International Customers!? It's all happening, folks!

Drum roll please...... I shipped out my first international Etsy order!

I am officially an INTERNATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS OWNER!

And I have a customs receipt from the post office to prove it!   

I shipped pair of pants to a lady in Italy - pink Liz Claiborne stirrup pants actually.   It's funny and awesome to think how fashion and style are so different from place to place.  I am also glad to know that there are people in the world that are cooler and trendier than I could ever hoped to be.  :)

When I got home from the post office, two other international Etsians appeared in my message box.  One in Germany interested in a pair of brown heels.  Another trendy lady in Australia requested a reserve on a disco-fabulous pink dress.  

Interesting fact - Australian customs prohibits the import of (among other things):

*Radioactive materials 

*Seditious literature

*Silencers on firearms

*Used bedding

I suppose these things seem obvious, but in all seriousness wondering whether 'vintage linens' counts as  'used bedding'? 

But anyway.... the moral of the story is.....not to 'toot my own horn' but......Toot! Toot!......I am awesome!  haha ;)

Cheers! 

-Shannon F

It's been a year already?!

Yesterday July 30th was the 1year anniversary of my first date with Leo... I commemorate the first date because I actually don't remember any other specific 'milestone' dates (oopsie) and didn't start keeping a consistent daily journal/planner until January 2012 (thank you New Year's resolution).

Anyway, the idea of '1 year ago today...' made me think of some of the cool, crazy, and good things that have happened to me since that first date one whole year ago!

1.  One of the scariest things Leo paid for me to do... stand in the mosh pit of 'The Urge' concert. 

Advice for ladies that have never been in a mosh pit before:  A strapless clutch purse is not a wise accessory choice for a mosh pit experience.  The troubling part of this live and learn is that I was advised not to bring the clutch..insisted on bringing the clutch..and therefore unable to complain about clutching my clutch until my arm went numb. Live and learn, folks. ;)

2.  Loco Ropes in Mountain View, Arkansas at the Ozark Folk Center - Treetop Adventure!
http://locoropes.com/

This is an agility and climbing ropes course 60ft above a rock gorge in the Arkansas forest!
One of the hardest and most exciting and scary things I've ever done - and actually paid to do. Colleen and I aced the course!

3.  I started keeping up with a daily planner/journal.  I even have Crayola markers specifically designated for this little green book of mine!  This daily project falls off from week to week..but I've made it a pretty good habit.. it's fun to look forward to good events when the calendar is full of required tasks..and I am getting better and better at paying all my student loans early every month!! Horray for adulthood!! ;)

4.  Of course, developing my new furniture business (I'm going to call it that now, haha) my new blog, and my new Etsy shop, which is about to reach 100 items inventory posted today! (That is, if I get off my fanny, quit playing with my new blog, and do some work already...sheesh..)
Anway, check out my shop, yo!  http://www.etsy.com/shop/sfleck01?ref=si_shop

Cheers!
-Shannon F

Oh yeah!  And now for the shameless plug.... Check out my new Etsy shop at:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/sfleck01

Renovating Other People's Houses!

 Here are some pics from the painting project my boyfriend Leo put me in charge of at the rental property he put up for sale a few weeks ago.


The first photo shows the inital blue that does not match the tan trim.. followed by a photo of the spackle mess I made.

Note to potential first time spackler reading this blog: Trying to cover every crack and nail hole in an old wall that really just needs to be replaced from scratch is a waste of time.  Because, ultimately, the cracked up wall probably just needs to be replaced and will look like an old cracked up wall that needs to be replaced - no matter how much spackle you try to apply. ;)

The last photo is the final product of the few long hours it took Leo and I to paint this room.

The tan trim looked great with the 'Dover White' paint I picked out.

And when I say 'I'.. I mean the color that the lady at the local hardware store picked out when I asked for, "A color that is white-ish, that goes with a tan, that most people like."  That gal knows how to pick 'em, I tell you what! :)

Another funny note about that paint-buying trip.. I mentioned my dad was a contractor/painter.. and suddenly they thought I was in on all the painting secrets.  One that the sales lady reminded me as she mixed my paint how her daughter didn't know that 'Trim and walls should be wet on wet or else you get lines.'  I nodded my head like, "Oh, yeah, of course everyone knows that!"

Note to reader: Pretend like you know things and you will learn a lot.
Cheers!
-Shannon F

ps.. http://www.etsy.com/shop/sfleck01

More cool stuff that was other people's junk!

So... sometimes $1 is still not worth it..
But if it's free, it's free!!

Here's a cedar chest that I fixed up (some more carpentry learning with this project).  I also painted it blue and distressed the blue.

It turned out beautifully and reminds me of Peter Pan for some reason when I look at it.  I dunno.. maybe..

If you think it's cool you should buy it.. because this junk I keep fixing and painting is adding up in other people's basements, I tell you what! ;)

Cheers!
-Shannon F

But seriously, people.. somebody needs to buy this thing!  ;)
https://www.etsy.com/listing/102353046/blue-vintage-cedar-chest-trunk

Hello again!  

You have probably realized that all these posts are happening in the same sitting.  I'm playing a bit of catch-up so bear with me..

'Catch-up' actually just reminded me that my sister and I saw a giant 'Catsup' bottle --potentially the world's largest between 1949 and 1999 (although who would attempt to break this record I can't imagine..) along Highway 159 in Southern Illinois - the road between the Goodwill store in Edwardsville and the mall in Fairview Heights if anyone is familiar with the area. ;)  

I also learned that my 18yr old sister did not know that 'catsup' meant 'ketchup' and that they were essentially two different spellings of the same word.  If I am incorrect in this understanding though, please shoot me a message and set me straight!

However, Colleen my sis does deserve some points for preventing me from buying a pair of vintage red  Guess denim shorts.. high-waisted to the point of seriously corseting my stomach.  Whether I am not a true size 3/4 1980s Guess fit size.. or that women of the era wore some stupidly binding shorty shorts.. I am not sure.  But ultimately, she reminded me that a good find isn't very good if you actually look like a muffin-topped, wannabe hipster trying to pull it off.. even if it's only $1.  ;)

Cheers!
-Shannon F

ps.. Click this link - I double dog dare you! ;)
http://www.etsy.com/shop/sfleck01?ref=seller_info

Next project..

So, as the arm chair continues to gather piles of clothes..Note to potential buyers of this chair.. I can confirm that the chair also works as an excellent clothing rack/stand/clothing-stacking storage unit ;)

Here is my first furniture sale!  I know I said it would be to my mom.. well, it was actually to my Nana.. but these white side tables look super cute and you'd never know that I was a prior rookie, right??



Note to self:  Prime in white when using white paint.. also, spraypaint is over-rated.. hand brush paint is where it's at, bro. ;)


Note to readers:  Nana loved the white side tables and it felt great to make my first sale!


In another project I sold a green distressed table - this was actually not my mom that bought it.. but it was a table that she had planned for another project..and I sort of swiped it, painted it green, distressed it, and then sold it before she notice where it came from originally.  However, I reminded her that the pleasure might be in the finding of an even-better suited table for her project.. and of course, the fact that someone - from New York no less! - already paid me for it was too much for furniture disputes. :)

This green table was also my first Parcel Post shipment sale... haters please note again that even non-Midwesterners, even East Coasters in New York, appreciate my old stuff painted then messed up to look like older stuff!
I honestly don't have many haters.. it just sounded cooler. ;)
Anyway... here is a picture of my very serious packaging job... probably more bubble wrap than any one table might need (and more was added after this pic).. but, better safe than sorry!

To see what this first sold item looks like.. check it out under SOLD (wild cheers all around)  on my new Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/transaction/85584077

Note to girls (or anyone) looking to distress painted furniture with a power sander:  Be careful, as the paint gets hot from the friction of the electric-powered sandpaper, don't curdle the sanded paint and ruin what you are trying to do.  Luckily, my learning curve on this lesson worked out and the distressing looked great.  But mindfulness and patience with this project is the key to success. ;)