Hmm....

I've been thinking about opening my own shop, so I've been exploring available spaces. 

I like this one, on Main Street

in downtown, Annapolis.

I think I could do something

with this:

 

 

What do you think?

 

It's Sale Time!

Once a year we mark

things down at 

Chartreuse and Co.,

so if you have plans

this weekend you need to 

cancel them and head

to Buckeystown for our annual

sale and awesome deals 

on vintage goods!

Take a peek (here) of just a

small sampling of what's in

the barn this weekend!

Friday, January 20th - 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Saturday, January 21st - 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Sunday, January 22nd - noon - 4 p.m.

I'll see you there!

 Chartreuse and Co.

4007A Buckeystown Pike (Md Rt 85)

Buckeystown, Maryland

 (next door to the Buckeystown Post Office 

and St. Thomas More Academy)

 

Off Track

I know, I was supposed to post pics
of what's in my shop at Chartreuse and Co.
for our January show, but I got distracted and
didn't drive up on Friday like I thought
I would.

I went out hunting instead and even though
I didn't find a ton of stuff,
I did meet a famous blogger by chance
at one of my stops!

When she told me her first name
and mentioned she blogs,
I immediately knew it was
Meg of Pigtown Designs! 

She was absolutely lovely and
I'm hoping we meet again because
she seems like my kind of girl!
(Interesting, fun, and a junker!)

So, to keep my promise though
I do have a few pics of what's in
the shop this month.

I'm taking up a truckload and a cargo
van full tomorrow and will
definitely take some much
better pics of everything!

Until then, take a peek:

I picked up this old cubby
at the auction a few weeks ago,
and it would be perfect to
house a rather large wine collection
in style:

Who doesn't love Tolix chairs?

Pick a pair or take all four!

I picked up these vintage

olive baskets last spring

in Brimfield and promptly

sold out of them.

Fortunately my source had more,

so I picked up a bunch when I was
home for the holidays
and even had some

made into lighting fixtures.

Two words:

Very. Cool.

I loved this birdcage as soon as I spotted it, and not because I want to house some

love birds in it! 

I'm going to take it apart and copy Restoration Hardware's birdcage chandelier and repurpose the bottom stand into a bar.

What do you think?

You know I only buy things

I absolutely love, right?

Well, when I spotted this

mirror made from a door

salvaged from a New York City

building, it had my name written

all over it.

yea, yea, I know I'm supposed

to sell my finds, but this

one will be tough to give up -

it's fabulous!

Several months ago I found

four church pew ends laying in the field

at the auction and I immediately

thought they'd be awesome

repurposed as the bases

for kitchen islands.

I designed one and had my

friend Drew build it for me and

it sold the first day it was

on the floor.

So, we built another one

with the remaining two pew ends.

Totally unique, only two in the world

and where else are you going to

find another one?

You won't because it's a

Kramer Angle exclusive!

 

Remember I mentioned

it was "island living" this

month in my shop?

Well, here's another island for you!

Custom made from salvaged butcher block and

the perfect size for a smaller space.

Just wait until you see it lit?

It's so cool!

I have tons more to show you,

but I don't have pics yet because

I ended up here today instead:

 

At an auction!

See, I told you, I'm easily distracted!

Supportive Friends & Off to the Islands

 Thanks to everyone who 

sent me an e-mail, commented

on Facebook or texted me 

that I should definitely

open my own bricks & mortar shop!

I appreciate your encouragement, 
and who knows,
maybe this is the year I do!
(I have some ideas up my sleeve!)


In the meantime,we're open
next weekend at Chartreuse and Co.
so I need to get ready!

 

It's going to be 

"Island Living"

because I've been

obsessed with kitchen islands!

 (You thought we were going tropical,

didn't you?  I wish!)

 

I have a bunch of islands

made from salvaged industrial

bases, butcher block tops,

reclaimed church pews,

and even vintage filing 

cabinets!

 

Not to mention a whole new

stock of burlap table runners,

Scrabble pillows, custom made

lighting 

(like from vintage olive buckets)

and

tons and tons of just the

coolest stuff ever!

Intrigued?

 

Stop back tomorrow for some

sneak peeks!

Bricks + Mortar = Dream

I'm really fortunate to have 

two great barn shows

to sell my take on

vintage/industrial/cool,

but sometimes 

(alot)

I think about opening my own

shop.

So instead of 

(or even, in addition to)

the monthly 

sale I have at

Chartreuse and Co.,

and my local event,

The Barn Show, 

which is 3 - 4 times

a year, I'd have

my own little shop,

The Kramer Angle.

I love the version of

The Kramer Angle

I have now and it's

been very successful,

but I feel like it's time

to consider taking it to the

next level.
(read: dream)

So, I've been thinking about it.

(Did I mention alot?)

So, I ponder sites,

consider the possibilities,

design the window displays,

plan "my look" and imagine

the joy it would bring me.

(I'm an optimist!)

The question I'm noodling today,

is where?

My small town, Crofton,
is screaming

for an adorable shop,

Annapolis is 15 miles away,

D.C., only 20.

Hmm, where should 

my dream take me?

Annapolis contenders.....

See, my dream is not big,

it's perfectly sized!

What do you think?

Photo of the Day

I spent the afternoon

with the rest of
The Barn Crew

and a photographer 

taking photos

for an upcoming magazine article!

I can't wait to see which shots 

the publisher uses,

but for now, this was one 

of my favorites!

Looking Ahead!

Hello 2012!

Please bring me exactly what 2011 did:

happy, healthy friends and family,

a growing business,

and lots of  

joy 

in every day living!

Happy New Year!

Photo found here

Wanted: Holiday Spirit

I can't find mine - it's missing.

We hosted our annual holiday party for about 65 of our peeps on December 10th so I was crazy busy getting ready for that, and then, once it was over, I completely 
lost my holiday spirit.

It's gone and I need to find it.

Suggestions?

I'm about to write my Christmas cards though, so maybe that will help.

I ditched the idea of a staged holiday 

photo of my kids and 

decided to go with one of them from earlier 

in the year, more in their natural element - hiking in the woods. 

It's the winner:

(That said, I do think my oldest 

needs to expand his wardrobe a bit!)

Round Two

My boys and I went into

D.C. yesterday to pick

up a piece from

Miss Pixie's

(another story)

and stopped by to take a look

at the national tree and snap a few

pics for the holiday card

I'm still working

on.

Let's just say my boys

weren't that enthusiastic,

and this is the only one that

turned out half way decent.

A winner? 

Boys!

My boys definitely didn't get
my "ham" gene - they absolutely hate
to have their picture taken, while
I've never shied away from a camera yet!

So every year it's a challenge to try
to come up with a decent photo of the two of them together
for the requisite holiday card.
(You know, the kind grandparents like to get!)

Part of the fun this year is that we just got
a fancy schamncy "real" camera and I'm
slowly learning how to use it, so naturally
I want to take a million shots,
inside, outside, change outfits,
lighting, etc.

The boys?

Not so much!

I bribed them with dinner at Chipotle to get this shot this afternoon. 

I like it, but I'm not sure
it's the winner.

Looks like I may need to offer
milkshakes for round two...

Two Shows, One Weekend!

Honestly, I don't know

how I managed to pull it off,

but I'm happy to report

both of my barn shows

are set for this weekend's

shows!

The Kramer Angle

at Chartreuse and Co.

is loaded with a mix of

cool industrial pieces

I picked up in Ohio

over Thanksgiving,

and great gift 

items for everyone

on your shopping list,

including candles, table runners,

and great smelling soaps!

 

 

And in Gambrills, Maryland

at The Barn Show

we're all set to 

present our holiday

collection, bright and 

early Friday morning!

I just loaded all the photos

from The Barn on our website,

so click over there 

to check out some of 

what you'll see if you 

stop by the show.

Truth be told, I'm getting

"barned out" and I'm ready

for a little break,

so the holidays are coming

at just the right time!

I hope to see you at one

of the shows!   I'll be in

Gambrills Friday and Saturday

and at Chartreuse on Sunday!

The Big Picture

Sometimes life has a way of

reminding you of what's

really important,

and it's typically not

what you think it is.

I know for certain this week

that it's not the stress I'm

feeling as I prepare for 

both of my barn shows this 

weekend, or the 

inconvenience of losing

my pickup truck to an

unfortunate accident.

They're minor issues

when I look at the big

picture.

My friend's husband passed 

away last week, and so I'm reminded

that life is short, and that 

instead of sweating the small stuff, 

I should be happy for it,

because it means my 

life is moving along as I 

want it; happy, healthy 

and blessed.  

Steve was someone I saw

infrequently, around town, 

at an occasional

happy hour, and at 

my Christmas party every year. 

But he was also a big fan

of my barn shows and it was

not uncommon for me to turn around

at some point and see him

standing there, taking it all in,

and then quietly ask questions as to

where I found things, why I buy

what I do, how impressed he was,

etc., etc.

He was also a reader of 

this blog, and would always

comment on a post or two I had

written, and mention

how much he enjoyed

my musical play list. 

It saddens me to no end,thinking 

about my friend, Lori, now a young

widow left to finish raising 

their beautiful daughters 

without him,

and also, selfishly, knowing

there is one less person out there

reading my words and quietly

cheering me on in my 

pursuit of happiness.

Rest in peace, Steve.

Love Lost

Well, it's a done deal,

my insurance company,

has decided the 

damage my truck 

incurred when an 8 point

buck ran into it last week

while my husband and son

were driving home

from deer hunting

(the irony!)

was too extensive,

and has totaled it.

The news was tough to take,

because I loved that truck,

and now I'm left to search

for a new love.

Sigh...

 

Crazy Girl

(Image courtesy of Madison & Mabel)

I've been crazy busy

(again)

getting ready for two barn

shows, 

but first show's first,

so check out what we've put

together for this weekend's

show at Chartreuse and Co.

(Click here for photos!)

And then be sure to stop back

on Monday for some sneak peeks

of what's at The Barn 

for our holiday show,

December 2nd & 3rd!

The Irony of It All!

My husband and youngest son

spent almost 12 hours 

in a tree stand Saturday

hunting for deer

to no avail.

On the way home

an eight-point buck

leapt into the path 

of the vehicle my husband

was driving.   

How ironic that they 

didn't shoot a deer

but they did kill one!

The good news is 

they weren't hurt.

The bad news is

my beloved truck 

suffered significant damage.

We find out Wednesday

if it's repairable or 

totaled.  

In the meantime,

I'm wondering how this

truck-loving girl is going

to make do without it this week,

and perusing 

the truck "for-sale" ads 
- just in case!