Creating a Winter White Booth Space

I have been busy-busy-busy and have lots of posts to write.  I'm going to start with something I helped with at the antique store where I rent my booth - Rockin' B.  Yesterday, several of us put together a feature booth at the front of the store. I am calling it Winter White Wonderland - that's a lot to write so in this post I'll call it WWW for short.  It is fabulous!  Since I helped to make it happen, I should be modest and low key when talking about it, but I can-not-help-myself.  I love it and I'm not going to hide my enthusiasm!

At the front of the store, our wonderful decorators were starting to work out themes and ideas for three feature areas.  One item they wanted to use was a vintage aluminum tree.  The first thought that came to mind was a colorful retro look.  We also have a fun, vintage, red Formica table at the store that could be used to put that look together and it would have been very cute.  But then just before they really got going with that idea, something else happened that changed everything.

Meanwhile, back in our booth, Martie and I were trying to rearrange the booth to make some new things fit in.  Beth's soft gray table needed a change.  As we were moving things here and there, Martie set a white linen table square on the table.  I had a metal ornament tree already there.  It's sort of a pewter color.  Then it clicked for us.  The metals and whites and grays looked so nice together.  Once we had our new direction, everything came together fast.  It ended up with such a great look.  The rest of the booth was harder to put back together, but that's another story.

Then, the ladies up front came back to see our mini masterpiece.  They asked if they could move the whole thing - table and accessories - up front.  Well, OK.  We did have some things to put in their place, so it wasn't really a problem at all.  That was Thursday.

Martie and I went back over on Friday.  I took my blue vintage table to put in the empty spot in our booth.  That's the table I posted about a month ago.  I tried it in a couple of spots around the house (porch, laundry room), but in the end decided I didn't really have a place for it.  I put it in the booth and I know someone is going to come along who has the perfect spot for it.  I guess I kind of knew it didn't belong with me, but I loved it so much that I wanted to try to use it somewhere.

Back to the WWW story.  On Friday, we moved the table and all of the accessories up front.  Suddenly I knew.  That aluminum tree belonged with our table vignette.  Jacque (decorator extraordinaire) could picture it, too, and away we went, pulling things from around the store like crazy.  Debbie was working and she started pulling things, too. We had it set up in no time at all.

I am beginning to think that when things flow easily, you're on the right path.  When you work and work to try to make it work, it might be the wrong path.  All my decorating experiences this last week back up that theory.

The WWW is the first area you see after walking through the doors.

What a lovely sight.

 If you want to see more pictures of the WWW area, 

click on over to our store blog.  

I added a post to it this morning with lots of photos.

I had such fun.  I had so much fun that I missed lunch completely and didn't even care. Plus, playing around with decorating at the store helps a little with my decorating A.D.D.  I may not be able to have that all white look at my house, but by golly, I can have it somewhere!  Funny.  I used to have more fun with dollhouses and doll furniture than I did with the dolls.  So now, I'm playing with dollhouses on a much larger scale.  I love it!  I hope they'll let me help more in the future!

Be sure to check out the latest RE- Party!

We RE-do, RE-decorate, RE-organize, RE-pair, RE-upholster, RE-furbish, RE-finish, RE-purpose,  a
nd of course, we love to RE-lax! 

This party celebrates the RE-'s in our lives! 

 ~~~~~~~~

Take a look at these other wonderful link parties for more clever ideas.  

I'm linking this post with them!

• + Transformation Thursdays at The Shabby Chic Cottage
• Strut Your Stuff Thursday at Somewhat Simple 
• + Show and Share Day at Just a Girl
• Favorite Things Friday at A Few of My Favorite Things
• Flaunt it Fridays at Chic on a Shoestring Decorating
• Vintage Inspiration Fridays at Common Ground 
•  Fab Friday at Frugal and Fabulous Design
• It's a HodgePodge Friday at It's a HodgePodge Life 
• I'm Lovin' It Fridays at Tidy Mom 
• Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
•  Inspiration Friday at  Southern in My Heart
• Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors 
• Weekend Wrap Up Party at Tatertots and Jello  
• Favorite Things Saturday at Bargain Hunting with Laurie 
  
• Saturday Soiree at A Little Lovely
• Show and Tell Saturday at Be Different Act Normal 
• Check Me Out Saturdays at I Am Only One Woman 
• Vignette Fridays at Color Outside the Lines
• Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper 
• Silver Sunday at Gypsy Fish 
•  

Tiny Cottage of Her Own

I can't remember where I first came across this story.  After searching on Google, I know that many others besides me have blogged about it.  All I know is that I haven't been able to stop thinking (fantasizing) about it.

Here's the story as succinctly as I can tell it (I'm not known for being succinct).

The main character is Sandy Foster - an itty-bitty, cute and talented,  but frazzled woman.  She has experienced financial troubles all her life.  She marries a man who is loving and sweet and a wonderful cook.  She clearly married him for love - not money.

 They end up living frugally on a beautiful piece of property in the Catskills where their main abode is a not-so-smartly decorated trailer (man cave decor).  

It just so happens, there was a tiny, run-down hunting cabin on the property. 

It's not easy to get to - it's across a creek.  

worked her magic and it's now the exact opposite of the trailer -

a totally feminine white-on-white getaway.  

It has no electricity or water and likely never will.  No TV.  No phones.  It's a place she can go to when she needs to catch her breath.  A place to relax and feel all girly.

The NY Times did a story about Sandy and her cottage and has a fabulous slide show to go with it.  The story hit a nerve and captured the imagination of so many people.   Now she has people coming by to do photo shoots, TV spots (like Nate Berkus), book deals and more.   She created her dream in the best way she could and the dream became more than she could have imagined. 

I'll bet lots of women would love 

such a serene getaway.  

I suspect it would not be a place to escape, 

but rather a place to be quiet and recharge.

Want more?  So did I, so I started Googling.  One thing I came across was an entire blog devoted to tiny houses - Tiny House Blog.

But, best of all...  Sandy has a blog - My Shabby Streamside Studio - with loads of photos!!!!!!!!!!    Enjoy.

I have linked up to the following parties:
Mosaic Monday at Little Red House
White Wednesday at Faded Charm Cottage
Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage

The Screened Inn

Have you seen the recent posts about The Screened Inn at The Lettered Cottage?  Layla Palmer is the creative genius behind this cottage redo on Tybee Island, Georgia.  It's whimsical and happy and full of vintage charm.  In other words, it makes me swoon. 

The most recent post includes a free e-zine with loads of photos of the kitchen, baths, and master bedroom.  That post is from July 6th.  Oh wow.  My heart has been palpitating and I'm ready to paint all my walls white - Benjamin Moore's Moonlight White to be exact.

The July 1st post (my birthday, BTW) was from the same house and focused on the master bedroom.

 

The June 29th post has more photos.

Layla will be posting even more photo in upcoming posts.  I can't wait!  Meanwhile browse through her amazing blog.  There's so much more to see.