back to my roots

i'd be lying if i said the past two months have kicked my butt.

they have.

in a good way.

since we opened the grand rapids store i have been running around like a mad woman, keeping the shelves stocked, keeping them merchandised, keeping me alive.

this could not be done if there were not three of us. thank you my friends kelley and susan.

we are a great team. where one of us has a weakness the other compensates for it - that makes a true team. we are all in this together.

where am i going with this? ah yes.

the past two months i've been using my stockpile that i collected in anticipation of this wonderful rush (thanks to you our beloved customers). but today i had an opportunity to go out and scout.

i went to an estate sale on my way to work this morning (it was right down the road) and i found this AWESOME chair for the store. (i  only do clothing but we are both always looking for each other)

i picked it up to load it into my car only to find a sweet suprise on the bottom. a gold medalian logo that proudly states "Baker Furniture"

come and get it people. a new pillow on there as well made from a piece of barkcloth

it was so fun to get back into the thrill of the hunt. 

i found a HUGE vintage chalkboard in the back of the house's garage. it was nailed to wall. they said if it i could take it down i could have it for $5. $5....worth it!

i was in my skirt and swing coat trying to pry the SLATE chalkboard down from the wall. luckily for me i must have looked pretty helpless because the gentleman working the sale came and helped me. $5 and it is mine! i couldn't believe they were giving it to me at that price. then i realized how heavy it was. slate is no styrofoam lol. 

i can't decide if i'm going to put it in my home office or in my kitchen...i will be sure to post pictures either way. 

what is your awesome find that you couldn't believe the price? 

xxoo abby

ps don't forget about our valentines day event THIS thursday (feb 9) in grand rapids from 6-9. exclusive deals, drinks and treats, a photo booth and flowers. 

here are a few pictures of new jewelry i got in for the event. 

Prada! size 9 $75

Christian Dior Cashmere Wool Coat size 6 $109

Prada

mad style.

 Saturday night I attended the Lakeshore Independent Business Alliance (LIBA) Retro Cocktail Party. The dress theme was 'Mad Men' so I poked around through Abby's backstock and came up with something at the last minute that worked pretty well - at least it fit!

  But thats just it. What I wore fit. Like a glove. And it got me to thinking that all the styles from that era fit the same way. Perfectly tailored and meant to fit you. 

And the question we get asked so often in the store is "how were womens waists so tiny back then?" . well, after last night I had a firsthand chance to discover why.

  I had already restrained myself that day and only ate an egg and some celery just so I could get my dress zipped up. And then I had to squeeze into my extra support hose and  still suck in my gut and wiggle into my dress which had a tiny tight little belt that hit me  right around the ribcage. And then I wore my super pointy little kitten heels and had to watch my every litttle step so I didnt trip on , well, everything. And here is what I noticed...

 There were lots of appetizers served at this event. And drinks ( yay for yummy martinis!). And my egg and celery fast was wearing thin so I decided I could have watever I wanted..But after about 3 bites of some tasty treats I realized I really wasnt comfortable eating any more. I felt like everything stopped around my waist and it was like my belly had a roadblock. Now granted I was wearing head to toe vintage unlike the way we wear it now. But if I had to dress like that everyday, with probably even more foundation garments, I would likely just  about give up on eating. Or at least very little.

 I love the look of Mad Men and loved seeing everyone dressed with such attention to detail. There are many ways to incorporate vintage that fits with modern accents. Try pairing a solid vintage dress with dark tights and updated shoes. Try that sassy cocktail dress of yours with a daring vintage hat or shoes. 

As much as I loved being dressed up and having a night on the town, I  have to admit I  could'nt wait until I got home and put on my flannel jammies. And then proceeded to chow down.....

ps...billiam won best dressed man!

Love Fest 2012

On Thursday, February 9 (one week from today!) from 6pm-9pm in our Grand Rapids store, FOUND will be hosting a Valentines Event. You will not want to miss this:

Sales (yay!)
Drinks/Treats
Photobooth (pics will be posted on our FB & Blog)
Flower Orders (compliments of Ginko Studios)
Prizes

Come hang out with us and get a present for yourself or somebody special. We would LOVE to see you (get it? "LOVE" because of Valentine's Day). Can't wait to see you! 

<3 FOUND

Gracies New Boyfriend Oliver

This is Oliver. He was in the store today with his owner.

I think he looks like a good date for Gracie.

also can we all just please look at this awesome harvest table kelley brought in? She finished the top and re did the legs. I love all the chairs she paired with it too! (out in holland)

greetings from chi town

i spent all weekend in chicago. it was glorious!

my little sister and i went to

the public hotel, nordstrom, antropologie, pump, all saints, adidas, american eagle, hollister, sephora, abercrombie and fitch, tavern on rush, sprinkles, starbucks, corner bakery, eleven fresh, soltice, tory burch, kate spade, gucci, jcrew, gap, louis vuitton, mama mia, and so much more.

i think we shopped a total of 20 hours between friday and saturday.

we also went to the Merchandise Mart (stylemax) on sunday and found some great new lines for the store!

it was really hard to stay focused on specific vintage inspired clothing. i found some great brands and drew some awesome inspiration from the colors (they promised spring!)

here are a few major trends i've been noticing

cat eye sunglasses. i splurged on these after i saw them on kourtney kardashian. every sunglass brand around town is coming up with their version of the cat eye.

in stores these retail for super big bucks but i found a used pair on ebay. you can also find less expensive versions from ray ban, marc by marc jacobs and of course you will soon find fun styles at FOUND

the brighter the better is coming up for spring.. bright yellow, orange, royal blue and emerald green are four major colors i noticed hitting the floors at major retailers. i love how jcrew throws it all on at once!

texture was also something i paid close attention too. lace, loose knitted textures, silk and sheer (and sequins) are what many eye catching pieces have. i love the looks coming out from tibi. these are extravagent examples. I found many less expensive alternatives in vintage styles that will be hitting the floor soon!

1 2 3 

last summer was all about the 70's but i found a heavy 60's influence in this springs styles. 

mini dress, mini skirt, ankle skirt all very mod and boho. 

one of my favorite looks is diana agrons photo shoot for NYLON mag. she wears it well!

what trends are you planning on rocking this spring (when it comes)

Liberal Michigan Woodsy

Lately it seems I've been doing a lot of design work. And that can mean a lot of things...

  I've been doing design for about 25 years. Yes, I am that old. And sometimes it's really fun and inspiring and sometimes it's just, well, work. But every once in awhile you have a client you really enjoy.

 One night this week I had an appoinmtment with a young couple who had come through our apartment during the Up On the Rooftops event back in December.

They just bought their first house and wanted to put a plan together for where to begin with redecorating and making the house their own. And here is what I liked so much about working with them...

 * They know what they liked but also knew they needed help achieving it and were wise enough to invest in design help before they started renovations. So many people hire a designer after they have already tried to do it on their own and end up with the unneccessary expense of redoing choices that didnt work

* They listened to my advice - really listened and trusted the knowledge I have gained from years of experience.

* They had some fun pieces of artwork and furniture they didnt hesitate to suggest they would like to work with. I love when clients do that  - it's what gives a space personality!

* And finally - after walking through the house and mapping out a starting point for renovation we discussed some specifics. And when I asked what element of design in our apartment had sparked their interest and inspired them their response was this: Well, we liked the kind of 'Liberal Michigan Woodsy' vibe you had..

 To which my first reaction was ....what???? Because I am not a) from Michigan b) very political c) a deerhunter or anything close. But then I thought about it and went home and looked around and realized that ,actually, it was a really accurate description. I just never heard anybody use that before. And thats what I like about clients that think outside the box. I can tell we're going to have a lot of fun working together..

 And if you would like to design your own unique image don't hesitate to call. In house design time is only $35.00 an hour. I would love to hear some of your ideas!

- Susan

Here are some pictures of my apartment!