Winter updates in my booth

I have spent some time this week getting some Christmas/winter display pieces in my booth.  More coming next week, too.  Check these out!  And after that, check out the latest pics I just posted on my Facebook page, Judy B's Shabby Chic.

 I redid the table top.  I have had that giant cloche for several years.  And I purchased that round mirror earlier this year.  They make the ideal display piece for the glittered reindeer, feather ball ornaments and a couple of tiny white trees.  I also added silver balls to that tall glass container.  I love that container!  What a great display piece for any season.

I found this great vanity mirror at an estate sale this week.  It has roses on the base and the mirror is magnifying on the reverse side.  I cleaned it up using Ivory Soap, an old toothbrush, and good old water!  Took all that dust out of the tiny places and really made the mirror beautiful!  The small gold box was also found at the same estate sale.

Next cowgirl tote bag and more

I finished the next cowgirl tote bag late yesterday.  I like this one very much, too!  Wish I could remember where I got the images from in order to give credit.  I think it was Jack and Cat Curio, but can't find it on their Flickr page.  Anyway here she is:

I created this one with more of a girlie flair to it.  Liked the lace and flowers, but kept the rusty stuff, too.

Here's the collage piece at the bottom of the tote bag.  If you click on the pictures you will get an enlargement so you can see more detail.  Still haven't decided if I want to sell them or not.  Of course, I can't use two of them. 

Hit a pretty good estate sale yesterday.  Here are a couple of the nice finds for my booth at Merchant Square.  I am posting an album on my Judy B's Shabby Chic page on Facebook shortly.  You can see all the finds I have that will be in the booth shortly.

This is such a pretty cocktail dress in burgundy.  Lacy top and just below the knee.  Size 9/10!!  Perfect for the holiday parties ahead!

You're going to think I have hit my head and lost my mind, but I couldn't pass up this rusty, crusty ammo box!  The wire baskets were a freebee from my neighbor who was cleaning out.  I see so much "industrial" stuff in magazines and blogs these days that I can't pass up a few good ones to incorporate with the girlie stuff in my booth.

And old, broken down books.  These two books and old photo album were great finds.  I love to stack the books up and put something wonderful on top to make a decorative setting.  And, if you are into altered books, what better kind of book than one that is ready to fall apart.

The old photo album on the top has never been used.  But it has a "book plate" inside typed by the owner that it was to be the third album of a trip to the Grand Canyon and the Southwest.  Wish there were photos in it!

Check out these two vintage dresses

My BFF Joy and I went to Hollywood Regency about 10 days ago.  I managed to get several vintage dresses on sale.  Here they are:

This pretty formal is so retro!  It is the color of cafe au lait leaning towards pink.  I love this dress!  It is in fantastic condition -- no tears, no spots, no problems.  The zipper is metal which indicates that it was made in the 1950's or '60's. 

Here it is in full length.  Great full net skirt on this beautiful dress.  One-of-a-kind prom dress, don't you think?

Ready to salsa!  This pink confection would be perfect for a night in the club salsa dancing.  Lots of ruffles and the gentle folds of fabric across the hips!  Way cool.  And that old mink capelet from Alaska Furrier would be the perfect topper for this dress.

I have posted the entire album of pictures I took at Merchant Square today on my Judy B's Shabby Chic Facebook page here.  Check it all out along with the descriptions if you view the album.

Merchant Square sale Oct. 1-3

I was in my booth (C-6) at Merchant's on Monday.  I put in new items, rearranged things to give it a fresh look, vacuumed it out and then took pictures.  Here are just a couple of the pics I want to share with you.

New shabby white dresser

That pretty pink dresser sold last week.  Knew it would go quickly.

Items on top of the white dresser

Pretty clothes

Found these at an estate sale.  The top is a pretty peasant blouse style in pink with blue that matches the skirt.  The blue full skirt feels very silky and needs that plum colored petticoat to make it stand out!  The dark blue item is a pair of ruffled pettipants to be worn under the full skirts.

Vintage shabby items

The shabby shutters are there, lots of vintage frames, old paint brushes, Cinderella home window, and more industrial chic items like door face plates, hinges, and drawer pull face plates.

This is just a sampling of the items in my booth that will be for sale all week as well as at the upcoming mall sale.  I will be taking in a few more items before the sale begins.  Please check my shop Facebook page, Judy B's Shabby Chic for the September 27 picture album of the things I put in on Monday.

It's been awhile, I know

No excuses.  Just nothing to blog about, really!  But since Thursday, things have been moving along.  Merchant Square has now gone onto Facebook here.  On Thursday I was lucky enough to be able to sit down with Lisa at Merchants and start my own little shop, Judy B's Shabby Chic.  I just uploaded 12 photos of my booth to an album on my shop.  Check it out!

I can already tell you that this is going to be a major learning experience for me.  I am puzzled by terminology (RSS Feed, Twitter -- who cares!?), how to link things, and in general just how to get this going.  Needless to say, I am going back on Thursday to meet with Lisa again and try to make sense out of how to do certain things.  Facebook is not my thing (I feel it's a waste of my time to sit at this computer playing games and reading comments on walls for hours on end), but I have a feeling it is going to be!  I feel like I am being sucked in while screaming and digging in my heels!!!  LOL!!!

Last Friday I was lucky enough to run into James and Jill, two dealers at Merchants.  They were unloading a trailer full of old furniture.  I spied a pink dresser on that trailer and quickly brokered a deal to buy it.  Here it is:

It's shabby, but I love it!  And they also had a white dresser out there and I bought it, too.  I will show you that one later.

Recently I had come across this old composition book at an estate sale.  It was full of daily menus kept by the owner, Mrs. Richard K. Shaffer, beginning in 1942.  Something older than me!!!!  I thought you might enjoy a peak inside that book of menus from back then.

Cover of the Menu Book

Don't know if you can read this or not, but at the top of this page it is dated 1942-1943 -- still older than me!  On the right hand side at the top, on June 2 they had liver with onions and baked beans -- not my favorites!!  EEEwwww!!  I think if you click on the pictures you can enlarge them and be able to read some of the writing.

They had lots of left overs which she noted as (L-O).  Upon reading some of these menus, they were not very healthful in the eyes of food and nutrition experts today. 

Yesterday was my son's birthday.  He came down here (from North Phoenix where he lives) in the afternoon and we went furniture shopping for his apartment.  Found a really nice dining table (my gift to him for his birthday) for him at My Sister's Attic and he found the sofa (I chipped in some) he wanted at Ashley Furniture.  After our shopping spree, I treated him to dinner at Sandbar Mexican Grill in Chandler on Ray Road.  We had yummy Baja Tacos made with mahi and tasty ingredients! 

Happy Birthday, Rob!!!