Retreat Style

2012-01-31T10:06:00.000-08:00

Our April Show in Anacortes has been canceled.

Retreat Vintage Market is permanently closed.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause

and thank you for your support over the past four years.

(A family situation requires us to relocate rather quickly...
all will be well. Thank you!)

A Toast!

2011-12-31T13:31:00.000-08:00

May the road rise up to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
The rains fall soft upon your fields

and
Until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Happy New Year to All!

Happy Holidays from RETREAT

2011-12-24T16:59:00.000-08:00

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas,

a Happy Hanukkah,

and a Joyful New Year...

Retreating

2011-12-19T15:42:00.000-08:00

This is my all-time favorite quote (Deb's).

Walt Disney has been a guiding influence and business 'mentor' of sorts in my life since childhood.

My grandfather knew Walt, and worked under him when Disneyland was being built in Anaheim, California. My grandfather and uncle were electricians, and headed up units for the construction of attractions Pirates of the Caribbean, The Haunted Mansion, and It's a Small World, among others. Their lives and mine are indelibly linked with the Park and Walt and the dream that built it all.

The quote above is one that Walt is said to have repeated often... because many of his dreams never succeeded. Some got off the ground but didn't go far, others crashed and burned. But in the end, he achieved great success and his dreams have touched and blessed so many lives. Mine included.

Dreams are a great thing to have in life...
they become visions, goals, steps on a ladder that lead us upward.

Walt's quote helps me to remember that the dream and the vision and the goals of Retreat are something to be proud to have reached: The seasonal store and the small shows and the one big show we had on our farm were all wonderful, and we are so glad we were able to share our two wonderful locations with so many people. We are so happy to have been able to have participated in so many amazing shows hosted by other people - Remnants of the Past, The Farm Chicks, BarnHouse, the Island Chicks, and Sand Point, among others. The show we took over in Anacortes this past fall was successful for vendors, and we have high hopes for a shining future in 2012. We are blessed to have been granted a brief shine of the spotlight in several magazines, rewarding our design style. We have made friends and experienced things that we would not have unless we had followed this dream four years ago.

Some parts of the vision weren't destined to succeed. Some parts didn't get off the ground. Others were stopped dead in their tracks by the involvement and influence of others. And we've dealt with the fallout of all of it as best we can.

But the thing is, we DID it.

We tried, we reached, we jumped off that cliff of security with a healthy dose of faith, courage, and guts, and we DID it. We weren't too afraid to try. No one can ever say we didn't try, with everything we had. And we did give it everything we had, literally.We exhausted every resource to make Retreat a success... and in many ways, we succeeded. In others, we failed. And in the end, new choices had to be made. Hard choices.

Last week, we moved off of the farm on Camano Island, returning it to the investors who originally purchased it and held the note so that we could work to grow our business. When they changed their minds about that, and then prevented us from having shows and stores and even manufacturing product on the property, we knew it was time to call it a day. You can fight for your dreams - against all odds - but there comes a time when you must realize that it's time to give up the fight. We fought for eighteen months straight for a home, a business, a dream... and when it came down to it, we simply refused to continue to let someone else have control over our lives and our business to the degree that they had.

The time has come to retreat from Retreat.

To be thankful for the things that worked, to accept the things that didn't, and to take time to reflect on it all. We are in need of time and rest and less stress in our lives, and we're taking it. We're putting Retreat and 2011 to bed, philosophically speaking, and moving forward into 2012 with a clean slate. What will come our way, what opportunities and dreams and visions? We don't know. We are working on restoring the balance in our lives, because Retreat consumed us completely for four years. We have learned well the lesson of not combining our personal lives and our business - and of not putting ourselves out there quite so much, because there will always be people who think that they have the right to attack, lie, gossip, and control you when you open up. Share what is most valuable to you, and people will try to take it by any means possible. Sometimes, they succeed. We've learned from them. And we'll never apologize for being people of faith and thanking God for His blessings in our life, whether they approve of how we do it or not!

As we take this time to ourselves to rest and relax, as we retreat from the life that we have had and the people we have been, we wish you all the very best at this Holiday time of the year. When 2012 arrives, we'll be promoting our Spring show in Anacortes and moving forward with a new life. A new dream. A new success. We're still in the Seattle area, and you'll see us at shows, just not as vendors. We're not sure what direction this blog will take... but we'll figure it out. ;0)

Thank you for your support of Retreat, through it all.

We may not be looking backward anymore, but we'll never forget you.

Deb and Bob Kennedy

Frozen Fall

2011-11-21T18:29:00.000-08:00

Stay Warm!

We wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving,

and hope that your holiday is filled with family and friends,

abundance and gratefulness...

We are so grateful for all of the blessings we have enjoyed over the past year,

for the people who have touched our lives in a positive way,

and for our God, who provides all things.

Blessings to you all

Photo Sharing!

2011-11-01T12:17:00.000-07:00

We've got photos of Saturday's

Island Retreat Antique & Vintage Market!

Head on over to our show facebook Page

where we're linking up all of the photos being shared by

vendors and attendees alike!

And NO, you DON'T have to be 'on facebook' to see them!

facebook Business Pages are like web sites - anyone can view them ;0)

(click here to see!)

If you have shared photos on your own blog,
please leave your link in a comment below
so everyone can see!

Thank You All!

2011-10-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

We'd like to offer a

STANDING OVATION

for the FABulous vendors,

enthusiastic and supportive shoppers,

energetic and helpful staff,

and even Mother Nature for the sunny day...

(which we all pretty much DESERVED after the deluge on Friday ;0) )

all of YOU made the very first

Island Retreat Antique & Vintage Market

a sound success,

and we really really appreciate you!

We'll see you again on APRIL 28, 2012 for our SPRING SHOW!

We'll be posting photos of the show soon,

but right now...

we just need some rest!

ONE DAY TO GO!

2011-10-27T22:45:00.000-07:00

Just ONE DAY TO GO! 

On Friday,

30 AMAZING vendors

will transform this empty barn

into a wonderland of inspiration and vintage delight

for our Island Retreat Antique & Vintage Market

We'll see YOU

Saturday morning!

9 AM entry - Early Admission $5

10 AM entry - General Admission $3

All show info @

RetreatVintageMarket.com

Two Good!

2011-10-26T23:14:00.000-07:00

It's not TOO good TWO be true...

just 2 more days 'till our show

where we hope to see YOU!

RetreatVintageMarket.com

Tres. Trois. THREE!

2011-10-25T21:51:00.000-07:00

In ANY language, there's only

THREE days to go until our
INDOOR antique show!

Check out the 30 FABulous vendors who'll be there:

click image for larger version
meet our vendors HERE

All show information available at

RetreatVintageMarket.com

For. Four. FORE!

2011-10-24T22:40:00.000-07:00

Just FOUR days to go until our show!

Be there.

Captain Jack Sparrow says so:

Island Retreat Antique & Vintage Market

Saturday, October 29

9 AM to 4 PM

Anacortes, Washington

RetreatVintageMarket.com

The Countdown Begins!

2011-10-23T23:58:00.000-07:00

Days to Go
Until Our Show!

Island Retreat Antique & Vintage Market

Saturday, October 29

INDOORS at the PORT Transit Shed Event Center on Pier 1
100 Commercial Avenue . Anacortes, Washington

Early Buying 9 AM - 4 PM . $5 Admission
General Public 10 AM - 4 PM . $3 Admission
[Admission Cash or Check only]

No coupons needed for discount entry!

Bring a non-perishable boxed or canned food item to

contribute to our Food Drive for local food banks,

and save $1 off General Admission (10 AM & later)

Free Street Parking Provided Near Event
Please, No Pets Indoors . No Smoking Indoors

All show information, maps, driving directions,

hotel & restaurant information is on our web site:

RetreatVintageMarket.com

Meet Our Vendors: Finale'

2011-10-19T20:40:00.000-07:00

The Rustic Door

The girls from the Rustic Door are bringing their signature style!

Unique Finds for your Home and Garden:

Vintage, Shabby Chic, Americana & Primative home decor

Jenny Cookies

Jenny Keller creates the most DIVINE desserts -

and then she makes them even better with a stunning presentation!

Her style and her cupcakes, cookies, and cake bites

will make you SWOON!

Avenue Catering

Local restauranteurs & chefs Barbara and Robert

will tantalize your taste buds with their gourmet dishes -

and word has it that their famous Bob's Chowder will be on the menu!

Dad's Diner a Go-Go

Neil and Fletcher have a brand new burgeoning business in Anacortes,

and they are making a special effort to be a part of our show.

You'll enjoy their killer barbecue - trust us!

A few of our vendors do not have online links:

Bev Tindall

You'll find sweet Bev wearing something bright & happy

and smiling (as always!) in her booth filled with delightful vintage goods.

Dona & MaryAnn

Two friends who have been 'in the biz' for years have combined forces,

hosted a small show in September on Camano,

and are joining us at Island Retreat!

Small Town Girls

At last spring's show, Cynthia shared a space with someone.
For this show, she'll be filling two booths with a stunning array

of vintage treasure culled from her FOUR packed storage units!

Leslie Hughes

Leslie was located outside at last April's show...

we've invited her in to join the party this time!

She's bringing fabulous garden and home decor you'll love.

So, are you READY?!

Just about a week from now,

these incredible vendors will turn an empty barn

into a magical wonderland...
you REALLY do NOT want to miss our show!

Show information, map, directions, and local info:

RetreatVintageMarket.com

Meet MORE of Our Vendors!

2011-10-16T21:38:00.000-07:00

We're delighted to introduce you to five MORE vendors

who will be at our show

on October 29th in Anacortes, Washington...

The Bella Bungalow girls, Kimberly and KellyAnne,

are a powerhouse duo, with a passion for decorating,

color & giving life to old furniture, making old memories into new treasures.

Their mastery of Annie Sloan Paints is a thing to behold!

Shirley Fletcher is the owner of The Shed Antiques.

I love that I found this image on her facebook Page, because when

we first met Shirley at the Skagit Giant Garage Sale two years ago,

she had that first aid box and red tool tote in her wheeled cart -

I was oogling them and started a conversation with her!

Shirley will have a charming selection of quality

primitive elements and handmade accents in her booth.

Claire of both Mutiny Bay Antiques and Foxglove Antiques in Freeland

will be bringing a stunning selection of antique & vintage goods

from BOTH stores!

Sweet Marlo of Nasty Jacks Antiques is the daughter of

the original and legendary owner 'Nasty' Jack Wilkins.

She'll bring a stunning selection of antique and vintage

furnishings, decor, and collectibles

that represent the best of this Northwest historic attraction.

Amy of Pine Ridge and Rustic and Refined

is combining her own vintage decorating style with

handcrafted log and barnwood furnishings - just for our show.

Perfect for fall & winter decorating, you'll love her style!

More Vendors to come in our next post!

View a full list of vendors on our web site

Update: FOLK WINNERS!

2011-10-13T17:18:00.000-07:00

UPDATE:
FOLK Magazine subscription Winners announced here:
http://americanfolklife.blogspot.com/2011/10/folk-giveaway-winners-and-one-more-day.html
____________________________________________________

The cover of the upcoming Christmas Issue of FOLK Magazine

was revealed today...

{SWOON}

It's quite unlike any other magazine cover this time of year,

and we LOVE that!

Our cover is the creative result of a collaboration,

between FOLK editor in chief Ben Ashby

and contributing photographer & writer James Snowdon.

Stunning, isn't it?

Oh, and then there's that BANNER across it...

added by Michael Wurm to announce that

You can win
a ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTION to FOLK Magazine!

TWO of the stellar contributing writers

on the FOLK Magazine staff

are having a GIVEAWAY!

Go to Donna Williams' blog to enter her giveaway -

TWO lucky people will win!

Funky Junk Interiors

And go to Michael Wurm's blog to enter his giveaway -

TWO lucky people will win!

Inspired by Charm

GIVEAWAYS END FRIDAY OCT. 14 @ 10:00 PM EST
and the winners will be announced on those blogs.
You'll find all of the information you need to enter when you click those links...

Um, why are you still here?

Get over there!
______________________________

And if you want to order a single copy of the Christmas Issue,

or subscribe to FOLK
and have the Christmas Issue included in your subscription,

go here BEFORE October 15th @ 10:00 PM EST.

Meet MORE of Our Vendors!

2011-10-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

Ormolulu

Debi Burton offers the most exquisite vintage goods,

from European architectural pieces to good old American JUNK!

The way she combines them into inspiring displays will delight you.

Blue Ewe

Janet Sears always has a booth chock-full of goods...

from tidbits and baubles to handmade beauties,

plan to spend some time here unearthing your greatest find of the day!

UrbanFarm Naturals

Tamila Morgan operates a family enterprise on her farm,

and the result is a line of body care products that are luxurious and all-natural.

Handmade the old fashioned way,

her soaps and lotions look and smell good enough to eat!

Vintage Market

Ron and Wendy Brown have a wide selection of vintage goods,

artfully presented under their Big Top awning!

You'll find them right at the front of our show... step right up!

(click their name for link to a YouTube video)

Poppyseeds

Julie and MaryBeth Sande (cousins!) operate a charming shop,

filled to the brim with inspiring ideas and

wonderful vintage & restyled furnishings & decor for your home.

Their booths always sparkle and entice us!

More Vendor Profiles to come!

For full vendor list with links,

visit www.RetreatVintageMarket.com

Meet MORE of Our Vendors!

2011-10-09T20:11:00.000-07:00

Introducing five MORE fabulous vendors from our show's lineup!
[click vendor name for link to their site]

Reject Art

Welcome to the funky world of Karin K Mueller, a mixed media artist who tranforms beautiful junk into assemblages, clocks, shrines, fabric collages & more. Karin will glue, nail, screw, bolt, scratch, bend, pound, rip, smash, chemically alter, rust

or do whatever it takes to create fun & unusual art to delight you!

Beach Castle Sweets

Linda offers a delicious selection of assorted chocolates,

candies, toffee, and truffles, all handmade using her mother's original recipes.

It's the gift everyone wants to receive!

Muffys' Magic

Inspired by her mother Muffy's collection,
Laura Bois collects and sells vintage jewelry,

examples of art, creative design and very fine workmanship.

The designs are often classic and thus timeless,

and you may just find that these pieces carry magic.

Hasenpfeffer, Incorporated

Daniela and Chris Shelton merge modernism with traditional craftsmanship.

Their sense of ecology inspired them to utilize recycled materials.

Their sense of design results in Modernism’s simplicity & clarity of form,

evident in the colors, shapes, and lines of their charming creations -

made for kids AND adults!

Vintage by the Bay

Julie Batson collects and creates 'retro riches and vintage treasures'

for her store in Garibaldi, Oregon and her booths at shows.

We think her feminine style is charming and inviting -

much like Julie herself!

Five more vendors to be shared in our next post...

stay tuned!

Find a full list of our show vendors on our web site

RetreatVintageMarket.com

Meet Our Vendors!

2011-10-05T22:41:00.000-07:00

We'd like to introduce you to the absolutely stellar vendors

who will be at our show in just a few weeks!

We know you are going to LOVE them all.

[Click on each vendor's name for link to their online pages]

Please welcome the first five...

Rhonda Addison Fine Art Photography

Sweet Rhonda is a former Seattleite, now living in Montana,

and she's coming back to share her stunning works of art with you!

Her work embodies themes of nature, faith, family, and joy

that speak to us all...

Alley Cat Antiques

Lea Mayberry and her dealers at Alley Cat Antiques

rescue cool junk from every era for your home, studio, and garden.

From fresh vintage finds, urban industrial, cottage chic,

to rustic and primitive style, they have it all!

Rose~Marie

Inspired by all things vintage, JoMarie Richman expresses her creativity

from an original idea to pattern design and on to the finished product,

resulting in her line of sumptuous table linens, stunning pillows,

delightful small gifts, and vintage-inspired skirts for women and girls.

She'll dress you AND your home!

Backroads Vintage

"Backroads" features Tonya Cartwright’s treasure hunting skill,

love for home design, and retail merchandising flair

with vintage goodies for your Home & Garden.

She believes decorating your home should be inspired, not expensive!

Just Because Antiques

Larry and Cheryl Schlaitzer always bring an eclectic and inspired selection

of antique & vintage merchandise to every show -

presented with a smile, you'll love their country style!

We'll share more wonderful vendors in future posts...

For a full list of all of our vendors,
maps, directions, and more show information,
please visit our event web site:
RetreatVintageMarket.com

Breaking News from Matthew Mead!

2011-10-03T02:29:00.000-07:00

We know, it's not even Halloween yet,

but you'll forgive us for this picture when we tell you that

the Holiday with Matthew Mead 2011 expanded issue

is ready for purchase via their newly-redesigned website!

See and share a spectacular sneak peek of the HOLIDAY 2011 issue

to win a copy of Matthew’s latest magazine right here:

Click HERE for the link to Share this video sneak peek with a friend

via a blog post, tweet or Facebook mention -

then go to THIS POST on the Holiday web site

and leave a comment

to will be entered to win!

Help Matthew spread the word about this very special
expanded keepsake issue of Holiday with Matthew Mead,

which will be delivered directly to your mailbox.

Visit Matthew's newly re-designed website
for their launch week of contests - which will feature cash prizes,

home accessories from Matthew’s new home décor collection,

and free copies of his books and magazines!

Talk about Happy Holidays!

RetreatStyle: FOLKstyle

2011-09-30T21:31:00.000-07:00

October first, and Fall is here...

We've been cozy-ing up the place with Deb's

original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins and lots of natural elements.

If you've made some pumpkins from Deb's tutorial

on pages 44-46 in the Fall issue of FOLK Magazine,

head on over to the FOLK blog

and share your photos with other readers!

______________________________________

We still have a few copies of FOLK Magazine's Fall issue available -

please scroll down to the next post to purchase.

NEXT UP! Our October Show: Island Retreat

2011-09-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

Last April, a new show debuted in the Pacific Northwest...

The Island Chicks Antique Show.

It was a successful show for vendors and attendees alike!

This summer, the Island Chicks disbanded,

decided that they could not continue with the show,

and canceled the October 29th event.

Not wanting to see it end, we stepped in

and acquired the show from the girls.

We've renamed it the Island Retreat Antique & Vintage Market,

(Anacortes is located on Fidalgo Island, by the way...)

and we'll be hosting the fall event on October 29th,

as scheduled.

If you didn't make it to the show last April,
take a look at their video of the event to see what it's all about!

The venue is a charming old HEATED building
located on Pier 1 in Anacortes, Washington

easy to find at the end of Commercial Avenue.

Island Retreat

Antique & Vintage Market

Saturday October 29th, 2011

The PORT Transit Shed Event Center on Pier 1

100 Commercial Avenue, Anacortes, Washington

Early Admission 9 AM . $5 per person

General Admission 10 AM . $3 per person

(no change from last show)

Bring a non-perishable food item to donate

to our food drive for local food banks,

and save one dollar off General Admission entry
(10 AM and later)

Show closes at 4 PM

more info at
RetreatVintageMarket.com

Free street & lot parking

Walking distance to restaurants, shops, & banks

We'll have returning vendors AND a bunch of new vendors,

coming from near & far,

all with stellar vintage, antique and handmade goods

to delight and inspire you for the holidays!

We've made some changes to make the show better

for vendors and attendees alike,

making this a true 'Vintage Shopping Experience'TM for you!

It's going to be a TERRIFIC way to kick off the holiday season -

We look forward to seeing you there!

___________________________________________

If you are interested in being a vendor,

please click here for information

or contact us at retreatvintagemarket@gmail.com

September 17th Show Canceled

2011-09-02T17:22:00.000-07:00

It is with great regret that we announce that our

Autumn Retreat Vintage Market

scheduled for September 17th here on our farm

has been canceled.

We apologize for the short notice.

It's due to county permits and a decision that we cannot change.

Please follow our vendors on facebook and their blogs,

and find them at other shows and stores this fall.

They deserve your business!

Rhonda Addison Fine Art Photography

Ormolulu

Sisters Antiques

Sharyn Sowell Fine Art

Hasenpfeffer, Incorporated

UrbanFarm Naturals

Blue Ewe Antiques

Vintage by the Bay

Enchanted Garden Art

We WILL still be hosting and producing the

Island Retreat Antique & Vintage Market

on October 29th in Anacortes, WA.

More info about that show here

We'll see you then!

Anniversaries

2011-08-27T21:35:00.000-07:00

A week ago, we celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary,

and 32 years together.

This photo taken one year ago on our anniversary.

Today, August 27th, we celebrate a very different kind of anniversary:

One year ago today, Bob nearly cut his leg off in an industrial accident.

In a split second, our world stopped turning.

He had major surgery to repair his muscles, tendons, and nerves,

and spent a week in the hospital.

After the wound was repaired, a serious infection set in.

He spent another week in the hospital,

not knowing if he would keep his leg or have it removed.

Today, we are thankful that one year later,

he has healed so well, and so quickly.

He's at about 90% capacity, and for that, we are so very grateful.

There have been many challenges along the way in the past year.

It wasn't just about his leg.

It wasn't about losing a house, moving despite his physical limitations,
and closing a business.

It was about enduring what we thought would kill us:

the death of our dreams. Repeatedly.

It was about losing faith in everything... and then finding it again.

We survived it all by the grace of God,

and because of so many people who have stepped up to help us.

Without each of those kind souls, we would not be here today...

We offer our thanks once again to ALL of our friends, family,

medical team, fellow vendors, neighbors,

and people we don't know at all,

who prayed for us, who stepped in to physically help us,

to financially help us, to boost our spirits, and to support our business vision.

It has been a year of miracles, of restoring our hope and our dreams,

and of the Revival of our Spirits and our Faith.

Today, we offer a prayer of gratitude to God

for seeing us through it all,

and showing us the GOOD things that came about because of it.

No matter what you are facing or dealing with right now,

we want to encourage you that good things CAN come from it.

HAVE FAITH.

Faith in yourself, in others, in a higher power, in purpose, in truth.

Let go of fear, and hang on to faith. Every single day.

Miracles Happen!

Countdown!

2011-08-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

Just one short week left

until the premiere issue of FOLK Magazine hits the stands!

Make sure you grab a copy of this fresh new home decor & lifestyle publication...

you won't be disappointed by the inspiring content.

You can see from that cover shot above that

the incredible BarnHouse Boys are featured in this issue

in a feature story by the lovely Kimberly Taylor.

[I snapped this photo of Kim snapping photos of the Boys,

while we were tearing down our booth after their show in July.

For posterity, of course!]

As excited as the FOLK editorial team is about this launch,

we're already hard at work on the HOLIDAY issue.

Yes, I said the dirty word. Holiday.

Four months to go until .... well...

I can't say that word. Not yet.

Make sure you get your hands on FOLK on September 1,

and get going on some terrific fall decor ideas to warm up your home.

[I've shared one of my favorites!]

Junk-O-Rama Was Fab-U-Lous!

2011-08-13T22:33:00.000-07:00

Thank you, Todd Waddell, for including us!

After a VERY busy day,

we just updated our facebook Page with new photos of

our booth at Saturday's show in Edmonds...

View Photos HERE

We'd also like to offer our thanks to Susie Beresford of KOMO News,

for including a photo of our Retreat booth in her article

for EdmondsKOMONews.com

View Article HERE

Saturday Sneak Peeks!

2011-08-12T22:15:00.000-07:00

There really is nothing more gorgeous

than a sunny day in a garden...

and all of the vendors gathered

amongst the flowers in the yard at Bountiful Home

will be Blooming on Saturday!

Come join all of us in Edmonds for JUNK-O-RAMA!

You just might find your Muse.... ;0)

Retreat: On the Road Again....

2011-08-11T20:26:00.000-07:00

We're packed, loaded, and ready for

JUNK - O - RAMA!

We're joining the crowd at Todd's FABULOUS store

Bountiful Home

for his annual vintage & junk bash in the garden...

Saturday August 13th

10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

122 4th Avenue South . Edmonds, Wa. 98020

Come by on Saturday, find some treasures, be inspired,

and then head over to the Taste of Edmonds for some good eats!

Announcing.... TWINS!

2011-08-09T22:10:00.000-07:00

Retreat Vintage Market has acquired
TWO INDOOR SHOWS!

We are the new owners/promoters of the former Island Chicks Show,

held bi-annually in Anacortes, Washington.

We'll be producing the previously scheduled Fall Show

under a new name:

We thank the Island Chicks for giving us the opportunity

to continue the wonderful event that they founded last year.

This show benefits the entire Northwest vintage industry

AND the Anacortes community,

and we thank the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce

for being on board to help us promote these events!

*Anacortes is located on drive-on Fidalgo Island,

North of Whidbey Island and West of Mount Vernon.

It's the beautiful 'Gateway to the San Juan Islands'

and a FABulous Northwest getaway!*

Mark your calendars for October 29th,

and check out our event web site for more show information
about this show AND our September 17th show on our Farm!

www.RetreatVintageMarket.com

NOTE: Appearance Schedule Change:

As a result of this development, we regret that we are unable to participate in

the Remnants of the Past Show in California on October 8 & 9.

We Are FOLK!

2011-08-02T21:44:00.000-07:00

Yes, we are FOLK!

Join us in welcoming this fresh new style magazine

Premiering in September 2011...

because Retreat is very proud to be a part of this new venture!

Deb will be a regular contributor to the magazine,

developing creative content to share in her column

'Sweet Re-Treats'

[and, ah, no, that has nothing to do with the martinis

of the same name at Chaps ;0)]

The magazine will be available for purchase

from many retailers and via subscription.

INFO HERE:

http://folkmag.tumblr.com/PreviewIssue

BarnHouse Photos!

2011-08-01T14:54:00.000-07:00

We arrived home at 10:30 PM Sunday night

from the BarnHouse Vintage Marketplace.

It was, as always, a great success...

and LOADS of fun with some of our very favorite people!

The show, the vendors, the FOOD, the music,

the appreciative and supportive shoppers & attendees

were all PERFECT. Can we say that again? PERFECT!

And it's ALL because of these guys.

Joe & Jermonne are the ultimate team,

with talents that combine beautifully

to create a home, a farm, a show, a lifestyle

that speak volumes about their hearts.

The atmosphere before, during, and after their show

is revitalizing, relaxing, and restorative.
It is, for us, a true retreat. ;0)

Thank you, guys, for allowing us to once again

be a part of your world and your show.

Thank you, to all of our fellow vendors,

for the fellowship, friendship, and passion you share

and for the inspiration & style you bring to every show.

Thank you, friends, shoppers, store owners, decorators, and attendees,

for continuing to make the choice to shop at events like this

and support small business vendors like RETREAT.

We are so grateful for your choice, and so thankful for you.

These shows are hard work for everyone involved,

and EXPENSIVE to produce & promote.

So thank you for graciously supporting all of us

with your purchases and entry fees.

And now, what everyone is waiting for....THE PHOTOS!

Retreat @ BarnHouse 2011
The Booth:

The Details:

And thank you to 'friends with cameras'...

the fabulous photographers who snapped our picture!
'The DeBob' :

Image by Elise Liptack / Elise Marie Photography/ Dreaming Vintage

Image by Lara Blair / Lara Blair Images / Modern Prairie Girl

{We're gettin' REALLY spoiled by this, girls!}

We love this life...
Thank you, Lord, for blessings beyond measure
and the chance to connect with so MANY wonderful souls...

Dateline: BarnHouse Vintage Marketplace TODAY!

2011-07-30T00:31:00.000-07:00

Come and see us at the back of the show field!

Our booth is located next to the BarnHouse Boys.

We've assembled a treasure trove of our original

handmade furnishings & accessories, and vintage goods

so that you can create your OWN wonderful Retreat!

All show info, maps, directions, etc. available

HERE

BarnHouse Sneak Peek #5

2011-07-28T21:53:00.000-07:00

Just one more day until the BIG SHOW!!!!

Just LOOK at that lineup of vendors, food, and MUSIC...

it's going to be the best EVER!

Can we reserve a table for two for you... or eight, perhaps?

One more sneak peek coming tomorrow...

meanwhile, BarnHouse posted some sneak peek photos
of show setup on their facebook Page ;0)

BarnHouse Sneak Peek #4

2011-07-27T22:47:00.000-07:00

From the Sublime

to the Ridiculous...

We'll have a little bit of everything for you

in our Retreat booth at

the BarnHouse Show this weekend!

We arrived in Battle Ground this afternoon,
unloaded the trailer, set up the tent AND a camping tent,
and are spending a wonderful evening laughing & visiting
with these remarkable, talented men.

This is WORK????? REALLY?
Yes, it is, actually, very HARD work...
but the friendships and fun are what make it so special.

Tomorrow, we set up our booth and get it ready
for YOU!

See y'all on Saturday!

Dreaming Vintage: Retreat

2011-07-25T07:52:00.000-07:00

Our friend Elise Liptack of Elise Marie Photography

has begun a new creative venture... it's a blog called

Dreaming Vintage

Elise is a master of the vintage-inspired photo session,

helping her clients channel a period in time that resonates with them

so that she can capture their personalities as well as their smiles.

She created the blog (and facebook Page) so that she

could share the stories of people in the vintage industry...

sort of a 'behind the scenes' look into who we all are.

A few weeks ago, Elise asked us if we'd be her first feature.

We are so honored!

She came out to our farm and shot hundreds of photos of us here,

and then on the beach down the road and over at Cama Beach.

{We were channeling Frankie and Annette, I think ;0) }

We had SO much fun, and the sun even cooperated!

You know what we love most?

We're not twenty-something. Not even CLOSE.

But Elise uses natural light to make her subjects glow,

and that makes us look about as good as we can look!

Stylish photos aren't just for the photogenic and the youngsters -

even ol' middle-agers like us can look good in Elise's capable hands!

Thank you, Elise!!

Today she's shared some of those photos and our story

on her new blog...

http://iamdreamingvintage.blogspot.com/2011/07/retreat.html

Keep an eye on that blog for more stories & photos

of the wonderful people who inhabit the vintage industry...

and give Elise a call to schedule your OWN session!

425-941-6703

She also teaches photography classes ;0)

BarnHouse Sneak Peek #3

2011-07-24T22:15:00.000-07:00

Usually we take old materials and create something NEW with them.

Once in a while, we also take something new and make it look OLD. ;0)

Retreat Furnishings & Decor

Available July 30th at BarnHouse

See you there!
____________________________________________________

Autumn Retreat Vintage Market Vendors:

Just one week left to submit your contract

for participation in our September show.

Another BarnHouse Sneak Peek!

2011-07-20T00:23:00.000-07:00

mmmmmnnnn hmmmmnnnn....

It's gettin' pretty interesting around here ;0)

RETREAT @ BarnHouse!

2011-07-18T23:57:00.000-07:00

Next up on our schedule is one of our very favorite shows...

BarnHouse, of course!

These two guys, 'The Boys', just do it all so perfectly and fabulously,

with style that is leagues above everyone else.

Their show literally sets the standard for all of the others.

We just LOVE that the photos on their marketing materials

were taken in their booth at our Retreat Vintage Market in June!

]

We are so honored to be included yet again in this exquisite show,

and excited to go and relax on their farm for a few days.

This is a group of bonafide pros in the biz, and it is GORgeous!

[Plus this year, there will be music and more food and BOOZE. o yeah!]

oh.... what's that? You say you'd like a sneak peek?

Well, ok... here's a little tidbit to tide you over.

You'll find THIS beauty

and many more of our one of a kind furnishings and decor accessories

in our RETREAT booth at the BarnHouse show ;0)

More sneak peeks to come....

for show info, please visit www.BarnHouseBH.com

Saturday July 30 . 9 AM - 4 PM . Battle Ground, WA

The Kindness of Friends

2011-07-14T20:58:00.000-07:00

These are some of the nicest 'Host & Hostess' gifts we've ever seen!

We were the lucky recipients of these VERY special gifts last month,

from a few of our Retreat Vintage Market vendors.

Thank you, Teresa Sheeley, Debi Burton, Julie Batson,
Patty Green & John Chasteen, Tammy Gilley,
Anne Skougard, Kim Fischer, & KellyAnne Smith,
Tamila Morgan, Janet Sears, and Liz le Dorze
for these very sweet tokens of friendship...
we so appreciate each of you
and your contribution to our show.

Thank you to Julie Malcom, too -
she gave us our favorite brie & ham sandwiches from her
Here & There Grill gourmet food truck!
But there's no evidence of those left to photograph. ;0)

And, ah, Thanks BOYZ! ;0)

BarnHouse's Joe & Jermonne may swear up a blue streak,
but they are a CLASS ACT!

A huge thank you also goes out to our friends
Dona Morrison and Sara Schneider,
for the gift of their time to help us out on show day.
We love ya'!

Although we sent off private thank yous
to these friends after our show,
we just thought you should know
what kind and generous people they are.
It's always nice to be acknowledged for a kindness,
don't you think?

123 Rue des Retreat!

2011-07-12T21:52:00.000-07:00

A few images of our space at the

no. 123 Rue des Park Lane French-inspired Flea Market

held in Kirkland on Saturday...

It felt strange not to have our tent with us this time,

but with just three hours to set up before

the public began wandering through our spaces at 9 AM,

{yes, that DOES mean we began setup at 6 AM....}

we decided not to waste any of that short time on a tent.

Our giant patio umbrella worked fabulously!

And the sunshine that poured into the space was perfect...

especially dancing on the glass light globes we displayed on Bob's

FABulous reclaimed wood table.

Can you guess what this sweet sink is displayed on???

{hint: it has wheels. that sink is small, but HEAVY!}

Deb found a savvy way to move it around ;0)

Thank you to all of the friends, fans, and customers

who came out in support of this show and Retreat.

And Welcome to all of the NEW friends we made -

we are so glad you discovered the street market, and us!

Find out more about Retreat here

and about our show on September 17th here

More photos of this event - including other vendors -
can be seen on the 'Dreaming Vintage' Page on facebook
created by photographer Elise Liptack.

Thank You, Romantic Homes Magazine!

2011-07-10T23:37:00.000-07:00

We received an email from a sweet blog reader last week,

congratulating us for the distinctive honor

of our Retreat Vintage Market show

making the 'Top 50 Flea Markets in America' list

in the August issue of Romantic Homes magazine.

US? REALLY?

A few dear friends confirmed it for us via email, facebook,

and also in person at Cindy's show on Saturday.

On Sunday, we finally got our hands on an issue... and sure enough....

There we are at number #49!

We're even on the map they created...

our flag is placed a little bit SouthEast of our actual island location,

but the arrow we added fixed that!!!

Bob & I are so honored to be included in this listing

among so many other wonderful vintage shows

from across the country...

and send our Congratulations to all of them!

It is truly because of the AMAZING vendors
who bring their very best to our show
that we are worthy of this mention.
Our eternal thanks goes out to each of them!

We offer our most grateful thanks to Romantic Homes magazine,

editor Jaqueline de Montravel, and the entire vintage industry

for this very special honor.

For details about our Autumn Retreat Vintage Market show,

please visit our event website

RetreatVintageMarket.com

Find Retreat @ no. 123 Rue des Park Lane

2011-07-06T22:14:00.000-07:00

Join us on Saturday in sunny Kirkland, Washington

for a fabulous French-inspired flea market on Park Lane!

more info here

Haley's Cottage is a lovely shop located at 123 Park Lane,

and they are hosting 40 vendors for this outdoor event.

We are looking forward to being part of it again!

{We were at the first show that Cindy held in Mill Creek,

but had to cancel our appearance at the second show last fall

due to Bob's accident & surgery.}

We'll be featuring our elegantly casual beach decor style in our space

to assist you in creating your OWN 'Summer Retreat' in your home,

and look forward to seeing all of you there!

Traffic advisory:

Apparently the 520 Bridge is CLOSED this weekend,

so prepare to use alternate routes

(through Lake Forest Park, Bothell & Juanita from Seattle/ North end

and Bellevue & Clyde Hill from Renton/Issaquah/South end)

to access downtown Kirkland.

More great vintage shopping this weekend at:

2nd Saturdays - Magnusson Park in Seattle's U District

Urban Craft Uprising - Seattle

Salute

2011-07-04T00:44:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July, Everyone!

Be Safe, Be Sane, and Be Proud...

"I pledge allegiance to the flag

of the United States of America

And to the Republic for which it stands

One Nation

Under God

Indivisible

With Liberty and Justice for All"

{image C. Deb Kennedy for RETREAT 2010}

Autumn Retreat Vintage Market: September 17th

2011-07-01T17:04:00.000-07:00

www.RetreatVintageMarket.com

Spellin' It Out...

2011-06-30T20:29:00.000-07:00

mmmmmmm... why, YES, we DID have these

GIANT LETTER TILES & HOLDERS

at the Farm Chicks Antique show in Spokane, WA

on June 4 & 5, 2011 at the beginning of this month.

We had them at our show last weekend, too,

and will have more available for sale

at both of our July show appearances:

Rue de Park Lane in Kirkland, WA

BarnHouse in Battle Ground, WA

We came up with this product in April:

One day we hung our giant chalkboard

on the wall in our entrance hall.

Normally, an antique wooden rain gutter section

[that I've had for twenty years]

hangs beneath it to hold chalk and erasers.

Our hall is too narrow to allow for that

[it would be at ankle-height - NOT good!]

so I was holding the wooden rain gutter section

and turned into the family room...

where a group of Scrabble letters spelling 'RETREAT'

sat on a wooden Scrabble tile holder

on an enamel side table.

I looked at that, and then looked down

at the wooden rain gutter section in my hands.

A lightbulb went on!

and so I went into my studio and sketched the idea

for the giant letter tiles and wooden rain gutter holders.

Bob got to work on those,

and we debuted them at Farm Chicks.

They were VERY popular!

We had a lot of comments on how fun

and 'brilliant' the idea was.

(thank you Serena Thompson and Jenny Doh!)

We also heard a lot of comments about how

we had 'forgotten' to put the numbers on them!

We explained (a million times)

that we specifically chose NOT to put numbers on ours

or call them 'Scrabble letters' because

those designs and terms are copyrighted by Milton Bradley.

I took the idea of spelling words with letter tiles

(which we have ALL done with Scrabble tiles)

thought it would be cool in a larger size,

and made it into a new product.

Call it 'building a better mousetrap'...

we improved on the original for this particular use.

But we will not copy the game pieces exactly,

nor will we use the game's name for them.

THAT, my friends, is rude. And illegal.

And EXPENSIVE when the lawyers come callin'.

Besides, there's nothing more annoying than a copycat.

A lot of photos of our giant letter tiles were taken

at Farm Chicks, and we knew exactly WHY.

Yes, you certainly CAN make them yourself.

But when priced at just $4 each (or five for $20)

and $20 for a section of antique wooden rain gutter to hold them,

they are a GREAT deal for quality materials and workmanship.

Are you really going to go to all the trouble of

making them when they are THAT reasonable?

Especially after you consider all of the time spent

cutting, sanding, sealing, printing, and waxing

that goes into each one.

And the cost of the supplies.

Our price is actually CHEAP!

IN any case, we think they are fun

and we are glad we had our version out there

first on the vintage circuit.

Leading decor trends.... that's RETREAT!

;0)

Available from Retreat at upcoming shows in the Northwest and California.

We do not sell our products online.

Comments on this post have been closed. Please email your feedback.

Sharin' the LOVE

2011-06-29T13:22:00.000-07:00

If you missed our recent show, check out what our

Summer Retreat Vintage Market vendors

are sharing on their own blogs & facebook Pages...

BarnHouse

Seabold Vintage Market

Teresa Sheeley Studios

Ormolulu

Garden Party

Carly Tee Photography

My Shabby Chateau

a slideshow of images from House of Anne

Happy attendees are blogging about our show, too!

We really appreciate hearing from the shoppers & photographers

who visit our shows... thank you all so very much...

Fishtail Cottage

Kimberly Taylor Images
Four Corners Design
glam.spoon
Seattle PI
Michelle Paige
Cottage on 39th

If you've posted about our show on your

blog or facebook Page, please leave us a comment

with the link - and we'll add it here!

And make sure you mark your calendars for our NEXT event:
Autumn Retreat Vintage Market
Saturday, September 17th, 2011

The Stars of Our Show: Our Vendors!

2011-06-27T23:27:00.000-07:00

Front Entry: Julie Malcom . Bob & Deb Kennedy . Donna King

Row 1: Joy Bayer . Marybeth & Julie Sande . Donna Welter .
Julie Batson . Patty Green

Row 2: Jermonne Swendell & Joe Apodaca . Tammy Gilley .

Carly Thompson . Teresa Sheeley . Liz le Dorze

Row 3: Jermonne Swendell & Joe Apodaca . Patricia MacKey .

Joel & Sue Carlson . Tamila Morgan . Liz le Dorze

Row 4: Anne Skougard, Kellyanne Smith, & Kim Fischer . Janet Sears .

Chris & Daniela Shelton . Debi Bock . Debi Burton & Jim Blondeau

What an INCREDIBLE assemblage of style, talent, and sheer determination!

We are so thankful to each of these people for their contribution

to our show... and our dream.

We're posting photos of the show on our Retreat Vintage Market Page on facebook

Curtain Call.....

2011-06-26T21:53:00.000-07:00

Our first 'BIG' Retreat Vintage Market event was a HUGE success,

and we thank our INCREDIBLE roster of vendors for their support & participation.

Take a bow, gang - you deserve it!

Thank you also to all of the friends, fans, customers, and clients

who came and supported of all of the vendors at our show...

We ALL appreciate you!

It was a great time... from beginning to end...

From setup on Friday (RAINY morning..... these vendors are TROOPERS!)

To the last-minute early-morning details...

From our very first VERY HAPPY customer through the gate at 9 AM!

To the rest of the early crowd who waited to get in...

and the steady flow of visitors arriving all day long.

WE LOVED THAT!

To breakdown & load out...

And finally to the vendor potluck after-party,

where everyone was able to relax and rest,

eat some GREAT food,

and make some new friends.

The mood of the day was exactly what we wanted to create here,

and we are so grateful that you ALL contributed to our dream!

We thank you most sincerely,

and welcome you to 'the Retreat Family'.

Photos of Vendors & booths coming

in our next post!

Summer Retreat Vintage Market TODAY!

2011-06-25T00:38:00.000-07:00

Come to Camano Island, Washington - just an hour North of Seattle -

and join 24 AWE-INSPIRING vendors of

antique, vintage, restyled & handmade goods

for a remarkable 'Vintage Shopping Experience' TM

Here's a sneak peek at some of the beauty that awaits...

Our vendors spent 14 hours today preparing their booths & goods for you.

Inspiring displays, quality products, incredible selection all await...

YOU WILL LOVE THIS!!!

See you at 9 AM!

Show info, map, driving directions

and more Camano Island attractions can be found HERE

Thank You, Evening Magazine!

2011-06-23T22:15:00.000-07:00

We'd like to say Thank You

to Jim Dever and KING 5 Seattle's Evening Magazine

for their promotion of our Summer Retreat Vintage Market -

they included us in their segment on the Farm Chicks show in tonight's episode!

To view the segment on their website, click here...

Oh Mah GAWD...

2011-06-20T22:19:00.000-07:00

facebook

Evening Magazine posted on Retreat Vintage Market's Wall.

"We're plugging your show next weekend as part of our Farm Chicks footage on Thursday! Keep it sunny..."

View This Wall Post

Thank you, Jim Dever and Evening Magazine!

Tune in to Seattle KING5 this Thursday, June 23rd, at 7:00 PM

for Evening Magazine's 'take' on the Farm Chicks show in Spokane...

and apparently,

an on-air promotion of our Summer Retreat Vintage Market!

Show Info HERE

The Full Court Press Begins NOW

2011-06-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

Just FOUR DAYS until our vendors arrive

to start setting up their INSPIRING booths!

This field will be transformed into a visual vintage FEAST by

BARN HOUSE!

Seabold Vintage Market!

Auntie Joy!

Teresa Sheeley!

Sisters Antiques!

Tammy Gilley!

Ormolulu!

....and SO MANY MORE...

(click here to see them all!)

Just FIVE DAYS until our SHOW!

But truly, it's not JUST a show -

it's a Vintage Shopping Experience! (TM)

We hope to see you here...

Summer Retreat Vintage Market

Saturday June 25

9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

$5 per person admission

521 Moe Road, Camano Island, WA 98282

(free parking field - access located off of Sunrise Boulevard.

Roadside parking not allowed)

Please no smoking . no pets

Click HERE for map & driving directions

Runnin' with the Big Dogs....

2011-06-19T00:25:00.000-07:00

Wishing all of you dads out there a very Happy Father's Day!

Photo of the Kennedy Crew @ 1992,

along with our rescued 18 month-old

Newfoundland Landseer dog.

His name was 'Moe'....short for Mozart.

We lived in Lake Arrowhead, California back then.

We came to Washington in 1994.

Later we moved here to Camano Island,

and lived on Arrowhead Road.

And now we live on Moe Road!

Strange coincidence? Hmmmnnnnn...

RETREAT on GalTime.com

2011-06-16T20:50:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to friend Malia Karlinsky,

Retreat supporter, writer & pro blogger extraordinaire,

for her post about our show on GalTimeSeattle.

Sounds like a perfect Girlfriends Weekend Trip to us!

Amazing...

2011-06-14T21:30:00.000-07:00

This is one of the INCREDIBLE occurrences that God has brought our way...

Rhonda Addison is an artist known for her fine art photography prints that are embellished with crystals and pearls and beautiful sentiments. Her work is known as 'Fine Art Photography with BLING!'TM, and is sold all over the world.

She is ALSO a woman who is so generous and kind that she sent the image shown above, which she created, plus all of our web links for our June 25th Summer Retreat Vintage Market to her own mailing list. That's THOUSANDS of people across the country - MANY here in the Northwest - who love beautiful decor and vintage style. Her demographic is OUR demographic, and she just put us front and center in their minds.

Rhonda is ALSO sending us a selection of her work, and we'll be offering it in our Retreat booth at our show. This is a very special offer! But that's not all..... Rhonda has signed on to join us as a very special guest vendor at our AUTUMN Retreat Vintage Market in September!

How do you thank someone for this kind of generosity and over-the-top kindness?

VERY PUBLICLY. ;0)

Thank you, Rhonda Addison, for your friendship.

You are such a blessing!

Meet Our Summer Retreat Vintage Market Vendors!

2011-06-11T00:21:00.000-07:00

Yup, the Boys of BarnHouse - Joe & Jermonne -

are bringin' their shenanigans

to Camano Island for our show in just TWO WEEKS!

PLUS we have a lineup of 20 of the most STELLAR vendors of

antique, vintage, handmade, and repurposed goods coming to our show,
and we are so honored and thrilled to present them to you.

Head on over to our event website

HERE to read more about each of them....

and we'll see you here on our Camano Island farm on June 25th!

Share our event with your friends...

It will link to our event web site,
www.RetreatVintageMarket.com

I'd like to order a Sweet Retreat!

2011-06-08T00:11:00.000-07:00

We feel like we've been knighted by the Queen!

Sweet Celeste at Chaps has named one of her famous

'Designer Drink' Martinis 'Sweet Retreat'!

yep, it's right there on the menu

along with the BarnHouse* and the ChapsGirl...

talk about being in good company!

We told Celeste about Bob's rep as the BBQ King,

and she put two & two together:

BBQ and sweet tea. And our signature tan color.

Hence, a 'Sweet Retreat' sweet tea vodka Martini!

(because there's really no way to make a BBQ-flavored martini... is there?)

We had the immense pleasure of visiting chaps TWICE

over this past weekend,

and were spoiled by the amazing service from

Miss Celeste and her staff. Even when they were SLAMMED.

These are not ALL for us!

Friends John Chasteen and Patty Green

(owner of Sisters Antiques in Issaquah)

joined us on Friday night

for a 'sampling' of the new drink.

We all approved. Heartily!!!

....and that FOOD...... sigh.....

We're just going to say it again:
When in Spokane, you simply MUST NOT MISS
this fabulous restaurant and bakery,
filled with vintage style, fabulous friends,
stellar staff, awesome bartenders and amazing chefs.

www.ChapsGirl.com

Order up a round of Sweet Retreats,
and tell them Retreat sent you ;0)
Thank you for EVERYTHING, Celeste!

* Visit our Retreat Vintage Market event website
to 'meet' the BarnHouse Boys!

Photo Op!

2011-06-07T14:52:00.000-07:00

OK, friends, we finally got a moment to post photos

of our booth at the Farm Chicks Show -

You can see them on our Facebook Page!

Our newly-premiered 'Giant Letter Tiles' were quite the hit...

Jenny Doh liked them so much she took a photo! ;0)

Thanks, Jenny!

The STAR of The Show

2011-06-06T23:17:00.000-07:00

Yep, that's him.

My rawkstar hubby, all duded up for Farm Chicks.
We call this character 'Brotha Bob',
and he's the Love Child of
Big Kenny from Big & Rich,
Tom Petty as the Mad Hatter,
and a tent revival preacherman.

A lil' bit country, a lil' bit western,
a lil' bit Steampunk, a lil' bit circus ringmaster,
and a touch of preacher.... man.

This, Ladies and Gents, IS RetreatStyle.

I can't even TELL you how much fun we had makin' that hat!

After the hat, he found those UNREAL specs with crosses on them

in a box of our son's old stuff. ;0)

Then he came up with the killer walking stick.

Here's Brotha Bob, workin' it at the Farm Chicks show.

He was definitely the most photographed thing in our booth

(yes, even MORE than our new giant letter tiles ;0) )

and I couldn't be happier that he got all that attention.

It's a miracle the man is even HERE,

let alone workin' our biz at a show.
We are SO BLESSED to have been at Farm Chicks again.

Yup, as Brotha Bob would say,

Hallelujia!

And yes, dears, I WILL post show photos & details!

Time-Lapse Booth Setup at Farm Chicks!

2011-06-03T22:28:00.000-07:00

What a CAR-AZY day! Ten straight hours of hard work,

all wrapped up in a three minute time-lapse slideshow ;0)

Enjoy this sneak peek at our Retreat Revival booth at Farm Chicks 2011!

And we'll see you in the morning....

Just wait 'till you get a load of BOB's outfit!

Farm Chicks 2011 Sneak Peek!

2011-05-29T23:12:00.000-07:00

Just a few 'Sneak Peeks' of some of the goods we've created

for the Farm Chicks Show next weekend...

More to come later this week

We'll see you in Spokane!

On the Map!!!

2011-05-27T20:25:00.000-07:00

The Farm Chicks Show OFFICIAL Map has been released
and we are happy to share it with you!

We've added green arrows to the image above

to help you locate RETREAT in Bay One. ;0)

We've moved over one block
into spaces #176 and 177

now you'll see us as SOON as you walk in the West door

from the Atrium to Bay One!

Above is a listing of all of the FABULOUS vendors

who will be participating in the show - the largest EVER!

To view this map larger, click HERE

We look forward to seeing all of you Chickies

bright and early NEXT Saturday morning!

Meeting Another 'Neighbor'...

2011-05-25T21:58:00.000-07:00

Today as we were working on projects in the shop,

Bob suddenly looked up and stopped moving.

He whispered 'Deb' and nodded toward the door.....

and I turned from my painting to look out to our show field.

Out at the edge of the property by the road

was a doe and her brand new fawn...

Mama led her sweet baby out of a thicket of trees,

slowly across the corner of our field

and then across the street and over to the Holly Farm -

with 40 acres to roam.

Bambi lives in our neighborhood!

[and how lucky is it that I had grabbed the camera this morning

and taken it down to the shop with us, to snap some

'sneak peeks' for Farm Chicks?

I NEVER expected to get shots like these...]

I'll post those sneak peeks another day!

'Tent Show' History

2011-05-23T05:14:00.000-07:00

"Once upon a time carnivals traversed America, pitching tents in rural areas to bring the magic of the circus to small towns everywhere. Barnum & Bailey, the Cole Brothers and the Ringling Brothers performed their acrobatics underneath the canvas high-top as the public gaped in wonder and fear.

Another form of tent shows were the grand revival meetings with evangelists promising to save souls like Aimee Semple McPherson, Father Billy Sunday and Marjo Gortner. They sold Bibles and preached salvation.

Whether you came for the cotton candy, two-headed lion, or to see someone convulse into tongues as the devil was cast out of them, the tent shows were an entertainment mainstay, a colorful diversion from the monotony of daily life."

And to that we say a resounding AMEN! ;0)

Just so you know, there will be no cotton candy, two-headed lions,

speaking in tongues or casting out of devils in our show booth.

Convulsions MAY occur when people get a load

of what we're bringing as product, however. ;0)

Farm Chicks 2010 Revisited

2011-05-21T19:38:00.000-07:00

With all of the preparations for the Farm Chicks Antique Show,

we're too busy to blog! Sorry!

No sneak peeks of our creations are available just yet,

but just to remind you of what we pulled off LAST YEAR:

Thanks to our lovely customers & clients, there was nothing left...

The huge kitchen work island now lives at Madeleine's Cafe in downtown Spokane,

and the 'pew bench' lives at the owner's daughter's house!

Most of the chairs look tempting at Celeste's Chaps & Cake in Spokane.

The metal kitchen cabinet with sink is something that

many people STILL lament not buying (sorry, Liz!)

and the lucky girl who got it was really smiling!

The glass cabinets went to a new store in Alberta, Canada.

The crystal sconces went home to Portland with Leah from Belle Blanc.

This year, we are NOT undertaking the big top tent again.

Not only was it exhausting,

but now Spokane's Fire Marshall Bill

has put the kabosh on tents. :0(

We DO have plans to bring a show to the show, though!

Our Retreat Revival 'Tent - not tent' will be there,

and of course you'll find our original furniture & decor,

designed & handcrafted by us from reclaimed materials.

And LOTS of decorating inspiration!

We can't wait to see you all in just two short weeks!

Growing Pains

2011-05-18T00:43:00.000-07:00

Well, folks, it's official...

We are retiring the name 'Petite Retreat'.

It was always intended to be a transitional name,

growing with our events and our business.

And the time has come!

With our relocation to a new farm

and larger events with more vendors,

the term 'Petite' just doesn't apply anymore!

Having two event names confused a few people,

so we're simplifying things.

We're deleting the Petite Retreat blog & facebook Page.

To stay abreast of news about ALL of our events

held at Retreat Farm on Camano Island,

please visit our Retreat Vintage Market Web Site

and Facebook Page!

Up NEXT!

2011-05-15T15:50:00.000-07:00

Yes, we are - for our fourth Farm Chicks Show!

We're on overdrive now,

preparing for the show of shows in just a few weeks...

200 Vendors

over 5 Thousand Shoppers

Will YOU be there to TREAT YOURSELF?

Saturday & Sunday . June 4 & 5

Spokane Fairgrounds, Spokane, Washington

Our booth will be located just across from

the first set of doors into Bay Two -

please come by and say hello!

Let us show you how to RE-TREAT yourself! ;0)

Visit http://www.theFarmChicks.com for show info

'Encore' Sneak Peek

2011-05-13T21:33:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick peek at a few of the
special treasures we have for you

at our Petite Retreat Spring Boutique store ENCORE on Saturday:

Oh, just one more thing....

Do you remember 'Miss Foofy Sofa', the vintage French-style sofa?

She sold. Four times, to be exact.
Well, we found her sister.

A bit curvier and a bit more petite...

Hmmmmn, maybe we could nickname this one Pippa! ;0)

ENCORE! ENCORE!

2011-05-09T19:50:00.000-07:00

Retreat will hold an ENCORE PERFORMANCE

of our Petite Retreat Spring Boutique store event!

For one day only, we'll open our doors:

9 AM to 3 PM on Saturday, May 14th

we'll welcome you to our farm for a vintage shopping experience.

Why?

Due to Mother Nature's
overwhelming lack of participation last weekend,

and the remarkable response we have had from friends & fans

who are sad that they could not make it because of that weather,

we've been persuaded that it's a great idea
to open for a second weekend event.

[Not in the original plan -

but hey, when do things actually GO
according to the PLAN, anyway?!]

BONUS ONE:

There will be discounts on some items!

BONUS TWO:

On the same day, you can also attend the

Poppyseeds Vintage Flea Market in Stanwood

AND the extended second weekend of the

Camano Arts Association Artists Studio Tour event !

And if we all cross our fingers and say our prayers,

we may just be graced with better weather than last weekend.

[ANYTHING is better, trust us!]

Thank You All!

2011-05-08T23:14:00.000-07:00

Our Petite Retreat Spring Boutique Store event on Friday & Saturday

was a lot of work, a lot of fun, quite successful,

and we appreciate all of the MANY friends, customers,

and new neighbors who came out to support us.

We enjoyed meeting you and sharing our new farm with everyone!

You can see photos of our shop

on the Petite Retreat facebook Page HERE

We really are excited about welcoming you all back on June 25th

for our Retreat Vintage Market SHOW!

Presenting Petite Retreat

2011-05-05T09:08:00.000-07:00

Petite Retreat Spring Boutique Store

Open Friday & Saturday
May 6 & 7

9 AM to 3 PM

Vintage & New products for you and your home

presented by RETREAT and featuring products from

Seabold Vintage Market . Finch & Willow

Sisters Antiques . Rose~Marie . Tippy Stockton

We are located on Camano Island, Washington
60 miles North of Seattle and no ferries!
Just drive across a bridge to our Island Paradise

Petite Retreat Sneak Peek!

2011-05-04T11:03:00.000-07:00

Two days to go until we open,

and things are looking really spiffy

in our Petite Retreat Boutique Store!

We've gathered treasures from near & far

and created inspiring displays just for you...

Just look at a few things our friends have provided:

Finch & Willow elegant home accessories from Sara Schneider

Seabold Vintage Market goods

made from Bainbridge Blues linens by Liz le Dorze

Rose~Marie romantic vintage linen

home & personal accessories from Jo Marie Richman

Beautiful bling for your rooms from Patty Green at Sisters Antiques

...and a shipment of jewels from Patricia MacKey at Tippy Stockton

is on the way here at this moment!

We open Friday morning at 9 AM

and hope to see you there!

(limited parking area open at 8 AM)

Info, map & driving directions HERE

Island Chicks Show Video!

2011-05-02T23:30:00.000-07:00

While we're busily preparing the final details of our store for our Petite Retreat Spring Boutique on May 6 & 7, you can watch the video that the Island Chicks had made during their show last month in Anacortes, Washington...

Now you know how fabulous these events are, and why you DON'T want to miss ANY of them!

Though it's on a smaller scale than the Island Chicks show, we invite you to join us for our store opening this coming weekend on Camano Island. We're open for only TWO DAYS, so don't miss it!

Our seasonal store will be overflowing with incredible and inspiring goods and displays! We've collected beautiful home decor, fashion apparel, jewelry, and vintage items from some of our favorite dealers/vendors and combined them with our own RETREAT furnishings & decor in our shop to entice you. You are sure to find something you love for your home, yourself - or for Mom!

Petite Retreat Spring Boutique Store

Map & Event Info Here

Petite Retreat Spring Boutique!

2011-04-27T09:48:00.000-07:00

Forgive our blogging absence...

We're hard at work, creating our store

for the upcoming Petite Retreat Spring Boutique!

It's non-stop work,

but it's looking SO good ;0)

Some things about it are reminiscent of our last barn,

while others are completely new.

We're gathering treasures from sweet friends

and creating a wonderful vintage shopping experience -

We can't wait to share it with you!

Plan to join us on Camano Island, WA

Friday & Saturday May 6 & 7

Mother's Day Weekend

Open 9 AM to 3 PM

Find info, map & directions here