Sorry I bailed on you...

I'm back...

My Story:
Some time ago, someone was searching the web and came across some photos of my newly redone 1960s French Provincial furniture. They had similar pieces, and their furniture was in need of some love. They wanted some advice.  To be able to share it with everyone - instead of just answering her questions privately...I wrote this great post, answering in great detail, how to redo this type of furniture.
Because Google doesn't allow you to be logged into your Gmail address while being signed into Blogger - and I was currently signed into my mail account - when I went to post this particular blog entry - I lost the whole thing.
I was so pissed off - I haven't posted since.

But I need Blogger - Facebook is great for the 'close in' circles - but I want the wider audience, and the ability to share more info - so -

So here goes...  don't disappoint me...  My first post will be for my Cousin Karl - he wanted my recipe for Bolognese Sauce :)  

Pleasant Valley Fire Department Saturday Fun

These are photos from last year - This year's event was held this past Saturday - August 7th and was great fun!

The event starts at 9 am and goes until ?  They have a field full of sweet vintage and antique cars, a dozen or so flea market vendors, delicious chicken barbeque and great 'oldies' music piped in over a loudspeaker.

Ginna with her dream car of the moment - "But Mom - it's only $5,500"!  OK - these days that's not a bad price - and what a sweet ride it is!

The flea market area with some fun finds.

Some of the great stuff I found from last year's show - many of which I still have to list!  And I found even more cool stuff this year!

Makeover at Bittersweet Design Studio

This is currently where my 'to be worked on' furniture is being 'held'.  :( 

The messy beginnings of my tools/supplies area - but hey - at least there is an area!

Shelf installed and filled with autumnal colored items to be added to my Etsy shop.

It has to get worse before it gets better. 
Right - really it does, doesn't it? 
This is the view just a foot or two into the shop, looking towards the back. 
It actually looked worse just a week ago!

A lovely glass and wood display case for displaying beautiful items - however, now it stores shipping supplies.

OOPS!  My shipping counter - which got cluttered up while working on the smaller room of the shop...
I'll fix it, I'll fix it - I promise!!!

The smaller room - where all of the vintage jewelry, purses, shoes, hats and clothes will be, as well as vintage suitcases and other accessories. 

Number 2 clothing rack and shelf in place.  This rack currently holds clothes from my daughter Virginia's 'mid-retail' experience.  Cute stuff that is available for sale and will also be at the Town Wide Tag Sale held in Purcellville, VA the second weekend in October. 

Number 1 clothing rack and shelf in place.  This photo pleases me to no end!  All of the vintage clothing (wait - I have to preface that - the clothing that was already out in the shop) is hung and organized. Some of this is listed on Etsy and some is waiting to be listed.  From left to right:  negligees, outerwear, evening wear, day wear, casual.  

Back to the main room -- A cabinet that I found at My Mother's Closet in Keymar, MD.  Look for a post in the future about how I 'restored' this pretty thing.  It is filled with items that are already listed in my Etsy shop.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/bittersweetdesign.  

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.

Easter Cupcakes - Cute made Easy

Simple, easy, cute and taste good too! I used Betty Crocker Super Moist Vanilla cake mix - following the directions on the package. I used some cute Easter egg cup cake liners to line my muffin pans. After baking and cooling - I popped open a tub of Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Vanilla icing and got to work. I also had some pastel colored sprinkles on hand, as well as some Peeps, Jelly Belly jelly beans, and some of Brachs malted milk 'bird eggs' for decorating.
Put the icing on each cupcake as you work - don't do all of them ahead, as the icing will 'crust over' slightly and the sprinkles and decorations won't adhere.

Voila! Here is the finished product - ready to grace an Easter or Spring dessert table - and Enjoy!

Day Two of the Transformation

Two days - two people and a dog - I would have never thought it possible. The transformation in the barn at Really Great Finds is complete! Of course I could add more - and will - but this is a great start!After the paint dried...We starting moving in furniture.

Our rescue dog Cali helped out both days. When she wasn't following us back and forth and up and down the stairs, she cuddled up on her bed by the heater.

TA DA!

A little further along - with a dining table and chairs, little red, kitchen cupboard, end table, and a large wood framed vintage mirror.

A corner of the room with a closer look at a great 1950s mod pink and grey tea or coffee set.

The cutest red hutch! Perfect in a cozy kitchen, dining room, or even the family room!

Cozy corner with some of my hand painted signs, a 1930s green painted one drawer table and more.

A beautiful silhouette of a bed with coordinating nightstand - vintage 1960s Ethan Allen.

My handmade 100% cotton cloths paired with yummy soaps - private labeled for me by Dick and Julie at The Parsonage.

So there it is - Fresh, bright and pretty - just in time for Spring - a breath of fresh air and new beginnings!

A Clean Slate at Really Great Finds

Here's the latest news from Bittersweet Design Studio at Really Great Finds:

I am moving from the Garden Room in the big house - out to the upstairs back room in the barn. My husband Bob, pictured below, graciously painted the back and side walls (Sherwin Williams paint - color - Aqueduct), as well as the floor ($5.00 gallon of paint - Sand color - from the Re-Store - Habitat for Humanity's retail store in Purcellville). So here it is - a Clean Slate - just waiting for goodies from Bittersweet Design Studio. We will be moving in some furniture and smalls tomorrow. Donna Horton - who has tons of cool vintage stuff will be moving most of her goodies from the barn into the house.
Check back here tomorrow - we'll have more pics of our work in progress!