Before and After

Who doesn't love Before and Afters? Even if you don't like the "after" it's a great learning tool. Remember this chair?



With more sanding, more paint and a new seat it's so cute in floral with green check accent piping

only $135




This gold horror...


Look at the more mature "After"...... putty colored velvet with medallion accent fabric on the back and nickel nailhead trim. A steal at $225

And this pair.... went from the bordello to the board room, don't ya think?
Red velvet complete with brush fringe trim and button tufting:

Now, refined in a lovely stripe that the pictures don't do justice to at all

The first two are for sale at the shop, and the striped pair were for a client, but are a perfect example of how much new upholstery can change the look of something. Vision, and/or imagination, that's all it takes. Tune in for the next phase of B & A. I have an idea for a giveaway......

The Bank Job

An update on how the banner and set up went at US bank. I got the banner done. I think it turned out cute, and got the message across. I really wanted to "collage" it a little more, o.k....a lot more. I just get so nervous that I will screw it up. Does anyone else have this problem? It would probably help if I didn't wait until the last minute. Maybe then I would have more courage to mess around, instead of just getting it done. The good news is, at least one person was interested enough to check the shop out. She saw the goodies at US Bank and has been in twice for a few things for her revamped guest room. In fact she bought the little red stool you see in the picture. Apparently, she tried to buy it from the teller and they looked at her like she was crazy.

I felt a little silly taking pictures in a bank, so they aren't great. Guess this set-up would have been a good ruse if I were "casing the joint", which I'll admit is tempting in these times of "economic crisis". If only I was confident there is actually any money behind that bullet-proof glass.

Garden and Paint

Lucinda and Cynthia are two gals who share a booth here at the shop. They are new, and their little space is really coming together. Along with many wonderful home decor pieces, Lucinda has incorporated her garden coach business by offering live sedum gardens in great little planters. For those of you that don't know (I had no idea) sedums are low maintenance succulent plants often used in rock gardens. They don't need much in the way of water so they are easy to keep in pots. Here's a couple in the store now, and I have to admit I am pretty happy with this picture:

Cynthia just brought in these cute painted children's chairs. She had told me she was a professional painter, but the attention to details on these little cutie's is impeccable.

The pictures really don't do them justice. Cynthia does murals and custom painting as well. I really like how these ladies have incorporated their two business into their space. Not to mention they have great stuff.

Procrastination & Inspiration

Next week at US Bank on 42nd and Alberta I signed Vestiges up to be the "vendor of the week" I have had about a month to prepare, and here I am Saturday trying to come up with signage. I think a cute banner would be great! I went out to blog land for some inspiration and here are a few of my favorites:

This one by Lisa at a A Thing For Roses who's getting ready for Farm Chicks!

Here's a sweet one done by Amy @ Poppy & Ivy's this search revealed she is quite the whiz at these things, if only I had started worrying about this before today.This one I found on Flickr probably a little over the top for the bank, but what a beauty!

If I end up with anything worth looking at I will update next week with a picture of my own. Since I have spent the last few hours "researching" I better get to work, man how does time fly.

Critter window ie... open invitation

Gail came in to fluff the owl window . The owls have been flying out the door (hee hee). It became the all inclusive "Critter Window"

Around 5:3o, I hear some glass clinking in the back of the shop. As far as I know I am alone. I click the refresh button on my email one more time, and come out from behind the counter to investigate. To my shock and surprise I am toe to toe with a squirrel! Her partner in crime is skidding around the corner, and out of back of the shop. This is followed by a crashing sound. Then these two casually make their way to the front (just browsing I guess). I am just standing in disbelief contemplating how you get two squirrels out of a chotchkie shop???? I decide first I will make a move for the camera. When I relocate the squirrels, one of them is literally in the "Critter Window"! Before I could get a good shot she had sprung up onto the vintage linens. A brooch for sis perhaps? After a little photo shoot we make our way to the door and say our goodbye's. Just a little end of day entertainment right?

I am straightening the shop and checking for accidents..... whoops! ANOTHER SQUIRREL! Her instict apparently screamed "Jump in this pink pot!" I just had to take some more pics, these gals were very obliging models.
I then tried to shoo her out (using a kitchen utensil that screamed squirrel shoo-er) and nothing. She clearly was not leaving without the pot (Um we're closing miss ;) Terrified, I pick up the pot, and willed this terrified squirrel to stay put. "Please don't launch rabidly out of the pot at my face." I say. "I don't think either of us will survive that." I think we came to an understanding this squirrel and I. She was released back into the wild (parking lot) where her pals were waiting expectantly.

Suffice it to say it was a very fun way to end the day. I still crack up thinking about it. No rabies shots, no broken pots, dishes, or soiled linens. You know what they say about leaving the door open. Anyone could just waltz in.....or anything.

Wipe your tears

Crying happens at weddings and funerals. How romantic and classy is it to have a beautiful, hand embroidered hanky at your fingertips instead of a wad of kleenex in your fist. We have so many greaty hankies in the store, many of them with amazing hand embroidery. Personally, I have always been put off by the idea of a hanky. In and out of your pocket or purse.... in these days of hand sanitizers I was just curious where the hanky fit in.

A gal was in today and picked out a pretty one. She mentioned that now all she needed was a wedding or a funeral to go to. Inspired, I bought my 1st hanky. May it be for wiping tears of joy, rather than those of pain.

Baby Bella Giveaway

Just checked out OGT blog and read this story that tugged at my heart strings:

This future junker was born early (only 23 weeks)on March 12, and at just 15 oz., she was no bigger than a minute. Since then, she has been packin' it on, and was a whole 2 lbs. 8oz. at her last weigh in! Go Bella! Her grandma is Deb from the blog Talking Trash. Deb says that Bella is currently residing in her very own glass palace! The Junk Sistas have joined forces to raise money to help with Bella's medical expenses. Each sista has donated a fabulous something to be raffled off starting TODAY ! The loot includes jewelry, vintage treasures, cowboy boots, art and a chandelier made from a fork! Tickets are only $10. You can check out the loot here at Junk Sistas. I just went to check out the giveaway and get a raffle ticket. Boy there are some great things, and its all in the name of a beautiful baby girl. What's better than that?

Win something great and help this baby girl and her family. Win -Win!

Twins, or maybe Quads

Linda with Joie de Weave brought in some fresh vintage pillowcase dresses

Some have amazing hand embroidered edges

How cute would these be on twins or maybe quads, or what about flower girls? I love the dingle ball trim in Orange and Kelly Green.

These sell for $24-32

Whooooo want's to come to Vestiges

Whooo Whooo.....What a cute owl window Gail put together! The picture is pretty bad. It will be fun to look back at these first blogs after my picture skills have improved, and cring at the terrible pics. But, for now this is the best I could get, even with OGT's camera tutorial on Saturday. Believe me these owls are adorable in person. Cookie jar is double sided, and the pillow owls are made out of recycled sweaters and with love by our crafty knitter Linda, of Joie de Weave.

As Promised: Keepin' it Real

Just to get it out there in the open......

I think this will be good therapy. I saw A Thing For Roses post about this and relief washed over me. I am not the only one with an unusable room in relation to my "business". I know they have the site/blog/book about women artists and their workspaces but I think Lisa is on to something with this. Anyone else want to come clean.....

Farm Chicks n' Pixie Dust

Two blogs in one day! Nothing like a giveaway to get me back to the computer. I popped over to the the Farm Chicks Blog (Some gals and I have been thinking about trying to do something like their show in our neck of the woods) & those "Chicks" sure have a great blog, they are an inspiration really. So I was going over the last few entries and there it is... an empowering giveaway! Write a blog and enter to win. I have already won,cause I'm double blogging right! Did I mention the giveaway is a fabric giveaway? The company is Pixie Dust Decor and boy are their fabrics precious. I love the darling pagoda print! By the way on the Farm Chicks blog they have a coupon that is good through the entire summer for this cute stuff! I hope I win, but if you blog about it, then I say may the best blogger win ;)

Spring Chicken

Now that I have begun....I can't stop thinking about all the fun things there are to blog about. I would like to do a vendor feature once a week, or just feature one vendor a month. Also do a weekly post with the things that everyone is selling in the store, and a who's who. Now finding the time to do it. I was driving by The Blue Moose after an impromptu visit to the Grandparents and saw that I was missing the Bueamont Business Association meeting......whoops. I have decided my brain isn't going to work as the one thing I rely on to keep track of everything. It has served me well for the last 32 years, but when my Cousin texted me about visiting the GP's my little brain reacted with the standard "wait....aren't we doing something this morning?" I rationlized that since I was at my early morning coffee appointment that was probably what the ol' noodle was referring to. Nope. Anything working for all you out there in blog land? Blackberry, dayplanner, Iphone......



Early in the morning on Easter we went to get coffee at the Ristretto Roasters on Williams and to peak at some chicks at the Livingscape Nursery around the corner. If you haven't been there and you like to garden it is a great place. If you read my blog last week then you may have guessed that the Boy Toy is building us our very own Chicken Coop! Check it out, coming soon....you guessed it chickens. We, (along with many others in this progressive city) have decided to add to the family and get some egg layers. After our 1:00 Dinner we were so inspire by the baby chicks, that despite the down pour we finished the coop. We went
back to get the chicks on Monday but sadly they were not open. It's turned out its for the best we realized that we want Egg chickens, not pets so we will have to find the right breeed.

Indulgences

It was brought to my attention that with this new endevour "Vestiges Storefront" comes the oppurtunity for me to indulge in the aquisition of things. I love to find a thing, at an estate sale, on the side of the road and beyond! Many gals have this affliction and our houses are filled to the brim as well as our garages. Maybe next week a peak into the unusable "man cave" in my house. Hint: There is a sectional in there! I went on friday to "junk" and had such a great time! If you don't believe me check out Pam's blog over at One Gal's Trash, she runs around snapping great pics of everything and really sums it up nicely on her blog. We also ran into Melanie from All My Favorite Things who just opened up shop down the street and is such a welcome addition to the neighborhood!

Any hoo I figured if I was going to be doing some aquiring I needed to get some things I already have (see above: unusable man cave) ready to go. So when the sun came out this weekend I went out in the yard and did some repairing and priming. Sadly I left these two out in the yard and the primer has peeled a bit. I guess the rain (even a little ) is not the best for newly primered peices. Can anyone say square one. I guess I have a lot to learn. On a posative note.... since the "man cave" is so far inaccesible the Boy Toy was inspired to build a little something... can you imagine what this will become?

Tune in next week for the conclusion and maybe a glimpse of the "sectional"

Big Sale

Just thought I would post it just in case.....Tomorrow, Thursday-Sunday March 19th - 22nd there will be a huge sale on everything left on the 2nd floor 25%-50% off everything! Tell your friends!

Younger, hipper, more energy!

We are having a change of the gaurd here at Vestiges Storefront. I wrote the first blog soooo long ago, and then heard the sad news that the store was going to close. Why blog, the goodtimes were over. I was such a sad, sad little upholstress.

Which leads me to an introduction. My name is Beth and I am the owner/operator of a tiny upholstery shop: Ruby Cushion Upholstery. I moved into the back garage space of Vestiges in Nov. 08.

Jump to now....I was sooooo sad at the thought of having all my new lady friends move away and of being locked in the tiny garage all alone, that when Gail the current owner of Vestiges proposed I take over the shop, I took the bait. Ever so tentatively I am becoming "the Decider" as of April 1st(no joke). I just keep hearing Gail's voice saying "younger, hipper, with more energy" as she describes the new gal takin' over (little ol' me?). I'm not sure I can live up to that description. It's worth a shot just to keep the goodtimes rolling.

So now I am looking forward to a smaller version of Vestiges. I mean it's been here on Fremont since I actually was younger, hipper, and had more energy....college!"

In the beginning...

there were websites, and now there is blogging. People have asked and we aim to please, so here goes......

First the basics if your just tuning in:

Vestiges Storefronts is located at 4743 Ne Fremont in beautiful Portland, Or. We are a retail store where local artists, crafters, and collectors gather. We have over 29 vendors who we hope to feature here so you can get to know them. We also hope that 2009 will be the year our classes take off. We are looking forward to sharing the knowledge possessed by those within our craft/art community with any one interested in learning!

Cheers to 2009 and blogging!