HOME ART The Love of God Shop Studio

Monday, July 12, 2010

I Had Sooo Much Fun!




I am back from the French Flea Market in Tipton Indiana and I so much enjoyed myself! It has been years since I did a show and it is hard work but it is liken to childbirth... you forget all the labor because of the outcome :) 
The main reason it was so fun was because of my good friend (sister) Donna from D.Reyne, she invited me to do this and was so gracious to offer me a place to stay at her lovely home during this event. If you have not met Donna you must go over to her blog and see all the inspiration this talented artist has to offer. She is such a sweetheart. She made my stay so incredible with her southern (yes, she is southern by Texas way) hospitality. I didn't take pictures and could kick myself  but she has pictures of the house she and her husband are renovating themselves. The upstairs is a dream and that is where I stayed with fresh flowers picked from her gorgeous gardens and she even stocked the small fridge off the bedroom with vitamin water that she remembered I liked!



Donna working hard bringing people from the train to the Flea-market with her Paris parasol.
To Give you a little history on this market it is coordinated by Donna who is the design coordinator for the Horton's Hardware store. Now this is no ordinary hardware store, it has a secret, a Secret Garden that is, that Donna has put together with owner Karen and Tim Horton. To promote the area, they sponsor this event and invite vendors to come set up their tents and transform a parking lot into a Paris park.  Let me show you around the Flea...


Come on in! Just through the architectural gate is a little bit of Paris...




The Fresh Flower Market





Next to the greenhouse is Horton's daughter Holly Beth's corner, she is only 15 years old but does beautiful knitted creations and jewelry.




Fresh Produce!


The Patisserie was busy all day, the lavender lemonade was so delicious on a hot day.


On the left side of the produce stand was the Bakery and Lisa's award winning pies were my down fall... I discovered sugar cream pie for breakfast!!!





I do not have the numbers of attendance but I do know my tent was only empty once on Friday for 2 seconds and Saturday there was a even flow. My sales were good especially for my high end merchandise.






Donna serving her famous Chicken Basil Salad and fresh bread from her French cart. She also whipped up 2die4 desert and sparkling juice for all the vendors on Saturday at no charge. I call her the  Whirling Dervish she did all this at 6 am while I slept. She can do more in a second than I can all day and she does it top notch, detailed and with style.






Vintage Living tent...
I bought this tent two days before I had to leave, I looked on line for a cheapy and found one at Walmart but it is not water proof!
 I left Thursday morning for the 3.5 hour trip to Tipton to set up and meet Donna. The trip was an easy one and as soon as I got there everyone was so helpful. The Horton's were so helpful with getting the tent up and getting me anything I needed. No sooner did we get unloaded and the tent up, we heard a storm was headed our way. So we got everything in the tent and secured it with cinder blocks. Well, we needed them because all of a sudden the wind hit first and the tent went air-born! We ran and grabbed it and 4 of us held on for dear life... it was all I could do to hang on to that tent and pray!  Then the rain... which then I discovered not waterproof! Karen ran and got tarps and we tarped my stuff under the tent, at that point I was wondering if I really wanted to do shows again... like I said childbirth.




Tim and Donna were running around securing the other vendors tents and getting soaked to the gills, we were lowering mine and holding onto it now from the inside all bent over. Donna had a run in with a rain gutter that exploded on her head... where is a camera when you need it - we could have made some money off of that one on AFV.  
By the time we got everything dried and back in place it was getting late, we worked on our displays until 11 and then we were back again at 5:30 to setup. I found out I am slow and putsy but I did manage to get things together and was still last minute pricing when the gate was opened at 9.



































































I so enjoyed the people of Indiana, I met so many wonderful women. I had brought some magazines of Where Women Create and I sold out before the first day.  I have so much more to show you, so I will do a second post in a couple of days called 
Friends and Horton's Secret.
 I can't wait to show you the friends I met and their talents, featuring Donna's booth. A huge thank you to the Horton's and to Donna and her crazy husband for putting up with this Swede that doesn't have a Minnesota accent...
Thanks so much for stopping by and as always I enjoy your comments. (Jodie I haven't forgotten you)
Many Blessings
Rebecca

29 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness Rebecca,
    this I see, was a major adventure, for worse and for better :), --what a start, with wind and rain, happy you all managed to get hold of the tent, and to keep it on the ground.
    All your photoes shows the beautifull boot you made, it looks fantastic,and so full of goodies,-glad you had a wonderfull week-end dear.
    Have to use a bit more time,to see,all you brought with you.
    Hugs, Dorthe

    ReplyDelete
  2. In spite of all the mishaps {the rainstorm}, it sounds like you had a successful and fun day! I wish I had been there! I would have loved to have met Donna and one of these days I will get my bum to your shop {I'm in Chicago}. Hooray for you!

    xoxo
    Jane

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Rebecca, Sounds like a HOOT! You have to laugh to keep from crying I'm sure. Wish we had shows like that here in Northern California! Can't wait to see more pics, Marcia

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hello my sweet! You had me laughing at our thursday monsoon all over again!
    "My Crazy Husband says: He is so...glad you now know there is more than corn is Indiana...don't cha know"
    We love you and are so glad you came!
    Have a wonderful evening!
    Hugs from your (sister and brother-in-law)
    Donna

    ReplyDelete
  5. Pie for breakfast! Yes. Sounds like you had a grand time and good sales. The booth looks wonderful. hugs♥olive

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh I so wanted to go to that French Flea! Especially when I heard you would be selling there! The photos look wonderful! ( I am so with you on doing shows, they are a lot of work regardless of the weather, but rain makes it all more complicated!) Well, I just need to get myself over to your Glen Ellyn shop one of these days soon!
    :)Heidi

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow....beautiful! I've done two shows and loved them both (and miss doing them), so I could relate to the long hours. I love the look and feel your space had. I have to ask...How did you get the chandelier up and not lose it in the storm? It's gorgeous!! Also saw some pink glass danglies...what are they and do you still have them?

    Smiles, Carol

    ReplyDelete
  8. Girl...do you ever know how to set up a gorgeous tent!!! Childbirth, maybe, but I don't think I would forget this as easily.LOL When my daughter had a store, we did a couple of shows (small) and I remember how much work it was. Too much!!! I am so glad you had the time of your life.
    I can't believe all the gorgeous stuff under one tent. Rebecca, believe me when I say...you have more talent than anyone I know, have known, and will EVER know!!! Everything you touch is beautiful. Just as beautiful as your kind heart!
    Thank you for taking us along on this ride. I cannot wait to see your next post!
    Big HUGE hugs

    ReplyDelete
  9. Your tent display is absolutely gorgeous Rebecca! Thanks for sharing your wonderful photos ♥

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Rebecca, Your booth was so cool and so you. Lovely is the word I always use to describe Vintage Living style. Sorry I had to miss this one. I'm with Heidi, I have to get to your shop soon. Love, Penny

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ahhh, but in spite of the rain, it does look like a wonderful show. Great pictures! And you had me pausing at lavender lemonade. Yum! ~Mindy

    ReplyDelete
  12. Rebecca,
    Girlfriend, I have missed you! I was going to call you last week to discuss something & then I'm thinking 'oh she's not home'. Then I kept checking your blog to see if you were home yet. Oh I can tell that you had a blast but earned every cent! When I went to Round Top last year I knew I could never do what 'you' buys do. Your booth looks amazing. I had to zoom in on every single picture & drool over the awesomeness of it all! (That Victorian album on the ground, the one Jodie will probably ask you about, I want it!!) Your birds look beautiful hanging there in the front. Your friend Donna is darling, what a job she had! I'll bet your happy to be home & hopefully have a minute to rest. Glad your back! Lisa

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh my goodness, this looks like where I would love to be!
    P.S. I went over to Donna's blog and became a follower of her too.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hey Rebecca! Oh' I love that you've shared so many pictures with us. Sounds like a great weekend minus the weather. I just wish I could have been there.

    Hugs...Tracy :)

    P.S. My giveaway ends tonight (Tues). I hope you get a chance to stop by and enter.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I wanted to be there so bad. I am hoping that it works out next year!! Looks fabulous!!
    Blessings~

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh wow! Girlfriend, your booth is just soooooooo gorgeous! What a time you had with set up. I could just picture you hanging onto the tent for dear life! Glad your sales were good and you had such a fun time. So, will you do more shows? :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Oops i think my comment got lost...ok try again.
    Rebecca I'm just sitting here with my mouth open. To have gone thru all that and still have such style and beauty is unbelievable. And a chandelier to boot. So happy you did well and that you'll be doing more shows.
    Wish I lived closer I'd love to come see you.
    Thanks for introducing us to Donna...what a treasure!
    xxx
    Carole

    ReplyDelete
  18. Rebecca,
    Wow! Wow! Can believe all you took to the show...do I hear u-haul? As always your art of diplay is fantastic! Glad you had a great show and you didn't get rained out!
    Thanks for coming by...I'm a slow and bad blogger lately :)
    Gale

    ReplyDelete
  19. How wonderful!!! Beautiful! Good thing "she" wasn't there shopping....you'd be charging "her" rent because I have no doubt "she" would have been in your space FOREVER!

    So happy that you had a great show!!! They ARE a lot of work but yes, the rewards....nothing like it!

    Will be looking forward to the continuation of this post. BTW, we are familiar with Donna's blog....discovered it through the Where Bloggers Create and along with yours, it is one of our VERY favorites!

    Have a great week!

    Purrs!

    Romeo and "her"

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hi Rebecca,

    It was wonderful seeing your gorgeous photos of this fantastic Flea Market.
    What an amazing lot of booths and just love your sweet tent and how lovely everything looks there.
    Thank you for showing us your photos.

    Hugs
    Carolyn

    ReplyDelete
  21. Welcome back Rebecca!!!
    Girl...HOW FUN!!!!
    Donna was a little angel and she's so cute!
    Okay.
    I don't know where to start!
    The entrance was darling and it blew me away so everything thereafter was just TOTAL mind blowing!!!

    You made me laugh at the thunderstorm. The first thing I thought of was your beautiful stuff!!! I would have just sat there and cried right then and there!!!! I think I'd have dropped more tears than that storm did!!!

    Your space was beautiful Rebecca. If I would have been there, I'd have hogged that space up the whole time. You had soooo many awesome things in there, all which had MY name on it! hahaha I don't know if I would have had any money to fly back to Louisiana!

    So glad you had a wonderful time...so when is your next show? tee hee!!! I think you should change your name to the "Traveling Vintage Trunk" and slowly make your way down South! ;)

    Don't worry about the giveaway girl, I ain't going no where! haha
    Rest up, unpack and count your money! woooo hoooo!!!!
    ;)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Wow, this was as close as I could be to being there too! What an event... and what gorgeous photos of the booths you shared here. All of this vintage goodness - just incredible.
    Cindy
    www.sweetbeadstudio.com

    ReplyDelete
  23. Oh my goodness, this looks like it was tons of fun. I wish we had a beautiful flea market like that around here. I am a new follower and love that I found your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Oh I bet it was fun. I'm looking at all of these goodies.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Oh Rebecca!
    This post is just amazing, so much beauty!
    Your tent looked absolutely incredible. And I'm so thrilled that you loved my buddy, Donna. Isn't she just the absolute sweetest woman ever?

    Lovely, all of it! :-)

    Hugs,
    Anne

    ReplyDelete
  26. Rebecca,

    I've just discovered your blog and it is simply lovely. Your booth at the French Flea Market is fabulous, it's beautiful and whimisical all at the same time.
    Smiles,

    Carol

    ReplyDelete
  27. wow, Rebecca, it sort of sounds like a couple of shows ago in Texas! your booth is exquisite and that looks like a fab little show! who knew in Indiana ( I was born and raised there)! I got to know Donna during the WBC party and she is so sweet. congrats on a great show.

    Hugs,

    Shelley

    ReplyDelete
  28. Rebecca EVERYTHING looks just so gorgeous. How wonderful to spend the weekend with Donna. She's just a sweetheart!! You pulled it all off with elegance, girl, but I KNOW I'm too old for this kind of childbirth.
    love ya,
    Debra

    ReplyDelete
  29. Your booth was just lovely! I would have loved to shop there~ Have a great weekend~

    ReplyDelete

I love it when you leave a comment!
Your friendship and visits mean very much to me.