Lucky Junk : 2014

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

You touched our LUCKY Hearts!

Lots of windshield time the beginning of August this year on the 127 Yard Sale through Tennessee & Kentucky!
Our journey was met with unbelievably beautiful scenery, mouth-watering BBQ, rusty-crusty-shabby finds that filled up our whole picker truck and lots of fun folks with stories to share!
And as it does happen in life (thank God)...there was one very special moment that touched our hearts!
As we were making our way down Route 127 I was intrigued by this sweet cottage... and from the pictures below...you'd be pulling in with us, right?

There was a sign at the residence that said "see my creations at the yard sale in the next field". Well, we couldn't get there fast enough... saw a table that had one our two nature-type creations, but no one was there...sigh.
We pulled our picker truck down the road, but I couldn't stop thinking about this artist. The next morning we were heading onto Kentucky...and I was SO happy to discover that we had to drive past this yard sale again...and I was crossing my fingers they would be there.
As we pulled up, I could see that the once barren table was now being filled with incredible, stunning nature creations. We walked up and met Henry. We were greeted with the most welcoming smile...no one could resist. We shared our joy that he was there...our compliments regarding his sweet cottage & that we couldn't wait to hear his artist story and start shopping!
He was over the top appreciative... and couldn't believe how enamored we were with his work.
Little did we know that at that moment, time was not going matter, nor our next destination. For Henry started to share the story of his struggles...and we were hanging on every word.
He explained that he was depressed, anxious and had been in bed the last 2 years. He would set up for shows with all of his incredible talent & creations and not show up. This was the first time in such a long time that he actually made it! Wow...and we were there to be his first customers!
NO CHANCE MEETINGS IN LIFE!
I don't know why at that moment, but I shared with him my phrase that I use in my workshops to describe painting with chalk-based paints... "The Art of Imperfect Perfection".
He was blown away and said, "that is ME"...and could not write it down fast enough. Through all of our tears and of course shopping... we realized that this was the BEST moment of our journey!
And of course then to come home to the tragic news of Robin Williams...it was all too much!
You never know how you will be touched or touch another soul... be fearless and live with your heart wide open!
Here's some of Henry's creations...available at the Lucky Junk Shop.

Follow along with the Lucky Junk Shop...

Check for upcoming sale dates...

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

A few items from my Grand Ma's French Attic!

It was a day of wonderful surprises.
First, my USPS Mail Carrier called me {yes, you heard it right} while he was standing in front of my Lucky Junk Shop and said that I had received a package from France & that it would not fit in my mailbox.
You had me at "Hi, this is your Mail Carrier" and then you double barreled me with... "you have a package from France".
I couldn't get to the shop fast enough.
A little back story...before we get to the French Package {sorry}.
It was our Chanceux {Lucky} Day in September 2012 when we met Delphine & Oliver and stayed at their B & B {words cannot even describe the incredible charm} in the French Countryside of the Burgundy Region.
Let's start with a... stone floor, a dog to greet you, champagne from their favorite local vineyard, vintage galore throughout our room, and they still drive their vintage Citroen that they drove on their honeymoon!

Charming French B & B where we stayed!

The note that was carefully tucked inside of my French Package

In past correspondence Delphine had told me

that she might send me some French Vintage Items...a girl can only hope!

Well, keep hope alive...cause dreams do come true!

The anticipation of it's contents was too much to bear!

I carefully {OK, I ripped through the postal paper} to find wrapped items, too many to count.

The first item {and my favorite} is this shabby chic green tin adorned with birds.

As I opened up each of the packages I was so amazed at how many of the items looked like they could have come from an American Grandmother's Attic...how wonderful is that!

What...some of Grand 'Ma's beautiful vintage clothing...I thought I was going to faint.

I've blogged about the value of relationships before...

but it truly makes the world go round...even oceans away!

I'm now dreaming of the special package that I will send Delphine.

Merci Beaucoup!

Follow along with the Lucky Junk Shop...

Check for upcoming sale dates...

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

GUINNESS® + Irish Soda Bread = Lucky Love

I have written in previous posts about the "combo platter" in life.. and this would be one of those times! Combining GUINNESS® with an Irish Soda Bread recipe...BRILLIANT! It creates a combo of Brown Bread and Soda Bread which produces a rich, dark, moist luscious loaf.

Lucky GUINNESS® Irish Soda Bread

Recipe

Ingredients

1 C regular rolled oats, plus additional

2 C whole wheat flour

1/2 C brown sugar

2 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1/4 C melted butter

2 t vanilla extract

1 C buttermilk

1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle of GUINNESS® beer

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C)

Grease an 8 x 8 inch baking pan

Mix together the oats, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

In a separate large bowl, stir together the butter, vanilla, buttermilk, and GUINNESS®.

Pour the flour mixture into the beer mixture, and gently stir until well blended.

Pour batter into the prepared baking pan, and sprinkle with additional oats if desired.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 400 degrees F

(220 degrees C), and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Turn the oven off, open the door, and allow to cool for 30 minutes in the oven

before turning out onto a wire rack.

Follow along with the Lucky Junk Shop...

Check for upcoming sale dates...

Monday, March 3, 2014

Lucky Day . Lucky Paint

It was a LUCKY Day when I went with my gut {as a college girlfriend always told me to do...she said your gut will never fail you} & selected Vintage Market & Design Furniture Paint as the new Chalk-Based Paint line for the Lucky Junk Shop! I researched MANY companies...and Vintage Market just felt right! From the first hour long phone call with my {soon to be} paint rep where we energized each other with creative ideas , stories of vintage retail life and hearing all about the Vintage Market & Design story. It was a done deal! LOVED every minute of it...and couldn't wait to get my first order placed & share ALL of the excitement with you & my shop customers! Lucky Junk is SO proud to be the exclusive Chicagoland Northwest Suburban Chalk-Based Furniture Paint Retailer & Workshop Studio for...

Look forward to continuing to share more of my Paint journey...photos of Lucky Junk Paint Projects...along with LUCKY customers Paint awesomeness!

Join in on ALL of the FUN & excitement!

{spaces are limited and will fill up fast}

SOLD OUT!

Follow along with the Lucky Junk Shop...

Check for upcoming workshop & sale dates...

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Junk + Relationships

First of all an apology is due.

I did not intend on using my blog for the sole purpose of advertising

my new shop, Lucky Junk.

And yet, the last few months have been just that.

Launching a new business sure does take a lot of time...

early mornings, late nights & everything else in-between.

Something had to be affected {along with my sore muscles} & I'm afraid it was my blog.

Soooo...my heartfelt apologies.

My future goal {crossing my fingers & toes} is to write a combination of posts...

Lucky Junk announcements & exciting happenings

along with food, fun, vintage galore, decorating, painting, gardening....and much more.

Sooooo...let's get started!

And it's all about YOU...and the incredible relationships you have shared with me!

Vintage Soul Sister & her darling daughter

Who knew that when I started this Junk Journey that not only was I going to discover

incredible vintage finds, but also incredible, melt my heart relationships!

Where the Creative Rubber meets the Junk Road
From a sweet High School Friend to artistic & FUN

It didn't just happen overnight, it took time {but in my "launching new business mind" these new & fabulous re-connections happened like the pouf of a fairy godmother's wand}!