I don't know about you but I'm SO READY for Spring!
I miss the warmer weather but most of all I miss the flea markets, barn sales and open air markets!! If you are like us and you've been waiting for the sales to start, good news - the Kane County Flea Market opens this weekend (March 3rd and 4th). Insert cheers of jubilee here!
We are not in our normal spot this month (because I'm kinda partial to not being a popsicle) but we will be in the heated Expo Bldg. Yep, temperature control is new for us (remember some of those sweltering hot days last season?!) but no worries, we won't get spoiled - we'll be back out in the barn soon.
We're celebrating Spring
...and giving you a little peek into our new line before we officially kick off the season at our Vintage Market (Oh my! It's only a couple weeks until the Vintage Market!). Those sweet vintage cake toppers will be with us this weekend, along with two trailers loaded with goodies.
We hope you'll come by and visit us this weekend in the Expo Building.
We've been working on some things for the upcoming Vintage Market. I don't want to share too much but we have some really cute ideas swirling around in our heads. Now if we can just find time to get them all done.
Today I'm sharing at French Cupboard about making new dressforms look vintage. Come on over and see...
Last week Steve and I decided to change out the chandelier in our oh so tiny 1st floor bathroom (I'm not kidding - It's more like the size of a locker than a powder room). Like most of the cosmetic updates in this old house, it became a weekend warrior project.
The electrician had to cut some holes in the wall in order to run the wire up to the ceiling so the wall had to be repaired and re-painted. Which meant that the sink had to be taken out so we could paint the entire wall.
And that, somehow, meant that we needed a new faucet. We also got a new toilet seat but that just isn't something photo-worthy. (We obviously can't be trusted in the hardware store unsupervised).
And because we are the kind of twisted people that apparently enjoy even more work, we took some inspiration from Rebecca and covered the walls in old book and Bible pages. We used a universal wallpaper paste to adhere the pages and, so that they can be wiped down if needed, we applied three layers of clear coat on top. Note: when I say "we", I mean Steve. He did a ton of work and totally deserves all the credit!
My contribution was some ruffles and lace for the windows.
Oddly, adding the pages to the walls doesn't make the room look any smaller.
It turned out so beautiful that the kids are calling it the "hotel bathroom". And on the plus side, it's a great place for kids to read Bible verses. After all, they're a captive audience. And the Bible says that we should take every opportunity to teach our children God's Word. Almost sounds like we planned it this way. Yeeeaaah, that's what I'm going to tell everyone anyhow.
I hope your day is filled with all things lovely. Today is my oldest son's 21st birthday. Some of you may remember that he had some very serious health issues in the last year. I'm delighted to tell you that he is doing very well! We will be spending our Valentines together as a family, at his request. Someday I may share more of that story but I'm still gathering some of the broken pieces of me. God is healing us in beautiful ways. He gave me this place to write and to heal, I know that. But parts of the story aren't mine to tell to the entire world so while He weaves His beautiful threads, I'm recording my thoughts - pen to paper - privately.
But here's a sweet little story... One day last week, while I was shopping at Sal's Boutique (Salvation Army), my youngest and oldest sons were making a Valentine gift for me. It's hard to fathom but my 8 year old son didn't want to go junking with me :) so he asked if he could go to his brother's work (It's our family welding shop so grand kids and siblings often stop in). Apparently, one found heart shaped copper pieces and the other welded them together. The younger one ran off to find another fun project or adventure. The other... The sheepish smile and gentle "adult" hand that gave it to me, melted my heart.
From the moment he was born I have said that he is my valentine but this last year, when I nearly lost him, I would weep with my husband at night when no one else was around - sobbing words... "This boy is heart of my heart". I don' t know if I even knew what that meant but the Bible talks about "bone of my bone", "flesh of my flesh" and that's what I felt.
Like any mom can relate to, I love each of my children deeply, immeasurably. But when one of them hurts, my attention turns to that one. I ached for him... and because of him. Deep, can't-figure-it-out, lost-to-it kind of aching. When I say "heart of my heart" I know some of you moms know what I mean, even if it isn't a definable term. And that copper heart represents something pretty miraculous that's unfolding.
Maybe you've been feeling some "unfolding" lately too... a pull to something you know is God, even if you don't want to admit it. You are His "heart of my heart". That one step you are contemplating, that proverbial step of faith, it is a blind step but if you have been waiting for something, some kind of sign... this is it. Know that change can happen with God!
I never imagined that our old farmhouse would be the backdrop for so many of the lovely things that have taken place in the last year! We have been humbled for sure. I look at the blog posts and articles about the house being so "romantic" and then look around at the reality... Our house is a mess these days!
Mr. Blessing and I are tearing our home apart. Yep, we are removing almost all the furnishings off the ground floor and getting ready to host a Vintage Market, complete with amazing vendors, tasty treats and all manner of handmade & vintage items!
In the coming days and weeks, I'll be posting pictures of items that the vendors will be bringing and how the farmhouse is coming along but in the meantime you can take a peek at what the vendors are working on via their blogs and/or facebook pages.
