Need a Little Retreat?

We are thrilled to announce our 'Petite Retreats': 

intimate seasonal vintage markets, held here on our farm.

We've prepared one of our small barns as a shop/showroom, 

opening one weekend each season to share Retreat Style with you. 

Our first Petite Retreat will be held

Mother's Day Weekend

May 8 & 9

from 10 AM to 4 PM

This event is open to everyone, 

so pass the news along - and bring friends!
{feel free to link to this image & post)

Several of our special friends will be joining us for this Spring market, bringing their fabulous finds to share. Though our market is small &  intimate, you'll find wonderful inspiration and vintage-style treasures galore. We'll have music and refreshments, and even sunshine... we hope you will plan to join us!

We chose Mother's Day because our Island hosts an Artist's Studio Tour that weekend - with over 300 participating artists. You'll be able to enjoy not only our Petite Retreat, but also the scenery, the beaches, artist studio tours, wonderful shops {like Poppyseeds in Stanwood!} and perhaps even a stop at the famous Diamond Knot Brewery or Cama Beach on your day trip here. We'll have info on all of the hot spots, so you won't miss them...

Put our inaugural Petite Retreat on your calendar for May 8 & 9!

PS: Camano Island is 15 miles North of Everett,

then a short, straight 7 mile drive from I-5 across a bridge. 

No ferries! 

Please note that our farm is open for events ONLY.

Address will be posted on our blog before the event.

{More Petite Retreat vintage seasonal markets

are planned for July, September, and November.}

Fan-Fair!

 

Are you on Facebook?

Help a girl out:

Timi of Come Junk With Us

made a bet with her hubby.

now if she doesn't reach 500 Fans in just one more day,

she'll have to pay the piper.

And it ain't pretty:

Poor Timi 

will be forced to empty the blackwater tank

from her travel trailer for the entire summer!

Now, this takes away from her time junkin' 

and taking buses to great shows, 

so

go Fan 'Come Junk With Us' on Facebook now!

Friends & Faves Link Question

We have a question for you, our wonderful blog readers & followers:

Do you prefer finding blog links to our friends & faves in the sidebar {where they stretch out forever!} OR on a separate page with a link to the page in the sidebar?

We made this change recently, and it looks like less people are 'surfing' our links now that they are on a separate page. So, we thought we should ask if you prefer it the 'old' way or the 'new' way. Leave us a comment and let us know, won't you? If the consensus is that links in the sidebar are preferred, I'll get to work putting them back. {No small feat} We appreciate your help with this - thanks!

The Sea Queen

I made a few crowns in a new style for the BarnHouse show, using silver wire and seashells to evoke a beachy, summer mood that complimented our theme for the show. Tresa and her daughter visited us in our space on Saturday, and bought a few of them.Thursday, I received this sweet email from them:

Hi, Bob & Deb!
Bought 2 of your precious crowns at the BarnHouse and just had to share these pics - this is Seanna (pronounced Sea Anna) She just turned 4 and loves anything and everything mermaid. Her twin brother, Caleb, calls her the Mermaid Highness.

Thanks again - we can't wait to take our treasures to the beach for more pics.

Hugs,

Tresa and Seanna Collins

Tresa also sent along some photos of 'Her Mermaid Highness', modeling her very own Sea Queen tiara. I think we can safely say that this particular little princess is worthy of her title! What adorable poses!

Tresa, thank you SO much for sharing your sweet girl with us. It is a joy to see our creations being loved and enjoyed. (And I'm betting Seanna loves the pink polka dot parasol from Aleta as much as she loves the tiara from us!)

All Hail the Junk QUEEN

(Sorry, you actually can't 'click to look inside'! I snagged this photo from Amazon! But you CAN click below on the words 'The Salvage Studio' to order your own copy!)

Our new friend Beth Evans-Ramos, co-author of 'The Salvage Studio' book and junker extraordinaire, recently blogged that she was in major de-cluttering and cleanout mode in her home studio. My antennae went on high alert and I asked her if she had any ribbons in colors I am in need of right now...and if so, would she be interested in a swap? Her ribbons for one of my 'Junk Queen' crowns?! She jumped all over that idea and so today, we went to pick up the bag of ribbons and deliver her majesty's crown. (She looks FAB in it, BTW!) She protested that she is actually a Junk Princess, but I think she's the Queen. Read on to see why...

You see, not only did we get a bag of ribbons, but several boxes full of assorted other paper goodies. And an entire TRUCKLOAD of bits, pieces, parts, remnants, and unfinished project pieces that dear sweet Miss Beth was discarding! She led us out into the garage and showed us piles of goodies that she thought we'd love to take off her hands. Oh, was she right! Bob is in heaven, let me tell you! And that's just the first load......

This was such a kind and generous thing for her to do, and I just can't say enough about her spirit and her heart. She passes it off as saying that other people trusted her and gave her their treasures, so she is 'just' paying it forward by passing them on to us. Still, we are so thankful for this! These little bits will be transformed into new products...and the circle continues... which is one of the most amazing things about this 'industry' of antique/vintage/recycled/junk products!

Beth also gave us a tour of her beautiful home, which is the haven of personality and the million unique decor touches that you would expect from a woman as talented and creative as she is. I'm still drooling over the amount of 'junk' (and you all know that I DO use that term in its very best sense!) she has in that house - and all of it impeccably displayed and organized.

Beth says that 'junk' is her favorite four-letter word. After 'Free', of course! I agree! I also think she is one of the nicest most generous people I've ever met... thank you again, Your Highness!