Counting Down

It's hard to believe that just six months ago we were sweating our fannies off painting the walls, cleaning and moving in furniture to set up our little shop.

Now, here we are counting down the days until we close the doors and move on to the next chapter in our little business.

As I watch merchandise slowly dwindle down when each artist comes in to claim their products, it strikes me as a bit sad that this little dream is coming to an end.  But then I think about all that is ahead of us, and the excitement begins to build!

Once we close and lock the doors on March 30, we will be free from being tied to a schedule and making sure that all of the hours are covered.  We'll no longer have to worry about things like the DSL bill and the insurance payment.  Our time will be spent doing that which we love best:  Creating beautiful, useful, fun things and selling them to people who appreciate them.

We are so happy to have had this part of the adventure, if only to say "we did it!' We had dreamed for a long time of having a shop of our own and experiencing the joys and frustrations of full-on retail have been a great learning experience.

Now it's time to move forward, and see just what lies around the next bend.  Dip that paddle in the water, let's go!

Valerie

Heart Prints

It's raining here today. Again.  And truly, after the severe drought we've had, it's a blessing so I'm not complaining at all.

But the thing is, the rain is making me a little bit morose, and I don't like to feel that way.

Here's what's on my mind:

Reminders of all that a friend is missing out on today because he took his own life a few years back.

A dear cousin who is losing her battle with cancer, yet surely gaining a special place in heaven.

A family who is waiting for the birth of a baby with anencephaly, which means that the child has a 1% chance of surviving more than a few hours after delivery.

The speed at which life passes, especially the older we get, as evidenced by my grand-daughter's first birthday in just a few days, my son's 20th birthday not long after that, and my Dad's 80th birthday in October.

Individually, these things are enough to choke me up, but add them together and let me ponder them on a rainy day, and I should be a rapidly expanding puddle of tears.

What keeps me sane, what binds my heart and stops the tears from overwhelming me is the knowledge that God is bigger than each of these events, and stronger than the emotions of all of them combined. I know that He holds each person involved in the palm of His hand, leaving fingerprints of comfort upon each heart.

I know they are on mine, some smudged, some barely visible, and some as clear and sharp as if cut by a laser.

God is good, in all things. And for that, on this rain-soaked day, I am thankful.

Valerie

Beyond Black & White

Several months ago, we began creating signs and game boards out of used pallets.  My husband brings them home from work and does all the construction. I get to do the fun part:  Designing and painting, as well as a bit of sanding to finish off the piece.


Originally, everything we did was black and white, but after several customer requests, we've started doing other colors as well.

Here are two of our most popular, the 10x10 signs, "It is Well with my Soul" and "A True Love Story Never Ends," in five different colors. Shown are black, brown, patina, barn red and Navy.

Other colors are available by request, so if you have something in mind, drop us a note.  Remember that it works best to have lighter words and a dark background.

Have a blessed day!
Valerie

Closed doors, open windows

It's been a tough winter here in our little neck of the woods.  Yes, we've gotten more snow than in the last few years, but that is really a good thing.  With the drought and low rivers, we can use all the moisture we can get!

The reason it's been so difficult is because traffic in our little shop has been slow.  When I say slow, I mean really, r-e-a-l-l-y s--l--o--w.  We knew that once Christmas was over, things would taper off considerably, but I really don't think we were prepared for this.

When you run a small business, every penny counts. Our shop was opened on a shoestring budget, and we have kept expenses as low as possible.  Unfortunately, it's just not enough.  Just six months after opening, we will close our doors on March 31.

Losing our little shop makes us sad, but it also opens up a world of opportunities.  Without the worries of staffing, inventory, making the rent and paying the insurance and internet bills, we'll be able to focus more on the parts we really love:  Coming up with new products, and having the time to make them!

So even though our store is going dark, that does not mean that the lights will go out  for Poverty Barn.  In fact, we have a lot of exciting things ahead of us.  For one thing, our Etsy shop has really taken off!  We're learning fresh ways to promote our products and new customers find us every day. There are several handmade marketplace-type shops in our area, and we'll be working with as many of them as possible.  We've also started doing more wholesale work, which has turned out to be quite a blessing. Along with that, there are other options available to us that we know are going to help us continue to grow and market our product lines.

Yes, we have come to the end of a chapter, and it really was a good one.  We learned a lot about ourselves and about doing business, and we are so grateful to have had the opportunity to make a dream come true.  How many people spend their lives thinking, "Some day I'd like to open my own business"? We had the chance and it was really fun.

We have made a lot of great friends along the way, met some amazing artists and have an expanded our foray into the world of handmade.  As the door closes on this chapter, we can't wait to see what windows God opens for us in the next one!

Thank you to everyone who supported us, especially our family and friends.  You spread the word well and we are extremely thankful for each of you!  We also met a lot of new people and we appreciate so much how you made us feel welcomed, at home and loved in Historic Cottleville.

Keep checking back for more news and lots of exciting product additions, as well as our show schedule and the ever-expanding list of retail locations where Poverty Barn goodies can be found.

Blessings,

Val & Jess

Business Ramblings

Welcome back to the Poverty Barn blog.  It's been a while, and I could bore you with a list of excuses, but I won't.  So here we go!

We've been very busy with our little shop, Poverty Barn & Friends, as well as working on promoting and marketing our products.  And of course, we're always trying to come up with new items to love!

We're also trying to plan shows for the upcoming year, find new shops with which to consign and other avenues of getting our products in the public eye.

In a little over a week, some of our goodies will be featured on a local television show, called "Great Day St. Louis" on a segment called "Jennifer's Finds."  We can't wait!  The best part is that we don't have to do the spot ourselves, because we've found that to be a little bit nerve-racking!

And then there is my grand-daughter, who has stolen my heart forever.  She is a doll and it's hard to believe she's almost a year old already!

There is never a dull moment around here.

One of the best parts of owning a small business is incorporating something you love to do, with one of your favorite pastimes.  For me, that happened just last week when I created this new pallet wood sign.  Many in my family are avid Sprint and Midget racing fans, and I had been pondering a design that would incorporate our love for the sport.  After receiving a picture from a friend that showed a sign about hockey, I was inspired to create this:

Once I had the initial design, I asked for input from a couple of dirt racing's "first ladies," and they didn't disappoint.  I appreciate their input and willingness to share so much!

For those of you who enjoy racing, you get it.  For those of you who don't, trust me, it's a really fun sign!  Within an hour of listing it on Etsy, I had my first order.  Since then, it's been by far my most "viewed" listing, and I've sold several more.

Now here's where the project really gets good.

There is a wonderful place in Knoxville, Iowa called the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame. It was created to preserve the history and promote the future of the sport.  They have a fantastic gift shop whose sales go to benefit and maintain the Hall.  Starting next month, these signs will be available there! Not only is it a nice little wholesale deal for us, but it makes me feel great to know that something we make is going to help the sport I love.

I'm looking for other ways to market this sign, and I'm also working on alternate designs for fans of Late Model, Modified and NASCAR racing. Keep your eyes on our Facebook page if that interests you.

Thanks for stopping by our blog.  I always say we won't wait so long to post again, but I'm always wrong so I'm not going to do it again.

Have a blessed day!
Valerie

Wholesale Away with Me

As often as possible, we use products that are made
in America to create our pieces. That's what it's all about.

One of the best feelings in the world is the one you get when you make your first sale of something  created with your own two hands.  It's validating. It's thrilling.  No matter if you made eight cents, eight dollars or a huge profit, it's just nice to know someone likes your work.

As someone who still cringes at the word "artist," even after years of crafting, creating and dreaming, I can't help but get a rush every time I sell something I made.  It's just nice to know I'm not the only one who likes it.

Painting signs.

The Poverty Barn Etsy shop has been open for almost a year, and every sale is a praise, despite the feeling of being completely overwhelmed by the time I cut off Christmas delivery orders!  It is incredibly rewarding to get a note from a customer who loved a piece they bought.  I treasure every one.

A finished piece.

About a month ago, an Etsy convo came through with a question about wholesale orders.  I didn't think a whole lot about it, until the on-line conversation became a phone call, which turned into a series of emails, which culminated in our first wholesale order.  Yesterday, we shipped fifty custom pallet wood signs to Nashville to be sold at Natalie Grant's upcoming concerts.

Yes, when I heard the quantity they wanted, I felt a little nervous, and then when I realized they needed to be delivered in a week, I nearly panicked.  However, when my husband assured me that he could build them, I knew that if he could do that, I could get them painted, packaged and shipped.

Fifty signs, ready to package
and ship!

It was a whirlwind 72 hours, but we did get the order filled and it shipped out yesterday.  The satisfaction I felt as I walked out of the UPS Store was amazing.  Now, I have my fingers crossed hoping that they are well-received, not so much because I want more orders, but because I would hate for someone to put so much trust in us and then be stuck with something we made!  :)

What's next for us?  Well, it just so happens that less than 24 hours after that order shipped, we received an inquiry about another wholesale order for a local shop. It looks like I have a bit of ciphering to do to see if we can make this deal work too.  I have to say that 2013 is starting out to be a pretty darned exiting year!

Thanks for stopping by our blog.  If you haven't visited our shop, Poverty Barn & Friends, yet, we would love to have you as our guest!

Blessings,
Valerie

Breakfast, Anyone?

Every now and then a friend will call or message us with an urgent request.  They have a great idea for a gift for someone, and they want to know if we can make it.  Or they've seen something we make and want that item or something like it.  Usually there is a deadline involved.

Can I say it now?  I thrive under pressure!  There, I've thrown down the gauntlet and tempted the dare fairies.  And at Christmas no less.  Bring it on!

Last Wednesday, a friend from church had a last-minute idea for something she wanted for her daughter's wedding.  The couple's last names start with "Ham" and "Egg" and they have adopted the nickname "Ham & Eggs."  Take that all you Hollywood couples with the silly combo names like Brangelina!

Anyway, the idea was for a sign that would have their nickname and the wedding date. (Did I mention the wedding was on Friday?)  We discussed ideas for a few minutes, and decided on a framed chalkboard with vinyl lettering.  I was pretty sure we had the perfect chalkboard at our shop, which we did, so I set to work.

Below are images of he finished piece, and the happy couple in a pretty wedding pose with the sign.  I just love how it turned out, and that everyone liked it.  There is nothing more satisfying than being able to see the vision of a customer and turn it into reality.

Congratulations, "Ham & Eggs" and to the Mother-of-the-Bride!  Thank you for thinking of us when looking for your special project.

The Barn Girls

Dis-mantling the Mantel

Several years ago, my husband and my son decided that instead of putting up the usual Christmas houses on the mantel for Christmas, they would create a street scene out of Legos.  They built store fronts, a Christmas tree lot, buildings under construction and much more.  All of this, of course, was built along a Main Street that was also a rail line.

This rail line consisted of engines and flat cars that carried cargo and all of the necessary workers to get the job done.

It turned out great, and I have to admit, I was very impressed with their skills.  They tweaked it many times and of course, since it was so awesome, it stayed up well past Christmas.  Strike that, many Christmases. In fact, I am not exactly sure how long ago they built this but I do know that it was impossible to dust and it even sprouted a few cobwebs over time.

In the last few months, I'd begun to grumble about how I would like to reclaim that mantel space, especially after all of the beautiful stagings I have seen on Pinterest.  I wanted a real, grown-up look instead of the "our playroom has overflowed to the living room" look.  Since the youngest person in my house is about to graduate out of his teens, that seemed like a reasonable request.

So while my husband was out of town for a week, I persuaded bribed my son to move all of the pieces of the Lego scene to the top of our entertainment center in the basement.  After much whining and cajoling (I'll let you guess from who), I walked in one day to see the mantel completely empty.

My immediate response was tears prickling in my eyes, and no, they weren't the tears of joy and excitement I had expected.  Instead, I felt an overwhelming sense that a page in my life had turned, and I wasn't sure that I was ready for that chapter.  Seeing the mantel absent of Legos after all of those years somehow underscored the fact that we are no longer a household of parents and kids, but a household of adults.  It made me kind of blue.

For about ten minutes.

Then I got out all the stuff that I'd been making and stashing away, imagining that some day it would look so pretty in all its glory in its proper place.  I set it up, re-arranged, stepped back, moved a few more things, and finally, it was done. The mantel had been reclaimed.  It had grown up.

Now when I walk in the room, I see something that says "Adults Live Here."  While I love the way it looks, and I'm glad I did it, there's still a part of me that actually misses the Legos.

Then I look at the sofa table and the dust-covered block of Lego City buildings and the busy cars and people and I get over it. Immediately.

We love garage sales

It was a beautiful Saturday here at home, and there was a city-wide garage sale event going on near Jesse.  With that in mind, we loaded up ol' Blue and set off to see what we could find.

Often times, we are hard-pressed to find "real" garage sales, where junk is spread out all over the place and there are lots of hidden treasures.  Too often, all we see are driveways full of Little Tikes stuff, mountains of clothes, and a variety of dated, tole-painted items.

Today was not one of those days.

We've learned that older neighborhoods usually have the best junk, and talking to people can lead to even more fun finds.  It's kind of like taking a cue from American Pickers.  How often to they find the next "honey hole" because they bothered to ask if there is anyone else around who collects and sells stuff?

Most, if not all, of what we found today will be used in our shop.  With less than two weeks until opening day, we're getting down to the wire when it comes to selecting just the right pieces for sale and display.  With a store like ours though, we imagine that it will be re-arranged often, with pieces traded out, to keep it fresh and fun.

Here's what we found on today's outing:

I'm not sure what it is about old printer's type pieces, but I love them.  This set is especially cute because it's for pricing store items, so it should come in handy. The only bad news is that the capitol "B" and "D" are missing. Everything else is there though, so it's a pretty cool find.

This second set of stamps includes two sizes of numbers, a decimal, 

dollar and cent sign.  Not too bad for a mere $3.

We got this pair of really nice old chairs for a bargain.  My plan is to paint them, 

(do I have to sand them first?) 

and then use vinyl lettering on the backs to make them adorable.

We absolutely could not resist this gorgeous five-panel door! It even has really cute door knobs and hinges!  We're thinking we may cover it with hooks and use it as a jewelry display.

Believe it or not, this is our new bathroom door.  Not seeing much in the way of privacy here, right? Well, my plan is to cover the pains in etched glass vinyl and then to stick suction cups on the side that faces the hallway for even more hanging display area.

So there you have it, a day full of great finds and really good prices.  We bought some other crafty stuff and the best craft supply garage sale ever, and we'll be using those to make things for the shop.

We are really looking forward to our grand opening on October 5, and we will have more more in our blog about the shop as things come together.

Thanks for stopping by!

Valerie & Jess

The Barn Girls

Don't Box Me In

 Here in the Midwest, we have been experiencing a record-breaking drought.  After weeks and weeks of unbearable heat and no rain, it really starts to get to you.  You find yourself looking up at the sky in search of a stray cloud, checking the radar, and watching the evening news just hoping for those words indicating that even the slightest of changes is on the way.

And then when you do hear it, and you've been disappointed numerous times, watching storm clouds zip by close enough to smell the rain, but withholding it from your parched little patch of a yard, you scoff, switch off the television and decide that it's just never going to happen.

Last night, we were told, once again, that there was a slight chance of very scattered showers today.  Imagine my surprise upon awaking, to hear the pitter-patter of rain drops on our window.  Like manna from heaven, precious drops of liquid fell from the sky, and this time, instead of releasing just a few teasers and then drifting on, the clouds hung around for hours and let loose.  It was amazing to finally get a break from our dry spell, and even though it will take many more mornings like this to make up for our eight inch deficit, we are very grateful for what we received.

Rainy days stir in me a desire to create, and there has been a project on my mind for weeks for which I've had all the supplies.  It's a simple little project that I came up with one day while walking the aisles of my favorite craft store.  I had bought dozens of clearanced gift card tins for another project, and had several leftover, and when the colored chalk caught my eye, I knew just how to put them to good use.

All you need for this project, besides the ugly tins and chalk, are a can of chalkboard spray paint and some sponges. Paint the lids with a couple of coats and let them dry.  Put the chalk in the tin, cut a sponge to fit the leftover space, and voila!  You have a travel-sized chalkboard!

I spiced mine up a bit with some vinyl and used an elastic hair band to keep the lid firmly in place.  These will be for sale at I Am What I Am on Main Street in St. Charles beginning Tuesday.

I hope you enjoy this project, and wherever you are, I hope you are getting rain if you need it, sun if you don't.  Have a blessed day!

Valerie

Three Girls and a Mini Van

It’s Sunday afternoon, and we’re rolling along I-70 about thirty miles from our planned stop in Columbia, Missouri when my grand-daughter starts to fuss. My daughter, Jesse, and I exchange a look before she unbuckles and climbs into the back seat to see what she can do to calm her firstborn.

Olivia’s cries quiet upon seeing her Mommy, and then I hear the sound of a story being read.  Jesse starts with a book about Olivia the pig and moves on to one about Elmo and his Sesame Street friends.  As she does, I swipe at the tears that roll down my face while trying to keep the van on the road.

My mind is filled with memories - of other trips down this same highway - when it was I who read to a fussy girl, to try and distract her from the fact that she was strapped into an unforgiving car seat.

As the book pages turn, so turn the pages of my heart, and soon Jess asks me if I’m crying.  I confess my weepy cruise down memory lane, we both choke up, and then we laugh those sticky-wet-laughs that only two misty-eyed Moms can share.


Life has come full circle.

What brought us to this mile-marker on a dark gray ribbon of highway is a three generation girls weekend where the youngest of our trio, being a wise three-and-a-half months old, has not only dictated our moves but graced us with her lively brand of humor.  A year ago, who would have guessed that we two would become we three and we girls would have started a small business, been moderately successful, and would take a weekend road trip to dream, discuss and shop for that venture? Who would have thought that we would be on the eve of making the decision about whether or not we are ready to take our little enterprise to the next level?

[There was a smile on my lips as I wrote that last line because we didn’t set out to start a business, the business pretty much started us. Why, then, do I even imagine that we have a modicum of control over where it takes us tomorrow?]

And now that business, known as Poverty Barn, binds us together as no blood relation ever has.  Mother begat daughter, and business begat the deepening of a friendship that started in the womb.

We three girls spent a wonderful, albeit stiflingly hot, weekend in Kansas City combing vintage shops, antique malls, and retail stores for fun finds. Every time Jesse points at something old and beautifully time-worn, I grin at the irony. It wasn’t long ago I would have had to bribe her to hit up a flea market, estate sale or junk shop, and now she is the one doing the coercing.

It’s that full circle thing come ‘round all over again.

Our business-that-found-us is one that also suits us well.  Jesse has always been creative, spending hours as a child with boxes of crafty goodness.  Her taste in supplies has evolved from little girl fascination with pony beads and glitter glue to more grown-up fondness (obsession) for fabrics, patterned paper and ribbon. She sews, does machine embroidery, makes the cutest paper goods ever and her ability to mass-produces magnets is rivaled by none.

While Jesse works the soft-goods and baby angle, I tend more toward designing home decor via computer screen.  My vinyl cutter and I are very close, and I love to combine cuts with colorful canvas backgrounds.  Scripture, sayings, and word-collages are the mainstay of my creative day, but I also dabble in paper goods, magnets, and odds-and-ends.

Jesse’s tastes run her way, mine run mine, and somewhere in the middle, we overlap.  It’s a meshing of creativity hot-glued together with a mutual fondness and respect for each other.  I could have made no better choice for a business partner, and for that I am thankful. Truly blessed.  She is Rory to my Lorelei, and on our girls weekends, there are many Gilmore references.  We place orders and make reservations under our pseudonyms and talk about the romance of a thousand yellow daisies. We are silly, honest, mutually brought to tears by our realization of how quickly time passes when you are watching a child grow up. We are sentimental to a fault.

This is what makes our business work.  We share goals, dreams, and visions of not only surviving, but thriving. We want to help other visionaries reach their goals. We want God to be at the center of everything we do. We want our husbands to support us, celebrate our successes, and not chastise us for our failures.

We want to leave a legacy for the third generation Barn Girl.

It’s a simple concept:  Make what we love, sell it at a fair price, treat our customers like family and welcome the spirit of creativity that swirls in every breath we take. At the end of the day, celebrate with a slice of French silk pie.

Is it a coincidence that the pie is in the shape of a circle?

Most definitely not. 

Quick Saturday Project

Several years ago, I found this lonely red chair sitting outside of a re-sale shop, and I just couldn't resist.  I had no idea where it was going to fit into our home, but I just knew that it would.

Since then, it found a place in our Americana kitchen.  When not in use, it is home to a couple of pillows and a Teddy Bear.  When we have company, it gets put to work.

In the past year, I've fallen in love with my Silhouette Cameo, and while I make gifts for others, and create pieces to sell in our Etsy shop and in local retail spaces, I have done very little for myself.

Enter the chair.

It has been calling my name for ages, a blank canvas that I pass by dozens of times daily.  I just didn't know what I wanted to put on it, and I never made the time to actually do it.  Today I made time.

I hope you like my chair re-do as much as I do. Now when I pass by, not only will I smile at the cheerful red of this rescued seat, but my heart will be warmed by the verse that it bears.

Diving in for a Dumpster Dive Makeover

 A few weeks ago, while dropping our newspapers into the big recycling bin at our local grocery store, my husband spotted this magazine rack among the discards.  He pulled it out and threw it in the back of our van thinking that we could use it as some kind of display piece in our business.

It's been sitting in the garage ever since, but the other day, it occurred to me that this would be a great piece to use out by the pool for storing towels, lotions and toys.

I found some cute shapes that I cut on my Silhouette Cameo, applied them to the little metal front pieces, and voila!  Discarded plain Jane piece transformed into something very useful.

A small wicker basket in the bottom rack holds lotions, small toys and bug spray while the upper racks are perfect for the oodles of beach towels that we go through.

 With 100+ degree temperatures predicted for the next week or so, I'm thinking we'll be getting a lot of use out of the pool.  This little makeover will definitely come in handy!

First Fruits

 As kids, my siblings and I were always forced to work in my parents' garden.  Trust me when I say that their idea of a garden was no little 10x10 plot with a few tomatoes, some corn and a few bean plants.  Oh no.  This was (and still is) a HUGE plot with everything from green beans and peas to row after row of corn, zucchini, radishes, pumpkins and several types of lettuce.

At the time, weeding and later harvesting that produce, out in the heat and bugs and other skittering critters was definitely not how I wanted to spend even one minute of my day.  Looking back, I have to admit that I was horrible about it, whining and carrying on and usually a major slacker when it came to actual productivity.

I swore to myself that when I grew up, all of my veggies would come from the store like normal people.

Fast-forward many years, several homes and two grown kids later.   While I have to admit that I'm still not a gardener, I have made a couple of feeble attempts at home-grown.  Most of my labors were enjoyed by rabbits and squirrels, but every now and then, a sweet, succulent tomato actually made it to our kitchen and was thoroughly enjoyed. This, I mused, must have been why my parents did what they did.

We've been in our current home for nearly 19 years and up until this year, we've had this neglected side of the house that we've wanted to fix up.  Terracing has been discussed, stone steps to the back yard, and even a box garden idea was tossed around.

Leave it to my clever and amazing hubby to finally take the initiative to bring the box garden to life.  I have no idea what inspired him, other than the prices in the grocery store produce aisle, but in a matter of a few days, he "threw together" this wonderful little box garden, filled it with soil, put in plants and voila!  Veggies!

I love walking outside and seeing the vibrant reds and yellows of turning tomatoes, the greens of the peppers and the golden marigolds lining the edges, in hopes of keeping away some of God's hungry little creatures.

The other night, my hubby brought in this perfect little cherry tomato, and I just couldn't resist photographing it and sharing this, our first fruits of the season.  It's a beauty of a cutie and it makes my mouth water for more.

Maybe this time, the garden will inspire less grumbling and more appreciation.  Ah, the things life teaches us as we grow up!