Lucky Day!

I have been so, so inspired of late thanks to the likes of d.reyne and Rebecca Ersfeld.  Look at their lovely booths (not to mention their lovely blogs) at a recent French Flea Market in Indiana.  I have since been sketching out a couple different ideas for what my next booth would look like.  That is a big statement for me right there.  I did a booth or two when A Bird in Hand first started three or four years ago.  One was wildly successful and one was wildly unsuccessful.  It is all in know your market.  The failure of the second show really drained me.  Followed by some unfortunate family issues back then, I put my business on hold indefinitely.

When it felt safe to start coming back to life, I slowly started to immerge in the form of decorating.  I presently have three different project in the works right now.  (See STOKES Revisited for one of them.)  Many of the items I had in my former booth found themselves either on my own shelves or on the shelves of others in the form of gifts to them. 

Fast forward to today.  I happened into one of my favorite antique malls on my lunch break today.  I was SHOCKED to see a "Going Out of Business!" sign on the door.  What?!?!  One side of my brain said, "Oh, no.  How sad.  Another one bites the dust."  The other side said, "Hellllooo, Carol.  Do you see the 50 to 70% off everything sign?  It's your lucky day, girl!"  I entered through the back door as I know that is where my favorite booth is located, first booth on the left.  I browsed through, picking up this, checking out that, making mental notes to come back to such-and-such if I don't find anything else like it.  Just as I was walking out of the booth, a little note grabbed my eye.  "If you are interested in these doors, please call Marie."  Doors?  Why, yes.  I had just made a "my booth" decision that I would be incorporating some doors.  What doors?  They were hidden.  Oh my....they were perfect!!  (Please use your imagination as I did not bring my camera!!  So sorry...)  Two white, very cool, chippy doors....hinged together.  Within seconds I am speaking with Marie.  She said she just can't part with them after all.  I SO understand (remember my old secretary top???).  We got to chatting and she mentioned a show she was doing in November down in Delray.  She said I would just love it if I love vintage.  Well, I do.....but.....how 'bout I have a booth in it also??  She sounded interested and I sounded interested.  That sounds like a good combination to me!!  More research, information, and decisions to be made, but that just might be the perfect venue for me to put my big toe back in the water.  Hmmmmm....the creative juices are flowing like crazy!!  I will definitely keep you posted. 

In the meantime, won't you please check out Marie's Etsy shop here?  She has some great vintage pieces.  I love her name too....A Vintage Revolution. 

So as I strolled through this giant Going Out of Business sale, I put an old set of eyes on the merchandise.  The ones I've used lately, that of collector for me, were put away.  I had to brush some dust off the eyes of the shopkeeper, keeping in mind items that I would love to represent, that would shout "A Bird in Hand ~ vintage and whimsical furnishings to feather your nest....garden....soul."  I walked away with five such items whose pictures I will share.  Meanwhile, I have two more weeks before this mall closes.  I will be back!

(Photo from AWaytoGarden.com)

P.S.  For those of you who love vintage photos, please go to Margaret Roach's delectable gardening blog, A Way to Garden.  She has a slideshow of some gorgeous vintage plant prints that the Boston Public Library has just put online.  She will tell you all the details.  Her's is THE MOST informative gardening blog out there, in my opinion.  You remember Margaret, former gardening editor and editorial director for Martha Stewart Living??  You will when you see her home and garden.  Just beautiful.  Please enjoy visiting her gardens and all her slideshows.  

Meanwhile, I have a booth to create....in my head!