My New Hot Dog Sign...

While buying a Hoosier Cabinet off Craigslist, I spotted this incredible Hot Dog Sign leaning up against a wall in the garage. When I commented on how great it was, Kristen told me she saw them throwing it away while tearing down an old gas station. She quickly pulled in and ask if she could have it. They agreed and it hung in her house in Atlanta until she moved here. She made me a GREAT deal and it has sat in my garage for a few months while I debated selling it or keeping it. This Thursday night, my friend Kenny came over and it is now a permanent fixture in my back yard! I LOVE IT AND CAN'T BELIEVE I EVER CONSIDERED SELLING IT. What a treasure.

Wonderful Dealers in Hico...

Here are some pictures of many of the booths at the Homestead Show in Hico last weekend. I thought all the booths were incredible. So much talent and energy went into each. It is amazing how much you bond with fellow dealers after a few days. We all got excited for each other when we had a sale and supported each other with the borrowing of ladders, tape measures, change, hammers and energy. So many talented folks and the booths show the commitment to perfection.

We Survived Our First Show!

Well, we did our first show this weekend and lived to post about it! What a GREAT SHOW and GREAT TIME we had. I am posting some pictures of our booth and will post the incredible pictures of other booths later this week. Panic set in when I saw all the other booths setting up and the beautiful displays they were creating...then I looked at my pile of rusty junk. I also freaked a little when I walked in and saw our empty space and how small it looked. I had a truck, trailer and SUV full of merchandise waiting outside and another load at home waiting for me (the last load never made it). It is amazing how much stuff you can cram into a small space! A couple of key things we learned: 1) This is a lot of work. I have a new respect for dealers who do these shows on a regular basis. And for all of those who do longer shows like in Warrenton...not sure how you do it for two weeks. 2) Flexibility is King. Your displays are pretty for the first hour or so. I had this great display in the front corner of our booth of religious art hanging from a 7 foot tall wire lobster fishing cage....and within the first few hours a lady decided to buy the 7 foot tall wire lobster cage WITHOUT the 20 religious prints. After the panic ran out of my body and the blood returned to my head, I dismantled the display with crowds of people milling around our booth and loaded it in her car. When I returned, folks were looking through the artwork sitting on the ground....did not stop the looking just because the display was gone...whew. 3) Create a seating area for yourself. I was so intent on using every square inch of the booth for display, that I forgot to create a place to sit for me and my mother. We had some sore feet by the end of the day. 4) The last lesson I learned was how many wonderful people there are in the world. From customers to incredible dealers, we were so blessed to meet so many incredible, friendly folks. Although I LOVED the shopping to get ready for the show....and the fun of setting it all up, it really was the social aspect that will encourage me to do it again. Lot's of amazing people in this world and this weekend I met a few of them. Thanks to Brenda and Mike at Homestead in Hico for making this a fantastic show and taking such good care of us. They are special people.

5 Reasons to Come to the Homestead Show

5 Reasons to come to the Hico Homestead Show May 7th and/or 8th...

1) The Homestead Shop is INCREDIBLE! I have never been there...what an amazing place and great source of decoration inspiration!

2) Koffee Kup! Had a GREAT lunch there today. Fried Pickles....Yummy!

3) Hico is the cutest town! Great shops and beautiful, old homes! Plus the drive is wonderful!

4) Amazing vendors. Many were there today setting up and WOW. Dorothy from the Shabby Y and Felicia from Bountiful have both outdone themselves!

5) I HAVE WAY TOOOOOO MUCH STUFF! WE HAD TO LEAVE SOME IN THE TRAILER AND I AM NOT EVEN ATTEMPTING TO BRING THE LAST LOAD IN MY GARAGE! My eyes were much bigger than our space. COME BUY STUFF.

See you there!

Sale at Lone Star!

The entire Lone Star Antique Mall is having a sale! All 200 dealers have individual sales going on. All 3 Ruby Grace's booths are 20% off over $50 and 10% off under. Hope to see you there...Shop, Shop, Shop!