Now that the dust has settled and I’ve had a day to catch up on rest after my first in-home Vintage Market, I wanted to share a few details on how things went, what I learned, and what my plans are for next time.  And yes, there will most definitely be a NEXT time because I don’t know about you, but this Market was such a dream come true for me that I can’t imagine not doing it again.  I’m sitting here this morning savoring all the memories of meeting you, discussing everything from the painting of chandeliers to the versatility of paint drop-cloths, from whether or not to paint bookshelves/outdoor furniture/lamps to the 101 ways you can decorate with shutters in your home.  I am so touched and honored by all who came out on a gorgeous Saturday to say hi, supported this endeavor, and took a little piece of my heart home with you.

Here are 3 things I learned:

1.  Take More Pictures Before and During the Market

I am such a newbie at this that it did not occur to me until afterward that I should have had someone taking photos during the actual event!  It would have been so much fun to see photos of people browsing, visiting, purchasing, mingling and eating cupcakes as the day went on.  Plus, I would have LOVED  to have a picture of me and my daughter together to commemorate this big event since she was a key part of its success in helping me stage, paint signs, ring up customers, and keep tabs on things whenever I became busy visiting with customers (which I did all day!)  My mom was also there helping out for several hours in the morning, and to have a photo of my family members helping would have been priceless.  Lesson learned!

However, here are a few photos I captured with my phone the day before as we prepped the space. These are all process shots, though, so they don’t truly reflect the spaces after all styling and prep was complete.  Everything looked much fuller and more inviting by morning.

 

2. Accept all Offers of Help

I was so blessed to have my family participate in helping me pull this off. My husband and daughter were my two biggest helpers and fans as our boys are both working long hours with their own jobs this summer.  As the Market day drew nearer, a little voice in my head began to whisper, “There’s no way you will get everything done in time!”  However, as I shared in my previous post, I am learning to quickly recognize the negative poison of this voice that seeks to kill, steal and destroy dreams, so I kept pressing forward, doing as much as I could every day and delegating to anyone willing to help.  I was so blessed when a young lady texted me Friday morning and said, “Can I come by later today to help paint something??”  Ummm..yes!!  Camber was immediately put to work finishing the painting on our plywood advertising signs and did such an amazing job, plus we enjoyed visiting and catching up while we all worked.  Her visit and servant’s heart  will be a memory I treasure forever.  Thank you, Camber!

3. Interacting with Creative People is My Happy Place

Finally, after years of dipping my toes in the water, playing around with painting and selling furniture, and studying other people’s Market spaces, techniques, and methods, it felt amazing to finally dive all the way in and host my very own.  In the past, I faced fears of the unknown like: How much stuff do I need?  What if no one wants to drive the 3.5 miles up the ridge to my house?  How do I price things and treat it like a legitimate business?  If it’s a success, what do I do next??  So many unknowns  that kept me from taking the leap.

Saturday’s Market taught me that everything about the process of running my own Market fulfilled those parts of me that were designed for this type of adventure.  I’ve always loved doing garage sales, and early on I recognized that what I loved about them was how happy it made me to visit with people about possibilities and then watch them walk away full of inspiration and potential carrying an item that met a need or desire in their lives.  I LOVE that.  This Market confirmed to me that I need to keep doing this, keep hosting events like this, because it gives me an opportunity to share with others and meet a need in the creative world.  And that makes all the fears of the unknown less scary because the reward is so much greater.

So what’s next?? Be watching for details on the next Vintage Market planned for late July.  I will also be contacting many of you this week to schedule styling consultations and workshops as many of you expressed interest in these two areas.  How fun will it be to get paint in our hair together?!  In the meantime, I’ll be busy scouring the area for more vintage finds, prepping pieces for the next show, and enjoying each and every day looking forward to seeing you again in a few weeks 🙂

In addition, be watching for changes to my website as I  add a Home Tour page and SHOP page before the next Market.  Can’t wait!

Jaimee

 

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