Marketing

I once had a little vintage shop. Nothing spectacular. Just your usual items of mismatched china, glassware, silver table ware, old vanities and the like. I really enjoyed chatting with customers about the history and former life of stuff people owned. Like how someone loved and chose that sweet floral patterned tea cup so long ago. Stuff like that. It also gave me an outlet to sell some of my own crafty stuff.

Like this little key safe.

There were hand selected curiosities in every nook and cranny of my little shop.

How was I to present my amassed treasures so as to attract the customers eye?

Well, I'm no marketing guru. But I knew one surefire strategy to physically get the buyer near the product.

No power point presentation, I promise.

Are you ready?

Add a well placed baby. That's it. Works every time.

Inspiration

I'm gettin' the bug. The restless, I need some inspiration itch. I'm thinking I need Aurora!
Aurora Oregon is not to far from home, about a 45 minute drive. But a fun day trip, that would jump start my creative urges. At least fill my brain with new ideas and inspiration.

Aurora was established in the 1860's. An community of christian followers of Dr. William Keil. The history of the defunct Utopian settlement is evident the moment you drive through this little community. White clapboard homes and buildings clustered together now house quaint antique shops and coffee spots. And there are treasures to discover as you climb narrow stairways in search of that special what-not, displayed perhaps in a tiny cupboard on an upper floor. Or it may be a little something tucked into a vintage armoire, near a window, where you can peer down onto the street below. I've done that. Peered down onto the street below. And my mind wonders (wanders) if a kindred spirit stood by this window so very long ago.

I imagine....

Imagining is my favorite activity when visiting this once upon-a-time village.

The trip would not be complete though without scouring my favorite shop in Aurora. A barn, a barn shop actually. It's the Aurora Mills Architectural Salvage. They have two floors of eclectic vintage home building supplies and accessories, in a cool vintage barn. You'll need well over an hour to see all they have, it is nearly bursting at it's weathered seams. I am content to rifle endlessly through bins and bins of old address numbers, hinges, doorknobs, and the like. What? You like to do that to? I like you!

Friend, take a look at a sampling of the goodies Aurora Mills has to offer, and get a sneak peak into this historical old barn.

I was piqued at the possibilities of re-purposing some old weathered door panels. Old crackling paint, I dig it! I came up with a little "welcome sign".
I hope you like it.







And being that.. ahem... I am smitten with all things red, I couldn't resist this piece of old baseboard painted in shiny red enamel. A few vintage hooks I scrounged from the bins and Ta da.

Ahhh... feelin' much better now.