My booth opened and Anthropologie giveaway!

 Look, y'all! IT'S MY BOOTH!!!

I'm so excited! The big day arrived with a minimum of drama and angst....
My booth opened today at the Antique Mall!

It was less than 2 months ago that I began blogging about my dream
of opening up my very first booth, and here I am!
I have to say, I really am quite thrilled with how it all turned out.
It's not perfect, but I'm proud and grateful for all the help and support
I've received from my family and friends.....that's YOU!

In celebration of this momentous event, I'm having my first giveaway!

I'm offering one lucky individual a $25 gift card from my favorite store and yours,

 

Anthropologie!

Awesome blossom, right?

There's more to this giveaway, 
but first some more pics of my booth!

 

 

And finally my two Jethro's, my Handsome Husband (left) 

and Dapper Best Friend hoisting my sign in it's future space!

Whew, that makes me tired (and giddy!) 

just looking at all these pics again!

The owners of the mall seemed to be super happy 

with my booth, and even suggested that the local newspaper 

could do a feature on my booth to drum up some publicity.

 But back to the Celebratory Giveaway....in keeping with the 
Anthropologie theme, the winner will also receive 
this gorgeous  Anthropologie Cloche!
 

Beautifully hand painted and distressed in a rich taupe/tan finish, the dome is a strong wire and has an iron knob at the top. The dome is removable and separates from the base which has feet at the bottom to raise it slightly. It measures 10" by 9 1/2".

The patina is just perfect for any style decor, 
but especially for those of you partial to the Jeanne d'Arc Living style. 
And if you're wondering who the super cute instant ancestor is in the photo, 
it's my very own mother! This beauty retailed for over $100 
when I purchased it awhile back, and it's proudly graced my living room 
for the last year or so. Now, in celebration of my booth opening, I want it to be yours.

 

 To have your name tossed into the proverbial hat, here's what ya do...

If you are a follower or become a follower, you get 3 chances.

If you leave a comment on this post, you automatically get another chance.

That's all there is to it! Easy, right?!

I'll be drawing the name of the lucky winner one week from tomorrow on Sunday, October 11th.

In closing, thank you all so, so much 
for being a part of this amazing ride with me.

Here's hoping all your dreams come true, too.

~ Anne

 

I'm legit now!

The card says so, so it must be true!

My business cards and my store banner arrived in the mail today,
and I'm feeling an odd mixture of glee and doom.
Is this even the least bit normal?
I mean, they actually look professional!
Yikes, people are likely to expect something from me now.

True, it's not on the level of a tent in Warrenton
or my own brick and mortar store, but it's sort of a big whoop for me.
Baby steps, I have to keep reminding myself of that.

On the agenda for this week....work my day job as an RT
at the hospital for the next three days (12 hour shifts, ugh),
Church on Sunday like the good Catholic I am,
followed by a quick trip to Trade Days in Fredericksburg.
Before ya know it, you'll be seeing my smiling face in Warrenton!

I'm not due to take over my booth until the 1st of October,
so I still have a bit of time to beef up my inventory
and brainstorm some display/vignette ideas.
Does it always feel like no matter how much time you have to prepare,
it's never enough? No? Just me? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

For all of you getting ready for the big shows in just over a week,
my thoughts and prayers are most certainly with you.
God willing, we will be sharing a tent one day in the not-too-distant future!

Happy Trails!

~ Anne

Portal to the unknown....

Those of us old to remember Let's Make A Deal" (that would be me) 

recall that the height of suspense during each episode 

was the revelation of what was behind door #1, door #2 or door #3.

We are a nation of gamblers, of fearless risk-takers; 

from our forefathers right down to the 

preposterously costumed contestants on the aforementioned game show, 

all the way down to a medically trained gal who has 

nurtured a lifelong dream of opening her own antique shop.

I am presented with only two doors before me now....

the door on the right, door #2, represents the life I now live, 

the comfortable, safe, predictable choice. 

I enjoy what I do, and I feel that I'm good at it. 

My patients seem to agree, and I make a comfortable living. So far, so good.

But what if.....

What if I dared to peek behind the door on the left, door #1?

Gosh, it looks like there's some sort of obstacle
just on the other side, through the glass.

Do you see it? Do you think it's jamming the door shut?
Do you think someone's already in there? Do you think they might deign to help me?
Do you think there's room enough for me, too?

If I go ahead and chance it, if I proceed through the door on the left,
will I be able to regain entry into door #2 if I am unwelcome, if I fail?

So many questions, more than a few doubts,
the odd fear every so often.

And so it begins.

I stand on the threshhold and prepare to enter door #1, the portal to the unknown.
Building a business of my own is a dream I've kept tucked away for far too long.
I've received much support and encouragement from my fellow bloggers here,
and for that I thank you all.

I mentioned to someone earlier today that my blog, hopefully,
is going to be a chronology of the birth of a business....
as I said in one of my posts, y'all are getting in on the ground floor.
I hope to be able to share the excitement of someone just starting out,
but I also plan to be brutally honest and not sugarcoat things
when and if discouragement sets in and I ask myself
"What the heck did I get myself into?!"

Many blogs here are filled with wonderful, inspiring examples
of those who have made this dream come true....
this one is very much a work in progress.

So what say you? Will you accompany me as I make this journey?
Hopefully, once I am comfortably ensconced behind door #1,
I will be able to welcome the next trepidacious traveler
who dares to follow their dream.....

This post was edited to remove
any photos not taken by myself, Anne Lorys.