Workin' the Plan

Oh my gosh, it's been such a ca-RA-zy week! 

Our first event here at our farm went well... the weather didn't cooperate at all, but wonderful friends and long-time customers came out to see what we've been up to. Their support is priceless! We are more prepared now for our big launch in May, with a show on Mother's Day weekend that is open to the public. {Click on the 'Petite Retreats' Page link above to see more about that upcoming event!} Thanks to MaryBeth Sande of Poppyseeds, we have one photo of us that proves we were there. One. That's how crazy things were!

In a few short weeks, we have the Remnants of the Past show down in California to attend, and we spent yesterday and today plotting, planning, and then setting up a mock booth to test our plan. Hmmmmmn.... lots of shuffling and swapping out of products goin' on! It's getting there. By end of tomorrow, we'll have it all sorted out. Then we can move on to the details of the displays - yay!

There are some funny things that happen when we do this - like the 'stand ins'.
Items that are still 'in process' in the shop or paint room get another chair or table that takes its place in the setup until the actual item is ready. A 'furniture stunt double', if you will! There is also the requisite moving of an item by infinitesimal increments over and over and over...'just a tch that way... no, that way'... multiple times. Usually until it ends up right back where it started. I messed with a table and chairs for about fifteen minutes and multiple rearrangements until I finally realized that the reason it just wasn't working was that I had the wrong chairs with the table. duh!

Just about the time I figured that out and swapped the chairs, the rain moved in again. Wind was blowing it in under the big 20 X 20 tent {where we set up the 10 X 10 tent!} and I was cold and cranky in about 30 seconds. Deb was done for the day!!!

Petite Retreat and not-so-petite Thanks!

Check out a few photos of today's 

Petite Retreat Preview Party 

on our Facebook Page 

More photos as soon as we recover... we were up at 4 AM dealing with wind!

We want to offer a huge THANK YOU to our generous friends Timi & Jay of Come Junk With Us, Patricia & John of Tippy Stockton Custom Jewelry, and MaryBeth & Julie from Poppyseeds for coming out to help us this morning. We cannot possibly thank all of our wonderful customers & friends enough for making the trek North in some absolutely hideous weather today - you are amazing! Your support of Retreat means the world to us.

Ready, Set...

Here we go!

{images: Deb Kennedy for Retreat}

Petite Peek #5

Things are movin' right along here on the farm,

  as we prepare for a very special private event

for some pretty special people!

If you joined our mailing list by March 1, you know what I'm talkin' about! 

{Seeeee? We told y'all to sign up!}

24 hours to go and the foofing has begun!

California, Here We Come!

We are THRILLED to announce our participation in Judy Watkins' incredible show, Remnants of the Past. Judy recently invited us to join the stellar lineup of talent coming to her spring show in Nipomo, California on April 24 - and after we picked ourselves up off the floor, we jumped at the chance to take Retreat on the road back 'home' to California!

Please visit www.RemnantsofthePast.com for show information, directions, and details. You can also see the vendor list {I just sent her our info, so I don't think we are listed yet} and read more about special guest Sue Whitney, of JunkMarket!

So, for those of you following us from Central & Southern California, we'll be in your area in just one short month. We hope you will plan to attend... we'd love to meet you!

{image credits: Remnants of the Past;

All Rights Reserved}

Petite Peek #4

Creating beautiful and inspiring displays is one of the parts we like best about what we do in our booths at shows. And at shows, we generally have just one day to set up. {Except at BarnHouse, where Joe & Jermonne basically invite dealers to move IN for the week before a show and take their time!}

So, can you even imagine how much FUN it is for us to have had all this time to get our barn ready for our Spring Petite Retreats?! We've got some really amazing stuff to share with you... very soon!

{image by Deb Kennedy for Retreat}

Sand Point 3 Day Show, Fri-Sat-Sun

Seattle area junkers:

Don't forget about the 3-day show at Sand Point this weekend: 

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 

March 19,20,21

you'll find great antique & vintage wares in 'The Brig' building

at Magnuson Park at Sand Point in Seattle

{Retreat is NOT at this show, we're just helping to promote it}

For more info & location, go to the Sand Point Market blog.

Petite Peek #3: Retreat's Extreme Makeover: BARN Edition

 Our Petite Retreat Barn.

It used to be painted RED inside, and was dirty as all heck. With no light.

So we cleaned, painted, and added french doors, 

a dutch door, skylight, the awning, barn door, & lighting. 

We are having a blast filling it up with all kinds of goodies 

and wonderful RetreatStyle decor... 

it may be Petite, but it's FAB! 

{images by Retreat,

all rights reserved}

We're Hatchin' A Grand Plan for Farm Chicks!

Even though we are busy preparing for our Spring Petite Retreat events,

Farm Chicks is coming up very very soon! 

We've just confirmed our expanded space assignment with Serena

and we happily announce that

Retreat will have THREE spaces at Farm Chicks!

That's 300 square feet of space,

filled with furniture, home decor & accessories, 

personal accessories, and gifts 

designed by us and created from recycled & reclaimed materials

brought to you in our own RetreatStyle

'under the big top'

{the Taj Ma Tent, of course!}

We are excited to have our friend Patricia from

Tippy Stockton Custom Jewelry

as our neighbor in the '4th space' under the tent...

so much fabulousness, so much fun - 

we can't wait to share it all with you!

So plan to rent a truck, hit the ATM, 

and meet us in Spokane June 5 & 6!

{image credit: Farm Chicks}

used by permission; all rights reserved

Petite Peek #2

Come on in... it's lookin' fine!

These photos are from

the 'Extreme Makeover: BARN Edition' here at Retreat Farm

{after emptying, cleaning, adding doors, painting, 

hauling in cool architectural stuff & adding lights}

More sneak peeks to come!

{images by Deb Kennedy for Retreat}

Sand Point Three Day Show in March

Attention all Seattle Vintage & Antique lovers:

Though we will not be participating in it, 

we wanted to let you know about an upcoming show:

Sand Point Antique and Design Market Presents

"Antique Show in the Brig" 

A three day Sand Point antique show!

Three glorious days of buying and selling 

your favorite things and "Old Stuff" 

March 19, 20 and 21, 2010 

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday

Friday:

'Early Buyers' day 11 am to 6 pm. $10

Saturday: 

General Admission: 8 am through 4 pm $6.00

Sunday:

General Admission 10 am $6.00 

(Print this post and save a buck on Sat. and Sun. only).

Held at the 'Old Sand Point Naval Station Brig'  

in Seattle's University District. 7400 Sand Point Way, Seattle

Visit the Sand Point Market blog for more info, maps, and 

dealer applications

{Retreat is not participating, just promoting}

Petite Peek

Over the next few weeks, we'll share some sneak peeks 

of our Petite Retreat barn transformation... 

We are excited about sharing it with you 

at our Spring Petite Retreat in May,

and hope to see you then!

'The Collection' Vintage Show Opening Night

 

They came, they gasped, they smiled, they hugged, they shopped!

Tonight's opening of the first Come Junk With Us 'Collection' Vintage Show

was without a doubt a HUGE hit! The line was looooong, and the building was so crowded that it was hard to see it all. I think we made a few dozen laps around. Had to pass the buffet table and the wine tasting each time... oh my.... and my husband was waylaid several times {by Kathryn in the kitchen, Kimberly in the aisle and at the door, Lisa in a booth, and Annie on the aisle.} Should I be worried?!!

MANY of the photos I took didn't turn out because there were so many people moving around, and I am so bummed. I apologize to the sweet gals whose booths I photographed but do not appear here... I hope that Amber, Tiffany, Kimberly, and other photographers will share their photos as well so that you can get some well-deserved attention!

  

WSU Laura made sure everyone could get their official Junk Queen Gear!

  

Girls Gone Glam definitely brought the glitz!

Great job by Jan-Marie & Debbie

{Jan-Marie sells her marvelous antiques in our old space at Faded Elegance - 

have you SEEN what she's done with it?! AWESOME!}

  

Her Highness the Queen of Tarte has done it again...

sheer spring-y joy in her booth!

  

Speaking of Joy.... Auntie Joy's booth outdoors was so perfect

I could have moved in! {She and I also wore nearly the same outfit and jewels!}

 

Kathryn's buffet setting was a lovely as her food

{curried chicken salad. that's all I'm sayin'.

I've been jonesin' for that stuff since the BH Flea LAST July...}

  

Just one little corner of the marvelously beautiful space

that MARY Larsen from Annie's in Snohomish put together!

I am ASHAMED of myself for forgetting that this was her booth. 

{Miss Mary goes way back with us... 

way back to both having had spaces at Faded Elegance. 

We've come a long way, haven't we, Mary?!!}

 

Springtime personified from Sandra at Home Enjoyables

and Kay at The Weathered Rose Co.

 

Lovely natural palette from Tamara, who also works 

at Annie's on First in Snohomish

{thanks for the correction, Annie!}

  

More lovely natural tones from Wild Whimsy

{I LOVE their guitar sign!}

  

Bling Bling Bling!

kick me. I lost her card.

  

Julie Herbison sells antiques with plants...

did she plan that?!

  

And of course Timi has gone over the top, past the edge, beyond the limit, and generally OVERdone everything to make this a stellar event for everyone involved. But as my friend Sue Kirby always says, "Why DO when you can OVER-DO?!" Timi clearly lives this philosophy, because everything she does is a HUGE hit!

Have you seen enough?

Of course NOT!

Get yourselves over to Bothell on Saturday morning!!!

visit www.comejunkwithus.com to print out your coupon for a $5 entry, and be one of the first 30 people in the gate and get a fabulous gift bag filled with SWAG!

{If you know who the unlabelled photos belong to, please leave me a comment and I'll add them in immediately!}

Tomorrow!

 Come Junk With Us

Presents

The Collection

A Vintage Inspired Flea Market

Friday March 5th

Early Bird Shopping from 5 pm - 8 pm

$10 entry

Gift bags for the first 30 people

Door prize drawings

Saturday March 6th 

8 am - 4 pm

$8 entry

Gift bags for the first 30 customers

Prize drawings every hour

Location:

Knights of Columbus Hall

Bothell-Everett Hwy

Bothell WA (just east of Seattle)

Cash Sale

Visit www.comejunkwithus.com for more information
AND a coupon for $5 admission to the show!

You don't want to miss this amazing gathering of wonderful vendors with

FABulous treasures...plus great food, giveaways, swag bags... and more!  

{we'll be there shoppin'!}

You also don't want to miss THIS:

Farm Chicks Show Junk Junket!
Timi just announced some AWESOME perks
that you can only get as one of her Junk Bus Junk Queens,
{really incredible perks like EARLY ENTRY to the show}
so get your reservation in TODAY!
You can buy tickets at the Collection show, too!
www.ComeJunkWithUs.com

Update

An update on Retreat's Participation in the BarnHouse Market:

We had planned to share our products there this month. 

However, by mutual decision, both we and the Boys have just decided to delay our participation for a month or so. Lord knows they have enough to deal with right now, and we've got a pretty full March.
So, we are all going to slow things down. 

 As Jermonne said, this needs to be Fun. Fulfilling. Organic in its growth.

Not crazy. Crazy does not foster creativity OR health.

For people or for businesses.

Keep an eye out here on our blog for an official announcement 

on when some of our select products will be available at BHM... 

and in the meantime, get over there 

to see what marvels the Boys have for you!

{image by Deb Kennedy for Retreat 2009
All Rights Reserved}