Seeing Beyond The Dot

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:

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.  

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.  

When Google is your life coach you may need to re-evaluate some things, right?  Don't judge (wink).  

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.

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.

Yup.

But, when opportunity knocks you don't squawk about the timing.

  You answer the door and greet the challenge.

And now that the time is coming and it's real...my inner voice is being kind of a jerk.

Doubt is creeping in.

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?  

And let us not forget:

People are counting on you, so don't screw this up.

*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.*

 Back to my nightly Google vigil.  I found something (that I'm sure a jillion people other than myself are familiar with) that resonated.

I'm paraphrasing it, but basically the idea is this:

A professor stands at a chalkboard in front of a class and wordlessly makes a dot on the chalkboard.

He then asks the class what they see.

In unison, everyone says, "A dot!".

He asks if everyone agrees.  And they do.  Because it's a dot, right?

Duh.

He then asks if they see the classroom, the chalkboard, the person in front of them, the ceiling, the floor....

Simple.  But blew my mind.

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.  

Pretty simple, right?

Seeing beyond the dot.

I can get with that.

Here's part of the big picture:

The new shop will be located at 1117 Main Street in the amazingness that is Downtown Sumner, Washington.

Opening weekend is the first weekend in april.

Our hours will be Tuesday-Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday 12-4

Typing that just made me smile.  

The picture is getting clearer and I can't wait to see all of you in it!

XO

Mandi

Oregon Coast Pickin' and Regrouping

Things have been pretty awesomely wild and crazy the last few weeks here at the shop.  

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.

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.

I'm over the moon about all of those things and more.

This is not to say I get much sleep or can shut my brain off for even one second...cuz I can't.

There's too much to DO!

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!

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.

After a recommendation from a trusted source we hit McKeown's 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!

Go to here!

photo: tripadvisor

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.

http://seasidespayandneuterthriftshop.com/

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.

I also made sure to snap this pic of Ma down by the river (to make her crazy):

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!

On we went to the famous Seaside turnaround to see the pretty ocean and clear our heads.

 Okay, ocean.  We have work to do.  So we hit the next place on the list.  This fantastically funky little find:

Rag and Bone

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.

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!

Guilt free and happy as clams, we sped out of the lot and down to the beach to catch this sunset:

  Ahhhh.  That's the stuff!

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 Twisted Fish Steakhouse.  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.

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:

The Big Wave Cafe 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.

AND I DON'T EVEN LIKE FRENCH TOAST!

There's no bacon in the picture because I ate it in about a nanosecond.  It was too good.

If you go to this place (and you should), no matter what you get...get bacon on the side.  Trust us.

Ok, in a nutshell the rest of the day went pretty much like this:

Manzanita beach

One of the best parts of being at the beach?

Looking like a couple of hooded hobos and not giving a rip!

Back in the car and further South on 101 you'll find this gem:

Hope Chest

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!

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.  Pete's Antiques 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.

Then.  And only then.  We hit Wheeler.

When you pull into town it looks like a half dozen antique shops in a row.  Exciting!

Come to find out it is TWO GIANT STORES. EEEK!

Great finds at Old Wheeler Antiques.

But OMG, you guys.

This place is THE place:

Wheeler Station Antiques

IT IS CRAZY AMAZING.

It's CRAMAZING.

It's HUMONGOUS.

IT NEVER ENDS.

I started to panic a little...because once you get in you get so turned around you cannot get your bearings.

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.

PS:  Please buy me a trailer.

Exhausted and dehydrated, we emerged two hours later with our purchases, and headed back to Seaside for dinner at Norma's, 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.

Local stuff, nice folks, great food and great service, reasonably priced for seafood too!

We stopped at a few random spots on the way home the next day...nothing of note.

Not until Astoria.

We had a flipping awesome lunch at Fort George Brewery and Public House.  Have the chips and homemade salsa to start and the chicken bleu cheese sandwich.  It's to die for.

NOW.

Walk down the street and go here:

photo: vintage hardware fb page

There are really no words for the feeling of falling in love.

But I fell in love real, real hard with Vintage Hardware.

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.

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.

You will super not be disappointed.  If you are?  Get your eyes checked!

I really needed that trailer.

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.

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.

Thank you, Heidi!  Thank you, Mom!  Thank you beach!

Thank you all!

XOXO,

Mandi

(Look at that cute Mom.  Is she not the cutest?)

What's in a Year

A 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.
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.
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.
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).
It was a really, REALLY bad week.
And it was a year ago.
Time is a funny thing...everything that's a big deal feels like forever ago and yesterday.  Isn't that weird?
My grandfather passed a few months later, and there are no words for that either.
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.
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.
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.
So everything I knew, I left behind to build this place with my family.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
You.
I am so grateful.
Mandi

The Proverbial Oreo, a Christmas Tale

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.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Proverbial Oreo, A Christmas Tale

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.

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.

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.

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.

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….

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.

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.

And in my 7-year-old head I say, goddammit.

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~

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 www.saltydogrescue.org to see who they are and what they're about.  Maybe give to them (they're a registered non-profit) for Christmas.  

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 Facebook 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?

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Persnickety's family.

Stay awesome!

Mandi

Honored By Thy Neighbor

You ready to get sappy?  Personal?  It's about to happen so steel yourselves.

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.

 

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.

But the thing that stood out the most was the neighboring shop.

A tattoo parlor.

So I marched over to meet my neighbor.  Big tough dude, all tatted up.

Said he went by J-Rock but that I could call him Jason.

Let's be honest.  We perceive those we see by their outer appearance, don't we?
To some degree, we do.
Even if we are better than that, even if we are as evolved as we think. 
Even if we are peace, love, and understanding.  We do. 
It's human nature and it's kind of a gross part of the human condition.
I'm here to tell you something.
 For every "difference" we may see, there are are many more similarities.
Inside each person?  A story, a heart, and goodness.
There are lessons to learn from someone different from us if we are lucky enough to get to know them.
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. 

 

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. 

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.

All while being a big tough dude, all tatted up.

And in a few days, our shop's best buddy, is leaving and on to greener pastures.

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. 
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. 
Do it for them.
I wish they were here every day and not just as a picture on the shop's wall.

 

So today, in honor of them, my friend Jason gave me my first and only tattoo. 

My friend Cindy came with and got her third.

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.

Now I can look at her handwriting everyday and know that they are with me every step of the way.
And I also know that there is no one else I would have trusted to do this for me.
I am blessed to have had the opportunity to start this business with a neighbor unlike any other.
Helpful, awesome, talented, and wonderful.

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.
You can find his business BTU TATTOO here.

 It won't hurt a bit.  Promise!

Mandi



















Handmade Gorgeousness and a Rant.

No matter how many talented, artistic, amazing people I meet and have the privilege of knowing...

...I am always so impressed by what people are capable of.

 

A new line of gorgeous handwoven scarves and cowls by Inga of Dunthor Design is in shop, here are just a few of her pretties:

"Mermaid"

 

"Posies"

"Autumn"

 

Cowls...my favorite!

 

I mean, how cute, right?  :)

 

Inga also does these fantastic wire wrapped bracelets.   

Rad!

 

Another new designer is in our midst as well, her name is Desiree and she's pretty dang awesome.

      

Hotsy and fancy faceted necklace.

Gorgeous bracelets too!

 

 

Love our collection of bracelets by Amy!

There's lots of her cuteness in shop!

 

 Michelle of Shell's Beads is always amazing

New necklaces now in!

 Her hand beaded rings are killer.

 

Another new necklace...Love.

 

And check out the funky fun from Jennifer!!

PBR tab bracelets?  Yes please!! 

Great big crocheted Tiki God? 

I heart all things quirky.

 

Cool stuff!  Right?

I am astounded by the very originality and beauty in each piece.

So now, will you allow me a rant?

If not, stop reading here and have a great day!

Mandi

Design Challenge: Injecting Personality Into Your Home

Design Challenge

Injecting Personality Into Your Home

Is your house suffering from a "brown out".

Do you worry about what "goes"?

Are you color averse?

Got a big, blank GIANT wall?

 

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 their home.

So let's tackle some common probs.

Here we go!