Update on the Progress of the Shop(s)

We have had a beautiful start to Spring around here. I spent 5 full days outside working around the farm spiffing things up, building a rock border, and completely moving one herb garden to a new spot and replanting the old one with only kitchen herbs...as I had first intended...but, you know how that goes...someone gives you a plant and you stick it in the first empty spot you see...or at least that's what I do.

I have blisters, poison ivy and a head start on my farmer's tan, but I'm feeling pretty good about all we accomplished over the last few gorgeous days!

 Sam was such a big help with this project. He drove the skid steer all over the farm as we collected rocks from every corner. I am finally learning to love having big kids and not grieving quite so much over them growing up.

 Looking a little sparse for now, but the seeds are in the ground.

I've already torn out the old walk making ready for the new board walk.

Things are starting to come together but there is still a lot to do before the first open house sale. I want everything to be as near perfect as possible...and too, it's easier for me to be creative and happy when things are in good order.

Rick's workshop is coming along slowly. The walls are framed and the roof is on, but when he picked up the metal for the sides yesterday it wasn't the right sizes. So, now this little incident probably will add another 2 weeks to our opening date...whatever that is right now? It's not May 8th for sure. I am just hoping to be in my space and at least painting by then. Oh, the walls are going to be red trimmed in white...totally different from any other building here but I think it's going to look nice.

All in all things are going well though despite the delays we've had. My studio is full to the brim with things I've taken out of the trailer. I'm in the process of sorting and deciding what will go in the shop and what will go online. I've added several really cool things to my Etsy shop this week that I either have duplicates of or that I think will sell better online. On Saturday I will list a few things on ebay just to see if this works better for me...the fees are so stinking high, but I've been selling too low on Etsy only to see my same items going for 3 times as much on ebay...with my photos and descriptions no less! Live and learn.

I have sold a lot of the vintage guitar catalogs and other memorabilia and am learning lots. This is a fun business to be in! I really need to be painting but the studio is so full I hardly have room to wiggle much less work....so I am listing as much stuff as possible to go ahead and get it moving out the door.

 Here is a peek of some of the unique finds from this week....

This sold over night...very cool piece from a pick card display with an imprinted Marathon pick

 Another piece from a pick card display

Black Diamond guitar strings in original box...a dozen envelopes of stings still in cellophane

A Bobby Lee concealed banjo strap

A box that once contained banjo strings....

 and another that is full of guitar strings....

8 Black Diamond strings 

....and this is just the tip of the iceburg....lots more great items to come. Please have a look at all the great old things in the Etsy shop  and on ebay for now and hopefully very soon I can open the doors to my "real" shop here at home.

Now I'm out the door to get the horses ready for the farrier. Busy day again.