Ten Good Reasons

I am sorry it has been so long... I have been so busy juggling:

1. getting furniture sanded and painted and ready to sell at Everyday Elegance
2. doing the Lucketts Spring Market at The Old Lucketts Antique Store in Lucketts, VA
3. doing the White Elephant Sale at Everyday Elegance in Purcellville, VA
4. all the packing, unpacking and repacking that goes will all of the above
5. entirely reworking the bigger room in my shop by moving the display/checkout counters - to create an honest to goodness shipping area
6. clearing out the front of the shop - to be able to move furniture in and out of the double doors - so I can have a dry place to sand, clean and paint these items
7. getting enough shallow shelving to accomodate all of the 'smalls' I sell on Etsy
8. unpacking, cleaning and displaying all of those 'smalls' on said shelves
9. getting all of the seasonal items packed in boxes and into the little storage room
10. expanding the capabilites of the smaller room (formerly occupied by Moonshine Essentials) by putting up two 5' + clothing rods with shelves above to accomodate all of our vintage clothing, and arranging said clothing - now to be used by both me and V La Mode (formerly M.E.)

We have just finished #10 - and will be going back out to continue working on that room a bit.

I am so excited - I really was beginning to wonder if all of my plans that I had for this space would come to fruition this summer. We are getting so close to this becoming reality at this point I can hardly believe it!

SOOOOOO... Party with me!

CelebraTe ~~~~~ WOOT! ~~~~~ YipPEe! ~~~~ WooHoo! ~~~~

Pictures of the before, during and after will follow in the next post.

Breakin' Up is Hard to Do

Breakin' Up is Hard to Do Open House

Bittersweet Design Studio

and

Moonshine Essentials/VLaMode

Friday and Saturday February 12 and 13

12 noon to 5 pm both days

After this open house... we will be taking our some of our shop space and turning it into studio space and also enlarging our internet shipping area.

THIS open house may likely be our LAST for some time to come.

See our cool stuff on the web at:

www.bittersweetdesign.etsy.com

and

www.bittersweetdesign.artfire.com

and

www.VLaMode.etsy.com

and also in person (upstairs in the barn):

Really Great Finds

600 East Main Street Purcellville, VA

540-338-7799

Do you want to stay in touch? Go to:

www.bittersweetdesignstudio.com

and sign up to receive our email newsletter.

We'll let you know what we're up to!

Included in the newsletter will be our schedule of shows and events, possibly our latest creations, maybe some fun vintage finds, who knows?!

Also - as always - we will be happy to open our little shop for you by appointment. You can come yourself or bring a group (we'll have a little party!) and have a lot of fun. We'll have refreshments - food and drink for you and you can have fun shopping - in peace and quiet - or with your girlfriends.

To do this call: 540-882-4175

0r email us at bittersweetdesignstudio@gmail.com

Just FYI - we have had 30" of snow! However we are dug out and will be

OPEN FOR BUSINESS

parking will be limited and please wear sensible footwear - we are out in the country after all...

Holiday Nesting Open House

Holiday Nesting Open House

Bittersweet Design Studio and Moonshine Essentials
December 18 and 19 from 12 noon to 5 pm

Directions: From Route 7 east or west - Take Route 9 west - go approximately 1/2 mile - immediately after the traffic light get ready to turn left on to Simpson Circle.
The shop is just up the gravel lane from the first house on the right. There will be a sign. You can park along Simpson Circle.
We hope to see you!

Welcome and thanks for stopping by! Please join us for our last event of this Christmas season, our 16th annual open house. Not only will we treat you to some yummy homemade breads,a db somehting hot to drink, we will also send you off in style - everything you purchase will be packaged or bagged for gift giving.

If you have been here within the past year, you know that we are an ever evolving shop, and that once more we have honed our focus. In many ways, our focus has shifted towards ‘hearth and home’, and being ‘green’. You will find many more of our handmade products (knitting, jewelry, note cards, wreaths), and those of our friends (handbags, candles, soap) and more, as well as a larger variety of vintage items, from furniture to home décor - and of course cool vintage Christmas. My daughter and I have also included clothing and accessories in our vintage line – including outerwear, formal wear, lingerie, handbags, and hats. As usual we are having just plain fun!

Big Event Purcellville VA Town Wide Tag Sale

Look for this sign to find me!

This Weekend - Saturday and Sunday (however - We are starting Friday!)- over 200 yard sales and loads of other vendors selling their wares. Great stuff, including all the normal yard sale items - but also amazing items from artists, designers, etc... This is a shot of my stuff from last year's sale.

I will have vintage furniture, vintage table top items, accesories, fun kids stuff, and more. My daughter will have many of her amazing and unique clothing items from her shop.

We will be set up at The ReallyGreat Finds store in Purcellville at 600 Main Street, under 2 10x10 canopies. Stop by and see us. Mention this blog post and we'll give you an additional 10% off the already bagain prices!

Bittersweet Design Studio Happenings

A view of the Garden Room, with our items for sale, at Really Great Finds, Purcellville, VA

Hello everyone - NO - I did NOT fall in a well or get swept out to sea... I am so sorry for 'blanking out' on you this summer - See my "Sorry Excuses" below.
OPEN HOUSE "It must be Fall" to be held this weekend at our shop in Paeonian Springs, VA We will be open Friday September 18 and Saturday September 19 from 12 n00n to 5 pm. As usual, if you need to come by earlier or later we are happy to accommodate your schedule.
ALSO on the schedule for FALL:
September 1st - I have been graciously invited by Suzanne at Really Great Finds, to take over part of the garden room (AKA sun room) at the store in Purcellvillle. I moved in some pieces of furniture and a boat load of smalls two weeks ago. If you need a Bittersweet fix and are in Purcellville - Really Great Finds is open every weekend - Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Also September 1st - The 25 finalists for the Handmade Moment were chosen - I was not one of the 25 - However I still think "If Etsy were a person" video is an awesome thing. Thank you to everyone who took time to view my video. I greatly appreciate the support.

September 4th - Pushing the Envelope - Crafty Packaging for Cards of all Kinds by Marthe Le Van, published by Lark Books, a division of Sterling Publishing Co. arrives in the mail! My submission "TOP SECRET" is on pages 34 and 35! I will have copies available for sale in the shop. I'll even sign it for you :P

September 18 and 19 - Open House in Paeonian Springs, VA

September 26 - Historic Homes Walking Tour, Paeonian Springs, VA at 1 PM, during the Paeonian Springs Fall Festival. I will be conducting the walking tour and discussing the beginnings of Paeonian Springs, and some of it's architecture. This is will be approximately a 45 minute tour. This is only the beginnings of a comprehensive walking tour brochure/guide thatI will be working on for our town.

October 9, 10 , 11 - Fri and Sun 10 - 6, Sat 8 -5 - Open Air Market at Really Great Finds to coincide with the Purcellville Town Wide Tag sale (October 10 and 11 Sat 8 -3, Sun 10 -3).

October 17 - Paint the Town Green - Purcellville VA 10 am - 2 pm - to coincide with the Fall Farm Tour. I will be bringing my "Top Secret" Recycled Envelopes cards, as well as two new lines of 'green' items designed and made by Bittersweet Design Studio.

SORRY EXCUSES:

4 days after my last post, our dearly beloved dog of 15 years Abby, a Black Lab, passed away in our arms, amid kisses, tears and belly rubs. I can hardly even write this, because I can't see through my tears... frankly I think that's a pretty damn good excuse!

Now some other ones...

We had the good fortune of having 2 young enegetic sisters - Anna and Amy Reynal, helping us over the summer, as well as our nephew, Kenny Kopp. I'd like to see you keep the three of them busy, and try and squeeze a blog post in!

We were busy making the video "If Etsy were a person", and being a peer reviewer for the videos.

We listed and sold a boatload of stuff on eBay (that's a lot of packing and shipping!), and listed stuff on Etsy, where we had brisk sales there also.

So - enough for my sorry excuses - I gotta shake a leg and finish getting the shop ready for this weekend, and get some more small tables up to Really Great Finds to replace ones that I have sold!

Etsy Day

Here's my truck, with the Etsy sign on the window, outside of Nichol's Hardware Store (best hardware store in Loudoun County)
I showed my Etsy spirit all over western Loudoun today! At Harmony Intermediate School, Loudoun Vet, BB&T and Wachovia Banks, The ReStore, and Blue Ridge Hospice Thrift Shop.




Today is Etsy Day! Etsians all over the globe are celebrating the wonderful world of Etsy by promoting, blogging, tweeting, etc...Join in and support Handmade and Vintage by going to:

http://www.etsy.com/

and buy something you need here - rather than at the big box stores. There is a world of wonderful things to buy on Etsy and you will be supporting small business all over the globe. Let's keep the economy going by putting our money back in to small businesses, and home based businesses!

A special **shout out** to shugirl of Etsy for the great Etsy 'banner' above!

Relay for Life Benefit Open House

American Cancer Society - Relay for Life flyer

Washington Redskins football signed by #96 Cornelius Griffin

My daughter Virginia is captain of her Relay for Life team at Harmony Intermediate School. To help her with fund raising we came up with the idea of doing a benefit open house at our shops.

This special fund raiser will be held next weekend - Friday April 3rd and Saturday April 4th from 12 noon to 5 pm. Of course if those hours don't suit - please email us and set up a time of your own choosing! info@bittersweetdesignstudio.com

We will donate a portion of all the sales to her Relay for Life team. Her team is also raffling off a Bracelet of Hope, and a Washington Redskins football, signed by #96 Cornelius Griffin.

Hello Spring!

Good Morning! It is a lovely warm morning here in western Loudoun County and before I go out to hang up the sheets to dry I thought I should let you know about next week's open house.

FEELING LUCKY is the theme and - - ok - ok - - that's 'Feeling Lucky' in webdings...

The open house will be both Friday the 13th - ooohhhh - and Saturday the 14th from 12 noon to 5 pm both days. At checkout you will have the opportunity to pick a slip out of the Lucky Leprechaun Bowl to see what discount you get off your purchases - you may even win something!

We are ready for spring with all sorts of freshly made items and cool vintage finds. We hope you stop by to say HI! and spend some time with us! See you here! Liz and Virginia

Handmade Holiday Open House

This coming weekend - November 21 and 22 Friday from 12 noon to 5 pm and Saturday 10 am to 5 pm.

Please come to our Handmade Holiday Open House.

I have been on 'creative fire' lately and have made all sorts of new goodies for your gifting pleasure, as well as finding all kinds of cool vintage stuff for you to enjoy.

The ladies at the bazaar sold all but 3 of the felted purses - I will have these available. Of course we will also have Amy and Kathy's candles (Herbal Star)- the best ever!, some of the fantastic soaps from Julie and Dick (The Parsonage), Lisa's handmade cards and other creative and unique offerings.

Virginia's shop, Moonshine Essentials is filled with all sorts of cool clothes and accessories, and we've got even more jewelry, cards, scarves, and flip flops (some of that 'creative fire' I was talking about).

As usual, we will have refreshments - not sure what goodies I am going to make yet - but they will be yummy!

Also, always know that we are happy to accommodate special requests regarding our hours!