Showing posts with label custom chalk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label custom chalk. Show all posts

Bella Rustica 2012: A Recap






Hello everyone!  Well, it is all over this year.  Bella Rustica was a lot of work!  The weeks leading up to the show were a little crazy.  The Mr took Custom Chalk on the road to do a on location chalking for a schmancey wedding (wasn't allowed to take photos of his work... sorry!) about a week and a half before the show. So, we were pressed to get items finished and moved to the show.  We took at least 3 trailers full of *stuff* to the show and also had to haul Hazel.  When I got there to work on Thursday, it looked a little something like this...


I was a little overwhelmed for a minute, but then I dove right in to get it finished for the show the next day.


We had a loose *old school* theme with lots of old globes, reading charts, chalkboards... the Mr. created an arbor to welcome guests to the booth and to give it a school yard feel.  


He even found an old bell which was broke by this guy:


This little man had a grand time running around like crazy and making friends with the other kids there.  At one point it seemed that he had disappeared while we were setting up.  Luckily I quickly found him.  I was even luckier to have my sister come and entertain him for the next 2 days.  They hung out in Hazel and ate quite a few ring pops while the Mr and I worked the booth.


And, we were busy!  I tried to snap some shots before we opened each day, but it was pretty dark in there.  I had also planned on instagreamming the day and the experience and the people we met, but we had terrible reception in there, so the photos wouldn't post *frownies*


The Mr. chalked me 2 huge boards for the show and I love how they turned out.  I am hoping to keep at least one for the shoppe.


We had a nice, wide booth this year that Hazel was able to fit in instead of her being separate, which helped immensely!







We had been collecting school stuff for a few months to bring this all together.


I love globes and they were a big hit at the show too!  Lots of them found new homes!


This  was a little bit of a slow time.  We had a primo location... right across from the stage and pretty close to the fried pickles.. the only fried food I really like!





My original plan was to set up Hazel like a little camper homestead with a clothesline and a yard.  We weren't able to do exactly that, but I still managed to find a vintage clothesline and hang some towels to sell.


One thing I really love is lighting... I mean, I love most vintage items, but I LOVE creating lamps and lampshades. 


We created some out of vintage porch columns and ours have the cloth cords and pretty sockets too.



I finished a pair of chairs for the show and I think I will have to have them cleaned now.  It was dusty in there!  I am having to dust all of our goods before they come back into the shoppe.



The Mr. had a few pieces left from a recent show he did and brought them with him.



He was put to work by the vendors.  He is doing a few custom boards for the vendors and this is one that he did onsite for our neighbor Cat's Carpetbags.

Okay, onto *regrets*  This year I totally planned on getting photos of the other booths and the other vendors and guest... this year Donna from Funky Junk Interiors  was there (and quite the sweetie!)  But, we really didn't have time.  The last afternoon I went around and shopped a little.  I had heard that a Wolf dress form was sold on the first day *sobs*  That is one of the things I have been lusting over.  I did come home with a really cool suitcase from a local vendor, but I was mostly empty handed.


I pined over this piece... it was in supremo condition and was only $250 and was way more fab in person.  But, the fact is, it just doesn't *go* in our home.  It is the red I think.  But it was so fun!


One thing that I am SUPER DUPER excited about is something I traded these sconces for... Sweet Deann fell in love with them.  And, I have admired her work since I met her last year at the show.  She is simply a doll!  She asked the Mr to come down to her booth to pick out some paintings.  Well, that night I had a brain storm... I thought it would be great to have her paint Hazel.  Luckily, she thought it was a great idea too!  So, in a few months, we will get our very own piece of commissioned art!

Like I said earlier, we had a great spot right across from the stage.  There were some great act like Cheyenne Medders with his wife Priscilla.  We purchased all of their cds.  They have a great folksy sound that I love.  And then, after them came the Secret Sisters.


  I hadn't heard of them before the show, but the Mr had.  Wow... they were wonderful!  The Mr. had some forethought and got them to pose in front of Hazel.  Was it forethought or a crush?  hmmm... *wink*  Anyhow, they were lovely with even lovelier voices.  And so sweet to chat with.

So, after 3 days of hard work and sales something is bound to go awry.  The week before the show, we had an eventful evening when the Mr. slammed the door into the cooler and it shattered the window.  Then, when when he went to leave, the car wouldn't start since some little hyena was "driving" me around that afternoon and had left some lights on.  THEN, when I went to pick the Mr up and jump start the car, it was out of gas.  So, we were pretty sure that the *fun stuff* that makes you say *bad words* was all behind us.  Then this happened:


Fun, huh?  The Mr. was the last to leave the show Sunday night and the lights had been turned off where he couldn't see well to back up (and it was raining... and he was out in the boonies...) anyhow, he cut it too sharp and landed the trailer off this 3 foot drop off.  Nice!  It took a tow truck and a tractor to get the trailer back on the road... it was filled with furniture and other goodies left over from the show.  Craziness, I tell you!!  

So, between the show and the excitement of this little incident, we have decided to take it easy this weekend and close the shoppe to take a little road trip or relax or clean the house.  It hasn't really been decided yet... we just need a change of pace this weekend.  

So that's all folks!  I will be back soon with some photos from the shoppe and the changes around the house... I have a brand new slipcover that I want to show you, but someone needs to buy my other sofa first!
bye for now~

Ding-Ding. I.Am.A.Robot~ A 4th Birthday



Hello there!  It has been a few weeks since the party, but Mr. Hughes has been so very blessedly busy that he hasn't been able to edit the photos from the party, so I stole the camera and did what little I can do.  We had a more low key year than the years before... we decided to have it on a Sunday and we had almost all our very favorite people with us to celebrate our little guy.


Originally, back when we started planning birthday number 4 (ahem... shortly after his 3rd birthday... hey, we like to party!) we thought we would have a superhero inspired party.  I pinned away superhero themes and dinosaur themes too.  Then, one day the Mr. came home with this 4 and it looked very robot-y to it.  We gave the boy the choice and I didn't even get out the whole word and he yelled... ROBOTS!!!  So, there you go.


Meet Bink the Robot.  baby hughes was a little disappointed that he didn't move or talk, but, I think the Mr. did a great job on him.


The Mr. brought these home last year... why I don't know.  But, they ended up being perfect for the party entrance.



A few hours before the party, Mr Hughes got a wild hair to chalk some boards with a bunch of different robots.


I totally forgot to take photos of the cute robot lollipops and little windup robots before I tied up the bags, but they are there.


The tissue decorations reminded me of gears and I love tissue decor... it is so festive!






baby hughes requested cake pops, cupcakes and cookies this year (he actually asked for a robot cake too, but I decided that is where I would stop.)  This was my first time making cake pops and they were yummy, but very sweet.


I found a cool gear shaped cookie cutter and used a little round one I had to cut out the center.  I rounded up some industrial trays that I got long ago to use for the food.... and there was food besides the sweets... not sure what happened to the photos of it.



The cupcakes were golden with salted caramel icing.  Mr. Hughes drew some fun robots and printed for me to make some cupcake toppers.



The Mr. used his extraordinary chalking skills to draw a robot as a backdrop.  


We had a few Rock 'em Sock 'em sets so everyone could play.  We have since used them to settle debates.


One of the last minute ideas the Mr had was to turn our metal set of drawers into a makeshift robot.  He gutted the vintage tv tube that didn't work and replaced it with a newer one that did and added a DVD player to play movies.  He did that with another thought in mind and just happened to place it on the set of drawers and voila... Robot!  He went and bought some arms and we played videos and photos sequences of baby hughes

Well, that was year 4. If you want to see previous years, check out 1, 2, and 3.  We obviously love having these parties and this year was fun since the little man had quite a few opinions regarding colors and what he would like and who to invite.  I hope he lets us do these for many years to come.

be back soon.  Things have been super, duper busy around these parts and I haven't been able to sit down and blog as much.  And I miss it!

bye for now~

What's new....

Hello all!  Hope you had a wonderful weekend!  We have been busy with family in town and just working which is always good... and I do mean that!  I guess the most exciting thing that is new is this:


Yes, that is my Mr.  He went to the BBC headquarters in NYC and chalked up 2 huge chalkboards for their kitchen area.  He had a great time and was able to do a little sightseeing.  For some odd reason, he forgot to put in the contract that his wife would get to travel to the real Downton Abbey... or at least get Season 3 before it was released here.  Oh well... he did bring me back a sweet gift and some macarons.  

Anyhoo.... while the Mr was away, the baby and I stayed busy, but I managed to take off a whole day to take him to some appointments and we had a movie date as well.  I also managed to finish a few small at home projects.  


I have been making shades in linen and burlap for awhile now, but I decided to add a little more to this one, so I made some little rosettes.  Some of these will be in the shoppe very, very soon!


I also made a new pillow for the sofa... just something simple that I worked on while cursing the thunderstorm that made the Mr. get home 2 hours later than he was supposed to... I may have missed him a little *wink*


Before he left, he found me this HUGE vintage McCoy pot in this great color!  I have never seen a McCoy this big!  I like smelling gardenias when I walk in and out of the house, so I found this *perfect* specimen at our Home Depot.  Seriously.... it is pretty dinky.  Then, I went to another Home Depot and found a different species, but it still had a great heavenly smell 


That's more like it! We took the day off Thursday to have a little family time and ended up treasure hunting and came home with this little number...


...in original, perfectly chippy yellow paint.  And, some lucky girl is taking this sweetie home with her this week!  

I hope to have new shoppe photos this week... I have been really slacking in taking photos lately.  I seriously have been painting like crazy for clients and a new little venture that I will spill more about later.  Plus, I have been making nap mats and getting stuff ready for baby hughes to go to preschool next week *sniff, sniff*  I am not sure what I will do without my sidekick for a couple of days a week.

Anyhow, what's new with you?!?

off to buy more paint!

bye for now~


oh, I almost forgot... those of you who read my Facebook feeds may have already seen this, but Country Living asked me where I wanted to go in my home state this summer (slide 42)

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