The Kramer Angle

Got Style?

2012-01-31T18:02:00.001-05:00

If you know me, you've seen

how I dress and know

my style definitely

isn't runway.

In fact, to say

I even have a style

is sorta funny

because I don't.

Not unless you call

my usual "uniform" of

jeans, boots, a down vest

and comfy sweater

"a look".

Trust me when I tell

you my "look" screams

"mid-west/mother/suburban housewife"!

I need a style makeover

in the worst way,

but until Rachel Zoe knocks

on my door to help me out,

I peruse

one of my favorite

websites,

The Satorialist,

for daily photos of the

fashionable people of the world!

Chances are,

my "look" won't

be featured anytime soon!

(Image found on the Satorialist website, here)

Hmm....

2012-01-22T21:24:00.000-05:00

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!

2012-01-19T21:53:00.001-05:00

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

2012-01-15T16:56:00.003-05:00

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

2012-01-10T14:36:00.023-05:00

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

2012-01-07T17:02:00.003-05:00

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

2012-01-05T20:14:00.002-05:00

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!

2012-01-01T13:59:00.001-05:00

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

2011-12-20T08:59:00.001-05:00

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

2011-12-18T12:46:00.000-05:00

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!

2011-12-16T15:54:00.001-05:00

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!

2011-12-01T23:02:00.002-05:00

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

2011-11-29T08:51:00.003-05:00

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

2011-11-21T18:13:00.000-05:00

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

2011-11-18T07:56:00.001-05:00

(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!

2011-11-14T21:56:00.002-05:00

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!  

Wishful Thinking

2011-11-12T15:34:00.001-05:00

Sometimes I wonder who I am

anymore because I find

myself doing things

or thinking about things

I never thought I would.

Like driving a truck.

It's supposed to be my

business vehicle but

it's become my ride of choice.

I'll often leave my

minivan parked in the

driveway even for jaunts

around town, just because

I like the feel of my big old
truck so much.

I think it's cool.

I'm sure it's not, but then again

I've never been on the cutting

edge of cool, so I don't care.

Another thing that's

surprising me these days

is the amount of time

I dream about moving

to a farm.

First off, rest assured

I have absolutely no desire

to actually work a farm,

or even own animals

or crops - I haven't
strayed that far
from who I am!

Maybe it's the

bucolic setting I imagine

that's calling my name.

A place where
girls like me are supposed
to drive trucks around
town - where it's the norm,
not the exception.

So, I spend lots of time

perusing farm listings,

looking for just the right

combination of a charming

farm house and an equally

adorable barn

in which to house my

growing business offering

my style of home decor.

Keep in mind, this is all

a daydream because no one

in my family is even

remotely interested in

moving.

In fact, when I suggested it to

my family one evening, my youngest,

13, thought he'd summed up the

problem when he suggested

I "paint, design new window treatments,

order a new couch, and call it a day".

So, instead,

I dream.

this one's only about 45 minutes from

where we live!

look at that porch!

the driveway!

the pasture!

sigh...

Wonderful Wednesday

2011-11-09T15:33:00.131-05:00

If you're my friend or have been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that Wednesday is my favorite day of the week, right?

In fact, you're probably
tired of reading about it
and already know I love
Wednesdays because it's my
auction day,
blah, blah, blah,
and wish I'd tell you
something you don't
already know!

Like what the hell's happened to my hair!  

Someone asked me that this week.  

Seriously. 

So, for the record, listen up people, 

I just don't have the time

or the inclination to straighten
my hair anymore - it is what it is, crazy!
Get over it.

But, I digress, let's get
back to the auction talk!
I know, I know,
but I just can't
help myself!

I love everything about this day -

the drive over the

Chesapeake Bay Bridge

(it was beautiful this morning!),
the hour long drive there,
and back because it's my
time alone,

the regulars,

(heck, I even had a dream about one last night!)

and the

built-in dinner plan

(The Amish sell rotisserie chicken that my family eats every Wednesday night!,
and the thrill of the hunt!

Some weeks it's awesome,
some weeks it's horrible
and some weeks it's so-so,
like today, but every Wednesday,
no matter what, beats any other
day of the week, hands-down!

This is what caught my eye today:

I liked the scale on this medical cabinet,

because it was on the small side

and I thought it would make a great bar or

would be perfect for toiletries in a bathroom.

The yellow base and enamel top

was a cheerful combination, but

I saw this early in the day and didn't

end up bidding on it because I didn't

know what was waiting for me in the fields.

(As it turned out, I should have bid on it!)

I passed on the full size

styofoam Liberty Bell replica.

(I know, what was I thinking, right?)

I loved the base on this factory cart

and would have had a new zinc or

salvaged wood top made for it because

it would make an awesome coffee table.

But, I forgot about it until it was too

late and they had already auctioned it off.

Dang it.

Double dang.

Okay, if you know me, you already

know why I loved this piece, but

for those of you not familiar with me

and aware of the fact I should be on a

12-step program to shake my addiction, let

me just sum it up in two words:

metal

drawers

Enough said.

(Oh, and yes, I got it!)

Some of these metal chairs

were fabulous, but most of them

were just "off"; wrong scale,

wrong idea, too big, etc., but I

have to admit, I liked the big seats.

(and I can not lie!)

The headless men?

Uh, I'm not sure what to say except

I think they'll make great

Christmas presents for my girlfriends.

Another workbench I thought

would make a great bar.

(Noticing a bar theme with me?)

Hmm.

Now you totally get the gift idea,

don't you? It's the gift that keeps

on giving coming and going.

- TOY STORY 4 -

Woody and his friends are

mistakenly sold at auction and bought

by a crazy-haired

auction obsessed junk chic.

Good stuff, right?

Holiday Kick-Off

2011-11-03T22:58:00.000-04:00

If you've been to

Chartreuse and Co.,

in Buckeystown, Maryland

you know all about

our monthly tag sales and are

probably planning to shop

the barn this weekend for

our holiday kick-off event!

If you've never been

to one our shows,

then this is the weekend

you want to make that happen,

because the barn is absolutely

packed with our most incredible

collection of antiques, vintage decor

and seasonal accessories we've

ever had!

Check out our Facebook page

for sneak peeks of what's

available in this show.

Here's a sampling of

what you'll find in my shop,

The Kramer Angle,

at Chartreuse.

I hope to see you

this weekend!

Press Time!

2011-10-29T21:25:00.002-04:00

Have you picked up the November

issue of

Southern Living Magazine, yet?

We're so excited at

Chartreuse and Co., because

we're mentioned as one of the

best places to shop for

super cool antiques and vintage finds

in Maryland and Virginia!

(It's where you'll find my shop, The Kramer Angle)

Woo Hoo!

Curious?

Chartreuse is open next weekend,

November 4th, 5th and 6th
at

4007A Buckeystown Pike

Buckeystown, MD

and I'd love to see you there!

Take a Spin

2011-10-19T11:28:00.004-04:00

Feeling lucky?

Shop my barn show this weekend

at Chartreuse and Co.,

in Buckeystown, Maryland

and spin one of seven

vintage gaming wheels

to find your lucky number!

It's an awesome collection

of carnival wheels from the

1940's and 50's

that would be so cool

in a game room, family room

or bar!

This is my favorite:

It's over six feet tall

on an iron base, and

is definitely a statement piece!

And this one's the oldest, dating
back to the 1940's -

I love the faded

graphics and colors

If you know me,

you know I love cloches

and this month I've teamed

them with seasonal decor,

like this glass one

paired with an antique

grinding stone

and a wire version

with pumpkins tucked

inside just for fun!

Who doesn't love Scrabble?

My custom made Scrabble pillows

make great holiday gifts!

A fabulous pair of buttery

soft leather chairs are

perfect for a fireside chat

Check out the new line of

aromatherapy candles I'm

offering in yummy scents!

Blown glass pendant lights,

by an Ohio artist,
are fabulous grouped
over an island,
like the one I have
for sale this month

For hours, directions

and more photos of what's

in this weekend's sale,

check out our website,

Chartreuse and Co.

If you go, let me know,
because this is the one month
I won't see you there
because I'm heading to Seattle
for a much needed girl's weekend!
(My bags are packed and I can't wait to go!)

The Recap

2011-10-12T21:53:00.002-04:00

It's Wednesday and I'm still

recovering from last weekend's

The Barn Show!

We were blessed with glorious weather,

incredible crowds and

can definitely say it was our best

show ever!

Thank you so much to everyone who

came to the show, I hope you enjoyed it,

and if you weren't able to stop by,

take a look at some of the highlights,

and plan to attend our next show,

December 2nd and 3rd.

Wow!

2011-10-07T22:41:00.002-04:00

Click on over to

the Barn Show website

for a recap of

day one of our

fall Barn Show!

Here's a hint:

incredible!

Busy Barn Girl

2011-10-03T16:10:00.001-04:00

My life has one focus and
one direction this week and
that's getting ready
for our
Fall Barn Show,
in Gambrills, Maryland,
which opens
Friday morning!

Click on over to

The Barn Show

website to see how it's

all coming together.

Are you planning on stopping by?

I hope so!

Fall Market This Weekend!

2011-09-26T21:53:00.002-04:00

If you're looking for something

fun to do this weekend

check out our

Fall market

Wild Rose and Co.

Walkersville, Maryland

Not only is the shop loaded with new merchandise, but we'll also have

guest vendors selling

vintage goods, pumpkins, jewelry, home

decor, crafts and more!

I hope to see you there!

21 W. Pennsylvania Avenue

Walkersville, MD

Hitting the Highway!

2011-09-23T23:08:00.003-04:00

I love to drive and I love meeting new sources for the cool items I stock my shop with.

(You do meet some interesting people in this business!)

So, guess what I get to do tomorrow?

Drive all over Maryland and Virginia

meeting new sources!

I'm so excited to get out on the road,

by myself, with an empty truck,

a bit of a game plan and all day

to do it.

It doesn't get much better than that!

Wish me luck!

Barn Living

2011-09-20T21:36:00.003-04:00

I used to live

in a nice house in the suburbs.

It was clean and organized,

the rooms were decorated,

and you could actually see

the floors.

(Hardwood throughout)

I used to have friends over

every weekend for happy hours

by the fire.

But lately I feel

like I live more

in a barn than my own home.

Two actually.

One's an old dairy barn in Buckeystown

and the other's a former horse stable in

Gambrills.

The line has been blurred

between my real home and

my barns away from home.

My once decorated rooms

hold Barn Show and Kramer Angle

merchandise

waiting to be tagged,

painted, wired

or transformed.

My house has price

tags all over it!

It's like everything is for sale.

Like the pair of vintage

shipping crates I found at

the auction that are now

my family room end tables.

(Currently tagged at $298 each)

The cubby I bought to sell

that houses

my growing wine collection, which

I don't have time to drink

with my friends.

($249)

All tagged.

Waiting to sell or waiting to enjoy.

The line has been blurred.

I've been spending too much time

consumed with my business

and not enough time

consumed with my life.

Maybe it's the change of seasons,

or my recent awareness of life's fragility,

but it's time I find some balance.

I want my house back and

I could really go for a great

bottle of wine.

Crazy!

2011-09-17T21:23:00.003-04:00

We've had a great two days at

Chartreuse and Co.

in Buckeystown, Maryland

Fridays are always insane and

yesterday was no exception!

It always amazes me how

long the checkout line is even

with three of us writing up sales

and how patient our customers are!

We must be doing something right!

And, guess what?

We're also open tomorrow!

Sunday, September 17th

noon - four

If you like to decorate your home

with the coolest antiques, architectural

salvage, unique vintage finds and repurposed furniture - then Chartreuse

is the place for you!

Like this super cool cubby.

Wouldn't it be awesome in a mudroom, craft room, or it could be the ultimate wine or shoe rack!?

Stop by tomorrow to check it out!

4007A Buckeystown Pike (MD Rt. 85) 

next door to the Buckeystown Post Office 

and St. Thomas More AcademyBuckeystown, Maryland 

This Weekend at Chartreuse

2011-09-15T11:25:00.001-04:00

I love taking something

old and repurposing it

into something new so I'm

always looking for pieces

I can transform.

When I was at the auction a

few months ago I picked

up some antique church pew

ends for a song because I thought

they'd make a really

cool base for

a kitchen island.

I collaborated with my friend,

Drew on a design that would be

beautiful and functional, with a

substantial easy-maintenance galvanized

top and an additional shelf below for

extra storage.

I love the way it turned out!

What do you think?

It's for sale this

weekend in my shop,

The Kramer Angle,

at Chartreuse and Co.

in Buckeystown, Maryland.

Another piece I transformed

was an incredible screen

door that was taken off a

Long Island estate that was

slated for demolition.

Check out the before and after:

At just under 8' tall

it would make an incredible

statement piece in a

foyer or living room.

I also love turning

old bottles, buckets, cans, etc.

into unique lamps

and have several available

at this weekend's sale like

this old water bottle & crate.

A few more sneak peeks

at what's in my shop this

weekend:

We're open

Friday, September 16th - 9 - 4

Saturday, September 17th - 9 - 4

Sunday, September 18th - 12 - 4

4007A Buckeystown Pike (Md Rt 85)

Buckeystown, Maryland

Next door to the Buckeystown Post Office

and St. Thomas More Academy

I hope you can stop by!

My Mentor

2011-09-11T22:01:00.039-04:00

If you bounce around the blog

world or have ever been to

Chartreuse and Co.

where I have a shop

you've met my friend,

Molly Strong.

Or you've stopped by because you bounced

over from Molly's "Market Monday" link party where she encourages us to share our latest projects!

This is the first time I
have participated, so thank you
for stopping by!

Molly, also part of Chartreuse,
is an incredibly talented

artist, a really good friend and

one of the two people in the world

that makes me laugh the hardest!

Take a look at some of what

Molly has created and you'll see

what I mean:

The girl has talent!

But more than anything,

Molly has been an inspiration to me.

She encourages me.

She believes in me.

I never thought I had any artistic

talent, but Molly taught me to

believe in myself, to reach deep
and draw upon

that which defines who I am:

the pain, the joy and the sorrow.

So, I may not have the same talent
as Molly does, but I am thankful to her,
because without her encouragement
and her faith in me,
I never would have picked up
a Sharpie marker and created this:

I know, amazing, isn't it?

And to think I have had
absolutely no formal training!

Incredible!!

Can't you just feel the JOY

coming off the "canvas"?

The sense of flight,

the raw emotion,

the realistic portrait of

an American family on 

a summer day! 

Juxtaposing with  

the oppressive, down-trodden
emotion of the dog, so
clearly haunted by
being defined as
"pet quality only"
his entire life!

I really do think I nailed it
on this one!

People often say to me,
"Gail, how do you define your art?".

Am I an impressionist, like Claude Monet, a surrealist, such as Salvador Dali, or a realist along the lines of Da Vinci?

My answer?

I'm not sure.

My art career is still in it's
infancy, I don't know where it will lead, therefore,

I hesitate to define my style.

What do you think?

I know what Molly thinks:

The girl's got talent!

(Now, go back and tell Molly I said hi!)

(Limited edition prints available this weekend
in my shop at Chartreuse and Co.)

Remembering

2011-09-11T14:36:00.000-04:00

Love to all!

The Possibilities!

2011-09-09T10:33:00.004-04:00

I've been looking for an interesting

auction to go to this weekend and

found one where this house

and barn will be sold.

I absolutely love

the stone house and the thought

of opening that beautiful barn
for monthly sales

leaves

me breathless!

Hmm, maybe I should go,

just to check it out, right?

Road Trip Report

2011-09-02T20:06:00.052-04:00

My "assistant" and I drove to my
home state a few weeks ago to visit
family for a few days.

While we were there we hit
the road with my mom to

shop my favorite source for the

industrial salvage

furniture and lighting

I stock my shops with.

This is me with my friend,
(whose name shall remain anonymous to protect my source!)

one of the creative geniuses

who take parts

like these

do a lot of this:

and turn them into this:

They also
create these
fabulous light fixtures:

The best part?

It's the real deal,
not the cheaply made
reproduction
imported industrial style furniture
popping up everywhere these days!

It's all made from
reclaimed, salvaged parts and
I love it all!

Curious about what I picked up
for my shops?

Make plans to check it out at:

The Kramer Angle
at
Chartreuse and Co.
in Buckeystown, Maryland
(open the third Friday - Sunday of every month)

Wild Rose and Co. Marketplace
in Walkersville, Maryland
(open Tuesday - Sunday)

and at my next
Barn Show
in Gambrills, Maryland
(October 7th, 8th and 9th)

 My "assistant" contemplating a vintage stool!  

My mom doesn't always "get"
industrial style but she's my
biggest fan and I love having her
with me on buying trips!

55

2011-08-31T22:05:00.000-04:00

55!

That's how many drawers

the cabinet I picked

up at today's auction has!

My cubby/drawer addiction

is not getting any better.

I'm completely fine with it.

Every girl needs a vice

or two........

Tip Time

2011-08-26T07:39:00.005-04:00

Hello!

Looking for me today?

I'm over at
my friend Cassie's
fabulous blog

Primitive and Proper

offering tips
on my favorite
pastime -
auction hunting!

If you just came
from there
thank you for visiting my blog!

I hope my auction tips were helpful and
you're inspired to attend one soon!
I also hope you'll take a look around,
get to know me, and consider
following my blog - I'd love
to meet you!

I'd also love to hear
your auction stories!

Message from Heaven?

2011-08-23T17:17:00.001-04:00

By now you've heard about

the earthquake that hit

the east coast today, right?

We definitely felt it

here in Maryland

and this is the only

damage we had.

It's one of my favorite

photos of my dad doing what he

loved; the color guard

with the American Legion Unit

he belonged to.

What's actually funny about this

is for the first time

since he died eight years ago

I forgot

the anniversary of his death,

which was two days ago.

Do you think he was trying

to tell me something!!??

Subtle, Dad, real subtle!

point taken

Here We Go!

2011-08-23T12:24:00.002-04:00

I'm not one of those

moms that celebrate when

their kids go back to school.

I love having my kids

home with me and mourn

the return to

alarm clocks, lunches,

homework, practice schedules

and carpools.

If I was more disciplined

I'd actually

home school my kids so

our schedules would be

more free form.

But I don't have the personality

for that and my kids

don't have the personalities to

stay home with me all day.

(Which is a nice way of saying we'd kill each other!)

They're much too social for that.

They need their peeps.

(And I need a quiet house every now and then!)

So in between sourcing

new products for my shops,

hitting the road for

the bigger pieces,

supervising homework,

volunteering,

driving carpool,

and working my "real" jobs

things are going to get

even crazier around here!

Whew, I need a few more

weeks of summer...

Shop Chartreuse This Weekend

2011-08-19T19:42:00.000-04:00

We're open this weekend

Chartreuse and Co.

and if you take the

drive up to

Buckeystown

this is a bit of

what you'll see

in my shop,

The Kramer Angle.

Ying & Yang

2011-08-19T19:38:00.000-04:00

Wow, I can't believe it's been over

a week since I last posted!

So much has happened since then!

Joys and sorrow.

The ying and yang of life

has never been more evident

to me than this week.

The only thing you can do

is celebrate what you can and

pray for everything else!

I hope your week was wonderful!

Homeward Bound

2011-08-11T09:13:00.002-04:00

What do you consider "home"?

Is it the town you grew up in

or where you live now?

For me,

it's where I grew up.

I haven't lived in my hometown,

Youngstown, Ohio for

26 years but it's still

what I consider "home".

My "assistant"

(read all about it here)

and I are off to spend a

few days there.

We're also going to do spend

some time picking while we're

in Ohio.

My sources are ready for us

with a warehouse full of

the most awesome

repurposed, salvaged,

industrial style home decor

you have

ever

seen

your

entire

life!

Well, actually, if you've

been to my shop,

The Kramer Angle,

at Chartreuse & Co.

you've seen some of it

because they're

my number one source!

I can't wait to see what
"my assistant"

and I find!

I'll keep you posted!

Welcome to Wild Rose

2011-08-10T15:01:00.004-04:00

It's not often

I get to spend much time at

one of my shops,

Wild Rose & Co. Marketplace

longer than it takes to

drop off new merchandise,

fluff some and admire

the other vendors' goods!

But last Saturday I

was there all day greeting

customers, setting up interesting

vignettes and loving every

minute of being a shop girl for a day!

You should definitely

plan to stop by our shop

sometime to check it out!

In the meantime,

I snapped a few pics of some of

of my pieces so you can

get a feel for the shop.

Enjoy!

Available this week at

Wild Rose & Co. Marketplace

21 Pennsylvania Avenue

Walkersville, Maryland

A New Me

2011-08-04T12:55:00.003-04:00

Two weeks ago I had a milestone birthday.

How old?

(Let's just say I got my AARP card in the mail this week.)

Ugh.

Anyway, I figured since I've entered

what will (undoubtedly)

be a fabulous new era in my life

it was time for a new look!

So, I've started here

with the redesign of my website.

What do you think?

Looking good?

I'm working on some minor tweaks and
have lots of content to load, but

I'm thrilled with how Christine

of Smitten Designs was able

to translate my vision into

reality!

I love it and hope you do too!

(Hey, why not sign up to be a follower? It's quick and easy!)

A New Beginning

2011-08-01T20:00:00.000-04:00

I'm still here!

I've just been busy working

on the redesign of my website and

the good news is

it's soooooo

close to being ready to

launch!

Give me a day or two and then

stop by for the new and improved

Kramer Angle!

Beach Bliss

2011-07-20T17:43:00.000-04:00

Not much to say this week,

except pass the SPF -50!

I'm in Topsail, NC with my family

Soaking up the sun

Listening to the waves crash

outside our beach house

Life is good!

A New Perspective

2011-07-11T10:06:00.003-04:00

Lots of people have asked me

why my business is called

"The Kramer Angle"

When I first started

decorating rooms I always had to put

some of the furniture on an angle

Furniture smashed up against walls

lining the room feels too predictable

Not to mention, safe, boring and uninspired!

Angle the couch, the rug or the table

and suddenly the room takes

on a little more life!

It's a different perspective!

A unique look!

My last name is Kramer, so when my friends

asked me to decorate
their homes they wanted me to create

"The Kramer Angle"

And so it was a natural choice for me

to use my signature look

to name my business!

I stock my shops with furniture, accessories,

and unique home decor that reflect my

personality, my design aesthetic,
pieces I'd put in my own home

It's my angle

And as I approach a milestone birthday this month

I thought it was time to reinvent my look a little

So, I'm starting with my website

A whole new design!

A new angle!

A fresh start!

It's going to be fun working with

the team at
Smitten Blog Design

to develop my new look!

Stay tuned!

- Gail -

Happy Fourth of July!

2011-07-04T14:26:00.000-04:00

Enjoy your day!

Setting The Scene

2011-07-02T20:03:00.001-04:00

I spent the day up at Chartreuse

working on my shop space.

Check out some sneak peeks

of what I'm putting together

for the July sale:

See anything you like?