Farmhouse frocks New Studio

Wow! What a fun ride I've been on these past two months. Yes, that's how long it's been since I wrote my last blog.

One of my goals for 2015 is to set aside time to blog and be more consistent with it.

That being said, I want to touch base on where the new Farmhouse frocks company is going. I've switched to all Amish sewers with my up-cycled and vintage clothing. We carry them in women's size 4 to plus size 26. We are figuring out what works and what's not working.

Rust & Found, Old World New Home and Philosophy & Vines are carrying our frocks. We are in the process of getting more locations.

Here is our schedule for 2015 shows:

Country Living Fair

Lebanon, Tennessee

April 24-26

Rhinebeck, New York

June 5-7

Columbus, Ohio

September 18-20

Atlanta, Georgia

October 23-25

Vintage Fair

Walnut Creek, Ohio

June 27

I might add a couple more show dates, but at this time it's what we have planned.



Okay, back to this new dream studio. I had to have a place to be able to work that separated work from my everyday life - so I decided to work with what I had. I would've rather invested in good fabric over a building that took a little more faith then I could muster at this time.

So I worked with a space that I already had.

The above picture is one of my inspiration photos I had pinned off Pinterest.

I knew I wanted lots of light with a big chalkboard wall. I also really liked how dramatic this bull was.

So my artist hubby chalked it for me.

I'll let you see what the room looked like before. I started it on a Friday night and it took me one whole week until it was totally complete.

Did it take me that long? No, but between family gatherings, work, sickness and other obligations we hung in there until it was complete.

I used a white concrete stain and gave it two coats, then applied two coats of a sealer they recommended.

I was soooo stinking excited to see how this floor turned out.

I had most of the furniture pieces that I needed to organize and put the studio back together.

Last night while the men were screaming at the Ohio State game, my sister-in-law and I made this cabinet look like it might be on a magazine page.

We put the vintage doilies that I've collected in industrial crates.

I then took things I already had to separate all these lace bindings. I took yardsticks and cut them in a couple inch pieces, then wrapped my collection on them and stuck them in strawberry boxes to lend a vintage feel.

Bam! High five! Sweat, determination and with lots of help from my daughter Sydni, this studio is done!

I got these two ugly pheasant chairs awhile ago at a garage sale.

I picked the birds off the chairs with a seam ripper and gave them a face lift with this gold polka dot burlap.

For the work table in the middle of the room, I spray painted saw horses in gold and put an old door on top.

I added little pieces I loved to give it character.

A punch of color here and there.

Like this fun office chair I paid a buck for at a sale last summer. I also snagged this big black industrial desk for $9.99 at a local Goodwill. Let's not talk about how many people it took to carry it in to the perfect spot.

Soon everything found its perfect spot.

It seemed like all things were meant to be. These organizing bags I use for the shows fit perfectly in the bottom of these sliding doors.

My now craft/studio/office now feels like a place I want to work in.



Do I have the key to success? No, but one thing I do have is "More Faith Than Fear" as I am excited for 2015.

Just like this black and white picture above, I believe you can have a ripple effect on others. First you must throw the stone in order to create the ripple.

I even found a couple of treasures I forgot I had.

It's so nice to be able to have a room where we can shoot photographs and see the inventory.



Since I can sew now, I made a cord cover for this up-cycled whisk lamp I had made.

Same for this old chicken feeder lamp I hung by the chalkboard.

I saw an idea on Pinterest to spray paint magnetic letters in gold.

I snagged this old cabinet for a steal this fall and had no idea what I'd use it for.

I was so thankful for it because it found its perfect spot.

I painted it black and touched it up with a couple of gold highlights.

This is what it looked like before. Yes, all this happened in that one week.

Now I can store all my extra white ironstone as it waits for the shows.



In this closet I keep all the pieces that await up-cycling.

This is the new girl of the house and her name is Betty. She's a fuller figured lady and so far seems kind of quiet. We look forward to building a relationship.

Betty!

Gigi and Lola are ready to get back to work.

I am feeling blessed to have this work space to use my creative gifts in.

Thanks for being patient with me when I was missing from blog land. When running two businesses things need figured out at times. 

Let's all make 2015 frock!

Come find us on Facebook at Farmhouse frocks!