~ My Grand Opening ~

You are all cordially invited to the 

Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting

 at 

The Empty Nest

92 Main St. Suite 102

Warrenton, Va

warning...photo overload!!

My large display window is staged to look like a lovely vintage sewing room.

It features an antique vanity painted in Duck Egg Blue and Graphite tops, a French chair in Old White and an old White sewing machine (that works!) which I found at the DUMP.

I know...crazy..who throws this stuff out????

One of my Couture Aprons is featured also (it's sold already).

The Greater Warrenton Chamber of Commerce

was gracious enough to host a lovely

ribbon cutting ceremony.

Here I am thanking my sweet sister-in-law sister, Wendy, for driving all the way from New York to help me.

Mr. Secret Agent got called out of town the week before my opening.

I could not have been ready in time for the opening without her.

Ok...lets cut that ribbon!!!!

Flowers from my dear friend Toni!

All aboard the 

Empty Nest Train!

My friends came from far and near to help me celebrate my new venture.

Come on in and take a look around!

Mr. Secret Agent built all my display tables and my check-out table.

Thank you my dear.

Lots of lovely silver bling!

I adore mismatched little silver pieces for sweet table top vignettes.

Sales were very good!

My buddy and personal cheerleader, KellyAnn. 

Kelly owns a fabulous quilt shop here in Warrenton.

I think this is the moment I realized I had to feed all these shoppers!

So great to see all my friends browsing my little shop.

Susan Emory one half of the Swirly Girls Quilting fame, doing some shopping.

My new friend and student Donna. She is an admitted Chalk Paint™ fan and a good customer.

I think this is her telling me that she just bought everything off one of my display tables..

Ha!

The side bars and the clothesline across the display tables was my idea.

I wanted to bring the eyes up to distract from the high ceilings.

I think it worked!

Plus my Janet Hill prints look darling hanging from the clothesline.

My high school friend and student, Missy, drove all the way from Washington, DC.

I'm sure she is talking Chalk Paint™ with my friend and student, Ann.

Ann's talented husband sketched the front of my shop and presented me with a framed original.

How sweet and special is that?

This is Alessandra, who is the creator and designer behind Lala's Pequenos, a fabulous infant wear online shop.

Alessandra and her business partner Annabelle Quigley will be opening a brand new creative studio

just a few doors down from me.

I am so very excited about their new creative venture called Confetti Studio.

They are two super talented ladies.

Paying at the check-out table

Even the resident pooch from Be Boutique, my neighbor, got in on the fun.

Hello Bear!

Love how my doors that I painted with Chalk Paint™ decorative paints,  brightened up my walls.

My pretty felted (fulled) wool and cashmere children's sweaters 

took their places of honor in my new shop.

I create these by shrinking thrifted adult sweaters, cutting them up and reconstructing them with lot's of embellishments.

You will always find beautiful porcelain teacups...one of my passions.

That a girl...run those credit cards!

cell phone pic courtesy of 11 Magnolia Lane..the blog

Terry and Amy, my friends from the fun blog 11 Magnolia Lane stopped by to say hello and see my shop. They must come back and bring the third Magnolia Gal, Christy, next time.

The cute blonde is Tracey...also a former Chalk Paint™ student and friend of the 11 Magnolia gals.

The area that you see being reflected in the vintage mirror is my workshop area.

I held my very first Chalk Paint™ workshop there last wek and it so fabulous!!!!

Here are a few photos I took around the shop this week

Hey Teddi...recognize this?????

Pretty new knobs.

I love how my checkout table turned out. I used tension rods to hang simple unhemmed fabric from underneath.

So soft and pretty!

Great vintage looking bookplates..perfect teachers gift!!!!

Lots of little birds nests all around.

Sweet brass kitty

Lately I have been on the hunt for vintage globes...LOVE them!

Most of my aprons have sold

I have some very unique tea cups and saucers. 

Gorgeous colors

Look at this very cool brass lamp I found..love the glass ball.

Love my Jacobean Cabinet in Cream with stenciled interior.

SOLD

Old gaudy gold wood frame I found at a thrift shop. 

A little Florence from the Chalk Paint™ decorative paints color chart and dark wax...

She is Old World beautiful now.

Many pretty make-up bags to choose from.

I had a lady buy eight to put gift cards in to give to her nieces.

Great idea...no wrapping needed!

Wonderful soy candles from Harmony Farms and made by my blog friend Erin.

The Lavender and Lemon Cookie are heavenly!!!!

I love the clean lines of the canning jars.

The glittered vintage gift tags and paper line are proving to be very popular.

Aren't these sweet?

All my painted doors make such great backdrops for all my aprons.

Everyone comments on the 1930's painted windows and doors that fill my walls.

A few days before the opening, It was late and I was trying to figure out how to better display all of Annie's colors.

I kept looking at that color chart hanging to the left and then looking at the white wall to my right...

YES!!!!

Why not make my wall a giant color chart!!!!

Everyone loves it and customers are coming in with pillows and fabric which they are holding up to all the colors, to get ideas.

A fellow Stockist Michelle Gallant of Canada shared her 'WE DO' idea and I turned it into a poster for my shop.

This is my business mission statement.

It was so great holding my first workshop in my very own studio.

So to refresh...here is my shop before.....

*

*

And I was worried about filling this space...Ha!

Well, it has been two weeks and business has been 

FABULOUS!!!!

My community has really embraced not only me, but the idea of my shop. 

For that I say a huge and heartfelt

THANK YOU!!!

Tomorrow is Wednesday

and I have a super special something to share with you!!!!

If you are ever in the vicinity of Warrenton, Va

please do stop by, have a cup of coffee and say hello.

And you if you happen to catch me here on my days off ...knock on the door..I'll let you in!

Until next time....be kind and stay creative.

PS...a sweet out of town customer called my shop a

"destination shop"

it gave me goosbumps

                                                                 

Happy to once again sharing with these other wonderful blogs

Hope Studios

Savvy Southern Style

Southern Hospitality