bits of whimsy...

It is always fun to have the camera (or in most cases, my cell phone...(note to self...how far we have all come from our little kodak cameras!))  out to catch little moments, quick vignettes, and whimsical fancies!

snapped a quick picture of a table full of goodies....just before I started organizing them for sale this last fleamarket...my sons help me by putting everything out...then they go shop and I get to work organizing it all into little vignettes...but I thought this looked fun just as it was...a little chaotic!

Just lately, my good husband and I have been chatting about trying experience things a little differently, view with an author or a painter's eye...capturing stories, and imagining...And part of that is doing things out of your normal routine...
We have had the interesting experience of being without television for several months (part of the long story mentioned in a previous post)...& we have been reading quite a bit (could not be happier about that!) and then sharing with each other bits from books we are both reading (just now he is reading a "a Brief History of the World" and I just finished "The Dressmaker" (good writing style, fairly good storyline))  I am trying to decide what to read next...hmmm....
I am quite enjoying this!  But on a side note...what is everyone doing about the sad demise of bookstores?  It seems they are all closing down.....it just does not seem the same to pop on to the internet to browse for a book as it is to grab a cup of coffee...wander the aisles and settle on a few good reads....I am seriously starting to miss that!
Anyway...more later...here is to seeing and expressing our creative visions...
And I have to say, I am always inspired by all of you who share your creative vision during  White Wednesdays ...thank you!!!  Kate

Sunny Blue Skies & Happy People...Alameda Antiques Faire

Isn't it amazing what a little sunshine and blue sky will do for peoples' spirits?  It was such a pretty day on Sunday and apparently many many thousands of people thought so to and decided it would be nice to go flea marketing at Alameda... my good sons and I were there, fresh from Texas, and meeting some amazing folk!

 Though I will admit we were a little tired from the adventures of the previous week, we packed up our trailer and drove on up the coast to San Francisco to join in the fun and sun...

I have some favourite dealers I like to visit early in the day for their treasures, though it is not so easy to do that when I am selling there as well!  My sons and I TRY to take it in turns to walk about and see things, (picking up a treasure here and there)...and I REALLY enjoy visiting with all our friends who share in this gypsy life!  (Hello Tim & Lisa, Coco & Fred, Bombshell Betty....!)

Once the day begins in earnest...it is time to get down to "business" which for me, is about meeting new folk and sharing stories about the things we have in our booth...I am (admittedly) a history wonk...and you can count on me to find out what that funny looking thingy is and what in the world it was used for...

Thanks to our new friends as well for stopping by our booth to say hello!  The three fabulous ladies from the 3 Speckled Hens came by ...and how much fun were the Farmyard Darlings!...and Katrien from voilagallery...amazing designs!
Getting to know all of you makes this "job" a real pleasure!  THANK YOU! and Happy April!

Home Again, Home Again!

How amazing was this last week....!

First of all, can I say how much of a rare gift it was to share this time in Texas with my sons, my husband and my older son's girlfriend...we all had an AMAZING time! We shopped, shopped, shopped and then, shopped some more!

Brothers of Industry

Brothers of Industry

Prize for the Largest Find!...Moooo!

 And in between shopping (and drinking bottles and bottles of water, ) we ate barbeque (and an occasional Shiener Bock to go with that bbq brisket) & blue bell ice cream, we attended a book signing party for Rachel Ashwell at an awesome antiques shop called Leftovers, we ran into SO many good friends (if you want to find the Californians in the middle of a 90 degree hot and humid day in Texas, look for ANYPLACE with a fan or air conditioning!) and we made many new friends...among them, Debbie (and Cat Daddy!) from Talking Trash...  Donna from DH Interiors & Vicki Davis from Texas Rose
And let me just say...we found some Fabulous things! 
And oh, we needed to. We have 5 shows (yep, 5!)coming up in the next 4 months along with our usual flea markets up and down the California coast...my brain was buzzin' all day long, thinking about the looks I wanted for each of those shows...a soft green palette warmed with wood for the CALM show in May...an urban farmhouse look for Remnants of the Past in April...and that is only the beginning!   Then there is the Farm Chicks show in June and the LA Gift mart in July.....What can I say?   I am really, seriously, unbelievably excited....
For now, the truck is loaded up and we are on our way back to California...next stop Alameda for the Alameda Antiques Faire...Find US...in C3 & C4 (we just found out today, Friday!) on Sunday April 3rd... promise it will be worth it!    and a quick link into White Wednesdays 

Treasures on the Truck!

Gone to Texas...

For many of us, (and you know who you are!)...twice yearly our thoughts start to turn toward Texas...not because the blue bonnets are in bloom, though they are stunningly beautiful sweeping over the fields in painterly patterns...and not for the Bar B Que (though, seriously, yumm!) and not even for the big Texas welcome, BUT because, twice a year...April and October (and a good week or so ahead of that...) Round Top and Warrenton Texas...and literally every field and dance hall in between host hundreds of thousands of us as we search for that perfect chest of drawers, that amazing chandelier that you just KNOW will look fabulous in your bathroom (and yes I AM looking for one of those!), and that curious...just what is that? thing that you simply must have!  Dealers come from around the US and  Europe to bring their treasures to share with the rest of us...Its overwhelming...its gorgeous...its long days...it can be hot & humid or rainy/muddy...its people, people, people, and its FUN! (if you like being overwhelmed, and people, and traffic (how can a small country town, population 77 manage hundreds of thousands?) and if you like "the Hunt"....then I imagine, I will see some of you there!!
I will post a few photos of some of the wonderful dealers and their finds next week as I am able...internet permitting!
I am  linking with Faded Charm for white Wednesdays...thanks as always for visiting!
In the meantime, may your week ahead bring you productive days...rest full days...joy with your loved ones...trust and comfort in the midst of it all!
all the best,
kate

sunshine and progress!

It is a beautiful day today!   Sunshine, clear skies, and warm...what a blessing...We have not been in our house for quite a while (long story...not necessarily blogworthy, but suffice to say we are in the midst of a lot of work here and a lot of meals out, sigh...) but today is one of those days that make me hopeful that the work WILL get done, the rooms will soon be filled with homey things again, and the scents of the garden (the jasmine is blooming right now...delicious!) and of home cooked meals will soon be ours again...
If I have been remiss in keeping the blog going, (oh, and I have)...I excused myself to myself by pointing out the many tasks that have overtaken my days...but really, it is so necessary to keep all this in perspective...and I had a little flash last night in my quiet time...(love it when you get that little nudge) as to what is of lasting value, worth and purpose...and the busy ness just is not it!...caring for others, listening to others, helping to make them feel cared for and valued in this life, being able to say "yes, send me" when called...that just means so much more...
SO  to each of you...how are you all doing?  How is life treating you...is it sunshine and progress, or is it busyness and trials...?  Either way, I am here...how can I be a friend?  

A simple thank you!

Ah, two weeks of crazy busy, and I am just today getting a chance to catch up on the family...house...business...busy-ness that I have needed to set aside while the "family business" was at the LA Gift show (Jan 21-24th) and CALM this last weekend...
Weren't you all so kind to stop by and say hello!  A big thank you to Jennifer over at The Old Painted Cottage for her kind words and a special trip to see my space at the CALM show.  I love her latest blog on the birch log side table...love what is going on in her living room!  those yummy neutrals...I am ready to move right in!

And speaking of Jenny's...Jenny Kompolt (or Jenny K!) of the Junk Girls also stopped by, and I have to say...not only is she SO amazingly talented, gifted and creative with all she has got going on, but she has now agreed to take on "bringing the CALM show forward into the tech age..." can not wait to see how this wonderful show will improve, grow and benefit from new dealers, new clients and new ways of getting the good word out!  A big thank you Jenny!     (May I add a quick thank you to April Thede, CALM's fearless leader, for having the vision to contact Jenny in the first place!)

So many sweet stories from the shows, too many to share, but I feel privileged to have been there with you...hope you had as much fun as we did!

And now, after (maybe) a day of rest...(tomorrow?)...it is time to gear up for Alameda...we will be in two spaces, N21 and N22 and look forward to seeing you there!  Do not know yet whether it will just be my sweet husband and myself...or whether "the guys" will make the trip as well...My good sons...(Brothers of Industry) are heading down to LA today with a few deliveries from the shows, and finishing up on a few more orders...In the mean time, we are working in our house...new colours, and a new look for the New Year...time, though...it all takes time...

See you all...for White Wednesdays at Faded Charm...almost time! and hopefully Vintage Fridays....and for those of you who can make it...Alameda...and here is hoping for BEAUTIFUL weather (after three months of rain rain rain!) for Sunday!

all the best,

kate

Busy, Busy, Busy! and loving it, (I think!)

Whew!  L.A. Gift mart this last weekend, and how much fun was that! 

All Things Beautiful and the Brothers of Industry family business took it on the road to L.A. for the mart.  We showcased what we love to do...bring a bit of the useful things from our past back to relevance for today!  We had a few of the guys' tables, some of their lighting (all gone now...so we are back on the hunt!) along with a pair of cozy slipcovered vintage wingback chairs, and to top it off, mirrors, curiosities and other treasures!   I think the favourite item we had to sell, BY FAR was the fabulous 40s dress form...but a close second were whimsical bed springs displayed on a vintage easel...people kept stopping dead in their tracks to take a second look!

I must say, we so thoroughly enjoyed meeting everyone, clients and fellow vendors, and it was a true blessing to be there...we will be back in July with new, (well not "new", but wonderful!) things to share with everyone!

Now we are off to the next show, the CALM antique and vintage show in Santa Barbara, this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Earl Warren Showgrounds.  This show is a wonderful one, benefiting the Child Abuse, Listening and Mediation Charity!  We can be found right in the center of the whole thing, and we hope to have some more fun finds in time for a great show...there are some amazing dealers there, including Kymberley Fraser from 3 Fine Grains & A Beautiful Mess (make sure to stop by her shop in Agoura Hills...not to be missed!)...


Please let me know if you will be coming, as I have a few passes to the show that I can share with our customers!   Hope to see you there, and a BIG thank you to everyone who stopped by our "shop" at the Mart!  Your kind words, encouragement, and support mean SO much to this family!
all the best,
Kate