Some Cute Things at 8th & Argyle

**Once again, thank you to my blog friends that faithfully leave me comments. I am the worst blog friend ever and I'm so bad at commenting and replying to comments. Thank you for not giving up on me or getting fed up with me. I really appreciate it! I'm trying to get better about replying and commenting! I have no excuse other than my days are packed and I squeeze writing a quick blog post in whenever I can and then I forget to go back to them. I promise I'm not a blog snob or anything like that!

I mentioned yesterday that everyone else at 8th & Argyle is like leagues above me in terms of merchandise and staging. Here are examples!! Everyone has such great stuff!





Super cute children's aprons made from vintage fabric!


Amazingly cute aprons made from men's shirts and fabric!!

Come shop! :) 

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Whale Really!

Melissa from Andromeda Vintage posted her recent finds lately and I fell in love with one of her items in particular! I don't know why I'm so obsessed with animal things right now, but I saw this whale and immediately emailed her to buy it!


He was so cute, but a little scuffed and worn. I broke out my Brasso and cleaned him up and now he's shiny!


I'm not sure where he'll live yet...I've been working on getting my upstairs office organized, so he might head up there...or he might hang out on a bookshelf in the living room. I'll post a photo once I figure that out!

And a note about Whale Really--"owl really" is a play on "oh really."

Well, now that I'm obsessed with whales, I have joked that I could re-brand to "whale really" as a play on "well really!" ha!

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New Fawns Paint By Number

Be still my heart! Vanessa from Thrift Core was having a sale a few weeks ago and just happened to be selling the most adorable pair of paint-by-number fawns. I fell in love with them and happily, I had a $25 etsy gift card (a Christmas gift from my mom) I hadn't redeemed yet. Woohoo!

So, they came and they are wonderful! (I am in a MAJOR fawn phase right now!)


I am working on my office (in our little finished attic) and Andy mounted a tv/monitor at my desk (I've gotten used to doing my day/real job with an extra monitor, so it's nice to have if I work at home) and I'm planning to do a gallery wall around the monitor...these will be the stars of the gallery wall. :)

Vanessa has such great stuff - be sure to shop her store!

And, I love the personal touches she includes! She drew this cartoon on my package:

Owl and fawn friends!!! So cute!

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Pura Vida Vintage

Earlier this year when I ventured out to Clarksville and bought everything I could, I met a girl named Krystle who said she was opening a vintage shop in Nashville. On Music Row. I worked 4 years on music row, so I was curious where. She asked, "Do you know where Discmakers is?" My heart stopped for a second because my old office was ABOVE Discmakers. What if she was moving her new store into the old HearItFirst office?!?

In fact, she wasn't, but in a small building out back behind the office.

Check this out:


Crazy, huh? If I still worked there, I could hang out with her on my lunch hour every day!

I'm really excited for Krystle and that she has her own little space to sell now! Although she has some housewares, she focuses mostly on clothes and accessories from the 50s-90s.

Isn't this gorgeous?


I loved her collections of sunglasses, scarves, and purses!



So, what did I buy??

This adorable glasses case! Why did I buy a glasses case?? You'll see tomorrow!!



Check out Pura Vida Vintage sometime soon! You can follow her on Facebook here!

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Flea Market Wrap-Up

Wellll, I've put off writing this post because the flea market was super disappointing!

The fairground where the flea market is held is huge. There are so many different buildings and barns and sheds and some are known for vintage and some are known for junk and some just aren't known! It's funny talking to friends about their favorite flea market spots...there are certain buildings I love that some people have never even been in, and vice versa. I didn't even know there was a cafe at the fairgrounds because I never head to that side!

So, all that to say, we moved our booth to Wilson Hall, which I thought would be super successful but it turns out hardly anyone knows Wilson Hall exists! It's one of my favorites to walk through, so that was surprising to me!

I sold about $70 worth of merchandise, which just wasn't really worth it when you take into consideration the time and energy it took to prepare, set up, load out, etc.

It was really fun to see people though -- lots of friends came out and I finally got to meet Lauren and Kimmie in person. Lauren's husband took this photo of us at the flea:

Audrey Assad stopped by and made a purchase--I got to know her through my former job and she is very, very talented. She has something cool in the works and this window will be part of it!

I would consider doing the flea market again maybe--if I could sublease for one day (Sat or Sun) and I knew for sure that the spot was good. I think I'll just stick with my booth though, and maybe smaller festivals like Making Merry in Berry Hill--where I always do pretty well!

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Two Great Shopportunities Including Owl Really at the Flea Market!

"Shopportunities"--see what I did there??

Through a fun twist of events, I have the opportunity to set up at the Nashville Flea Market on Sunday! (Just Sunday! You won't find me there today or Saturday... just Sunday!)

I'll be set up in the Agriculture Building and selling some of my most recent finds! I will also have majorly discounted baby/children's clothes--every item will be just $5! Including this horse cardigan that shockingly has never sold.


Don't you want to just squash it up against your face and smell a sweet baby smell emanating from it??? No?? OK, moving on...

But yes, please come see me at the flea market. I am so excited to dip my toe in to the Nashville Flea Market scene and see what happens. Plus, I love meeting people and talking about great vintage pieces!

Also, while you're out and about today and tomorrow, be sure to swing by Family Tree Estate Sale's shop on Nolensville Road for a vintage clothing and accessories sale! My friends Lisa and Eartha both consigned great items with Family Tree so be sure to check it out!

And don't forget to enter the PaintStick EZ Twist giveaway!

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Selling at Pistils & Petals!

Over the weekend, I swung by my friend Melissa's new shop Pistils & Petals in East Nashville.

Melissa has curated a great mix of handmade and vintage items, plus gorgeous art. I took some of the items I've made over the years and Melissa put them on consignment!


I am so excited to sell my mini-books made from children's vintage books and button rings!

If you're in town, be sure to check out the new shops on Fatherland and give Melissa a shout at 1006 Fatherland St!

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Apron Strings Vintage at GasLamp Too

Doesn't this look like vintage heaven? :) This is Lauren's booth Apron Strings Vintage at the GasLamp Too Antique Mall!


She has done such a great job staging everything--and she has such great stuff!


Lauren is a Pyrex-selling machine! From what I understand, she goes through it really quickly and always finds great pieces to sell! I am not a Pyrex guru, so I don't know the names of the patterns, but I am always drawn to the green pieces with white flowers! :)


Be sure to check out GasLamp Too and scope out her booth!! And swing by her blog to say hi, too!

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What I Bought From Sugar Millie

Yesterday I blogged about shopping Sugar Millie at GasLamp Too.

So, what did I get? A paint by numbers barn! I love it.



What drew me to it, exactly?


It's not finished! This is my second unfinished painting - I bought a deer painting at an estate sale over the summer. It's the first paint by numbers piece that I have bought to keep for myself. Can't wait to find a frame and a home for it on one of our walls!

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I Shopped Sugar Millie!

On Sunday, I went to my booth but nothing had been touched in a week so there wasn't much work to be done! I straightened a few things up and then decided to go shop for myself. :)

I hadn't been to GasLamp Too yet, so I decided to check it out. GasLamp Antiques is a really nice and kinda fancy antique mall in town and last year they opened a second location. I had heard such great things about it but hadn't had a chance to check it out yet, so I decided to swing by on my way home.

It was great! I know two booth owners over there and set out to find them. The first one I found was Sugar Millie and it was so, so awesome. Shawna has done SUCH a great job with her space!






CUTE owls! Her whole booth is so inspiring!

I actually bought something that is pictured, can you guess what I bought?? I'll give you a hint - surprisingly it wasn't an owl! :)

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Favorite Finds 2012: Danavee's Dress!

Wellll, January is almost over so I probably shouldn't still be talking about 2012, but I asked my friend Danavee from This Vintage Grove to tell us about her favorite find of the year and I finally had a chance to post it!

If you haven't checked out her blog yet, you are missing out! Danavee (DV as I call her in my head) is an elementary school teacher with awesome style and a great sense of humor! She never takes herself too seriously, which is one of my absolute favorite qualities in a person! We've been blog friends for about a year and I'm so happy to know her- we chat about anything from our jobs to the Bachelor to how hard re-selling can be!

Danavee totally lucked out and found a gorgeous dress that looks so, so beautiful on her! She tells us about it below! 


Where did you find it?
I found it at a thrift store (which is right behind the antique mall my booth is at)!

What were your first thoughts when you saw it?
I saw a hint of polka dots crammed between tons of dresses. When I pulled it from the rack I couldn't decide if I should turn a cartwheel or dance or cry. I put in on over my clothes right there in the aisle.

So, have you worn it?? 
I haven't worn it yet as we haven't really had the right occasion for me to break it out. However, when I did put it on, it was like it was made for me. I couldn't believe I found a vintage dress in my size!

How does the dress make you feel?
It makes me happy. Right now, it hangs from a decorative hook on my door like a piece of art!

DV (she doesn't really know I call her that), that dress was made for you!! What a find! Read more about the dress on her blog right here!

If you'd like to participate in the Favorite Finds series (it doesn't have to be a 2012 find), just email me and we'll chat it up! Maybe even about the Bachelor! :)

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A Great Saturday For Estate Sales

It feels so awful to say, "I had such a great time at estate sales!" because you have to keep in mind that most often, someone passed away for us to find great things. I love to know, though, that their treasured possessions are living on and going to make someone else happy.

All that to say, I went to two estate sales this weekend and they were great. I drove an hour to Clarksville and was so scared it would be a bust like last weekend. It wasn't. At all. It was great! I found so many great items!

Also, I made new friends! That sounds cheesy, but it's true! At the first sale, I met Krystle of Pura Vida Vintage and it is just so obvious that it was meant to be! She recognized me from mine and my mom's blogs and said hello and we talked and she's opening a vintage store on music row - in a garage that was in the parking lot of my old office at my old job. Crazy! It was so fun talking with her and her amazing daughter. Can't wait to check out her shop once it opens!

After the Clarksville sale, I headed to the Family Tree Estate Sale in Ashland City. I love their sales and I love them! I walked in, said "HEY!" to Melissa, then saw Krystle right behind her! Then turned around and saw Rae! I was on such a high from the good finds and seeing friends!

I was shopping around and started chatting with another shopper who turned out to be Shawna of Sugar Millie. We chatted quite a bit and it was so great to connect with her! I love when dealers are nice and relatable and genuine! There are some older dealers who can be cranky and there are other dealers around my age who are a little cutthroat. I love meeting authentic and kind dealers and connecting with them!

When I was heading out, my friend Val was coming in. The sale was outside of town, but everyone came out to it! It was SUCH a great morning - just what I needed!

Here's a sneak peek of some of my finds... I have photographed them all but there are SO many that I need to find an easy way to share them!

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Eartha Kitsch's Favorite Find of 2012

I'm still reminiscing about 2012! I asked some of my friends to tell us about their absolute favorite finds of the year. Eartha Kitsch (of Ranch Dressing with Eartha Kitsch) tells us about her very fun favorite finds below!


It's a hard call but I think that my favorite find of 2012 was a bunch of Sears catalogs from the 1950's and 1950's that I found in an estate sale basement. I'd been looking for catalogs from that timeframe for decades and POOF! there they were! There were dozens and dozens of them but since they are so heavy, I could only carry ten out of the basement. I went back later but only a few torn copies were left - of course, I got those too! I wasn't going to pass up any opportunity to go dream shopping back in the day!

Honest to goodness, when I sit down with those catalogs and begin to flip through the pages, I completely lose all track of time or decade. I've actually caught myself thinking, "I'm going to order that!" before reality sets in and I realize that I am several decades too late!   : )

See more amazing photos from the catalogs here!

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Making Merry in Berry Hill Wrap-Up

Making Merry in Berry Hill was so fun! I saw lots of friends, met Mod FruGal (yay!), and even met one of my new neighbors who moved in 2 houses down! She and her mom were my first customers and picked up some really fun things.


The weather was amazing - it was about 72 degrees all day! The bright sun made it hard to get good photos, though.

Fun fact: Martina McBride was there! She walked past my booth and something caught her eye - she stopped and poked her head in to look closer at something but then kept walking... Shoot! :) 


I grabbed some things from my booth to take up there but I had a ton of stock at home that I had bought recently. I also took some handmade items like my button rings (in the cigar box above) and my mini-books. I didn't sell any rings but I sold two mini-books and a little collage I had made - it's so validating to sell something you make when you don't really consider yourself a "maker." (When I told my co-workers I was doing a craft fair, they all asked what I make. I said, "Nothing!" and they all laughed that I was doing a craft fair when I don't make things. What I meant was that I don't really consistently make things - I get whims, make tons of something, then move on... which is why I have like 40 button rings and 15 mini-books! Ha!) 

Love when friends shop Owl Really! Kellie bought some cute shirts for her adorable daughter Isla and Melodie picked up my faaaavorite deer salt and pepper shakers!

One of the highlights of the day was seeing Leslie and Shawn. They are adopting from China and very recently got matched with their daughter and had just received new photos of her. She is so beautiful and they will get to bring her home next spring. I sent them home with 3 cute dresses for the future! Check out these happy faces and their sweet girl's photo on Leslie's phone!

AH! So cute and I'm so happy for them. Have I mentioned I love adoption??!?!?! I do. A lot.

It was a great day!! I hadn't done a festival or fair in 2 years but I think I might have to make Making Merry an annual event!

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DIY: Easy Gnomes by Shakti Dove

I recently discovered a new-to-me blogger, Shakti Dove, and I love her blog! She posted the most adorable, easy, and free DIY gnomes:




Can you even handle how cute they are?? Now I just need to wrestle some sticks away from Lucy since she pretty much controls the sticks in our yard. :)

I fell in love with Shakti's blog when I saw that she washi taped a stick to her fridge and she said:

Has my husband noticed that there is a stick taped to the fridge? No, he has not. But when he does I think he will understand.

Reading that made me feel like I had a kindred spirit out there in the world. :)

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New Vendors at the Tennessee Antique Mall

There are some exciting updates at the Tennessee Antique Mall! Some new vendors have moved in and I know them!

First up, Rae has opened a case at the mall. I'm so excited that she's starting this new venture and that she's in the same mall as me!

This is the top shelf of her case which happens to have my two favorite items in her booth - the paint by number painting and the framed piece of embroidery.

She has so many fun things - check out the rest of her case:

Don't you see like 10 things that you would want?? I do!!

Secondly, a guy named Gerald emailed me in May to ask about my experience at the mall and I told him it was great. We emailed a bit, I visited (and loved!) his booth in Bowling Green and now he has moved into the TN Antique Mall and I'm happy to have another dealer similar to my style in the mall.

I love this vignette! I am really drawn to school-related items so the globe, pencils, and school desk are really speaking to me.

Really great items including a fun in/out organizer, a hat/wig carrier, faux bois canisters, a midcentury slat bench (!), and an amazing teal patio light!

Check out those great yellow chairs! And the luggage hanging out under the bench! And I really like the portraits hanging above the leather chair!

Welcome Rae and Gerald!! Can't wait to see all the goodies you guys bring in in the future!

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Bon Ami Winner + Lucy Updates

I'm excited to announce the winner of the Bon Ami Thrill of the Hunt cleaning kit! I chose a winner using Random.org:

Congrats to my friend and neighbor, Rae! In other cool Rae news, she is opening a case at the Tennessee Antique Mall in July! Rae, please email me your address to pass on to Bon Ami!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered!

And now, on to some Lucy updates!

In this first photo, you can see that she thinks she is human. She always lays with her head on a pillow which is so stinkin' cute.

She is growing up so quickly! She is now 7 months old and such a delight. She constantly cracks us up and brings so much joy to our lives! She only barks with an inside voice which is so great, and usually only in order to communicate with us. She doesn't bark at people or animals she sees outside... just when she wants to tell us something. :)

If you haven't seen the posts from the beginning, she's a Boston Terrier/English Bulldog mix and she's amazing!

She also tried to put her 2 cents in on this post by pawing my keyboard but I thwarted her attempts to say hello... sorry guys! :)

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