Crafty Kathy: pimpin' out a vintage suitcase

This groovy suitcase was my grandma's from before she married my grandpa. It has her initials embossed on the top and is so beautiful, but the inside smells not so beautiful. So it has become a prop in my store. It already had one old label stuck to it (the middle round one), and I decided that I was going to add more bling. I picked up these labels in MY travels and decided to give some new life to this treasured vintage piece by mod podging them on. Mod Podge is awesome stuff, man. You can stick anything paper to anything: furniture, walls...anything.

And it dries clear. Now it's a beautiful piece that shares a piece of my grandma and my travels in one. I just love it! :o)

Tip: if you want to make something like this, scope out thrift stores and yard sales for old suitcases. Save those wine bottle labels or use squares of funky paper and a lil' Mod Podge to create a vintage piece of awesome!

Crafty Kathy.

It's been muuuuuch colder than anticipated here in Asheville, so I have been hybernating. No complaints from me, though....as long as I have my space heater and my paintin' pants, I am all set. I have been making crafty goods to both sell and display at my shoppe (which I am uber excited to reopen!). Here's a little how-to project that is going to adorn the walls of the Veggie Art Girl Boutique in the spring:

These little people clothes were all finds from the Goodwill Clearance Center here in Asheville. I used scraps of fabric with iron on material to create letters and cut them out in my signature font. They are going to hang on a make-shift clothesline with vintage pins on the wall above the (new and improved!) vintage clothing section of the boutique. Fun!

You KNOW you want this shirt!

This is a true gem...probably one of the sweetest vintage pieces I have EVER come across. It's a baseball style t-shirt in super condition with the JACKSON 5 on it! A similar one once old for a near $200. If I can fill Janis' gas tank with my earnings, I'll be happy as a clam. I just wish the shirt fit me! Check out the eBay listing (I am thinking of posting a few vintage pieces to see if I want to join the wonderful world of eBayers, so any feedback or suggestions are greatly appreciated!)

Man, I love, love, loved Michael Jackson.

Check this out!

Sometimes I find it overwhelming how beautifully the pieces of this crazy univeral puzzle fit together. And it really is the small things in life that matter.

It's no secret that I have been spending my days in Asheville preparing for my shoppe opening in New Hampshire in June. And boy am I excited! I have been scouring yard sales and thrift stores for all of the fixtures I needed to find (more on that later...just WAIT 'til you see the finds I have to show you!). I have been collecting vintage clothes, sewing skirts, painting signs, making hula hoops and trying to organize all of the paperwork from 1,000 miles away. And while I am known to most as an absent-minded and sometimes flighty artist, I would consider myself to be right down the middle: both right and left brained. I love to be creative, but excel at keeping things orderly (I'm not saying I DO THAT all the time...I am just good at it). I like to get messy, but I like organizational office supplies (a quality my mom and I both share we realized one day, as she was flipping through a Staples catalog and I could not wait for her to pass it to me).

So in my ridiculous organization, I made a list of everything that I was searching for in my Asheville travels for my shoppe. It was very specific, from a metal vintage clothing rack to scrolly plastic frames to maroon velour fabrics. One thing I wanted to find was a small rack to display my mom's gorgeous bracelets that she is going to be selling at Veggie Art Girl (ones that I wear and receive compliments on daily!) So I set out to the Salvation Army. They are having a green dot half price sale. I walk in, pick up this (used to be mug holder), think "wow, that would be perfect," see the green dot, pay $.50 and go on my merry way (oh, I also found a great pair of boots for $3.00 while I was there!) I hop in Janis and look at my new treasure, wondering what color I am going to paint it. Then I flip it over: Lucas Co. Manufacturing. This is a sign from the universe, right? Well, my jaw dropped over it!

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!

The Revolving Door

This was a fun little project right here in town that I got to paint a few weeks back. An avid lover of anything vintage, antique, unique and for a bargain price, I stopped into the Revolving Door in West Asheville, where I met the owner, Doni. We connected about painting her windows and signs, and I added splashes of color and movement--I made the windows look kind of vintagy...like old circus signs, and the sandwich board to match. And next--we're painting her front door bright blue for a new funky presentation...more pics to follow upon completion of that project! But what a fun little shop it is! She has a fine selection of vintage boots and belly dancing getups, funky jewelry, and a bargain sale rack that is fun to check out in the back of the room. She is just getting setup online with a site, blog and all that, but you can link to her site here for directions/contact info. Thanks, Doni...I look forward to coming back to add the finishing touches and swirls!

These are few of my favorite things...

...that I was able to enjoy with Jim when he came for a visit. (It was soooo nice to be able to show off Asheville to someone from back home). And I always say it's the little things in life. Well, here are a few little things that all added up for one super fun week:

Early afternoon Guinness and slice of heavenly chocolate mocha cheesecake, eaten in a high top bistro set, overlooking downtown Asheville.

This, my friends, is what a person who just ate what they claim to be "the best bacon tehy ever had" looks like. (At Tupalo Honey Restaurant in the center of the city)

And *this* is the famous bacon:

Jim taught me how to play Vegas style solitaire and I am hooked. I brought a deck of cards everywhere we went...even to Shake it Like a Caveman (blog entry about that to follow in the very near future)

We did a whole lot of antiquing and yard saling. With the green grass and sunny weather around here, Saturdays make for some great lawn bargains. This was one of my favorite finds--a vintage chandelier, that I am currently refinishing a retro cool blue color, with handing beads for my little shoppe on Squam.

This is what two people look like after full body massages (who also happen to be wearing pretty much the same hat). The Asheville School of Massage and Yoga has a program for the community where the soon-to-graduate students offer grrrreeeeeatttt massages at a super low cost. They fill up quick, so when I found out they had a couple of openings, I jumped at that opportunity. Ahhh... Oh. And I finally had an excuse to go to the Hot Dog King. There is no good reason for me to venture in there myself. Isn't this old sign just great?

But really, I think Asheville is pretty great. And next, Horseshoe is coming to visit, followed by Tina and Tanya! Fun!

They say one man's trash...

...is another one's treasure. Just LOOK at this gem I found outside someone's house, near Kim and Jerri's house! What a beauty! I am not quite sure what I am going to make it into. Obviously it used to be an old headboard, but has seen better days, structurally. I was so excited, I already sanded and took out the old, moldy red fabric. Now what to do with it? I'm thinking a funky wall hanging/jewelry rack for my shoppe? Oh, but I am open to suggestions! Comment, please! WHAT should I make of this gorgeous piece of vintage goodness?

Short Street Cakes :o)

Everyone has been asking me: “Have you been to the new bakery: Short Street Cakes?” Now I am the kind of girl who will always order a plate of greasy french fries or another glass of wine before I even glimpse at a dessert menu (I'm just not a sweets kind of a person, unless we are talking ice cream, which is a whole different ballgame). So I had never stopped into Short Street Cakes, though I had driven past it a bunch of times, admiring the adorable décor from the outside (I am always drawn to the visual of a striped awning against a brick building—gorgeous!)

It was a sunny Saturday afternoon, and though I was en route to dance class, I popped in, took one look at the cute little cupcakes they had for sale and decided to try a bite. I met Jodi, the sweet owner of the new bakery, which is decorated in vintage finds, resembling a kitchen from the 50's. (Sidenote: I THOUGHT I had money, but, and I am ALWAYS doing this, it was in the pants I had worn the day before, and Jodi was nice enough to give me a treat anyways since I came into the shoppe to check it out). I asked her to give me what she thought was the best dessert, and she handed me an itty bitty samplin' of their spicy vegan chocolate cake, with piped chocolate frosting. It was delicious- a subtle chocolate flavor with a hint of cinnamon and a spicy cayenne pepper kick. It was unlike anything I had ever tried before, but it was surprisingly scrumptious! Thank you Jodi for the sample, and I WILL be back with people to try all your goodies! Good luck with your new, super cool bakery!

Update: I went back. I was yard saling around town, and what better way to take a break from bargain hunting, than with a $3.00 slice of flourless chocolate cake? Oh. My. Goodness. So unbelievably good.

Everyone: go there now and eat cake. :o)

The livingroom is done!

Here are pictures of our new livingroom! After finally getting the wall color right, sewing the curtains and finishing the faux-finished wall and swirly tree mural, it has all come together. It's such a happy space to walk into now. The red chair, we decided, was better in it's natural red leather state, and looks beautiful against the sea foamy tinted walls. The punch of primary colors add some funk to the room-- the red chair, a huge yellow floor pillow, and that super awesome vintage blue chair in the corner (that Cheyenne got for $25.00!) Note the cool mirror on the wall-- a Pier 1 Imports clearance rack find, that I painted the vines and flowers on to make it coordinate with the room. And check out the artwork hanging above the TV set-- those are 4 cheap-o placemats from World Market, that we just grommeted and hung with hemp. Light some candles, pour a glass of wine, and the room makes for a super cozy sitting!

Can I has cheeseburger now?

Going out with a bang...

Though the leaves are turning vibrant hues of oranges and my second favorite, (and pumpkin themed) season is upon us (aka “sweater weather”), sadly I have to say goodbye to my absolute favorite time of year: Yard Sale Season. (That is a season right? In my book, there are four New Hampshire seasons: Yard Sale, Pumpkin, Mud and Freezing Cold!) Anyways, it will be easy to trade in early morning iced coffee runs and bargain hunting for the taste of apple crisp and hot cocoa knowing I gave Yard Sale season a better-than-good effort. Ok, I mopped up this season. Between a couple of town-wide extravaganzas and a scattering of flea market appearances, I made out like a bandit. With my new upcoming gallery space in the works (more on that later…I’m getting excited!), I have been in search of practical ways to display my art, as well as some nifty vintage finds to decorate my space.
So when I found out the Canaan town-wide yard sales were last weekend, I immediately called my best friend to see if she wanted to make the trek with me. Last time we went, our adventures ranged from meeting a lady who followed the Grateful Dead while bargaining over a hand-knitted wool sweater, to a $10.00 dresser score, to finding a beautiful Red Sox tabletop that came from a sports bar at Disneyworld. She was in. I told her to be at my place by 10:00 a.m. At 9:55, she knocked on my door smiling…bananas and Capri Suns in one hand, a camera in the other.
Man, what a fun day. We hopped in the purple van and drove all over Canaan in search of…well, whatever we saw that we wanted, really, which ranged from furniture to vintage clothing. At the first stop, we not only happened upon our buddy Jim, but we scored a handmade, vintage bar, originally marked $25.00, which the lady sold us for $8.00 (still to be determined who is going to receive this groovy piece of furniture for Christmas) and we knew it was all uphill from there. (Yard saling tip: if you want to creatively bargain over an item, just stand in front of it for a long time, verbally express your love for it, scratch the head a bit, invite a buddy (if available) to look at it with you and have a conversation about how you “love the piece so much, but you don’t know if it will work” and maybe scrunch the eyebrows a bit. They’ll give in and the price will drop.)
Best scores of the day: vintage teal green baby scale, 2 plant stands made of sticks, giant red velvet lampshade, yards of swirly printed fabric, one plastic lobster, the $8.00 bar, a box of 50+ records in a groovy metal case, retro red lamp, spinning card rack, lime green raincoat, old sheet music from the 1800’s, giant jewelry box, and some vintage sconces.
Favorite people we met: a toss-up between the dude who told us about the first time he got drunk off of whiskey in his basement and the lawn-full of shirtless beer-drinking men, trying to sell a $35.00 refigrator.
I give the day four stars. :)
And then, it got even better. Spyboy and Stema reunion at the Lucky Dog. Amazing music. Glowsticks. Good times.

Aargh! Me thinks me spy yard sales ahead!

Any adventure with Anna wouldn't be complete without wigs and accessories...

Check out the bar!

Half of a rotted deer target? I smell photo opp!

Anna, practicing her deer kung-fu.

Ok, well this was just, well...I mean, how can you not?

I spy...

An antique tool chest, an orange retro office chair, blue checked curtains, 1 tin tile, an old picture frame, 2 pendant lights, 2 hippie skirts, a photo display thingy, 4 pairs of vintage skiis, toy race cars and ONE plastic duck.

Sigh. I love Plymouth's townwide yard sale day. And sadly, this was the last year of the annual event. So unless someone else wants to take on the project of organizing the hundred or so sales, we will no longer be able to enjoy this glorious September day of bargains. :(

Ode to Disco

I've always been a sucker for a killer vintage find. And this one might take the cake: a fireplace/record player/8-track player/bar combo (which, after some research is a Koronette- a German made product of the 70's that new retailed for $499.99 over 30 years ago) Sure, I found it, on a mindless search through retro wears and furniture on Craigslist.org, but much to my dismay I could not afford this piece of awesome. But I e-mailed the link to Larry, who also shares the same peculiar love of the vintage. He had made arrangements to pick it up before I could even pick my jaw up off the floor when I saw the online listing. I knew that I had no business spending half a week's pay on this when I can barely afford my heat bill, but Larry could and now it happily resides with him. And now that I have heard a crackly Billy joel album play through the plush red velvet covered speakers, I have spun the mirror covered bar, and sat by the faux flame of the fire, I stand corrected. This one does take the cake:(I thought it would ge given more of the respect it deserves if I Photoshopped a groovy background behind it. Isn't she bee-u-tee-ful?)

Close up of the owl awesomeness:
Can you hate it? I don't think so:

The ORIGINAL cups that came with the bar: