The “Big” Store Opening

I held my grand opening this past Friday & Saturday. Now admittedly, I didn’t spend any money advertising, but I am trying to keep start up costs down at first.  Luckily, I don’t have to pay rent as the “store” is in my front yard. 

I had a couple of customers who seemed very excited to see vintage clothes & accessories for sale in the area. There are lots of resale shops & antique stores that have a few vintage items, but no store exclusively vintage. Lucky me!

Setting up was interesting. My tent is roughly 10 X 10, but I have an unused “deck” next to it & of course the outside area as long as it’s not raining…and it didn’t rain all weekend.

 I didn’t get my “official” sign finished, but I did utilize the old wooden ironing board I picked up last year at a yard sale for $1. I painted on the logo…didn’t get to the highlights or wording yet. The rest of the board I had previously painted in chalkboard paint. So I put this at the top of the driveway.

Along the lines of “trash to treasure”, I made a jewelry display from an old crib spring. You can see that in the first picture above.

Only a small portion of my inventory made it out to the sale. I have way too much & have to rethink buying anything new until I downsize the inventory I have.

Again…. just another portion of my stock.

I have to admit though, for a thrown together, out under a tent “store”, things didn’t look too bad.

Hats galore.

Shoes anyone?

Never enough handbags.

Spread out.

Thank goodness I have one good, strong rack.

All in all I think I did okay this past weekend.  This coming weekend, I’ll pop a few more flyers around town & update a Craigslist ad.

Grand Opening – Locally

Grand Opening

 Beginning Friday, June 29, Moosewood Vintage Wearables & Sundries will be open out in the open under our tent

Fridays & Saturdays 10 am to 5 pm

 Vintage Clothing and Accessories

 Planning a Mad Men party? We have 60’s fashions.

 

Moosewood Vintage Wearables & Sundries

12501 Station Road (Route 430)

North East, PA 16428

(814)384-4576

 

http://www.moosewoodvintage.com

moosewoodvintage@hughes.net

 

3 miles east of Colt Station (Rtes 89 & 430)

2 miles west of Findley Lake, NY

 

Because Recycling is Fashionable!

Fromage Blanc

All but two of the kids are weaned now, so there’s a lot of milk for the rest of us.  I usually make soap to sell, but we love our goat milk cheeses here too. Yesterday, I started a batch of Fromage Blanc.  Tomorrow, hopefully, cheesecake!

Starting with 2 gallons of fresh goat milk in a stainless steel pot, heat the milk slowly to 185 degrees f. 

 

 

 

 

 

Once heated to 185 degrees f, place the pot in a sink of cold water to cool the milk. You may need to replace the water a few times, but you need to bring the temperature of the milk down to 72 degrees f.

When the temperature of the milk is sufficiently cooled, add the Fromage Blanc starter. I buy mine from New England Cheesemaking Supply Co. Stir this in gently.  Then cover the pot and let it sit for about 12 hours undisturbed keeping the temperature as close to 72 degrees f as possible.  After 12 hours, the milk should have turned to a soft curd.  The next step then is to drain the curd.  I use a large colander lined with muslin.  Carefully ladle the curd into the muslin letting the whey drain into a pot. Be sure to cover the curd as it drains. 

 

 

 

 

I let that drain for about 6 hours.  Then I tie up the muslin and hang it, letting it drain for another few hours into the whey pot.

What to do with the Whey?  You can use it to make Ricotta cheese or feed it to the chickens.  They love it!  My hens got this batch.

Now that the cheese is drained put it in a large bowl and add salt. You can buy cheese salt, but I’ve found that non iodized table salt works just fine.  Emphasis on the non iodized! 

       

 

Start with about a half tablespoon of the salt, mix well and taste. Continue salting to taste. 

All that’s left is to put it in a sealed container and refrigerate.  Use as a spread just as you would cream cheese.

 Now… with luck I’ll make a cheesecake tomorrow and post that as well.

And the winner is . . .

pillowsalamode is the winner of the apron.  Congratulations.

How About a Book Review?

I read a review of Wearable Vintage Fashion by Jo Waterhouse and Clare Bridge a few days ago on the Vintage Living blog and being addicted to books I promptly ordered a copy of my very own to have, cherish and love forever and ever. Okay…I’m a bit of a fanatic about books. I admit it.

The book arrived yesterday and I immediately sat down to flip through the pages to see what was there. I’m hooked!

The book is chock full of vintage wearable ideas from the 20’s through the 80’s including putting together looks and adding accessories.  Rather than your typical wordy vintage fashion book telling you what to look for Wearable Vintage Fashion shows you how to get a certain vintage look, even including some reproductions and modern “copycats”.

Just open a page and you have a pretty good idea of how to put the look you’re after together.

What a great shopping guide!

Now I’m going back to read the book cover-to-cover. I suggest you find a copy too. Well worth the money…and it isn’t at all expensive.

What? No takers?

A few days ago I posted a vintage apron giveaway.  All you have to do is comment. A word, a color, the time…I don’t care. But I have a total of 1..ONE…comment on the post. 

I’d love to give this to Carol, but isn’t anyone else interested? Comment here or on my Facebook page if you’d like a chance to win this. Random drawing on June 14.  I’ll be putting the names in a jar and letting my son pick the winner.

So Mad Men

I have lots and lots of 60’s fashions and accessories to get measured and photographed so I can list them for sale.  Meanwhile, here are a few of them.

This chic green number is in pretty good condition. It has a bit of bunching at the bottom. Maybe I’ll work on that before I list it. But can you see this on Mad Men? I can.

The always popular shift dress.

Leopard heels by Fredericks of Hollywood.

More elegance.

Chic.

Cold outside?

What better way to end an evening than in a vintage peignoir.

And don’t forget to post on my Vintage Apron Giveaway. Drawing a winner randomly on June 14.

 

Vintage Apron Giveaway

I’m absolutely determined to keep this blog up to date. I have a terrible tendency to procrastinate. Shame on me!  I’ve already given up on Shameless Plug Friday.  I’ll just do random plugs instead. I have decided to go through my bazillion boxes of vintage clothes and get a few things listed in the next couple of days.  I have no excuse not to. 

Also, I thought if I added a giveaway, I’d get more followers which would really incentivize me step up to the plate.

So… I came across this sweet polka dot vintage apron this past week at one of my favorite local shops, Wheezie’s Kove.   

After a good cleaning to remove a couple of stains, it looks as good as new.  The apron buttons at the back of the neck rather than slipping over your head.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

So….       Follow my blog and make a comment on this post. Tell me about your favorite creation or vintage find.  I’ll pick a winner on Flag Day, June 14.

Congrats to Jillian!

One of my favorite bloggers, Jillian Owens, The Refashionista, has been written up in her local news magazine, Columbia Metro. Her daily blog gives wonderful details on taking a not so spectacular item of clothing and making it her own. I wish I had half of her ambition!

Hats off to Jillian!

Shameless Plug Friday (a day late)

I’ve been so busy lately…well, busy AND a bit lazy. Not totally lazy, though. I had the farrier in to give the girls their pedicures. Their hooves look lovely now.  I also started refashioning some men’s shirts and I’m very caught up in that.

But I forgot to post Shameless Plug Friday! 

I did go “shopping” and found a lady having a yard sale selling a ton of amazing vintage clothing. She’s going to call me when she gets more out.

I bought a sweet 80’s lace dress and a 30’s wedding gown complete with cap. The wedding dress needs a little restoration work, but nothing that can’t be handled. I’ve already very carefully soaked it and turned it from dark beige to a sweet ivory shade. There are a couple minor tears in the lace and some small pearl beads to replace. Otherwise, it’s in excellent condition. I’ll take photos after it dries. Now my nephew just became engaged and I’m wondering if his lovely fiance would like to wear this. 

I also got from the same lady two wooden hat forms for only $5 each!!!! I guess she’s never looked on Ebay. But I wasn’t telling her. One is just my size and I plan to get back into hat making now.

I need to get more stuff inventoried, organized and photographed, but here are a couple of items already up for sale.

Rockin’ the 60’s ala Alfred Angelo. Size 6.

Vintage Lace Blouse by Becky Bisoulis. Size 14.

Vintage Beaded Applique.

Sears Skirted Swimsuit. Size 18/40.

And not currently listed at the Etsy store, but definitely for sale. Let me know if you’re interested.

Vintage Jacket by benard holtzman. Size 10.

Vintage 60’s Peignoir Set by Lorainne. Size L

Wedding hat/Cowboy style

Mob Cap

Now…. back to procrastinating…or horseback riding…or getting ready for Memorial Day.

Thanks to all our vets and troops!