Thanks for Three Wonderful Years!

This Friday, April 2nd, is our Third Anniversary of opening our doors at Trendy Bindi's Boutique in Waynesville, Ohio.  (It's also our second Cowgirl Friday!) We wanted to thank everyone for making us feel so welcome.  We've made many wonderful friends in our customers, artisans, and our fellow Waynesville business owners.  You all make our days so much brighter and with everything that has gone on this past year, your support has been so deeply appreciated. 

We are taking 20% off our entire online shop today through Easter Sunday, excluding our clearance items. 
When you are finished with your purchases, just send us a convo and we'll send you your revised invoice!

To celebrate in our bricks and mortar shop, we'll be taking 20% off our entire shop Wednesday through Saturday.  We will be closed Easter Sunday.  Since our anniversary is on April's Cowgirl Friday, all our western and cabin decor items will be 25% off on Friday as well. 

Cowgirl Fridays--Commencing Now!

What with our shop being in the Stetson House and everything we really couldn't resist letting our inner cowgirl out from time to time and with 2010 being the building's bicentennial we thought it was the perfect excuse! The first Friday of each month is now Cowgirl Friday, starting today.  We've even made a sign, so it's official.

On Cowgirl Fridays you'll get 25% off our western and cabin themed items if you wear your cowgirl hat or boots.  Or do a line dance.  Otherwise you have to draw for your discount...so be sure to work on your aim!

In case all this doesn't entice you, we also have these yummy and oh too cute cupcakes from Cake Diva.  Come and get them while you can!

Happy Birthday Louisa!

We're so blessed that our shop is housed in the historic Stetson House in Waynesville.  It just gives you a special feeling to come to work each day in such a charming little building that has so much history to it.   You really feel a connection to those who have been here before you.  The most famous resident, for whom the building is named, was Louisa Stetson Larrick.  She was the sister of John B. Stetson, of hat fame. (If you would like to learn a bit more about this history of the Stetson House visit here.) Today would have been her 191st birthday and so we are having a little celebration at Trendy Bindi's in her honor.

We have these lovely cupcakes from Cake Diva which is just up the street from us. Aren't they sweet?

We are taking 20% off all clothing and women's accessories and we will be giving away these lovely Cape Cod Cupboard notecard sets

and this charming Welcome sign by Pink Buttercreme to different lucky customers throughout the day!

Limerick #3

When you crave vintage glamour,
For Trendy Bindi's you'll clamor.

In the blink of an eye,

You'll spy plenty to buy

With which you'll be quite enamoured.

Limerick #2

Bindi (being the Good Girl that she is)  has graciously agreed to let us share another of her compositions with you! Enjoy!

Here at Trendy Bindi's Boutique,
You'll find all that's unique.
Quite green with envy-
Your friends shall all be
When your home is stylish and chic!

Bindi Takes a Lick at a Limerick

Apparently not only is our shop's namesake, Bindi, adorable, sweet, and an arbiter of fabulous taste (demonstrated by her attachment to us of course!) she is also quite the little poet.

All this time, when we've thought she was just enjoying a good coze on the sofa, she's been composing jaunty little limericks. We thought we'd share a few of her pithy compositions about our shop with you. Below is the first of what we hope will be many that we have convinced her to share. (We find that a little bit of beef does wonders to overcome her bashfulness!)

So sit back, feel free to don your berets, grab your mug of coffee and enjoy!

Limerick #1
There once was a dog named Bindi.
Her friends all thought her quite trendy.
So she opened a store,
Where she could sell more
Of all that was chic and stup-indi!

Happy New Year!

*for great vintage graphics be sure to check out Graphics Fairy*


As the song goes...it's time to ring out the old and ring in the new.

2009 has been a difficult year for many. It was no different for us. Being a rather new business we would not be here if it weren't for the support and loyalty of our customers. Also, as some of you know, our brother (Kerry)& son (Stephanie) was diagnosed with cancer and has spent the last several months in treatment. Hopefully, he will be through and cancer free in a couple of months. To all of our customers, fellow business owners and friends who have offered prayers, comfort, support,and understanding we simply cannot thank you enough. God Bless you all!

2010 we hope will prove to be a much better year for everyone. We're terribly excited because it is the Bicentenial of our shop's home, the historic Stetson House. We plan to have many festivities throughout the year in celebration. We also plan on having Cowgirl Fridays and Tiki Thursdays this year (more details coming soon we promise!)

We hope that all of you have a fabulous New Year!
Kerry & Stephanie

Artisan Spotlight: Toni Kelly of Sugar Cookie Dolls

Today we are featuring one of our favorite artisans in our shop, Toni Kelly of Sugar Cookie Dolls and her fabulous confections!



I started my business shortly after my grandma passed away and I inherited a vast collection of her costume jewelry, fabric, handbags, etc... Using my wonderful memories of my grandmother for inspiration, I began incorporating her belongings into whimsical creations. I named my business Sugar Cookie Dolls in honor of my grandma, Margaret Cooke Milam, aka: Cookie



Toni's Bit of Bliss... when someone tells me that my creations make them feel happy. That encourages me to continue spreading Happy Glittery Goodness to all.



For more insight, please visit my blog



You can also follow Toni on Twitter.

P.S. In honor of Waynesville's Chocolate Extravaganza this weekend, we will be giving away one of Toni's Truffle Fairies. Be sure to stop by before we close at 5pm on Sunday to put your name in!

Artist Spotlight: Moondog Cottage

One day last fall a woman visited our shop wearing the most darling vintage halloween postcard inspired pin. I complimented her on it and she shared that she was the artist. Fortunately for mom and I, when I contacted Sheri Harney this summer she was willing to consign her beautiful Moondog Cottage creations in our shop. I wanted to share her creations with all of you and she has graciously agreed to share a little bit about herself and her creations below. If you have a chance, be sure to visit her open house!
Enjoy!
Kerry

It's really amazing how I started designing jewelry. About 25 years ago I went to a small fair one summer with a friend. She bought me a small pin with a Jack-O-Lantern picture in it. (I love Halloween things!) It was glass on both sides and had a metal "frame" around it. I thought it was just the neatest little thing and tried to find out for years how it was made and finally just gave up. (I still have it!) About two years ago while browsing the internet I came upon some pins like that once again and found out it was actually soldered. So I read all I could on soldering and took a class at a local stained glass shop. After that I took a couple of classes on jewelry making and then started doing my own thing.

I turned a spare bedroom into my "Jewelry Room". Although the rest of my house is usually spotless, this room is always a mess! But somehow looking at piles of jewelry pieces inspires me. Sometimes two pieces will have accidentally landed beside each other and I'll think, "Hey, that looks good together!"

My mother has always been very creative. She has always encouraged me in whatever I've done and helped me in any way she could. I think I got my "creative gene" from her. I've dabbled in almost everything… painting, photography, working with clay, you name it! My husband is pretty encouraging too and sometimes will give me advice on a piece. I'm very lucky!

I love working with antique pieces and find them very inspirational. I always wonder who had them years ago and what that person was like. I've done quite a few pins and necklaces for people using their parent's and grandparent's old photographs. People usually give them as birthday and anniversary gifts. It's always very rewarding when they get back with me and tell me how much the person loved it and what a personal, one of a kind gift it was.

The most exciting thing I have going on right now is getting ready for my second "annual" Moondog Cottage Trunk Show which will be July 18th! The first one was a huge success and I'm really looking forward to this one. We'll have fabulous desserts for everyone while they browse my jewelry which will be displayed on glass cake stands and this year I'm also featuring Janniev's birdhouses and folk art pieces from Tole Mountain . It's advertised in the July and August issues of Romantic Homes and also on my website for anyone who's interested in coming!

Sheri's Bits of Bliss!

• Curling up with a good Stephen King novel at night


• My friend Sherrie's homemade white cake with white icing


• Listening to Garrison Keillor tell a story


• Kissing my husband goodnight


• Sitting by a roaring fire in the fireplace & watching the snow fall outside
  
  

You can come see some of Sheri's Moondog Cottage creations at our shop, Trendy Bindi's Boutique in the Stetson House in Waynesville, OH or by visiting one of these sites below!

http://www.moondogcottage.com/
http://moondogcottage.blogspot.com/
http://ravenslane.blogspot.com/
http://www.moondogcottage.com/Moondog_Blog.html
http://www.moondogcottage.com/Open_House_2009.html

Bits of Bliss: Come to a Garden Party!

From the sign across in this picture, we have Diana Knowlton, Marilyn Foskuhl, Nikki Taylor, Toni Bailey and Loretta Liesch giving you a preview of the hat show!

You're invited to a garden party!

Today we had wonderful lunch with some lovely ladies at the Hammel House here in Waynesville. These ladies are members of a women's group at the Greenmont-Oakpark Community Church in Kettering, OH called WINGS, short for Women in God's Service.

They have very graciously invited us to participate in their annual garden party, which will be held August 15, 2009. They will be having a fashion show with our vintage hats and their tables will be quite lovely covered in some of our vintage tablecloths.

If you attend this elegant affair, you will have the opportunity to purchase any of our items on display and 10% will go back to the ladies to help them raise money for their group. In addition to the fashion show, there will also be delicious food and drawings!

If you are interested in more information on this event please call Nikki Taylor at 1-937-427-1774.

Today's Bit of Bliss: Our First Blog Award!

StunningAnnaK (stop by her blog) has very sweetly awarded us the Lovely Blog Award, our very first award for our blog! We are terribly excited about this (thrilled really!) and will be passing this along to 10 other worthy bloggers! (These are in no particular order)

1. Fairy Dust Dreams


2. Anna's Trunk


3. Sugar Cookie Dolls


4. Vintage Roadside


5. Moondog Cottage


6. Black Feather Farm


7. Counting Your Blessings


8. A Field Journal


9. Pink Butter Creme


10. My So Called Junky Life

One Lovely Blog Award Rules of Blog Award Acceptance:

1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.

2. Pass the award to 10 other blogs that you've newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Artist Spotlight: Southern Girl Florals

I was fortunate enough to win one of Southern Girl Floral's hair clips on her PIF giveaway on her blog. I just got it in a couple of days ago and it is just gorgeous. I wanted to share her creations with all of you and she has graciously agreed to share a little bit about herself and her creations below. Enjoy!

Kerry







My name is Lindsay and I live in South Texas. I design floral wreaths, arrangements and hair accessories. I love working with beautiful silk flowers and colorful ribbon. I find inspiration for my designs through many different venues – the flowers themselves, nature, and different color combinations tend to spark inspiration in me. Also, my Mom is a very crafty person; I get my creativity from her. She is probably my biggest influence and inspiration. I remember when we used to make Christmas wreaths with my Grandma. I loved helping Mom put all of the ornaments on the wreaths – that is where it all began. I started creating wreaths and arrangements for family and friends about six years ago and I started selling my creations last year. I have also started a new venture in floral hair accessories. They are quickly becoming some of my favorite pieces. I do have a “real” job in the “real” world, but I truly enjoy my little creative outlet! I absolutely love creating custom orders! They always turn out to be some of my favorite pieces!

My Bit of Bliss would have to be the Twilight series! I know, I know – I was fighting the fad for the longest time until my brother started reading the series and told me that they were the best books he had ever read! I thought if they appealed to a guy (and not just boy crazy teenage girls) then they must be good! I’m totally hooked!



Etsy shop: http://www.SouthernGirlFlorals.etsy.com

Blog: http://www.SouthernGirlFlorals.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SouthernFlorals

Second Sunday Stroll ATC Swap?

During the summer months, there is a art show called Second Sunday Stroll held the second sunday of every month May though September in the town where we have our bricks and mortar shop, Waynesville, Ohio.

The organizers would like to hold an ATC exchange in conjunction as a part of this but we need to know if people would be interested in doing this.

Anyone would be able to come and trade cards and if you wanted to sell your ACEOs or other art at the show you can get more information on participating as an artist at www.secondsundaystroll.com

This could be a good way to promote your business, network and get exposure as an artist. I think it could be a lot of fun and be a great chance to trade and add to your collection as a collector or learn more about ACEOs and ATCs.

They would also like to possibly have a booth where you can learn to make an ATC/ACEO and possiby be able to purchase some goodies to play with at home.

Is anyone interested in coming to an event like that? If possible it would be held each Second Sunday date. Leave me a comment and let me know if this would be something you would come to!

Thanks!

Blissful Reading: A Well-Kept Home

Have you ever had a book decide to come home with you? I have. A couple of weeks ago I was visiting my wonderful local library, heading over to the mystery section to find a good cozy when this book seemed to leap at me from the shelf as I passed. I am quite happy that it did. A Well-Kept Home: Household Traditions and Simple Secrets from a French Grandmother by Laura Fronty and Yves Duronsky is a beautiful book featuring simply elegant photography by Yves Duronsky.



Buy this at Barnes and Nobles!

This book has five basic sections that cover food, home maintenance, caring for linens, beauty & healthcare and gardening with the age old wisdom gleaned from the author's French grandmothers. There is also a handy little index at the back that lists handy uses for, say, garlic or irises.

This book really captures the cottage lifestyle by sharing the wisdom of our fore-mothers and sharing greener, thriftier and more effective ways to care for ourselves and our homes.

I hate to take my copy back to the library--I'll just have to buy my own!

Kerry

Cupid is Back on ABC!

Back in the '98-'99 season, there was a delightful little show called Cupid which was sweet, funny and charming. Unfortunately it only lasted a little over a dozen episodes before being axed. Some attribute it to its time slot, but Mom and I both think that part of its problem was that it was too far ahead of the curve. The whimsical mixture of romance, comedy, and mythology was just too new.

ABC is the now the home of such delights as Pushing Daisies and Ugly Betty which share Cupid's sweetness. I think it is due to the success of these shows that the powers that be have decided that it is the perfect time to bring Cupid back.

It premiered last night at 10 p.m. EST and was delightful! It stars Tony Award winner Bobby Cannavale as Trevor Pierce or Cupid, Rick Gomez as Felix Araiza, Camille Guaty as Lita Araiza and Sarah Paulson as Dr. Claire McCrae. She is one of my favorite actresses and you might recognize her from Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, What Women Want and Down With Love, among others.

If you missed the first episode, you can watch it online at ABC HERE

You can be sure that we'll be tuning in for the future episodes!

*Be sure to keep an eye on Trevor's shirts, they all are related to love. Last night he was wearing a Virginia is for Lovers shirt and another with the silhouette of the Taj Mahal on it. Such subtle touches really add to the charm of this show.

These Vintage Motel Chairs Are Ready To Bounce Back!

In hopes of sunnier days ahead, we are starting to put out all of our vintage patio and garden finds. These include some wonderful vintage motel chairs. The two green ones are actually rockers and the third one is a bounce chair. It is also marked with what I believe is an "R" with a circle stamped in the metal. (Does anyone know what maker that stands for? We've hunted on the internet but haven't found anything just yet.) These are so roomy and comfortable and bring to mind warmer days spent sipping lemonade while enjoying the comfort of the sun.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I can't help it. Right now I am so excited that spring is sooo close. St. Patrick's Day really seems to make it seem even closer. I thought I would share with you some of my little baby plants to show you how far they've come!


First, here is my first batch of little veggies. The peppers haven't really started yet but you can see that the spinach, lettuce and tomatoes are really coming along.



Here is a picture of some baby snap dragons. If you are wondering what that planter is, I took a 24 can cardboard box and cut it in half. I then inserted one half inside the other and lined it with newspaper. I then loaded it up with some Miracle Grow Organic potting soil (I have just discovered this and I LOVE it!) and voila! a cheap and crafty planter which saves your money for something a little more fun, like that vintage tablecloth you've been wanting. As you can see, the little snapdragons seem to be liking this just fine.






Here are some of my crocuses which are just adoring the wonderful weather which we've been having. Fortunately, the squirrels don't seem to have found all of my purple ones yet!

We Have a Crocus!

I took this picture a couple of days ago and wanted to share it with everyone here. It is our very first crocus of the year. This little baby just popped right up out of nowhere. Since I took the pic, it has been joined by a whole bunch of siblings!

It's Time to Start Gardening!

I am so excited! I think it was about a week or so ago that Mom and I had been out doing some errands together when we noticed that the first of the seed packets had already come in. We bought a bunch, I think about 19 or so at only 20 cents a packet! We also got some potting soil. A bunch of veggies and then some flowers too. Last night I sowed the first of the veggies, those that can be started early indoors. I've had everybody saving their cardboard egg-cartons since sometime after Christmas and I put them to good use. They are so easy to make into planters, especially if you follow my directions below. I like to use the vintage cabinet in front of our breakfast room window to start the seeds because they seem to do best there. But any suitably sunny spot will do.





First, I cut the lids off and used them as saucers for the egg toting halves.

Then using an old large measuring spoon I scooped soil into the individual egg compartments. You don't want too much because it will spill out all over the place!

For right now I marked in permanent marker the names of the plants I was starting on the carton lid saucers, but I will go back later and put a name stake in (I forget where I read this, but someone had suggested using plastic knives as stakes, just write the name on in permanent marker on the handle and stick the blade down. They are especially nice if the blade is serrated as it really catches the ground. You can transplant this stake at the same time you do the plants.)

Then you put one seed in each compartment, and using an old pencil or a bamboo skewer, gently nudge the seed beneath the soil, according to the directions on the seed packet.

I like to keep one variety of seeds in each carton just because it is a lot easier to keep track of your plants.

If you really want to maximize the space you can split cartons down the middle to fit on your window sills.

***Remember to put a liner of some sort under your plants. You don't want to have to refinish or paint later!***

Water as directed!

Right now, I am on the border of zones 4 and 5 so I started my tomatoes, spinach, lettuce and peppers. I am hoping to start some snapdragons soon too.

Gardening is so rewarding in and of itself because you get to literally reap your own rewards for the labor that you put forth. Not to mention there is something almost magical watching the seeds grow into something you can eat, or in the case of flowers, enjoy for their beauty. However, in these times, gardening is a great way to be environmentally friendly and frugal.

For just a few dollars at the outset I will be able save a considerable amount at the grocery store from the spring through the fall.

The Little Things in Life Count

I have posed this question to several people, and often pondered upon it: Why do we go through such big bad things, such as death, illness, money problems, etc. and the good things are usually so small in comparison, such as seeing a flower bloom, enjoying a quiet afternoon reading on the porch, watching the waves break on the shore? It seems that the good things should be as big as the bad things and we should win the lottery, or get a great paying job, etc. If it seems that I sometime argue with God about this, I do.

But yesterday, I had an epiphany. My family and I have had to deal with the illness of my father and I am an only child so there is no siblings to help share the load with my mother, just me. The store is only two years old, the winter has not be conducive to shopping in a place where you walk outside from store to store, and the economy is having its problems. We have a house near the campus where my children have gone to college that we bought so that they could live there after their freshman years on campus (I wanted them to have a campus experience)and our youngest has been so involved in his college life that he has not lived in the house. Our last renters ended up in jail and left the place a mess and owing a great deal of back rent. We have not been able to rent it or sell it yet, but the mortgage and utilities still have to be paid.

Now, you may wonder why I am telling you this personal information. It is because these are big things that have been stressing myself and my family. As far as stress goes, I have felt very much at my limit lately. The nearly last straw was getting a notice to serve jury duty (my husband had been called up last month the same day our dog died) and this was not the first time. Right now, with my father, I really can't plan my days because I never know if he is going to need to need to be hospitalized (twice in the last three months) or if I am going to need to go to the doctor's with my parents at the last moment, so jury duty seems like the last thing I need.

But yesterday gave me a reprieve from the stress. Kerry and I made two good sales that totaled $100. My dad agreed to go to cardiac rehab for reconditioning and has been eating and taking liquids more which had been a real issue. Kerry and I are potentially going to receive help for our store's marketing from an unexpected source. Just little bits of good news but they really made me happier than I have been in some time. That's when I realized that it is a gift that God gives us--to be so happy about little things and that those little things can sometimes balance out the big bad things, or at the very least make them bearable.

There are really so many more little good things out there than big bad ones and while they may not make the bad things go away, they are God's way of helping us cope and one of his gifts to us is the ability to make each of the little good things alone give us so much pleasure that it takes a really big bad thing to mar it. In other words, on the scale of life, the pleasure in one small good thing is portionally greater that the sorrow of one big bad thing. We can't all be rich in material goods but we can all be rich in the ability to enjoy the small bits of bliss that come our way.