2 days and counting....

The husband has been painting the OLD store--the new renters did not want it red--fools.   :(((((-- and I have been holding down the family fort.  I ran into the new shop today ONCE to get primer! I miss it already! Ask me if I feel that way 3 months from now...the SLOWEST retail months known to man.

Tomorrow we have phone hook-up, the rest of fluffing, filling in naked spots...all the last minute stuff. Then I have Tuesday to get ready just in case and then Wednesday (drum roll please) we are ready for business! It will be  soft opening. I will send out an e-mail to the mailing list, but the GRAND OPENING will be Jan. 26th!

We hit the Portland Gift Show on Saturday and Sunday and I won a $200 drawing! I was shopping along, I had entered my business card a whopping 12 minutes before the drawing and then I hear "Poppy & Ivy...you are the $200 dollar winner. Please come to customer service to claim your prize".

Can you say "WOW"? After nearly 2 weeks of being closed for business...that was a much needed boost!

Here are some shots of the progress:

My husband built this out of what was possibly THE ugliest built in shelf units EVER made. It was the worst of the 60's. Brown as all get out. Ugly. Did I already mention ugly? Well....it was worth mentioning twice then. He took out the middle of the doors and replaced that with chicken wire, painted it cream (Dutch Boy "Vital Spark"...my FAVORITE cream) and sprayed the hinges black and replaced the door pulls. It cost him about $35!!!! Sweet goodness! He got the base at The Rebuilding Center. We HEART that place! We get to recycle and breathe life into old pieces!

Oh...almost all the chandeliers are up...I LOVE how it looks from the front door.  Such warm light even at night. I was SO done with fluorescent!

 

We are ready!

This weekend's fabulous estate sale finds (Yes! I had time to find good stuff!!!) was 6 OLD, fantastic aprons (pom-poms, gauzy trim, ric-rac....I was in heaven),  great cookbooks like "How to Get Compliments from your Cooking", recipe boxes, bolts of vintage fabric, hats and some lovely dresses.

From the trade show....old reproduction signs in metal and wood. I have never seen this company. It was amazing. I ordered 7 to start, but I have a feeling I will be re-ordering soon!

Our Grand Opening is coming up and I am lining up some folks for trunk shows and demos. I talked to Eclectikids today about it (they might be about THE nicest couple I have ever met), I am hoping for Katy Kate to come wow you with her hand polish and creams and I want to talk to a vintage button jewelry gal I met today too. And of course...Mimosas. Because WHAT grand opening does not offer Mimosas?????? None of us should go to THOSE grand openings!! They should be banned.

My new rule.

Hope your weekend was filled with excitement! And cheers to you if your children are going back to school as mine are and that you ENJOY your coffee, read your newspaper and finish a sentence with your significant other on Monday morning. Clink, clink, clink.......

Comments

[andrea]

well it looks fabulous! cant wait to come in,check out your new digs and shop!

[Robyn]

Oh it is fab! And I am getting so excited for you!

[mary w]

The new space looks fabulous-your old store was cute and now this one looks like it grew up into a sophisticated yet still playful young woman.
Best wishes on your new adventure!
mary

[Marilyn]

Congratulations on your winnings! All of your hard work is paying off already. :)

[Judith Spitzer`]

Good for you in stopping long enough to realize what's important -- inlaws and kids.' I'm not that excited about my inlaws... Can't wait to see the new store! I want to follow you around and shop with you.

[m i c h e l l e]

It all looks and sounds so marvelous Amy! Can't wait for the grand opening with the
*a-hem* ...Mimosas! How fun!

Oh and congrats on winning the $200 prize!

[kim in Camas - ScrapToMyLu]

This is exciting! I want that cream wire tired basket.