j brown design: May 2009

Thursday, May 28, 2009

shop cards

my lovely friend Elizabeth is helping me with my shop name and verbage.

I really like it...........what do you think?

colors? image?

please let me know.

Thanks!!!

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Ist Beach Day / Friday - May 22nd

Temps in the 90's in May!!!!!!!!

It was HOT!

Happy, Happy...

Joy, Joy.

Fun in the sun

and water.

My sister Katie went all the way in for a refreshing dip!

I went in up to my knees..... and froze.

Summer is on it's way!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

it's up.....

welcome Buddha

Well my quest to be a shop keeper is well underway.

A 7'-0" X 7'-0" plastic shed is quite challenging, but I am well on my way to a cozy little retail/craft space.

I had to drive to Topsham to retrieve the shed ( a wonderful Jamaican man ( who was over 7 feet tall and had the largest hands I have ever seen) who is the manager of home and garden unpacked the whole thing, and managed to fit it in the Outback - Thank You Wayne!).

As I was approaching home the pieces tied to the roof started sliding off.... but I made it.....just barely. My neighbor Jimmy worked his butt off and helped me put it together. when the hubby got home he finished up screwing the whole thing together.

My friend Arlene gave me an outdoor sisal -like rug $0.00, which works perfectly to cover the black floor. (check out my new Prada slides - $1.00 at a yard sale).

I have installed netting (also from Arlene-$0.00) across both doors..... just say no to mosquitoes, and yes to summer breezes!

I have covered the walls with these great curtains I had $0.00.

I bought some MDF crown pieces to go around the top of the shop, I will hang things from this...much easier than drilling holes in the plastic.

I have started moving some furniture in.

I am trying to keep the cost to a minimum....

need to keep the overhead low :)

Tally to date...

little plastic shed $595.00

MDF crown $18.00

cedar planks(exterior entry) $21.00

twinkle lights $6.00

bookcase(from Arlene) $10.00

bookcase (yard sale) $20.00

I will post more soon.

I am trying to think of a name... any ideas????

I was thinking little plastic castle...... from this SONG!

Saturday, May 9, 2009

these are a few of my favorite things..........

all from Anthropologie.

Monday, May 4, 2009

new project

So it's been a while since I've blogged... Lots of things going on....

My younger sister Katie (who has special needs) moved in with us.

So, we had to basically move our dining room, and office out of our house. ugh!

I do have to say... her room looks great.... she loves living with us...

and it seems the room was always meant to be what has become.

There are still piles of stuff here and there, but the new arrangement has made me go through

everything and purge. I had a yard sale last weekend and sold lts of stuff.

So, having lost the equivalent of two space (office/dining area), we really needed more space.

The majority of my Art/Craft, Vintage stuff is in a bedroom closet and under the eaves in our bedroom which is not easy to access..... and our bedroom is constantly a mess.... So..... here is the plan.

taa daa...ok it's bad, but it's going be great!

My husband and I, are going to have matching storage sheds.

woo hoo......

My husbands is going to make his a workshop, it will house all of his tools(which were previously in the house).

I am going to make mine into a shop/craft area ( we have tons of tourist during the summer).

It's only 7 feet by 7 feet...... super small but I know I can make it work.

check out this amazing space... which is 10'X10'

The shed is by Rubbermaid....I know what your thinking... why not a cute wood shed.... well the answer is salt water.... salt air... where I live all things metal turn to rust, and wood takes a serious beating..... so this shed is water tight, and wont disintegrate in the salt air.

I will start the "re-design next weekend..... I'll post throughout the process. Wish me luck!