They're Here ! ! !

Hi Everyone,

These lovely pots of lavender are already here and getting prepped for The Vintage Market in Rockford next weekend. These are specifically grown for our Illinois climate. Imagine fresh lavender in your garden or patio pots.  Put this one on your calendar for sure as a "can't miss event"! It will be lavender crazy, fresh potted lavender, dried hand-tied bunches and sachets all at one great market.

A wonderful, century old home, gracious at every turn and chocked full of goodies from 15 outstanding vendors, all bringing their very best wares to share with you.

We also picked a couple of these beauties as well, I really got into this shopping for really fresh plants!

Beautiful, manicured topiaries of many different varieties, rosemary and myrtle to name a couple. We will offer different sizes and varieties, something for everyone and every need. They are such a nice addition to any room.

We will also have a few pots of gorgeous blooming plants, tulips, hydrangeas and violets, all in glorious spring colors. I would take a picture but they are currently in our shower, don't ask!

In the meantime, runners are being stitched, journals designed and banners assembled, other than that, not a thing happening. So I need to get back to work.

Just make plans to get to Rockford IL next weekend, April 19 and 20, for this wonderful event. Shabby, vintage, French, romantic, farmhouse, whatever you call the style, it will be there, lots of it and in every form.

Suz

the Muze

International Relationships and laughter

Hi Everyone,

Almost finished our sachets today, my back was not cooperating with the whole sewing and ironing program I had laid out for today's activities. Along with Fran care, lunch and dinner for her and talking my dear friend Ana into buying another building and opening another business, it was a really, really full busy day.

Oh and celebrating my nephew's first day on his new job. and reading emails, wonderful emails from all sorts of great folks.

First up early this morning was a client who was over the moon with some new ideas that I came up with for her daughters wedding. That's a great start. Then there were several phone calls and emails about having actual lavender plants for sale at The Vintage Market in Rockford. Yes, we scored big time thanks to Theresa in Michigan!

Beautiful real lavender plants.

That will one day hopefully look like this

Yes this could be yours! With a little water, a little sun and a good growing season. Get yours in April at the Market in Rockford IL.

A full day with Fran care, sewing, ironing and a great dinner, thank God for Rival Crockpots, I'm just saying, and soon it was back to business at the office. Tons of work just waiting for me. Argh!

Then about 10 minutes ago I opened an email that made me smile and laugh out loud. No, the latest edition Shoppers of Walmart is not out, but an out-of-the-blue hello from some great gals we meet last market in Indy.

We had been swamped and I don't remember exactly what transpired up to the point that I do remembering asking one of the gals where she was from. I could distinctly hear a German accent. Well me being me, you can enter an eye roll here, when given the information that they were actually from Holland and Germany, came up with the monikers that Heidi and Gretchen were shopping our booth to other customers in our place at the time. You all know me, everybody gets into the conversation. We all were laughing quite hard and they were saying that when I go to the Netherlands to shop that great Burbri Antiek they wanted to come along as real life tour guides. What, were they serious?

Naturally I agreed, rather enthusiastically. I couldn't imagine how cool that would be to actually shop with someone who knows the ins and outs of a foreign place that well. 

So imagine tonight when I opened an email addressed, Dutch connection:) how surprised I was to read the following. . . 

We met at Indie Arts and Vintage on the 9th of this month and I just wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed our chat.

I was there with my bestest friend. You referred to us German girls as 'Heidi and Gretchen'. LOL

Although truth be told I am more Dutch than German. Well, I'm equal parts... but I FEEL more Dutch since that's where I grew up. ;)

You even wanted us to go to The Netherlands with you to shop for antiques!

I do hope you remember us. We should be able to go to your next show at the Indy Fairgrounds too. :)

Have a wonderful evening!!

Irenea aka. Dutchy

I believe you called me Gretchen, due to my dark hair ;)

Not only did we remember, George and I started laughing out loud because we remembered how funny they were and just a down right delightful to have in our booth. We definitely couldn't forget them. Nope, not at all.

I have said it before and I will keep shouting it from the roof tops, we are so incredibly blessed to meet and share our lives with some of the coolest people on the planet. It really is the true nature of the group we are fortunate to show with and the great visitors/customers/friends we meet along the way. 

It's after 11 PM and I still have a couple hours of paperwork to go through, so we will chat again,

Suz 

the Muze

Merci bouquets, lots of bouquets

Hi Everyone,

Now that we are back in reality, (thanks LBT for a great relief effort), I am back crackin' the whip in the ol' production scene. There simply is never enough time to get ahead.

The DH is thrilled that one of our 'projects' has finally met it's end. We literally gathered all our strength and wits to gather lavender the past two days. The whole house, both vehicles and a couple of noisy four legged pests that can not keep their noses or tails out of anything of mine, are all scented in the absolutely wonderful fragrance of lavender.

Our bouquets, that will be available in snow covered Indy in just a few days, turned out very nicely if I may say so myself. Each bouquet is about 14" to 18' in length. I found a beautiful gathering basket to display them in.

OMG ! ! !  I can not believe this goofy Blogger is now turning pictures upside down. I was over the moon that all the pictures I took were right side up and when they downloaded into this format, viola', upside down. This could seriously drive someone to drink beyond all sensibility. So maddening.

Okay, back on topic, I apologize for digressing. Blogger makes you do things like that. 

Anyway, the what seemed like millions of very tender beautiful stems of lavender were all bundled up, about 150 to 200 per bunch, (I was not about to actually count) and wrapped up with our really strong heavy brown paper, a shred of lace and some wonderful jute twine! As I was tying them off, it occurred to me you could actually use these as wedding bouquets if you wanted to and wouldn't that be a cool scent for the bridal party. Maybe keep all prospective brides and grooms a bit calmer.

Our bundles will be on display with our lavender sachet packets as well. Indy will never know what hit them, it will smell so good in our booth. I will try to capture a pic of the sachets, God only knows which direction that will be in.

On to the journals tomorrow as well as new chalkboards. 

Never a dull moment around here, that is for sure,

Here's our schedule again.

April  6 2013  -  Indie Arts and Vintage, Indiana Sate Fairgrounds, Indianapolis, IN

April 19 - 20  2013  -  The Vintage Market, 919 Garfield Avenue, Rockford IL

April  28  2013  -  Allegan Antiques Market, Allegan County Fairgrounds, Allegan MI

May  6  2013  -  Indie Arts and Vintage BACK OUTDOORS ! ! ! Glendale Shopping Center Parking Lot, Indianapolis IN

May  17 -18  2013  NA DA Farm Event  2423 South Woodlawn Road, Esmond IL 

May  24 - 25  2013  The Vintage Farmhouse Spring Market  9180 Hunt Club Road Zionsville IN

May 26  2013 Allegan Antiques Market, Allegan County Fairgrounds, Allegan MI

I am headed to be creative,

Suz 

the Muze

Shhh! Don't tell anyone . . .

that we completely snuck out from work and had a great night off last night!

Hi Everyone,

We will just blame these folks . . .

That's Jimi, Kimberly, Phillip and Karen known to all in country music as Little Big Town. They just happened to be visiting a mile and a half from my home so I thought I would surprise my DH and wonderful hard working sister with excellent seats to go see and hear the magnificent harmonizing vocals this group has to offer. Unbelievable voices that could harmonize over the phone book I swear.

We were checking in over 10,000 lavender stems that arrived very late yesterday and I then persuaded Candy and George to go to dinner. I surprised them at dinner with the news that they were going to go hear LBT for the evening. Sure beat bundling lavender for the market next week !

So we are a bit exhausted today but it was so worth the fun evening and the beautiful music we got to hear for almost 2 hours. These folks put on a fantastic show and I am so glad they stumbled off the beaten path our way. 

Thanks guys, you were superb and I so needed the night out,

Suz
the Muze