Holiday Shopping Crawl!!!

Nummers!

If you are hankering for Girl Scout cookies, particularly the Thin Mints, you won't have to wait for the lil girls in green to knock on your door (or for their parents to leave the colorful order form on your desk at work). I just discovered a cookie that will satisfy your constant cravings until the real deal gets here early next year! And the best part.....are ya ready?.....is that I bought em for a buck at my local dollar store! For a fraction of the cost of the authentic cookie, they run a close enough second to tempt me to avoid buying them at full price. Especially when it's so hard not to eat a full sleeve of them at a time! (not that I've EVER done that..) One extra lil detail that adds to their nummer-ness, is that they have lil bits of candy cane in the middle. Now while I don't recommend foregoing Girl Scout cookies all together, or eating entire sleeves of them, I felt compelled to share the sweet minty goodness with you. Girl Scouts provide positive experiences for girls across America, and 70% of the proceeds support them. (The bakers get the other 30%) Happy Munching!!!

Tons Under Twenty bucks!!

VINTAGE MILK GLASS SODA FOUNTAIN GLASSES, SET OF 5 FOR ONLY $19.50!!!

More Tons Under Twenty......

Oh the wonderful things you will find......and for less than a "Jackson"!!! Come and get it!!

Happy Dolloween!!!

Halloween has darkened the doorstep at me2u vintage. Enter....IF YOU DARE!!!

Oh Dear.....life is such a puzzle!!!

I Love Lucy!!!

I used to pretend I was sick so that I could stay home from elementary school and watch I Love Lucy! Lucille Ball would have turned 100 years old this Saturday Aug.
6th, 2011. I loved her perfectly lined lips, her Max Factor lashes, her grace, her antics, her "davenport" and every single article of clothing she ever wore! I can see a photo from any episode and immediately recall specific lines from their script. Anyone who doesn't love Lucy is going to have some splainin' to do!!! Happy 100th Birthday Lucille! Thanks for the memories!

MORE 'tons under twenty'...

Need to buy a vowel Pat and Vanna? Scrabble tiles 4 for a buck! and...from me2u: If I had 100 wishes, I'd give them all to you! Wish tickets (roll of 100) $4.50. A great gift topper or just a lil happy to give someone on

Tons under Twenty from me....2......u

did you know me2u offers tons of treasures for under $20 ??? these kitschy watermelon salt and pepper shakers are only $8.50 and would look scrumptious at your summer bbq! keep on eye on the blog for more of the 'tons under twenty' featured items!

We've hit the big time!!!

We've hit the big time people!!! San Francisco Chronicle!! Posted online yesterday and will be in hard copy in this Sunday's home section. I feel so fortunate to have this happen just 5 months after our grand opening! The store just continues to be well received by everyone and the repeat customers are growing daily! Cheers me2u fans!!!

Time flies when......

My how time flies when you are running a cute lil shoppe!.........Here are some vintage decorating tips for you! Please stop in or email me anytime for more ideas!!!
VINTAGE DECORATING 101:
With more homeowners visiting flea markets, decorating a home on a budget has become chic. Whether it is a piece of furniture inherited from a relative, or a great thrift shop find, adding vintage accessories to interior décor adds style and character to any space. As a bonus, recycling old furniture and accessories keeps these items out of the landfill, making vintage pieces a welcome addition to a sustainable interior design.

Where to Use Vintage Fabrics
Finding a fantastic piece of retro fabric is like striking treasure-hunting gold. Old linens and textiles add a vintage touch to any room, which cannot be duplicated with new fabrics. Often, one can find a yard or two of fabric yardage that has not already been sewn into an item. More often, however, vintage fabrics can be found in a variety of old products.

Old handkerchiefs, curtains, quilts and even aprons or clothing can be repurposed into home décor. Some vintage fabrics, such as quilts or handkerchiefs, are beautiful enough to be framed or hung on the wall as an object of art. However, all of these old gems can also be cut and made into decorative pillows, new curtains or valances, table runners or used to reupholster a piece of furniture.

These fabric accessories can be used in nearly any room for a touch of the past. Mixing a few vintage pieces into a room filled with new furniture and accessories instantly adds a feeling of history to any space. Some vintage fabrics can be fragile, however, and care should be taken to keep these away from areas of heavy use.

Vintage Finishes
The search for vintage furniture and accessories has become a regular weekend outing for many people. Many homeowners, however, are unsure what to do with their treasures once they bring them home. The answer to that dilemma depends in large part on the items they have found, and the look they wish to achieve.

Many old pieces of furniture and home accessories, while they are structurally sound, wear many layers of paint. This distressed look is highly desired by those favoring weathered finishes in their homes. For these folks, a quick cleaning is all that is required before moving them into place. Often, the most beautiful vintage pieces show off many different layered paint colors, offering a peek into its past life.

Sometimes, a piece of vintage furniture has been painted over the years, concealing a beautiful mahogany or walnut finish beneath the layers. For these pieces, it often makes sense to have the finish stripped off and the wood restored to its original condition. Before refinishing an antique piece, the homeowner should consult a professional to assess any potential harm to the value of the piece.

Using Flea Market Finds in Home Décor
Despite their often mismatched and aged appearance, vintage objects can be incorporated into a home’s interior just as new accessories would be. Pieces should be assessed for their dominant colors, size and shape before they are placed in the room. Spreading them strategically throughout a room, instead of filling a room completely with vintage pieces, will keep a transitional or contemporary space from feeling too “shabby chic.”

Placing vintage pieces next to sleek, new furniture and accessories creates a pleasing contrast in textures. For example, a weathered metal chair used at a shiny stainless steel kitchen table makes a bold statement about the homeowner’s personality. This juxtaposition of textures makes the vintage pieces stand out even more in a space, making them focal points of a room.

For a home in the cottage or shabby chic style, using layers of vintage accessories, fabrics and furniture adds authenticity to the design. Aged and weathered finishes, along with vintage objects and fabrics offer a historic touch that simply cannot be duplicated by using only new items.

While using vintage home accessories is not suitable for every homeowner, it can be a fun way to inject life, history and personality into a tired space. These relics of the past offer a way to recycle old pieces, as well as a way to avoid the cookie cutter look found in many matched furniture groupings.



source:http://www.suite101.com/content/a-little-touch-of-history-in-home-decor-a216165

Aging

Today I was innocently reminded of my age, when a group of kids from the local high school, pondered over how to use the "ancient" rotary dial phone in my shoppe! I think I grew a bustle right then and there. I felt like an experienced butter churner of yesteryear. As she tried to dial a one,,,,confusion set in..."that won't work, I think it has to go all the way around". Not for a one hun,,,it's the easiest one to dial. It seems like lots of fun when it is new and different, but about half way through dialing even a local number, you feel impatience setting in. You know darn well you could have called a few people by now, while texting two others, while you check your Facebook page! And by all means, don't let your finger slip!!! xo$#@ Now you have to start all over again! %$#F@ Don't even get me started on the cord coiling up and "restraining" you to the desk that the cute phone sits upon! Well, it is what it is I guess. I am happy to know the fun of the rotary dial and I am chasing the new technology with....my "big girl" phone that these youngins call "smart" phone. I just wish it was still possible to dial POPCORN. I miss her voice. And if you don't know what that means...go ask your Mother..or perhaps Grandmother. $#@$^&F

Happy Earth Day!!!

Re-use Re-use Re-use!!! Buying vintage is recycling! Almost anything you need was made before. 'me2u vintage' hosts an eclectic variety of items that are vintage, previously loved, repurposed, refinished, or upcycled into something new. So if you have some free time today, ride your bike over and do your part to honor Mother Earth and support a local small business! Happy Earth Day sweeties!!!

Today's favorite customer....

Mikaela Burr was one of me2u vintage's very first customers back in February and she has been a regular ever since! Mikaela seems to love our lil shoppe and I think most of her family members and a few of her friends have all been coaxed in via her persuasion. I've met several friends, Mom, Dad, Nana, and the most adorable lil sister who is typically sporting a tutu and supercute lil pink cowgirl boots (swoon). I think I saw Mikaela try on this sweet vintage sunhat at least ten times (7 of which were the same day) and today she went home with it. Thank you Nana!!! I must say that this hat looks as if it were made for this beautiful girl. She is already planning on where she will wear it. It may be a bit of a fashion switcharooni for Mikaela,,but she plans to break in her new trend slowly, as she travels over the summer. Thanks so much for being a loyal customer Mikaela...see you soon!!

A great new place for hidden treasures....

me2u vintage is stirring up good reviews....take a look!! Click the link and scroll down to the reviews section! And if you haven't done so already, hit the link to like me2u on Facebook. Thanks Bloggers!! http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/me2u.vintage.707-473-0103/review/read?cid=1438728

Now I see the light!!!

I admit I have a thing for wire, metal and rust, but my latest confession......I love a naked lampshade!!! It's raw, unexpected and so beautiful in it's natural form. It's not dirty, it's ART!!! Especially when it sits atop this chippy cherub lamp drenched in crystals. I was blind, but now I see.

Take a lil tour of me2u........

Thanks to Richert Gordon Salondaka for creating this supercute video of me2u!! I'm still figuring out the joy of blogging...so you may have to pause the music at the bottom of my blog page before watching....Enjoy!!!

Today's favorite customer....

You just never know who and what you might find at me2u vintage. It may seem unexpected to see this strong burly ranch hand at a cute lil shoppe like ours, but Tom was happy to mosey on over to me2u vintage today, and was even happier to find this vintage Stetson Cowboy Hat! The Stetson is a fine piece of American heritage and I must say, it looked right handsome on Tom! Tom said he was the "bee's knees" at the local watering hole (the infamous B&B Lounge) and plans to wear it proudly to his next Trailblazers meeting! Thank you Tom!!!

me2u FAMOUS already?!?!

I had a lovely customer last week that has a shoppe of her own in Michigan. Mary was in town visiting her daughter, who is here working with Americorps. I checked the blog last night for Mary's shoppe, called FOUND, and here is what I FOUND!!!......
More goosebumps for me!!! Thank you Mary!!! http://http//foundgallery.typepad.com/found_whimsical_art_vinta/2011/02/inspiration-in-healdsburg-ca.html

Hot Air Ballons, Trout and Funny Faced Fruits...

As I made my way to the shoppe this morning, I was surprised to see a flock of hot air balloons hovering over Sonoma County. It has still been a bit foggy in the mornings, but there they were! Sonoma County can be so glorious. This weekend is Healdsburg's Wild Steelhead Festival. I welcomed many of the "trout proud" people of the festival into the shoppe today, and what do you know... people who love trout seem to love vintage TOO! (I said good-bye to some of my favorite treasures today) It was a great day! I met lots of new friendly locals that ooohed and aaahed at the shoppe! It was splendid validation after being open for just one week! I actually got goosebumps (or chicken skin, to some) two separate times, after being told by customers that they heard about this great new shoppe,from a friend. Whaaaat? My lil shoppe is news on the street? My favorite part of the day was watching two customers debate over which of the funny faced fruit wall hangings to buy..."we should just get them all"... "no, I only like the banana and the pear"...but I really like the grapes too"...."no, the grapes look like Al Roker"...."well, the pear looks alot like Oprah"..."well okay, but definately don't get the orange, I hate the orange"..."hey is this a tomato?". It was spectacular! If only I had a video camera, you would be watching it for yourselves right now! In closing, I would like to thank all of the fish, that brought so many people out and about today. Glub,Glub.
And oh yes,,,the conclusion...The debate team bought ALL the funny faced fruits! And if my customers are viewing this,,,I always thought it was a tomato, but now I think she must be an apple!?!? Enjoy and Thank You,,,it was great fun!

Finally....a day off!

So, it is my first day of being closed. After the whirlwind of getting moved in and setting up shoppe, I am truly exhausted. So today, I slept in, and I plan to take a long hot bath, kick my feet up and watch the boob tube for the rest of the day. YEAH RIGHT!! NOT!!! I have been up painting, ordering supplies, and have an appointment at the bank later! I may even be squeezing in the pick up of a new piece of furniture this evening! And so it goes,,,,exhausted or not....I am loving every bit of this!!

My morning started with the thrill of the hunt....and I found some amazing new treasures! Today at the shoppe was very slow, and I shall blame it on an odd shaped ball wrapped in pigskin. I try to remain grounded knowing that yesterday was busy because it was my Grand Opening and many people came out to support me and my lil shoppe. I am pooped but still feel wrapped up in a blanket of gratitude! Each night when I turn off the lights before locking up, I whisper.."Good night store"

Grand Opening!!!
Today was all I dreamed of. Friends and family and absolute strangers strolling into me2u vintage all day long! Some of my favorite wares have sold already and I have been quick to hunt for more after locking down the shoppe tonight! Thanks to all!! Stay posted. I have lots of pics and thoughts to share as I get settled in to my new role as shopgirl! Cheers!

Here we go!!!

Today we will pick up keys to our new little shoppe in Healdsburg! We are nervous but very excited. Please bare with us while we get settled in and then we will cozy up to the blog!!! Watch for shoppe news, pics of our treasures for sale, and even special discounts for our followers from time to time! Thank you to everyone that has helped us get here!
Cheers!!!
Julie and Jill