Silk&Burlap's Grand Opening on Patrick Street in downtown Frederick, MD is less than a day away and I sit here with a multitude of thoughts running through my head: will customers like it? Do we have enough product? I'm so excited. I can't wait to see everybody. How busy will we be? I'm so excited. We still have so much to do!! Mostly though I am filled with excitement (can you tell?), anticipation and gratitude. Saule and I have felt a huge amount of support from our husbands, children, friends, family and Chartreuse&co family. When we have felt doubt or anxiety it was banished with everyone's enthusiasm for our new endeavor.

We have been working around the clock to get our little 460 square foot space of a boutique ready for it's big day. We've had many frustrating moments (mainly having to do with dealing with an old building, as much as I love it) with things falling off walls, paint all over our clothes & hair and not nearly enough of it covering the walls, our signs not coming in time to put in our windows, the list goes on and on. It has amazed me that such a small space took such effort to paint and even though it is chock full of gorgeous little finds, I still think we could fill it with even more.

The past month has been a "getting to know you" of sorts with our new space, and it's official, I'm in love. I love the light, I love the windows (even though we cursed them as we were painting them), I love the street location, I love the tall ceilings, I love it's history, I love the door handle on our front door, I love it's energy. I LOVE the wallpaper Chris and Saule put up in the fitting room. I LOVE our ruffled canvas drapes Laura made for our windows and the fitting room, I love our vintage butcher block from Germany as our counter and I love our chandeliers!!! I could go on and on but I'll stop there.

Well, not really able to stop. So, some of the great product you'll find: Custom art by Molly Strong commissioned for S&B (hand painted on to antique farm house doors), upcycled jewelry designed and hand made by Fran Simons, custom throw pillows in designer Kelly Wearstler fabric hand made by Laura Whitesell, yummy Lollia scent collection, an antique French setee, Eiffel Chairs, vintage schoolhouse clocks, hides, vintage primitive ladders, comfy chic loungewear by New York designer MulMul, designer Velvet T's, vintage frocks, a pair of gilt French chairs re-upholstered in linen, a gilt ottoman re-upholstered in feed sack, a triple wide dresser/server, a bucks head, mirrors galore—in fact check out our pier mirror in the dressing room ooh, la, la!! Once again, I could keep going but it's getting late and as I said, we still have a list of stuff to do that will have me up early.

Here are some pics of the process of opening our little star, I mean store:-)

Saule checking out our new potential space before signing on.

Store front before we moved in.

Interior space before we moved counter out and started painting.

Soon to be our "fitting room" this closet needs a lot of work.

1st coat of paint = disappointment. So chalky and coverage was horrible. White over chocolate, not so fun.

Three coats of paint with primer later and it's shaping up.

Painted floors a dark gray. We'd someday like to tear sub floor up and see if original hardwood's are under but that will have to wait for more time and $$.

Since we love mixing industrial in, we used plumbing pipe and fittings to fashion a drapery rod.

Dan hanging our 9.5' ruffle canvas drapes. Looks like he's getting beamed up by that horrible fluorescent light, which we replaced with can spots (thanks to Tres!)

Closing the drapes on our fish bowl to create some mystery.

Moving in.

Our vintage German butcher block counter.

Thanks to Tres (again) we replaced the hideous ceiling fan with our fabulous modern glam chandelier. For sale by Special Order.

Beginning to set it all up…….

Some of the details……

It's all in the details, for sure but the big picture is never forgotten…..

Ta Daaaaaaaa!!!!

We hope to see you there!!!

xo,

Saule & Angelique

We've got a huge crush on Patrick!

Patrick Street in Frederick, MD that is. We're taking the next step and opening our own store front on Patrick Street, in addition to our space at the barn. You can check out our new location, 112 East Patrick Street Frederick, MD  July 3, 2010. We've made the decision to close down our space in Hagerstown, MD in order to juggle it all. If you have time to swing by Antique Crossroads, everything in our space is 20% off and many items are 40-50% off, so check it out before it's gone.

Here's a peek at our new space before we make it even more fabulous:

Key to our hearts? Well not exactly (that's chocolate and yummy hugs) but it's an endeavor we're putting our hearts into.

This is our front door, one of the many areas soon to receive a fresh coat of paint—-we just LOVE paint.

Our new store front is adjacent to the Antique Emporium. It is small (460 sq feet) but mighty in that it has 4 fabulous windows and is full of natural light.

Starting today, our space will receive fresh paint. Switching out the fluorescent tubes for track spots and we will have chandeliers (naturally) everywhere.

We're contemplating bringing in a line of "comfy-chic loungewear (breezy, feminine, white linen) for style inspired women." If this comes to fruition, the closet pictured here will become our dressing room. Storage is at a minimum, so we'll be resourceful with baskets, shelving and the furniture pieces we use as counters.

There is a ton to do in a short amount of time. I have moments when I think we just might be a bit on the crazy side!! We essentially have 2 weeks to turn this place around and fill it with our fabulous finds since we both have scheduled vacations in the month of June as well as our Tag Sale at Chartreuse&co June 18-20, 2010. June's Tag Sale by the way, is our super sale month, so you won't want to miss that one.

More to come on the opening of our new space as we progress.

Cheers!

I guess last weekend just wasn't enough excitement for us. We're heading out of town bright and early tomorrow morning in search of some fabulous finds. I'm up at 4:30am to be out the door by 5am and at the house of a fun friend by 5:20am. We'll fuel up at Starbucks and then hit the road for 2+ hours. Saule is at the beach this weekend, but the dedicated girl that she is, she is taking a day from her vacation to meet up with us for some treasure hunting.

Wish us luck!

xo

Saule and I spent ALL day Friday and Saturday at an auction that was selling off all the contents and fixtures of a NY general store that has been open since the mid 1800's. I am sad to see one of these historical treasures close it's doors but feel fortunate we were able to bring some of it's history and character into our store. Collectors came from all over the place, so the competition was intense and we unfortunately had to pass on many items we were excited about yet we managed to get 4 car loads of fun finds.

After 7 hours of waiting and bidding we loaded up our trucks in the pouring down rain. Our pants were soaked up to our knees from sloshing around and Saule had water pouring down her back from bending down to tie furniture down. Since the snack bar closed at 2pm (what are they thinking??!!) we were loopy-hungry, but all that was worth it as we look at the store overflowing with new merchandise for the March, 2010 Tag Sale coming up this weekend. I also brought a truck load home with me to be saved for our May Tag Sale and the Lucketts, VA Annual Antique Fair.

I took some pic's to share with you. Saule is a much better sport than I am, posing for pictures for our entertainment.

   All in a day's work, right!?

   1800's Cooley Creamer, so cool. What patina, history!

Gorgeous, antique schoolhouse light fixture.

Vintage ale sign from old general store. Love the chipped gold paint and bold colors/graphics on this one. Modern/vintage art.

Old General Store Hanging Scale

These items and more are in the store now, ready to go for our March Tag Sale. There are 2 more auctions this week we are contemplating hitting, hoping to find more goodies. Will keep you posted.

We ventured out today on foot to escape the house and grab a bite. Not a lot of traffic on the roads, we passed more people on foot….

Downtown is still buried, but businesses are open.  We passed Tiara Day on the way to lunch:

Volt was open….snow fixe menu $35 for 3 courses! Too bad the kids were in tow:

So on to Brewer's Alley for lunch and beer:   dessert didn't stand a chance

Of course the walk home would not be complete without a pit stop at Moxie for Bread Pudding to serve tonight after dinner…

Time to get back to work….we have a lot to do to get Silk&Burlap ready for Tag Sale weekend!

Spent the day getting grubby, searching for great finds at an estate sale today and I feel just great about it! The 1st part of the morning I was ping-ponging myself between two auctioneers, afraid I was going to miss some of the items I was stalking. I managed to get all I had set out to, with the exception of a few great pieces that far exceeded my price expectations. Saule the Savior showed up just in time to help haul it all home. A few of the items (a super-cool picnic table/benches from a Munich Beer Garden—I just LOVE it—it's orange painted wood & has collapsible metal legs) will go into storage until maybe May & some items are part of our stash for the Lucketts Annual Fair and a truckload went down to the barn today.

After we finished loading & unloading from the estate sale & then from storage, we headed down to the barn to start the visual transformation for the February 2010 Tag Sale. After a brief, muddy,4-wheel-drive not working, stuck-in-the-mud experience, we got even dirtier tearing our space apart and drilling holes in the old barn ceiling. I'm really excited about how fresh the floor will look this month: many new vintage items, a slew of new custom throw pillows all coordinated with a Modern Global aesthetic which is very hot right now in the decorating world. We're pulling this look off with our usual assortment of great vintage/antique finds in rich woods and adding in crisp white painted furniture. Our new pillows have some really cool graphics (black & white Buddha, rice bag graphics, blue & orange elephants to list a few) and we're having some custom made in a black & white Ikat fabric that adds a modern yet global graphic to ground some of the fabulous, saturated color.

Some lovely accessories to round out our visuals came from the estate sale today: a set of Indonesian brass bowls (so pretty) and an antique wall hanging from an Ivory Coast African tribe. We still have many hours of work to do to turn our visuals into reality but we're off to a good start. Yes, today we spent many hours on our feet, getting dirty and lifting furniture but all in all I would say it was a rather satisfying day.

xo,

Saule & Angelique

I LOVE, love, love going to auctions/estate sales! I even love driving to them, anticipating what great treasures are there waiting for me to find. I love finding things from an era gone by, touching pieces from a simpler time. It's so fun to see so many old things from different time periods: I love the fussiness of Victorian paired with primitive farmhouse. It's really just record of the way we've lived.

Last nights auction was packed with all the usual characters. At 1st I thought it would be a bust since most things were going for way too much money and the competition was fierce—-January has been an auction drought. Despite what I thought, we drove away with a truck full of finds that will fit perfectly with what we have in store for the upcoming months. My favorite item is an antique setee, upholstered in an intriguing saffron jacquard fabric, which we think will be so funky/pretty with the black ikat, pink/black damask and graphic throw pillows from Rhadi.

Looks like January's auction drought may be lessening as I just found another auction to hit next week. Wish us luck:-)!!

After our last Tag Sale, I welcomed a much needed break, and time with my family. Several weeks have passed and the time off has served me well, as I miss the excitement that leads up to one of our monthly tag sales. We are busy moving our visuals around, marketing & re-pricing. We are stacking things high & are ready to watch them fly for many items are on SALE! In addition to the sale merchandise we have many treasures that we just placed on the floor the very end of December and we’re off to another auction tonight in search of new treasures. In addition to gearing up for our January tag sale, we’re also busy living in the future, planning out our spring-summer months—I LOVE what we have on tap, more on that in a future blog.

Owning and running our own business, definitely keeps us hopping, but I relish the challenge, creativity and teamwork it has brought to my life. There never seems to be enough time in the day (Saule, reminds me of this as she dreams of one day having a staff to help us: haul furniture, paint furniture, taxes, financial planning, marketing, etc) but I’ll take this any day, as I work here from my home with my 3 year old daughter on my lap asking me to help her “fix my Barbie’s hair.” There are days I miss the staff at Pottery Barn, but I wouldn’t dream of missing the chance to “fix Barbie’s hair.” Enough blah, blah, blogging — time to start working on the February & March postcards and then pick up more kids. Will post pic’s of our auction finds tomorrow I hope.

xo,

Angelique & Saule

I know winter is in full swing when I look at my hands and they appear to be that of an 80 year old woman. From the dry weather to the constant washing in HOT water, my hands are cracked, tight and red. Last night I was thinking I should put some Vaseline on them when it dawned on me, “hello, we sell Rosebud Salve!” Why am I not using this miracle product especially when we sell it???!! Rosebud has been made here in MD since 1895 and is a favorite of make-up artists, celebrities and skin care specialists. It is wonderful for many uses, such as dry, cracked hands, feet, elbows—the list goes on. I’m posting to remind self and all our friends to pick up 2 tins or more (one for purse and one for home), it is a MUST HAVE as part of your beauty supply! Here are 2 of the bazillion reviews written on Rosebud if you need more proof.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1777806/my_review_of_smiths_rosebud_salve_by.html

http://averagejanebeautyreviews.blogspot.com/2009/02/smiths-rosebud-salve-review.html

and if you’re into following the hipster’s, here are some of the many people crazy for Rosebud

http://www.whowhatwear.com/website/full-article/hillarys-picks-fall-makeup/

http://www.theinsider.com/news/885377_Celebrity_Beauty_Obsession_Smith_s_Rosebud_Salve

Avoid wait time and shipping charges, support your local economy and shop local! Rosebud Salve for sale at Silk&Burlap by special appointment or the 3rd weekend of every month OR you can buy it 7 days a week at

Antique Crossroads in Hagerstown, MD.

Hope to see everyone January 16th!

xo,

Saule & Angelique

Happy New Year!

We did it:   we survived an event-filled holiday season and many soggy weekends at Chartreuse&co.  We are so thankful for the many delightful customers who found the barn to be a welcomed departure from the hectic mall shopping Christmas usually invites.

Over the past few months, I have fallen in love with the jewelry designs of Fran from &Coco.  She brings in so many treats to the barn every month.  I just can’t get enough of her eye candy! She made this fabulous cuff from a vintage shoe buckle (given to me as a gift by my home decor muse Angelique).  I have been wearing it any chance I can get.

(Fran’s bracelet pictured on the bottom left.)

As for new things to come…

We are excited about new things to come in 2010.  The addition of a second location at Antiques Crossroads had us busy moving furniture at the turn of the new decade.  If once a month is not enough of a Silk&Burlap fix, visit us here 7 days a week.  You may not see our faces, but we know you will find our new friend Roger and the many other staffers to be quite helpful.

All of this cold weather has had me hibernating, and the hibernating has encouraged a new January hobby…reading under several blankets.  Fashion mags, catalogs, and even a trip to the library to check out a book on french decor has my wheels spinning and my mood hopeful.  I am mad for all things Exotic & Eclectic and a new optimistic palette of colors and patterns will certainly be a focus this spring.  We are hot on the trail of many new things for Silk&Burlap, and continue to find inspiration all around.  I can never completely separate my love for fashion from my own home decor, and continue to find inspiration on the runway, especially from my favorite designers like Nanette Lepore and Badgley Mishka (the talented duo who designed my wedding dress!).

Around here, the new decade has brought a hole to my kitchen wall, new fabric possibilities for my furniture and long list of things I wish to accomplish along with a long list of things I am grateful for:

Family, a small house, longer days, spring, design that inspires, children, simple food, Chartruese&co., a busy life, and of course, Silk&Burlap.