Wanna See the Goods?

So the clock's ticking here at CM Shaw Studios. Just a hair over 3 weeks until the BARN SALE.  Nov 15-16 are coming up so quickly!

 

The Barn at Lynn Vale Studios, our venue for the barn sale!

One of our artists at the show this year, Holly Smith of hbsmith designs, met me at the barn last week to give you guys this awesome preview of all the goodies that will be there. She was too modest to bring any of her own stuff, but her gorgeous photos will be available both as prints and cards at the show.

So here's the goods. What do you think?

 Jewelry from Casual Penguin and Autumn Telles Designs

 Aprons by the Speckled Bear (and yes, the vintage wooden spoons will be at the show too)

 Hand dyed and spun wool from Asher Hill Farm and photo canvases by Samantha Maddox

 Bead woven jewelry by Assisted Twister and earrings by Autumn Telles Designs

 Bed bench by Asher Hill Farm and hand made pillows by CM Shaw Studios

 Vintage gas can and antique jug from Asher Hill Farm

 Pillows and book lamp by CM Shaw Studios

 Vintage stained glass panel from Asher Hill Farm

Hand knit beanies by Five Fanciful Fairies

 "Manliness" book lamp by CM Shaw Studios

 Jewelry by Assisted Twister

 Locally produced honey from Asher Hill Farm

 Jewelry from Autumn Telles Designs and Assisted Twister

 Original watercolor by Samantha Maddox

Wool Yarn from Asher Hill Farms

 One of the resident cats just couldn't get enough pics taken. He photo bombed the whole shoot.

Are you impressed? I was ecstatic when I got the pics back.  

Holly is a genius. She did all the editing you see as well. You should be very excited to see her work in person. I can't wait. There are a few things I already have my eye on. Here is the post I wrote about her this summer, if you want to see a little bit more. Just skip the part about me going to Haven and jump right to her pretty pictures.

Now that was just the artists that could get me their stuff in time for the shoot. 

I have even more stuff to show you!

 These pieces are fused glass! The are made by my friend Emily of Pezzulich Glassworks.

 Fall Reflections

Winter Dawn

 I have a field trip to her place planned next week so I can tell you guys how she makes all these amazing pieces. But here's her website if you can't wait for the show.

We also have a wonderful potter this year. Shelley of Garden Gate Pottery will have several pieces of her work in the show as well. 

We have a few pieces by paper cutting artist Erica Christensen. Here's a sample of her work, (although this piece will not be included in the barn sale. It already found a home.)

For the full story of this piece, and Erica's process, see this post on her blog, the Shady Elm.

 And we have plenty more that I haven't even shown you.

Hand made soap from My Adventures in LaLa Land

Bags, leather bracelets, baby shoes, and scarves from Dandelion Thread

Colored Chalkboards from Sassafras and Pine Sap

Hand painted signs and chalk painted furniture from Sharee Stuart

Bulbs, floral arrangements, and garden ware from Lynn Vale Studios

Hand made hair bows and burlap wreaths from Kara Mann.

Original art, chalk painted furniture, and vintage decor from Hand Picked Art

Sterling silver, gemstone and freshwater pearl jewelry from Joie de Beads

Many things to look forward to.

A Few Little Claims to Fame and More Stuff for Lucketts

Sorry I missed last week. It has been a bit crazy around here. But I'm here today. And I have a few exciting tidbits to share.

Let's start with Thistlewood farms. You guys remember. This is the site that inspired this post about my messy house (here) where I shameless threw back the covers and showed my own disorder to the world. It's the site where Karianne's perfect, perfect pantry caused me to wail in despair of ever having even one place in my house be that organized and clean.

Well, exciting things happened. 

She asked for readers to suggest a name for her online shopping posts (my  suggestion is in the comments here)....and she chose MINE!!! Read all about her wonderful sponsors, etc here. She mentions me way at the bottom. So go show her some love and check out the cool stuff she's gathered for you guys. You can tell her Marian sent you, if you want. But you might have to clarify that I'm not Miss Mustard Seed. She's a way more famous Marian. It wouldn't be the first time we've been confused with each other.

My other bit of fame comes from the Old Luckett's Store blog. Branches: the Barn Sale Without a Barn was a featured vendor on their blog yesterday! Yay famous! Woot. Check it out here. We are the third vendor mentioned. That was super exciting to discover.

So I bet you've all been wondering what's been keeping me too busy to post. Well, that would be book lamps, garage sales, and collages. Great stuff, right? The garage sale gods have been super kind to me the last couple of weeks. I found some incredible things. Like this huge, vintage wooden trunk.

and some amazing old forged iron serving pieces

and this cool silver plate tray. Can you see the bunches of tiny grapes all around the edge? 

Who wouldn't want a silver tray with tiny grape clusters?

I almost had heart failure when I saw an entire table covered in vintage and antique copper pieces. I only had enough money with me for a fraction of what they had. Could you die?

And the vintage and antique spoons. You know you have to have at least one of these.

I especially like the happy meal book on the floor behind them.  We keep it pretty real at my place. 

Here's a little peak at what Sharon from Hand Picked Art is bring to our booth at the show:

Isn't it funny how different our taste is, even though we hang out all the time? That's why it's good to have a partner, folks. Then there's something for everyone. 

In the studio, I have been super busy making collages and refinishing frames like this one with vintage stamps and 100 % linen backing

And this

And this. 

 DK shot the picture for me because I love dandelions. I'm having a really hard time putting it in the show. I LOVE how the chalkboard frame turned out. You guys would forgive me if I kept it, right? You 'll just have to come to Lucketts to see what I decided.

Here's a closer shot of the frame.

As far as the book lamps go, they are all drilled and bolted together, but are still a work in progress. I will have them looking amazing for the show. Please pardon the mess. Neither one has any lamp parts attached yet. The picture with the shade and the big pipe sticking out is just to show you where they are going. 

 These detail shots are the two different ways I attached the casters to the book stacks. One goes all the way through the bottom book. I had to reinforce that stack with a board hidden inside the book. The other style caster is screwed into the base book's cover.

I have a couple more pieces I am working for this show, a box and another collage, of sorts. Neither is finished, but here's a peek:

This is that piece from 1888 that I found. Please pray that the conservation glass I ordered from California gets here in time for me to pull this one together for the show. I suppose I could have used regular glass, but if something has made to to me from 1888, I certainly am not going to be the one to let it get ruined. UV glass or bust baby!

This was an experiment with MMS milk paint. I love how it chips and cracks. I'll take better photos and tell you all about this project later. But the lining will be woven strips of book page. (A Tom Clancy novel, if you must know.) You can see how I've done it on the bottom already.

So that's where things stand for now. Thanks for hanging with me. 

I always miss you guys when I don't post.

Don't forget to come to the show. I'll be there all day Saturday.

Here's the link for directions etc.

The Lucketts Spring Market

MAY 18-19, 10-5 both days

$7 at the gate

The fields behind the Old Luckett's Store

42350 Lucketts Road  Leesburg, VA

Estate Sale Eye Candy

One of the perks of my job is being able to justify stopping whenever I want to look for deals on vintage stuff, art stuff or really anything that catches my attention. I have been saying that I would beg off the vintage shopping for a while, but I do run a barn sale and I do have a show coming up in 2 months. At least, this is what I tell myself as I stand here, looking at all the stacks of crusty old stuff vintage treasures in back of my van, knowing that I am going to have to explain these purchases to DK when (and if) he sees them. It's a good thing there are lots of nooks and crannies in the studio.

I got lucky today and just happened upon an estate sale. There were a lot of drool worthy goodies in the main rooms: fantastic mid- century side tables in immaculate condition, a beautiful ironstone pitcher and vessel set, a gorgeous full set of silver in it's original box.  But alas, these treasures were just not in my budget. I have vowed to only buy my vintage with cash, and there wasn't much in my pocket. So I took a deep breath and walked into the basement.

 Don't you just love old hammered aluminum serving pieces?

My heart perked up instantly as I rounded the corner into the dingy room. Tables and table of filthy treaures!! At bargan basement prices. I had arrived. There must be a small part of heaven reserved for rooms of filthy things, just waiting to be found, cleaned and loved. There is such joy in that.

The first thing I grabbed was an old, flat piece of slate. I have been wanting one to use as a chalkboard to write prices or information at the show and almost started jumping up an down when I saw it there in the shadows. The other shoppers must have thought me a little odd when I snapped it up and looked at them defiantly, daring them to try to take MY slate.

Further perusing unearthed a good sized bag of vintage clothes pins. Now I knew the barn sale-ing gods really were smiling down on me. I really needed something small for the Lucketts show in May. What could possibly be better than a bucket full of old clothes pins at 3 for $1? Sold!

Flush with these two successes, I kept digging. And then I saw it. One of the most sought after bits of kitchenware in all vintage accessory-dom. A vintage kitchen scale, bright yellow, and still very functional. (So functional in fact, that I had to hide it from my kids once  I got it home and cleaned up.) You know I totally heard angel voices singing about that one.

Isn't it just so cheerful? I love it.

I also managed to uncover the enamelware basin the scale is sitting in. And THE most darling stool I have seen in a long time. 

"Use your stool to sit and climb and also when it's TV time." Love it!

The daughter of the homeowners was helping to run the sale and she said the stool was hers from when she was two. As she said she graduated high school in 1973, that makes this little piece of wood

circa 1955. Is that vintage enough for you?

I couldn't pass up the two hammered aluminum bowls either.

The details just kill me.

I might have to keep this one.

Overflowing with excitement and with my arms loaded up with almost more than I could carry alone, I walked to the counter and paid for all my loot with the cash in my pocket. I was shaking with the elation of it all. I do love me a good shopping day. It always makes me feel like I must be doing something right.

Here are a few more treasures I've happened upon unexpectedly this spring.

Don't you just love old board games? 

I can't put my finger on the appeal, but they just put me in my happy place.

And anything with a patina on it. 

I originally bought this pair of paintings for the frames, but they kinda grew on me, so I think I'll keep them together. The morning sun washed them out a bit. They are brighter in person.

And now, my dear friends, here is the good news. I bought every piece of it for you. Everything you've seen here, and a bunch more, will be for sale in my booth at the Old Luckett's Store Spring Market this May 18th and 19th. And don't just come to shop with me. Miss Mustard Seed will be there, and the ladies from Chartreuse and Company (here are picks from their latest show), and Christen Bensten from Blue Egg Brown Nest. In all, I think there are 200 vendors this year, with gorgeous things for you all. Anything vintage you can think of is there. Giant metal letters. Old chairs. Blue glass bell jars. Piles of things made from antique French linens. I'm telling you, you really do want to go to this show.

So, for the people in the back:

The Old Luckett's Store Spring Market

Lucketts, Virginia,  

just North on 15 from Leesburg.

May 18th and 19th 

from 10am to 5pm both days

I will be waiting for you in the "Field of Dreams".

(No really. That is where my booth is located. I'll post a map, if I get one. Then you can do strategic planning of where you want to go first.)

See you all there!