Hocking Hills Antique Barn + Vintage Goodness!

It's official - next Wednesday I will be moving into my brand new space at the Hocking Hills Antique Barn!

You may remember me covering my trip to Hocking Hills last fall - it is a *gorgeous* area here in Ohio that attracts a lot of tourist traffic. It is only about a 40 minute drive from where I live in Columbus, so when I started thinking about trying out selling at a mall, I made sure to call around to all the ones in the Hocking Hills area.

Happily, my favorite one was also the most reasonably priced - so I am taking the plunge!

The Hocking Hills Antique Barn is located right off of Rt. 33 in the Hocking Hills Market complex. There is a large antique mall behind it, as well as a flea market, an awesome retro diner, a country store, and more... It's just the perfect spot for my first venture!

My space actually consists of two spaces - one inside and one on the porch.

The inside space measures about 4.5' wide and 6' deep, so I am going to have two tall bookshelves (2' wide, 9" deep, 5' tall) on the right hand side and two short bookshelves (2' wide, 9' deep, 2.5' tall) on the back wall so I can hang stuff up above them.

The outside space measures about 6' wide and 3.5' deep, so I am getting two large shelves (36" wide, 18" deep, 6' tall!) for that space.

Rent is $115 a month, with a 7% commission. They are open 7 days a week except during the winter months, when they close on Wednesdays (rent is only $100 a month during that time to compensate). Their rent was the lowest I found, and their commission is right in line with what the other malls in the area are charging.

I also really like the owners - Chelsea and Max. I first found Chelsea back when I hung out on Live Journal a lot, she keeps a blog there.

They are so young! From her blog I gather that Chelsea is around 24 years old? Amazing!! I haven't met her in person yet, I have only chatted with her a bit through emails... Max is the one who showed me around the barn and helped me with getting measurements and all that fun stuff. They are both incredibly nice and I am looking forward to partnering with them!

Of course I will be writing about the entire adventure here on the blog - so if you have ever wondered what it would be like to sell in an antique mall, stay tuned - I'll be covering the good, the bad, and the ugly from start to finish! ;)

Apartment Therapy Spring Cure 2009 Week 2 & 3 - The Kitchen & Entry

So last week was week two of the Cure and I was supposed to do a deep clean of my kitchen, and cook a nice meal in it when I was done.

All I can say about that is... FAIL.

Will did the dishes and cleaned the counter and stove, I did nothing.

This week is about making a "landing strip" near your front door to catch clutter. I have a coat rack next to my front door, and a key rack, so I'm all set there. The front door is the main entrance to our house as well as the main entrance into the business space, so there isn't room for me to add anything else...

So I guess I can call week 3 successful? Because I've already done everything I can do?

Sweet, I feel better! :)

A few new goodies at auction this week!

I had a hard time getting back into the swing of things as far as eBay goes this week, but I did manage to list a few cool things!

Mid-Century Modern Chemex Pyrex Coffee Maker

Vintage Burlap Raffia Melmac Pitcher & Tumblers Set (I listed this pitcher a few weeks ago and it didn't sell, then I found some matching tumblers so I made a set! Love it!)

Vintage West Germany Wood Toy Train Set

Vintage Green Semi-Precious Stone Bracelet

Vintage Rose Quartz Earrings

Mint In Package Vintage Plastic Days Of The Week Barrettes

Apartment Therapy Spring Cure 2009 - Week 1

So, the first week of the AT Spring Cure is almost over, and it has done me a bit of good already - the theme for the week is Creating Your Vision.

1. Take a good look at your home and make a list of stuff that bothers you.

This was easy - I look around here every day and see all the things that bother me. Every time I turn around something is bothering me, as a matter of fact!

- Everything is cluttered.

- Everything needs cleaned.

- There is too much stuff that has no home.

2. What's your ideal vision for your home?

This was pretty easy too, as it directly ties into my answers from #1.

- Less clutter: If we don't need it, use it, or truly love it, it shouldn't be here!

- Clean: Not only would I like everything to be clean, I would like everything to be EASIER to clean, so that maybe we'll actually clean more often!

- Organized: Things that are staying need a home, a space where they belong, where they can be put away when we are aren't using them.

3. Inspiration photos

I didn't spend a ton of time on finding photos - my Cure is more about cleaning and organizing rather than re-decorating. But I did find a couple things that illustrate my point:

Office View from 314Creations on Flickr

I would love to have a bunch of labeled containers. I used to think of that as extreme organizing - taking the personality right out of a room. Now that I have spent the last few years surrounded by STUFF, the idea of neatly compartmentalizing things is much more appealing. It feels serene to me, rather than boring.

Plus, knowing where everything is all the time would just really rock.

Bedroom from TheSmartestFish on Flickr

This was the best photo I could find to represent the feel I want to achieve as much as possible - simple and calm. See how the only thing on the table is the lamp? I'm craving that!

I wish I had a more exciting plan to report on - like remodeling a bathroom or redecorating a living room or bedroom... maybe next year, I've got to get a handle on things as they are first! ;)

New on Etsy - Vintage Suncatchers!

I found an amazing lot of vintage suncatchers - these aren't the little Makit & Bakit kind I had when I was a kid, they are large and much more heavy duty - check them out:

Vintage Butterfly Suncatcher

Vintage Strawberries Suncatcher

Vintage Girl With Kite Suncatcher

There are several more - grapes, a bluebird, a boat, a girl with an umbrella, a boy with a fishing pole, balloons... click on over and have a look!

Apartment Therapy Spring Cure 2009 - I'm In!!

I've been planning on doing a hardcore spring cleaning/de-cluttering of my entire house this year, because frankly it is driving me insane. I've got way too much stuff crammed into way too little space, and something's gotta give!

Luckily, today I got my email from Apartment Therapy, and they are launching their Spring Cure 2009 program. I've heard about their Cure program in the past, and I decided to go ahead and jump on in and see if it helps me meet me spring cleaning goals!

I'll be posting my progress here, as embarrassing as it will probably be. Anyone else participating this time?

Some of the newness at auction this week...

I was pretty wrapped up in BooksFYI work this week, but I did manage to list a few new things at auction - some pretty good stuff, if I do say so myself! ;)

Vintage Green and White Ice Bucket with Matching Tumblers - I've never seen a set like this before, I mean seriously, it doesn't get much better!

Vintage Burlap Raffia Ware Melmac Ice Lip Pitcher - Here's another piece I had never seen before - if you have a set of these mugs or tumblers this pitcher is a must have!

Vintage Pyrex Sunflower Divided Casserole Dish - This one almost found a new home in my cupboard, snatch it up now before I change my mind! ;)

Set of 6 Vintage Thermo-Serv Tumblers - These are soooo 70's cool, and they would make a great set paired with the Burlap pitcher, now that I think about it...

Fire-King Milk Glass Casserole Dish with Leaf Design Lid - Here's another one I've never seen before, the lid has a really pretty raised leaves design!

Vintage Made In Japan Metal Canister Set - These canisters are really unique, they are aluminum with black wheat and trees designs, and they are big - the largest one is a whopping 12" tall!

Vintage Corning Ware Cornflower Blue Toy Dish Set - Isn't this the cutest thing you've ever seen? A little plastic set just like Mommy's!

There's more up for auction than just these few things of course, if you want to see everything just click on over and check it out! :)

Missing Country Home? Get your fix on Flickr - Part 1 - Interior Decorating

When I got the news about my Country Home subscription being replaced, I decided to poke around and see what is out there online that might give me a similar fix.

Of course the first place I thought to look was Flickr - and I was not disappointed. I found so much cool stuff I will have to spread it out over a couple of posts!

This one focuses on interior decorating - here are some great groups I found that are definitely worth checking out at least once a month:

Vintage Decorating

Country Living - esque.

Vintage Spaces

Eclectic Interiors

Interiors Inspired By Nature

There's No Place Like Here

Show Your House

Home Sweet Home

Pretty Organized

Home As Art

Saucy Dwellings

My Cute House

Magazine Death Pool

"More than 525 US magazines ceased publication in 2008, and 40 have already folded in 2009."

I just stumbled across a site that is covering the demise of magazines - Magazine Death Pool. If you want to keep up on what is happening in the mag world, it looks like the site to watch. Thanks to Twitter user TheMediaIsDying for the link - give them a follow!

Taking off my AuctionWally co-host hat...

Yesterday was a sad day here in Vintage Goodness land... I made the decision to step down from my role as co-host of the AuctionWally show. It's been a great 8 months doing the show with Walt, and I will miss it terribly!

My business partner and main squeeze, Will, went and got a job. I know, the nerve! Ok, not really - it's actually good news - an infusion of steady money will make things a lot less stressful here in our little world. The bad news is that it means I have to take on some of the work he usually does.

I sat at my computer and tried to figure out a reasonable schedule to fit everything that I need to do into my week this week - and failed miserably. That was when I knew something had to give.

The podcast was the last "extra-curricular" activity I had on my plate, so as sad as it made me, I let Walt know that I will just be a loyal listener from now on. :(

Vintage Pinups Have Arrived In My Etsy Shop!

I just got done listing my latest find - a vintage Esquire pin-up girl calendar from 1948! All 12 lovely ladies are in my Etsy shop in 12 different listings. I considered only listing 10 and keeping a couple to frame for myself (I just love them!) but practicality won out...

There are a few different artist's work in the calendar, I'll post one from each here and if you want to check out the rest just click on over to my shop! Be sure to click the photos to see the full size version...

Oops - looks like one sold while I was typing this - so only 11 left now! :)

Fritz Willis PinUp Girl Calendar Page

Joe De Mers PinUp Girl Calendar Page

Ben-Hur Baz PinUp Girl Calendar Page

Ren Wicks PinUp Girl Calendar Page

J. Frederick Smith PinUp Girl Calendar Page

Al Moore PinUp Girl Calendar Page

Better Homes & Gardens the replacement for Country Home magazine subscribers... Ugh.

I finally got my final issue of Country Home in the mail today - with this lovely notification:

Better Homes & Gardens? Really? I was happier when I thought I would be getting Traditional Home. BH&G is an ok mag from what little I've seen, but pretty far off from what Country Home was. I'll reserve final judgement until I've gotten a few issues, but let's just say I'm not really looking forward to them.

AuctionWally Show 8pm EST - Dave White from eBay and Beyond

Tonight on the AuctionWally show we have as our guest the one and only Dave White, from eBay and Beyond! Dave is a great guy, if you haven't listened to his show before be sure to check it out. We are going to be discussing using the internet to help promote your brick and mortar store, plus a lot of other stuff if I know Walt and Dave! ;)

Before I go I have to toot our own horn just a little - the AuctionWally show was named one of the Top 100 Best Small Business Podcasts for 2009 by the good folks over at Small Business Trends Radio. And so was Dave's, by the way! Congrats to everyone on the list - keep up the good work!

Can I get some confirmation love on Facebook, please?

I added both my blogs to the Networked Blogs app on Facebook. Pretty neat, but they want people to confirm that you are the author - ok, whatever, I guess...

Could you guys help me out by popping over and confirming me? And following them and becoming a fan and all that jazz? I'll love you forever!

Vintage + Goodness = Happiness

The Vintage List Blog

Is my Country Home subscription going to be replaced with Traditional Home magazine?

I posted the sad news of Country Home's demise a while back, and since then I have been checking the website looking for info on what my subscription will be replaced with. I've gotten no official word - nothing in the mail letting me know the magazine is closing, or anything like that. I think they are close to releasing the final issue, I should have heard something from them by now!

Anyway, I went over to the site tonight and the pop up is different - it advertises a subscription to Traditional Home magazine. Perhaps that is the intended replacement for those of us who subscribe?

I didn't like the sound of it - Country Home was "a more modern country" - not quite Traditional in the, well, traditional sense of the word. So I headed over to their website to check it out. I'm happy to say that I'm now a little bit more hopeful...

From their Decorating and Design section:

"In accounting practices, everything is black and white. So when financial analyst Loi Thai decided to make a leap from his world of numbers to become an antiques dealer, he seamlessly made the transition by selecting Swedish-style acquisitions that glow in the palest of colors—white in all of its forms."

"Can a home designed with mid-century modern furniture that’s heavy on light-loving Lucite and mirrored veneers be considered traditional?"

"Just like fine food, homes should be comfortable, personal, and organic, says designer-turned-restaurateur Marcia Bond."

"Kay favors clutter-free and simple designs with an emphasis on texture and form."

From their Antiques & Collecting section (which appears to be run by the Keno brothers - Leigh and Leslie - from Antiques Roadshow, or at least they have a lot to do with it - their identical mugs are all over the page!):

“When we were kids, our bathroom soap dish was spongeware,” recalls Leigh, editor-at-large for Traditional Home magazine, where he and twin brother Leslie co-produce a regular column entitled “Keno Eye.”

"What moves them to go back in time is good design. And increasingly, the Americana experts are reaching back a mere 50 years to collect such mid-century classics as the set of four white wire side chairs made by sculptor Harry Bertoia."

There are also Garden, Food, and Travel sections, none of which ever really appeal to me, no matter what magazine they are in...

I guess I will reserve final judgement until I receive a few issues and can really dig into them - assuming of course that it will be coming to me, which I don't know for sure yet...