Once upon a time, about a year ago, there was this lovely lady named Chanda (pronounced like Chandelier) who was from Oklahoma. Chanda was planning the first ever St Louis Vintage Market Days coming that fall. Vintage Market Days had already been a huge success in Oklahoma, so she had faith it would work out. But she needed to find vendors who would accurately portray the “Upscale Vintage Market” motto, AND be willing to put their faith in her that it would work out.
Well, Chanda, somehow, found Rachel with Shades of Blue Interiors, liked what she saw and sent Rachel a message with an invitation to become a part of something new & exciting, and to trust her to create something thousands of people would drive hours to see.
It sounds like the beginning of a unrealistic fairy tale, doesn’t it?
Except it is not.
Chanda believed in me and gave me a chance to showcase my talent. I know so many people out there as equally talented as I am, who are still struggling with exposure and success. I feel SO grateful that she reached out to me, encouraged me, offered advice and tips to success, so that we could make our little furniture refinishing dreams come true.
Last Vintage Market Days I told Chanda that our goal was to use our profits from VMD to help pay for us to buy a house. I certainly hoped it would work out, but I wasn’t holding my breath because, well… I’m a realist. However, we were SO successful in just the first day, that by the end of that weekend, we had enough to pay for a down payment on a house.
It started with Chanda having belief in me, in my family, and continues through all the support I got from the people who loved and bought my furniture, and from the support and love I get from my online peeps: YOU! My dreams, our dreams, are becoming a reality, not just because I can make beautiful furniture, but because YOU all believe in me.
So, thank you. From every fiber of my being. I am able to make a supplementary income, doing something I love, utilizing my God-given talents, because of you. You commented on my pictures or posts. You talked about me to your friends. You bought something from me. You sent me emails. You asked my advice. You encouraged me.
So to recap this year’s Spring VMD, we have new, bigger dreams.
We are saving and working to open a store.
Hopefully next year? Maybe not… (<–the realist in me) But it WILL be in the near future.
With that, here is what our spaced looked like at opening (minus that little table on the right with a bunch of tool stuff on top)!
And here is the king size bed I tried selling… again! It didn’t sell… again! :/ Someone out there is waiting for this, I just know it! 😉
Some mid-century modern goodness:
This little Duncan Phyfe table was the first piece to sell!
I bought it at an auction last summer and after it sat in my basement for months, we finally made it pretty!
I have a thing for lights, ya’ll! I made 2 rope pendant lights, 3 mason jar pendant lights, and found, cleaned up and repaired 3 different brass and crystal chandeliers (only 2 pictured here).
A pretty little lingerie cabinet in Louis Blue…
My favorite spot in our booth:
The table that would have sold 5 times if I had more identical sets! The table was something I worked on months ago, creating a restoration hardware finish. The top was a custom weathered, gray-brown stain, and the legs were layers of sanded away paint, dry brushing, and dark wax.
I loved how it turned out. The chairs and bench were layers of Paris Gray and Country Gray, artfully distressed and a careful application of dark wax.
This has become what I’m known for around these parts, so I had to do another Union Jack!
My husband came up with the idea of showing a constant slideshow of my work, as a portfolio, on our TV. It worked out brilliantly, I must say, despite my skepticism. 😉
Vintage wooden knobs galore!
And this last piece is a pretty vanity for a girl, painted in Antoinette and Old White, with dark wax. We brought her in on Sunday and she didn’t find a home that day.
Speaking of things that didn’t sell, I updated my Etsy store, Shades of Blue Shop, with all the remaining furniture and smaller handmade/vintage items! Check it out!
Happy Weekend!
I seriously couldn’t be happier for you!! you deserve this more than anything I know!! you are SO SO SOOOO talented and amazing, and i’m SO happy for all of your success thus far. it’s been fun to watch you go from your first dresser to this! in-freaking-credible!! someday i’m going to have money to fly you out and have you do my whole house for me 🙂 and i’m not kidding…
That vanity should have gone home with my settee! Everything was so beautiful. You continue to inspire and impress!
CONGRATULATIONS! Yes, I’m shouting with joy for you! So very proud. Your booth is amazing!!!! LOVE everything. You deserve all this success and more. I have a feeling your gonna get that store next year 🙂 Wow!!! Oh, and I can’t believe that bed didn’t sell either.
What a great range of color and style in your booth! Your creativity has no limits! Very inspiring! 🙂
Oh my goodness! Such beautiful eye candy! I think your husband’s idea is terrific. I’ve also thought a photo album left open showing past works could be really effective. You are VERY talented! I hopped over from In My Own Style.
Love your work! Wish I had known about St. Louis Vintage Market. I live close enough to come and am so excited at the possibility of coming to look at your things! I’ll be stopping by again!
All furniture manufactured or sold during the 1960’s was not of Mid-century Modern design, but you keep MISS labeling a popular design style from that era as mid-century when at the time it was known as “Italian Provincial”. I recognize it from my childhood home, where the living room, dining room and master bedroom were decorated with Italian Provincial and the family room and children’s bedrooms were decorated with Early American pieces. The only thing approaching Mid-century Modern styling in our home which was decorated between 1960 and 1970 would be the chrome and formica dinette set in the turquoise applianced kitchen.
Pat, I appreciate the time you have taken in going back through my archives. 🙂 I actually have done research on furniture and while I wasn’t alive in the 60s and 70s, I do know a fair amount of what characterizes several different styles. The piece I called mid-century is in fact mid-century. Mid century modern furniture was characterized by pieces with clean straight lines and a simple form which that dresser had. Legs were often tapered (which the dresser did have tapered legs). It was a style that started being produced in the 40s and went all the way into the mid 60s. Provincial pieces, whether french or italian, were named as such because they mimiced the traditional ornate and curved pieces native to the provinces of those areas. I have checked several reputable furniture sites to verify the information I’m telling you, but please feel free to go do your own research. Nothing truly provincial will have the clean straight lines and simple design as that gray dresser has.