Bust a Move!

Hey Tootsie Pops!

BOOTH EXPANSION HAS BEGUN!

Yep! My booth at the Depot is bustin out!

The vendor next to me moved out today and I moved in right behind him.

Mr. OTM and I took a load of the BIG stuff up there this afternoon.

Included was an *awesome* french farmhouse table

a big old farm table

burlap manly mannequins (pics will follow)

chippy Boy Scout check in stand

and MORE!

Here are a few pics of how the booth looked LAST YEAR on Feb. 1st when they opened.

*Happy Anniversary Depot*

These are just to tide ya over til I get the whole thing put together!

I look forward to being able to s*p*r*e*a*d o*u*t and be able to have even more wonderful junk in there for sale! It will take me the next couple days then I promise......

pictures will be posted!

Thanks!

For everything!

Junk in my Booth!

Nothing can wipe out a booth display faster than selling a table....

Let alone selling TWO tables!

January must be TABLE MONTH here in North Carolina.

I like when big stuff sells cuz it forces you to re-do your booth!

That's just what I did yesterday in my booth at

The Sleepy Poet!

* You get to rearrange*

*Bring in New Stuff*

*Add different focal points*

*Re-position current stuff*

*Show off new handmade items*

*Set up great vignettes*

*New stuff front and center*

*Chat with customers while you're there*

*Enjoy*

Photography and Pancakes!

What a blog post title huh?

This post is really for my Dad.

When my parents were here for the holidays I lovingly served up delicious plates of gooey pancakes....undercooked with a goopy middle. Yuck. I heard about it too, not just from Dad, mom chimed in second and Mr. OTM finished out the chorus.

Sooooo, the quest to make a perfect pancake made the

New Year ...New Me List!

I have been fiddling around with different pancake recipes and techniques.

Here is what I've learned:

1.) I love my own MADE UP recipe like crazy

(I'll share it at the bottom of this post)

2.) I MUST use a griddle.....still can't make them on a stove top.

So this past Sunday morning before I jetted off to my photography class ,

I proceeded to make the MOST FLUFFIEST PANCAKES I have ever made in my entire life!

The fluff-i-tude factor was off the hook!

Mr. OTM told me to snap a picture for proof.....just in case!

(Note: this is a PRE photography class photo...a bit outta focus but it all happened so fast and I was so excited and Russ was talking with his mouth full and well...get the picture?)So Sunday turned out to be kind of a BIG day for me: fantastic PANCAKES and my PHOTOGRAPHY class!

Let me just say this about the class....WOO HOO!!! I loved it! If you have been thinking about taking one yourself...DO IT! Honestly you will really learn alot and be able to understand more of what you are doing and why. By no means am I ready to start booking weddings or anything like that...that's not the goal. What I am ready for is practice...playing around and seeing what works and how. If a class is difficult for you to fit into your life at the moment here are few blogs that offer EASY TO UNDERSTAND tips on photography. I love to visit them often:

1.) The Pioneer Woman

2.) Farmgirl Paints

3.) Privet and Holly

4.) I am Momma Hear Me Roar

You want to "focus" ( pun intended...*wink* ) on Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO. From that point on give it a whirl!
Okay amigos ......I fell like I am forgetting something.......hum......

GOT IT!

The MOST FLUFFIEST PANCAKES EVER RECIPE!

4 cups Jiffy Mix

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup Milk (perhaps a bit more depending on the consistency of batter you like)

1 Tsp (or more) of Almond flavoring

That's it! Ladle it on the griddle and wait! YummmmmmY!

I don't even eat them with syrup. Just plain, right off the griddle!

Thank You all so MUCH for your sweet comments and kind words!

You all make my day!

Giving it a "Shot"!

Hello friends! Happy Sunny Sunday morning!

I've got some news!

In the spirit of the New Year...New Me concept that I secretly try to attain each year~

today is one of those days where I am gonna try to make it happen!

I am going to take my VERY FIRST photography class!! YIPPEE! *insert fireworks*!

This is a big deal for me a few reasons:

1. actually taking the TIME to do it

2. spending the MONEY on myself

3. FOLLOWING thru and not letting other things get in the way

4. believeing in myself that I ACTUALLY can take a better picture

5. there has got to be more to my camera than AUTOI have taken some decent photos..
trying different angles....


just pointin and shootin really..

while they aren't bad pics..

I don't understand what I am doing...

for me it's all been about luck...

my reaction is usually " hey lookee here...this photo is pretty good!"

what do ya know...

even a blind squirrel can find a nut now and then!

So I am really excited today. Between 3:30 and 5:30 today I am going to get 2 full hours of info that I have been craving to know. I hope my instructor, the very talented Whitney Gray is ready for this. Warning....I am coming armed with only my Canon Power Shot A 560...can you say beginner? My friend Wanda and I are doing this together so thank goodness I will have someone to be able to call when I need to know... just what did she say aperature was again?
Wish me luck!

Warm Day MAKEOVERS!

I'll be the first to admit...this post is kind of lame....no BEFORE pics.....sorry.

I just dove in and got started with all this stuff and f*o*r*g*o*t.

We had a couple warmer days here: 61 on Wed and 55 yesterday so that meant that I could get outside and tackle a few of the projects lurking in the garage.

First up are these woven baskets. This was a simple one and took less that 5 min.

Picture an awful 1984 -ish teal...yes I said teal (sorry teal lovers) fabric liner in each one. Ick!

Took um outta there and simply added the burlap ribbon.

Finito!Next up is this old round table *love*!

Close your eyes and picture brown...ick again!

I got crazy with a light gray paint and the sander and an even crazier happy on how it turned out. I love the drawer.

This table is OLD! No nails were used, all pegs holding it together and the fab drawer is dovetailed . Nice and sturdy...and cute to boot!

Now I need to find some cute cafe style chairs or something to go with it.

Perhaps the potential new owner already has some nifty chairs and is looking for just the perfect table....here ya go!


This isn't a makeover at all...just a great old nail keg we found this past weekend that asked if it could please be in this post!



Next up: metal and wood basket. Close your eyes again and picture black metal with orange-ish wood...double yuck!

Now open your eyes and take a peek!
This just got a good old fashioned white wash with antique treatment.


Now for this fab cupboard: you did it for the table...picture brown....say it with me...Gross!
It's always amazes me how a coat of white paint adds instant personality!


I fell in love with this piece the moment I saw it~ crack and all. The description on the price tag read " old french farmhouse cabinet....SOLD! Who on earth painted it brown...in France none the less? I didn't think they even had brown paint over there! LOL! Go figure.
Whoever the lucky new owner of this piece is will enjoy the old bead board backing it has and...

the wonderful old rusty painted hardware.
I did a few other projects yesterday that will come in a future post! I felt great with all that I got accomplished! I love it when you can knock out a bunch of stuff that has been staring at you for months. Here's a wish to all of you to get the time to tackle some of your projects!
Enjoy your day friends!

This post is linked to the fabulous Debra's Vintage Inspiration Friday over at Common Ground!
&
Saturday Night Special over at Funky Junk Interiors!

Got Junk?

Hello friends!

Seems like this last week all I have done is run..run..run..!

But in a good way!

These last few weeks have been all about the shop.

Once the Christmas stuff comes down~it's time to fill er back up!

And BOY do I have the junk!

After Atlanta, MR.OTM and I headed out for a junk trip for a few days and here are few treasures we came home with.....be prepared...there's a few drool worthy ones....don't say I didn't warn ya...*wink*

This little concrete birdbath top came from my friend Cindy...it came with dirt and all!
Here's the junk load...


thank goodness for straps...

they went every which way...

couldn't risk any of these falling out....

Seems I've acquired a new assistant at the shop. Meet Bibi! Here she is doing quality control on this awesome old folding lawn chair. Yep...it's sturdy!

This was a FAV with a capital F!

Flaky, chippy, rusty, crackley.......ahhhhhh

And this mirror made me forget my manners!

Check out this original finish....yummy

And then I saw this....a HUGE old wooden dough bowl in white paint.

That one did me in.

It* was* calling *my *name.

So I listened and bought it! Ha!!

All these items will be heading either toward the shop or one of the booth spaces.

You might not see the dough bowl though.

Right now it's sitting in the middle of my coffee table and it looks pretty darn good!

Today it was warm here so I was able to get some great pieces painted for the shop.

I have new stuff coming in everyday.
Think...birds, nests, concrete, garlands, candles, pillows, and a whole lot more.

Don't you just love this time of year?