Love'n It!

Hi All!

New dawn! New day! New me!! Whew! what a difference a day makes. After my last lengthy blog I'll make this one short and sweet... I'm love'n my store again! I stepped back and saw the forest through the trees. I just needed some R&R and that's what I did. I rested and on the 5th day, woke up, saw the light and felt the warmth it brought.

Today I met some awesome people in the store, it was a good day.

Cheers!

 

just a rant...

timid.. 'hello all' 

Having a bit of a problem. The store is doing great, I think that's the problem. It's taking on a life of it's own. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed these days. I have 2 gals who work for me. They both do a fantastic job in contributing to the store's success, but they both do not like each other (drama!). They work on different days... go figure. The more business the store makes, the more responsibility I have to take on. I'm getting busier and busier, staying later and later at the store even working on my days off. Don't get me wrong, I want the store to do good, but in a nutshell I'm getting to old to handle drama or more responsibility in my life, nope don't want it. The store has been open only 9 months and I'm getting burnt out. "Can't everyone just get along?".. famous last words.

Having Fun! Happy New Year! & Mannequin Madness!

Happy New Year! It's been awhile since my last post. I've been a bit busy dealing with the shop expansion. Got sick with that horrible cold everyone was getting, literally was bed ridden. Then dealt with the holidays, cooked my own turkey on Thanksgiving. Went to Los Angeles for 3 days at Christmas to visit with my boyfriends family. Lot's of new babies and toddlers. I don't have children so that was an ear full and then some. Was glad to be back home with my own furry babies.

Shop has expanded and looks fantastic! Lot's of new guys and gals vintage clothing, accessories and jewelry from the 40's and 50's. Great furniture pieces: 1960's turquoise swivel leather bar stools (4), awesome bamboo tiki bar with zebra print and matching bar stools, 1950's wooden hutch with carved glass sliding doors, tiki barware and kitsch collectibles, there is to much to list. Will include photos later. The shop is still evolving and I'm 'Having Fun' putting it all together!

I'm a mannequin fanatic and have just purchased 4 vintage Rootstein mannequins (Barbelles), their absolutely beautiful, drop dead gorgeous! I already have 28 prior vintage mannequins dating from 1940's thru 1980s. I have a friend who hooked me up he's also a mannequin fanatic he has a collection of 23 and growing. In addition he just started buying, restoring and selling them. Honestly neither one of us needs that many, but I've discovered there is a cult club of mannequin collectors out there and my friend is one of them. I think I'm headed in that direction... "Mannequin Madness!" It's addictive and can get expensive. Mannequins are collectible works of art. Check out these older manufactures of mannequins and their history: Rootstein, Greneker Wolfevine, Decter, Hindsgaul, Patina V. It's positively fascinating! Creating window displays in my shop using my mannequins helps feed the need! Helps my friend as well, he did my last two windows with his own mannequins (will show photos later). Hope everyone is well and happy! Until next time...

Cheers!!

jd

GOOD NEWS! Shop Expansion "whoo hoo!"

Going to expand my store! been waiting a long time for this day. Closing right after Halloween to start the expansion. Knocking down middle wall, painting, building, etc. Lot's of work for just two people; only Mike and myself, but the end result will be awesome! Store will grow from 900s.f. to a whopping 1200s.f.  Will reopen on Friday, November 13th (yup.. Friday the 13th!). So far, customer response has been positive, everyone can't wait!  I already have my people lined up to spread the news. Finally things are coming together!

The Right Path...

Hi All!

Just acquired 1940s and 1960s men and women vintage clothing at 2 estate sales. Cleaning, steaming, tagging and hanging like mad! I love the stuff I have and so will customers. Last week a customer came into the store said he was cleaning out a house he owned. His former tenant was a woman in her 90's sadly she passed away. Her adult children didn't want her belongings, so stored them in the adjacent garage. Long story short the owner gave me everything in the garage for free under the condition that I move everything out by Sunday. I did, when I finally unpacked everything, there was so much vintage/antique collectibles, clothing and whatnots, I was overwhelmed. Dishes were wrapped in newspaper dated from 1940 through 1952. All beautiful. It's times like these that make me feel I'm on my right path.

Cheers!
~joann

Today is a Good Day!

I have created a blog about what I love and appreciate in all things vintage. I want to share info and pics on vintage fashions, jewelry, kitch collectibles, Danish Modern and mid-century furniture of eras gone by. Today is that day...

Cheers!

~joann