A Busy Day

Sweet Malia is featuring an article about moi on her 'Yesterday on Tuesday' blog today, including my FREE retail resource for antique & vintage dealers! If you sell at shows or in an antique mall, there are a lot of tips & tricks from my 35+ years as a retail display stylist that can help you succeed.Thank you, Malia!
 
That post is also linked to my retail design web site, where I host the six videos I filmed & produced in 2008 at The Farm Chicks Show. You'll see some AWESOME displays in those videos from dozens of incredibly styled booths at the show, as well as interviews with women who GET IT! I was so lucky to be able to include Bari J (fabric designer & author), Tammy Gilley (mixed media artist), Heather Bullard (THEN she was proprietress of PresentPast Vintage, NOW she's Senior Editor of Flea Market Style magazine!), and of course Serena Thompson and Teri Edwards, THE Farm Chicks, in my series. SUCH fun!

(yes, I have two businesses - I design & sell decor products as Retreat, and design retail settings, write, and speak in the retail industry as Debi Ward Kennedy. I am certifiably crazy.)

Jeni Kennedy Spring, our daughter #1, is an International Massage Instructor based in San Antonio, Texas. She's here for two weeks to teach three courses of 'Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy' - otherwise known as Barefoot Massage (and NO it's not about massaging YOUR feet! It's about her using HER feet to massage all over you!) Sounds fun, huh? Take a peek to see what holding a class here at Retreat Farm looks like!

We are in heavy prep mode for our next show - the Island Chicks Vintage Show in Anacortes! (with a name like that, how can we NOT go?!) Lots of great furniture & accessories being created, and I'm working on our booth 'set' now. You don't want to miss this fabulous gathering of Northwest vintage dealers Saturday April 16 from 9 AM to 4 PM. 

What are YOU up to on this 'Hump' day, my friends?!

A Stylist's Bloomin' Secret....

 This charming little bit of springtime has a secret!

It started out as a blooming yellow King Alfred daffodil bulb,

but the bloom eventually withered.

Rather than have just leaves in the galvanized pots,

I resorted to one of my fave tricks for fresh florals:

I snipped off the withered bloom, 

and then pushed a glass test tube into the soil behind the plant.

(It's a small pot - usually the tube goes all the way into the soil)

From another bunch of blooming daffies

(this time they were a white Ice Follies variety),

I took one stem and inserted it into the test tube.

With a bit of water added each day, 

the cut bloom stays fresh so I can enjoy the look of blooming bulbs longer.

 It's a great trick for photo shoots!

This is foolproof for finicky flowering plants like orchids - 

if they won't bloom on YOUR schedule (for a party, perhaps), 

buy some cut stems of fresh orchids at the florist 

and add them to your plants this way.

Your decor will be perfect 

and no one will ever know!

Inspiration to Completion!

[found]

[found]

These two images 

(originally from Country Living & Cottage Living magazines, I believe)

have been in my 'idea file' for YEARS.

And so the minute I walked into the kitchen in our house here,

I knew exactly what I was going to do...

[before]

um.... yeah. Feels like 1984 in there.

vaulted ceiling, skylight, oak cabinets with rounded edged doors. ergh.

And tho I was once a die-hard chartreuse-green lover,

that kind of green in a kitchen is just.not.appetizing.

So when the hubs asked me on Friday

'Do you want me to take those outta' there?' 

as I was starting to paint the window trim,

I had them emptied before he realized what he was getting into!

Cabinets = 0, Deb = 1
[during]

We jumped right in and primed & painted the kitchen

with the same 'Camano Sand' color that's in the family room.

Crisp white trim on the window makes it seem twice as big.

Then the shelving that he made went up
and I got to load all of my ironstone & glassware on it!
[um, ok, not 'ALL' of it. the buffet in the dining room is full
of the good stuff. this is the everyday stuff]
[after]

 The way this opened up the room
just amazes me - and makes me smile!
The kitchen feels twice as large!

Eventually the base cabs will all be painted white. 

But for now, I love my 'dream come true' kitchen
and it was a PERFECT birthday present!

Thanks, honey!

The Birthday Queen

Tho I will not be wearing my 'official' Junk Queen Crown,

as of 12:01 AM, I am Officially the Birthday Queen!

On tap today?

Our eighteenth annual sojourn to unfathomably beautiful 

hundreds of acres of glowing daffodil fields

(any guesses what my favorite poem is?)

A stop at my favorite nursery

Bringing home bunches of sunshine from my local supplier

And snapping more photos like all of these.
The best part of the day is just spending it
with my best friend. He makes every day special
but on my birthday, it's even better!

Once back home, we'll also do a bit of work - but that's ok!
We've been working on a project,
and I am SO excited to complete it.
It's something I've wanted for a LONG time!

I had planned to post about it today, 

but it's not quite done yet.
As soon as it is, and I can snap some images, I'll share!

In the evening, I'll be watching THIS fun show
[which is like a Martha-ized version of the BarnHouse Boys]
Have you heard of these guys?
Truly inspiring - and FABulous!

Just like the day ahead...

 and I am celebrating!

[images by me]

Mooned!

We finally got to actually see one of the amazing celestial events that have been happening! (it's always been cloudy or raining.... no eclipse, no aurora borealis, no meteor shower for us.....) The SuperMoon made it's appearance at 7:57 last night, and we watched it rise from our perch on a cliff near our house:

 View of the Moon Rise across Livingston Bay on Camano Island

We call these 'Joe Moons'. 

[Remember the scene in the film 'Joe VS the Volcano', 

where Tom Hanks (Joe) is floating on his raft of trunks in the ocean, 

and the moon rises and it's HUGE? That's why. ;0) ]

Wouldn't you know it - I started snapping photos, and the battery on the camera started to go. SERIOUSLY??? ugh. No stellar shots of the rise. But that image at the top of this post was one I caught later, when the moon was up higher and over our house. I had time to put new batteries in the camera for that one!

Bob was having fun watching the moon through his telescope. It was utterly incredible to see the level of detail... the 'extra' light made it look as if we could reach out and touch it. And it lit up everything like a spotlight all night long, pouring in the windows and keeping me awake. Well, maybe it wasn't just the moonlight...

we're working on a project and I'd rather be up than sleeping right now! I'll be sharing that tomorrow - stay tuned. ;0)

 [images by Bob & Deb Kennedy]

 I know I'm not the only one thinking it.

Through smiles, I see it on others' faces.

Through laughter, I hear it in others' voices. 

In print, the message comes through loud and clear 

even if the words don't appear.

What is going to happen next?

How will it affect us? Me? 

My family? My business? My community? The world?

In a week, life as we know it could be radically different.

Or not.

We just don't know, do we?

Thing is, 

that is actually true every single day.

We never know if we'll get to wake up the next day.

We never know if we'll see a loved one again.

We never know if something will happen to end it all

within the next moment, day, week.

So here's my outlook right now:

Say 'I Love You'. A LOT.

Say 'I'm Sorry' even more.

Hug.

Smile.

Plant a flower - express Hope.

and Pray.

[Prayer isn't talking. It's listening.]

I wonder, and I worry (even tho I try not to)

and I know you probably do, too.

I don't have the answers...

and frankly, I don't think ANYONE does.

Not the news crews, not the talk radio hosts, not the preachers.

Not the President or the Emperor or NOAA or the scientists.

I think the only One who knows what is coming next

and what it means to our human race, our planet, our lives

is God.

Maybe you have another idea about it,

but that's mine.
 

He's seen it all, He wrote the book

and He knows how it ends.

And through it all, He's whispering 'I Love You' to all of us.

We are only human.

We will never understand why bad things happen.

Why good and innocent people suffer.

 But if we look back at history, 

we can see that humans survive awful things

and life does indeed go on.

We see that people learn to value what's really important

and to reach out and help others

in the face of disaster and loss.

We can be the faces of Hope,

the words of comfort, 

the hands of healing,

and the heart of faith

in these uncertain times.

Join me in a day of prayer for Japan

March 17 2011 . All Day, Everywhere

[found on facebook]

It's not the least we can do.

It's the MOST we can do.

Send money and donate, of course.

But a world united in prayer - thought - intention

can heal like nothing else can.

'Dear God, Help Japan'.

And you know, 

even though many of the people who live there

do not even believe in God,

He WILL.

Standing Ovation

There are a few very special people 

whom I just really need to stand up 

and say a very public THANK YOU to today...

First, to THIS guy:

My hubby Bob. I love you MOST. ;0)

Thank you for walking this road with me, being my friend and partner, and for holding my hand all the way. It's not at all what we thought it would be, but it's more than wonderful being here together. What fun being back in the swing of things with you today! I can't wait to see what comes next - and I am expecting more of the amazingly good stuff!

To THIS gal:

Dear sweet GLAMOROUS Celeste Shaw...

We met a few years back, and really have only just begun to get to know each other.

Dear girl, you need to know how much I respect and admire you, both personally and professionally... I love your heart, your soulfulness, your genuine way with everyone, and how you generously and unabashedly support your friends. I want to be you when I grow up. (and that truly has nothing to do with those 'personal shopping assistants' you have at the Farm Chicks show!)

To these gals:

Bubbly girls Patty Green and Liz le Dorze, thank you for your constant cheerleading!

Your smiles, hugs, optimistic outlook and honest, open, gracious, giving hearts make SUCH an enormous difference in my life. Your generosity and 'can-do' attitudes inspire me, and your confidence in me melts my heart. I am so grateful to have close friends like you. (and um, CLEARLY we need to have some REAL photos taken together, not just Retreat show vendor group shots!)

These four wonderful friends

and friends Mari Bloomberg, Julie Herbison, Debi Burton,

Malia Karlinsky, Kimberly Taylor, and Lynda Van Wyck,

along with so many sweet Retreat customers, fans, & followers,

made my past two days an absolute joy.

THANK YOU ALL!

 

Being back in the vintage circuit feels really, really good!

Sunday is a day of MAJOR rest, recuperation, and planning for us.

There's a whole lotta' work to get started with on Monday... ;0)

Forcing Spring...

During our last snowstorm I was just so ready for spring...
and very tired of waiting for it.

So, I grabbed some flowers, glassware, and burlap, 

played around with my dining room tablescape,

and came up with this 'spring-y' look!

 I rarely [if ever] use things for their originally intended purpose...

Case in point? These vintage glass light covers.

Stacked inside a clear glass cylinder vase, 

the round orbs look a lot like pricey blown glass art globes.

[They look STUNNING in a birdbath, too!]

They also make charming flower vases!

When I was done, I snapped some photos of the tablescape and room,

sent a few off with a completed interview to a writer friend... 

and lo & behold, she used them!

This photo appears on GalTime.com,

along with my interview in Malia Karlinsky's article 

'Spice Up Your Decor With Thrifty Finds'

in the Seattle, Madison, Wisconsin, and Hamptons, NY editions.

I was happy to share some of my tips & tricks 

for shopping & decorating with vintage & thrifted treasures.

Many thanks to Miss Malia for including me!

Marching Right Along...

Ah, March! It's my favorite month for so many reasons...

First, it's daffodil time! My favorite flower of all time. I think I fell in love with them when I first saw Disney's 'Alice In Wonderland' movie and Daffy O'Dill giggled and bobbled his way into my heart. Happy, bouncy, dancing-in-the-breeze little blooms. And yes, they DO have a scent! It's very earthy and fresh. Something I need to do VERY soon is to head to my local farmer's market and grab a few dozen bunches of sweet yellow blooms.And if I'm lucky, some creamy white jonquils, too!

Also, I'm a band geek - actually, a ColorGuard geek - so the name 'March' just tickles my funnybone. Love the memory of full-stride or high-lift hauling you-know-what across the dewy grass in the wee morning hours every day  and every Thursday night of my entire high school life. To this day the sound of a drum cadence and horns playing scales out in the open air makes my heart beat a bit faster. (See, I told you I'm a band geek!)

March is my birthday month. Actually, half of my family has a March birthday: Me, my uncle, my brother, my sister, my dad, and one of my grandmas. Busy month! (I'm a Piscarian, in case you are wondering. Born on the Pisces - Aries cusp. Makes for a whole lotta' confusion....) My mom used to make a big deal out of our birthdays, and I've always done that for my kids, too. Ever since moving here to Seattle, my birthday celebration includes a drive up to the Skagit Valley, where there are fields and fields of daffodils blooming. One of the most glorious sights I have ever seen...

Last but certainly not least, March 1 brings with it the knowledge that Daylight Savings Time is close at hand, and that means SPRING and SUMMER are coming! Cue the choir, people...it's been a loooooong winter and those little tulip and daffy leaves sprouting up in my yard are like salvation to my soul right now. I'm like a kid, nose pressed to the window, watching the leaves get a smidgen taller each day....little Debby, just waiting for spring to arrive!

Tell me, what do you do to celebrate spring's arrival?