Community Impact

I love Sunday's. Its a guilt free day to stay in your jammies and do whatever you want---or don't want to do..I slept in, made coffee, stepped over the dogs who sleep in Sundays too and now Im sitting here, in my animal print jammies rambling about doing nothing. I haven't had a morning like this in a while. I tend to not be very good at doing nothing, so I usually get up, feed the dogs/the cat/make coffee and instantly jump into what needs to get done...but today, I have gifted myself the day off and do not plan to leave my house unless it is required of me to do so for my own personal wellbeing and safety.  I dropped off some bags of food at the Fire Hall yesterday for the town's food drive and they were kind enough, in thanks and appreciation, to offer me my first rescue for free...*laugh* Hopefully I wont have to cash it in on my day off.

Thank you ALL for your votes and emails of congratulations' for my nomination in Small Business of BC award in "People's Choice".....last week I opened my email and was shocked and humbled and excited and overwhelmed by another nomination.. This one is for "Community Impact." so, Ill again shamelessly ask for you to consider casting your sole internet vote in my direction..I'm so grateful I didn't listen to the voice in my head the first time I received my "do you accept this nomination" email, foolishly thinking it was spam and hovering my mouse over the delete button. I was hopeful and excited enough to take the risk of a virus imploding my laptop to click the link. Thank you! Voting ends November 30th.

This way to Vote!

When we chose to move, it was for many reasons. I remember when my gears revved right up and the flame to leave the city was lit...Near our old house, there was this open space. Across the street from it was Home Depot, next to that Superstore, then Wal-Mart Super Center, Safeway, Canadian Tire...all in a 3 city block span. When construction started on the open space, excitement and apprehension... I hoped and pleaded with the Universe with what was going to be built there...something my little community in this huge city was in dire need of. Something that would be a gathering place for families besides a checkout line...Like: a library, a swimming pool, a community center, a recreation center. Any one of these would clearly be the perfect choice, because obviously we were well stocked in our shopping options. Call me old fashioned, but the idea of buying winter tires, paint, hamburger patties, underwear and apples all at the same place has never appealed to me anyways....and when the Lowes sign was lit on that construction site. I completely checked out of planting my roots there and started planting the seed in my own family to leave. Lack of community more often than not happens in large cities. Its hard to maintain when people come and go so frequently that people just tend to not think much beyond themselves anymore. We lived in our house for 9 years and watched our neighbours house on one side turn over 7 times..house across the street 5, eventually all of them..even we stopped introducing ourselves when we ran into anyone at the mailbox...just a friendly wave and off we went.  Having both me and my husband grow up in small communities in southern Alberta, we knew the power of them and that was what we wanted for our daughter. A good life takes a village, for supporting each other, recognizing each other and looking out for one another..my neighbor texted me the other day to let me know my garage door was wide open....whoops... I truly appreciated her doing that for me.. especially since my garage is the holy grail of my furniture stash of soon to be revived awesome pieces Ive hunted the world and many barns and alleys for. The Mister did it....I thought "accidently" but he confessed that he was kinda hoping to park in there this winter *grin* (Bahahaha!)  When I was working late at the shop one night, unloading pallets of paint with Liam and Vic from van Gogh and the Mister, there helping me prep for a huge workshop I had going on the next day, someone called the RCMP to drive by and check on things since it wasn't normal to have action in there at that time...I really was so grateful..because what if right? Casual conversations always ends with "and what was your name" so the next time we're in line at the post office together, we'll remember each other. The support I get at the shop means more than just people coming into shop, joining me at a workshop or buying a piece of my furniture. Some just pop in to visit. To have tea and see what I'm working on, to let me know they just saw my daughter over at the skate park or to ask about my husbands new job. I had a couple come in to tell me about a doctor in town who was accepting new patients, all because in casual conversation a few months earlier, I mentioned we didn't have one.  I am being supported by a community who really rallys behind itself to *be* a community and when you get supported, you feel the need to then go out and support--to pay it forward--to take the time for someone else and that's the grease---that's how communities work and isn't that awesome?!  ReVived Vintage was my dream...yes..and Im blessed and grateful every single day to go there and live it...but so was living in a place just like this, to have my daughter grow up here with the values being lived and taught everyday outside of our home, that are so similar to what we teach her inside, and I'm grateful every single day that, on whim, we came to this island, found this lil town and chose to plant our roots here.

People's Choice! Say Wha-Wha? & the perfect red too~

and then THIS happened!

Small Business B.C Awards

Beyond excited, humble, grateful and blessed. Didya know that today is my 6 month shop-open anniversary..altho, by the time I publish this post, it will be my 6 month and 3 day shop anniversary. Still: Pretty sweet that only 6 months in, I've already been nominated for something: anything at all, let alone a Small Business of B.C award for Peoples Choice.  When wonderful things happen to people, I think its the Universe's way of telling you that you are doing exactly what you are supposed to be doing.. I never forget or take lightly how extremely blessed and grateful I am for every single thing. I live everyday truly and absolutely happy.. So, if you have a few seconds of time, and you feel like I might be a great candidate for your vote of "People's Choice"--please follow the link and vote for me?  Thank you-so much!

Another wonderful small but exciting thing going on for us....my husband was offered a job he couldn't refuse. In town. Right here. Two blocks from the shop. He has been commuting 45 minutes each way into the city down island and altho, coming from a city of 1.5 million people with too many cars and not enough bus routes...45 minutes wasn't bad....at first. A year and a bit later...it became a very long extra 2 hours of his day. I head to the city about once a month for a Costco run and  tell The Mister "I don't know how you do that everyday" so, I'm so excited for him!! That means, not only will we see him more, but  he can now finally live the life that we all moved here for. That Mad and I have already fallen in love with. A small seaside town community loaded with small seaside town charm and truly genuine lovely people.  He's going to love it here! Again, thank you to the Universe for steering that ship!

*Home*

Now Furniture. I know your waiting for some...How about this one?

This is one of the pieces that came from Alberta this summer! This is her hangin out in my Moms garage in Lethbridge waiting for the road trip west.

Its no secret that my favorite red is Miss Mustard Seed's "tricycle" red milk paint. I can take any shade of blue or green, grey, yellow, or orange and love them all but red, its tricycle. Its just perfect.

Look: What did I tell ya

Upclose: isn't it perfect? Chippy and Red and Rustic

 

 

I got my van Gogh Chalk Paint to help out too..This is how us professionals weigh down our wood glue joints..

and wait, Bam! Under her skirts--vintage flower wallpaper.

 

 

 

 

                                           

 I know...I love those floral bits too

I used hemp oil and a little bit of dark wax to dirty her up and add some age. I refinished the top with a coconut oil base stain and hemp oil as the topcoat. -- She sat in the shop window for only a few days before she sold and headed home, to sit under a window that over looks a pond...such a lucky girl. That's where The Universe knew she should be too.

A very Fair Trade.

Yesterday I woke up with a cold..but I knew that was coming. My baby girl has one too and when my (almost) 13 year old isn't sick, she is, like I imagine most (almost) 13 year olds to be, not as snuggly with their moms as they used to be....except when they don't feel good...(and maybe when they have their hearts broken, thank you Universe for not having that happen yet) So, when she's sick and couch bound, I am more than happy to trade in my good health for comforting and snuggles and kisses on her forehead while watching endless episodes of whatever she wants on Netflicks.

So In between snuggles and naps, I'm showing off and trying to catch up on pieces I haven't blogged about yet. I'm behind. Very behind in blogging. I've thought about leaving it all together...but when I get comments and messages from people who take the time read my ramblings here..family and friends or people I only know through blogging....passing on encouragement or asking how's it going, coming in the shop and referencing my posts: I leave the idea of leaving behind instead, because I appreciate every single person who takes their time to read my rambles and support me..and I like to ramble: so, lets keep at'er!

Here we go:

I painted this hutch (I snagged from the Dashwood Firemen garage sale (with fireman delivery)--Score!) with one of my very favorite paints: Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint in my new very favorite color: 

She had hung in the back of the shop for the last month or so with no one looking at her....Now, she's a showstopper in the front!

I used every topcoat available to me on this piece. White wax, clear wax, dark wax, hemp oil and shellac:

(from Inspirations Roosevelt)

I madly love Milk Paint. Besides being 100% eco...Milk Paint gives a nostalgic, rustic, color tonal look. Even when I don't create the chippy look,  it makes pieces look naturally worn, like I painted it a long time ago..lived with it, used it, loved it, made memories around it, when really....I just finished it on Tuesday...

 Swoon..

 

The back wall of the hutch and the inside of the drawers, I recovered in slightly metallic gold paisley fabric that my Mum gave me in her care package from home..It.Was.Perfect.

 

 

 

 

Homestead House Paint Company, which makes Miss Mustard Seeds Milk Paint featured her on there Facebook Page..which is, simply, exciting! It was tough one to take good photo's of, so Im happy that the gist of how awesome she turned out came thru.

 

 

 

 

and now I shall leave you with a tidbit picture of my next behind blog post and go back to my "Hell on Wheels" Netflicks marathon with this sleeping Bunny in the crook of my arm....because my left hand is now asleep and typing has become impossible.. *grin*

Where's my Paparazzi?!

My feet hurt. Maybe The Mister is right, that possibly my $4 flip flops are not work appropriate....and the $4-factor doesn't have much to do with his point. He's waiting for me to lose a toe..I have job-scars, they don't bother me..I have an oil burn on my arm from the French fry-frier from my first job at McDonalds...a huge slash in my leg from an unfortunate skid steer incident and of course,  my tiger stripes on my tummy from that baby I brought into the world.....Today, my feet hurt, and Im pretty sure they would hurt regardless of $4 shoes..Things are going gang-busters still {YAY! Thank you!}  at the shop, thanks HUGE to the St. Marks Fair and thanks HUGE to this:

ME IN THE NEWPAPER!

I think it's a great fun article, altho my 12 year old daughter was ticked that her existence wasn't mentioned...even tho, I *swear* I did...LOL! Its been so great! Everyone that has come in the shop the past 2 days have all mentioned the article! I could hear "I'm so happy/glad/excited/grateful your here!" all day long....and I have been! Thank you to every single person who's told me that..the feeling is absolutely mutual! Thank you!  I joke with my husband that grocery shopping will take longer now as I might have to wait for the paparazzi to clear the door...Sidenote: TMZ was no where to be found yesterday after groceries...They're coming tho.

Ironing boards! Who needs em!? Not me! I remember my Grandma C ironing everything in front of the tv, (Days of our Lives!)  in the kitchen, wherever we all were. Those conversations we had while she was doing that were stuffed with stories and laughter...Then she would hang them perfectly afterwards for her and my Grandfather to wear whenever they were ready too *Sigh* I envy her amazing homemaker skills..It truly is a skill and talent to have it all together like she did, taking such loving and wonderful care of everyone and everything so easily!  Sometimes, Ill pass on wearing 8 things because I don't even want to use my dryer "wrinkle release" setting, so I pick up my rolled in a ball jeans off the floor, grab my stand-by  (actually, my husbands) "The Doors" or  (my) "Pearl Jam" t-shirt and skip breakfast because I slept in while yelling at my kid to do 3 day old dishes that are dried and crusty on the counter... I know my Grandma would think that was just fine and totally absolutely pefect....because she is amazing at ALL things like that.

Anyway, When I scored this piece of a vintage gem..I knew it had to be repurposed!

Where's my "before?" Honestly, since I opened the shop, I always forget to take them or I lose them entirely...Yeeshus..."Picture it:" a beat up old, burned up light pine ironing board..

and now?

A sofa Table.

I painted the legs in van Gogh Chalk Paint "van Gogh" which is the perfect shade of teal

Re-stained the top dark Mahogany---just because its my favorite and....

 

 

Silk screened these pretty intricate designs randomly on the top in van Gogh's Chalk Paint "Cashmere" to make it look less iron-board-y

 

I adore it! Perfect in front of a window, the bedroom, kitchen or behind a sofa. All the places my Grandmother used to iron....never in a laundry room and hopefully there will be just as many wonderful stories and laughter ringing in this boards ears..

 

Paper Mache Nutcrackers, Magnum PI and Informercials-In Short - A Hode Podge

I am embarrassingly behind on my blog..but I'm beyond grateful at the support my lil shop, and me, has received from my community...Things have been wonderfully busy. I sold right out of my furniture a few weeks ago--left with an empty shop... my workshops are full, and I have a waiting list for custom work ..Its all amazing and I am literally, living my dream...which is something I used to say sarcastically as I was picking up dog poo in the yard, or painting a fence with oil on a sweltering hot day..but now, its like--real.. Yesterday I took part in the St. Marks Fair here in Qualicum Beach, which brings venders and shoppers from all over Vancouver Island. There are approx. 200 booths of artisans, bakers, antiques, flea market finds, books, fresh local produce, food trucks...ect..ect..ect. .My lil town SWELLS to the brim and all of a sudden, there's traffic jams. At one point, the Mister and I watched a women carrying around a 3.5' paper mache elaborately painted Nutcracker solder and a lamp..while another women passed us carrying a 4' metal anchor and a pie, followed up with a man hauling a new fishing rod and vintage accordion and we thought, "this is the epitome of an awesome place to be today"

 

This is the only picture I was able to snap (in the wee am hours..) before the gates opened...Then things got busy--really busy and all of a sudden, the day was over. I think being parked 3 stalls down from the mini donut truck helped us slightly...our daughter and her friends said they "smelled us out" to find us..Afterwards, The Mister and I packed up what was left, literally dumped it in the front door of the shop, and headed to a patio for a beer and piece of "Nirvana" pie...Both well deserved from the exhaustion and elation from the day. A LOAD of work...but as usual, loads of work involving blood-sweat and tears end up being worth it.

 

Since I'm blogging, and Im so behind in reveals, so lets show off 2 of those shall we?

 

Here's one of my pieces that sits in the shop window...it was standard "Magnum P.I" dark dark solid wood and gloriously gawdy detail...it was also gloriously dated...oddly, unlike Tom Sellick's moustache..

 

 

This piece was really just in need of some lipstick and mascara...a high quality piece, solid wood, no repair needed....they don't come to me like this very often..

 

 

 

A stunner of a coral color (Cameo Boutique's custom color - "Sundown Dream) with soft white "chalk" on top, both are van Gogh's Chalk Paint---I used a wax resist to make sure the coral pops thru where I want it to, did some shadowing in the corners and crevices of the lovely details and bambambam---new *pretty* glass hardware and she's the show stopper in the shop window.

 

 I also have a real stud muffin to share...

 

 

I cant find the "before" of this piece..but close your eyes and picture: the same dark wood, plain-ol-boring plant stand that everyone's mom or Grandma had...I know this as fact, quote me, because it's  what everyone tells me when they come in and see it. "Heyyy....My (Mom/Grandma) had one just like this when I was growing up" You get the idea...dark wood, plain and boring...

 

ReVived! Painted it clearly, in van Gogh Chalk Paint "Patina" which is a magic color. I see it as a grey-blue, some swear its just a warm grey and sometimes, when the light hits it in that just-so sorta way, its green...I love it because its a neutral color that goes with everything, but not your basic white/beige/black...so, a perfect non commitment color but pop of color-color..

 

 She did need some cute feet, since most plants are going to just cover up her top swoony curves.

Feet color : Cashmere (an antique cream), Serenity (Think "Wendy's" Frosty) and "Chalk"

 



I also added some "studs" to this vixen because....I wanted too. I don't think too deeply about the reasoning with my pieces all the time..I just do what I want when I like, because I think we all need an outlet to do exactly that...legally and without harm please.

 

 

My floor doesn't slant to the right. My right arm slants to the right.

 

 



 

 My spider plant was half dead the morning I took her from my house to stage this photo shoot. I guess she loves it too..Poppin out babies already...If this was an infomercial, imagine what that tag line blaring at 2am would be....

 

Now, I'm off to reload the shop with supplies as well what I need for my *sold out*  Milk Paint workshop tomorrow from, MY favorite place, the Hardware Store. It requires a  trip on a road with the ocean out my window the entire way, so its going to be a great day off!