On Sunday afternoon, we cleared everything out of our booth at Faded Elegance. All that was left was the birch tree and the lamp - that baby was empty & forlorn! We laid a 'patio' of antique 1901 bricks, and then yesterday I went in and foofed it all up. I'm calling it 'April Showers'.
You'll find a sweet black metal bistro set (with two darling 30's folding chairs that already had the yellow gingham oilcloth on the seats - were they made for this setup or what?!), a black shelf that looks like a staircase, a black iron trellis and candle chandelier.
And then there's the clothesline hung with vintage aprons, napkins, and a few tatterered things I used to fill in with...' the oldest trick in the book' is what this display prop is called in the trade. But hey, if it works, use it!
I must say I have had my misgivings about this setup. It's decidedly vintage, kinda' kitschy, and not really Shabby Chic at all. However, when the muse strikes, one listens... and when you look at these absolutely adorable dishes, I bet you hear the muse whispering, too....
sigh. Aren't they just DARLING?! FOur different little couples pirouette and spin and twirl on each plate, saucer, cup, and creamer & sugar bowl. I just stopped in my tracks when I discovered them and simply HAD to buy them.
They languished under a layer of dust for heaven knows how long on a crammed shelf in a shop, until that moment I walked by and they sort of jumped up and down and screamed "Deb! Take us home!" And I did. I've been able to find out a little bit about them, and included that info on the rolled scroll in the creamer (said creamer is stamped and hand-numbered, BTW).
I hung a copy on the back wall of the booth, as well, so people could learn about the set's provenance before purchasing. The papers and tearsheets and snippets of things hung on the trellis came from my inspiration board, that I compiled while planning this display.
In this photo you can see some ribbons that hang down off of the candle chandelier...
I tied four vintage millinery flower pins with seam binding & ribbon, and dangled them from the black wirey loopy chandelier. I do wish it had ended up hung right over the table, but, hey, we do what we can!
More details (and we know it's all about the details, right?!) include all of the accoutrements needed for an April afternoon tea on the patio: hats, a diminutive wicker handbag, more vintage millinery pins, a silk scarf used as a tablecloth, and the set of sunny yellow daisy earrings shown below. There's even a set of bright yellow childrens' galoshes under the table - fill 'em up with real yellow tulips for a charming centerpiece for Mother's Day.
Great stuff & ideas to inspire you for spring birthdays, Mother's Day celebrations, and baby & bridal showers. (Speaking of inspiration, in just five short days, we'll be shopping the Rose Bowl Flea Market for treasures to share with you!)
