a day at the races

this weekend i drug my husband with me to the allegan fair grounds for the monthly antique fair. i was in desperate search of a rectangle shaped patio table that is all metal (no glass top). i have been searching all summer for it!

i spotted my table an entire row away and made a bolt for it. i put on my game face and tried to hide my desperation. i wiggled it a bit to show that eh it's a little unsturdy, pretended to examine it a bit. i then asked for his best price. $150  for the set. again trying to hide my desperation i said what's the best you can do on just the table? $100 he said. hmmmm how about 85 i replied. naaaa i dont think i can- okay! okay! i'll take it! my bargaining skills suck when i find something i have to have.

i walked away that day with my patio table...along with a dress, a few scraps of fabric, and an amazing  display rack from one of my favorite sellers Rhubarb Reign. i'm sure in any business it's hard to find good people. but this business can be a little cut throat so it is a rarity and  treasure when you can find people who have a genuine passion for vintage and still have integrity and character. nobody is sweeter to work with than rhubarb reign and i LOVE my display rack i bought from them!

here are some pictures of their booth there.

my other must stop is Rebel Reclaimed (if they sound familier to you they are from Grand Rapids). Dan and Chip are two other gems in this biz. in fact 1/3 of my house is decorated with their works of art. (my friend laura and i are duking it out on FB over one of their mirrors right now). The other 1/3 is FOUND (duh) and the other 1/3 is from this awesome store downtown called Spring Sweet. anyways they (rebel boys) always have this amazing display that i usually can't go without buying something there. and if i don't i'm usually

banging down the door to their shop on tuesday. I would have taken some pics of their booth but husband was ready to go!

here are some other photos i snapped while at allegan. enjoy!

mimosas and markdowns recap

well well well what a great weekend it was!

thank you to all of you who came out for mimosas and markdowns. we had such a great time with all of you. we had some out of towners, some regulars, and made lots and lots of new friends.

did you miss it? here are a few pics of the event!

couldn't make it in? we understand. saturday was BEAUTIFUL! but in case you did miss the sale we still have many many markdowns throughout the store AND if you check in on facebook you will receive a coupon for 10% off any one regular priced item. (that includes all furniture!).

andddd since it is monday here are a few new arrivals to get you through the morning. we will be making the switch this week to more fall items as well as tons of jewelry so keep watching!

the gravitron called life.

there is nothing more nostalgic than heading back to your hometown's community fair.

lucky for me i still have a valid reason to go back. my sister. liv is my 15 year old kid sister (even though she is looking more and more like a 25 year old every day!) kids today sheesh.

where was i....oh yea

the fair. when we were all of age to particpate in 4-h you bet my dad was there to sign us all up. we pretended that we hated it but going back last night, i realized how much i loved that activity and the time that we could to spend with my dad doing something that he really loved and in turn we really grew to love.

i know what you are thinking me...abby albers (hoppen) wrangling farm animals let alone pigs? yeah right

but i tell you the truth i raised 4-h market hogs for over 10 years of my life, as did my brother and now sister.

she...aint she cute?
this is her right before she went into the ring :)

liv selling her project at the hudsonville fair auction. pigs sold....to my grandpa. thanks grandpa.

after watching her complete a year long project the husband and i worked up quite an appetite so naturally we decided to sample the local culture's food.

an elephant ear with sugar and cinnamin

and then perhaps the most delicious thing i have ever had at a fair....a deep fried snickers candy bar. i could feel my heart object but my brain said for me to go for it. i took my brains side.

i mean commmmeeee on

our friends aimee and brandon met up with us for dessert. they also had elephant ears. aimee has been a good friend of mine since we have been in diapers. aside from the fact that she used to beat the tar out of me when we were toddlers and she kind of taught me the S word....and i used to steal her barbie clothes whenever she made me be the evil step mom barbie...i've always thought her ideas were pretty good. and usually against all better judgement i listened to them.

last night was a prime example

after wrapping up a feast of fair fries, pizza, ice cream, elephant ears and snickers we decided we had to ride at least one ride.

we (literally) had to pool our money togethor to come up with $16 so we could all ride a ride togethor. (along with gas and food prices i guess ride tickets have gone up as well).

we decided to ride 1001 nights (the movie theature seat that circles way up high and then comes back down.) that was our decision until aimee saw the gravitron (which hasn't been seen around hudsonville for about 7 years). against my better judgement she convinced me that we haaaaddd to go on it.

i knew this was trouble but i did it anyways.

the ride was a blast! aside from worrying my hair was going to get caught in the sliders we had a great time. we were laughing like little kids, we had tears in our eyes.

then the ride stopped.

and we all headed for the bushes.

the site of four 24...5....6.. somthings barfing in the bushes is quite a site and may i say, a little embarrassing but a memory non the less.

this is husband and i post puking :) thank you gravitron...and aimee....and elephant ears.

after getting home that night laying in bed i got to thinking how life is kind of like a gravitron.

sometimes you are reluctant to get on board but once you are there and committed you have a blast. sometimes life spins so far out control that you can't even hang on you just sorta stick...but that is what makes it fun and interesting and by the time the caller yells out "one more time!?!?!?" you can't help but scream yes!


so enjoy it, seize your dreams and hold on tight. and hudsonville fair, until next year!

a veiw from the ankles down

from the ankles down is not much of a view....but when your less than a foot tall it's all you got.

yup it's me gracie. you may know me as the FOUND watch dog but there is really alot more to me. i'm complex. i have needs.

i wake up in the morning and patrol the grounds. this includes my morning walk around to the back of the building because i have to scare away the bunnies.

next i go in to the store and i make sure the floor is clean...the rest i leave up to lucy...that cat.

i eat a hearty breakfast of chow and then retreat to my dog bed. you may think i'm just sleeping, i'm not.

secretly i'm watching all of your fabulous shoes walk by. i fantasize about trying them on or getting them in doggie versions. sometimes when the store is closed i try on vintage Ferragamos but they just don't look right.

some day....dare to dream.

well more later but in the meantime here are some beauty shots to get you through the day. and if you see me around, feel free to rub my belly.

xoxo gracie.

mimosa and meltdown whoops i mean markdowns

end of summer sale? we won't believe it for a second. although fall is my number 1 season, i just can't stand to think that this summer went by so fast! hence the minor meltdown.

so we say a big NO to an end of summer sale and instead choose to celebrate and cherish the inventory and time we have left with summer.

join us this saturday for mimosa's and markdowns. doors open at 10 and we will be celebrating until 6. you won't want to miss this great event! Gracie will be sad if you can't make it :(

to help you cope with all of these other "end of summer" mumbo jumbo here are some pics of our newest additions.

enjoy!

heavens to etsy

the hungrier i get the more distracted i get. so how about taking a break to show you a few of my favorite etsy shops?

the first shop is a new line that yo will be able to find at FOUND. it was a brand that was introduced to me by my talented photographer friend Leah Mullett. Plum Pretty Sugar is an amazing line of soft sheer tunic dresses, maxi's, robes, and lounge wear. i cannot wait to get them in! let me know what you think of them!

<-- my fav!

being a vintage retailer is fun because you and other store will never (well almost never) have the same product. i love checking out what is on Petrune's vintage etsy shop. they have the most beautiful dresses. their lace 50's wedding dress was in the showcase this morning and may i say, is well deserved.

last but not least....remember that amazing women i got all that rad vintage from? she is now on etsy with all of her glassware and other crazy cool finds. check her out!

what are your favorite etsy stores? SHARE!

monday pick me up

ugh mondays? can't live with them, probably could live without them.

even though it is a beautiful day outside i'm still bumming that it is still the start of yet another busy work week.

(if you don't already know i still work a full time gig at a small local company)

it's down days like this that i need a little inspiration. so here are some of my fav's

love them or hate them, i am now out and proud about my obsession with the Kardashian Klan, especially Kourtney. her style is just ammmmaaaahhhhzing dahling! she always has on the cutest vintage edge with the perfect modern pieces to bring it up to date and keep it from looking costume-y. plus she is always so tailored and polished!

ahhh yes the jcrew catalog has arrived! the "from russia with love" photo shoot is absolutely breath taking! Mia from Smooch (in east grand rapids) has taught me to always check out their make up and I am obsessed with the soft hues and textures of the garments contrasted with the bright burnt orange lip stick (check pg. 18 and 19).

Thanks to net-a-porter.com i am obsessing over Bottega Veneta's color block fall collection...yum! wait until you see the actual vintage mod jackets I have for fall/winter. yyyuuuuummmmmm

and last but not least FNO 2011 is coming! thanks to one of my favorite stores in grand rapids AK RIKKS for coordinating this awesometastic event! if you missed it last year, don't let it happen again! this is a super fun event to round up the gals and make a night of it.

well that's about it, i hope you have a great start to your week!