Third Time's The Charm

Yes! We are moving into our very own shoppe. As I was looking through my picture folder, it just hit me. This is the THIRD shoppe for us over the last 12 months.I'm telling you girls...the third time's the charm! It will be nice to finally have a little place to call our own..painting it the color we want, and just playing house. :) There are three of us going in on this little venture and I will fill you all in on the details soon. It's been more work than I had ever imagined, but I know it will all be worth it once it's done. Things to do lists..if you would have seen mine 2 weeks ago it would have made your head spin. Our plan is to open Sat Oct 18th.

These pictures were taken last week with the old sky blue walls...yuck. The blue was replaced with a pretty color that reminds me of coffee with cream. It's much warmer and the white, black or natural wood finishes look great against it. The floors have been waxed and I will try to get a few new shots today. In just about four hours from now, the furniture will be on it's way to fill this place. I guess I had better get cracking here. Lots to do today!

No Time For Blogging :)

Get Your Happening Tee!

(Click to enlarge photo)

Now selling on the web site...CHIC HAPPENS tee shirts for the chic ladies!
Would make a great holiday gift for yourself or a friend!
Visit Shab-n-Chic or contact me by leaving me a comment for more info. Price: $24 plus $4 shipping.

Sizes available are Small/ Medium/Large/XL & XXL. 100% cotton.
They do run about a size small , so the Med would actually be Small.
There is a lot of stretch in the fabric.

Measurements taken from underarm to underarm when laying flat:

MED: 14.5" across 22 1/2" long
LG: 15.5" across 24 1/2" long
X-LG: 18" across 25" long
XXL: 19" across 26" long

In the works...

Has it been a week since my last post? Time flies when you are staying busy. I probably won't be blogging at all this coming week. Something is in the works, and it's a biggie folks. Some of my close friends already know, but I will be keeping it a secret here until after the 1st. Don't you just love surprises?

Chic Happens!

I watched as people entered this magical shoppe.Their expressions were priceless as they stopped in the entryway to take it all in. So much to see and once again, Lori pulled it off in a way that no one else can. The 13th Anniversary Open House was a smashing success and I'm already looking forward to her Holiday Soiree in December!
Many in attendance drove all the way from Los Angeles to be here and it was well worth the effort. It was a great day for customers to personally meet the dealers from Vignettes. Lots of sold signs, sinful desserts, wine, champagne and great conversation. Enjoy the show!

Let Them Eat Cake!
Yes, this was a popular hangout..I consumed so many sweets, that I had a sugar buzz until midnight. Was it worth it? Of course! Lori unveiled her Vintage Home Couture line of furnishings and her fabulous seashell embellished pieces. Everyone loved her darling little black and white tees printed with "Chic Happens", which were an instant success! They were selling out before the day was over and I plan to order one myself. If you would like to order a t-shirt, just give the shoppe a jingle!
(Click to enlarge image)



These two little pooches weren't for sale but they sure were so cute and fit right in. Do you remember a few posts back where I mentioned we would be making something from the antique crib? Well..the child's bench was made and it sold very quickly. I did manage to get a shot of it though, and wanted to share it with you. You can click on the image to enlarge.

Vignettes is open 7 days a week, so if you missed the open house, pop in for a visit. It's always a celebration at Vignettes!

Taking the week off...

As I sit here looking at my messy desk with notes piled high, I've decided to take the rest of the week off from blogging. I have too many things going on in my life right now..but it's all good. If you could see my dining room table right now, you would say, What table? Half of it is covered in seashell crafts and the other half are items going into the shop for this Saturday's 13 Year Anniversary Open House. It's a mess people, and all I can say is I am blessed to have a family that puts up with me and I want my table back! I went to the shop yesterday and met up with sweetie pie Joy, who was painting her darling little space and getting ready for Saturday. We have a lot in common,don't we Joy? *snicker* So I am signing off and will be back on Sunday if I can muster up the energy to tell you all about Saturday's event. Hope to see some of you there!
Have a great week everyone~
Nancy

Treasures Found

It was a great day at the flea market, although I could have used a flash light this morning. It was much darker than normal, but after about 15 minutes, I could finally see. Maybe I should invest in a miner helmet. :) I found an incredible piece that we will be taking into Vignettes for next weekends Open House/Soiree , so will have to hold back on showing it here. I will tell you this..it is the oldest piece I have ever found! I believe it dates to the Victorian era. I had to make the deal quickly because there were 4 dealers lined up with the money if I didn't take it..I think I did pretty well under the pressure. :) I even had one follow me to my car to see it close up!

I picked up a few other goodies and you can click the image to enlarge.

A large oval plaque with cherubs & birds


Handfuls of vintage jewelry for crafting



A neat old handled tin with a Chinese Emperor and his lady friends

A cherub chalk ware statue will be on eBay this evening.


The cutest little chairs that were made from an old can! You can see the bottom of the chair still has the embossing on the lid. The ornate back, arms and legs are also made from a metal can. Does anyone know how old these might be? I don't know how the artist curls the metal into scrolls, but I think it's pretty amazing! Loved the color on the upholstered seats.


Not so sure if I can part with these little chairs just yet...I know, I'm a bad girl.

Just 7 More Days!

Vignettes will be celebrating their 13th anniversary in just one week! It's going to be a special day since the dealers are holding back treasures to be revealed and unveiled on September 13th! We will have our little pink baby bed settee as one of our special pieces so I can't show anyone a peek until next Saturday.

I'm especially excited to see Lori's custom designed upholstered pieces, using turn-of-the-century French Ball gowns with their original embellishments, trims & millinery. Each one, one of a kind & Oh, so Tres Magnifique! Perfectly repurposed - Haute Couture as home fashion.

Be sure to drop by on Saturday, September 13th from Noon -5pm.
Vignettes ~ 4828 Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach (619) 222-9244

Seashell Girls

I really haven't been in the crafting mood lately, but something bit me 2 nights ago and I whipped out two seashell girls! I tried something new with one, and placed a little jeweled sea horse in her arms. I can't take the credit for the idea, but credit goes to my friend Kandi. :) I dressed my first vintage doll about 3 years ago and it was so much fun that I could not stop at one. Since then I have probably made 8 dolls, and kept 2 for myself. Each one is one of a kind creation with a unique dress designed in seashells and vintage jewelry. They are time consuming, but it's something I really enjoy doing. I'm working on a third one today and hope to have it added to the online shop tomorrow evening.

Here are the new girls, all decked out in their jeweled seashell gowns.

Queen Pinkie (above) is already spoken for but Ms. Seabrina with seahorse is available and will probably be on the web site tomorrow!


You can click to enlarge the photos.

Ready For Fall

As the summer comes to a close, I have repeatedly overheard people saying that they are so ready for Fall, and I guess you could say I am too, but there are a few things I will definitely miss about summer.

Outdoor grilling, leaving all the windows and front door open to feel the summer breeze, giving the doggies a bath and watching them roll and play in the grass, early morning flea market trips in 70 degree weather, driving with the sunroof open, watching hummingbirds, butterflies and birds flapping their cute little wings in the birdbath.
Things I won't miss? The 90-100 degree days without a breeze or air conditioning, the humidity this past summer..or was I having hot flashes? Gas prices topping nearly $5 a gallon, and seeing these on every corner.Gladiator sandals.

I know, I know..They were all the rage this summer, but sorry. I don't like em'!
Not that I'm young enough to wear them, but it seems everywhere we went, there they were. Kind of like when the Crocs came to town. I guess I'm not one of those trendy gals.
It still feels like the middle of summer here and it was in the 80's today. I guess we technically have sixteen more days left. I'm trying to get in the Fall mood here people, but I need some cooler weather. Here's one little corner of my family room that has a touch of Fall. Some day I want to make it to the East coast to experience the Fall foliage for myself, since we are not so fortunate out here in California. Until then, I will have to enjoy the scenery from my East coast blog buddies. :)

New Goodies

I'll be adding new goodies to the web site this evening, so do stop by! It's never too early to start your holiday gift shopping and I will have a nice mix of treasures tonight. I usually add new items every Saturday, but I took the weekend off for once. `o)
Here's a little peek at two of my favorite things coming to the shoppe!

~Feeling the Love~

I grabbed my cup of coffee and sat down to check my email, only to discover that Patrice from A Sentimental Journey hit me up with an award. Well it's about time I got an award! heehee..kidding people. :) I've seen these floating around but never really knew the rules so I'm glad Patrice listed them. Thank you Patrice!

The Rules: Pass this leetle bit of love on to 7 bloggers that I visit on a regular basis and hopefully those 7 will pass it along to 7 of their favorites! Come on Amy...you can do this!

Antique Cottage Rose : A talented artist with a sense of humor that will keep you in stitches...what more could a gal want?
I met Ronda through eBay many years back and we soon connected with The Sunday Girls Club. I'm looking forward to meeting her someday so I can give her a big old bear hug for the beautiful shop sign she painted for us.

Apt A : What can I say bout' Ms. Amy...so talented and a real firecracker! How long have I known Amy...6, 7 years at least..maybe more! I can't wait to visit her blog every day because I know she will have another amazing photo to share with everyone. Her eBay listings are the prettiest I've seen.

Cape Cod Cupboard: Louise is a dear sweet lady I have also known for many years through eBay. Her photos and stories make me feel like I'm strolling through Cape Cod.

La Maison Rustique: Although I have never actually made it to Linda's Barn Sale...I really really need to go. I always check the photos after her monthly sale and day dream.

Mabel's House : Always an interesting read and so genuine. Liz is the real deal :) I think she's taking a blog break for family time at the moment, but she'll be back and once you visit, you too will be hooked.

Outside the Lines: Pugs, pugs and more pugs. This blog makes me giggle. You have to see and read it to believe it. And I thought I was pug crazy! Seriously though..this lady has a heart of gold.

Sweet Repose: When I think of Sharon, the first thing that comes to mind is her darling little pink chateau and her faithful sidekick Scratchy rolling around in a tall Iowa grass field. A bundle of energy - both of them! I think I need to find out her secret. Love her photos, her finds and thoughts on life. Her wonderful hand made soaps are pretty amazing too.