Adventures in....

My First little Market

And I got to catch up with several of my favorite people on Sunday!!! I was so excited to see Jacque (The Creative Gardener) with her soon-to-be hubby, James; Emma and Chris from the Tin Thimble; Clinton (Watston Designs/Brown Dog Cottage and his darling wife, Becky have a spot at the Tattered House); and my employee Tiffany and her man Nate! Which I'm happy to report she finally bought that recycled silver Eames Chair necklace she has been loving since I opened the shop! (thanks Tiff). AND I also saw my new friend KB whom makes wonderful handmade custom assemblage jewelery (I bought one of her vintage button and reused vintage paper pendants).

My 6-month pregnant dear friend Jessie came to help, poor thing--she blew a tire on the way here....I had to pick her up in the Dixon Walmart parking lot (what other tire place is open on a Sunday?) LOST the ONLY key to the family suburban, some where in the abyss of --spring closet cleaning, store product, market product etc...(the house gnome really needs to get them back to me soon!) Luckily my friend, Brock, was at the Glass Turtle where I walked to get his keys and 4runner...I raced to Dixon, got Jess at 10pm-ish, where we proceeded to dine at Le Denny's, got to bed at 12:30am, we were up at 5am (that's late for most markets). Had an interesting and fairly successful day ( I got some GREAT shopping done, I can't wait to show you what I'm creating and came up with--recycling at it's best from your Green Girl!!). But wait there's more--- drove her back to Dixon Walymart at 7pm--she got on the road....and at N. Texas rode had to pull over because the imbecils at Walymart left a brake line lose rubbing against her tire? I felt so bad for her!!! I was ready to just tow her Volkswagon behind my 4-runner back to San Jose!! Of course that would have still left the brake line dangling around the tire!?! Needless to say, she left me the bulk box of powdered donuts holes and made it safely home! Next time I'm sticking her on the capital corridor Amtrak!

So.....Alameda is next, thankfully Clinton, Becky and the Tattered gals are there if I get myself in a pickle!

I'm happy to report my new job is awesome--it gives me the opportunity to focus on Design and having a life again...how about the fact that I have WEEKENDS OFF!!! What??? What am I going to do with myself? I think I will need to get another job to just eat up all this free time!! I've been doing Visual Display and Merchandising for 16 years, and Interior Design for ten...and I love both!


There's several other things on-deck this summer for me and the ECO-BOUTIQUE, I'll be sending the events out in the newsletter (if you would like to sign up for the newsletter email me at EcoBoutique@dwlwdesigns.com) and I will be posting more pics and musings---now that I have ALL this time on my hands! :)


Here's to an amazing kick-off to Summah, Lobstah, Cook-Outs & Friends!
Cheers,

Tamara, Your Local Green Girl

KINDLING

If you haven't picked up on it already I love languages, literature and words...or sayings. They seem to spark the writer in me...

KINDLING: material for starting a fire.

I'm calling KINDLING the ignition of change which completely describes my life and the ECO-BOUTIQUE at present. After a few sleepless weeks and agonizing decisions, I'm happy to report--I'm moving the boutique! To start, after much encouragement from the Antique Trove manager, I've decided to move in on Row G and E! I'm also going to be joining the ranks of exhausted Sunday marketers AND eventually opening a smaller more quaint boutique in Old Town Auburn--possibly August.

I'm moving out of the Lincoln Way store by June 1st....mainly because of the "streetscape" project. They are tearing up the frontage of my store---and it's CalTrans, the city and the county...and it's not going to be pretty for a long time! Street closures, minimal accessibility, noise...etc


I'm not sure how my life goes from a little campfire to a regenerative forest fire...whatever the grand plan is for me, I'm happy for these personal and business changes. It gives me an opportunity to still do what I love, design, green living, having a "boutique" space to express myself. :)

So here's to KINDLING, the beginning or inception of growing bigger and brighter.

Zinc, zinc, Zinc.
Moss and Tonka Jeeps...

I need to add some color to
this!

My friend and THE best worker bee, Moses did this when we were moving Texas stuff around the shop....cute for a dude, right?!

Happy EARTH DAY!!!

And, So comes love...(the NEW large canvas market bag at the Boutique!)

In many languages the word "Earth" looks and sounds so beautiful...at times it surpasses our own American language in terms of beauty. One thing is for certain, no matter what language you speak: earth is cool!

I'm so tickled when my customers come in, fresh from farmers market or out and about sporting their favorite canvas or nylon shop bags! It makes me proud when I see you in hot yoga, walking your pooches drinking from your re-usuable bottles! It gives me hope and I get excited when I see all of you taking action, making an effort and trying to do your part!

Just remember we are what makes Auburn and this area so great!!!

In a collaborative effort Avantgarden and the ECO-BOUTIQUE are donating a percentage of our sales on April 25th to Placer Land Trust--working to preserve natural landscapes and preserve open space. On that Saturday I will be hosting a class called Get Your Green On, Simple Ways to Start Greening your Home at the shop, following at 12:00 and 2:00 there will be a soil demo and Kim Wright, owner of Avantgarden is hosting a class on Design Principles of Container Gardening.

How fabulous to Green your Green this Earth Day!

I'm not going to preach about the outdoors, and hugging a tree ( I usually give them a little pat, not a hug) but I am simply going to ask you on this day, like every day, to just consider making better choices with your options and make a difference in your purchasing power! Have a beautiful EARTH DAY!
But wait, there's more! And in the evening I'm so excited to participate and hang out with the Creative Gardener crew exchanging flowers and creating beautiful arrangements and getting into some earth on Earth Day---YAH! Too bad I won't learn how to container garden until Saturdays class at Avantgarden!

Here's to making a difference!
~Tamara, your local green girl

and Four Bikes Later...

Well, it used to be my garage

Here is a picture of the Texas stuff piled in the garage...

After drying out from the showers last week, the stuff from Texas will be making it's way into the EB later this week and early next week! I'm not sure why I bought four bicycles, probably the realized nostalgic obsession I have with them, but I did! Very excited about the Murphy's Irish Stout or Guinness bike, the teal super sweet bike with the back fin and "brake lights", and with two front headlights! So cute.... Then I had to buy the 60's red tandem...just BECAUSE I felt like I could give it a really good home, thank goodness it wasn't another Chesapeake or chocolate lab!
As it is...my garage is completely stuffed with bikes, 4 beach cruisers, 2 tandems, 3 mountain bikes, 2 road bikes (can I get a partridge in a pear tree please?)

I have come back from Texas wanting to add yet MORE color into the shop...how scary is that? I've considered many times adding a beach theme room, but most of my NORCAL customers love where we live, and celebrate that on EVERY nice day that we have! Not only that, but since the New England coast has seeped into my blood, I'm not sure I can have the coast without steamahs and lobstah!

So, what's a green girl to do?

Back From Tehas

Hello ALL!

I had a wonderful time in Texas, it was exhausting, exhilarating, fun and work all at the same time!







I'm anxiously awaiting the truck, and things should be here the end of next week!

I found a lot of very cool and fun pieces, my favorites are a my vintage cruisers, red tandem bike, old metal plaid picnic baskets and the 1923 work bench with metal drawers, which had two previous owners other than myself from a custom home in Illinois! It is an absolutely gorgeous piece. I also discovered a new favorite, a unique British piece at market.

I found some great smalls, objects for clients and was able to meet many of the "blog women" we all love to follow on here. Miles of treasures to look at, rummage through and people with objects and displays to enjoy. The weather was crazy---beautiful days, cold and magical warm windy nights.... Bottom line is, I'll definitely be going back! For some reason I didn't take a lot of photos--I guess I
was too busy shopping! Here are a few I thought I would post...

Sweet For Sharing!

We loved this rocking iron bench, complete with arm
cup- holders.

(I know, Tam's *new* Tandem needs a little work!
AND of course a basket.)