Burford Designs

Farm Chicks and Physical Therapy

After participating in the annual Farm Chicks show for the past couple of years, this year we had to, unfortunately, opt out.  Mommy hasn’t been up to doing shows, physically, and each time she had to really push it and in essence put herself in harm’s way.  When we had to make a decision about doing the Farm Chicks show this year, it was difficult and time consuming, finally we had to choose Mommy’s health and turn down this fabulous show. 

 

Instead of getting ready for the show we got Mommy ready.  I researched exercises and physical therapy for her and made up a workout program for her to start.  She became very diligent in her daily workouts so when the show came in June we were able to go and explore it as shoppers instead of vendors for the first time. 

 

I am so proud to announce that Mommy is doing wonderfully and is looking mighty beautiful.  This is a photo I took when her sister’s were visiting.  She had to go to a mystery theater lunch and her part was of a mourning daughter.  I made her up, quickly sewed a bird cage veil out of some veiling I had in my room and let her borrow my gorgeous Vera Wang necklace…

 

I love being her stylist and with someone who looks this good (especially for 60!) it can be pretty easy.

Love you Mommy!

Treasures on Foxwood June

Last August Mommy and I participated in a local show advertised as a vintage, antique and handmade show called Treasures on Foxwood.  This year Jeanine (the proprietor) decided that she had so much fun during that show that she wanted not only to do the August show again but to add a June show this year.  Mommy and I decided to go along with it since this is one of the closest shows to our house and we really like Jeanine (and her husband Roger) as well as our location on the property (right in the front).  It is a young show but Jeanine is a hard worker and puts on a fabulous show (it would be difficult to know that this was only her second show on the property).  She travels all over the area and beyond to promote the show, hand pick vendors and do what she needs to do in order to have a fabulous show. 

Jeanine decided that she wanted a theme running through the booths and determined to give the show a tag line of “Lacey Days”, meaning that each vendor was to use lace somehow in their booth.   Not a difficult task for us.

This show happened on Father’s Day weekend and it was a little slow.  I think it was a combination of the holiday and weather-wise it was a bad weekend.  The week or so leading up to it was rainy, Saturday was decent, but rain hit again throughout Sunday, not so good for a show being held outdoors.

 

I look forward to the next show that is being held on August 14^th and 15^th located 35 miles north of Spokane on Highway 2 and 5 miles south of Newport, located just north of Diamond Lake, watch for the signs.

 

Hope to see you there!

Foxwood - a Couple of Favorites

There were two other vendors there that I loved.  The first is Kathy’s Victorian owned by Kathy Christiansen.  She does a few shows, mostly in Montana, but she is also a part of the large Custer’s Spring Arts and Crafts show. 

 

Kathy also has an etsy shop, called Lady Victorian, where she has sold her tags, doll tassels and hat pins (even though you can see she makes a lot more than that).  She is very business minded and shared quite a bit of her knowledge and business sense with both Mommy and me.

 

I love her taste in fabrics and there was so much to look at with her lamps, hatpins, ornaments, pillows, tassels, tags, and everything else she creates.

 

I couldn’t resist this mask... it was the only one there.

 

Another vendor that caught my eye, and heart, was Olive You.  I didn’t get a business card nor did I get any contact info because they had left it at home.

 

There were a lot of vintage items in this booth but I loved the silver iron bed frame, the cute vignette that I photographed and put in the above grouping and of course the bench.  The fabrics were luxurious upholstery velvets in rich reds, golds and browns but $595 was a lot out of my price range.

 

That should pretty much wrap up this year’s Treasures on Foxwood show.  I hope you all enjoyed being able to vicariously share in the experience.

 

Happy Thursday!

Foxwood – Variety of Vendors

I know, even more about Treasures on Foxwood, but there is so much to write about and show all of you so I simply have to share.  Jeanine, the owner (along with her husband Roger) did an amazing job promoting this show and getting vendors (there were over forty on their property alone).  She ran ads in all the surrounding papers, had huge signs (like the one on our property), handed out flyers and mailed out cards.  She even gave flyers and postcards to all of us vendors to share with our customers and to have at any show we might be at prior to this show.  All of it worked out with over 1,300 people coming to this first time event.

 

There were a variety of vendors (like the ones I have already written about here and here).  Jeanine’s hosted more of an antique/ vintage show with some handmade items (lots of antiques and furniture) like these vendors.

 

Renee’s yard was filled with a lot more handmade items, artists, etc like these.

 

Jeanine had so much fun putting this shindig together (even though it was a lot of hard work) she is already planning on having two shows next year.  The first being the third weekend in June and the next one being the second weekend in August (like this year).  I’ll try and get vendor applications and post them on my blog for those who might be interested.

 

I’m off to the dentist for an exam and x-rays, yippee!

 

Happy Wednesday!!

Foxwood – the Grounds

Jeanine and Roger’s property is amazing.  Not only do they have this gorgeous Victorian home that they built by hand (and fully decorated) but their out buildings are astounding.  Mommy and I got a grand tour of the house on that Friday when we went to check out our space first thing in the morning.  I am so upset that I didn’t have my camera with me because it was the epitome of Victorian décor and parlor settings.  Parts of the house (moldings) came from the Davenport Hotel when it was renovated.  The pattern of different wallpapers all carefully laid out and different collections of original Victoriana like her antique fire screens (originally designed to shield the person from the heat of a fireplace, especially women to protect their wax based make-up, according to Jeanine).  She has small and large ones but I doubt one as large as this one

 

Hers are more like these

 

a lot of beautiful needle worked screens.

 

She even has an authentic hair wreath.  Hers looks a lot like this one.

 

There are a few parlors where she hosts teas, thus her property being named Foxwood Tea House.

 

We walked from the sitting room outside onto a dazzling back patio and into an amazing backyard.  Out back there are a few out buildings, one being a 1950s era Texaco station. 

He and his brother used to own a Texaco station (along with a Perfection Tire store) back in the 70s and closed down the Texaco station to concentrate on the tire store.  He bought all of the original signs from Texaco for $1.  Once they built the house he needed something to display his memorabilia so he built a full sized station in his backyard.  The antique gas pump was from his family farm and was used to fill up the farm vehicles.  There’s a mannequin dressed as a station attendant and even a humongous Texaco station sign with a light to illuminate it.

There are two other little buildings out back, I’m not sure of either ones function.  I believe, at least one is a garden shed (the other might be a tool shed).  This is one (sorry for the awful picture)

And this is the second one; it was cleared of its regular stuff and had a vendor inside for the event. 

The other house (and co-host of the event) belongs to Roger’s brother and sister-in-law (Renee).

Renee held her part of the show, the artisans, in her backyard around this breathtaking pond/ fountain.

She also has a wonderful garden growing next to a beautiful greenhouse/ tool shed (no pictures of that though).

 

Out front, next to a large workshop, there is this old bus

apparently Mommy was really taken with it since there were three pictures of it in my camera.  Also out front, I got a close-up of the vintage tractor that I loved.

That ends the tour of the grounds.  What an experience.

American Maids & Swedeflats Artworks Co

Two of the other vendors at Foxwood had similar yet vastly different products. 

 

The first pairing is the duo of American Maids (I’m sure named after my favorite character from The Tick): the bench girls (I wrote a bit about them being at the Lavender Festival).  The twosome consists of Mandy Matlock and Hanna Moreland.  I really got to talk to Hanna a lot at this show and get to know her.  They are both very nice and talented women making lots of items from wood… my favorite Adirondack chairs and benches, wooden boxes, and hall tables made from old doors and other salvaged pieces.  They even make outhouse like storage closets.

 

It is something that I would really like to do (make some furniture) but not to sell at shows, really just more for my personal home use.  I really don’t know why I haven’t done it yet… something stops me from actually doing it but I don’t know what it is; maybe someday though. 

 

Anyhow, the other couple is Swedeflats Artworks Co. consisting of Brad and Dana where their business cards reads “Specializing in potting benches/ outdoor buffet side tables, wood boxes, pen and ink drawings, Brad’s strange and funky sculptures and other amazing things.”

 

Their potting benches (made from old doors and other salvaged and found objects) are more “artsy” than the American Maid’s.  Dana and Brad use antlers, forks, saw blades, fencing, and anything else they can screw down to make their benches/ tables.  They are pretty neat to look at and use.

 

I think they brought about ten large pieces (the potting benches) and sold at least half (maybe even six pieces) so they were quite happy at the end of the weekend. 

 

There’s still a lot to share so I’ll be back with more later.

 

Happy Thursday!

Foxwood

Somehow Monday and Tuesday really seemed to have slipped away from me because I can not believe that it is Wednesday already.  Although set up for the Treasures on Foxwood show was a little helter skelter the rest of the weekend went off without a hitch.  The setting (the Foxwood Tea House) was a wonderful venue (I’ll do a post of some special features of the two properties).  And for a first time show it had a decent turnout of people.

 

Again, Mommy and I were blessed with fantastic neighbors and were able to chat with lots of familiar faces (from previous shows) like Gina and Kathleen from the Lavender Festival

 

Also, Ann and Andy, our neighbors from the Farm Chicks show were there (this time I at least have pictures of their booth… they were too shy to actually be in the photo though).

 

This is Dana, our actual neighbor in the show, who makes potting tables like the one in the background.  She and her hubby will be written about in another post where I can show off some of their creations.

 

As for Mommy and me, we signed up for a 10 x 20 foot space so that we could have our handmade goodies like in previous shows as well as space for all the furniture and extra goodies.  We were able to combine everything from previous shows into one large booth space.

 

Here’s the long view

 

and the two separate areas

 

More about this all in the days to come.

 

Happy Wednesday!!!

My Friday

The following story is basically an email I sent Baby Boy Friday afternoon about 2 pm.  Needless to say we did finally go back and set up some items about 6 pm and it was a great weekend overall (more on that in later posts).  So without further ado this is what my Friday set up was like before 6 pm…

 

We were supposed to be setting up the booth today, we were supposed to be doing a show this weekend, we were supposed to be ready... that's a lot of supposing. 

Mom was told yesterday that it was Thursday and set up was Friday.  She told me to be up and ready early so we could go and at least get our space, set up the tent and maybe a few other items.  So, I woke up at 4:30 am and waited for her to wake up and be ready.  At 7:30 am I was in the living room and she was changing.  She had plans to go to the bank, Club Energy (the health club in town) and Foxwood (where the show is at).  As we approached the bank I motioned to it and she said "No, let’s just go to Foxwood".

We arrived at Foxwood just after 8 am and met up with Roger (the husband) and found our space (right in the front where Mom wanted).  Jeanine then met us outside and showed us around the grounds and inside parts of her house (mostly where the tea parties are held).  It is really nice and VERY Victorian.  Then Mom was all excited about the show.  As we arrived back in town she decided to just go back home and get things ready. 

After breakfast she went downstairs because she decided to sew lace together to cover the top of the tent and make it more Victorian.  That took a few hours, barely covers the tip top of the tent so she figured that she would have to make a covering with your favorite red crushed velvet.  So, now guess where she is...asleep in her bed.

Nothing is packed up, none of her stuff is ready or priced, and nothing is set up...that's a lot of nothing...

Oh well, other than this rant, this weekend is about just going with the flow, much like the rodeo last year.

Good times.

Busy Days of Summer

Mommy and Daddy have been in California for the past week and I have spent that ENTIRE time cleaning and organizing… moving boxes, packing things up, going up and down stairs, scrubbing sinks and floors, tending to the gardens and flowers and a bazillion other things.  I have worked tirelessly from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed (there is a lot to do) so when I finally hit the sheets, sleep is very welcome.

 

Of course, with so much cleaning going on, I have little time for anything else right now.  Which I guess is tit for tat since I’ve neglected cleaning in order to do everything (and sometimes nothing) else.

 

One of the major projects was to get my workroom cleaned out given that it had become more of a catchall and storage room.  I have tried cleaning it out several times but with such a small space and no real room to do anything I would get a section completed and then just have to stop.  This last week with only Spanky and me in the house I was able to utilize all the space I needed to clear out the room, rearrange a few things and get it tidied up and usable again.

 

Once it’s up to par I’ll take and show pictures.

 

Tomorrow, Mommy and I plan on setting up for the Treasures on Foxwood show that is happening this weekend.  We aren’t sure what to expect from this show since it is the first year it is happening… fingers crossed.

 

Happy Thursday!!

Commissions and Treasures

Recently Mommy and I were commissioned to make a gift for a ninety (something) year old lady.  She is a wonderful baker and gardener and still loves to pursue those hobbies as much as she can.   A friend of hers asked if we would make an apron suitable for this lovely lady’s taste.  Mommy went straight to work and made this gorgeous number right away.

 

As you can see it is a full apron with a ruffle on the bottom that flows around to the back.

 

Everything, excluding the thread, is vintage… the fabric, the seam binding, the buttons and even the trim used for the bow.  Here is a close up of the pocket and vintage trim bow

 

And the two cute buttons on the bib top

 

The other part of the title is about the Treasures on Foxwood show.  The main couple putting on Treasures on Foxwood stopped by the house and put up a large painted sign advertising the show.  (We offered some of our nice highway frontage for a sign to advertise the show since all of the traffic going to the lake has to pass by our driveway.)

 

I will have to get a picture sometime soon.  I haven’t been back up the driveway since I helped them put the sign up.

Until then…