Time really does fly.

Plans are in the works for our 1 year Anniversary. Does that seem possible... open a year already?

Nancy and I wanted to do a blog that would be a past to present photo album of the pieces that have passed from our door to yours. We pulled up the different albums that we had and realized just exactly what that meant. It wouldn't be possible to post every table, chair, hutch and misc piece.  There are hundreds and hundreds of pieces. Just one example, I tried to count all the end tables that have sold, 93 and that's what I had photos of. Chest of Drawers - 86, Chairs - 114 and that's when I decided this was not going to be possible to share.

When we looked back at the photo's, we actually had some pieces we had totally forgotten. The pictures of what the shop looked like when we first got the place - hard to ever remember it looking like that. When we first moved in, Kevin and Jeff unloaded a 26' Uhaul with our unpainted collection of things. Nancy and I thought we had enough furniture to last us forever. We didn't have a clue at that point. 

 This is the first photo I took of one of the sides, before they blocked the walls into the old gift shop.

 These photos are of the first load of furniture we had accumulated. We thought it was going to last us a long time. Our worry was - could we get it painted in time to open.

 Our first thing was  get the painters in to patch and paint the walls and then decide on what would go where. Basically, two women with paint and really no idea of what was to come. A one year lease and two husbands willing to help when they could. What were we thinking????

Wednesday, October 16th,  5:00 PM - 9:00 PM  we will be having our 1 year Anniversary party. We hope you'll save the date and come share our celebration with us. I'll be posting more information as we get closer. Some fun things being planned, great door prizes and giveaways plus yummy refreshments. 

We made it this far because of our wonderful customers and friends.... 
Thank you just doesn't seem like enough.

Create,
Patti

Things are really rockin'

Good morning,

I'm taking a minute, to jot down a quick note to let you know how things are going at this end.

CRAZY.... that would be how we'd describe it. Other words could be used, Wonderful, Fantastic, Busy and the list would go on.

We've been open almost 10 months, but in the last 3 months it has gone from busy to "non-stop".

Painting 12 hours a day, 7 days per week is now the norm. Fortunately, we have many vendors helping us keep up with the demand, but it's still a fuller than full time job.

This weekend, we took part in a Junk Market at Touch of Home in Burnsville, and it was Wild. We set up between 6:00 and 8:00. The market opened at 8:00, by 10:00 I had to call the shop and have them load the van and bring me more, I was just about out of everything but a few chairs.

I had brought with me - Chest of Drawers, End Tables, Magazine Racks, Mirrors, Frames, Chairs, a Desk, small tables and then of course my Websters Chalk Paint Powder.  It was non-stop in our booth and then the customers went to the shop and pretty much cleaned out the shop as well.

We were excited about the wonderful sales but then we remembered, the next morning the Star Tribune was having an article in the Sunday paper - Dakota County section, about Next Act. Now we had a major article coming out and a shop that was a bit picked over.

We open at Noon on Sundays.... Nancy got in at 10:30 to try to straighten the shop and fill in the holes left from sold pieces. The phone started ringing off the wall and then the people started coming in. We met so many new customers and saw a lot of our regulars. It was fun and nobody seemed to notice the selection in the shop was a bit down. I was at the back table painting new pieces and selling the Websters supplies. 

Now you know why I haven't been blogging much. I'm at the shop trying to keep up with the supply and demand. Also, teaching workshops and selling the Websters Chalk Paint Powder.

It has been wonderful, no complaints. It's a rewarding feeling to know that our pieces are being used to make homes warm and cozy. 

I better say goodbye for today, need to get to the shop and paint. We open again on Thursday and I have a considerable amount to do before then. Also, custom orders to complete as well.

Be Creative,

Patti

Merchandising, hard or easy?

I bet there isn't a week that goes by that someone doesn't ask us, "who does your displays"?
For the most part it's me. Of all the things I enjoy doing, displays and merchandising are top on my list.

It started over 30 years ago when I lived in California. My first husband was stationed at Travis AFB and there wasn't many employment opportunities in Fairfield, so I was left looking for something to do. I wanted to go to the local Junior College and take a course in Merchandising and Marketing, but as it turned out, that wasn't possible on an Airman's salary. The next best thing was to go to the library and read up on merchandising, color combinations, even vs odd numbers in display etc. Armed with a notebook and pen, that's exactly what I did.

I was pretty good at home decor, and I have good color sense - so merchandising and displays seemed like the perfect thing for me. It wasn't for about 15 years, before I could actually put any of my knowledge to use in a retail setting.

I started working at Fabric Town and that's when it all became fun. What better place to work with colors and ideas than a Quilt Shop. It was fun, taking the quilts, draping them and adding little fabric packs, patterns and kits to the mix. Quick and easy displays were created and it was a nice feeling when someone would purchase items from our display and compliment us on the visual treat.

After quite a few years, I purchased Fabric Town, and started to add Antiques and painted pieces to the mix. My husband and I would spend Saturday's at different occasional shops looking for just the right bowl, crate or even vintage sewing machine to complete the "In my head display". I knew what I wanted each quilt to be paired with, and it often took weekends and 10 shops before I got it right.

The results were well worth it. The compliments were wonderful and the warm displays gave our customers a feeling of what the quilt would look like on a bed, draped over a chair or even hung on the wall. My own home had quilts on many walls.

The same rules that worked for the quilt shop work for Next Act. One thing that I am not fond of is the junky-cluttered look. Too many times you go into shops and they have so much in their displays that it's visual overload. I like to have a combination of merchandise that is appealing to the eye, coordinates as to content yet you can easily see every item without digging or straining. To me the "less is more" rule applies to most displays.

I spent yesterday and part of today, de-cluttering some of our displays. I didn't get rid of the things, I just re-distributed them throughout the shop. No need to have 8 teapots on a table when 3 that compliment each other make a nice statement. To me color is important, it must be visually attractive. Groupings are great if they draw your attention. Pops of color add a lot when possible. There are so many variables but the main idea is to showcase your merchandise.

Throughout the shop we still have the quilts displayed and for sale. Table runners and toppers adorn the nooks and crannies. I still have the need for the warmth they add. Fortunately, the ladies of Fabric Town are willing to offer their creations. Many a display has gone to a new home intact. They took the quilt, chair it was draped on, as well as the side table and lamp. In a case like that - I guess that display was a hit.

I hope that you continue to enjoy our displays and our ever changing selection of merchandise. Nancy and I certainly appreciate your patronage and all the new friendships we are making. It's a wonderful feeling to go to work everyday and like what you're doing and who you're doing it for.

Be Creative,
Patti

A little this and a touch of that...

Just a few of the items in the shop. We have added new Vendors so the assortment is really widening. This little rocker and toy chest was done by Shelly. Love the soft green with accent trim.

 Lots of new vintage items as well as handmade gift items. Just little touches for any home.

 Great Quilts for Babies and Children. Fun furniture to add to any nursery or childs room.

 We welcome "Stella Sparrow" pillows and great jewelry to the shop. Very Unique and excellent quality.

 Flannel baby quilt, warm and snuggly. Perfectly unisex - for those who aren't sure.

 Lots of kitchen accessories added. With June being Wedding month, perfect gift items for bridal showers.

 Painted in a Soft grayish blue, slight distressing and a very cushy padded seat. Relax after a long day in this wonderful Rocker.

 Vintage dresser done in soft colors and a Chippy Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint rocker.

That's just some of the items we have in the shop. Our selection changes daily - we add items almost every day and on Thursday thru Sunday we watch them find new homes. It's a very rewarding feeling to know our pieces will be enjoyed. Keeping up this pace doesn't leave me much time to blog... I promise (again) that I will try to post a few things each week.

Keep on Creating
Patti

Just a little preview of what's new.

 I haven't had time to blog lately. It seems that painting and getting the shop ready every week has taken all my time. That was not a complaint, just a fact. Nancy and I spend every Monday - Wednesday trying to replace the pieces that sold the week before.

 This is just a sample of some of the things we've been working on lately. By the time I post this many may already be gone.

 This would be cute in a little girls room. Great place to do her homework..

 The new Mother's have been coming in and letting us help them with the Nursery. This is the newest set we added. I have always loved Butter Yellow, when you add an accent of Antique White it becomes a soothing combination. Some of our vendors have brought in handmade Baby Burp Buddies and Vintage wooden toys. Several small quilts and wall hangings are also available.

 What a great unit this is. Use it as a bar, remove the shelf, add a tension rod and hang clothes or store your seasonal items. Two drawers on the bottom for smaller items. Someone even suggested putting a TV on top. I can see many different uses for this piece.

 Coffee Tables, Buffets and lots of accent pieces. Black seems to be the new neutral these days. As fast as we paint them, they find new homes. I like the dramatic richness Black gives to a room.

 Chalkboards, Clocks and Frames.... lots and lots of frames throughout the shop in many different colors and styles.

 White on White. Clean and Crisp.

 This wonderful addition was brought in by "Time Warp Collectibles". Butter colored enamel, immaculate condition. I picture this in a vintage kitchen or a cabin. They don't make pieces like this any more.

 They're saying 70 degrees by Monday... maybe it's time for some serious gardening. We have all kinds of re-purposed garden Chairs. Waterproofed to be used on your deck or in your garden.

Pottery, one of my favorite things. Again - shades of yellow mixed with Red. A feel good combination.

This is just a little of what's available. The shop changes weekly, so be sure to stop in and see what's new.   Take Care,  Patti

Grannie Kathleen's Handmade Doilies

 It's a well known fact that I like handmade things. Since I can remember, my Grandmother, Mother and Aunts all had doilies on their dressers, end tables and side tables. As I got older and had my own home, I had doilies too.

Many of you know Patti Hokanson from her years at Fabric Town and her Long Arm Quilting company - "Quilts from the Trail". Many years ago, she gave me a doily that her Mother had made for me. I've kept it all this time and really love it. I brought it to the shop to use on a table as just display. We had other doilies in the shop that were for sale so I thought mine would be fine if it wasn't. Naturally, that would be the one, out of all of them that everybody wanted. 

One of the reasons I think my doily was noticed, it's made by hand and not by a machine in China. The difference is very noticeable.

Awhile back, Patti's Mom moved from Michigan to live with her in Eagan. Grannie Kathleen and her crochet hook were close by. To our delight, she was willing to make us a selection to offer our customers at the shop.

 Yesterday, a bag was dropped off at the shop. Grannie had been a busy lady.

 This is the tag that is pinned to each of her hand crocheted doilies.

 I love that this pattern is from the 50's.

 There are several different styles, sizes and colors.  

       This is my favorite. I love the lacy look. Sounds strange but they have always reminded

 me of snow flakes.

 Next time you're visiting us at the shop, you'll see Grannie Kathleen's  lovely handwork on our tables and shelves. Take one home and add a soft touch to your dresser or as a wonderful gift for a friend.

Nancy and I want to Thank Grannie for the wonderful addition to our shop.

As always, keep creating....

Patti

The Subtle Textures of Age

Once again I forgot to take my "Before" photos.  If I could describe what this dresser looked like before I got started, I'd have to say very worn, dry and maybe a little sad. I say sad, because there was a time when it was new, stained and varnished and  proudly standing in someones bedroom. Pieces of furniture are like people, they have a story - some kind of history. Unfortunately, by the time I get to work on many of them, their story is unknown and if they don't get a makeover their history will end up at the local landfill.

This piece was sturdy, the drawers are a bit worn inside but it stands tall and is still extremely functional. It arrived at the shop close to when we opened. It has been sitting in the corner waiting it's turn and finally the time arrived.

I had to make the decision on what type of paint I would use and then color. Something subtle would be my first choice. But I didn't want your typical cream or antique white. Too many pieces are just painted with those two colors and nothing creative or unique is done to them. This piece needed a little more - but nothing fancy. No chipping, not high gloss finish, just natural for its age.

With my decision made, I went to Home Depot to get my paint. I was going to use Websters Chalk Paint Powder and turn a latex into Chalk Paint. I chose my colors "Clear Pond" for the body and "Silky White" for the drawers.

 I put a very think coat of both colors onto the dresser. It went on and immediately was absorbed, the wood was dryer than I imagined. As I let the paint dry, I noticed that it was giving itself a very worn, but wonderful finish. The old varnish that was left in spots was turning the paint different shades. I realize it's hard to see from my photos. 

With the paint being absorbed and the shading it couldn't have been better. Without much effort on my part I had achieved the look I wanted, Subtle and Vintage. Now to distress a bit and apply a topcoat.

Here is a close up of how the  paint was absorbed, it looks darker in those areas. The edges are slightly distressed and a very thin coat of poly was applied to seal the finish. This application also added to the texture, it gave a yellowing like with age as the old varnished came to the surface.

This is what the finished dresser looks like. I took these photos with my phone so they aren't the best quality. You really need a close up look to see how wonderfully old and subtle it looks.

I hope it gets a home where it will continue it's story and make a fresh history with a new family. If you think you'd like to adopt this wonderful piece, come visit us at the shop. We open tomorrow at 10:00 AM.

Keep Creating,
Patti

"Time Warp Collectibles"

 I was standing in the shop yesterday, after Steve and Sandy finished re-stocking their booth. They're the couple that have the consignment section at Next Act, that carries all the fun Retro pieces. I guess it never dawned on me what "Time Warp Collectibles" meant until just then. I now get it!!!

 Their pieces evoke memories of my childhood, as I'm sure they'll do to a lot of you. I can remember the tables, pictures and ceramics they have scattered throughout their section.

 I even remember having the dark haired little girl in my bedroom when I was little. Do you recognize these?

 How many Mom's or Grandma's had this unique sewing table? How convenient would that be for a hand quilter to have, just set it next to your chair and have everything right at your fingertips.

 This sideboard - buffet looks like something one of my relatives had. Good memories.

 Ceramic classes? They were big back then.  I think we all must have seen one of these from time to time. If you watch the show "Mad Men" on TV, they show them all the time. Remember when your parents would go to the neighbors for a "get-together"? Chances are, they had one on their coffee table.

Here's 3 classic styles. I love them, so unique.

 If you haven't seen Steve and Sandy's booth, stop by and check it out. They add new things weekly, you never know what you might find.

Patti

Planning my day

Good Morning,

I'm up early working on my April workshop schedule. I send it out in a week, so I'm just getting the dates firmed up.

Our workshops are really going well. I look forward to spending the time with a group of ladies, who want to learn how to give a "Facelift" to their current furniture, rather than spend the money on new.

On a weekly basis, we work with people from all the different phases in the circle or life and home. By that I mean, retired couples downsizing from years of home ownership to Condo and Apartment living. They don't need all the furniture and are ready for a change. The other phase - the young couples that are just starting out. Excited about their upcoming marriage, first apartment and life is fresh and exciting.

The older couples want to purchase "already transformed" pieces and maybe learn to makeover a few smaller ones. We have helped furnish many retirement homes. The young homemakers want to give their new home a personal touch... I call it the nesting stage. I truly enjoy working with both, but teaching the new bride how to take a worn out nightstand and make it into a cute piece, that will help make their new bedroom cozy - that's where teaching becomes fun.
 
 I've added a few Lecture/Demo classes. This gives you the opportunity for education on both types of paint and evaluation of which would work best for the project being considered. The lectures are approximately 90 minutes long. I'll cover, preparation, mixing, application, techniques and finishing. After the class, I can help you purchase the products necessary to get the job done. 

We are also offering separate Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint and Webster Chalk Paint Powder workshops. Come join us for some creative fun.

 Reservations are required for all workshops,  give us a call to reserve your spot.
(952) 432-5001 

Creating beauty, one brush stroke at a time.....
Patti 
 

A transformation of a transformation

 A little while ago we got in a wonderful dresser. It was a bit worn in the inside, but the basic frame is sturdy and the hardware all in tact.

After looking at it for a several days I decided that it would be great to paint it a bold, rich cheddar. From my Fabric Town days, I had fallen in love with Civil War Reproduction Prints, Cheddar was one of my favorite colors to add a bright pop to a quilt. So I transformed it from worn stained wood, to the new Cheddar with distressed edges to let the wood peek through.

Several weeks went by and all sorts of  people admired the color and thought it was perfect for the style etc. But still it wasn't going home with anyone.

Well, one afternoon in walks Nancy N. and her Mom and they like what they see.... but not in Cheddar. Nancy wants it totally painted a new way.  Her choice was Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint in Shutter Gray and Ironstone. We moved the dresser into the back of the shop for me to re-do it.

I wasn't looking forward to covering the Cheddar. Several of our customers that saw it in the corner by the workshop door wanted to purchase it as is... but Nancy N. had already paid for it so the new transformation was about to happen..............

Ta da...here is the transformation, from Cheddar to Shutter Gray with Ironstone drawers. I have to admit, it's wonderful. Shutter Gray is one of my favorite Mustard Seed colors but I was just not picturing this dresser in that particular color. Well, I was wrong - it's just as attractive as the Cheddar.  Nancy N. picks it up this week, I hope this is what she was imagining for her room.

Keep creating,
Patti