Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Our Vendor List for Country Marketplace


I am getting very excited about our sale in May.  Last year, I was actually a little afraid that no one would show up to buy anything. I started with a handful of my closest friends as vendors, did a little marketing and hoped for the best. It worked and we had a good turnout. Whew! 

This year we have a bigger vendor list. I learned a lot from last year and am working hard to make this another good event. 

Here is our vendor list:  

Crane Farms - Winston Salem


Cabin Creek Antiques - Lexington


 Goat Feathers - Winston Salem


Stressed Out Furniture -Linwood


Loriginals - Thomasville


The Brown Eyed Suzy - Salisbury


Hennessee Home - Winston Salem


The Blackbird Box - Lexington

Vickie's Jewel Box-Lexington


Ranch Dressing - Thomasville



....and two more on deck from last year if they can clear their schedules.



....and one more good friend if she can get a day or two to finish some projects



And...we have Sweet Scoops and Beyond...to serve up hotdogs, ice cream, tea and lemonade on Saturday!


So, it's looking to be another good sale here at the ranch! Ya'll mark your calendars and plan to come!
See you then!

Friday, April 19, 2013

Monday, April 15, 2013

Chapter Three...Vintage Rental

My sister and I in about 1966

Here I am in my third year in this business and true to what I said on my ABOUT page when I began this blog, I am trying on lots of hats until I find one that fits...

I'm now wearing the vintage rental hat. It took a year and a friend drawing me a picture for me to realize that I should give it a try. A vintage rental business provides brides, event planners and photographers with unique vintage props and antique furniture for weddings, events and styled shoots. I also want to offer my skills as stylist as well if anyone has a need.




Last year we had a cute engaged couple stop by and ask if they could have their engagement photos taken in and around our barn. We were happy to oblige. It so happened that the day they were to have their photo shoot was the day before our occasional sale and I had lots of the overflow of vintage furniture and other goods out under the studio shed. 


The photographer, Amber Belangia of ASB Photography, hadn't been here until the day of the shoot and as I watched her I could see her cogs turning as she surveyed what we had to offer. She went out behind the barn into the woods...



She went across the road to the cow pasture... 



I just absolutely love this one! 

She went in the barn, and up to the loft... 




and I was pleasantly surprised that she made several pictures at the studio and among the junk! 


Did you notice you're see through a mirror view? So cool!



And I realized, we are at no loss for weathered farm buildings here to use as a backdrop either!  


These are just a few of the photos from the afternoon and I think Amber did a wonderful job! I now realize that we have the potential to provide more in the way of props and opportunities. I'm getting very excited! I can't continue without thanking my friend Lee from Stressed Out Furniture for making the suggestion that I should look into doing rentals. She and another new friend, Cindy from Cabin Creek Antiques, and both from my Design Junkies group, are also just starting their vintage rental businesses as well.

By the time we have our Country Marketplace at the Ranch sale on May 17th and 18th, the showroom will be ready and I hope we will be well on our way to having a completed inventory portfolio including styled photos for inspiration...I'll also have PLENTY for sale that weekend under the shed, and probably under a tent as well, so don't think I've stopped junking or selling...I've set June 1st as the official opening day for rentals to start. Consultations will be by appointment and at your convenience so I'm not going to set days or times.

There will be more to come as I progress. In the meantime you can check out more of Amber's photos on her Facebook pagewebsite and blog.


Thank you Andrea and Robert for letting me use your sweet photos! And thank you Amber for sharing you talent with us! 

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Secret Service

I am taking a rare minute of solitude to update my blog and do a little "splainin"...that's southern for explaining...and it usually involves a long story.

If you know me, you know I thrive on change! My husband won't walk through the house in the dark for fear of running into something I've moved...or moved back. Some things, I like to keep the same and never change...like my hair and favorite clothes. I keep my hair long and in a ponytail the majority of days.  I love wearing t-shirts, jeans and boots or flip flops...depending on the weather. But, the rest of my world pretty much changes, or evolves, as I prefer to call it, fairly often.

So, now I guess you are wondering what I'm about to throw at you so I'll just say it in plain English. I'm changing up Ranch Dressing again. No big surprise, you say...I know!  Remember the part you just read about my husband afraid to move around in the dark because I may have moved something, or moved something back? Well, I'm rearranging at the Ranch...AGAIN... and moving some things back where I started.

It's no big deal really, but I thought you should know...I'm not going to keep regular hours after all. I'm going back to appointments again. This worked beautifully in the beginning and who knows why we ever try to fix things that aren't broken...but we get carried away with how good things are and just assume they can be better...speaking for myself anyway.

For being such good sports about this I'm going to tell you a little secret...we are getting ready to offer vintage rental for weddings, photo shoots and other events very, very soon. You'll be able to view our portfolio and see our vintage props in person at our Country Marketplace at the Ranch sale in May.

I'm very excited...and also very busy! I will post more about the sale and the vintage rental as we progress!