tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78990569506454188082024-03-13T04:00:19.798-07:00Persnickety's Awesomeness EmporiumOh hey, here's my little shop's little blog. It's all about painted furniture, vintage and handcrafted pieces, dirty rusty goodness, and working your face off to run a creative little biz. Wanna hang out?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-85670840875162376992017-08-17T17:34:00.000-07:002017-08-17T17:34:12.164-07:00What happened to Persnickety's?<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I have written and rewritten this post about seventy times over the past four months.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">But the words swirled around, crashing and mashing themselves up against a huge wall of work and upheaval. If the words somehow made it past the wall, Feelings and Avoidance Mountain (elevation 149,000 ft) made sure not one word would pass. I buried my head in 16 hour days and put it off one more time.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.8px;">I didn't know what to say. So I'll start from the beginning.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I opened Persnickety's in 2012 with 2000 bucks after the death of my grandparents while working a shit job and losing my home all in the course of a few months. I felt I had nothing left to lose. Let's turn this all around, I thought. Build something that would take care of my parents when they got old, unlike the 17 years I had spent in an industry that couldn't even allow me to keep my house.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The store sat between a tattoo parlor and a smoke shop on an industrial street. My family came together and we worked day and night to make it to the next day and night. Granted, they thought I was nuts...but they were right there. Always.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And soon, super talented, amazing people popped into our lives and wanted to be a part of the shop. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And then somehow, thanks to so many of you amazing people and all of those talented folks, we made it work. We hustled to find old things with promise, and fixed them up. And you bought them! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Man, seeing those things find their way home to your beautiful homes was an honor that filled me with the kind of gratitude I still lack the ability to fully explain. Each and every time it meant the most.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And then we made it to Main Street. And then we were named Best of Western Washington two years in a row. The struggle was always real. It was always hard work. A struggle for every dollar. But it was fun, man. 25 hours a day obsessed (watch out for this) fun. Constant work. And I loved it. I loved working beside my mom every day. Had never been happier.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And then I opened Finder's Market.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And at first it was good. Later, there were 10 million reasons why it wasn't. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Last September, there was an electrical short at Finders Market which shut us down for days. And 10 million other things happened at the same time. Because, life. So even though little Persnickety's was all mine and what I loved most in the whole world (this is also something to avoid, just so you know), I had to move my little store into the big store and took on a full time load of side work to keep things going.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And as they say (dramatically with a resigned sigh while gazing through a rain-streaked window), things were never the same. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">What I did not know then is how glad I would be for that. Here's the thing about being on the other side of things never being the same...they can be better.</span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pCyukKWjGAw/WZY0qHstzbI/AAAAAAAACaE/ZPeKZHQJ_tU_9MPciP2Earw9S9nQPdndACLcBGAs/s1600/blog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pCyukKWjGAw/WZY0qHstzbI/AAAAAAAACaE/ZPeKZHQJ_tU_9MPciP2Earw9S9nQPdndACLcBGAs/s320/blog2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And family got me through all of it...my own and my work family: My best friend/brother from another mother and that other mother. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Matt and Janice from<a href="http://www.facebook.com/antique.liquidatorsseattle" target="_blank"> Antique Liquidators Seattle </a>have been the best in the business since 1970. After the loss of Matt's father and Janice's husband Carl last year, their business was at a turning point as well. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">So in April we became a team. We moved 20000 sq ft of furniture out of their old warehouse and created the most beautiful store in the most amazing building in Sodo. We find the most ridiculously good stuff that gets shipped to buyers around the country and around the world. Big things are happening here and more big things to come. It's so nice to do the things I love again. Finding and creating. Driving big trucks of awesomeness and lifting heavy stuff. Making a store pretty. I am so grateful to be here. And they are grateful I'm here. And that's pretty much the best. It's a hard go alone, but we are making it together.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Without Matt and Janice and my family, Persnickety's and Finder's would have died before there was a chance for another breath. And to be very honest, I may have too. I will be forever grateful. No one really understands what kinds of hard work, pressure, and the kind of goal driven ridiculousness that comes with brick and mortar shop ownership like another shop owner. It's really hard to go at it alone. And together we are better. We all bring something to the table. The Persnickety's chapter has ended for now but it is not the end of the story.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br style="font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Follow us <a href="http://www.instagram.com/antique_liquidators_seattle">here</a> to see what we are up to while we bring the best of the best to Seattle and beyond. Come to the store. We ship globally and deliver locally. You can also find us in our satellite location in La Conner at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Nasty-Jacks-Antiques" target="_blank">Nasty Jack's</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br style="font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">And soon, south enders, you can find Persnickety's and Antique Liquidators in Tacoma at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/rustonmercantile/" target="_blank">Ruston Mercantile</a>, the new home of our talented friends from <a href="http://www.facebook.com/smithbuilt4/">Smithbuilt.</a> Troy and Lacy are opening a darling shop that is sure to be right up your alley. They are soft opening in September but you should follow them here (insert links) for all the updates and to see the goods they are making and bringing in. We are very excited to get in there and see your faces.</span><br style="font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">I'm also going to get the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/155216118015976/">Persnickety's Purge</a> page back up and running because oh holy Moses there are a lot of things you should buy that are currently taking up space in every available space. Garage sale? Would you come over for that? Come buy my stuff. I have bills, people. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br style="font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">And as for<a href="http://www.facebook.com/thefindersmarket/"> Finder's Market</a>, it lives. One of the most amazing chicks on the planet (that loved Finder's way more than I did) took over in April. She and her awesome husband carry the torch now. If you have not yet met Song and Dave, please meet them immediately and check out all the goodness they have in store. I am only sorry I didn't tell you about them sooner. They deserve all the goodness and success in the world. </span><br style="font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">As does my Anna, who opened next door at the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/909mainstreet/">Rustic Farmhouse</a>. Go see her and her darling shop. She carries the torch now.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br style="font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Persnickety's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PersnicketysAwesomenessEmporium/">FB</a> will be back in full swing with some changes. Hopefully you'll stick around.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br style="font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">I'm learning a lot on this journey of starting over. And the starting over thing is happening from A to Z in this life of mine. And while there are days that I don't recognize myself or the life I used to live, there are many more days that I am glad I don't. I've made myself healthier and stronger to face these changes. And that has been made possible by the people who have touched my life and carried me through. I have been given a lot of grace by people that know that starting over, while necessary, is messy. I am so thankful for them. For my family. And for you.</span><br style="font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">I've got more wins in me. Trust me, so do you. And I've learned you recognize the shining lights a lot more through tears, you guys. So if there is one thing I can impart while sharing this wall of text with you, it's the power of both. Gratitude for what was and what will be, even when things are super scary. Finding the light in the dark. Losing one thing and gaining another. With a lot of help from our friends.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br style="font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Oh, life. It's hard. It's all the bad and all the good. It's both. Join me and let's do both together. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I'm so thankful for the time we spent in Sumner, come visit us in Seattle. We can't wait to see you.<br style="font-size: 12.8px;" /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-45322238369748139372015-06-09T19:08:00.000-07:002015-06-10T21:06:03.890-07:00Picking with Persnickety's: Secrets of Sequim<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR STUFF?</span></div>
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I<span style="font-size: large;">t's a question we get asked a LOT here at the shop, and the answer (while truthful) is generally pretty vague.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The answer? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">All over. It's a full time job.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And that is true. I don't do much online anymore, no craigslist, very very few online garage sale groups.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Too many folks doing that and I don't want the stuff everyone else has seen, ya know?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are a few go to places in <a href="http://thatpersnicketyplace.blogspot.com/2013/02/oregon-coast-pickin-and-regrouping.html" target="_blank">Oregon</a> I have told you about but other than that, it's a get in the car and go kind of gamble and a girl has to have some secrets.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">But I am ready to spill on another secret and share the latest trip, because it was awesome.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> I brought Mama P along and we hopped into the car on a rainy day.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We drove west from Sumner across the Narrows bridge.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And then we continued over the Hood Canal Bridge. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">On our way to the treasure that is Sequim (say it like "skwim").</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sequim is less than two hours from home on the Strait of Juan de Fuca and is located in the rain shadow of the Olympic mountains, which means it averages about the same rainfall as Los Angeles on a good year.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">For example, it was pouring at home, but cloudy with bits of sun the whole time we were on our trip.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It was there that we found a treasure trove of good junk in a gorg</span><span style="font-size: large;">eous little town (on the water) AND we stayed in the most gorgeous converted barn, where we were served gourmet food.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">UM.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have to tell you about it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You have got to get to Sequim.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">More importantly, you have got to get to here:</span></div>
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<a href="http://dungenessbarnhouse.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Dungeness Barn House</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Please forgive me while I gush about it and share with you the glory of this magical place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, say you had dreams your whole life of living in a place that is just like this...on the water:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> with your own private beach access and the perfect place to watch a sunset</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">but along with that... is green, lush, and rural</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">full of history and cool old stuff to see</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">AND your house was AN OLD CONVERTED BARN surrounded by lavender fields!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I mean! Come on!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">These Sequimians have got it made!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Inside that place? Warmth and light, the most lovely folks, and laughter</span></div>
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Mama P and Clare, innkeeper extraordinaire</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So many beautiful things to see inside</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and crazy gorgeous views from every single window (I checked)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">where even the vegetable and herb gardens are eyecandy</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and the grounds look like something out of a storybook</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and the FOOD is everything. And prepared with all locally sourced natural ingredients.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And the company could not have been better.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And just because nothing would be perfect without the world's cutest dog, they have him too:</span></div>
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This is Fee, and I love him.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So you find this magical place, and you meet the magical people that run this place and you fall head over heels in love with their place and with them, and they are into antiques and junk too, and it is just this perfect meeting of kismet proportions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This does not happen to me. Like, ever. I stay away from bed and breakfasts. I like my privacy. I like to sleep in. I don't want to talk to people in the morning. I need a TV. And Wi-Fi.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">They have TV's in the rooms. Free Wi-Fi. You can choose when you are served breakfast. Plenty of privacy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And the people?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I would talk to them all day, every day! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are two suites and we got to experience them both, as well as two additional cozy rooms. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The beds are the most comfortable in life and I am not even kidding you right now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You can rent out the entire inn for family stuff and retreats. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I intend to do both, because I am hooked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ok let me shake out of my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dungenessbarnhouse" target="_blank">Dungeness Barn House Bed and Breakfast </a>daydreamy haze to talk to you now about the junking in this town.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Go HERE:</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ui9SqolZGhM/VXd3SToFnII/AAAAAAAABoQ/uTgrFZDmOYo/s1600/DSCN0807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ui9SqolZGhM/VXd3SToFnII/AAAAAAAABoQ/uTgrFZDmOYo/s320/DSCN0807.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.serenityhouseclallam.org/thrift-store.html" target="_blank">Serenity Thrift Store</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the center of town and really packed to the gills inside and out with AMAZING finds and super amazing prices. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I would move here just to see what they brought in every day. It's real good. This one is in Sequim and there is one in Port Angeles as well. We definitely recommend the one in Sequim. I love this place extra because they are a local charity that actually helps those in their community of Clallam County with tangible goods and services. A Goodwill moved in across the street and we checked that out too but, junkers, Serenity is where it is at.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f-oVKRyj_GA/VXd3SYbY6OI/AAAAAAAABoQ/yz29-TLAne8/s1600/DSCN0812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f-oVKRyj_GA/VXd3SYbY6OI/AAAAAAAABoQ/yz29-TLAne8/s400/DSCN0812.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another favorite though, was this place. <a href="http://www.aroundagainstore.org/" target="_blank">Around Again</a>. It is right outside of town and they believe, like we do, that waste can be a huge resource. Don't be fooled by all of the old exercise equipment out front and make sure to find all of the nooks and crannies inside the store and in the sizable back area. The stuff we can't seem to find anywhere? It is here. And the prices are, again, rad. They are a not-for-profit as well, and support their community in a lot of amazing ways. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">They also have employed the BEST dude in all the land:</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YpSWtCYcMig/VXd3SWvR-nI/AAAAAAAABoQ/zLR6kJeUCV8/s1600/DSCN0882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YpSWtCYcMig/VXd3SWvR-nI/AAAAAAAABoQ/zLR6kJeUCV8/s640/DSCN0882.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This bearded fellow, along with his blurry (sorry about that) coworker, defied all normal logic and saw the potential for fitting a 80 jillion pound, giant farm scale in an already filled rig.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Mama P looked this when I was like: IT'LL FIT, I KNOW IT</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZAIRDBlB1Vg/VXd3SWywVZI/AAAAAAAABoQ/pkjgZdgP_DY/s1600/DSCN0883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZAIRDBlB1Vg/VXd3SWywVZI/AAAAAAAABoQ/pkjgZdgP_DY/s320/DSCN0883.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hahahahahahahahaaaaaa</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The bearded fellow above agreed and measured and made. it. happen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Bearded fellow, you are my hero!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Not to be missed: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/RE-creations-Collectable-Treasures/174711619389221?sk=info&tab=overview" target="_blank">Re-Creations</a>, which is right on the same property as Around Again. There is also a drive up coffee joint on the property. Which basically means you can just live there forever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Also in town, a bevy of infrequently open antiques stores and lots of sweet lavender farms and home decor stores and garden shops of all kinds. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Great food too, although this one wanted to go to one place and one place only:</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BLVzlrY6PL0/VXeOZFqq_qI/AAAAAAAABpI/ifoKh_LJ9Mg/s1600/DSCN0798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BLVzlrY6PL0/VXeOZFqq_qI/AAAAAAAABpI/ifoKh_LJ9Mg/s640/DSCN0798.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/113832356971254172004/about?gl=us&hl=en" target="_blank">Hi-Way 101 Diner</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And I have to agree, it had moments of greatness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Dungeness crab grilled cheese sandwich? Uh yeah.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Homemade Mississippi Mud Pie? Totally.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And they have the good ice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You know what I mean by " the good ice", right?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The ice all drinks should be cooled by:</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rbTmncwc-1g/VXePXr9ZmeI/AAAAAAAABps/LxZ0AIESCMs/s1600/DSCN0795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rbTmncwc-1g/VXePXr9ZmeI/AAAAAAAABps/LxZ0AIESCMs/s400/DSCN0795.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now, for the rest of your picking and junking adventure in the Sequim area you first will need coffee.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2pnhnBF83Ag/VXd3SSwHR_I/AAAAAAAABoQ/z1jr9LcR30w/s1600/DSCN0881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2pnhnBF83Ag/VXd3SSwHR_I/AAAAAAAABoQ/z1jr9LcR30w/s400/DSCN0881.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Rainshadow.Coffee.Roasting" target="_blank">Rainshadow Coffee Roasting Company</a></div>
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SO. GOOD.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then hit all of the goodness up the road about 20 minutes in Port Angeles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We hit Habitat for Humanity, Serenity Thrift, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brocante/334533843269496" target="_blank">Brocante </a>, and the place next door (um, don't know the name. It's big, but way out of my price range). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Brocante won for coolest and best prices but for as big as Port Angeles is, we found a ton more in Sequim in just a few key places.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It has been two years since Mama P and I took a trip just the two of us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We see each other at least three days a week at the shop but neither of us could remember the last time we had done something just us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I love that we love so many of the same things and let me tell you that long drives are great for conversation for those of us that don't do a lot of deep talking. Ahem, cough. Mom.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aj7S38VDTAA/VXd3SZ3cQoI/AAAAAAAABoQ/nVVe10C18EI/s1600/DSCN0834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aj7S38VDTAA/VXd3SZ3cQoI/AAAAAAAABoQ/nVVe10C18EI/s320/DSCN0834.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I sure do love that Mom. She and Dad found the secret of Sequim, I give them all the credit for that and for finding the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dungenessbarnhouse" target="_blank">Dungeness Barn House.</a> </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OLGPQT-O6pA/VXd3SerzEaI/AAAAAAAABoQ/G9LU7jvHD_s/s1600/DSCN0847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="354" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OLGPQT-O6pA/VXd3SerzEaI/AAAAAAAABoQ/G9LU7jvHD_s/s640/DSCN0847.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Clare and Sue, the innkeepers, are part of the family now too, and I already miss them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's almost odd, really, when you meet people and instantly adore them. You can feel the true essence of their goodness exude in every thing they touch and everything they do. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And definitely everything they cook in that kitchen! Dang!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thank you Clare and Sue (and Fee) for making our trip so amazing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sure we found a truckload of good stuff in Sequim to bring home but thanks to ya'll and the beauty of the barn house we found a whole lot more than that.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q9RcJPqlcDE/VXd3Sc1tRYI/AAAAAAAABoQ/8Z7e7tWgSwI/s1600/DSCN0825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q9RcJPqlcDE/VXd3Sc1tRYI/AAAAAAAABoQ/8Z7e7tWgSwI/s640/DSCN0825.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks, ladies, for the reminder.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">XO</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Mandi</span></div>
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all content and photos property of Persnickety's/Mandi Smith 6/9/15</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-60489351335613300652015-05-12T20:58:00.004-07:002015-05-12T20:58:44.852-07:00All sorts of words about how taking chances in life is not crazy. Or, 3 years as a small business owner. Or, when pigs fly.We navigated carefully through the typical airport departure terminal jam and parked at the curb. They were behind us in a rented van, tense, tired, and hoping for a spot near the sky hop. The rented van carried precious cargo in the form of the four cats and three dogs that had made their travel plans ever so slightly more difficult to maneuver. Fortunately, Lulu (their 250 pound pet pig) took an earlier flight, while Casparella the big giant bird was scheduled to fly with a friend later on.<br />
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Umpteen months of planning. Complete home renovation and sale. Cargo containers packed and ready to be shipped. On an actual ship. Property purchased but a home yet to be built. As we hurriedly unloaded the dogs and cats in crates, I wondered if they felt as though the impossible was being realized...even in their sleepless, stressy haze. Even as Leia, the recently certified Canine Good Citizen/Service Dog whined and pulled slightly on her leash, ready to go.<br />
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Upon arrival in Kona, they would then have to do it all over again on their hop over to Hilo...and arrive to the converted storage container they would live in while they built the home of their dreams.<br />
Is that nuts???<br />
How crazy do you have to be to uproot your particularly complicated life and set it down on an island in the middle of the Pacific?<br />
But what if it was your lifelong dream?<br />
Would it be nuts? Or would it be pretty much the coolest, bravest thing ever?<br />
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As I pulled away from the departure terminal this morning and drove the rented van, now empty, back toward the home they all lived in for thirty years, I thought about that question and smiled a really big smile for our dear family friends. They were brave enough to realize their dream and crazy enough to make it happen...no matter what complications or roadblocks. No matter what they fear, what lies ahead, they are going to live the life they dreamed of.<br />
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Three years ago today, we were opening the door to our little shop for the very first time. And I smiled really big again, because there is something truly amazing about uprooting your life. And taking chances. And making your way. Being crazy enough to be brave. In these three years I have learned more than I could ever impart, and oh man there is still a world of learning in front of me.<br />
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What I can tell you is this:<br />
You will meet the coolest people, and they will teach you the definitions of goodness, grace, gratitude, and commitment. You will meet totally uncool people, and they will teach you the definition of other things entirely, but they will teach you lessons you needed to learn. Your roadblocks will pop up often, and you will get creative enough to forge a new road. You will try new things, and learn your strengths, and most definitely your weaknesses. You will learn how fear and love are the truest motivations for hustle. You will shift your priorities, you will change your mind. You will learn that you are mostly made of marshmallows and that you have to get tough, but just a little. You will learn how hard it is. Hopefully you will inspire others, even though admitting your own confusion is sometimes all you have to offer. Your wistful wanderlustiness will turn into executable plans of action. You may find yourself being comfortable in your own skin even as your life is anything but comfortable. And soon enough you will find yourself, surely, taking more chances and being like WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF.<br />
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It doesn't have to be when pigs literally fly. On a plane. To Hawaii.<br />
It can be a little chance. Or a big one.<br />
But take it. <br />
Be crazy, be brave, whatever that looks like to you. You are never too old, you are never too young.<br />
It is never the right time. I mean to tell you it is literally <b>never</b> the right time. But it is never, ever too late.<br />
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photo credit: WhiteCellarDoor via Etsy</div>
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So cheers to you for for these three years, cheers to many more, and cheers to our friends Jess and Jean, their menagerie, and their safe arrival in Hilo. </div>
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Mandi</h3>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-70998252733283891482015-04-20T20:32:00.002-07:002015-04-20T20:55:11.759-07:00Something NEW is Coming!<div>
Do you want to know what will be joining <a href="http://www.americanpaintcompany.com/" target="_blank">American Paint Company</a> in our paint and DIY lineup?</div>
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<a href="http://www.generalfinishes.com/" target="_blank">General Finishes</a> is coming to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PersnicketysAwesomenessEmporium" target="_blank">Persnickety's</a>.</div>
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If you have ever attended one of our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/723863357732733/" target="_blank">Drab to Fab furniture painting workshops</a> over the last few years, chances are we have talked about this:</div>
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and how it is my tried and true go-to for the times wax is not appropriate for the job.</div>
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If you have had us paint cabinets for you, this is what was used to seal the paint. Dining tables, same thing.</div>
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We also use this by the bucket load:</div>
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Particularly in Java. Because it is dark and rich, and java by definition means coffee. So naturally, we are big fans. </div>
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So it makes sense that you will finally be able to get all of these things in one spot. After the workshop, or any time.</div>
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Then there is this, which we will be carrying many (but not all) of the colors in quart size:</div>
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Now how is this paint different from the American Paint Company product I use and LOVE?</div>
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It is similar and different all at the same time, in my experience at least.</div>
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Similarities:</div>
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Little to no prepping/priming/sanding needed. Paint over existing surfaces all easy-peasy like.</div>
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Easy to use.</div>
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Water based for easy cleaning of your brushes and (if you're like me) your hands, arms, and hair.</div>
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Very little odor.</div>
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Good product yield per quart. Which means, basically, you can paint a lot of stuff with one quart.</div>
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APC Wax or GF High Performance topcoat works beautifully on both</div>
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Differences:</div>
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APC covers and dries faster, with less coats due to being made with clay.</div>
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BUT</div>
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GF is a smoother finish, so less finish sanding required due to being made with latex.</div>
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APC layers color, adds dimension, and wet distresses like a boss for more rustic and weathered looks.</div>
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BUT</div>
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GF can be distressed and works beautifully for crisp and clean, modern finishes as well as rustic looks too.</div>
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And the coup de grace... you don't HAVE to wax or topcoat your General Finishes projects.</div>
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But you still should. In most cases.</div>
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But we can talk about that another time. Perhaps at a workshop? (wink)</div>
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So basically, in a nutshell of confusing words, they are both really great.</div>
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I have used GF for years in tandem with APC, and the more options available you can add to your palette equals more awesome stuff you are able to accomplish at home all DIY-y.</div>
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Our local friends at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Modern-Cottage-Company/102061369876704" target="_blank">Modern Cottage Company</a> in Tacoma, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClassicFarmhouse" target="_blank">Classic Farmhouse</a> in Auburn are General Finishes retailers as well, and we look forward to working with them to bring you all the GF goodies you can handle. </div>
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We should see product in the next week or so and will keep you updated. We are so excited and can't wait to let you know when the goods go in the paint case!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-74657800523110872592015-03-11T22:04:00.001-07:002015-03-11T22:39:03.604-07:00The Iron StoryWe here in the Pacific Northwest have enjoyed some eerily (what does it MEAN?) and unseasonably warm and wonderful weather the last few weeks. So, the boots have been kicked temporarily into the closet and the long neglected winter feet have been un-socked. Flip-flops on and toes freshly (though hastily) painted, I took a second to relish the magnificence of sandal weather in March and caught a glimpse of an old faded scar on the top of my foot. We get used to the stuff we have had for a long time, the scars and the accompanying stories fade, and we forget. Our eyes scan over them, unseeing.<br />
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For some reason, probably the winter whiteness of my foot, that old scar stood out. And I remembered how I got it. I don't know if my mom (you may know her as Mama P, and I hope you know her, because she is the best) even knows this story. It's time she did.</div>
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We had moved to Washington State from Northern California a few months earlier, having narrowly missed the big San Francisco earthquake by a few weeks. It was 1989. My mom, little brother, and I moved in with my mom's mom while my dad's work called for him to travel back and forth to California. We were in limbo, waiting to move to a house, and in an unfamiliar and chaotic place. I had a little 5 year old brother and I was an eighth grader going through those eighth grade things in an all new junior high, feeling disconnected and depressed. We were not close with my mom's side of the family and I longed for my old life, my old house, my old town, and the neighborhood full of friends we had left behind. </div>
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With every crazy thing I thought I was going through, I can't even imagine what my mom was dealing with. All of us pulling at her, needing her for something, wanting her all to ourselves...she was our only piece of home.</div>
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On a weekend in December, she asked me (ME!) to go Christmas shopping with her. To the BIG mall. And to DINNER. The next Friday. Just the two of us! That week went by so very slowly. I never could have told you then, could never have <i>named </i>the feeling...but I <i>craved</i> time with my mom. </div>
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The Friday finally arrived and I, an eighth grade fashion plate, set to iron my outfit for the big day. We were leaving right after school and I could not wait. The old iron sizzled, and I pulled my most awesome rayon blouse onto the ironing board. As I did, the iron fell. Right on top of my bare foot.</div>
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I pulled it off. Key word: pulled. Everything was already bubbly and burned on the top of that foot, and the only thing I could think of was to put some damn socks on and not tell a soul, otherwise there would be no mall, no dinner, no Mom all to myself that night.</div>
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I went to school, and then we went to the mall, and had dinner. My foot hurt so bad, but I did not care. I carefully tried to walk without limping because I got to sit across a table from my mom, my home. Just us. That night when I somehow pulled the sock off my burned foot, I totally cried alone, only sad that the night had ended. </div>
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Eventually, we moved into a home. And I grew up and away from my mom the way teenagers do. When I think back on the way I was to her then...she could (and should) have set me aflame and left me for the wolves. No one would have ever blamed her, but she did not.</div>
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And now...I don't think about how lucky I am to see my sweet mom almost every day. Sometimes, I am sure that she would like to push me into traffic because, well, sometimes I can really be a challenge to work with. No one would ever blame her, but she does not. It feels, somehow, like the old scar on my foot, that the love, acceptance, and every thing my mom does is being scanned over. Taken for granted, because I can't remember a time it was not there. Since it has been there forever.</div>
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We have spent so much time working, working, working...that I know I have taken her for granted. Seeing that scar was a wake-up call of sorts. Because only just recently have we even been able to spend a few precious hours outside of the shop the way we used to. Time for that to change.</div>
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I just want you to know, Mom, that I remember, and I know it, and if we both live to be 200 years old that I could never repay you in gratitude for who you are to me. But I will try. There's nothing I would not do for you. I see you. And I love you. You are my home and I still crave time with you. And I am so lucky to call you MY MOM. The luckiest. Thank you for teaching me how to spray water on wrinkly clothes and put them in the dryer. Because IRONS? I mean, who IRONS? </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-87458882574267540342015-01-26T12:25:00.001-08:002015-01-26T12:25:18.288-08:00Help Me With My Living Room: Part One.Dudes.<br />
We moved into this house two years ago, darn near. During the same time we moved the shop from Pacific to the current Sumner location. It has been a whirlwind of activity since then and I have done frighteningly little to make this place feel like a home. I have plenty of excuses to validate my behavior, of course (duh), but they all pale in comparison to the simple fact that I DO THIS FOR A LIVING AND IT IS INEXCUSABLE TO NOT LIVE WHAT YOU DO.<br />
One of my main excuses is lack of time. I am busy doing stuff for other people's houses. Which I totally love. And also, a tight budget is all kinds of happening over here. By tight budget I really mean that there really is no kind of money for anything. Welcome to the realities of small business ownership. But making your house a home is not a luxury. Really. We all need the groovy feeling you get when you are cozy and proud in your home. When you make it a reflection of yourself and your family.<br />
Is that something you can relate to? The busy-ness? The budget? Not making your house a home for whatever reason?<br />
So, I figure, I will embarrass myself for your entertainment and hopefully for both of our benefits. Being cute on a budget is the whole cornerstone of Persnickety's, so what do you think? I think: let's do it.<br />
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Living/dining room wishlist:<br />
1. Area rug, 8x10 qty 2. 1 for dining, 1 for living room.<br />
2. Window treatments for bay window of design doom and sliding glass door of dog muck.<br />
3. Furniture piece to replace scary makeshift halfass painted media storage unit. Must be awesome. Bookcase? Hutch? <br />
4. Very narrow depth sofa table.<br />
5. Slipcover for dog couch. Preferably one that does not suck and won't rip every other day.<br />
6. Chairs for dining room table*.<br />
7. *Refinish the dining room tabletop I ruined by painting on it without a dropcloth like a jackass.<br />
8. Some sort of better photo display and/or photo wall. Walls! What am I going to put on the WALLS???<br />
9. Chaise lounge to replace recliner (gasp). GASP. I have a recliner. I have a bad back. Shoot me.<br />
10. Coffee table? Ottoman? Something in the middle of the room?<br />
11. Do all of this for less than 100.00. Ok, no. Not really. What...900.00? Idk.<br />
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List of Challenges:<br />
1. Grey walls, white trim, dark wood floors...with a brown couch that can't be moved. Because see #2.<br />
2. Tv mounted on wall above fireplace, and naturally everything has to be pointed toward the television. Including brown couch.<br />
3. 3 dogs.<br />
4. Rented home.<br />
5. No money.<br />
6. No entryway.<br />
7. Weirdly shaped 80's house.<br />
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Let's see what we can do with this, shall we?<br />
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Follow along and I will show you the embarrassing before, the sure to be ridiculous during, and you can help me pick my items for what is hopefully going to be a truly awesome after.<br />
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Before pics will be coming soon. I may have to drink a lot of something prior to posting those. Because, I can feel your judgement already. It's ok. Don't blame ya but go easy on me!<br />
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Mandi<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-40551404875947613692014-11-17T23:54:00.001-08:002014-11-17T23:55:01.455-08:00Deep (ish) thoughts.<p>sub·stance<br>
def.<br>
the most important or essential part of something; the real or essential meaning.<br>
synonyms:meaningfulness,significance, importance, import,validity, foundation.</p>
<p>I am having a deep thought. I think. Or a random rambling. Maybe.<br>
Hear me out?</p>
<p>Substance.</p>
<p>That word has been rattling around in my head for a while. Does that ever happen to you?<br>
A word just gets stuck in there and it means...something. But what? Sometimes you don't know until...well, until you do.</p>
<p>Substance is what I seek. Living a substantial life. Not monetary substance, or material substance. I am a substance seeking missile. <br>
Always have been. </p>
<p>The cool thing about having substance is you don't have to be an angel to have substance, you don't have to go to church, you don't have to believe THIS or THAT. <br>
You don't have to DO anything but live your life unapologetically and genuinely. Honestly and kindly. Even snarkily, hell, snarky can be substantial too. But judging others, creating negativity, and worrying more than you should, those are substance suckers. </p>
<p>I have spent the majority of my life worrying. Have you? Now, at nearly forty years old, the substance that was inside always shooting for something better, truer, more substantial...has happened. </p>
<p>I can't imagine for one second living without the shop and all of the amazing substantial people that have come along with it. And now that the lifelong dream of matching what was always inside to a tangible outside has come true...my biggest worry is that something bad will happen.</p>
<p>That's my truth. </p>
<p>Unfounded worry, but that waiting for the other shoe to drop is a hard habit to break.</p>
<p>Bad things happen to all of us, no matter what form they may take. Trips to the doctor, a phone call in the middle of the night, even a refrigerator that stops working when you have no money to fix it. (Did you know you can live sans refrigeration for six months? Real talk. It happened to me...when I had a "real job"). </p>
<p>What I am learning, and really, what the shop was built on, is that a whole pile of bad stuff can turn into something good. The same wake up calls can turn your life into something better when you realize that: living through crappy stuff? And making life better after? That's what substance is. Embracing your struggles, being proud of what you have endured. And accomplished in spite of all. Where there once was bad stuff, there is now substance. Understanding. Because to really live, to really SEE others, you had to go through it.</p>
<p>I know, thanks for the late breaking news. None of this is mind blowing. You already know all of this. But I figured out my rattling around in my head word. </p>
<p>And maybe that worry changes nothing, but substance can change everything.</p>
<p>And that feels pretty dang good.<br><br></p>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">If you are like a whole bunch of people I see on the regular, you want to open a shop. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">An antiques and decor store kinda like </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/PersnicketysAwesomenessEmporium" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">ours</a><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></h3>
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IT WILL BE SO FUN, they say.</div>
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YOU JUST FIND STUFF AND SELL IT, WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL, they say.</div>
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SO WHAT, YOU JUST <b>SLAP</b> SOME PAINT ON OLD STUFF? (my favorite), they say.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jgSp0F8ovAk/U_pdYWXzQ7I/AAAAAAAAAqg/ywgZjgXUPW8/s1600/dogr.io.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jgSp0F8ovAk/U_pdYWXzQ7I/AAAAAAAAAqg/ywgZjgXUPW8/s1600/dogr.io.jpg"></a></div>
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(photo source: doge.io)<br>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Ok.</span></h2>
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Now, don't misunderstand me. I am all about supporting and collaborating with pretty much everyone all the time. </div>
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I believe you can TOTALLY DO ANYTHING! </div>
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Get it! </div>
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But go into it with your eyes wide open. </div>
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Over the last few years of doing this whole thing, I have learned a lot. </div>
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I have so. much. more. to. learn.</div>
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In the meantime, I made this list of things I have experienced that you may not know about owning a shop. </div>
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Your experience may vary.</div>
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Or, if you are a shopkeeper too, feel free to add to it.</div>
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It's a little bit tongue-in-cheek.</div>
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Take it with a grain of salt and a <strike>bottle</strike> glass of wine.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">20 Things You May Not Know About Owning A Shop </span></h3>
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1. You will never have money. At least, not for, well...I don't know when you get the money.</div>
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Look at it this way: if you sell 1000.00 worth of product, you will take home about 6.00 of that. (approximately)</div>
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Let's do the math:</div>
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You spent at least 500.00 for that stuff to start with. Probably more.</div>
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That leaves you with 500.00.</div>
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You will then need to take that 500.00 and spend it on stuff to make the next 1000.00.</div>
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2. See above. And repeat. And repeat. And repeat.</div>
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3. Your "free time" will be spent scouring Craigslist for the one remaining item that doesn't</div>
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A: cost more than the stuff that's in your shop.</div>
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B: involve a drive so lengthy that you need to schedule in a bathroom break, a traffic report, and at least one Slurpee.</div>
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4. Your "free time" will also be spent ordering, procuring, driving, accounting, making things pretty, painting, restocking, paying bills, posting on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, blogging, photographing, pretending you know how to build websites, answering emails, answering the phone, quoting custom work, doing the custom work, delivering, picking up, putting on painting classes, and moving heavy things from one spot to another to another.</div>
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5. If you are somehow doing all of those things and are not physically in your shop for all of the hours of the 7 days a week that you are open, you will hear (say it with me) "You're never here anymore!". Or if you have set up your operating hours so that you are closed in order to do those things, you will hear (sing it loud) "You're always closed!".</div>
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6. Unless you are some sort of robot/trust fund baby, you mind will never stop thinking about work/money. You will have to dig deep to find your awesome sometimes. While you are in there, will you look for the balance?</div>
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7. People will promise you the world and let you down. It happens, things happen. You will live, you will learn. And you will move on. The best of intentions can and will turn out to be just that, so refer to #8.</div>
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8. Get everything in writing! Get it signed. Make copies. Refer the people that signed said documents to the said documents frequently.</div>
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9. Instead of chewing your tongue bloody, learn to be a good, firm communicator. This is something I struggle with. Sometimes people will not like what you say or the way you say it, but you have to be honest.</div>
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10. Somehow, at some point, your very being will piss someone off and out of nowhere someone will be mean to you. You will turn yourself upside down worrying about it. It will happen even if you stand on your head, bend over backwards, are grateful and kind every day, go to church, volunteer your time, it doesn't matter. It just will happen. Yes, it totally sucks. Sorry dude. </div>
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11. Every now and then your blessings will feel like burdens. You won't want to feel that way, but you will. The late nights will take their toll. Get some sleep. Get out of town. Listen to gangsta rap. Whatever. Get yourself right.</div>
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12. There will be some sort of lame political hierarchy in your field of work, your town, your street, your strip mall. Bleh. Who cares. Do you and do your best to lift up the businesses around you.</div>
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13. While you are building your business, you will be stressed out a LOT. When you are most stressed, you will lash out at those you love and appreciate the most. Over two years in, our business is still in the baby stages of being built. Ask Mr. P or Mama P, it is still DEFINITELY a thing that happens. *sorry, guys*</div>
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14. It is hard to live in the moment as a retailer. Thinking of Christmas in June is like 3 months later than other retailers do...ugh. I get NUTS when I hear Christmas music one minute before the day after Thanksgiving. Mr. P loves to randomly turn Pandora to Bing Crosby Christmas radio every now and then just to see my reaction.</div>
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15. Get used to this: being a hero or a zero. One day you will sell, like, everything and it will be awesome and you will be like WHOOO, and then you <b>instantly</b> will be like HOLY CRAP I SOMEHOW HAVE TO FIND STUFF AND PAINT IT ALL AND IT ALL HAS TO BE DONE AND LOADED IN THE SHOP IN SIX HOURS. So you will scramble and scrape and then the next day, not one person will walk in and you will be like OH MY GOD WE ARE GOING TO DIE. I am super not used to this, still, and probably never will be.</div>
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16. Sometimes you will feel like you're on an island made of work. You will have very little social life. Unfortunately, you will lose some friends because of it. Reach out to the others that do the same work as you for commiseration, sharing of small victories. Hold tight to your family and be crazy grateful for them and the folks that stick around while you're building your very, very, tiny empire.</div>
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17. Taxes? SUUUUUUUUUCK. The number one driving force behind this business has always been building something that will take care of our parents. In a close second? Being able to hire a bookkeeper and accountant. Preferably a non-judgy one.</div>
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18. You will be shocked by the kindness of people. Totally blessed in ways you never knew to be possible, by people that you could never even dream of: your customers. That's not even the right word for the awesome beings that are solely responsible for making your dreams come true. (PS, #shoplocal because we really REALLY love you and appreciate you!)</div>
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19. It will be hard not to compare yourself with those around you that are bigger, more stocked, more experienced. As a tiny shop sandwiched between two awesome, larger, more established shops, I have admittedly had beat-myself-up moments about not being where they are. But I have to remember they probably started where I am. I still get pangs of inadequacy, especially when I see their beautiful displays, but then I think about the fact that they have employees. FANCY! </div>
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20. Even though you <strike>will never truly relax ever again </strike>may have a really hard time relaxing, you will feel more gratitude and love in your heart than you ever thought you could. You will feel like part of a community. You will feel proud of yourself, and if you're like me, that is a new kind of feeling. It's amazing and surprising, still. And that makes it all worth it. That feeling runs in the background always, kind of like your shopkeeper soundtrack. Which, if it were an actual soundtrack with actual songs, would probably be sung by Kenny Loggins. </div>
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You will hear it, however faintly, even on those zero days. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-41087105692845028652014-05-16T20:17:00.000-07:002014-05-16T20:17:50.960-07:00When Reviews Attack: Beating MeaniesI have been weighing the idea of writing about this for some time, and while it is kind of scary to open the gates of what could be a flood tide of mean commentary, here goes.<br />
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In typical insomniac fashion, I was Googling along at about 3am when what to my wondering eyes should appear but a review that made my stomach turn and my sphincter clench. (Sorry, I said "sphincter".)<br />
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We have been lucky or fortunate or maybe worked hard, I guess, to be on the receiving end of positive reviews and while I know it's impossible to please everyone all the time, this is the first I have ever actually seen that was, uh, bad. Certainly, no one wants to get a bad review about the small business that they work tirelessly to keep afloat. And surely, as the review is not visible to the public at this point, I would be stupid to bring it up.<br />
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Right?</div>
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Wrong.</div>
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It's a helpless feeling, reading a bad review. It was scathing. </div>
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Mean. </div>
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Here's the rub: it was not about the shop. Which is good. </div>
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It was a personal attack directed at, written for and about...me. AND THAT MEANS I HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT. Well, write about it.</div>
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According to this anonymous individual that specifically set up an account in order to trash someone in her very first review, welcome to:</div>
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<b>WHY I SUCK, A SUMMARY</b></div>
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Key points:</div>
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1. I suck because I am condescending. Pretty much the most condescending person she has ever encountered. Not only does she think so but everyone shopping in the store as well as the merchants on Main Street thinks so too. She checked.</div>
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2. I am a bitch. A "persnickety bitch" to be exact. I am not typing that word as "b*tch" for a specific reason, which you will later see.</div>
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3. Also, even though her daughter bought items at the shop on her visit there, she would not because I am awful.</div>
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That was the gist of the page long review. The gristly gist.</div>
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I thought about this for a long time. It's frustrating. You are powerless when you are attacked personally while under the umbrella of your business. The struggle between what you, your very self, would say or do personally and what you can and should do as a business person is pretty difficult to deal with.</div>
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It's pretty safe to say, if personally attacked, I suffer no fools gladly. That can be read in a variety of ways and they are probably all some version of correct. In business, when you are wrong in a situation, you must make it right. There was no situation to make right in this case. Just kind of a plain, straight, loathing of me as a person. In business, when you are hurt you cannot attack. Your brain works overtime to calm the hackles the heck down and you are left with nothing but your thoughts. </div>
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Could she have seen my typical jokey manner as condescending? Sure. Is it possible that I <i>was </i>condescending? Sure. Anything is possible, and I am 100% human. Do my fellow Main Street merchants think so too? Sure. I will make sure to continue to collect their mail and try to help lift them up via daily talks and texts and shared Facebook posts all the same. Nothing changes.</div>
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Could I be a bitch? Sure. Here is the thing about that. When you make a choice to call someone outside of their name, <b>when a woman with a daughter calls a daughter that has a mother "bitch" as easy as typing some keys while under a cloak of anonymity, well to me that is about as callow a move as a woman can make. </b>When I read that line, I thought of what my sweet and saint-like Mama P would have said. How heartbroken and angry she would be. And I also remembered that what Sally says about Susie (and how she chooses to say it) says more about Sally than it does about Susie. </div>
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I am not even going there with the third part, because, well, that's ok. </div>
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So, while I am not able to change this person's opinion of me I am able to tell you these steps to get over a personal attack review:</div>
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1. <strike>Punch many things</strike>. Nope, nope. Ok. Let's try again.</div>
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1b. Chew the gristle and digest it. Perception is reality so refer to 2.</div>
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2. Make it make you better, kinder.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Utilize it to learn from your shortcomings, and the person writing the review's shortcomings as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Toughen up, buttercup. Don't sink.</span></div>
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4. Internally thank and think on the person that wrote it. You read that right. </div>
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In the words of the great Beyonce:</div>
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<span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">I'm wishin' you the best</span></div>
<span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Pray that you are blessed</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Bring much success, no stress, and lots of happiness</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">(I'm better than that)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5. Realize that opinions are just that, that your value does not need to be shouted from any rooftops to be real and that it does not diminish in the shadow of someone throwing shade.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The bad news is: you can't beat a meanie. And don't join 'em, because life is tooooooo short.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You just can't let 'em beat you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now let's dance around to Beyonce and just get back to work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">XOXO</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-77938965523081295422014-01-06T18:53:00.001-08:002014-01-06T18:53:43.033-08:00Resolution Solution.<p><b>Resolutions stress me out.</b></p>
<p>It is a new year and as is customary, I have been mentally resolutioning. Problem solving.<br>
Making promises to myself that in the past I have stopped keeping after approximately 16 minutes.</p>
<p>So this year, I am not going to click subscribe to all that mess. <br>
I have plenty to improve upon and I will make small manageable changes in order to see some of those little things through.</p>
<p>It feels pretty phenomenal to just not feel monumentally pressured by what we SHOULD be...and embrace what we ARE.</p>
<p>You are pretty freaking amazing. If you choose to improve upon your awesomeness, go and get you some of whatever it is you need.</p>
<p>But you are rad just the way you are.</p>
<p>Enjoy your life and know that you freaking rule.</p>
<p>Happy New Year to THAT!</p>
<p>A week late, because that's how I roll.</p>
<p>Xo,<br>
Mandi<br>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-17359077534664369632013-11-15T00:01:00.001-08:002013-11-15T00:01:03.036-08:00Losing Consciousness, Gaining Perspective. A personal post.<div style="text-align: center;">
It's more than possible, more likely...it's probable.</div>
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At some point, as any kind of business owner or overachiever-y, go-getter-y sort of person...</div>
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at some point you will have a wake up call.</div>
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It will come at the most ridiculous time, you will hate the crap out of it. And if you are very, very, lucky it may not kill you.</div>
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I realized just this very minute that aside from a blog post I wrote for a paint company, I have been silent here on the blog. This is not an indicator of how many words, stories, and anecdotes that are running on a loop in my brain as that loop is constant.</div>
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But since June, the last time I posted here, this little shop of mine has been motoring full speed ahead. I won't bore you with the daily details or constant stress of what it means to run this business the way it is run. </div>
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If you are running a physical shop currently, you already know.</div>
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Everyone is counting on you.</div>
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Your amazing customers, your fantastic designers, employees, family.</div>
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Every email must be answered NOW.</div>
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Every custom job must be completed YESTERDAY.</div>
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The store must be full, so you must find, and buy, and fix, and create.</div>
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You must sell enough to live.</div>
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Your shop is your sole financial support.</div>
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Events must be planned and executed.</div>
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Money must be spent that you don't have to spend because you don't believe in credit cards.</div>
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You have to make miracles happen and you have to do it with a smile.</div>
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And there are unending rewards to this 24 hour a day work. </div>
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Laughs, friendship, being able to pay basic bills, giving back, living a passion. Even winning an award.</div>
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Then suddenly, without warning and like Ralphie as an adult narrates in A Christmas Story:</div>
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<span style="background-color: #fcfae7; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">Oh, life is like that. Sometimes, at the height of our revelries, when our joy is at it's zenith, when all is most right with the world, the most unthinkable disasters descend upon us.</span></div>
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Oh it was not unthinkable really. Or even a disaster.</div>
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It was this:</div>
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Monday we were on television, winning Best of Western Washington...over the moon.</div>
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Friday I was in the emergency room...FML.</div>
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I had been having dizzy spells, falling over, dim vision, confusion...and I thought my bum neck was giving me fits, so I went to see a trusted family friend that happens to be a Chiro. He says to call my doctor. My doctor tells me to not bother coming in but to call an ambulance immediately and go straight to the ER.</div>
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WHAT?</div>
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Now. I know my bad neck is causing my issues. But there is a little bit of worry in my head now. And even more so, I am irritated at the hiccup in my super overly filled day.</div>
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SO instead of calling the ambulance, I called my husband to pick me up where I was...a decidedly cheaper and less ridiculous option. </div>
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Moments later I found myself with an IV in one arm while making lists for the next day's holiday open house on my cell phone with my other hand, going over staffing and organizing the logistics with my mom and my husband who were in the room with me.</div>
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What? There's sh*t to do! (This is me not "getting" it)</div>
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The tests start and they wheel me in to have my MRI. In the claustrophobic nightmare that is the MRI machine, during the clanking, bonking, and visions of how I was going to do six hours of missed work in the morning...I nodded off. </div>
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First time I rested in over a year.</div>
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Then I woke up, was sat up slowly by the large MRI tester dude, and promptly passed right out. Cold.</div>
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Weird.</div>
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Then the CT scan. Super short, easy peasy test.</div>
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A nurse on either side of me, they sat me up.</div>
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The room spun and I passed out. Again.</div>
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And then...panic. I cried my eyes out. Not because I was embarrassed, well maybe a little. </div>
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I was not in control.</div>
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And that was not ok.</div>
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I started to think very bad thoughts.</div>
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Regardless, I was sprung from the hospital a few hours later with some pills, some referrals, thankful of course...yet no less worried about the event in the morning and the hours I missed by being a jagaloon stuck in the ER.</div>
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STILL NOT GETTING IT!!!</div>
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The event was awesome, thanks to the help of my buddy Denniel, who also stopped everything to work while we were all having our little surprise hospital interlude. I owe her a lot. I owe a lot of people a lot. Thank you to Denniel, my Mama, the husband, and everyone that answered my frantic call for help to keep the shop open while we were gone.</div>
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I am telling you all of this because gaining perspective could have come at a much higher price, and I am sort of just now "getting" it.</div>
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Self care is last on my list, and I am sure I am not the only one of us who can say that.</div>
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Your brain never stops but your body makes the determination that stopping is all that can be done.</div>
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I have control issues.</div>
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Sound familiar?</div>
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Creating boundaries between work and self is hard when your work is your whole self. </div>
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My drive comes from wanting to create something that makes people happy, and more so to support my family. More than ANYTHING I want to be able to take care of our folks when they get old. Help the designers and contributors to the shop support their families. That's why I can't stop. That's why I have to control and be IN IT every single second of the day. </div>
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Because it's too important. Too important to lose. But that means I gotta get right.</div>
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I want to enjoy every blessed minute of it. But I need to choose those minutes more wisely.</div>
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So, I am making myself accountable by writing down some things I know I must work on and will share them with you. Maybe there are things here you may find helpful, or ridiculous.</div>
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Either way.</div>
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1. Don't stop working hard. But do it during set work hours, whatever you decide those hours are.</div>
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2. DO NOT WORK during one full day a week.</div>
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3. Create rules for health, and keep them. Mental health included.</div>
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4. Exercise. (PS: I NEED A PERSONAL TRAINER. That will work for, um, painted furniture? )</div>
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5. Ask others to be respectful of your choices and your time.</div>
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6. SAY NO. Sometimes. And kindly.</div>
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7. Communicate your needs and trust those who are there to work to do the work.</div>
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8. Fulfill your dreams and goals in a way that won't kill you.</div>
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9. Create genius things even if you are the only one that loves them for no other reason than the joy you get from seeing them come to life.</div>
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10. Never stop thanking God and those you love.</div>
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11. Love the living crap out of everyone of all kinds of kinds.</div>
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12. Once in a while just blow your own dang mind.</div>
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12. And just calm the F down, already.</div>
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Thank you for being awesome and reading this. Thank you to the moon for your friendship and support of not only the shop, but all of us in it. Without you, there is absolutely no us. Thank you.</div>
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XOXO</div>
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Mandi</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-83646174286742425732013-06-26T22:20:00.002-07:002013-06-26T22:20:25.734-07:00Looking to Consign in a Shop? Read This.<div style="text-align: center;">
So you have been painting for a while and have decided to take the plunge into consignment. </div>
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This is happening out there quite a bit apparently, as the number one question that I get asked on a daily basis is some form of this:</div>
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"How do I consign in your shop?".</div>
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There is nothing wrong with asking this, of course, but as we all know...it's not always <i>what</i> you say but <i>how</i> you say it. </div>
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I can't speak for other owners, but here are some tips from the other side of our counter.</div>
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The thing to have foremost in your mind is that you are attempting to sell yourself and your product. Act like it by treating the conversation as such and following some of these guidelines:</div>
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1. Introduce yourself. Whether via email or in person, introduce yourself! Who are you? </div>
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2. What do you do? Again, whether by email or in person, show your product. Have your portfolio ready. Send it if you are emailing your request to consign.</div>
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3. Show interest in the shop you are asking to sell your product out of. Know something about the place. Come in a time or two.</div>
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4. Be polite. ...Duh.</div>
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5. Check your timing. Ask if this is a good time to discuss your line. For example, a busy special event is not the best time to approach a harried owner about what she can do for you. Introduce yourself and express your interest in coming back at a more opportune time. This goes a LONG way. Trust me.</div>
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Now these five things seem extremely basic but literally these things have happened only a handful of times. In all of the times I have been asked. Not surprisingly, those few people are now designers here. </div>
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Every shop is different. We, for example, don't do typical consignment. I personally have three main furniture designers aside from myself that contribute to the shop and a rotation of local artists that contribute their wall pieces, jewelry, soap, and other items. Our lineup of contributing designers are part of the family, and I like to keep it small. Our shop is small, and we want to invest in a few people that we know well. It's about the stuff, of course, but even more so about the relationships we have with our family of contributors. You can have the prettiest stuff in all the land, but if you don't show, don't follow up, and show no interest or support in the business we are building...no thanks! That may sound harsh, but this is not a one way street. It's a partnership, and will be no matter where you go.</div>
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When you start hitting the shops looking for a place to call home, make sure you are prepared and do your homework. This is a business, ya'll, and there are a lot of people doing it. Make sure you talk to others that consign, get a feel for the general environment. Set your sights on where you want to be and set yourself apart from the crowd by following the five tips. Build your brand on a foundation of not just great work, but your business prowess and willingness to be a valued member of a shop's family. </div>
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Now, get on out there and wow 'em!</div>
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XO</div>
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Mandi</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-75509702049439381572013-06-18T21:19:00.000-07:002013-06-18T22:13:55.050-07:00Bullies: Turds in the Punch Bowl<div style="text-align: center;">
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Disclaimer: I use the word TURD in this post. If the title has already upset you, please do not read on.<br />
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You and I both know, it only takes one person to ruin it for everyone else. I call this unwelcome person "The Turd in the Punch Bowl". You may call them lots of things, and the word "bully" might be one of them. <br />
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I will spare you the majority of the gory details behind why I'm choosing to share this post, but if you're a painter you might guess. For those of you who don't know, a paint company is claiming trademark infringement on many small businesses and painters for using certain descriptive words. Um. What? Can you imagine losing your livelihood over something like that? Those two five-letter words rhyme with "talk" and "saint" and describe the texture or nature of a type of paint with certain additives. For that, you must PAY. Apparently. (UPDATE: this is not happening to us and God forbid it does, but it is something happening to many folks and we wish it wasn't.)<br />
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This is not something I will discuss further publicly. I'm not saying the words. I am not even typing the words. I mean, my husband and I work <b>here</b>. This is all we have. There is no other job to help support us. People are getting their Facebook pages taken away, their blogs, their Etsy stores...their businesses are being taken away from them. This is actually happening to people. For the use of those two five-letter words.<br />
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I have run into a small-time bully or two since starting this business and even they suck the life right out of you. You are swimming in the calm cool blue waters of the awesomeness you created, your very soul poured into every minute your eyes are open each day, and out of nowhere you get kamikaze jellyfish stung by a turdy bully. It could be someone you trust, a total stranger, or even one of the big names of the decorative painting industry. It happens in this and in any business. It happens all over the place all the time. People have insecurities that lead them to a life of turd-dom. They try to squash others with their clout, money...sure, they CAN do this thing in order to help themselves but SHOULD they? When it destroys others? <br />
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Let me share a personal story about being bullied. Gather around.<br />
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Way, way, waaay back before Mean Girls was even a glimmer in a director's eye, I was tormented and bullied in high school. From the middle of Junior year on. I was not unattractive. Didn't bother anyone too much. I was a Diamond Girl for the Seattle Mariners for crying out loud. That just made me more unlikable to these people. Like these businesses, my sheer existence was enough to make the bullies mad. The very idea of me was was apparently so horrible to others that my mom had to use her sister's last name on her checks (remember when people had checks?) for fear people would recognize our last name and find out where I lived. By the end of my senior year, a school counselor walked me to my afternoon classes. That's not horrible at ALL. Thanks to the administration taking these ridiculous steps and my true friends I graduated high school...though I missed more school than I attended. But I didn't ask for the way I was treated. These innocent businesses aren't asking for it either. Was I called names because I was darker skinned, was my hair pulled because I looked a certain way? I don't know. I do know that it scarred my whole life for many years and the way I viewed others for a long, long time. Not to mention the way I viewed myself. Still do sometimes.<br />
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Those early experiences and later experiences with negative turds in the workplace drove me to cultivate a positive business of my own. I would guess many others have done the same thing for similar reasons. When I opened the shop I thought, "I refuse to let anything that is not positive enter this space". Easier said than done but we try.<br />
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My heart hurts that people may lose their livelihoods for using two five-letter words. The decision to do this comes from the top, and puts the retailers of the product who are also small business owners in a weird space. They do not get to decide these things and should not suffer the repercussions. This decision comes from a place of ugliness. Not business. And it needs to halt.<br />
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If bullying of this or any kind is happening to you: most importantly, you must know that you are worth far more than silence. ALSO REMEMBER THIS: before you ask these people if they ate bowls full of paint chips as children, or before you become the hysterical lunatic harpy no one wants to be around, use your adult words. And honestly, I am guilty of not always using my adult words. Like, really guilty. Example: the excessive use of the word "turd".<br />
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There are so many wonderful people in this business and in this life and in this world. I have reached out to so many...asked them questions, answered theirs. Do the same. Don't let one bully ruin you, tarnish your view, stunt your life. Reach out to the others. I did and I owe so many so very many thanks. I am consistently surprised at the goodness and kindness of others, and just as surprised when people are not who they say they are. I could and should be more adept at reading people but I'm not. I believe people are good. And I won't let my "I was a bullied kid" past change that. Don't change your positive ways either...just don't say the word TURD, it's disgusting. Or two five-letter words that rhyme with "talk" and "saint".<br />
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If you are being bullied, no matter your age or circumstances, please know this: It is not your fault. Reach out for help. You'd be surprised who has been there and is willing to lend a hand. <br />
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Keep being awesome and stay out of the punch bowl, k?<br />
Mandi<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-65258946517627236982013-05-20T22:12:00.001-07:002013-05-20T22:12:56.494-07:00Paint Dating and Finding THE ONE<div style="text-align: center;">
Over the last year I have made it a point to date every paint. Experienced and experimented with every brand on the market. Was a total paint ho. I even dated brands that weren't on the market yet. All in the interest of using and perhaps even selling the very best I could find. Marrying a line, so to speak.</div>
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I dated so many hardware store brands, fancypants brands, totally unheard of brands. I tried them all. I dated their waxes, their topcoats, their glazes.</div>
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There were a few that I liked and dated off and on, more that I settled on, and many more that were a one-time thing.</div>
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I mean, Persnickety's is our name and when it comes to products...well, the name fits.</div>
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Persnickety's paint test checklist:</div>
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Must cover evenly and quickly with no more than 2 coats (3 for whites, yellows, and reds).</div>
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Must be true, vivid color in a rad palette.</div>
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Little to no prep required.</div>
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Must be hearty and very scratch resistant.</div>
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Beautiful luminescent finish, no latex gumminess allowed.</div>
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Wax must spread easily and be easily buffed.</div>
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There are more requirements but I won't bore you with those.</div>
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I went from shop to shop and read everything there was to read and invested time into each paint's ingredients and MSDS (material safety data sheets).</div>
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So while I found lines that worked well in some ways, they didn't work well for me in other ways.</div>
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The pie in the sky dream was to find THE ONE. The marrying kind.</div>
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One that had all the aspects of other lines that I liked but ALSO was all natural, with no VOC's (volatile organic compounds), no cancer causing agents, no toxins, and was no stank.</div>
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The stank of the waxes, man. </div>
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Like Stetson, Drakkar Noir, and gasoline mixed together.</div>
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STANKY.</div>
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I needed something I could paint and wax with during store hours and in client homes. Before you ask if I've tried this brand or that brand of this paint or that wax the answer is yes. Yes, I have, and didn't like it.</div>
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And then...and only then, through absolute happenstance and an introduction from a mutual friend...it happened.</div>
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True. Love.</div>
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THE ONE.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5wID0EQzWjY/UZrwg4XwELI/AAAAAAAAAdI/hKbgYNEVhIc/s1600/482256_385358978238641_2007575124_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5wID0EQzWjY/UZrwg4XwELI/AAAAAAAAAdI/hKbgYNEVhIc/s400/482256_385358978238641_2007575124_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I tried it. It coated an unprepped antique piece in a vintage white (Home Plate is the color name) in one coat with a little touch up. Unheard of, I thought to myself. Ok. So I started waxing and held my breath out of pure habit. Then I breathed in. Stuck it up my nose. Made out with it a little. Just kidding. Kinda.</div>
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The wax. Has. No stank. Beautifulness.</div>
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Mom kept pointing at things in the shop.</div>
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Wax this, she said. Now wax that.</div>
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I did. It was amazing. Even Mom (who is admittedly not easy to impress and believe me I know this is a proven fact) was amazed.</div>
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I did the fingernail scratch test. The paint does not scratch off prior to wax, is even more hearty post wax.</div>
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It's all natural. Waxes included.</div>
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Somebody get me a settee and some smelling salts because I am SWOONING.</div>
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I'd have been happy to buy this from a local seller, but no one close was selling it yet.</div>
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Um. Do we take the plunge? Go all the way?</div>
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We talked about it, prayed about it. </div>
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Quickly, because I like it fast. Ahem.</div>
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The baseball obsessed husband looked at the color palette and in his ever awesomeness said, "They have a color called Home Plate and one called Home Turf. It's meant to be".</div>
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Well, there ya have it.</div>
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Persnickety's is bringing in this line of amazingness!!!!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FttyqKLGTJQ/UZryhmZE8wI/AAAAAAAAAdg/kMNXMyZuZqk/s1600/944203_339697916132898_1552213555_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FttyqKLGTJQ/UZryhmZE8wI/AAAAAAAAAdg/kMNXMyZuZqk/s400/944203_339697916132898_1552213555_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The color palette is amazeballs rad. It's made of chalk, clay, and minerals. Non toxic and all that jazz. </div>
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AND there is a true black. </div>
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Waxes in clear, light, and dark.</div>
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A water resistant top coat for even more protection (tabletops, ya'll!).</div>
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Gilding agents and cleaning agents to come soon.</div>
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We'll be carrying the entire line and it is coming REALLY SOON.</div>
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Like, a week'ish.</div>
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SWOOOOOON.</div>
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Quarts are 34.00</div>
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Sample pots are 8.00</div>
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Wax and Topcoat Prices TBA</div>
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We will also be carrying wax brushes Prices TBA</div>
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The line will also be available in our online shop as soon as we get it in!</div>
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If you think, ooh that's kinda expensive, check this out:</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xCl17lF1EuY/UZr4hcFV86I/AAAAAAAAAdw/85RMBBBUfMY/s1600/228482_339184109517612_223921853_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xCl17lF1EuY/UZr4hcFV86I/AAAAAAAAAdw/85RMBBBUfMY/s400/228482_339184109517612_223921853_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I painted this dresser with one and a half <b>sample pots</b>. And not one moment of prep.</div>
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Time saver. Paint saver. No stank....oops, fan me...I'm swooning again.</div>
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I'm in love and that does not happen easily. I'm persnickety, don't ya know? Ask my actual husband.</div>
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Stay tuned on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PersnicketysAwesomenessEmporium" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> for updates on the line, you'll know the minute it arrives!!!</div>
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Got questions? Shoot 'em my way!</div>
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PS: My love is my own as are my opinions on other paints. There's a paint out there for everyone and everything. True artists are not one trick ponies. I will always utilize the paint called for by each individual piece and every specific job. American Paint Company is the line I choose to offer after 365 days of dating dozens of potential suitors. This is a huge decision and not one taken lightly. I cannot wait for you to try it and see for yourself! </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-22520610101771035582013-05-02T17:49:00.004-07:002014-08-16T23:16:44.782-07:00Luka and Lara.<div style="text-align: center;">
There are eleventy-hundred things to price in the shop, and eleventy-hundred more things to do but while loading pieces and helping lovely folks, my mind and heart are stuck. I gotta write it out.</div>
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Here's the long and short of it. I have a friend named Lara. We met while volunteering for the same dog rescue a few years ago. She is the most passionate, true to her word, down and dirty, heart of gold, snarky, opinionated, driven, selfless, smart and kind person I have ever met. The hardest working twenty-something I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. She works and lives dog rescue 24 hours a day. Everyday. It's just who she is. Through and through. </div>
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Ok, so Lara has four dogs. Two are rescues she adopted. These guys: </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p_bu7V99SXY/UYLkTsqlaYI/AAAAAAAAAa0/OUPpyuz-Geo/s1600/peter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p_bu7V99SXY/UYLkTsqlaYI/AAAAAAAAAa0/OUPpyuz-Geo/s320/peter.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
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Peter.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNd_g7Um6fw/UYLkVkdtKiI/AAAAAAAAAa8/hgjvRanIRVk/s1600/chachacharlie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNd_g7Um6fw/UYLkVkdtKiI/AAAAAAAAAa8/hgjvRanIRVk/s320/chachacharlie.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
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Charlie.</div>
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They are darling, no?</div>
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Well, Lara has these two <b>other</b> dogs that she is the full time mama for. </div>
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She rescued these guys. Because of her, they are happy and loved.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B4ErbluM4ps/UYLliidI4cI/AAAAAAAAAbI/TH4Fv6NmnCE/s1600/lukachurch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B4ErbluM4ps/UYLliidI4cI/AAAAAAAAAbI/TH4Fv6NmnCE/s320/lukachurch.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
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Meet Churchill on the right, and Luka on the left.</div>
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They are also adorable, no?</div>
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They are also dying.</div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChurchillThePolarBear" target="_blank">Churchill the Polar Bear:</a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TyXcGV8GmYw/UYLmLBtPFhI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/2iQl8BSVPz0/s1600/larachurch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TyXcGV8GmYw/UYLmLBtPFhI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/2iQl8BSVPz0/s320/larachurch.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
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His heart is too big and he will not live a long time. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChurchillThePolarBear/photos_stream" target="_blank">So he has a bucket list</a>. Here he is with Lara, enjoying #11: Eating at a restaurant. </div>
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Fortunately, Church has no known pain or symptoms from his illness, he just has to be pretty lazy and thankfully, that's no prob for him.</div>
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Unbearably and unfairly his life will be cut short. But Lara and Co are making sure he has the best time during his time and many people have joined in to help.</div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Luka-aka-Lougie-Bear/131643910360749?fref=ts" target="_blank">Luka</a> is a bit different.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5PA9HGqS9QE/UYLoswD3zlI/AAAAAAAAAbs/j7_lbpTncoo/s1600/laraluka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5PA9HGqS9QE/UYLoswD3zlI/AAAAAAAAAbs/j7_lbpTncoo/s320/laraluka.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
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And I mean on top of sleeping on Lara's head nightly...</div>
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At his vet appointment today, Luka was diagnosed with stage 4 renal disease. He is only 17 months old. The best times in his life have been spent with Lara, the times he has felt the love and devotion that every dog deserves. And now she must lose him too. </div>
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He also feels sick sometimes, is not well without help, and she must watch this.</div>
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This is so bad and makes me cry constantly.</div>
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He may have less time than Church. He needs much support and on the double to extend his life by a year, two, or three. He needs proper nutrition, and his fluids are 60.00 per day alone. This is the post I read on Luka's page today:</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">My fluids alone at $60 a day will be around $1800 a month, not including my special diet, </span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">medication, and continual blood work (every 2 months.)<br>My people are very very sad today, but I'm just happily laying on my bed chewing on a bone - giving kisses to anyone who comes in the office.<br>As my health declines my medical bills will increase, and my friends could really use some help taking care of me.<br>Even if you can't donate please share my story, every dollar helps!!</span></div>
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<b>This is what I saw on Lara's facebook today:</b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XzOHZaVA8Zg/UYLsTaHWYAI/AAAAAAAAAb8/3CLDAo_g04A/s1600/breakin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XzOHZaVA8Zg/UYLsTaHWYAI/AAAAAAAAAb8/3CLDAo_g04A/s320/breakin.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
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<b><i>Breakin my heart, kiddo.</i></b></div>
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<b><i><br></i></b></div>
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<b>So.</b></div>
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<b>I can't stand it. My heart is broken for Lara and Luka.</b></div>
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<b>Can we do something please?</b></div>
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<b>For them??</b></div>
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Here is a list of things you can do in 3 minutes or less:</div>
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Like Luka on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Luka-aka-Lougie-Bear/131643910360749?fref=ts" target="_blank">click here</a>.</div>
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Share Luka on Facebook.</div>
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Share this blog post.</div>
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If you can, please donate.</div>
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Donate any amount of money...1 dollar, 5 dollars....to Luka's care.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fv1NDeQt9Jg/UYLoATy0IsI/AAAAAAAAAbk/6yRpj7-nnLc/s1600/luka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fv1NDeQt9Jg/UYLoATy0IsI/AAAAAAAAAbk/6yRpj7-nnLc/s320/luka.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
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Luka has never met a dog he didn't love.</div>
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How many of us can say that about our fellow people?</div>
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Will saving Luka or helping him live the life he deserves change a crazy, messed-up world?</div>
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Nope.</div>
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But it will change his world.</div>
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And you will feel good about this.</div>
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And you will be happier for doing this good thing.</div>
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And you will inspire someone else to do a good thing.</div>
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You will help a rescuer have hope so she can continue to change the world for all of us that are weak and cry at their desk while writing a blog post.</div>
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Lara has no idea I am writing this.</div>
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This is because I love her and who she is and what she does. </div>
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I get positive reinforcement all day long from the sweetest people in the world: you guys.</div>
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I want all of that to go to Lara. </div>
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She is a hero. I just paint and sell stuff and write silliness on Facebook.</div>
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Be a hero for Luka and Lara today. Please?</div>
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Luka and his buddies will thank you:</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jIKc7VN0-dA/UYMGrtHMIQI/AAAAAAAAAcM/W87Ao0A5PLs/s1600/loog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jIKc7VN0-dA/UYMGrtHMIQI/AAAAAAAAAcM/W87Ao0A5PLs/s320/loog.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
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Me too.</div>
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XO,</div>
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Mandi<br><br>Update:<br>August 16, 2014<br><br>Lara's Luka made the trip to heaven in the early morning hours of <br>August 15th, 2014. <br><br>Peacefully and surrounded by his mama and aunties who loved him so.<br><br>I was so lucky to get to meet this boy who stole my heart this last <br>January. <br>I cried all the way home, thinking his time was near.<br><br>7 more months he rallied. His kidneys failed him but he had the heart of a champion. <br><br>Thank you for the generous donations and love you sent when <br>Luka needed them. <br>Please send your good thoughts, condolences, and strength to <br>Lara and <br>The Churchill Foundation family as they continue their amazing work.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-65656481996452938582013-04-12T17:54:00.001-07:002013-04-12T17:54:20.816-07:00The New Kid and Retail RealitiesNot unlike pre-Miyagi Ralph Macchio in The Karate Kid, I'm the new kid on the block and feeling it.<div>
Those of you who moved a lot in your adolescent school years know what I mean...You may have been the most popular kid at your old school but you may as well just hope for the apocalypse the first few days/weeks at your new school, as it's quite possibly a more acceptable option in that moment than the feeling of being "new".</div>
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I don't just embrace change I actively seek it, so the pre-Miyagi phase of moving the shop to a new town has swept the leg, Johnny. Crept up on me like an unwelcome Karate Kid reference. Since the hubbub of a successful warehouse sale, the truly amazing Hope Helpers event, the move, the setup of the new shop, and an overwhelmingly awesome grand opening has ended, now I am left feeling...less than regular. It's slow. AND it's new. SO. It must be that it's slow because it's new, right? That equates to feeling unsure and uneasy. Add that with a lot of painting to do and a slow week of sales and here I am sniffing my armpits and asking, "Does this smell like desperation to you?"</div>
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This is when I get "super sensey-poo", as my husband calls it. I can't control the volume of my voice when I say hello, I think everyone hates my stuff. You see, as a retailer trying to grow and support a family...when I'm not balls to the wall busy, I start to think a lunatic's thoughts. You suck, no one loves you, why are you so repulsive to others, here's what you could or should be doing differently, your ideas are dumb, you're weird, all of your clothes are ugly, you're a hack. Not thoughts: it's the week prior to taxes being due. The weather sucks. Others are slow this week. It's RETAIL, stupid! Duh...you know this!</div>
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And I do. I have been here before. Let us travel back in time to Memorial Day weekend 2012. The shop had been open for a couple of weeks and I had planned a big 3 day extravaganza for the holiday, starting on Friday afternoon with Happy Hour. Mom and Denniel were there, we had the wine out, the food out, the store all cute...and know how many people showed? Think less than one. Zero. I cried. It was a sense of disappointment and embarrassment I had not experienced since I was a little kid. And by little kid, I mean high school (high school was awful). I cried at the shop, I cried in the car on the way home, at home, and I cried on the way in to work on Saturday. On Saturday, not one person walked in the door. </div>
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So I closed the shop and kept it closed for a few days. Surely no one would miss the rest of my Memorial Day spectacular. They didn't.</div>
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But.</div>
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The next week? We had a wonderful new customer come all the way from Marysville, she bought out the place and became not only our savior, but a very good friend. The next week? I sold my first big painted piece. Met two designers that became integral parts of our shop, painted out and got a ton of gorgeous inventory in, we were featured in a blog, the shop started to look like something. Looking back on it now...that's when lots of good things started happening.</div>
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The point is, retail is a fickle broad. She will start out with a slammed door in your face. And then smother you with kisses to make it all better right before she kicks you in the chest. It's a roller coaster ride. And it takes time. It really does, even when your bills are like, "yeah, you're kinda outta time". Or your family is like, "ehhhh...how is THIS gonna go"...just keep on going. I know all of these things. But being in this new and totally better location still gives me pause. I catch myself wondering if I would be busier IN MY OLD LOCATION BETWEEN A POT DISPENSARY AND A GHETTO HAIR SALON. Lunatic thoughts. See? Told you.</div>
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So though I would rather it just be easy, I know it was hard and it still is. The friends, the godsends, they make it worth it. The "I brought you wine and a custom order" sweethearts that own your building that you love like family already, the "I left my shop and came down to your shop because I know you needed a laugh today" love of a friend, the sweet words and encouragement of others, the texts, the husband dropping off the Antiques sign I've wanted for months (that my auntie bought for the shop), there's so much that is good. It doesn't pay the bills during the slow times, but it makes you feel rich.</div>
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So maybe this weekend will be another Memorial Day 2012 massacre. Can't help it. It's retail. It's a slow week. I'll survive somehow. I don't suck, I'm weird in a good way, and ya know what? Sunday I am taking the whole day off. Hopefully not to cry all day, but hey, we'll see what the fickle broad brings us tomorrow!</div>
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I sure do love this place, and you guys. You're all Miyagi's in my book.</div>
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XO</div>
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Mandi-san</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-12177654696730046952013-03-12T23:14:00.003-07:002013-03-12T23:21:03.769-07:00Stuck Like Bruce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RP70ddbCxvg/UUAEuEu_swI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/0CxvDnY4bkQ/s1600/182215_1803445253381_2815350_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RP70ddbCxvg/UUAEuEu_swI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/0CxvDnY4bkQ/s400/182215_1803445253381_2815350_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is Bruce.</div>
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Yes, we have a dog named Bruce. He came to us by accident from Taiwan.</div>
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Three years ago, a few months after adopting a Taiwan street dog puppy into our home, I went to the airport to pick up a foster dog named Bruce that didn't have a place to go. His name alone made me yearn to bring him home, and the reluctant husband reluctantly agreed I could do so.</div>
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There were about 10 dogs that made the flight to be adopted and 9 of them were sweet and cute. The last one was covered in scars, foaming at the mouth, chomping like he was working a piece of bubble gum, and growling at everyone that came near. The tag on his crate said "Bruce". </div>
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The thought in my head was "oh, shit".</div>
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I waited til all the other dogs had been released from their assigned kennels and approached Bruce, cutting off the rope tied around the kennel. He didn't growl. Good deal! Ok, the real test is opening the kennel door, because that means I have to put the leash on before he tries to bite me or bolts through Sea Tac.</div>
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I opened the door while sitting astride it, and without eye contact, clipped his leash to his collar.</div>
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Then he walked out and looked up at me.</div>
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He hadn't peed in his kennel which means he needed desperately to have a potty, so I started to walk. Bruce, though, was stuck. He stood there, paralyzed. I petted him lightly and talked to him a bit. Nothing. Pulled a tiny bit. Nope. Then I had an idea. I told him, "Let's go for it, buddy". And I booked it toward the door, running as fast as my chunk would allow. </div>
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It worked! He ran right beside me. Unstuck.</div>
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Right through the scary slippery floored airport, through the horrifying automatic doors, out into the cold night air with bellowing buses all around us. A long pee later, we walked back into the airport together and went home. As it turned out, Bruce was a foster fail...which is dog rescue speak for "we kept his crazy ass". That's a longer story.</div>
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Bruce had distemper as a puppy, and somehow lived through it even though he was likely abandoned when he became ill. The residual symptom of the distemper is the gum chomping jaw tic, which is constant. How he lived through distemper, I haven't the first clue. How he lived for years through the likely hell that was his survival on the very mean streets of Taiwan, I also haven't a clue. Though the scars (and missing part of his ear) tell some of his story, we all know appearances are easily misjudged.</div>
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We kept him.</div>
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Even though as we left the airport he took the poop of a lifetime in the passenger seat of my car as I was paying for parking.</div>
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Even though three years since that day he still gets stuck sometimes, when he feels scared or something is new. He is our weird wacky awesome Brucey boy. He still foams at the mouth at times. He sheds fur like it's his one and only sole purpose in life. He, in the last six months, has really begun to play and enjoy toys.</div>
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When he bursts into the room and throws a disembowled stuffed animal in the air it's a joy to see.</div>
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He likes the beach...</div>
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even when his face gets muddy.</div>
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Bruce has a little brother</div>
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and a BIG older sister</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-49FbyiMwPkc/UUASNA376MI/AAAAAAAAAaM/KXA87sKiU5E/s1600/26109_1394882999580_7496190_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-49FbyiMwPkc/UUASNA376MI/AAAAAAAAAaM/KXA87sKiU5E/s320/26109_1394882999580_7496190_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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and parents that love his imperfectly perfect self. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lv11ZxLmf-w/UUASm1upwRI/AAAAAAAAAaU/xvNwC3d3KoQ/s1600/63874_1578125940539_6464976_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lv11ZxLmf-w/UUASm1upwRI/AAAAAAAAAaU/xvNwC3d3KoQ/s320/63874_1578125940539_6464976_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We all gladly accept his quirks, even when he does things like this:</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_bz_U4Flxn4/UUATSfRy8_I/AAAAAAAAAag/AY4UalaY8gQ/s1600/30051_1428820768003_3364371_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_bz_U4Flxn4/UUATSfRy8_I/AAAAAAAAAag/AY4UalaY8gQ/s320/30051_1428820768003_3364371_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And it was possible because he bravely took that first step, that forward motion toward his new life. </div>
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And he trusted me.</div>
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I spent today feeling stuck like Bruce was three years ago, because the slippery airport floor leading to the new shop's opening has so many obstacles and work, and craziness, and, and, and. So much to do, more than I could ever fully describe, so many more worries than I could ever admit to, all keeping me right outside the kennel door and afraid to make the run toward my own new life. Making me stuck like Bruce, because it's all kinds of scary on the way there. Now I have a long way to go in a short amount of time. And I have to trust me, too. </div>
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So. Writing is my outlet, I feel better now. And my weird dog is my hero.</div>
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At this very moment Bruce is on the recliner with me, staring at me and chomping away...waiting for me to be done with this. Well, buddy. Let's go for it.</div>
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<i>The last day we will be open at our Pacific location is Friday March 22nd, and then you can find us at Hope Helpers on March 24th, and in our new Sumner digs on Thursday, April 4th.</i></div>
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<i>Phew.</i></div>
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<i>See you!</i></div>
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<i>xoxo</i></div>
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<i>Mandi</i></h2>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-55493647048698457362013-02-18T19:48:00.001-08:002013-03-07T01:18:38.154-08:00Seeing Beyond The Dot<div style="text-align: center;">
There's so much going on with the shop move and all of the meetings, emails, planning, and oh yeah, painting, that I am feeling a bit like a spaz. Going with the flow is crucial as is compartmentalizing and scheduling priorities, but to be completely honest here...I've been feeling a little like this:</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yGSSu6k9yLY/USLhHrmDefI/AAAAAAAAAYk/p6VbiXZlqcc/s1600/538274_4936374485084_2053268015_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yGSSu6k9yLY/USLhHrmDefI/AAAAAAAAAYk/p6VbiXZlqcc/s320/538274_4936374485084_2053268015_n.jpg" width="209" /></a><br />
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In times like these I revert to my nighttime vigil. I'm a reader. Instead of downloading a good book on the Kindle, I instead lay there in the dark and research everything til a million o'clock in the morning. </div>
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Lately it's Google Fest 2013. I will Google anything and everything, reading blogs of others in this business, products, self-help tips, whatever my all-over-the-place brain wants to see. Like, it's sick. </div>
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When Google is your life coach you may need to re-evaluate some things, right? Don't judge (wink). </div>
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My vigil usually ends around 3am or so, once I am full to the brim and feel like I learned something new or saw something from a different perspective.</div>
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I've needed some perspective lately as we are building toward the crescendo of moving both our residence and the shop in the same month.</div>
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Yup.</div>
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But, when opportunity knocks you don't squawk about the timing.</div>
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You answer the door and greet the challenge.</div>
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And now that the time is coming and it's real...my inner voice is being kind of a jerk.</div>
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Doubt is creeping in.</div>
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Am I good enough? Can we do this? Will we be ready? What will happen? Will everything be awesome? Will it look like amateur hour? Will we make friends? Am I worthy? Am I making a mistake? How will it be? </div>
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And let us not forget:</div>
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People are counting on you, so don't screw this up.</div>
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*I know that there are many people that think those are thoughts best kept to myself. But I'm a regular person with fears and doubts. I'm not going to hide behind the "I'm a fearless business owner" thing. Or some asinine idea that I'm perfect, always have the answers and am without flaws. That's not me. I identify with real. I identify with others that know themselves and are true to that. I'd much rather be imperfect than boring, after all.*</div>
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Back to my nightly Google vigil. I found something (that I'm sure a jillion people other than myself are familiar with) that resonated.</div>
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I'm paraphrasing it, but basically the idea is this:</div>
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A professor stands at a chalkboard in front of a class and wordlessly makes a dot on the chalkboard.</div>
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He then asks the class what they see.</div>
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In unison, everyone says, "A dot!".</div>
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He asks if everyone agrees. And they do. Because it's a dot, right?</div>
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Duh.</div>
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He then asks if they see the classroom, the chalkboard, the person in front of them, the ceiling, the floor....</div>
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Simple. But blew my mind.</div>
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I have to see the big picture, not what my jerky inner voice tells me, not what is put right in front of my face, not the distractions, not the doubts, not what someone else wants me to see. The whole picture. </div>
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Pretty simple, right?</div>
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Seeing beyond the dot.</div>
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I can get with that.</div>
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Here's part of the big picture:</div>
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The new shop will be located at 1117 Main Street in the amazingness that is Downtown Sumner, Washington.</div>
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Opening weekend is the first weekend in april.</div>
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Our hours will be Tuesday-Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday 12-4</div>
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Typing that just made me smile. </div>
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The picture is getting clearer and I can't wait to see all of you in it!</div>
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XO</div>
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Mandi</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-30865497919338644632013-02-11T00:15:00.001-08:002013-02-11T00:53:14.867-08:00Oregon Coast Pickin' and Regrouping<div style="text-align: center;">
Things have been pretty awesomely wild and crazy the last few weeks here at the shop. </div>
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I signed the lease at our dream location on Main Street in Sumner (grand opening April 5th-7th!), which is the thrill of a lifetime and I'm so excited to get there! Lots to do and plan. The warehouse clearance sale we had was an unexpectedly fantastic success, and we've had quite a few painting classes as well. At the same time, we're packed to the hilt with more custom orders than we've ever had at one time, and on top of trying to stay on top of those and restocking the shop...things are, um, BUSY.</div>
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We'll be at the Hope Helpers Spring Soiree Benefit Bazaar on March 24th in full traveling show form, and will reopen at our new location about 10 days later.</div>
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I'm over the moon about all of those things and more.</div>
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This is not to say I get much sleep or can shut my brain off for even one second...cuz I can't.</div>
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There's too much to DO!</div>
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So when a wonderful customer presented the opportunity for a stay in her Seaside, Oregon cottage at the exact time I actually had two days off...I grabbed Ma, the customer's hutch, and we were outta here. Mom and I took off last Monday and had a lovely, rain-free drive down I-5 and hit HWY 30 toward the beach. A little more than 3 hours after we left, we were there! </div>
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I've been to the Oregon Coast in the winter, but never on a weekday. Seaside is pretty much a ghost town on a Monday in February, and let me tell you what...that's reason enough to go! It's peaceful and feels much more quaint than on a weekend.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C3SuN1y_T38/URiBJvrCukI/AAAAAAAAATM/ipoK6h7pEyY/s1600/DSCN0246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C3SuN1y_T38/URiBJvrCukI/AAAAAAAAATM/ipoK6h7pEyY/s320/DSCN0246.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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After a recommendation from a trusted source we hit <a href="http://www.mckeownsrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">McKeown's</a> for lunch. This place is a gem, individually owned and beautifully appointed. Antique buffet as a hostess station? We felt right at home and had the place pretty much to ourselves for our late lunch. A really nice bowl of chowder and a chopped Caesar was nicely priced and delicious. They serve breakfast late and have a well stocked bar and Irish pub. Lunch for two was right around 20 bucks. Yay!</div>
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Go to here!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1ekSt_TyU48/URiAmRF8btI/AAAAAAAAATE/vhNhO63Ndw4/s1600/mckeown-s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1ekSt_TyU48/URiAmRF8btI/AAAAAAAAATE/vhNhO63Ndw4/s320/mckeown-s.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>photo: tripadvisor</i></div>
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Fed, we were itchin' to get pickin'. Who knew there were thrift stores in Seaside? Not us! This little thrift was just down the street from McKeown's and situated right on the Necanicum River in a cute plaza.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cD2JiHTdH90/URiCCsYeDHI/AAAAAAAAATY/eFnzPV6Wj_g/s1600/DSCN0243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cD2JiHTdH90/URiCCsYeDHI/AAAAAAAAATY/eFnzPV6Wj_g/s320/DSCN0243.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://seasidespayandneuterthriftshop.com/">http://seasidespayandneuterthriftshop.com/</a></div>
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We didn't happen upon any treasures on our visit, per se, but we did grab a few littles to support their great cause. All proceeds from the shop help the welfare of area dogs and cats, they provide discount spay and neuter certificates and the like. The shop survives fully on donations, and the shop is staffed by volunteers. It's a REAL cool idea and I wish we had something like this here in Seattle/Tacoma.</div>
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I also made sure to snap this pic of Ma down by the river (to make her crazy):</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bNY_Q3ks0W4/URiE1GoPuII/AAAAAAAAATw/lGpFufmfjVg/s1600/DSCN0244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bNY_Q3ks0W4/URiE1GoPuII/AAAAAAAAATw/lGpFufmfjVg/s320/DSCN0244.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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We walked toward the beach and stopped into the few shops that were open. One of which is an adorable place that will remain nameless...it's amazingly gorgeous and completely filled to the brim with cute. It's quite expensive and every single thing was made in China. That bummed us out. No thanks!</div>
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On we went to the famous Seaside turnaround to see the pretty ocean and clear our heads.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hfOrg1unk_Q/URihDjokuoI/AAAAAAAAAXw/vf4VjCQEy1I/s1600/DSCN0253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hfOrg1unk_Q/URihDjokuoI/AAAAAAAAAXw/vf4VjCQEy1I/s320/DSCN0253.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Okay, ocean. We have work to do. So we hit the next place on the list. This fantastically funky little find:</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Or3qDHINZ-g/URiHrw5CDSI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/6gyuJ11rrLQ/s1600/DSCN0255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Or3qDHINZ-g/URiHrw5CDSI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/6gyuJ11rrLQ/s320/DSCN0255.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rag-and-Bone/454970944513908" target="_blank">Rag and Bone</a></div>
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I'm a sucker for a good Willy Wonka font so I knew I would love this place. And I did. Mostly it's totally a military/junk store, but there were some seriously cool finds here and all superbly priced. We took home an old wood waterski, an ornate footed display, some wall pieces, and other little treasures. The regulars keep the owner pretty busy but she was lovely and super helpful. They definitely have a ton of militaria, which isn't our thing but pretty cool nonetheless. Check this place out if you're down for some quirky weirdness (I always consider that a compliment). It's located right on the main highway near the Outlet Mall.</div>
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And yes, we hit the mall...but the only store we actually went into was Eddie Bauer. Goodies for our husbands were found and great sales meant we took home 4 zip-up pullovers and a couple of thermal shirts for about 50 bucks. Yay!</div>
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Guilt free and happy as clams, we sped out of the lot and down to the beach to catch this sunset:</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y_4eJ6pyhkw/URiLRuy20bI/AAAAAAAAAUo/YDk-5rC5SFY/s1600/DSCN0258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y_4eJ6pyhkw/URiLRuy20bI/AAAAAAAAAUo/YDk-5rC5SFY/s320/DSCN0258.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ahhhh. That's the stuff!</div>
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We found out pretty quickly that there aren't a whole lot of places open for dinner on a Monday in the winter in Seaside. So we hit the main strip and had a nice dinner at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Twisted-Fish-Steakhouse/134878229916358" target="_blank">Twisted Fish Steakhouse</a>. It was so wonderful for us to just sit and reflect on the triumphs and heal some of the tragedies of the past year. Mom and I work together a lot...but we don't always talk about the stuff that matters, or all our family has been through in the last 13 months. There's always something to do, after all. We did some really good open heart-talking during that long dinner and it was awesome. The food was super. But the company was the BEST. This place isn't cheap, but it was worth the price of admission for sure.</div>
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Fast forward through a great night of girl time and a great sleep at the comfy beach cottage. We awoke to SUNSHINE! And we headed South. First stop: Manzanita. It's our favorite little town on the Oregon Coast, and is about 20 miles or so from Seaside. The beach there is amazing and so gorgeous. But first! Breakfast:</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EyL0PL26X5Y/URiPOAFTlbI/AAAAAAAAAVA/lqbetKhhpFU/s1600/2013-02-05_12-30-33_405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EyL0PL26X5Y/URiPOAFTlbI/AAAAAAAAAVA/lqbetKhhpFU/s320/2013-02-05_12-30-33_405.jpg" width="243" /></a></div>
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The <a href="http://www.oregonsbigwavecafe.com/" target="_blank">Big Wave Cafe</a> makes we wish I had more hands, so I could give it more than two thumbs up. All the way up. It's, like, amazing. Their bacon is magical. I don't know what they do to it, but it's so woah. Check it out...I had stuffed French toast. It was the best thing I've ever eaten for breakfast.</div>
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AND I DON'T EVEN LIKE FRENCH TOAST!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7V1PBmdF_A/URiRD7Kt0eI/AAAAAAAAAVM/NJziZZzi83s/s1600/2013-02-05_12-12-09_15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7V1PBmdF_A/URiRD7Kt0eI/AAAAAAAAAVM/NJziZZzi83s/s320/2013-02-05_12-12-09_15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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There's no bacon in the picture because I ate it in about a nanosecond. It was too good.</div>
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If you go to this place (and you should), no matter what you get...get bacon on the side. Trust us.</div>
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Ok, in a nutshell the rest of the day went pretty much like this:</div>
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Manzanita beach</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2gQUpdCf4do/URiSN8ym-SI/AAAAAAAAAV4/wNP1XPn8uHQ/s1600/2013-02-05_12-49-40_211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2gQUpdCf4do/URiSN8ym-SI/AAAAAAAAAV4/wNP1XPn8uHQ/s320/2013-02-05_12-49-40_211.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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One of the best parts of being at the beach?</div>
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Looking like a couple of hooded hobos and not giving a rip!</div>
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Back in the car and further South on 101 you'll find this gem:</div>
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/101039274590380661453/about?gl=us&hl=en" target="_blank">Hope Chest</a></div>
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Again, a few littles purchased here for the good of it. Found a metric ton of embroidery hoops that will be a part of our new shop's first window display and got them for a song. A completely true not-for-profit that has raised over a million dollars for local charity since they opened their doors, the finds are good but the people that volunteer their time here are even better, so stop on by!</div>
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Next stop, Nehalem. Now, I had heard there were "lots" of antique shops there but there is only one that remains...the rest are full of China-made junk. <a href="https://plus.google.com/111825540550684686063/about?gl=us&hl=en" target="_blank">Pete's Antiques</a> in Nehalem is a treasure trove. And Pete is a national treasure. Please go buy some things from him, we did! It's a mess in there, to be certain, but in the best way. We found Pete reading an old National Geographic and he gave us some lovely deals. Wish we would have brought a rig big enough to haul some of his goods off...some exquisite pieces mixed in there.</div>
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Then. And only then. We hit Wheeler.</div>
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When you pull into town it looks like a half dozen antique shops in a row. Exciting!</div>
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Come to find out it is TWO GIANT STORES. EEEK!</div>
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Great finds at <a href="https://plus.google.com/101967724176439655638/about?gl=us&hl=en" target="_blank">Old Wheeler Antiques</a>.</div>
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But OMG, you guys. </div>
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This place is THE place:</div>
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/111267684159211411873/about?gl=us&hl=en" target="_blank">Wheeler Station Antiques</a></div>
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IT IS CRAZY AMAZING.</div>
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It's CRAMAZING.</div>
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It's HUMONGOUS.</div>
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IT NEVER ENDS.</div>
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I started to panic a little...because once you get in you get so turned around you cannot get your bearings.</div>
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I was junk drunk, panicked, and considered just laying down on the ground to calm myself. I lost Mom sometime in the first half hour, and just kept finding little rooms and nooks and crannies. Now, there's some over-priceyness on a few things (mostly items up front) but really, you can find SO many deals. We bought a lot here, and I would have bought so much more if we had a trailer. </div>
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PS: Please buy me a trailer.</div>
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Exhausted and dehydrated, we emerged two hours later with our purchases, and headed back to Seaside for dinner at <a href="http://www.normasseaside.com/" target="_blank">Norma's</a>, as Mom required much seafood after our exhausting day. Not one to argue seafood needs, I was right there on the same page with her. We kinda went crazy and it was a crab crackin' mess. And it was sooooo good.</div>
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Local stuff, nice folks, great food and great service, reasonably priced for seafood too!</div>
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We stopped at a few random spots on the way home the next day...nothing of note.</div>
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Not until Astoria.</div>
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We had a flipping awesome lunch at <a href="http://www.fortgeorgebrewery.com/" target="_blank">Fort George Brewery and Public House</a>. Have the chips and homemade salsa to start and the chicken bleu cheese sandwich. It's to die for.</div>
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NOW.</div>
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Walk down the street and go here:</div>
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photo: vintage hardware fb page</div>
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There are really no words for the feeling of falling in love. </div>
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But I fell in love real, real hard with <a href="http://astoriavintagehardware.com/" target="_blank">Vintage Hardware</a>.</div>
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Oh my dear lord. It's 12,000 square feet of an old hotel, full of salvage, hardware, and great old stuff. There's painted furniture and retail stuff too...but dear sweet Jeebs...the stuff in the back is the sweet spot. </div>
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When I grow up I want to be that place. Until then, I want to shop in it, live it, breathe its lead painted dust, and roll around in the rust.</div>
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You will super not be disappointed. If you are? Get your eyes checked!</div>
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I really needed that trailer.</div>
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What a way to end our little trip. This little break was a much needed regroup and reconnect. I needed that, even more than a trailer. I needed that fun time with Mom where I'm the daughter and she's the momma, and we laugh all the time and give each other crap. That was the real treasure that we found. Face time.</div>
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Thanks to our wonderfully generous customer, Heidi, we found that time to just breathe and steep in the goodness. Now we can get through the next big crazy couple of months.</div>
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Thank you, Heidi! Thank you, Mom! Thank you beach! </div>
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Thank you all!</div>
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XOXO,</div>
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Mandi</div>
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(Look at that cute Mom. Is she not the cutest?)</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-59566341939958236592013-01-16T22:28:00.002-08:002013-01-16T22:28:40.821-08:00What's in a YearA year ago today I was preparing for breast surgery. I thought it was a really big deal and I was scared. It wasn't cancer, but losing a boob chunk is never a party. <br />
A year ago tomorrow you could have taken both of 'em and all of my limbs along with and I wouldn't have cared. Because a year ago tomorrow was the day my grandmother died.<br />
As I write that sentence all I can think of is finding any adjective, any word in the dictionary to accurately describe her and who she was to our family. To me. Or the loss we felt and still feel.<br />
The day after she passed, I had the surgery. The day after that, I got on a plane to be with my family. The day after that, my father in law had a heart attack (which he has recovered from beautifully).<br />
It was a really, REALLY bad week.<br />
And it was a year ago.<br />
Time is a funny thing...everything that's a big deal feels like forever ago and yesterday. Isn't that weird? <br />
My grandfather passed a few months later, and there are no words for that either.<br />
Every day I struggle with the fact that I should have been a better granddaughter, that I should have let them know how much they mean to me.<br />
I think of their sacrifices for our family, of their generosity, their humor, their love. They watch over the shop now, you'll see their picture on a shelf above the front counter.<br />
They built this shop of ours. Not with their hands, but with the lesson their loss taught me. Life isn't long enough, so live.<br />
So everything I knew, I left behind to build this place with my family.<br />
And every single day is hard, because that's the life of a hand to mouth small business owner. And every single day is amazing, because that's the life of a small business owner that is lucky enough to know the people we do. The amazing people we have met and have the pleasure of meeting. People like you, and you, and you.<br />
Thanks to my families and each and every one of you, this dream is alive. This little shop in the middle of not much is still here and growing. From my soul I thank you.<br />
I could write a book of a thousand pages of what has transpired this year. So many losses. So much stress. Oh lord, a lot of work. A lot of mistakes, a lot of victories, a lot of sleepless nights. A lot of gratitude.<br />
The support, friendships, kind words, and smiles are a blessing to me. Every time, without fail. You are the first warm day after a deep freeze. Water in the desert. <br />
So much has happened in 365 days. That's what's in a year. It started with loss, but look at what we've gained.<br />
You. <br />
I am so grateful.<br />
Mandi<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-66139754074930840092012-12-05T20:43:00.000-08:002012-12-05T20:43:21.933-08:00The Proverbial Oreo, a Christmas Tale<br />
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In the year 2011, before Persnickety's was born, I was but an optician driving four hours a day to work in an optometric practice in Bellevue and was also the VP of a dog rescue in Seattle called Salty Dog Rescue. I started a blog to write out some of my feelings on mostly the dog front, since I really hated the four hour drive and complaining about a commute is just as uninteresting as hearing about someone's dreams. So, last December I wrote the following post. Now that we have met so many new friends, why not share with you a little of my love for my Ma and one of my most embarrassing moments. </div>
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The Proverbial Oreo, A Christmas Tale</div>
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At 7 years old I, like every other 2nd grader, was made to stand on risers in an abominably itchy sweater and sing Christmas carols at a school assembly/recital type thing. I was a nervous child, shy natured, with the intestinal constitution of a preemie nursed on Ipecac. Now, this is not to say I was an unhappy kid, just a sensitive one. Any unexpected change in routine, like the appearance of a substitute teacher in the place of my beloved teacher (Ms. Clarke, that year) would cause the churning and roiling in my gut that would send me running for the nearest bathroom.</div>
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At any rate, the morning of the 2nd grade Christmas sing-off, I was nervous. Nervous because of the singing to commence, my itchy sweater and my breakfast choice. I had decided that since the only cereal available was Life (blugh), and my mother was catching a little extra sleep, that I would take this opportunity to get my one and only chance at a sugar fix. Sugar was never available for breakfast in any form, you see, and as much as I begged for the cereal choices my friends enjoyed, there was no Cookie Crisp coming my way. It was Kix or Life and I was over both mushy, tasteless options. What did we have that would usurp Cookie Crisp? Oreo’s. Yes! Approximately 20 Oreo’s would do just fine.</div>
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Cookies guiltily consumed and my mom none the wiser, we headed to school. I walk in, but…Where’s my teacher? We have a SUB! On top of guilty Oreo breakfast, a dreaded sub. And just like an Oreo she was dressed in black and white. Black sweater and ivory pants. What are the odds? Sigh. Queasy, I swallow my bile and follow the other kids to the auditorium.</div>
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From my dead center location on the risers, I see my mom and the sub. I am hot. Then clammy. Nauseous, swallowing and gulping, I get through a song or two. Somewhere in the middle of Rudolph, I know it’s coming. The Oreo’s are on the rise and no matter what I do, I can’t keep them down. Panicked, I stare into the eyes of my sub, silently pleading…but it’s not working. Ms. Clarke would have known what to do…but this broad? Clueless. I can’t just throw up! I am in the middle of the risers, the star of the show! I am desperate. Not knowing at all what to do, I do what every well-behaved 2nd grader does. I slowly start to RAISE MY HAND. Mid-song.</div>
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The sub sees and looks at me quizzically. My instant Pavlovian response to her acknowledgement is burping, gulping and retching. Her eyes wide, she jumps up from her seat, runs up to me, yanks me from the risers in front of everyone. As the kids keep singing I can see my mom running toward me from the corner of my eye…we make it just outside the auditorium doors and still running toward the nurses office I can’t hold it any longer and BLLLLLLAAAAAAGHHHHHH….</div>
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Projectile vomit. BLACK projectile vomit. All over the creamy ivory pants worn by the sub. We stop running and I cry and apologize. Shock. No one can believe what just came out of me. My wide-eyed mom, mind whirling, is thinking first that I am dying: black puke is the precursor to dying, surely. Then the fleeting thought that I may be the Anti-Christ, spewing black froth at a Christmas recital can only be explained by this theory. She is perplexed for the moment, but I know the truth. And I am ashamed and embarrassed. And so sick.</div>
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Apologies and dry cleaning arrangements having been made with the sub, we head for home. My mom is the best mom and when I am sick, she is somehow even better. She tucks me in and I take a much-needed post-vomit, post-cry nap. When I wake up, my sweet mom is right there next to me, asking me how I am. “Better”, I manage to whisper. She tells me that’s she’s glad and looking down at me in my bed, she smiles. Smiles and offers me an Oreo.</div>
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And in my 7-year-old head I say, goddammit.</div>
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And now I am 35 years old and still a nervous and sensitive sort, though I hide it a little better. Or I’d like to think I do. I do have a tendency to emotionally involve myself in situations in which I know I will come out feeling sad or lost, particularly when dog rescue is involved. My mom may be proud of me for what I try to do but she doesn’t always say so…I think she wants me to find a project less taxing. I know that is born out of her own protective mom nature, but I find it hard to talk to her about, say, how sad I am to let go of a foster dog and how scary it is to trust his new family to love him, lovely as they are. In her mind, she thinks: you shouldn’t foster dogs, it will make you sad. Whereas I think: I will be sad, but it’s worth it. So we differ. However, yesterday, when exactly such a situation occurred, the first thing I could think to do was call my mom. She listened on the phone as I drove home and I found myself driving to her house. She made me soup and we didn’t talk about it, but that was ok. Because my mom is the best mom and when I am sad, she is somehow even better. She doesn’t ask why I would do something that would make me sick or sad, she just knows how to make it just that much more ok. Even when I eat the proverbial Oreo.</div>
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Mom and I are so happy to know you and continue to grow our friendships with you. It's an absolute honor and all we could ever ask for, Christmas or not. Also, I am additionally so very happy to not make that drive anymore. While the shop doesn't allow me the time or emotional availability to be involved with Salty Dog Rescue on a day-to-day basis, I still support them every way I can. You can too. This Friday December 7th at 8pm you can have some fun at the Naughty or Nice Funraiser for Salty Dog. Or check them out any time at <a href="http://www.saltydogrescue.org/" target="_blank">www.saltydogrescue.org</a> to see who they are and what they're about. Maybe give to them (they're a registered non-profit) for Christmas. </div>
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Of all the things I have done in my life, helping animals in need with these people has been a special honor. Give a donation, foster a dog, become a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Salty-Dog-Rescue/113566185341371?fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook</a> fan and share the animals looking for homes with your friends...best of all, take a rescue dog home to love. Everyone can do something to help. And isn't that what it's all about?</div>
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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PersnicketysAwesomenessEmporium?fref=ts" target="_blank">Persnickety's</a> family.</div>
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<b>Stay awesome!</b></div>
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Mandi</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-7277776382505684032012-10-24T22:23:00.001-07:002012-10-24T22:32:38.393-07:00Honored By Thy Neighbor<div align="center">
You ready to get sappy? Personal? It's about to happen so steel yourselves.<br />
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When we moved in to the shop in April of this year, everyone and their momma (as well as my own momma) gave me grief about the somewhat unorthodox location.<br />
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The owner of the building is a bully and a blowhard, the surrounding area is industrial on its best day and lousy on its worst.<br />
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But the thing that stood out the most was the neighboring shop.<br />
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A tattoo parlor.<br />
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So I marched over to meet my neighbor. Big tough dude, all tatted up.<br />
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Said he went by J-Rock but that I could call him Jason.<br />
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Let's be honest. We perceive those we see by their outer appearance, don't we?<br />
To some degree, we do.<br />
Even if we are better than that, even if we are as evolved as we think. <br />
Even if we are peace, love, and understanding. We do. <br />
It's human nature and it's kind of a gross part of the human condition.<br />
I'm here to tell you something.<br />
For every "difference" we may see, there are are many more similarities.<br />
Inside each person? A story, a heart, and goodness.<br />
There are lessons to learn from someone different from us if we are lucky enough to get to know them.<br />
Over the last six months there is no one person that has been more of a friend to my shop, no one that has looked out for us the way that Jason has. <br />
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He has moved furniture, delivered a giant old window for one of my customers, blushed when accidentally swearing in front of my mom, commiserated about lack of signage, picked up my tiny signs when they've fallen down, brightened our day with his (and his adorable dog Buddha's)presence. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yTs4nqyGTnI/UIjLQzmayOI/AAAAAAAAAQY/LfILeNjxjW8/s1600/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yTs4nqyGTnI/UIjLQzmayOI/AAAAAAAAAQY/LfILeNjxjW8/s320/015.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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When I went out of town over the summer, he not only was the person that I trusted with my one set of shop keys and alarm fob, he was the one person I knew would show up to deliver the keys to the person working the shop for me. On his day off.<br />
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All while being a big tough dude, all tatted up.<br />
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And in a few days, our shop's best buddy, is leaving and on to greener pastures.<br />
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In a few days I leave for Southern California to help my beloved aunt clear my grandparent's home. We lost Grandma in January and Grandpa a very short time later. <br />
They are so loved and missed...this trip will not be an easy one. Losing them was the catalyst for the dream of this shop to become a reality. Life isn't long, I thought to myself, better do it. <br />
Do it for them.<br />
I wish they were here every day and not just as a picture on the shop's wall.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p6ogNeroms4/UIjG1hSpC3I/AAAAAAAAAPw/GP-maOBjyxs/s1600/028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p6ogNeroms4/UIjG1hSpC3I/AAAAAAAAAPw/GP-maOBjyxs/s320/028.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So today, in honor of them, my friend Jason gave me my first and only tattoo. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZpcQ5szlqJQ/UIjK3K-vzTI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/7swdxphFYbY/s1600/027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZpcQ5szlqJQ/UIjK3K-vzTI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/7swdxphFYbY/s320/027.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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My friend Cindy came with and got her third.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wDpuvbAFYGo/UIjF99AEQ1I/AAAAAAAAAPg/nhhx2CvdFmg/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wDpuvbAFYGo/UIjF99AEQ1I/AAAAAAAAAPg/nhhx2CvdFmg/s320/012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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My tattoo is on my inner arm and it's my Grandma's actual handwriting from the very last Christmas card she would send me.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9SNEQQktM9E/UIjFwduXo3I/AAAAAAAAAPY/CcVgIxJ4Yes/s1600/tattoo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9SNEQQktM9E/UIjFwduXo3I/AAAAAAAAAPY/CcVgIxJ4Yes/s320/tattoo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now I can look at her handwriting everyday and know that they are with me every step of the way.<br />
And I also know that there is no one else I would have trusted to do this for me.<br />
I am blessed to have had the opportunity to start this business with a neighbor unlike any other.<br />
Helpful, awesome, talented, and wonderful.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H79s16_2V6o/UIjCtGO8BiI/AAAAAAAAAPA/io7oz00oGPI/s1600/035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H79s16_2V6o/UIjCtGO8BiI/AAAAAAAAAPA/io7oz00oGPI/s320/035.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
If you are looking to have work done by a really amazing artist and even better person, go see J-Rock at his new location in Tacoma starting November 1st.<br />
You can find his business BTU TATTOO <a href="https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/BTU-Tattoo/202620326436111" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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It won't hurt a bit. Promise!<br />
<br />
Mandi<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-42340846169860254192012-10-13T14:04:00.000-07:002012-10-13T14:04:32.792-07:00Handmade Gorgeousness and a Rant.<div align="center">
No matter how many talented, artistic, amazing people I meet and have the privilege of knowing...</div>
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...I am always so impressed by what people are capable of. </div>
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A new line of gorgeous handwoven scarves and cowls by Inga of <a href="http://dunthor.com/about-us/" target="_blank">Dunthor Design</a> is in shop, here are just a few of her pretties:</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OhfVzS_w5PA/UHnE-myAChI/AAAAAAAAAMg/u2f6J-7YO7w/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OhfVzS_w5PA/UHnE-myAChI/AAAAAAAAAMg/u2f6J-7YO7w/s400/009.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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"Mermaid"</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P1DD272IOzE/UHnE9Et_9DI/AAAAAAAAAMY/CKQiyEHNHnc/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P1DD272IOzE/UHnE9Et_9DI/AAAAAAAAAMY/CKQiyEHNHnc/s320/008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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"Posies"</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZzaN09b2ttM/UHnE8DYWqII/AAAAAAAAAMQ/tDx0xxGZN9A/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZzaN09b2ttM/UHnE8DYWqII/AAAAAAAAAMQ/tDx0xxGZN9A/s400/007.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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"Autumn"</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ifWXtxug8pQ/UHnE_v_0eZI/AAAAAAAAAMo/_kFB_kzB2zw/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ifWXtxug8pQ/UHnE_v_0eZI/AAAAAAAAAMo/_kFB_kzB2zw/s320/010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Cowls...my favorite!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tz5cDFACCpM/UHnFDEnKVVI/AAAAAAAAAMw/68NyJrPjybI/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tz5cDFACCpM/UHnFDEnKVVI/AAAAAAAAAMw/68NyJrPjybI/s320/011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I mean, how cute, right? :)</div>
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Inga also does these fantastic wire wrapped bracelets. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n9BKffrQbLE/UHnFIAcF6oI/AAAAAAAAAM4/k-byfP24Jck/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n9BKffrQbLE/UHnFIAcF6oI/AAAAAAAAAM4/k-byfP24Jck/s320/012.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YlU0LH7WTbk/UHnFKbRzOkI/AAAAAAAAANA/swpUEpvfHlQ/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YlU0LH7WTbk/UHnFKbRzOkI/AAAAAAAAANA/swpUEpvfHlQ/s320/013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Rad!</div>
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Another new designer is in our midst as well, her name is Desiree and she's pretty dang awesome.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R-KAawNR2-E/UHnFMsHz8MI/AAAAAAAAANI/_w7JZBYrQTs/s1600/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R-KAawNR2-E/UHnFMsHz8MI/AAAAAAAAANI/_w7JZBYrQTs/s320/015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hotsy and fancy faceted necklace.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NabFyHG7jsY/UHnFOnJFLjI/AAAAAAAAANQ/_BbDJNR802M/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NabFyHG7jsY/UHnFOnJFLjI/AAAAAAAAANQ/_BbDJNR802M/s320/016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Gorgeous bracelets too!</div>
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Love our collection of bracelets by Amy!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZTRAYFtXYrU/UHnFR48l5DI/AAAAAAAAANY/-ic_UeBVMNM/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZTRAYFtXYrU/UHnFR48l5DI/AAAAAAAAANY/-ic_UeBVMNM/s320/017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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There's lots of her cuteness in shop!</div>
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Michelle of Shell's Beads is always amazing</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Be9dzgOfMjc/UHnFWJ-Y0ZI/AAAAAAAAANg/oWhzayVYb24/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Be9dzgOfMjc/UHnFWJ-Y0ZI/AAAAAAAAANg/oWhzayVYb24/s320/019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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New necklaces now in!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6cxWlfPdafs/UHnH-zW_mXI/AAAAAAAAAOI/N4uCFWH3Jrw/s1600/023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6cxWlfPdafs/UHnH-zW_mXI/AAAAAAAAAOI/N4uCFWH3Jrw/s320/023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Her hand beaded rings are killer.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rBfhzqPcAEc/UHnH2xvgpLI/AAAAAAAAANo/RIqA-e_0ijc/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rBfhzqPcAEc/UHnH2xvgpLI/AAAAAAAAANo/RIqA-e_0ijc/s320/020.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Another new necklace...Love.</div>
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And check out the funky fun from Jennifer!!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wo_M1n6FbtA/UHnH4SDoZ6I/AAAAAAAAANw/VLmX2wwI66E/s1600/021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wo_M1n6FbtA/UHnH4SDoZ6I/AAAAAAAAANw/VLmX2wwI66E/s320/021.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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PBR tab bracelets? Yes please!! </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EcO0rd6C2-Q/UHnH6lQEcPI/AAAAAAAAAN4/tyuPoh2kW4M/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EcO0rd6C2-Q/UHnH6lQEcPI/AAAAAAAAAN4/tyuPoh2kW4M/s320/022.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Great big crocheted Tiki God? </div>
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I heart all things quirky.</div>
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Cool stuff! Right?</div>
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I am astounded by the very originality and beauty in each piece.</div>
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So now, will you allow me a rant?</div>
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If not, stop reading here and have a great day!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Mandi</span></div>
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<a name='more'></a>If you stuck around for the rant, thanks for listening.<br />
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I have to say... in this Pinterest, bloggy, Facebooky age in which we live there's no shortage of inspiration to see. </div>
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And what was once "original" grows into a trend that you see everywhere.</div>
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Think chicken wire frames, mason jar soap dispensers (guilty!).</div>
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As a small brick and mortar business that supports many artists in the community I can tell you there is a consequence for all of the idea sharing. </div>
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A whole lot of stealing.</div>
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"<em>So</em>"..., you ask,</div>
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<em>are you saying copying items to the T and then <strong>selling</strong> those items is theft?</em></div>
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I don't know the answer.</div>
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I know that my brain is evolving a bit as a shop owner.</div>
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And my evolved brain may have a problem with that.</div>
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That may mean that evolved brain will then have a problem with a couple of things in my own shop.</div>
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Maybe so.</div>
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<em> But as the old adage goes: There is truly nothing new under the sun.</em></div>
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And this is true.</div>
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It is a fine line. </div>
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Who knows what's really original, anyway?</div>
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<em>Who knows? </em></div>
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I'm sure I am incidentally guilty of it. </div>
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I painted something grey and so did someone else and I didn't know...I mean...who can be so overly vigilant to know who has done what and whatever?</div>
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If you get right down to it, in this digital age no one cares about stealing ideas until theirs are stolen, right?</div>
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All I know is the more it happens, the more I want to mama bear the designers that grace us with their hard work and talent. </div>
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The handmade jewelry, scarves, furniture pieces...they are special. </div>
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The people that make them are special. And talented.</div>
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Their items are born of local hands.</div>
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<em>Created, not just "made".</em></div>
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Time, love, cost, and attention was poured into each detail.</div>
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Want to steal that exact item and <strong>sell</strong> (that is the key...make it for yourself all you want) it?</div>
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Don't.</div>
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Not from Persnickety's designers.</div>
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Because that is stealing from someone who had a creative thought and <strong>that</strong> is not inspiring after all. </div>
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So, go be inspired, come here and get inspired, and support the people in your community that do this for their very livelihood.</div>
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Thanks for letting me rant for a hot minute.</div>
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And thank you for all of your support!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Mandi</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-19007579175622676342012-10-08T19:45:00.002-07:002012-10-08T19:49:11.459-07:00Design Challenge: Injecting Personality Into Your Home<h2 align="center">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Design Challenge</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Injecting Personality Into Your Home </span></h2>
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Is your house suffering from a "brown out".</div>
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Do you worry about what "goes"?</div>
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Are you color averse?</div>
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Got a big, blank GIANT wall?</div>
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I hear a lot of these struggles every day. Lovely people yearning for color, suffering from a case of the blase', needing that special "something" that makes their house <strong>their home.</strong></div>
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<strong>So let's tackle some common probs.</strong></div>
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<strong>Here we go!</strong></div>
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Issue 1:</div>
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"I live in a big giant new house full of builder grade everything".</div>
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Such a problem, right?</div>
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Well, actually, the bigger the house, the taller the ceilings, the newer the home, the more difficult it can be to change (or feel comfortable changing) the sterility of the white walls and the mahogany cabinets.</div>
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For this issue I like to delve deeper and find that <strong>one</strong> thing that bugs you most </div>
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and <em>hurdle that sucker</em>.</div>
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9 times out of 10 it's the cabinets that cause issues in an open floor plan because there is a tendency to try to "match" everything. </div>
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That's how you end up living in a "brown out". </div>
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Everything is 50 shades of beige, brown, tan.</div>
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So, sometimes we paint cabinets. Yes, we do that.</div>
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Sometimes we start a bit smaller.</div>
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We paint your dining set. We do that too.</div>
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Like this: </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tTy6CTwmND4/UHOBLbz8CJI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/I8S_z-TWjCk/s1600/hollytable2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tTy6CTwmND4/UHOBLbz8CJI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/I8S_z-TWjCk/s400/hollytable2.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Persnickety's custom dining set...certainly not color averse!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span> </div>
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Or we find the perfect piece to bring some color into your life and build your look around it.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F3Dde06OHxw/UHN-X-YbK0I/AAAAAAAAAJo/25gQfi24R3E/s1600/552236_243397309096293_1425876714_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F3Dde06OHxw/UHN-X-YbK0I/AAAAAAAAAJo/25gQfi24R3E/s320/552236_243397309096293_1425876714_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Persnickety's Vintage Ethan Allen Armoire in Duck Egg with copper glaze </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"></span> </div>
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The copper glaze and dark antique bronze hardware pull browns and make everything "go"...even if the color makes you a bit antsy. </div>
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Just breathe :)</div>
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It's gonna be ok...and look! It goes with brown!</div>
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Issue #2:</div>
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Big Walls.</div>
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How the heck are you supposed to make a house seem cozy when you have a big giant empty 20 foot high wall of blankness?</div>
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This photo and frame wall works beautifully well and we always have a stock of pretty painted frames for ya:</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k09VS0TgM1Y/UHOEIEqWsVI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/UkScQtJP0Mg/s1600/frame+wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k09VS0TgM1Y/UHOEIEqWsVI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/UkScQtJP0Mg/s320/frame+wall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Courtesy of our friend and customer Cassandra from </span><a href="http://www.cassandrahamiltonphotography.com/index2.php" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Cassandra Hamilton Photography</span></a></div>
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But we also really love a great big old chippy window as a focal point.</div>
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This one is complete with an amazing and large vintage church pew. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d8Rn_BMHeYU/UHOGQXij-KI/AAAAAAAAAKY/E3UfvBiHfFg/s1600/big+old+window.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d8Rn_BMHeYU/UHOGQXij-KI/AAAAAAAAAKY/E3UfvBiHfFg/s320/big+old+window.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Finds from Persnickety's designer Rachel from </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Holy-Craft/152011438168278?fref=ts" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Holy Craft</span></a>, <span style="font-size: x-small;">in their wonderful new home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span> </div>
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And there's really nothing like a marvelous piece of furniture with a touch of color to pretty up a big space:</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6KPBIDuYlgM/UHOH9rlD7pI/AAAAAAAAAKg/Z4eQ8QZGrtQ/s1600/woodyathome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6KPBIDuYlgM/UHOH9rlD7pI/AAAAAAAAAKg/Z4eQ8QZGrtQ/s320/woodyathome.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Persnickety's own sideboard, "Woody"...in his fab new home.</span></div>
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Issue #3</div>
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"I live in a house of boys and there's nay a girly thing in the place".</div>
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For this, treading lightly may be the answer </div>
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(for you can always add more later and no one wants an unruly house of boys turning on you). </div>
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</div>
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Find a useful piece that has girlish bones in a man-palatable tone </div>
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(with a hidden pop of color that makes you giggle).</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EYHfAe0SFIs/UHN5rGxdjNI/AAAAAAAAAJU/eDvRGoL_hks/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EYHfAe0SFIs/UHN5rGxdjNI/AAAAAAAAAJU/eDvRGoL_hks/s320/022.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sweet grey and white vanity from Persnickety's designer <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GoodOneDen?fref=ts" target="_blank">Good One, Den</a></span></div>
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This vanity found its home in an entryway of a dude filled home. </div>
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The pink inside the drawer made the lovely lady who purchased it squeal. That made me squeal. </div>
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It was a lovely thing to see.</div>
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And she reports no dude freak outs.</div>
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Design challenges...we all have them in our homes. </div>
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But it's nothing a little Persnickety can't fix!</div>
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Got a design challenge?</div>
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Shoot it to me at <a href="mailto:persnicketyae@gmail.com">persnicketyae@gmail.com</a></div>
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and maybe we can tackle that sucker together on our next installment of Design Challenge.</div>
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Don't forget to follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PersnicketysAwesomenessEmporium" target="_blank">Facebook</a> to see what's new at the zoo.</div>
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Cheers!!!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Mandi</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899056950645418808.post-56351896791806351022012-10-02T10:15:00.000-07:002012-10-02T10:15:19.837-07:00Knob Job<div>
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Ok, maybe get your minds out of the gutter for a sec. </h3>
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This is all about re purposing something cool and random into something cool and useful.</h3>
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Re purposing items may be a hot trend but oftentimes necessity is truly the mother of invention.</div>
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With a side order of <em>fortuity</em>.</div>
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Our story begins with a Craigslist dresser that I wanted to give an aged grey French look. </div>
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He was named (in a moment of wax fume impairment) Francey Pants le Buffet.</div>
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Say it like Phoebe from Friends' last name.</div>
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Boofay.</div>
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Anyway.</h3>
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In great shape, this piece had only one problem: it was missing the hardware on the center cabinet door.</div>
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The missing cabinet pull...where did it go? Was it eaten by a dog? Was it eaten by a frog? And by "frog" I mean that in the ribbit sense, not the derogative for French citizens sense. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rJclfRj9dJs/UGqAbFfqNMI/AAAAAAAAAIY/PQU4JqDj9B8/s1600/bp23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rJclfRj9dJs/UGqAbFfqNMI/AAAAAAAAAIY/PQU4JqDj9B8/s400/bp23.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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Since this piece was being painted to look, like, super old, I wanted something super old and cool for the cabinet door.
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*Sidenote on this piece. It was a different look and project for me at the time. Four different paint colors and all kinds of antique gels and dark wax. </div>
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I looked at it one day and thought, "You remind me of something". </div>
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But what? </div>
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I'll tell you what.
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Acid. Washed. Jeans. </div>
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I convinced myself, convulsed, and was mortified. I kept stepping away and trying to "new eye" myself into a different conclusion but just couldn't. I needed a true new eye. </div>
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Enter friend, fellow painter, and shop contributor Denniel. I told her the piece reminded me of something but since I didn't want to cloak her fresh eyes in the same bad denim I kept seeing, I didn't mention what I was seeing.</div>
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"Hmm," she says. "Well....", she says.
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"It kinda looks like an old gravestone," she finally says.
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Cue the choir and hallelujah! I'll take death markers over acid washed jeans any day.*</div>
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Ok, back to the point. </div>
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I could not for the life of me find a store bought knob or pull that worked. And a one hole center set up is tricky for mounting.</div>
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I looked through everything in my box of tricks and found... nothing. Then, mayyyyybe something. </div>
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Not a knob, not a pull.</div>
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But this:</div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><br /></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1A-IMRfdEG4/UGqAQvFCH0I/AAAAAAAAAII/Lp2SOyAEM5c/s1600/bp21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1A-IMRfdEG4/UGqAQvFCH0I/AAAAAAAAAII/Lp2SOyAEM5c/s320/bp21.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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An antique iron match holder.</div>
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I had purchased that little fella at an estate sale earlier that month and hadn't put it in the shop yet. So there it sat, waiting for a home.</div>
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Wouldn't it be cool if I could use it on Francey?? </div>
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I looked at the back of this old black beauty and found that it was actually two pieces screwed together.</div>
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So what else is there to do but unscrew the screw?</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8obCeXX17Sw/UGqAWwtEYyI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/iECGJGFdRtI/s1600/bp22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8obCeXX17Sw/UGqAWwtEYyI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/iECGJGFdRtI/s320/bp22.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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Now THIS, this would work! It just needed paint. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SdhQyfNEoVU/UGqAoLBDy1I/AAAAAAAAAIo/-4NVhiNssZE/s1600/bp25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SdhQyfNEoVU/UGqAoLBDy1I/AAAAAAAAAIo/-4NVhiNssZE/s320/bp25.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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</div>
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And I could use that original screw to attach this piece to the cabinet door.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4_raDs71kCo/UGqAewKbCnI/AAAAAAAAAIg/tmWa7VUeOgo/s1600/bp24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4_raDs71kCo/UGqAewKbCnI/AAAAAAAAAIg/tmWa7VUeOgo/s320/bp24.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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Lookie, a hole!</div>
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And it attached like a charm, the curves even matched the shape of the door!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4jgowcQiLM0/UGqAx8wUaII/AAAAAAAAAI8/nPwH0imp98I/s1600/bp27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4jgowcQiLM0/UGqAx8wUaII/AAAAAAAAAI8/nPwH0imp98I/s320/bp27.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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Now this looks like it was meant to be.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ow_mKzJ4Iew/UGqAtNwwFtI/AAAAAAAAAIw/tx0lInMoG4M/s1600/bp26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ow_mKzJ4Iew/UGqAtNwwFtI/AAAAAAAAAIw/tx0lInMoG4M/s320/bp26.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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And voila!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-muhIyspSsP8/UGqA33ypffI/AAAAAAAAAJE/XKOQ7EUj3JY/s1600/bp28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-muhIyspSsP8/UGqA33ypffI/AAAAAAAAAJE/XKOQ7EUj3JY/s320/bp28.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div>
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Francey Pants Le Buffet was complete.</div>
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I'm happy to report he found a lovely and immediate home with a fantastical family.</div>
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Awesomeness.</div>
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Now to find the perfect piece to utilize the other half of that match holder...</div>
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waste not!</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Mandi</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Want to see more Persnickety pieces?</span></div>
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Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/PersnicketysAwesomenessEmporium" target="_blank">Facebook</a> :)</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197468084549750014noreply@blogger.com2