What to Wear, What to Wear...

As we finish the 'prep & pack', then load up the trailer, I am thinking about the IMPORTANT stuff for this show: what to WEAR while at the Remnants of the Past show in Nipomo, California this week!

... and this morning, lo and behold, I came across this post on Debbie Dusenberry's Curious Sofa blog. Seems the fabulously stylish Deb has discovered a web site/blog in France, Atelier des Ours, that features a fashion style that tickled her fancy... and a lot of other girls, too: This looks a lot like what we are all wearing on the vintage show circuit in the west, and what artisans like Sara at Sweet Magnolias Farm and Leah at Belle Blanc are creating!

Me, wearing a short version of the same skirt shown on the Atelier des Ours web site, and an apron designed by Sara of Sweet Magnolias Farm. {Lacy blouse from Goodwill; vintage rose hat band made by me.} I guess this means I am finally in style - who knew?!

{And this girl is packin' shorts & skirts  along with petticoats for the trip - clear sunny skies and temps in the high 60's low 70's alllllll week. YES!}

{image credit: Lara Blair Images 2010}

What a thrill!

Our own Petite Retreat Vintage Market is featured on the Vintage Indie blog today!
Thank you Malia Karlinsky {Yesterday on Tuesday} for your sweet post about us, and sharing us with the Vintage Indie readers. Hugs!

It's that time again!!!

One of the best parts of our Petite Retreat Autumn Vintage Market on Saturday was my 'Sweet Sweater Pumpkin' class! Five vivacious and fun girls joined me in our newly-renovated hay barn for a few hours of creativity and laughter, while I demonstrated the simple techniques of making my original designs. Photographer Elise Liptack captured it all, and you can see her images here. My hastily-snapped photos are below:

Each participant created two of their own 'Sweet Sweater Pumpkins'... and I LOVE how different they all are! Their choices of sweater fabrics & colors, and then embellishments of ribbon, leaves, sparkly bling and other elements made each one a unique and personal masterpiece. {My white one is shown at the top of this post}.

Inspiring, yes?!

If you'd like to learn how to make your own versions of my original creation, check out this tutorial in a past post. {If you post them online or offer them for sale, I only ask that you politely credit me as the originator of the design, and call yours something else... let's all play nice, shall we?!}

And for those who don't want to make them, know that I'll have baskets & baskets full of these little darlings for sale in our booth at the upcoming Remnants of the Past show - in under two weeks!

From My Heart...

I'd like to offer my most sincere and heartfelt thanks to the many friends, neighbors, and vendors who gave so generously of their time, talents, spirits, and hands to help us this past week. Without each of them, there would have been no Petite Retreat Autumn Vintage Market on Saturday.

So, to each of these wonderful friends, we say thank you from the bottom of our hearts...

Linda Wright, My Mother's Buttons
JoMarie Richman, Rose~Marie
Debi Bock, Garden Party & 2nd Saturdayz
Donna King, Scandia Coffeehouse
Elise Liptack, Elise Marie Photography

Mike & Dianne 'McM'!
Patty Green & John
Mike Liptack
John Mackey
Mari Bloomberg
Julie & MaryBeth Sande, Poppyseeds
Lisa Hildebrand
Beth Evans-Ramos
Dona Morrison

I'd especially like to thank our sweet daughter Bethany for days & hours spent here on our farm, helping me work on the hard, heavy labor that had to be done.

..and even though I know they won't ever read this, thank you to the two kind young LDS missionaries who assisted Beth & I with the tent assembly. {I hope we didn't break you!}

We'd also like to express our thanks to everyone for the many, many emails and facebook messages we have received wishing us well, and for the copious sharing of links to our event information. Without this entire vintage community, filled with loving, giving, generous people, we would not have pulled through the events of the last few weeks and have hope for our future and our business.You are all wonderful!

Judy Watkins, Remnants of the Past
Deb & Mark Sidley, Pinks & Peonies
Jenny Kompolt, Jenny K and the Junk Girls
The Tattered House Girls
Joe & Jermonne, the BarnHouse Boys
Cindy Dockins, Queen of Tarte
Glad & Celia, Junebug & Mad Hatter Market
Gina Hagen, the Well Dressed Home
Ruth Harsham, the Beautiful Life
Serena Thompson, the Farm Chicks
Cindy Sullivan, Haley's Cottage
Timi Weathers-Bottorf, Come Junk With Us
Laura Madden Williams
Julie M., Little Red Shop
Teresa Sheely, Teresa M Sheely Designs

.... oh gosh, there are SO many more, and I just can't type any more tonight. I am still very sore from a week's worth of heavy work and no sleep. Stay tuned for more posts, more people to thank, and more photos, coming soon. ;0)

PS: Elise took that photo of me just seconds before we opened the gates for the show on Saturday morning... I look so calm and composed, don't I? HAH! That's what a great photographer can do, my friends! You can see more of her beautiful shots here.

Inspired by Amy

Have you seen this yet???

The fabulously creative and talented Miss Amy Powers

(yes, she who is my 'patron saint of the technologically disenfranchised '!)

has done it again... her new emagazine is chock full of 

'Inspired Ideas' from Amy and a gathering of her amazing friends... 

you'll want to try every craft in the book!

What are you waiting for? Go check it out!

In the Groove...

Thanks to the help of some wonderful friends and our daughter,
things are really shaping up around the farm for next weekend.

Among about a million other things, 

I'm busy working on more of the lil' darlings above.

You can get my original 'Sweet Sweater Pumpkins' at the show,

or learn how to make them in my class!

Visit our event blog to sign up....

If you're in the Seattle area, 

I invite you to visit us and our wonderful guest vendors...

My Mother's Buttons Jewelry

Rose~Marie Vintage-Style Home & Fashion

Garden Party Floral & Event Design

Elise Marie Photography

Scandia Coffeehouse 

and of course, Retreat Furnishings & Decor ;0)

Hallowed Ground

Throughout the course of history, unimaginable events have unfolded that always seem to result in the question, "Where were you when... John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas? Neil Armstrong walked on the moon? Elvis/Marilyn/Princess Diana died? The Towers fell?"

Memories of where we were, how we heard the devastating news, and how we reacted are indelibly burned into our minds. The events of just a few hours in history on September 11th, 2001 affected each of us individually, and changed us as a nation. They changed the course of many, many lives in ways some of us cannot begin to imagine.

While we stop and reflect on the lives lost on that day in the Twin Towers, on the streets of New York, in the Pentagon in Washington D.C., and in a field in Pennsylvania, let us also pause in remembrance of all of the lives that have been sacrificed SINCE then, in defense of our freedom as Americans, and of the lives of those who lost someone they loved. With no less honor and courage than those who served others in the hours following the terrorist attacks, men and women from all walks of life have given their all in the pursuit of justice and freedom for our country for years. For all Americans. They serve also in defense of those who cannot defend themselves - in pursuit of justice and freedom for all humanity.

In light of the hatred, fear, supremacy and intolerance that has recently reared its ugly head over the sanctity of Ground Zero, let us not forget that every square inch of America is hallowed ground. One Nation Under GOD. Not Jesus. Not Joseph Smith. Not Buddah. Not The Torah. Not the Quaran. Not the Bible. GOD. An absolute Holy Being known by many names, in many languages. We in America have the blessing of being allowed to choose who, what, where, when, and how to worship. Let us not only exercise that right for ourselves and our chosen faith, but defend it for ALL peoples and ALL faiths, and to respect one another equally as our nations' forefathers intended:

"When we regard a part of our own Species in the most abject and contemptible Degree below us, we lose that Idea of the dignity of Man which the Hand of Nature had implanted in us, for great and useful purposes." - George Mason, Patriot, Statesman, Author of the Virginia Bill of Rights, and 'Father of the U.S. Bill of Rights'. And my ancestor.
 

Autumn Retreat

 

Coming up just one week from Saturday: 

our Petite Retreat Autumn Vintage Market!

An intimate vintage shopping event, featuring 

fabulous vintage-style decor, fashion & gifts

from our handpicked special guest vendors. 

Come visit us on our farm and celebrate Autumn!

Saturday September 18

10 AM to 4 PM

Camano Island, Washington

{@60 miles North of Seattle}

More info here and here

Home is Where MY Heart Is...

The past week and a half has been so very surreal...

Since Bob's injury a week ago Saturday, we've spent far more time in the ER, surgery, recovery, and patient rooms at the local hospital than I ever imagined we could. It's been a huge change from our normally quiet but busy days alone together here on the farm... and let me tell you, neither of us has been sleeping at all. After 30 years of marriage, sleeping beside each other, a week apart has been misery.

Yes, he snores. And yes, I had the big bed all to myself for nights on end.
It SUCKED. I am not used to sleeping in a silent room. I am creeped out by every noise I hear {or IMAGINE I hear...} all night long. I hate waking up alone.

Our daily routines have been changed completely.
All the little things we do for one another during the course of the morning and afternoon and evening... getting a drink or a snack, the joking and talking and teasing, impromptu conferences about the progress of a project or idea, kibitzing over what kind of music to play on the sound system...all noticeably absent. I'd work here on Retreat stuff while he rested at the hospital (and I use that term loosely), then head in there at dinner time to visit and get updates from the staff. Then I'd head home alone, to send out updates about him on the computer and watch tv until I would fall into a zombie state and nod off about 2 AM.

And the next day, I'd wake up alone and start all over again.
IT SUCKED.

Monday, his surgeon's Assistant FINALLY released Bob from the hospital. Took us six hours to get OUT of there, but by 5 PM he was finally home and snoozing away in our big nest of a bed.

Right next to me, where he belongs.
I've never been so happy to listen to my man snore his head off all night long as I was last night... and we both slept like babies.

Today, while I worked out in the store getting ready for our Petite Retreat Autumn Vintage Market, he came outside and sat in the sunshine for awhile. We were able to chat a bit before he nodded off in his comfy chair. It was so 'normal' just to peek out the window and see that sight in the photo above... things will definitely remain changed for a long time. Doc says this is a nine to twelve month recovery. But he's better today than he was yesterday, and the day before that... so I am grateful.

Thank you Lord, for answered prayers.