My Booth at The Pickers Market

I was with my Mom at an estate sale yesterday and we were almost finished with the loop of stores I frequent each week. She was driving me back to my car and I said, “I swear, I blinked and this week was already over.” She said, “I know what you mean, I feel that way too.” This week has been the culmination of weeks worth of work. It’s been nonstop painting, cleaning, hauling, tagging and searching for inventory in some of the most cobwebbed infested places you’ve ever seen. It’s been carrot dogs for dinner and loads of laundry that are still waiting for me. Having a booth space is so much work and so much fun all at the same time.

When I arrived at my space on Tuesday, it looked like this. I must admit this is the saddest I’ve ever seen my space and that includes the back injury from last summer when S and Mom took over for almost 8 weeks while I recovered. It looks like I should hang my moving out sale sign.

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But over the course of a few weeks things started really coming together. I was able to find several pieces of furniture like this nightstand I painted in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Duck Egg.

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and this radio cabinet that was painted in a new color for me Country Grey. It would be perfection in a home office because it has so much storage potential. I tried it in my office but it was too big. I picked up the wooden fish at one of my favorite treasure spots.   I’m hoping the customers will love it too so I can carry it year round.

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If you read yesterday’s post you know that S was a total rock star when she helped my vision come to life by building me this piece so I could have more room to store smalls and display vignettes. It’s only been since Tuesday but having this in my space has helped tremendously.

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I brought in the nightstand as an emergency piece a few weeks ago. I was scrambling to fit anything I could possibly fit in my car.

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It’s now holding court with the china cabinet I was able to paint in a custom mix of several Annie Sloan Chalk Paint colors

As promised here’s a picture of it staged with ironstone. I bought the burlap anchor sacks at the Renningers Extravaganza in January.

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I still have a few pieces I may take out and paint. Like this huge mirror – something about it makes me want to give it a fresh look with a coat of Pure White.

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I painted this dry sink over the holiday break. It was sorta like the last man standing when all my pieces sold at once.

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I brought home one of the old doors that was helping to create a wall where the new display unit now resides. I left the smaller one though, the one that had the original glass knob. I finally put the church painting and easel in the booth. Although I must say it was really hard. Avert your eyes, LiLi!

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One of the other vendors was kind enough to let me use her rug in my space for almost a year now. But I think I’m ready to get my own. It’s in Georgia right now waiting on me.

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I’ve come to realize there is no way you can run a booth alone. It takes scouts that will call you when they see something they think you’ll like, best friends that will help you pick up pieces of furniture on their lunch breaks and other vendors that agree to help unload when your muscles are out of town. It took 4 hours of driving in 2 different vehicles to get everything to the booth on Tuesday. That’s not restaging or revamping or reorganizing. It was strictly in driving. Every bone in my body ached by the time I got home Tuesday night after reworking the space all day. I don’t even remember my head hitting the pillow. But I do remember what it felt like to wake up on Wednesday. I woke up truly blessed that I get to do this job every single day.

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See you guys back here on Monday for our Something to Talk About Link Party, which starts bright and early at 6 am EST.

 

Many blessings for a relaxing weekend,

CoCo

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13 Comments

  1. CoCo – your booth is spectacular. You are such a wonderful mentor to new vendors like us. We definitely know how much work it takes to make it a success 🙂 Your tireless efforts and hard work definitely pay off. Your painted furniture is beautiful and your vignette designs and staging are so keen. Thanks for leading the way and showing us the ropes…you have already mastered “How to Succeed in Business”.

    1. I think this comment may be one of the sweetest that I’ve ever been given and it means so much to me coming from you two! I didn’t have a lot of mentoring when I started out so I am happy to pass on what I can. I really want all of us to be successful and I can’t wait to support you on your journey 🙂

  2. Coco,. everything looks so beautiful and I would take me a whole week to paint one piece and you’re whipping several pieces out plus blog posts, I don’t know how you do it girlie. You need to get a big Coco Cocktail or hot Cocoa and relax this weekend!!! big hugs, Lisa

    1. You know what Lisa, sometimes I don’t know how I do it either! I think it’s just one of those passion things where you love your job so much it doesn’t even feel like work at all 🙂 Hope you have a happy weekend and are a super star on the softball field! Coco

    1. Thanks so much Katherine! I love being a vendor, it’s a lot of work sometimes but I love every minute! Hugs to you too!

  3. What a beautiful booth!! I saw so many things that I’d love to come buy 🙂 You can box up that blue whale, the vintage suitcases, and the large pottery jug with the blue stripes around the bottom and ship to TN! Along with yourself 🙂
    I miss getting seeing my Mabels in person!! Hugs!

    1. Your comments are so sweet Angie, thank you! We could get into so much trouble if we shopped together. I miss seeing all of the Mabels too. Hugs for a great weekend friend!

  4. One of the prettiest booth set ups I’ve seen in a long time Coco! How do you do it? You find pieces, haul them to & fro, re-do them beautifully, and then stage them (and I mean lots of pieces) quicker than I could find one single item, much less re-do it!! It does take a team, but you are carrying the game 🙂 I WILL get there in person this year and can’t wait to shop your stuff!! Bwg ~~~

    1. You’re so sweet Bobbi, thank you! It is a lot of hard work but I truly love it and I am thankful every day I get to wake up and do this for a job. Please let me know when you come to visit, I’ll take you to lunch and all my favorite island places 🙂 Plus, you could totally get the CoCo discount for shopping!

  5. Donna - Faded Velvet says:

    Coco~
    It truly IS a ton of work filling a space!!!! Not to mention keeping it pretty as people buy your BEST stuff! (HUMPH).Or they buy the huge piece that is holding a million small pretties!! It is never-ending. It looks great though.
    What in the WORLD is a carrot DOG! 🙂
    xoxo
    Donna~Faded Velvet

    1. Ha ha only a fellow vendor and business owner could understand how true your words are Donna! I know you’ve been in the business for a long time and I appreciate all of the encouragement you’ve given me while I learn to navigate this new journey in my life. A carrot dog is something I could NEVER serve you. When you finally come to visit we’re having only the best 🙂
      Hugs, Coco

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