Let Me Tell Ya About this Texas Tee... and Roots

Let me tell you about this Texas tee - This is one of our original designs and we are pretty, stinkin' excited about this one. We love our State of Texas and everything that makes up this great state. We took graphics along with pictures we have taken, to fill up the Texas collage. It took a while to design, but once I came up with the idea, I had to make it happen! 

East Texas peaches and sweet potatoes, pine trees, a sunset over FM 555, barbed wire fences… bluebonnets and Longhorns in central Texas. Windmill and big sky in the panhandle. Dirt roads and cactus in the west. Throw in old barns, pickup trucks, rodeo Cowboys, boots, hats, sunflowers, and a lone star. What's not to love about that? 

The sunset is a view from the place where Jeff grew up and where we both feel at home  - the 555 Road Sign also comes from there - a curvy farm to market road with a great group of community and family. Side note - Jeff and I grew up on opposite ends of the same mail route and my family baled lots of hay all along the route, so I had driven a truck and tractor all over the area, long before I met Jeff or even had a drivers license. His family also baled lots of hay in the same community and true story - we talked about tractors and hay on our first date! Roots, it's just simply our roots and what we both grew up doing. 

Sweet potatoes - our town in know for the East Texas Yamboree (a huge fall festival / county fair with a Yam theme) and there is a basket of sweet potatoes in the back of the truck. Our area is also known for peaches and pine trees. The Yamboree was were we set up for our very first event and we even won the Yam Pie Contest a few years back. Jeff and I both grew up showing our animals at the fair through FFA and 4H, although not at the same time. Once again, it's part of our roots. 

I took the picture of the longhorn in the bluebonnets along the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails several years ago. 

We think of cactus in west Texas and that's actually Jeff's mom's horse standing out there. My niece Brenna (who is also a cousin) took the horse picture (which is also on our Support Your Local Farmers and Ranchers Tee) Here's another crazy side note - my grandparents and my niece's Great-grandparents were all from west Texas and all ended up on the opposite side of the state, without planning it. So yeah, I should probably explain that a little more, huh?!? My granddad and Brenna's great-grandmother were brother and sister. Now you should know that Brenna's dad is Jeff's brother. Brenna's mom and I are second cousins that married brothers, but we really didn't see each other much, till we became sister-in-laws. Wild huh? 

Ok, moving on! Big sky moments for the panhandle with a windmill and a barn. I took the sky picture on some of my travels. 

You can't think of Texas without thinking of boots, hats, and rodeo cowboys. Throw in some sunflowers, a horseshoe, and a single lone star and we filled up Texas. 

Oh, I should also mention that I started making coffee mugs this week! The Texas images show up in even more detail on the mug, opposed to the shirt. 

The collage reminds me of high school, when I cut images from magazines to cover my folders and posters. Twenty something years later, I still have my ag folder, where we had to cover it with clippings to describe ourselves. Here it is, describing me in 1998ish. Look at how many of the same type elements made into our Texas collage! I just opened the folder and it has pages of quotes in there, back from our FFA leadership days... on the right side of the folder it says raised to work... roots, I  tell ya, roots. I foresee some of those same quotes showing up on our daily Facebook post in the near future. When I created agendas for our 4H and FFA meetings, there were always motivational quotes included and now we share them daily on our social media pages. 

You can find all three of the Texas tees on our website: www.GypsyFarmGirl.shop
You can also find them when we do our local events, such as the Gilmer Area Farmers Market and the Texas Collage, Home Grown, and some of the mugs are currently in our space at P20 Land and Cattle on the square in downtown Gilmer, Texas. (I haven't got the mugs online yet, but if you want one, please let us know and I can ship.) The shirts are all super soft and the design is actually dyed into the fabric, so you can't feel it on the shirt. 

Extra, Extra Read All About It! A few pop up shows to tell you about!

Extra, extra, read all about it! We have several holiday shows and bonus dates to tell you about!! 

1. Mineola Antique Fair special pop up show Saturday, October 27. 10-3 Same place as our usual show, but this is a special opening on the last Saturday of the month. (Angea has said there's going to be a good pumpkin sale!) 

2. First United Methodist Church Christmas Bazaar in Gilmer on November 3. 9-4

This will be in our hometown and give our local friends a chance to shop and try on clothes and see/shop other items in person. This will be indoors in the church gymnasium, so come out rain or shine! (Our setup will not be as big or elaborate as our Mineola space, although we still have lots of things.)

3. Bonus shopping night at Mineola Antique Fair on Thursday night before the regularly scheduled monthly event. Thursday night wine and snacks from 5-8. Friday and Saturday 9-5.

Angea aka Rooster Tails and I will be at all these events! 

As another bonus, my mom will be joining us in Gilmer with some of her handmade leather and crochet items! Over the past two and a half years, she has had an incredibly tough medical journey and has taught herself to crochet and make leather cuffs, jewelry, journals, and knife cases (think man gifts) while she has been mostly home and not able to do the outside work she was used to. She has an etsy shop (Diamond J Designs) with a few things in it and has never done a show before. So this will be the first time her items have been available in person and she'll have more than what's listed in her shop. I went Christmas shopping at her house last year and everyone loved what she made!

Of course, I'm working on new inventory for all these events plus trying to get them added to my etsy shop as well. The last week has been nothing but rain and very gloomy weather, so I haven't been able to photograph items. If you see something specific in my etsy shop that you would like to see at one of the shows, please let me know and I'll make sure I bring it for you. (I don't load and take all my clothes and wreaths to every event.) I can't wait for you to see the new shirts I've been working on this week, so stay tuned to facebook and instagram for the most up to date sneak peeks. 

Our Mineola space will also be open the second weekend in December and I think there is going to be another bonus opening before Christmas. More details and announcements to follow about those times. 

Here's a recent pictures from Mineola, to give you an idea of some of the things you'll find in our booth. 

We hope you can come out to some of these events! We look forward to meeting and visiting with all of you! 

It's Time for the Mineola Antique Fair!

It's almost time for the Mineola Antique Fair July Show, so I thought we should share some of the things that Angea from Rooster Tails and I will have available. You can find us at the fair Friday and Saturday - July 13-14 from 9:00-5:00 at 115 Lankford St. in downtown Mineola, Texas. (Located right behind the Sonic off Hwy 80 or just a couple blocks from the train depot on Hwy 69.)

Before we opened last month, I was trying to figure out how we could make signs with our business names on them and some way to hang things from the building rafters. Jeff used his ingenuity and created hangers that hook over the rafters easily and we can hang things from them! Love that creative man of mine! Still we needed signs that could be seen across the building...I've had the large heart with wings hanging in my yard for a while, and decided to paint GypsyFarmGirl on it. Then I decided that I would make Angea a Rooster Tails sign. I free-handed this chicken weather vane and cut it out of tin (very similar to the image she has on her business cards.) I love how it turned out, other than when the light hits it a certain way, you can't see all the letters. 

Angea's got a vintage bicycle and I found this cute tricycle recently. Aren't they a cute pair?

 We went on a fabulous junk pickin' trip a few weeks ago and we love this chippy metal cabinet. It's one of those things I hate to give up, but I don't really have a place for it at home.

 The chippy cabinet is setting on top of a vintage metal bar cart. Enamel pans, a kettle, vintage tin ceiling tiles... we loved that load of junk we found!

 Speaking of finding things - I was cleaning a closet a few weeks ago and what I thought was a tub of lace was actually a bunch of vintage quilts! I guess it pays to clean after all ;)

 Pretty in Pink - Some of our vintage farmhouse finds.

 You might have noticed we have lots of glass jars. Let me add that they are very reasonably priced and would be perfect for storing items in your home, gifts, messages in a bottle, herb tonics / tinctures, etc. A couple remind me of the jars my Grandmama always put the peanut brittle and peppermint patties in at Christmas time! If you saw the square jar with a lid on the counter, you knew she had been making treats!

 While we love summer, we are starting to dream about fall pumpkins and scarecrows.

 Need vintage door knobs? We've got some!

We've still got to take another load of items to add back to our booth before we open up on Friday. The following pictures were taken at the last show. I bring home the clothes, tin signs, tumbler wraps and other items that are in my etsy shop and take back each time. (It's about 30 miles from my house and the building is only open occasionally, so I can't leave all my online inventory over there.)

Most of these clothing items pictured below is listed in my etsy shop, so I can ship them and the tin signs almost anywhere, if you're unable to make it to the show in Mineola. For all of you who can't make it, there is FREE Shipping on Clothing right now! If there's something else you see in our pictures that you are interested in and can't find it in my online store - please send us a message (email/facebook/etsy/instagram) and if it's able to be shipped, we will be happy to send it to you! 

In fact, if time permits, Angea and I might even go Live on Facebook to have a preview and sale from the fair, giving everyone an opportunity to shop, no matter where you are located! 

Vintage Queen! 

Welcome Y'all mason jar tin signs. Display on your door, add to a wreath, on a wall, on the porch, etc.

Denim and lace vest / kimono - the lace is from a vintage wedding dress!

Hay Y'all!

In Rust We Trust - Live Love Junk

Reminder - the sale is the Second Friday and Saturday of the month. Although, if your passing through at other times of the month and see the doors open, you'll find some vendors working and you can do some shopping. Some of our stuff is there all month, while I do bring home some of it, including anything that's in my online shop. Make sense? I hear there's a food truck that's suppose to be there, someone with fried pies, and several new vendors will make their debut this month.

The Mineola Rodeo is also happening this week or you can stop by the nearby Mineola Nature Preserve (click here to see my blog post about our recent visit to the preserve.) There's lots of other fun shops to visit in Mineola or the Lake Country Playhouse and Historic Select Theater is a good place to take in a movie (and the vintage style billboard sign out there is photo worthy and one that I need to photograph.)

Hope you can come out and see us! Please introduce yourself if you are a follower, because I would love to meet you in person and thank you for being a part of this journey!

I am a Small Business

I am a small business...

No, I don't have one of those "real jobs" that come with traditional 8-5 hours, a paid lunch hour, paid vacation, sick leave, or insurance. Therefore most people believe I don't really work, I'm flexible to just go and do whatever, and work when or if I want to.

We (both my husband and I) are self employed. No work or sales equals no grocery money or funds to pay our electric bill or insurance, etc. (I've paid my own health insurance since the day after I graduated college. Every single year, the rates go up. This year was a 20% hike and I just got my notice that it'll be going up 9% in the new year and I've only used my insurance twice in 14 years.)

I have an online business and people think that's simple to run. I must be inspired to create the item, source the supplies, make it, then set up a photo shoot, edit pics, upload to my shop (title, tags, description, measurements, pictures), blog, work on SEO, share to Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Google Plus. If I don't work, share, and promote what I'm working on, it will just set in my house/online and nobody can find it. 

For custom orders, I convo / email with potential customers. Often there are 10-50+ emails back and forth, for a single order. Orders are started after payment has been received. I've had too many people inquire, promise to order, and never follow through, when I had already purchased additional supplies for the order. (I do keep lots of fabric in stock all the time, although sometimes new colors, styles, or supplies are needed.) After the flowers are handmade and assembled, I send pictures of all items, for approval, before shipping. Once approval is given, I box up and ship the order. Some days I ship from home, although if my other jobs take me away from home (or we have a substitute mail carrier), I must go by the post office. 

It's important for my mind and body to stay healthy and focused. Drama, stress, and distractions can ruin the whole process. 

Lately I've been ask "so what do you do now?" Well, whatever it takes and whatever my wonderful customers want. My "main" job is making burlap and lace wedding bouquets, I also make wreaths, home decor, repurposed clothing, and other unique items that can be found in my Etsy shop and ship world wide. 

I take on local floral events and funerals as the need arises. (I don't keep fresh flowers on hand, so I must drive 35 miles one way, to pick up flowers for any request, therefore I do set minimum order rates for this service.) I promise to share pictures from this wedding very soon! 

We have a booth at Uniques and Antiques in Mineola (about 30 miles from my house) that needs restocking on a regular basis. We share the space with Angea aka Rooster Tails. We generally go junkin' on Thursdays, looking for new items to add to our booth or to makeover. This is also the day we usually devote to updating our space and social media about what we have added. Sometime, prior to Thursday, we have to clean/makeover/paint/sew/fix, price, tag, and load our inventory to take on runs to U & A. Yes, it's a fun girls day, that involves lots of laughter and lunch out, yet it is still work. 

We also have a minimum of two hours of farm chores, on a daily basis. 

As a small business, we do a happy dance and say thank you every single time the cash register cha-chings on our phone (for online sales) and we are appreciative of everyone who refers a friend or ask us to help with local events. It means so much to us! 

Some days we don't know how we will do it all, but every single day, it all works out. We haven't had a dependable Friday paycheck in almost 3 years. (Christmas week will mark my third anniversary of being self employed on a full time basis.) It takes a lot of faith to make it and I'll admit to worrying more than I should. We don't live an extravagant life and try to be content with what we are fortunate to have. When all of you trust me to make and design items for your special occasions, it really does make me happy and we are so very thankful. 

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Your support for small businesses and especially small, handmade businesses is truly appreciated. I've got a friend who thinks we won the lottery and didn't tell anybody... that's definitely not the case. There's a lot of work / hustle going on here, to make ends meet, although some days, it really feels like I won big, knowing that I get to make a living with my creative talents and help all of you! 

As a special thank you for all of my loyal followers and friends - I have a special coupon code for 20% off all of the clothing and most home decor in my online shop. Hurry though, this coupon is only good through Monday. Use SHOWLOVESHOPSMALL for 20% off. (Most everything else is also on sale, without a coupon code needed.)

Junkin' Adventures!

Yesterday, Angea and I had some fun adventures, redecorating our Uniques and Antiques booth space. If you follow on facebook or instagram you know I've been working on a few little projects this week and we decided a booth makeover was in store. Yes, we just fixed our new space up 6 weeks ago, but we are women and we love to rearrange! 

I went to Angea's house to load her goods up and as we were getting ready to leave, I looked back and saw our two "backseat drivers" and we had to take a funny selfie with them, before we got on the road! 

Miss Prissy Petticoats is now in our booth, along with some of our repurposed clothing items (we still have clothes online, as we will keep an assortment in the booth and available for shipping. See something in my shop and want to see it in the booth, message me and I can take it on our next trip over.) 

I made her petticoats from chopping off a couple of vintage wedding dresses - love all the ruffles! 

Angea's scarecrow now welcomes guest to our booth! It's finally got hot in Texas, so we are beginning to dream of fall and pumpkins and scarecrows.

We rearranged the mantle and hung clothes racks chairs on the wall for our clothes and additional shelf space.

The desk and some items were marked down this week. The desk would be great for someone preparing their classroom for Back to School.

I am loving these little necklaces! I have several boxes of vintage linens that are stained or have holes in them, but I just can't bare the thought of throwing them away. Someone worked so hard to create the beautiful handiwork... Well, some of the small embroidery flowers are now one of a kind necklaces! I forgot to get a picture, but there's also a shirt with some of the same linens added for a unique appearance.

Gone Junkin' - our motto for Thursdays or anytime really! There are tumbler wraps online and in our booth in several styles. 

Y'all were all so good to help me figure out what these pink little ditties were and it was decided that they were for Mint Julep or juice cup cozies. (They also fit a root beer bottle or the old snuff jars, as I don't have any cups that size.)

The mantle side of our space is now rustic farmhouse / neutral colors. Angea made the chicken wire frame and wreath combo and it looks great over a mantle! Candle sticks make great pumpkin pedestals!

I made several pillows from the vintage linens I found last week. There was a yellow rose embroidery table cloth in the mix, but it had a red drink stain in it. I cut the table cloth in two pieces and was able to make pillow covers and get rid of that ugly red mark.

As I was making the pillows, I had visions of Sweet Aunt Ethyl at the church picnic and little Jim Bob. I'm sure she thought an ugly thing or two about the little boy who sat his Big Red drink on her embroidered table cloth. With a smile, she said "It's ok Sister Alice, no big deal" as her friend apologized for the little bratty boy who ruined her handiwork.

I hope Ethyl (or whoever made these pretties) approves of what I've recreated with their linens. I feel its my job to rescue the old linens and try my best to find a new life for them

Find our booth inside Uniques and Antiques at 124 S. Line Street in historic Mineola, Texas. They are open Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. 

Some items can also be found in my online shop for world wide shipping.