the grandchildren.  Mr. Tide's mom, a talented needle worker in her own right, took over the duties for the last granddaughter.

I keep these treasures tucked in a box in my Hepplewhite chest in the living room for safe keeping the rest of the year, but during the holidays I can't wait to open the box and take each one carefully out, admire their beautiful handiwork, and then hang them in anticipation of being filled by Santa on Christmas Eve. 

I have a few other old friends that greet me each year as I decorate, like the December angel above.  These were popular in the 1960's when I was little, and each of us had one representing the month of our birth.  Since I'm a December baby mine gets displayed each year during my birth month.  I love her pretty poinsettia and her sweet face.  She even has a little set of bells on the side of her skirt.
 

The little reindeer above has seen many Christmases over the years and she's a bit frayed and missing her bell, but each year when I was little she sat on my dresser next to my toothpick tree!

Did any of you have a snow covered toothpick tree?  My mom made one for all 4 of us, each with little balls that fit on the end of each toothpick.  The balls each represented our favorite colors.  My brother's were gold, my sister K had purple, my sister M had pink, and mine were blue!

It's funny how many memories you can evoke with something as simple as an old ratty reindeer isn't it?  I think that's what I love most about Christmastime, no matter how far some of our loved ones are away from us, their memory lives on through the little things we cherish.  Maybe that's why so many of us work so hard to create those sorts of memories for our own children!

Throwing In The Towel and A Giveaway

One of the best parts of my job, in addition to seeing great homes, is meeting wonderful people.  Often times when I write about someone's home we end up becoming friends.  And because of this, I have a large circle of great people I've met during my time as a writer who have then introduced me to even more wonderful friends...a completely amazing ripple effect that has enriched my life immensely over the years!  

Such was the case with Lyla from Old Spool Embroidery!   I met Lyla thanks to the wonderful girls from The Vintage Source when my friend Cathe brought me some of Lyla's wonderful beach inspired embroidered towels as a hostess gift.  I fell in love with these wonderful cotton flour sack towels and Lyla's imaginative designs and posted about them here...before I even knew who Lyla actually was.

One thing led to another, and at one of  The Vintage Source sales a few weeks after I received my gift, I had the chance to meet Lyla and see more of her beautiful towels!

Since that time, I've been dying to introduce you to Lyla and show you some of her wonderful wares!  She has so many wonderful designs to choose from... birds, nautical, patriotic, holiday, and children's themes...so many really wonderful and unique styles there really is something to suit everyone's decor!

 

With so many great towels to offer, I ended up selecting a few of her fall designs to feature in this post.  And I think you'll agree that these towels are something special!  I love all of them, and found myself having a difficult time trying to choose just one to be my favorite!   Just look at the detail that goes into each one, like the beautiful rooster towel above.

 

If I had to pick just one...ok 2, it would be this darling set...

I love the saying on this set...If the broom fits...

Fly it!!!   Such a fun way to add some whimsy to your kitchen or bathroom for Halloween don't you think?!

As I snapped away having fun looking at all the different designs Lyla offers, I couldn't help thinking about all the ways you could use these great towels.  Teacher's gifts, for a housewarming gift, hostess gifts...especially if you'll be visiting family or friends for Thanksgiving dinner this year.  And at just $6.00 US a piece, how can you go wrong?!

If you're like me and love them yourself, why not buy a few to decorate your house with as well?  And at that price you can afford to buy some to give and some too keep without feeling even a little bit guilty!

 There are pumpkins and apples...

 Reminding us that fall is all about the bounty that surrounds us this time of year.

And why not have your child give his or her teacher an apple towel this Christmas as a thank you for all they do throughout the school year?

Is there someone in your family who makes the best pies every year during the holidays?  This towel would be a great way to show your appreciation for the yummy desserts they bring!

 I love the simple detailing on this pumpkin towel.

And don't forget there's still time to pick up a few great towels for Halloween, like this one "witching" a hostess or special friend a Happy Halloween!

This spooky tree would be perfect in a powder room to welcome your guests.

 And wouldn't this be perfect in a child's bathroom?!  I love this adorable bewitching doggie towel!

Since we're all a little batty at my house, this Home Sweet Home towel would be very appropriate!

If your tastes run on the more formal side of things, then these great designs will be right up your alley.

 I love the pumpkin one...

Paired with the beautiful witch's hat they would make quite the statement no matter where you decide to hang them!

In case you've skipped past fall decorating and are thinking about Christmas already, you'll love the great Giveaway Lyla has generously offered to one lucky reader!  I'll be posting more of her wonderful holiday designs, like the one pictured above, in a post a little closer to Christmas, but I couldn't pass up this wonderful giveaway!

You see, Lyla has offered to give one of you a set of holiday towels that are just too cute for words!

 They feature the days of the week...

Each one more darling than the last...

Embroidered on soft white cotton, these happy little snowmen will bring a smile to your face every day of the week!

Wednesday's snow child is clearly not full of woe!

And Thursday's child seems to have far to crow...ok sorry I couldn't help myself!

I think Friday is my favorite, I love his kicked back attitude...which is what Friday's are all about, right?!

If you're like me and can't snow ski to save your life...straight down the mountain lickity split and completely out of control, then you can simply admire this happy fellow instead!

Lyla normally sells this darling set of 7 towels for $32.00 US but she's generously offered a set for my latest Giveway!!  Thank you Lyla!

Lyla recently...as in yesterday...opened her Etsy store, Old Spool Embroidery, which you can visit by clicking HERE.  Because it's so brand spankin new there aren't a lot of things offered there yet, but don't despair, you can contact her via email at oldspoolembroidery@comcast.net to order some of the wonderful towels you see above.

And soon she'll have everything she has available in her shop including lots more wonderful items that I didn't have room to feature in this post...so check back to her Etsy site often to see what's new!

If you live in southern Maryland and need instant gratification, or one of Lyla's wonderful towels right away, you can stop by The Vintage Source for their big flea market event this weekend!  Lyla's towels will be on sale and ready for immediate pick up!

Ok, so now on to the Giveaway for the Days of the Week Holiday Towels!!!

1.  For one chance to win visit Lyla's Etsy store, Old Spool Embroidery, by clicking HERE and then come back and tell me which towel you loved the most...if you liked one of the ones in my post the best then you can simply tell me which one of those was your favorite!

2.  For a second chance, become a follower and leave me a separate comment letting me know that you've joined in the fun!  If you are already a follower...thank you, and be sure to leave a second separate comment so that you are entered twice!

3.  For a third opportunity to win the towels, Tweet, Facebook, or Blog about the giveaway and then ***come back and leave a 3rd comment letting me know.***

The Giveaway will be open until next Wednesday, October 20th at midnight PST.  Good luck!