Settin' up shoppe.

I am back in New Hampshire, working hard on my shoppe and getting it ready to open the doors on the 13th! Soooo...I will be a bit out of the blogging loop for a while as I am most likely covered in paint and dirt! But I'll be back soon. And here are a few pics of the happenings at the shoppe--lots of painting and colors and swirls! :o)

Decoupaged wall of old children's book pages

Ta-da! (it dried to more of a sepia tone...this pic looks kind of yellow)

Whattayathink?

Details, detail, details! All of my paperwork for the state has been submitted and any day now, VeggieArtGirl (on Squam) will be an official LLC! :o) I am finishing up the final logo design for the shoppe so I can start building my sign and print my business cards and hangtags. In keeping with (my wacky) traditional font/style, I wanted to give this logo a retro feel, but with an earthy type border that can be used throughout the identity of the shoppe. I had been literally drawing for days, and today I came up with this, while (getting a sunburn) sitting on the lawn at Earth Day Fest. I am feeling pretty good about this one, but any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

I am also looking to tighten up the tagline, if anyone has any suggestions. I made a swap from "an earth-friendly boutique" to "a funky, unique boutique" about a month ago when a.) I got nervous about the responsibility I would be holding as an "earth friendly" gallery and b.) when I found out "unique" and "boutique" rhyme. I am still committed to making all aspects of the place as friendly to Mother Earth as possible and will be bringing in many artists who work with recycled mediums. But I am also extending the opportunity to some artisans who may not work from all salvaged/recycled materials, so that I can provide a greater variety.

So think tagline and feel free to shoot me a line with any suggestions/comments! Just to get your creative juices flowing, here are a few (of the many) crafts that will be featured in VeggieArtGirl: vintage/retro clothing, handsewn aprons, funky jewelry, photography, woven fibers, herbs, lotions and potions, mosaics, fun hats and more. It's going to be great, and if you are looking for a place to sell your wares this summer, also hollar at me! Thanks!

Building and planning and painting...oh my!

To fill y'all in real quick (in case you didn't know): I am moving back to New Hampshire in June to open a little boutique on Squam Lake (appropriately named VeggieArtGirl). Essentially, I hope to be able to spend my winters in Asheville, and summers in New Hampshire. But as June is quickly approaching, I have been working on stuff here to bring there for the shoppe. Before I left, I laid a pretty solid foundation--paint on the walls, display racks moved to the location, and took measurements so that I can be building stuff while I am here. I feel I am in good shape about all of this, and have a good feeling about it. I have been painting and creating and planning my head off!

But as I am trying to organize things here for there, I am still in need of a few items to display. I am in search of a garment rack for my vintage clothes I will be selling (we're talking vintage--just wait 'til you see some of the disco-y dresses and groovy threads that are going to be in store!) Ideally, I am looking for something like this:
But I could use something like this as an alternative:

Ahhh...but then I saw this: So now, I am trying to create a design that will be easy to build, be sturdy enough to hold a ton of polyesther suits and have a rustic look to it. Not sure if all of this is feasible, but I do like the idea of it. So, if anyone has a place they can send me to online for ideas or help, it would be greatly appreciated! Orrrr....if anyone knows of a boutique that is going out of business or has one of those metal racks kicking around (and you want to make a few bucks), send me a line! :o)

Come to our OPEN HOUSE this Thursday Night!

Most of you know that I am teaming up with my friend Diane on a business adventure on Squam Lake. When I return from my NC travels in the Spring of ’09, I will be opening a seasonal gallery in a shared space at the corners of Rte 175 & 3 in Holderness, called Veggie Art Girl: an earth-friendly boutique. Diane is going to have a fun shop filled with old-fashioned presses, offering all sorts of nifty services from graphic design to boat lettering to silk screening. I will have my shop in the space beside Diane, and we are going to rock Squam Lake this summer!

Why all the buzz NOW when I am not opening ‘til spring? Before I leave, I wanted to make sure everything was in order. So as you know we have been ripping carpet, painting, building and remodeling the space (ahem...any help is gladly welcomed if you love to paint or build!) We’ve been working hard and now we want to CELEBRATE!

So come on down this Thursday and check it out! We’re opening the doors from 6-8 p.m. for munchies, live music with Jim Tyrrell and fabulous raffles. We’re at the corners of Rte. 175 and Rte. 3 in Holderness…you can call 968-3192 for more info/directions.

Or are you an artist looking for a space to display your wares? If your work is earth-friendly (salvaged goods, water-based paints, recycled materials, etc.), then come on down Thursday night to talk to me! I’d love to showcase your work this summer on Squam!

Happy Holidays everyone!

Sneak peek. :)

I spent the entire weekend moving, drinking coffee, ripping carpet, painting, hauling, lifting, painting, drinking more coffee, eating bad gas station pizza, moving more, and painting until my arms were numb. And despite some sore shoulders, I’m feeling pretty good about it all. There is a light, waaaaaayyyyyyyyyy at the end of the tunnel, but it is shining and I couldn’t be happier about all of the crazy changes I am going through. In a little over a month, I am moving to North Carolina (nothing like a time crunch!). But before I go, I'm renovating my space on Squam Lake, where I am going to have my very own little gallery in the spring. I’m cleaning this adorable little space to make my own…I love, love, love it! :) It's currently crammed full of crap and still needs a good cleaning, but here are some pics of the space...isn't it beautiful? :)

Great friends, glowsticks...and a little bubbly.

New and exciting happenings are on the horizon for me. My new shop (opening in June of ’09) will be one of my next adventures, which I am thrilled to open. I will be teaming up with my buddy Diane (of Taylor Made Graphics LLC) at a swank new location near Squam Lake. And while I will be sure to post more about that as soon as we start to remodel, move and get going, I just wanted to share a picture I took of an adorable token of congrats I received from one of my friends. I went out to my van after an Artistic Roots meeting on Tuesday night (hoping it would start…Janis has had some engine issues lately), to find a sea of glowsticks, banners and a bottle of champagne on my seat. It was delightful and made me smile the whole drive home…thank you, Tara.