ranch dressing: interior design cowgirl style

Part 2...Been There, Done That, Will I do it Again?

2012-01-25T09:54:00.000-05:00

I'm back for part 2...glad you are too!

I'll get right to the point without any intro since this is the second part in the series...this part includes more details of my experiences...I needed to use the stories to remind myself why I've made my decisions for the upcoming year. I can be wishy washy at times!

Occasional Sales

We started our junk business out by having an occasional sale as our Grand Opening. I sent invitations, posted like crazy to our Facebook page and blogged about the upcoming event for months and months. It was exciting and we had people show up that I'd never met that were friends of friends. The first one was really great and we felt like we had something to build on.

I have read all over the place about the positive side to occasional sales versus keeping shop. The benefits are that you can do as much business in a long weekend as you would in several months of staying in a shop day in and day out. Sounds wonderful.

The next few sales were also good but we were not growing. For the most part, the only people showing up were the ones that I would mail out invitations to. I still used my social networks, but were only having maybe one or two new "fans" per sale. I began to wonder what I was doing wrong.

After talking with others that do this same thing I got the "real skinny" on the matter of attendance and found out that my sales were average for a country sale. If we were in an antiques/artsy district in town where people are already out and about we would most likely be having the attendance numbers that I'd read about.

It's a lot of work to put a sale together, and a great majority of it is the marketing. Personally, I feel like I look desperate for business when I ask people to attend...it's a phobia of sorts I suppose. I know I will have to get past that if I'm going to continue having these sales.

Will I have another sale? For now there isn't another one scheduled but I'm not ruling them out for the future. I still feel like it's okay to test the waters and find out what's going to work best for our family and our schedules.

I say, Maybe for Occasional Sales. Since it will be in addition to what I'm already doing and not my sole venue for sales I can look at the option differently this year. I would love to maybe do a small vendor sale in the yard as well to offer more variety and bring in friends of friends of friends.

Keeping Shop Hours

As you know, we started out doing occasional sales, but were also open by appointment. Because it was few, and far between appointments during our first winter, I decided to keep regular hours 3 days a week. This worked for a while until I realized that I couldn't shop auctions or estate sales on the weekends so I quickly went back to plan A when summer rolled around...by appointment only. By this time, more people knew about us and this was working much better, especially for those that had become regular candle customers and those needing a unique gift item.

I love having a shop...or storefront as I call it now. It's my pride and joy and everything I've always wanted but I've downsized here in order to grow my business as you will read under Getting an Antique Booth. I took back some of my display space as work space and I'm really glad I did that. I'm able to be more productive and it's good to let people see what I'm working on. I'm only open here at the shop now by appointment. That may or may not be a good thing for others but it's good for me.

I truly love being a shopkeeper, but I hate being tied to it. I love merchandising but hate marketing. I love people but hate waiting on them to show up...so what's a girl to do?

Yes! to keeping shop but doing it on my own terms.

Getting an Antique Booth

At our last occasional sale I realized that I had too much inventory and my shop was crowded to the point that it was hard to see and appreciate what was in there. I wasn't selling as fast as I was buying and I felt overwhelmed at the thought of listing at least half of it on ebay or etsy...even though that was in my business plan.

Getting a booth has been a good decision for us. It allows me to continue to buy, merchandise and sell my goods while someone else keeps long hours, advertises and collects the money. It gives me the freedom to shop or work in the studio. I couldn't hire someone to work in our shop seven days a week for what we pay in booth rent and commission. Yes, there is a lot of competition at the mall but we are finding that we have our own customers now that are repeat shoppers.

Yes! to an antique booth in a great antique mall. I am fortunate to have found one that is not only busy, but also with the most creative and inspiring booths I've seen!

Selling through Etsy or Ebay

I use them both but only for smalls and items that I'm not comfortable leaving in my booth unattended. It takes time to photograph and list but worth the effort. I've opened new accounts for my new business so essentially I'm starting over and building a new brand. That has slowed sales I think since my many years of positive feedback is still with my old accounts. Lots of good feedback is key for good sales. Personally, I won't buy from someone without a good record.

I've learned the hard way to always ship with a tracking number and to always use priority services... and also that Paypal can and will freeze your account if someone gets antsy about a slow order and files a complaint...and they will!

Yes! to Etsy and Ebay! Yes, to speedy delivery, careful packaging and insurance. (Did you catch the news footage around Christmas time where FedEx deliveries were thrown over fences and onto driveways and porches? CRAZY!) Yes to keeping a good inventory and a good selection of items to bring in buyers. This is a goal for me in 2012...a steady amount of inventory in both online venues.

Having a Plan

I had a vision when I opened the art gallery in 2004. It evolved wildly into something that paid the bills but looked nothing like what I had envisioned by the time we closed the doors and moved back into my studio at home. The classes at the gallery grew to the point that it was all I had time for...and it was NOT what I wanted to do full time. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't ungrateful for the business and I loved my students dearly!

I burned out from doing too much of one thing by myself...and I was so burned out that I couldn't think clearly enough to figure out what to do to get back on track there. I did the only thing that made sense at the time and took my students home with me where I could have the income and at the same time more control of my schedule. That worked for several years, especially while we homeschooled, but I missed my beautiful gallery and I missed being a shop owner. What I didn't miss was the expensive lease or the daily drive to another town.

The junk business as we call it, started also with a vision, but this time we had a plan and goals and deadlines for meeting those goals. It also has evolved and taken on its own life as it has grown. We are positive in our thinking, speaking and actions. We have good days and bad but despite all we are doing it.

I claim to fly by the seat of my pants daily, but really I have a routine and I couldn't function without one.

YES! to having a plan. It can change and it's okay. As we learn we can always do things better, but we should always have a plan!

Riding Your Own Horse

This is a phrase I used to use with my children a lot, that originated at my daughter's riding lesson one day. There were several little girls in this class and one in particular would spend more time criticizing her class mates than paying attention to her own equitation. One afternoon the instructor had had enough and politely yelled across the arena to this little girl..."just ride your own horse please!"

This is a good metaphor that can be applied to many situations and I am going to use it this year in my own business.

In Part 1, I mentioned a little about what I learned from the antique vendor who sells tools and bottles. I think of our conversation often and I've thought of his success. I believe he rides his own horse and is focused on doing it to the best of his ability. He doesn't seem to compare himself to others. I like that about him. I admire his self confidence. I admire his enthusiasm without apologies. I tend to try to hide my enthusiasm sometimes because I feel like it's boastful...another of my phobias!

I'm inspired to ride my own horse. This year, instead of comparing myself and my business to others, I'm just going to do things the way I do them and be content and confident that it's my best. That's good enough.

I'm not going to recap this time...for the sake of time...but I wanted to add before I close that I believe if we really love what we are doing and focus on that instead of just making money that we will be far more successful.

What do you think?

The last part of the series will be about getting into the studio and being creative. I struggle with this. I either spend too much time creating or too much marketing. I was more balanced when I first started out 23 years ago when I had a new baby at home...so I'm going back in time to try to figure out how I was a smarter artist at 28 than I am at 51.

Part 1

Part 1...Been There, Done That...Will I do it Again?

2012-01-16T09:15:00.000-05:00

I'm going to attempt to teach you everything I've learned over the last 23 years in business...haahahahaha.

I thought I could whip out this post quickly because I've been thinking about it for weeks and weeks...but in actuality I've edited it for days and days and cut out a lot because you just don't need to hear all of my personal experiences with each issue...really, you don't...so I've pared it down to just the meat without the potatoes....

I've read all the books...from art marketing to Etsy and Ebay marketing. I've done trade shows, and high end juried art shows in both local and national markets. There have been good years and most definitely lean years...and years I just couldn't muster up my creativity.

Before I was in this business I designed and painted floorcloths for 20 something years. I've always been interested in marketing my own goods. Over the last 10 years things have changed almost over night. The options to "get the word out" are endless! I will say here and now that I have made the mistake of putting too much emphasis on marketing because I have tried to do it ALL.

Print Advertising

Expensive! No matter if it's the local newspaper or a national magazine. I've done both and I've never been happy enough with the results.

Press releases have gotten me more work...they seem to carry more weight with readers. They are more personal. People like stories.

No to paid ads for me. Yes to press releases when I do something new and wonderful!

Websites

Years ago, everyone needed a website. A presence online meant you would be found by millions and sell goods all over the world...hahaha! I have a website that is second to my blog. It is information and just another place for someone to land when they google the junk ranch. I like that I maintain it and can keep my information up to date, and that my email is attached to it.

So, YES to a website...or your own domain name as a blog....

Blog

First off, if you've read my blog from the beginning, you know that I started a blog almost the day I decided I was going to start this new chapter in my life. I was excited, I had lots to say and must have had way more time than I do now...my posts were often and more interesting than as of late for sure!

The goal with a blog is to build relationships and with relationships comes information you all share for the betterment of the community. Blogging is a community, a support group in a sense, and a sales tool second.

I am planning to do a better job with my blog this year. I enjoy writing and taking pictures. If nothing else, it's another nice creative outlet and I enjoy going back through my own posts and seeing any progress I've made or changes I can make.

So YES to the blog.

Social Networks

Some people swear by them. They say they can contribute much success to social networks. I am not good at it. It's a chore and it shows. I make a small attempt to keep a Facebook account and a Twitter account...a small attempt.

In my own opinion, and experience, most but not all, social network contacts are curious about what you are doing. Even though they may think what you are doing is interesting and they intend to support you, if it's not really their "thing" they won't. And on another note, some friends/followers are just lurkers or are only looking for inspiration...and not truly a networking relationship.

I will say Yes and No to social networking. If you enjoy it Yes. It's information and it's building relationships and that's good. No, to social networking as a form of advertising products. Instead, create a SOLD gallery and a NEW ITEMS album. Then if interested, people will look and not feel like you are always trying to sell them something...even though you'd really like to!

And Now We Have Pintrest

The newest thing to me to take up precious creative time...I am overwhelmed by this. I've pinned only a few photos so far.

The jury is out on Pintrest...It looks fun but I think it's addictive and it's another time stealer. Houzz is a similar site. I do have a private account there for my eyes only where I keep idea files for my home. I only look at it about once a week and I'm good. If you can use it to store ideas you find online as it's intended and not spend hours looking at other's boards it's probably a good thing.

If someone pins your work, say, from your Etsy shop, it can be a very good thing for you...and you wouldn't even have to have a Pintrest account for that to happen. Pintrest is not a sales tool, but more of an idea file or inspiration board.

I will have to say Maybe for now on Pintrest.

Friends and Family Support

This is touchy but it has to be said. Friends and family may not support you. Period. This one I probably should edit out for the sake of not stepping on toes, but it's important to understand from a business point of view.

This is our second retail business. The first one was an art gallery. I have both family members and friends that never darkened the door until we closed and moved out. The space became a pocketbook and jewelry store and then a coffee shop. Many times I've been asked in conversation by several of them (friends and family that never came to see me there) if I'd ever been in either of those shops. Good grief!

Our storefront here at home has been open for over a year. I have friends that live within a couple of miles from here that say every time I run into them that they are going to stop by...now they say they can't wait to visit our booth in Concord. Wait! You mean they'd drive an hour to see what's in our booth when they won't take 2 minutes to swing by here and see everything before we take it to the booth? Good grief again!

Don't get me wrong. I have lots of support from the friends and relatives that want the things I make or sell...but like I said earlier...if it's not their "thing" they won't support you and they honestly don't know that you would even look for them to actually show up. Don't take it personally. We all do it on some level!

So, NO to counting on 100% Friend and Family Support of your business. YES, to staying positive and understanding that people usually have the best of intentions, but at the same time tend to keep their own agenda.

Well, this is enough for today...to recap...and add one more tidbit I forgot to mention....

No to giving away my hard earned money for little to no results to advertise.

Yes to informative websites and blogs...People want to know details.

Yes to my own domain name and email with my domain name...it's information they can track me down by.

Yes to blogging and creating relationships with like minded people. It's nice to know others do what I do and feel the same feelings and emotions. We are real people, not just businesses.

Yes to social networking if one enjoys it. It can't hurt, unless we are spammy! One post a day isn't that hard and photos of new or sold items is easy.

No to social networking if it's not one's thing. It's really okay not to do it.

Maybe on Pintrest...only for pinning and not much looking.

No to expecting too much from friends and family.

...and most importantly and probably the best thing I've learned in years...YES to just doing it! I recently met another vendor at the antique mall where we have our booth. He stopped by my booth one day when I was restocking and struck up a conversation about some old bottles I had in there. It was most inspiring to say the least. He was walking around the mall doing some price comparisons. During our talk I learned that he decided to sell his 40+ year collection of old bottles and tools. He was doing extremely well by my standards and by that I mean anywhere from $900 to $1900 a month and it wasn't the busy season yet...I'd be curious myself to know how he did in November and December!

Before leaving the mall that day I swung by his booth to see what he was doing that I wasn't...what I found was a booth lined with home made wooden shelves loaded with his items...it all looked like a well organized garage. He wasn't doing anything but what he knew how to do...and he obviously did it well! He didn't have a social network or a blog, website or online idea file that I know of. He had a booth full of cool stuff that was clean, easy to see and touch without being overly merchandised and most importantly, priced to sell. He was focused on what he wanted to sell and did it in a modest way no less. I was impressed. I will talk more in the next post about what else I gleaned from talking with this man.

So, to sum this up for today I will say YES! to focus. This year I'm going to focus on my objective and not so much on finding new ways to get distracted from actually doing what I really want to do...which is to have a successful handmade and vintage goods business.

In Part 2 I'll go into more about selling and Part 3, the best part, creating.

Until then,

Angie

Part 2

Happy New Year

2012-01-11T09:45:00.000-05:00

...yeah, I know I'm a little late...but at least we are still in January as I write this.

It's a rainy Wednesday here and I've decide to have a second cup of coffee and sit still for a few. I don't know about you, but I'm not focused so far this year. We've been on such a busy schedule for so long that now that I can actually slow down, I don't know where to start.

Sometimes, I believe it's okay to take some time to do nothing...but, that's hard for me. When I can't focus I know I need to sit and write, probably in my private journal, but here again, it's hard not to be productive so I'm filling the need here on the blog.

First off I want to say thank you to all that shopped with us during the holiday season. It was exciting to see things sell so quickly from our booths at The Depot and I'm always flattered when I have return "candle customers" at my shop here at the ranch. We even had some online sales although I totally neglected the Etsy shop for lack of time. Thank you all so much!

Ranch Dressing Handmade and Vintage Booth in the Cotton Room at The Depot at Gibson Mill

My only complaint is the shoplifting. UGH! Someone even took a jewelry display piece out of our new booth. Hopefully the things were just left in other booths when someone changed their mind about the purchase, but so far nothing has turned up. Boo! and Hiss!

Has anyone seen my jewelry mannequin?

On a sad note, we lost our little Ada exactly one week before Christmas. She's in several of my shop photos because she loved to nap on the porch or come inside while I worked...and that's were she spent her last days...on my studio floor on a quilt. I won't go into much detail but we decided to let her die a natural death here at home since she didn't appear to be suffering or in pain. It was very peaceful and I'm glad I was with her.

Ada's spot behind my chair

Ada's spot on the studio porch

Ada's spot in the sun

It's been hard for the last few weeks to go in the studio. I can't bear to put her quilt away and I catch myself looking for her. I think my grief is probably why my focus is off. Time will help and I know she's here with me in spirit.

I will say too, that while I waited with Ada her last 24 hours, I was able to put things into perspective. Death will do that. I mulled over my regrets of being busy and not spending as much time with her this past year, and thinking how unimportant work will be when it's my time to leave this world. I guess that's what we are here for....to learn...but it sure hurts sometimes when it's the hard way!

I learned much last year and have put some serious thought into what I will do differently and what I will do exactly the same in the coming year as far as business goes. I plan to share some of that with you since I know from recent emails that some of you are wanting to get started in the same type business.

I do have a plan for this year and will talk more about that in my next post...which will be up soon...not two months from now I promise.

Until then,

Angie

Are We Crazy?

2011-11-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

Why is it when we are overwhelmed we take on even more? That was our conversation as my friend Cheryl and I drove home from The Depot last week.

We had a brainstorm a couple of weeks ago that in addition to our own spaces at the antique mall that we should combine efforts and co-own a booth. Realizing that the time is upon us when we could really get a good start during the big shopping season that is quickly approaching we spoke up and asked if there were any available spaces.

The wait was short and in less than a week we had a space if we wanted it...if we were up to a little challenge.

Here is our challenge....what the heck?

Our first reaction was to laugh...and then on the way home...oh my! What do we do besides gut it? The shelves are really sturdy although awkward, and there is no back wall on our side. The side wall on the right hasn't been finished and well, ugh! it's just a mess!

We had really hoped that we could maybe just paint and move in since we are both incredibly busy right now. Why don't these situations arise in the slow months? The location is even better than our other spaces and they are great, so we really do want to keep it.

Over the weekend I tried to find ways to utilize the shelves thinking of all sorts of things that Rick just laughed at...I'm trying not to get him involved because we are renovating our kitchen finally, and he's still working a crazy work schedule.

So stay tuned....here we go again...another booth...but a booth unlike any we've seen there. That's why we are doing this...crazy or not...it's opening mid/late November.

Work Table Wednesday...Spray Paint Texturing

2011-11-02T22:42:00.000-04:00

It has been my privilege for the last couple of weeks to be a mentor to a wonderful young artist while she worked on her senior graduation project.

Krista and Me

Krista chose to learn about the art of grafiti and for her product she painted a grafiti mural. I was amazed at how she was able to get in her zone and paint while I snapped away with my camera. This is something hard for seasoned artists to learn to do and for some of us we just never even attempt it.

I was able to document most of the process and I just finished looking over all of the photos. I didn't know just how much could be achieved with spray paints. I wanted to show you the technique she used that was my favorite.

Experimenting with layering, and negative and positive spaces.

Okay, now to the start the real deal.

Watch closely.

TA DAA!

Are you blown away yet? I think this would be a great advertisement for Valspar spray paints!

So, I will cut to the chase and show you the almost finished product.

I can't reveal the finished piece yet because she hasn't presented it but, you get the idea.

I watched in awe these past couple of weeks as Krista learned to control the flow of the spray and to manipulate drips and dribbles for the effects she was after.

I will never look at spray paint the same again!

Have any of you been to San Francisco and seen the street art? That was her inspiration. I am so proud of her!

Work Table Wednesday

2011-10-26T08:03:00.001-04:00

Lots on the worktable this week...and it looks like it will stay that way for many weeks to come. Yay!

I have two worktables in the my studio these days. The large 8' x 8' upstairs in the actual studio space and a new to me old metal porch set that I got at an auction for $2. One of the best deals ever!

Have I mentioned I LOVE my studio? I really do. I know I am very fortunate to have such a great place to work. A few weeks ago, I decided to take back some work space downstairs in the shop, rearranged, moved in the table and set up an area for making candles and other projects I wouldn't want to work on upstairs for some reason or another. It makes a nice display piece too when I'm not using it for a work table.

The new work table area

It used to look like this back there

I made my first batch of Holiday soy candles yesterday...Pumpkin Souffle. It was so nice to have everything in one place and not have to mess up my kitchen and dining room. The studio and shop smell like Thanksgiving Day. Yum!

My brother-in-law, the plumber, got us this old farm sink and Rick built the base. I'm using an enamel table top as a back splash until I find another use for it. The shelf above is an old green chippy locker door.

I'm using found objects as candle containers this season. Can't wait to show you how cute!

Upstairs, on the big table are three file boxes awaiting embellishments. They are the same file boxes from the Container Store that I used on the last keepsake box project.

Such a nice box to start with!

Two boxes are for little boys and the other one obviously is for a little girl. I've shopped for papers and other embellishments and now I have to get busy piecing it all together. I'm still looking for what I want to use for feet.

For a boy with navy and other blues and red as an accent

For a boy with classy Ralph Lauren type patterns

For a girl with a bold floral and polka dots

I should be pretty far along by next Wednesday and hopefully they will already begin to look like the keepsake boxes they are meant to be. Stop by for Work Table Wednesday next week and see.

So, back to the work table(s). What are you working on this week?

This is Going to Work!

2011-10-24T12:54:00.002-04:00

It's the most beautiful time of year for me and the most busy time of year as well as we gear up for the upcoming holiday seasons. To add to the mix, we've added a new element back into our lives here at the Ranch...homeschooling.

I say, back into our lives because if you've followed me since the beginning you may remember that when Sam entered 9th grade he wanted to go to the beautiful new state of the art public school down the road with his friends and at the same time I got the notion that it would be the ideal time to start this new business and chapter in my life.

I've purposely chosen not to say anything much for the last month because I needed to deal with my feelings about it all. The decision came about quickly and then again, it has been a long time coming....

We had homeschooled so long that we had forgotten how well it was working for Sam and our family as a whole. It only took a couple of years to realize that no matter how new and beautiful, how state of the art, and how great the teachers are, or sports programs are that most public schools will never be equipped to teach kids that are right brained learners or any other learning style that is not traditional. That's just the way it is.

For two years, I watched Sam's self confidence level decline at a steady pace. From the beginning weeks in high school he was labeled by some of his teachers as "lazy, unfocused, unorganized, talkative, and unable to concentrate, sit still or comprehend information", all the while saying he was a "good kid, respectful and sweet".

On the other hand, when report cards came home, comments from the teachers in the hands-on classes such as Auto Tech were more positive...."good student, gives 100 percent, works hard".

I've had many personal, phone and email conversations with teachers over the last two years trying to find solutions we all could live with. By far the simplest was a deal struck up between Sam and one of his teachers....sending in a bag of her favorite candy for a 100 test score to bring up his overall average....honestly, I kid you not!

For the most part the teachers are doing the best they can in a world of standardized tests and requirements from the state. I feel for them. I could have been one of them...so glad I took a different road!

Since making the decision to homeschool again, the blog has had to take a backseat. First, there were the homeschool legal forms to take care of, then public school release forms which came with personal judgements from well meaning administration and friends, then curriculum to find and purchase, and a new schedule here on the homefront to plan and try to adhere to....just a lot to deal with.

Today, things have settled. Curriculum is in place and going very well. Our family feels like family again. None of us realized how stifled Sam felt until we noticed an almost immediate change in his attitude. It's answered prayer for sure!

I wanted to share a couple things with you today as I get back on track with the blog and all that goes with it...

I've been reading a new blog that I believe you will love Fieldstone Hill Design . She also is a homeschool mom and is redoing her office as a combination school room/office. It's really wonderful and her blog is most inspiring.

Homeschool room by Fieldstone Hill Design

Our homeschool room also used to be a shared space in my studio...high school is different. School now takes place wherever, and whenever. There aren't so many supplies or need for a black board or more than one bookshelf. He's happy on the sofa with his books and laptop...or in the shop building a motor for his go cart project or at the gym continuing his weight lifting class...and best of all...now, he drives! This is going to work!

And lastly, a video that I love..that really says a lot about how we should nurture our children's interests and talents regardless of the opinion of the public education system or our family or friends...just sayin!

Animal School

Do you homeschool? Have you ever considered? North Carolina is one of the easiest and best states to homeschool in. We are so very fortunate!

Outside the Box

2011-10-04T22:10:00.000-04:00

Lots going on this fall here at the ranch...more unexpected surprises...we are once again homeschooling. Yay! More about that maybe later...but, I will go ahead and say it's all good!

It's been busier than ever this past month, but too, I've taken many days off to spend with Erin. I love having flexibility, but it can also be exhausting! I can't believe this is our last week together before she goes back to Oklahoma. Boo and Hiss!

I have managed to finish a couple of small commissions....

This is one that I got as a result of my Etsy shop...it's a keepsake box for a new baby girl that will house her drawings, awards, lovies and maybe a love letter or two...

It started with this great file box the customer sent me from The Container Store. It's sturdy cardboard, heavy enough to keep it's shape under the glue, paper, paint and polycrylic....and boy was it fun to make!

The name and birth date is painted on vintage sheet music and I did a collage-like treatment with papers, acrylic paint and ribbon for added interest.

This is actually a print of the original piece on top of the box. I was afraid that the vintage paper would be too fragile for actual use, even with the poly finish. I'm really glad now that I invested in a good fine art printer earlier in the year and most recently a new scanner. The print looks identical to the original and sturdy to boot! Because it's printed with archival inks there was no worry of the ink smearing under the polycrylic.

I'm including the original piece in the order as a gift to the buyer for her scrapbook or maybe even for framing.

As with all of my boxes, I like to embellish the insides a little too...the paper on the bottom of this one hides the wooden dowels that attach the ball feet to the bottom of the box.

The ribbon on the top and bottom is a sheer brown organza. I didn't realize it was sheer when I bought it and it was a very pleasant surprise effect. I love when that happens!

I decided on stripes because of the size of the box compared to the size of the decorative papers I use. The box is the largest I've done to date...16 3/4" x 13 3/4" x 10 5/8 h. The papers are 12" x 12". The stripes allowed me to piece the papers without showing seams...experience I've gained over all the years hanging wallpaper. I'm thinking if I do any more large boxes I may use wallpaper...or maybe NOT...now that I think about it, it reminds me of back in the eighty's when I worked for a designer and we made dozens of paisley shaped boxes and covered them with wallpaper. Ugh!

I am happy with how it turned out and hope the buyer is just as happy with it!

This one is the clock box that I showed you the beginnings of a while back sometime in August. It's also a commission and I believe I remember hearing that it would be for stamps and envelopes on her desk. It's a 7" square paper mache box, the smallest I've found to work with the clock kits I have.

This isn't the new owner's trophy, but it would be a nice way to preserve some of them I think. Looking at the top, it makes me wish I had done a little something more to the top...it's hand painted by the way.

It's pretty all the way around with two different papers, the floral ribbon and nickel tacks.

The embossed pink paper gives the appearance of tooled leather don't you think? When I found it I couldn't wait to use it! Now, I can't wait to use it again.

I'd like to decorate for fall and Halloween around here this week. If October goes by as fast as September did, we won't get to enjoy our Halloween decorations for very long. Got yours out yet?

The Booth...again.

2011-09-14T09:57:00.001-04:00

The booth....seems like that's all I've been talking about on the blog for weeks is...the booth. It's probably because that's all I've been working on and finally we've taken our first installment down to The Depot at Gibson Mill for the booth. I don't know why I even bothered to make a floor plan because I had to make changes first thing...but that's okay, it turned out fine. I hope there will be bare spots when I return with more things this week anyway!

Like in our shop at home, I tried to have areas of similar items, which is a challenge in a 10' x 10' space. This month, we are featuring all of our pitchers and creamers on the tiered unit on the left just as you enter the booth.

From the shop, we took out the entire side wall of treasures for little girls and ladies of all ages, including the matching vanity and chair, jewelry, dresser accessories and some vintage clothing, hats and some really, really cute evening purses.

I'm excited beyond measure to have a concrete floor to showcase my floorcloths! I normally have to hang them and no one knows they are rugs if they aren't familiar with floorcloths. Now, I just hope people will go ahead and walk on them. The one in the back is a 4'x6' and took over two weeks to complete and the one in front is a 2.5' x 3' and took nearly a week. There is a lot of preparation work before the art ever goes on them and then there are 6 coats of poly applied for protection...so go ahead and walk on them...it's perfectly safe. I've been making them for almost 23 years and I have it down to a science. About the only way to damage them is to fold them or place them on a carpet instead of a hard floor.

I should have gotten more pictures of the side walls, but I Erin was ready to go, bless her heart for helping me all day, and we had much to load back onto the truck before we could head home.

I hope you can get to Concord soon and visit not just my booth but the other 500+. I see something each trip that I need! Really!

Next week I promise to talk about something besides the booth! See you then.

Whew!

2011-09-07T08:00:00.000-04:00

I've managed to keep my promise and post every Wednesday for three or four in a row now. This is working!

...Since last week we've spent every minute being productive and honestly, I am glad this week is a regular schedule.

Last Friday we made our annual trek up to Hillsville, Va for the big flea market. This is the first year in 18 that I didn't find anything I couldn't live without. I came home with 2 sets of salt and pepper shakers, a pair of drawer pulls and a pitcher that wasn't even old...and something else I know,but can't recall.

By early afternoon it was miserably hot and then it stormed on us about the time I finally found some things I was interested in for the shop. We waited it out for a while but most of the vendors kept their things covered up in case another storm rolled through so we packed up as well and left. All in all it was a fun day even though we didn't come home with anything for resell.

Saturday, we picked up Erin at the airport. She was easy to spot coming out the door..looking like Taylor Swift in her cute little dress and cowboy boots. She looks so much like Taylor that when she meets people that's usually one of the first things they notice about her.

Do you see any resemblance?

Also, on Saturday, Rick started building sections of our Depot booth here at home. By about 8 pm he had most everything ready and I put a coat of primer on the side wall to save me some drying time on Sunday. Long day to say the least! He built everything possible here but of course, there were a few minor changes when we got to Concord on Sunday afternoon.

We had lots of help carrying in the loads of materials and tools. Two of Sam's friends went with us and saved Rick many steps throughout the five hours we were there. We had one wall already in our space and had to add another side and a back.

10' x 10' gets a little crowded with 5 people in it...thank goodness for the media room! Oh, and Sam is the tall one there talking to his dad who is the one that looks like his patience is running low.

The side went up quickly but someone (me) forgot to add the column into the plan and our measurements were about a foot off so here was when we (husband) had to recalculate a few things. OOPS. Sorry honey.

The color was a last minute decision...but I like it. Rick was out the door on his way to Lowes Saturday morning and I couldn't find my paint swatches in the heap of stuff on my desk where they belong...so I had to mix up something from my acrylics in the 60 seconds before he left...all while on the phone. It's all good. Right?

Monday morning was again spent building parts and pieces for the booth. About 1pm we had everything loaded and was headed to Concord in the rain to finish. I took advantage of the muscle power and got the mantle moved in too!

The idea is a saloon front...I'm not sure why I came up with that but it's just what stuck once it came to me...and something had to stick quick! The swinging doors are actually a headboard...could you tell?

For some reason, we had some miscommunication between designer and builder...so our roof started a little higher than planned, but what could I say, but thank you!!!! It's perfect. It still resembles an old saloon front I think.

Rick worked incredibly hard for three days with only one day off between his 15+ days straight, crazy work schedule he is pulling right now. I couldn't have done anything like this without him! Tuesday began another 15 and he seemed to be happy as he got into his truck to leave. Hmmm?

...And the buggy wheel...that I hope my Daddy doesn't really want back since he saw how much they were selling for in Hillsville on Friday. Remember, if you've been reading my blog since the beginning, that he gave me four of them. The little shelf above it is for our marketing materials...and Sam said for candy. That may not be a bad idea.

Okay, I have work to do so I can get this booth filled up! I will see you back here next Wednesday with photos of stuff inside. I hope you have a good week until then.

Detours

2011-08-31T22:20:00.002-04:00

Isn't it amazing when life just happens without you planning for it? It's better than we can imagine if we don't get so attached to the little things and just go with the flow...it's taken me 51 years to get to this point...but it's great no less!

Fortunately, I am not referring in any way to the acts of nature we experienced here in NC last week...earth quake trimmers and Hurricane Irene. I felt the earth move under my feet and didn't realize what it was, and the hurricane just blew all the flowers off of my bougainvilleas. Thank God, that was it!

Although the same day as Irene blew through, our daughter called to say she was coming home for a month...or so.

She's been offered a new job and has an opportunity to take an extended trip home...and she's taking it. We are thrilled! She hasn't been home since last December and Sam and I are the only ones that have seen her since. She will be here this Saturday afternoon.

Not only have I been preparing her old room by cleaning out all of the things I have stored in there, I've been getting a plan together for our booth at The Depot. We can start moving in this weekend but we first need to build a couple of walls and paint...and make some other really cool things that I will show you next week.

So, long story a little shorter, we decided it was just crazy to try to open the shop this weekend with all that has changed in a little more than a week...remember if you will, the booth at the Depot came open suddenly and I had no idea two weeks ago that we'd be doing that!

Believe it or not...I am NOT super woman! I can't do it all...boy that feels good to say out loud. Try it ladies, it's liberating in some strange way.

If you were planning to stop by this weekend, we apologize for the inconvenience. Please give us a call next week and we will open especially for you. Seriously! It's all pretty and clean and I'd hate for no one to see it before I start taking things out for the booth.

Oh, and I'm excited to announce that yesterday we had a featured item on Etsy's blog....

Antelope Lodge Floorcloth by Angie Nelson

....and today we sold our first item from Ranch Dressing Online , also on Etsy. Yay! It's been a good week!

Vintage Pink Health-o-meter Bath Scales

I hope you all are having a good week too and I will be back here next Wednesday, hopefully with photos of the construction process of our booth. Take care!

New Growing Pains...

2011-08-24T22:28:00.007-04:00

Since last week we've taken another step into the junk antique and vintage business...

We've taken a booth at the Depot at Gibson Mill...We will begin moving in in September. Why a booth?

We are bursting at the seams!

...and this is just two corners! I keep finding the coolest treasures and have continued to make new things as well. Also, we can't continue to work at this crazy pace, wearing ALL of the hats...this is supposed to be fun!

But, not to worry...we will still be open by appointment here at the Ranch! This is manageable. We would like to have at least one big occasional sale a year, maybe with vendors...but we will see what time actually allows.

I'm hoping to thin out and be less cluttered here...and to use the shop to introduce new things so that family and friends get first dibs...but you'd better look quick!

If you would like to be on our mailing list you can sign up from the link in the sidebar.

Did you notice this little cutie in the photo above? We're getting a nice selection of vintage children's items like this very sweet Margaret Holbrook doll case.

...and these 1930's and 40's framed paper dolls...Snow White, Shirley Temple and Beth from Little Women.

In September some things will be on sale 20% off that are spring-y and summer-y. Give us a call for a private shopping appointment!

...and you will want to come stock up on summer candles to finish out the warm evenings...some are perfect year round in the bath, like Lilac, Cucumber, Sage or Jamaica Me Crazy.

Okay, so....

As soon as the booth is stocked I will post photos and let you know how to find us...our first hint...it's near the diner!

Once a Week on Wednesday

2011-08-17T21:38:00.002-04:00

I could be talking about your mother's hair appointment, your housecleaning day or...well, I don't talk about those topics here...so I must be talking about the blog.

It seems it is evolving into only once a week and usually on Wednesday. It's just all I can manage maybe until winter or maybe that's just all it will ever be again...so mark your calendar for updates at the Ranch on Wednesdays.

I had to have my car serviced this morning and on the way home I stopped for a little pickin'. I managed to get two baskets of Thomasville junk into my trunk and now have it all cleaned up and ready to merchandise into the shop.

All clean and ready for a new home

How cute are the tumblers?...and the Malibu Ware?

I'm such a hog for old tins...do I sell or keep?

These refrigerator dishes are great together...and remember the Chop-O-Matic?

How 'bout the star colander? ...and the slicer dicer thing?

Antique hand made rolling pin, can you say very primitive?

These things came from an old cabin in town...yes, in the city...it's the best kept secret in T'ville! The cabin was moved to the back of the property many moons ago to make way for a newer house and has been used for storage for no telling how long. It's still very sturdy and the owners plan to keep it around...unlike the utility company in our neck of the woods...

Love it!

The sweet little building in the picture below is now long gone thanks to P-R-O-G-R-E-S-S. The power company is clearing the right of way to make way for new lines. I won't go there, for now, but just for the record, I am not happy! I did manage to get a few pieces of junk out from behind those nice doors before demolition.

Beautiful!

Our neighbor, Kathy Godwin, took the photos. She is a great photographer, don't you think? But, now, It is gone. We are Sad....nonetheless....we should save as much of our history as possible, be it in photos or collecting things.

Everything you see here, and much more, will be ready for purchase in September. I'll be talking more about that next week...probably on Wednesday.

Talk to you next week!

Work Table Wednesday - Artisan Boxes

2011-08-10T23:01:00.001-04:00

On my worktable are new boxes. I've said over and over...I'm obsessed and I can't stop making them. Last weekend at our opening I sold one of the cutest ever...

Girls Rule Box

I made it with a teenage girl in mind and doggone if one didn't walk right to it and pick it up. We both were thrilled! If you will notice the cute little knob on top...It's from an old pot lid I think...just one of those things in my stash waiting on a job. I thought it was the perfect touch.

Nowhere does it say boys drool, but we all know...they do!

My boxes have evolved somewhat since the first ones I made out of necessity. (See below). I made them for the jewelry armoire I repurposed from an old clock case. You can read that story here...A Clock Case No Longer. I'm finding that they all need feet of some sort and a special topper that is something recycled and sometimes repurposed.

My very first embellished boxes

Although the stickers were nice at the time I'm using them less now and only for recycled jewelry boxes where only the tops are embellished. These little boxes were not finished inside so I decided to use them as gift boxes and made four more for the armoire.

My second set

These are a little more refined with finished insides and hand painted embellishments.

This week I am working on a new 7 inch square box that is also a clock...

Beginnings of clock box

It's a commission and I have until the last of September to get it finished and shipped, but I have to get with it
before my busy season hits full force. This is what I have so far....papers, rhinestones, clockworks, wooden ball feet and ribbon...

...and a hand painted hair hide top.

I've been saving this pink paper for almost a year waiting on just the right box. I love the tooled look. It's already been sealed inside and out for a nice sheen and protection for many years of use.

I have some pretty cool ideas for the rest of it...only I don't actually have all the parts I plan to use yet! Ebay here I come!

I did, however finish a cowboy box last week and it's going in our etsy shop when I get a minute to list some things. I can see this on a bookshelf with leather bound books and trophies...or up on a chest of drawers to the side of whatever is framed above it. I hope that whomever buys it will let me know how they use it.

7" Square Box

Off to bed, tomorrow's a new day for a new box!

We are open this weekend....

2011-08-06T11:23:00.000-04:00

....and are looking forward to seeing you!

Have You Read Our Newsletter?

2011-08-04T08:47:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note to let you know our newsletter is up and available to view online...

http://www.thejunkranch.com/newsletters.html

...or you can subscribe to receive it in your inbox from the same page or from the link on our side bar here on the blog.

Personally, I still love getting my mail out of my real mailbox and I will be happy to send you a copy to your real mailbox if you prefer. I like having things in my hands where I can put them on my desk, in my notebook or bulletin board for reference. I'm so bad to tell myself I will "print it later" and then completely forget!

Have a wonderful summer day!

For the Locals

2011-08-03T13:29:00.001-04:00

Hope it's cooler where you are than here in the hot and humid south! On Monday it honestly felt pretty tolerable at 95 and low humidity. Now, both the heat and humidity are rising and I'm happy to be inside sprucing things up for our opening this weekend.

We recently got in some new local collectibles that I think are quite unique and just may be near to someone's heart....

First is the High Point Bank and Trust 60th anniversary commemorative ashtrays. Ordinarily, I may have passed up something like this but,

My first bank account was with this bank and they gave me my first loan as well for my one and only brand new car....and my best friend worked there for a while. The bank looked like this even when my children were small. I remember going through the drive-thru in the back and my kids getting lolli pops. It was fancy back in the day.

We have two of these smoky glass ashtrays. I still know several people that worked there and am wondering who will scoop these up.

....And on the other end of the spectrum are these little windshield ice scrappers...

From the iconic Fulton's Grocery. It was one of those places everyone stopped by and that had Cokes in a big red cooler outside for a long time.

If you've not been to one of our occasional sales, we have lots more local collectibles you may be interested in...

New old stock North State Telephone Match book

Dial???

First Methodist Church
Winston-Salem
Built 1842

Great Smoky Mountains

Blowing Rock

White Lake - I'm not sure what this is but I like the art...

Tiny little ashtrays from Star NC

I would use them for soap in a guest bath/powder room

More from White Lake - 10 coasters still in package...

Coasters Lable

Commemorative silver plate money clip from Kay Jewelers

Record Cleaner from Greensboro Music

I know...a cat hair.

Lots of vintage travel brochures from all those childhood vacations.

Post cards...some linen...from the same childhood family trips.

If you see anything you are interested in we will be open this Saturday August 7th from 10 - 5 and Sunday the 8th fom 1 - 5. We'd love to see you!

First Weekends

2011-07-24T18:22:00.003-04:00

Did you know we are going to be open on a regular schedule soon? Yep, I am excited!

Beginning In August
Open the First Weekend in Each Month

August 6, 7

September 3, 4

October 8, 9

November 5, 6

*Open 2 weekends in December
December 3, 4
December 10, 11

Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 1-5

We are looking forward to seeing you! Please share this with your friends that enjoy shopping in the sticks for cool stuff!

See you soon!

New Website and Sales Dates for the Ranch

2011-07-16T15:46:00.002-04:00

Just a quick note to let you know that we now have a website up for the shop. I guess I don't have to tell you that getting a domain with the words ranch dressing was impossible. What was I thinking?

Our address is an easy one to remember although my friends that keep telling me not to use the word junk when I refer to my business may give me a hard time...it's

www.thejunkranch.com

I hope you will visit and let me know what you think. It's simple without a whole lot of pages to get lost in. I hope this will help with the problem folks have been having with finding sale dates and hours open...speaking of...I have set a schedule for the rest of the year. You can see the tab above or follow the link to our new website and see the dates.

2011 Sales Dates

Now that I have a few things crossed off my list of "to-dos" I have plenty to make and do in the studio to get ready for Fall. We may be a vendor at a great Christmas show in November. New vendors won't be notified until September so we can't be sure we are in just yet...cross your fingers for us!

I got a chance to do some real pickin' like Mike and Frank last week. I was honestly afraid I was going to be snake or rat bitten!...but, I did get some unique things that will be ready to go in the shop soon.

See you next time.

Summertime's Calling Me

2011-06-23T16:06:00.001-04:00

It's official...it's summer, and boy does it feel like it. Here in the piedmont, NC it's been H O T hot! It's keeping everyone busy watering gardens and flowers...and little kids!

With all that's going on here I'm forced to take a computer break for a few weeks at least, but I thought I'd give an explanation before my disappearance rather than come back with apologies.

I hope you all are enjoying your summer and I look forward to seeing what you are up to when I return. The shop will be open as usual by chance or appointment weekdays and Saturdays...if you are driving a distance it will be best if you do call first, as we are in and out a lot this time of year.

If you want to take a gander at my photos below, you will see where I'm spending a considerable amount of time....

My first Black-eyed Susan of the season bloomed yesterday along with my first sunflower

I always have to have at least one pot of sea roses...sometimes I find them popping up in the oddest places,
nowhere even near where they were the season before.

Our first raised bed garden. I've loved it! No tractor or tiller needed.

... I could use a weed eater though.

Our first cukes showed up this week along with the zucchini. Yum.

The Chaste tree in front of the shop is in bloom loaded with bees. It was windy in this picture,
but it's really pretty and round on top.

Bees on the blooms.

See you back here soon!

Angie

Three days and Counting...until...

2011-06-16T11:21:00.000-04:00

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!

With Father's Day approaching I thought I'd throw out a few ideas for gift giving. If your Dad is like mine he already has everything and says he doesn't need anything.

Remember those little coupon booklets we made for Dad as children? A coupon for a car/truck wash, breakfast in bed, or for mowing the yard...and then there was one for something that included us...a day of fishing or trail riding or even better a weekend of camping. Those were the days!

In the shop, we have a few things Dad may like too.

For the collector Dad...

Collectible oil cans

Handmade fishing/tool box and old tools

Collectible cameras

For the writer Dad...

Hand lathed pen and pencil sets by Charles Hepler

Letter opener sets / pen and pencil sets

Soy Candles for burning while writing

Masculine scents like Caribbean Teakwood in various sizes and containers

For the art appreciating Dad...

1950's framed Charlie Russel prints

Dyrk Godby print, "Countin' 'em out"

Vintage Travel Trailer art by Paige Bridges

These are only a few suggestions...we have more! Come see us for your Dad's unique gift! Open this weekend 10-5 Friday and 10-2 Saturday.

How Tu...esday. Get Creative with Containers

2011-06-14T09:15:00.002-04:00

Over the weekend, we had a family cookout at the lake where my brother-in-law and his wife live. Everywhere we looked they had the most beautiful pots of plants and flowers which lead to a conversation about the expense of not the flowers...but the containers.

It's true. Containers bought at the garden shop or even one of the big box stores will set you back a pretty penny. I have a hard time personally, justifying the cost, although I have splurged a time or two for a beautiful pot. For the most part though I have usually looked around behind our out buildings or through my husband's junk stash for anything hollow to stuff my plants and flowers in...
I am a cheap-o.

Old cast iron pot with it's lid propped up at it's side

Late one Sunday evening I got a whim to add a couple of planters on each side of the shop walkway...but I didn't have two matching containers except the ones on my front porch. Not many people come to our front door when they visit so I seriously considered swiping those. Then, from no where to now here (I love that expression) I saw in my mind's eye the trailer park planter from a past life I suppose. I went out behind Rick's shop and found his scrapped block from the same building and wha-la...matching planters. Being the junque dealer that I am it is only fitting that I use said junque in my own decorating. Right?

Half of a concrete block set up on it's end...bottomless so it's great for something with long roots or perennials

The little granite blocks around the concrete block are from the Blue Ridge Mountains and were at one time part of a parkway wall that was removed for new construction. All of the granite used in the parkway was actually mined from the mountains by the way. The horseshoe is one of many that I've used in my gardens. I love the rusty brown with the plain gray backdrop of the concrete block.

It appears that I really have an appreciation for rust...another rusty piece that I love!

Old fireplace grate works as a pot holder for my geraniums this summer.

I don't do just rust....This old enamel milk bucket has always been one of my favorites. Everything I put in it looks great...white seems just make everything pop.

In the shop, I've taken lots of things that might have gone to the dump and am using them as plant containers. To

me they still have a few more years of service in them lending their character and beauty in new ways.

Old galvanized bucket with a nice, pretty wooden handle and decorative hardware

Sweet, rusty enamel coffee pot

Bromwell sifter...a little bent and rusty, a lot cute! ...and the Sweet Annie pictured here is looking much better. I think she was still in shock from the transplant.

What is your favorite alternative to a pricey planter? I'd love to see your photos too...leave a link with your comment. I hope you can get out and enjoy your garden today! I plan to do the same.

Keeping it Simple

2011-06-12T12:50:00.003-04:00

For a while...not sure how long exactly but I'm thinking about 10 years or so, I have struggled with balance in my life. Women seem to have a much harder time than men because we want to be everything to everyone. At almost 51, it finally hit me that we cannot be anything to anyone if we are not true to ourselves first.

I haven't written a post like this in a while so get yourself a cup of something if you plan to ride this one out...Maybe this should just be for my personal journal, but then again, maybe there is someone else out there that is feeling the same way....

Since discovering the internet around 12 years ago, I have been on information overload. The entire world was opened up to someone that has lived in the same place forever.

I had a successful art business, was very happy building a home and family and was at a point where we were seeing for the first time some financial prosperity. Life was perfect!

I believed that with the world now at my fingertips all would be even better...but what happened was that I began to do what I saw my middle schooler doing but was completely blindsided until just recently. I used to tell her that maybe she was unhappy with things because she was comparing herself to too many friends at once. It's hard enough when we compare ourselves to one great individual but when we are one compared to a group it's overwhelming not only for a child but to anyone of us.

With the internet, now we can see we are just one of many that designs, makes, writes, bakes...you name it, anything. We are just a drop in the bucket and whatever it is we do, someone else has probably already done it. First there were websites, ebay and blogs, and now there are as many social networks as there are people to join them. It's never ending!

Then we have the marketing gurus that tell us we must do all of these things or we are sure to fail. We must!

So for the last decade or so, I have spent countless hours online creating websites, blogs, selling on ebay and etsy, starting facebook pages reading every how to be successful books I heard about...and somehow managed to spend time with my children going to ball games and horseshows, open and close a gallery, teach art classes and have summer art camps for kids, travel to exhibit my floorcloths in shows, move my business back home, homeschool our son, and now have opened an entirely new business...so I've started this new blog and more social network accounts....insert a breath... and then just a few weeks ago it hit me that things...my life...was totally and completely not mine anymore and I got really angry. Really, really angry.

I spent an entire morning on my porch thinking....what do I want to do? What was I doing the last time I was truly happy with myself?...it was way back before the time of the world wide web...when I was blissfully ignorant actually.

I applied to shows not knowing that people sent in applications and prayed for years to be included...and I got in. I sent in amateurish slides to national magazines and was published. I once sent a hand drawn and written brochure printed on pink paper (what the heck?) to a fellow interior designer and the next thing I knew I was asked to design a line of floorcloths for an accessory program with a major furniture manufacturer. We exhibited them for two years and my sales were crazy good all over the country. I didn't know the proper way to do anything, but people were most receptive to my ideas and I honestly think I got their attention because I kept things simple.

Simple is not all bad...simpletons, however are a whole different subject that we will not discuss today ( don't you love how my mind rambles?) ...but a simple lifestyle is what I want to get back to and away from so MUCH information.

I will say, I have met some wonderful people through social networks and blogs and some great business contacts as well. It definitely has a purpose...but, we can get caught up in comparisons, just like a middle schooler and then we ( I ) try to do it like this artist and that person and then there is this business that has this workshop and that dealer that is also renting two booths at the big antique malls and so on and so on....until we are spinning so fast we are not doing anything but marketing, keeping up with the business Joneses, and collecting "friends", "fans", or "followers" online. One day we wake up and wonder what happened to our real friends and when was the last time we enjoyed working in the studio...or worked IN the studio period?

Are you on your second cup yet? If you are reading this at night you'd better skip the wine in case it makes you sleepy...I have a few more thoughts....

So, back to the angry part...I was really angry. Normally, I'm a very good actor and play "pleasant" as best I can, but I did share this with my friend Cheryl...Hey Cheryl...but, at that point I wasn't exactly sure why...several things were taking place in my life that could be affecting me...and they all were stemming from my lack of authenticity.

But, now it's resolved because I figured out that I was angry with myself. I am learning to be ME again...and it's really not that hard. There have been days I didn't even turn on my computer and I didn't realize it. I do have thoughts that I'm not being a responsible business person by not posting my every thought or great junk find or new art piece or what ever...but, dang it, what did people do before they conveniently went online to see...they visited or called. Anyone remember Sunday afternoon visits? My grandparents stayed dressed in their Sunday best and visited or entertained visitors every Sunday afternoon. Who does that anymore?

Anywho...

I am not checking out of the blog or my facebook pages, but just limiting my posts to the important stuff. I know if you are interested you will check to see if I've been online lately despite what the gurus say about having a schedule and what percentage needs to be personal and what needs to be about your work... I know this because, I have my list that I check out because I want to see what they have been up to. I don't forget the people I'm truly interested in. I hope you won't forget me.

We are almost through here...

So, as far as simplifying my life goes...For today, I am making a point of remembering that Sunday is a day of rest...and like God, we artists, or really all of us, are creators too...

Genesis 2: 3 And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Thank you for taking your time to read this. I hope, if you've been feeling overwhelmed in your work or your life that you can take some time too to think about what you need to do to make it yours again.

Below are a few pictures from my herb garden....I honestly intended to only post photos today...funny how things change.

Enjoy your day of rest

Summer Hours at the Studio and Shop...Open by Chance or Appointment

2011-06-02T09:47:00.001-04:00

Sorry, I've been away from the blog so long....

Little Velcro asleep in the shop

I'm not sleeping

or playing....

....just busy in the studio and shop...and outside in the gardens and barn...trying to get some housecleaning done...and then there is the grocery shopping, errands, cooking and laundry...and did I mention we already have our spring hay in the barn? You know how it is...so much to do, so little time. I hope to find my rhythm and get back to posting soon. Please don't give up on me.

Remember the studio and shop are open all summer by chance or appointment. Please call/text me at 336-905-0386. I am in and out some days so you might better call ahead if you are driving from a distance.

I will have the AC cranked up and a delicious summer scented candle burning. We've added 3 new scents to our collection for the summer so far...Lavender Sage Cucumber, Carribean Teakwood, and Coconut Lime Verbena. We also have Citronella to keep away those pesky mosquitoes!

I hope you too, are enjoying the unofficial start to summer. School will be out next week and we already are having temps in the mid 90's here. If the pool were open I'd be trying to fit that into my day too! Talk to you soon. Honest.

How Tu...esday. Make a Bird Feeder

2011-05-17T12:28:00.000-04:00

For the last sale I made lots of tiered jewelry dishes that you may remember seeing here in my teaser photos. While I had out all the dishes and epoxy I made a few pieces that I call bird feeders and bird feeder/baths.

Bird feeder/bath

Such poise...I think this one may be a prince.

I'm convinced he can balance that cup when he hops away.

They are really very simple to make and you can go whimsical like the frog or simple like the one below.

Two plates and a candle holder. Simple but elegant bird feeder...plant stand...etc.

All you need: plates that appeal to you, something to use for height, maybe a cup or small bowl for the bird bath and a little epoxy glue. You probably already have things you can use or at least a good start.

The next one is my favorite and evolved from pieces that I collected over time. I keep experimenting with layers until I have something that clicks. Next I go back and epoxy glue the pieces together.

Tips...glue one piece to the other and let it set completely before adding the next layer. Do this in a well ventilated area or better yet, outside.

An old finial, dinner plate, candle holder and an ashtray...all come together as a bird feeder/ bath combo

They can be whatever you want them to be...feeders, plant stands...

The perfect height

Cheyenne thought it was a great water dish.

Would anyone be interested in a workshop? We would love to have you make one with us. Leave me a comment and we will plan a workshop soon.

...and FYI...We have several in the shop if you don't want to make one of your own.

It's Handmade...and Vintage

2011-05-16T10:00:00.003-04:00

Vintage map covered box

I love it when I can use something from my junk stash and it turns out to be quite attractive....

This is a 7 inch square box covered in a vintage 1960's NC/SC road map.

I think I keep adding marble feet to my boxes because just that little bit of color and height takes them from just a box to an accessory.

The ribbon reminded me of tire tracks or a checkered flag from the race track.

The old reflector and keys have been in a box for years waiting for a project so I knew immediately when I started searching for a knob what I needed. I thought the gas key was the perfect accent with the old car key.

I like to finish the insides too.

...and the inside of the tops.

This one is available in the shop for our local shoppers. I will be listing lots of other embellished boxes in our Etsy shop, Ranch Dressing Online, this week. I will keep you posted.

If you are interested in seeing this box or others, give us a call. It's gorgeous on a book shelf or sitting on a table...and it earns it keep by holding what ever you want to hang on to but keep out of sight.

What Camera Do You Use?

2011-05-11T16:16:00.000-04:00

I've spent the best part of my day taking photos and editing them. I'm making pictures for my newest ebay listings and I've decided to take them up a notch.

I have sold, both on Ebay and Etsy for years, but my photos have been just so so. I decided with my new shops, I will start fresh with good photos from the beginning.

Today was a good day for outside pictures because it's been overcast. No shadows or glare to deal with was a huge plus...not that it mattered much for the quilts, but I always appreciate a day like this. Here are a few, showing details and pattern.

Shabby to some but perfect for primitive craft making

Showing front and a little of the feed sack backing.

Colors are still vivid where there is pattern

There's that "preferred" staining.

Homespun backing

I could probably use a new camera. It would be so much better if I had control to focus on small objects like jewelry. It took me a lot of tries to get these in focus with my old point and shoot (Canon Power Shot A30), but somehow I managed.

This was made outside on a piece of white cardboard

Vintage Clip ons, clipped to a plate

Vintage Glass bead necklace made outside on white cardboard

Rhinestones were really difficult to photograph for me. These still aren't great but I'm getting there. I had to try three different times to get them in focus and not reflecting crazy colors. I tried them outside first but I was getting color from all sides.

Made inside under florescent lighting

On white cardboard inside - florescent lighting

Inside - florescent lighting

Sitting on cotton so that it will be upright - inside - florescent lighting

So, what camera do you use for photographing items for your shops or blogs? I'm ready to go shopping for a new camera. Comments with your suggestions are greatly appreciated.

New at the Ranch

2011-05-09T18:00:00.004-04:00

New glass in the shop this week...

Vintage Freezer Jars

I think this is my favorite of the three

Don't you love the aqua lid? We have cannisters to match.

Or is this my favorite...I love the red lids.

Gallon Milk Bottles

Arden Farms

Royal Farms

Paper Flour Sack framed in an old window

These way cool vintage goodies are all for sale and ready to go home with you. Give us a call and come by!

We are also opening up our new ebay shop this week. Click on the Ebay tab at the top of the page after 9 pm Tuesday night to see the what's on the auction block this week.

Here is a just a sneak peek...

Working Telechron Motored Neon Ad Clock

We will be adding new items a couple times weekly, so you will want to check our listings often...we are cleaning out the shed!

Small Business is about Relationships. Thank you for yours!

2011-05-03T12:06:00.002-04:00

My neice, Roxi sporting her new vintage dangly earrings that she's "always wanted!"

Thank you to everyone that came out and supported us this past weekend at our first annual Springtime at the Ranch occasional sale. We had a good turn out and a great time! If you didn't make it, we missed you and hope you can come out in July for the next one. We had lots of happy shoppers, including Roxi with her new clip on earrings! She stayed in the mirror for the longest time making them swing. So cute!

Since starting this new business, I have become more sensitive to supporting local businesses and have been making an effort to buy from small businesses, including our friend's greenhouse for plants, instead of Walmart or Lowes. I love shopping where people know me. I love eating where people know me. It's nice to be treated well by people who honestly appreciate my business.

I've heard many times from friends that have stores, restaurants, and so on...that if your own community won't support you, you haven't got a chance at making it. This is so true. How could you? Many times we mistakenly think we are just one person and our presence won't make that much difference, but it really does. Knowing that your friends and family support your efforts means the world whether you spend a little or a lot.

When you have an online business, it's just that...all business. There are no faces, just transactions... just business. When you have a local shop it's very personal. More faces than transactions, and that's to be expected. We appreciate those that came out and didn't find anything this time as much as those that left a Benji on the counter. It was just very nice to know that each one took the time to make the trip. Anyone that comes in the door smiling is always welcome.

Small business is about relationships. The six months we have been doing this has been far more rewarding than the last 10 years of my art business, where I began to put it all online and just sell. I had forgotten how much I missed relationships with customers that I actually met face to face and built friendships with over the years. It sure makes getting up and working more satisfying.

So, with this said, I hope you know that our thank yous come from way down deep. We don't do this just for fun...although it IS lots of fun! It's hopefully going to become our livelihood one day soon and we are greatly appreciative to those that like what we are doing and support us with your business!

Sale Weekend

2011-04-30T11:49:00.000-04:00

Just a quick reminder...we are in the midst of our Springtime at the Ranch occasional sale...

I 've been so busy I completely forgot to post here on the blog. While I've got a break I thought I'd best get back here just in case there was someone that had missed the other posts.

We are open today until 5pm and open again tomorrow, Sunday May 1, 1-5. At 5 we are going to have a drawing for the assemblage piece shown above. It can be used to hold jewelry...etc. and can be kept for your self or it would make a lovely Mother's Day gift.

There is much to see in the shop still yet. I hope you will stop by!

All Shop Photos

2011-04-27T13:35:00.000-04:00

Come on in

NC tobacco stick stars...gotta preserve our heritage!

Great chippy ladder backs, green, black and white.

Old, old patchwork quilts...these were made by po folks! Some are entirely flour sacks.

A view from the other end

And from the back

...and here's Cheyenne. How'd she sneak in here?

Kitchen wares

Great find...White House vinegar jugs with lables

Front corner

Vintage travel...cases, brochures, maps, souvenirs

Old bakelite body Imperial camera (top)

Shoe brush makes a nifty photo display

Back corner

Our door prize

Just for the ladies

Lots of trinket boxes

Bird Feeder?

Intended as a bird feeder, but cute in a kid's bathroom for "stuff" if you have the space.

Where did I put my keys?

Extra large key

Button cards, neat embroidered pillow and hand made dresser scarf

Everything is for sale...but the dogs! Friday 10-8, Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 1-5. The drawing for the tiered jewelry dish is at closing on Sunday.

Looking forward to seeing you!

Win This!

2011-04-26T17:53:00.000-04:00

Tiered jewelry dish

We are giving away one of our tiered jewelry dishes this weekend at the sale. It's a small one that would fit right in on anyone's dresser. It is made from three entirely different patterns but work together beautifully. I'm as addicted to making these as I am trinket boxes.

All you have to do to win is stop by Friday, Saturday or Sunday during the sale and drop your name in the cookie jar. We will draw a name on Sunday at 5pm. I will email or call you if you are the winner.

I'm all but finished with preparations. Tomorrow, I will make sure everything is priced and finish a few small projects, take a deep breath and call it DONE. I set my goal to be done two days before the sale this time...I think I'm going to make it.

I am looking forward to seeing you this weekend...and I hope you win!

OH, and I've added lots of new pictures of the shop on our Facebook Page if you want to take a gander...I'll post some here tomorrow, but there are lots there already. Click on the highlighted link above or there is also a link in the sidebar.

Vintage Trailer Art is Here

2011-04-21T14:05:00.000-04:00

Flower Child by Paige Bridges

If you've read my blog for a while you may remember me writing about my discovery of vintage trailer artist, Paige Bridges in my post titled Vintage Trailer Art . I placed an order with her last week for the shop and let me tell you, making the decision of which ones to order was most difficult. I LOVE them all! I actually want them all.

I will have a selection in the shop along with boxed note cards for you to choose from. If you think the online images are great you are going to love seeing them in person! The prints are 11" x 14" but if you'd like a smaller 8" x 10" size to hang in your trailer I can get those too.

Here are a couple more...

Gettin' Ready by Paige Bridges

This would make a nice Father's Day gift.

Ric's Route 66 by Paige Bridges

Are you a trailer camper or just love the nostalgia of the old ones? I want a vintage trailer just to set up out here somewhere even if I didn't go anywhere. It could be my mom cave.

What is an Occasional Sale?

2011-04-20T13:54:00.001-04:00

The invitations are out and the questions are coming in..."What is an occasional sale?" Our first occasional sale, I just called Grande Opening, so everyone was good with that. This term, occasional sale has filled my inbox with questions. Here are my answers:

It's really just what the name says. A sale that happens occasionally. I almost called it a Seasonal sale but that has it's own meaning too. I had been using both phrases interchangeably, so now that I'm all straight I will not be doing that anymore.

Occasional sales are all the rage right now, especially in the handmade and vintage world. According to Renee Christensen, the Minneapolis Thrifty Shopping Examiner, "Occasional sales are usually hosted by an antique dealer or a group of antique dealers, and are held as often as monthly to quarterly to biannually for three to five days."
The beauty of occasional sales is that dealers restock items throughout a sale and each sale brings new treasures. Dealers strive to showcase decorating with architectural pieces, vintage wares, repurposed and recycled furniture, rustic and retro furniture, cabin and cottage style accessories, household and garden wares, and textiles."

Our sales will be quarterly this first year and last 3 days each. Items are priced to GO. If something has been in the store for months it's been marked down. Collectible items are averaged with national markets and handmade art or fine crafts are marked about 10 to 20% less than what they will be listed for online if they don't sell during the weekend.

The back corner

Here are a few teaser photos as promised. Some areas of the shop look like an explosion, but I managed to get in the very back corner and take a few pictures. This is where most of the kitchen ware, candles and pottery are.

More to come....

1st Annual Springtime at the Ranch Occasional Sale.

2011-04-18T11:13:00.002-04:00

Vanity items at Ranch Dressing Handmade and Vintage

The dates are set for our first occasional sale of the year. The invitations/newsletter are addressed and ready to go out this afternoon. E-invites/newsletters are scheduled to go out shortly, and for you, blog readers, you can read the newsletter here on the blog in just a second or two. Look up just under the banner and click the Newsletter link for the Spring 2011 edition.

If you'd like to be on our email list to get the next newsletter in your inbox sign up from the link on the side bar. Look for the pic of the shop and click there. We only send out 4 newsletters a year so don't worry about us bombarding you with emails and we never share your email address.

FYI the dates are April 29, 30 and May 1
Hours are Friday 10-8, Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 1-5

We are excited to share everything we've been working on and will be putting up a few teasers here on the blog for the next couple weeks.

Take Your Floorcloth to the Door

2011-04-01T10:20:00.002-04:00

Why not greet your customers at the door with your logo and product information? You know what "they" say about branding...the more places people see your logo the more likely you and your business will be remembered.

I made this floorcloth/business card for the stair landing leading up from the shop to my studio. People always ask, "what's up there?" Now they are asking to GO up there. It's opened the door to more questions about my work which is the whole point of having my studio above my store. Right?

Before our Spring Open House at Ranch Dressing Handmade and Vintage, I'm going to make one for the shop as well that will be placed at the front door where this photo was taken. It will be more rectangular to span the width of the double doors. Didn't know you could take your floorcloth outside? Sure you can.

There are only a couple of things to remember before placing your floorcloth outside...

1. Sweep the floor surface completely clean of any and all grit. You can, but don't have to, place a very thin rug pad beneath it. No mesh; anything with a pattern will transfer to the surface...permanently.

2. If it's windy or rainy, take it in. Water will not hurt it, but you don't want it soaked through and through.

Other than that, you are good to go. I can only recommend this for MY rugs because I know what they are made of. I use the best materials available for making a quality product that will last you indefinitely with proper care.

You will notice in the photos that they are heavy and lie flat. My floorcloths resemble a thick, heavy piece of leather in both weight and feel even though the base material is #8 canvas duck. After all is primed, and painted with multiple layers and then with acrylics for the artwork, they are sealed with 5 coats acrylic poly on the front. If you let me know ahead of time that you will or may even use yours outside in a covered area, I will add a couple of sealer coats to the back for added protection.

To clean them, just sweep and mop with your floors or wipe with a damp cloth. Floorcloths are ideal for the door area as there is never any problem with doors catching them like with a thicker type traditional rug.

Want one for your business or as a custom welcome mat inviting guests into your home? I can help you with that. Send an email to angie@freereinart.com or call me to set up an appointment at the studio 336-905-0386 Let's get started! I'm excited to see what you have in mind.

Gearing up for our Spring Sale

2011-03-26T00:42:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the disappearing act...I'm busy getting the shop ready for our first seasonal sale of the year and I've finally figured out that if I focus on ONE thing I can actually get much accomplished.

Watch for the dates!

Get Your Kicks....on Route 66

2011-03-16T22:21:00.001-04:00

Well... as my dad would say.... that's a deep subject...

Well, I'm just going to come out with it. I'm offering up the new Route 66 floorcloth, Get Your Kicks, to you a little early....remember, I designed it for the Design America-Texas show in May. Well, we are NOT going.

Get Your Kicks floorcloth by Angie Nelson

Without going into a lot of personal details, I will just say that our plans have changed unexpectedly. I'm disappointed, but it's okay.

I'm happy with the way this one turned out. Like most of my recent work it's fun! Life is too short here on earth to be so serious all the time. As long as you put a floorcloth on a hard floor it will work anywhere you want to put it. I think this one would be perfect in a recreation room. I can see a juke box and a popcorn machine in there somewhere.

Each vintage tag is from one of the 8 states on Route 66

Notice the faux cracks in the pavement...and, notice the visual texture of the pavement

I've put it up on my website and Etsy shop and it ships free in the lower 48. Can't beat that!

Now Sold Separately

2011-03-15T15:09:00.000-04:00

I recently had a request from a good customer to separate a set of coasters so that she could have one for her desk at work. I thought this was a good idea so in the shop (Ranch Dressing Handmade and Vintage) I have been selling them individually.

Since day one I've offered customers the option of choosing which designs they wanted in their sets so this is obviously a great option!

Remember, these designs are prints of my original art, are printed with archival inks on fine art paper, applied to painted canvas rounds and sealed with 5 coats of polycrylic for protection. Of course you remembered! Too, they are cork backed for your tabletop's protection and are the perfect size for a glass or mug at 3 1/2" in diameter.

They are really a steal for $7.50 each don't you think?

For locals, they are available in the shop and as of today are now available individually, in my etsy shop as well. Shipping is only a buck for one or two. Happy Shopping!

Cute Vintage Easter Paper Plate

2011-03-11T10:35:00.001-05:00

It's Friday and time to show you some of what I've added this week. I found some cute vintage 1940's or 50's Easter paper plates. At Christmas I sold out of the Santa plates quickly and had no idea that anyone else would love them as much as I did. These bunny plates are really cute and will make a nice addition to your antique or vintage Easter decorations.

1940-50 Easter Paper Plate - ONLY A FEW LEFT

And are you old enough to remember TV lamps? I am but I didn't realize for the longest time what I had here....

1950's Shell TV lamp - SOLD!

1950's TV shell lamp -SOLD!

I don't figure there is much of a market for them here in Randolph County, but you never know....they are still selling well on Ebay so if you are local...better come now if interested.

Playing Catch-Up

2011-03-09T11:42:00.000-05:00

According to my calendar this floorcloth should have been finished last Friday. Being sick with the flu for a week sure put a hurting on my schedule, but I'm making good time this week since this is a standard design and I already have the measurements, and templates ready. I am updating a couple of the colors, but not by much. Turquoise and red are still very classic in western design. I will add the bears this afternoon and hopefully wrap it up by tomorrow and be ready to cut and prime canvas for the next three floorcloths. To see what this floorcloth will look like click here....Hugging Bear with fringe (This one will not have fringe)

I'm starting a round floorcloth next week that should take me about two weeks to complete. It too is a standard design, but I've not done it as a round rug yet. I'm excited to start it. The colors are bold and exotic, as you can see in the color bars above. I bought paint yesterday and I just can't wait to get cracking!

I guess this makes for one of the most boring posts ever...I'm just trying to get back into the swing of posting! It's all I can do to stop for five minutes and do this. Thanks for hanging in here with me! As I get caught back up I will do a better job keeping you updated.

Be Back Next Week

2011-03-04T20:25:00.000-05:00

I have officially missed a week of my life. Today was the first day in 7 that I have left our house or my bedroom for that matter. Seems I caught a little bug...the flu. It was horrible!

Funny thing is, that last Friday, on Facebook, I made a joke out of swallowing a lady bug. Karma?

Anyway, I'm up and feeling much better. Made my weekly trip to the grocery store and even rearranged the living room late this afternoon.

I'll be back on track next week. See you back here then.

Friday's Featured Shop Items 2-18-11

2011-02-18T09:30:00.022-05:00

It doesn't seem much like winter here in NC today. We may hit a record 76. Wooohooo! Bring it! It's been a long winter...and I'm a winter person.

It's weather like this that leaves me wondering what to wear for the day. When I head out to feed the animals at 7:00 am it's been between 20 and 30 degrees all week, but by lunchtime I'm peeling away layers and am down to shirtsleeves. No wonder people all around me are sick.

If I were small enough, and I worked in a place where I had to dress up, I might choose something like this vintage Saks Fifth Avenue dress. It would work with it's 3/4 length sleeved jacket. It's a woven ribbon dress..well, actually I don't know exactly what it's called...but I've heard this term somewhere and it makes sense to me. Anyway, it's gorgeous and it's tiny, maybe a size 0. I don't know what that would have been back in the day; all I know is that it's not my size so I'm offering it to you. I can see it used as decoration or worn.

There were lots of nice clothes in the estate where this came from, but unfortunately they weren't stored where the little mice couldn't get to them. This dress is one of few that made it out in one piece. I thought this telegram was one of the coolest things that I found among all the papers from the same estate...it kind of tells the story of why so many nice dresses.

And what good dress doesn't need a tapestry bag to go with it...how cool is this? No, I wouldn't carry it!...but I would hang it open on a hook in our bedroom and keep my latest read in it or maybe in the guest bathroom and stuff some rolled towels in it. Yes, everything needs a purpose here.

Or how about a new spittoon. Now, I'm guessing that not many of you ladies dip snuff...and if you do, don't tell me...but this is a very elegant ladies spittoon. Yes, there is such a thing and yes, they are collectible. So if you know anyone that collects them, send them my way. If it stays here, it will become a fancy vase come spring.

I hope you enjoy this beauty of a day!

My Newest Work and My Inspirations

2011-02-17T09:50:00.003-05:00

Newest floorcloth

The newest floorcloth is coming along very well. It will be finished on Friday...tomorrow...well, maybe Saturday. I always give it a day or two before I apply the finish coats of poly. It never fails that I find a pencil mark or some detail that I've overlooked...and sometimes it is then, when I should really be finished, that I get a new inspiration and add something that I wonder why I hadn't thought of from the beginning. But, that's the beauty of this business! Floorcloths can be changed and reworked...or even started over before the finish is applied.

Finish coat?...floorcloth?...what? If this is the first time you've visited my blog and don't know what in the world I'm talking about..In a brief description, a floorcloth is a hand painted #8 canvas(the weight varies by maker) that is essentially a hand built rug. I begin with raw canvas, build up layers of paint to form a smooth and flexible surface, hem the edges, paint the design, and seal the design with many coats acrylic polyurethane. For a more thorough description and the history of floorcloths you may want to visit the About Our Floorcloths page on my website.

This one is another 4' x 6' and will be debuted at the Design America-Texas show in May. Like most of my designs, it will work in almost any size you need. All of my standard designs are available in any size and you can even request custom colors at no additional cost per square foot. Our Standard Floorcloth page on the website lists the most common sizes, but I can do anything that works for you...even the shape.

Because I have a studio on our farm and have very little overhead, I've managed to keep my prices the same for the last few years, even though materials and shipping have gone up annually. I still ship floorcloth orders free in the Continental US, so when you are comparing my rugs with other makers you will want to keep this in mind. The average 4' x 6' floorcloth ships for about $35 depending on the distance between you and I. If you're like me, it's hard to spend money on something you can't see even if it's necessary...like the plumbing, your heating system and yes taxes! So, it's my pleasure to ship your order free.

This spring, I will introduce four new designs, including one round rug and another in the Neon series like you see below. I'm sometimes very surprised at my inspirations and they seem to come out of nowhere to suddenly now here! (Heard that one from Wayne Dyer and I love it!)

The Neons have been really popular for recreation rooms and kitchens...and were the idea of my son, who was in the 8th grade at the time. "Hey Mom, why don't you use the glow in the dark stuff like you used with our Halloween sweatshirts when we were little?" I did, and it worked. When you turn off the lights, the outlines glow in the dark and look almost neon-like.

Neon Cowboy Cafe...inspired by a photo of Dryk Godby from the inside of his CD cover. This one is actually mine but yours could have any caption you'd like!

Click on the link to Dyrk's website and check out his art and music. I'm a big fan of both and have have decorated our home with several pieces of his art. We have the two shown below are in our kitchen and living room along with several originals.

Countin' 'em Out by Dryk Godby

Legendary Studs by Dryk Godby

Dyrk's attention to detail has been very inspirational to me. I hope you will try to see it first hand and I'm sure you will become a collector as well if you have a love for horses and the authentic western lifestyle.

Next week I will have a preview of the newest Neon floorcloth for you. I hope you will stop by for a peek.

Tomorrow, is Friday's Featured Shop Items here on the blog. Remember, if you're local, our shop is open on Fridays and Saturdays now. Come out to see us!

Friday's Featured Shop Items

2011-02-11T17:41:00.003-05:00

What a busy week it's been...here it is Friday again...and it's alreadyt 5:30. That rolled around quick!

To catch up on the week, I've finished a 4'x 6' floorcloth for the show in May. Here's a little peek...

corner of floorcloth

...now, if you want to see it before May, you'll have to stop by the studio and say "pretty please" or come to the show. I've got another 4' x 6' started. I hope to have it finished next weekend if all goes as planned. Check back in and I'll have another snippet for you.

Now on to the featured shop items for the week. This weekend, I've got two sets...one for the ladies and one for the men...for Valentines Day. If you haven't gotten your sweetie anything yet why not swing by the Ranch and pick her/him out something unique.

For the Ladies

Something pretty to present her chocolates on that she can later display on the wall or on a stand.

Beautiful selection of vintage beaded clutch purses for an evening out

Pieces of vintage costume jewelry from an estate collection

For the Fellas

Authentic vintage string box turned trinket box...great for his ring, keys, pocket knife...

Inside of trinket box with vintage sheet music

Charles Russel prints from the 50's

Buck Jones Comic Book

...and as a special note for my male readers....

What NOT to buy her from the shop....

Pink Heath-O-Meter Bath Scale with original paperwork.

Although it is really cute, if you have a retro pink bathroom. I was excited to find these...and yes, they are in the shop.

We will be open Monday -Valentines Day -by appointment.

Friday's Featured Shop Items- Chalkware, Crock and Soy Candles

2011-02-04T14:47:00.001-05:00

Featured this week is a new scent in our soy candles...Winter Garden. When you open the shop door you'll notice the refreshingly clean aroma from the lime and menthol first. After you've been in for a while, you will begin to pick up on the Douglas Fir and lavender with a hint of eucalyptus and pine. This is a good scent for relaxing in the tub or to give your house that "just cleaned" smell...and it's a pretty sky blue.

Hand poured -by me- soy candle
Winter Garden

Also, on the list is the collection of early 20th century chalkware. (sold separately) I've shown you the cat ashtray before...and I'm still so tempted to keep it and put dry cat food in it for Copy Cat. She'd probably hiss and runaway, but it is a cute idea.

Vintage 1910-1940's Chalkware...rare cat ashtray and grape bowl.

And last, is one of my favorite finds. The crock is in excellent shape with it's original lid and handle. The label is a little worn, but looks considerably bright considering it's around 120 years old.

Late 1890's Heinz Preserved Strawberries Croc

See you soon!

The Countdown has Begun to Design America-Texas

2011-02-02T15:02:00.002-05:00

With February here, I realized yesterday that I have three months to produce a booth full of floorcloths for the show in Texas. I sat down at my drawing table last week while the base coats were drying on two 4' x 6' floorcloths and several pieces of canvas slated for use as table top pieces.

Essentially, I know what is going up for display, and time will tell what I take in addition to those seven pieces. It's been years since I've done a retail show because I mostly work on custom orders and have no inventory to speak of. It's not by choice that I work that way, but for the mere fact that floorcloths are so easily customized...size, color, design,...you name it. When I exhibited at the Western Design Conference, I only took one or two pieces with me because it was a gallery style show. So, to be honest, I'm feeling just a little overwhelmed at the moment.

I will tell you, it's a difficult call as to what to paint when I can actually paint anything I want to. I have two new designs in my head that haven't quite come together yet, so I'm starting today on a design from 2009, but with updated colors and a new twist here or there.

The new color scheme

The new color scheme is not too far off from the original, which you can see in a tiny framed version there on the side of my worktable. Just enough though to make it look new again and a few added colors for good measure.

Marking off the design

Laying off the design is a lot of fun compared to the previous days of measuring, cutting, priming, measuring some more, and then hemming. I've learned a lot of tricks over the last 20 plus years, and have bought a lot of tools to make work a little easier, but sometimes the simplest things work just as well...

Marking off large circles can be a pill!

Once you find your center a push pin, a string and a pencil is just like using a large compass. If only you could do this with a paint brush!

Later today, I will start painting...which is heaven to me. I will resent stopping when it's time and will be excited to start again tomorrow. Check back here for updates on my progress for the show.

More later...I've got to get back to it!

New Designs Available Today

2011-01-31T14:53:00.000-05:00

Set of 4 Printed Coasters from my original art

You might remember seeing these designs at the first of the month here on the blog or on my facebook page...I was playing around with painting on vintage sheet music with some of my favorite spirit animals from the Native American tipi art that I love so much and came up with these four designs.

The Guardians

They are printed with archival inks on art paper and look so close to the originals that my husband thought I had painted them. I will have to say too, that it's even hard for me to tell the difference unless I pick them up and feel the paper. I couldn't be happier with my new printer!

Order as shown or choose your favorite(s)

They are built just like my hand painted coasters, only the printed design is applied to the canvas rather than painted on it. The design is then finished with six coats of acrylic poly and to protect your surfaces they are backed with cork.

Cork backed Coasters

They are a nice 3 1/2" in diameter...perfect for mugs or glasses. I have already tested our set out over the weekend and received good reviews from the home front.Today, they are now available to you too, from our Etsy shop. The best part is that these are available for immediate shipment...no waiting.

Watch for more designs in this same style later this week in the shop and our online shop.

Talk to you soon!

Featured Shop Items

2011-01-28T11:12:00.002-05:00

Each weekend we will spotlight several of the unique goods you can find in the shop and not available in our online venues. Remember, you don't have to wait for our seasonal sales. Schedule an appointment...and bring a friend. We have items for every budget...

Here are today's features:

Hand painted reclaimed vanity and chair

Detail of flower motif on drawer and distressed areas

Decorative paper lined drawers inspired the hand painted details

Matching chair

The chair has colored spindles inside facing the seat...come see!

SOLD

Chenille Mermaid

How big did you think they really were? Maybe this is why they are rarely seen....

I hope to see you soon!

The Value of Art...Who's to Say?

2011-01-25T11:19:00.002-05:00

Assemblage Art Doll by Angie Nelson

Here's Junk Baby again...this post is her official adoption announcement....but, first I want to talk about something that has been on my mind for several days since reading about a situation over the weekend.

Junk Baby is in my Etsy shop today. Since she's my first assemblage art doll I'm selling her for less than most of the same craftsmanship listed there...not that I believe she's inferior, but for the mere fact that the other assemblage artists have developed a following, will be producing more and are making a living in their specialty...like I do with floorcloths. Assemblages, to me, are new and fun for now. I may make more and I may not.

When I was in college many moons ago, my instructors stressed, fussed at, and humiliated us design students until we completely understood the meaning of "craftsmanship". Long before graduation, we knew if we were to pass our final project everything thing must function and everything must be made to last the test of time.

Circa 1980 college design class project..yes, that's dirt under it!

One of my favorite college design class projects still sits in our living room. I designed and made it in 1980...and, yes, it is now considered vintage. I made an A...it was my first A in design class and it finally came in my first semester of my sophomore year. We could probably use a new coffee table now. I would actually love a large leather ottoman...but I continue to use it because I'm practical and it's still in great shape, despite two rowdy kids and a husband that props his feet on it every night.

I try always to put the same work ethic into everything I do, whether it be my art or cleaning the horse's stalls. Thank you Misters Norris, Johnson and Slack.

What sparked this post is that I saw a status recently on Facebook by an artist friend where she had been asked by someone, "what is the lowest price you will take for your (art piece)?" My friend was not as much insulted as she was hurt. I will tell you, the piece in question was a one of a kind, and masterfully created. She is a collected artist, and a named artist/designer for these world wide special collections. She was hurt because she'd spent probably the same amount of time the potential buyer had spent at work the last few weeks, and was in actuality asking less than a dollar an hour for the time spent designing, researching and painting the piece...not to mention the supplies.

If you're an artisan you understand this already. The potential buyer probably meant no harm whatsoever, but if she had stopped to think before she questioned the price, she may have been more sensitive. If she didn't feel like the piece was worth the asking price, would it have been more desirable to have, if it were actually worth less?.....Exactly. Why would she want something from a collected artist that had a depreciated value?

Given, the artist only knows how much time was spent working or painting or whatever is required to make the art, but can she put a price on the time spent thinking and planning and starting over to make it perfect? Not usually. That part is free to the buyer.

The value of art is always what it's worth to the owner, not the artist. To the artist it is a chunk of their soul -who can put a price on that? - and we always want to keep it...but we know when our hands are gripped tightly around something then we can't hold the tool of choice and create anything new...so we let it go...at a fair price, most always to the buyer's advantage.

...and in the words of Forrest Gump, "that's all I'm going to say about that." Except...good luck on your sale my friend...you know who you are!

So, back to Junk Baby...

She's signed and comes also with a Certificate of Authenticity

Today, she goes up for adoption to a new family, as junk lovers - ME - are not good parents to junk babies...they tend to push them aside when new junk comes along. Sad, really but true!

I love you Junk Baby!

Highlights from the Junk Workshop

2011-01-24T10:00:00.001-05:00

The junk workshop on Saturday was loads of fun! I really had no idea exactly how it would go. I've only taught children and teen art classes and have never actually attended any type of workshop myself that I can recall. I thought maybe I should begin like I always do with art classes...with an introduction, a demo or instructions...etc. and then let them move into the fun part.

I did none of the above. I did get to greet everyone individually but once they were in, well, it just happened. After everyone arrived they promptly took inventory of the junk, scooped up what they wanted and went to work. I was impressed. Most everyone arrived with a vision and if they didn't come with one they had one within the first hour.

Here's a look at the afternoon....

Getting started

The first hour was really quiet. Everyone settled and concentrating...

Can you tell what this is?

Jan brought the BEST junk from her barn. I'd love to go there and "pick".

Notice her sweater...re-constructed and re-styled...just for fun. I would buy one of those!

Notice the cute bakelite alarm clock...another of her great junk.

Lauri making a screen frame for her earrings. I didn't get a photo of the finished product for some reason...It turned out great.

These girls are pro's. They could have taught the class! I loved their ideas.

I laughed when I took Krista's picture. I may have as many of her as her mom. She's been coming to the studio since 5th grade. She's almost 17!

Hour 2 and several completed projects later.

I wonder if Jonathan was channeling Tom Mix? ...He built an alter that he can pack up and take with him wherever he goes. I am looking forward to seeing it when he's finished!

Aren't these great coasters? Zinc jar lids with paper inserts coated with several coats polyurethane.

Cigar box turned jewelry box

Windchimes by our youngest participant

I'm so happy to know there is a use for all those corks I accumulate. Don't you love it?

My sister, Lori putting to good use all those windows she replaced in her old farmhouse.

I hope everyone had as much fun as I did. We will definitely have to do this again. Thank you all for coming!

Today, the studio seems a little empty. I've packed away the extra tables and all the unused junk is back in my "stash". I've completely cleaned off my worktable and put away all the tools. The only thing left is the inspiration I got from being with all of the other creative people that spent the afternoon here.

Now, I've got about 12 weeks or less to get ready for the show in May. Ready or not, here I come.

We are Going!

2011-01-20T13:12:00.001-05:00

It's not that I've been keeping anything a secret...I'm not very good at it anyway, but my page is up on Design America-Texas today, so I will go ahead and tell you. We are going!

I'm excited not only to be included in this show, but this one is close to Erin. She can come to Texas for a day and we can work in a visit to Oklahoma after the show.

I hope you will take a few minutes to look at the website and check out the fabulous artists and designers that will be there. Oh My!

Now, to work. I've got lots to do!

In a Junkin' State of Mind

2011-01-19T22:45:00.001-05:00

I've been in a junkin' state of mind all week. One project only inspires another and another. I haven't gotten around to doing all that I've wanted to, but now I'm at least organized enough to make myself a list.

It's only three days until our Junk Camp for Beginners Workshop and I've got several new and simple projects ready to use as examples.

Goodwill frame with embellished horseshoe hanger

This is a simple 1950's picture frame that I've repainted and distressed in my trademark...it used to be another color before it was this color...style. I've hung it from brown velvet ribbon attached to a rhinestone embellished horseshoe right off Checker's front foot. Well, several years ago actually. He's a barefoot boy now and loves it! Oh, and this is for sale in the shop.

Horseshoe courtesy of Checkers

How 'bout this sconce? You can see it's a garden digging tool that I've attached to a piece that I'm thinking may be the front of an old radio or some kind of speaker. It had a thin fabric backing... anyway, it turned out really cute. I can see a candle sitting on it or maybe even keys hanging on the teeth. This one too, is for sale at Ranch Dressing Handmade and Vintage.

Digger tool sconce

The next two are from my personal junk and will go back on my porch where they came from. I'm all about adding feet and bases to things. I've been using this pot as a planter for years in the herb garden but it's almost rusted out and I wanted to bring it onto the covered porch before it was a goner. I added some drawer knobs for feet and a milk cap for a little color. I have just the perfect spot for it on our screened in porch.

Coffee pot turned planter with feet

And this piece is made from one of my many, many enamelware pans and a ceramic snowflake planter from Goodwill. After I put it together I realized the base is upside down...I think it looks better that way...evidently. I painted it with gloss and acrylics to look like rusty enamel itself. I believe it turned out better than I imagined. Now, it needs some little winter pots of pansies or some bird seed...haven't decided yet.

Winter birdfeeder or planter

These are all simple and good beginner projects taking only about an hour more or less to complete. I'm looking forward to the workshop and seeing what the students come up with. I will be sure to post photos next week from the class.

Have you made anything from your junk finds lately?

My Junk Baby

2011-01-13T10:53:00.002-05:00

I wanted to give you a quick peek at one of the junk projects I made this week. Here again for the second week in a row...and only the second week in the new year...that I am a day late posting my Worktable Wednesday post. I hope this is not an indicator of the year to come!

I do have a legit excuse...I left my camera in the studio last night and by the time I had taken off all my layers and my boots I was NOT going back out. We have a thin layer of ice left from Monday's and Tuesday's storm and by 10:30 last night it just wasn't worth risking a broken leg to blog!

But, here she is...

I don't know that she's completely finished yet. I feel like she needs to be holding something. I'm still looking for that something.

I love her!...and I think she is a real cutie. I've had the baby oil bottle for a while and no one bought it at the last open house so I put it back in my stash. While I was reorganizing some things I found the doll parts that I got at a friend's yard sale last summer. I never know what causes the initial spark but it ignited and I put the two together on my work table and other elements started showing up. As you can see there are pieces of vintage costume jewelry, silk flower petals from left over "Fairy Camp" from years ago, vintage buttons and scrabble pieces.

The frame was a steal (well not literally!) from a flea market last fall. I wish now I'd bought more than the two I came home with. I should have listened to my friend Ruth Ann!

My junk baby actually hangs straight on her little diaper pin hanger, but I didn't want to leave her up long because the epoxy on the button hadn't completely cured when I snapped the picture.

This is an example of what students can do at our Junk Camp for Beginners workshops on the 22nd and 29th. This little girl will be for sale in Ranch Dressing Handmade and Vintage and may be listed in my Etsy shop as well after the workshops are over.

It's not too late to sign up for the class on the 29th. There are a few seats still available. You can register online or contact me email, phone or text. All of my contact info is in the side bar and in the link above in the About tab.

More project peeks to come.

Talk to you soon.

Our First Workshop is Full

2011-01-10T08:00:00.003-05:00

I'm very happy to announce that our first workshop Junk Camp for Beginners is full with nearly a week to go before the registration deadline. This doesn't mean though that you can't come if you were waiting until this week to sign up. I am continuing registrations, but for another date, Saturday January 29th. It will be the same time slot, 1pm - 4pm.

If this is the first you are hearing about the workshop you can read the description here.

With all this said, I have much to do to now get ready for something I only dreamed up a week ago. Yes, this is how I roll...by the seat of my pants...on a daily basis. Keeps life interesting!

Also, this week I will be shopping for a new printer. I need something that uses archival pigments. I think. Any suggestions?

Boots and Saddle

These are two more of the coaster rounds from the vintage sheet music I did last week. I tried printing some of these on the printer I have now, but it just doesn't capture the color and detail the way I would like it to. Recently I bought an ACEO on ebay that was printed with archival pigment on special paper. It is stunning! I want that. I think I will contact her this week to see what she has.

Well, back to the drawing board. Literally.

Talk to you soon,

New Thoughts and New Work

2011-01-06T19:25:00.000-05:00

Ideally, this should have been posted yesterday for Worktable Wednesday, but time slipped away. I have purposely been staying off the laptop so I can be more productive elsewhere.

So, when I am in the studio I have lots of time to think...and think I have done. I've made some decisions about my work that I feel very good about. For starters, I am going to offer some printed things. It's really hard to be a prolific artist if I'm reproducing the same designs day in and day out.

This week, while working on said same ole, same ole designs, on canvas, I somehow ended up with vintage paper, acrylics and pens. The results were a series I've named The Guardians. Without even realizing it at the time I ended up with artwork for 3 future projects.

The Guardians

These will become printed coasters in the same fashion as my painted ones (canvas backed with cork). I can seal them the same as well with 6 coats of acrylic poly. I needed art for the tops of my soy candle tins so they can go there too. And lastly, the originals can be framed and sold that way. My sister, just today, suggested that they go behind wide mats and black frames and sold as a set. Sounds good to me.

I'm working on 2 more pairs on this same vintage sheet music...then off to something else.

Look for these finished items soon in our shop here at home and in my Etsy shop. I'll let you know when they are available.

Talk to you soon.

ranch dressing: interior design cowgirl style

Part 2...Been There, Done That, Will I do it Again?

Part 1...Been There, Done That...Will I do it Again?

Happy New Year

Are We Crazy?

Work Table Wednesday...Spray Paint Texturing

Work Table Wednesday

This is Going to Work!

Outside the Box

The Booth...again.

Whew!

Detours

New Growing Pains...

Since last week we've taken another step into the junk antique and vintage business...

Once a Week on Wednesday

Work Table Wednesday - Artisan Boxes

We are open this weekend....

Have You Read Our Newsletter?

For the Locals

First Weekends

Beginning In AugustOpen the First Weekend in Each Month

September 3, 4

October 8, 9

November 5, 6

*Open 2 weekends in DecemberDecember 3, 4December 10, 11

Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 1-5

New Website and Sales Dates for the Ranch

Summertime's Calling Me

Three days and Counting...until...

How Tu...esday. Get Creative with Containers

Keeping it Simple

Summer Hours at the Studio and Shop...Open by Chance or Appointment

How Tu...esday. Make a Bird Feeder

It's Handmade...and Vintage

What Camera Do You Use?

New at the Ranch

Small Business is about Relationships. Thank you for yours!

Sale Weekend

All Shop Photos

Win This!

Vintage Trailer Art is Here

What is an Occasional Sale?

1st Annual Springtime at the Ranch Occasional Sale.

Take Your Floorcloth to the Door

Gearing up for our Spring Sale

Get Your Kicks....on Route 66

Now Sold Separately

Cute Vintage Easter Paper Plate

Playing Catch-Up

Be Back Next Week

Friday's Featured Shop Items 2-18-11

My Newest Work and My Inspirations

Friday's Featured Shop Items

Friday's Featured Shop Items- Chalkware, Crock and Soy Candles

The Countdown has Begun to Design America-Texas

New Designs Available Today

Featured Shop Items

The Value of Art...Who's to Say?

Highlights from the Junk Workshop

We are Going!

In a Junkin' State of Mind

My Junk Baby

Our First Workshop is Full

New Thoughts and New Work

Beginning In August
Open the First Weekend in Each Month

*Open 2 weekends in December
December 3, 4
December 10, 11