Shoestrings and Heartstrings

There was a time when magazine stories had budgets...when there was actually money for fresh flowers and props and last minute items, and when graphic designers and writers and stylists were just simply part of the whole package.

"Those were the good old days" as folks say and for Flea Market Style we are literally flying without a net. It is good in some ways: we are forced to look at design with realistic boundaries. No trips into New York to attend trendy design shows or vetting our ideas through high end dealers who are trying to show off their wares in the glossy pages of a magazine. Our tips and ideas, as well as the items we are using to prop and decorate with, come from a place accessible to everyone. It is stuff you will find at the flea market because that's really where we found it. Our style and design is real because we are real.

Life is good when the work is good  is a mantra that the whole FMS team shares. We all agreed to create the magazine because of the great group of people involved. There will not be great riches exchanged in the end for all of the hard work put in. It is a labor of love whereby each team member is garnering different things. Some of us will be published in a "hard copy" format for the first time. One is involved because it fits her life and her ability to be at home with her kids. Another told Ki and me that she would have "done it for nothing because she was getting to work with us." There are photographers, stylists, writers, bloggers all giving of themselves freely because they want to be part of something new, something big and something beautiful. I am moved beyond words to have so many talented, giving, creative people on my side. I am truly blessed.

Ultimately, it is the flea market spirit that we will truly end up capturing because we are living it: we are bartering, trading, investing in something that will ultimately become more and more valuable as it grows. This magazine has an energy to create itself and that is something you just can't fabricate. It is palpable, pulsating, and plowing ahead on its own because it has such a strong purpose. I truly believe that the best ideas are born on a shoestring and I, for one, am grateful for those kinds of restrictions.

(blogged by Matthew Mead)

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Oh yeah, we almost forgot! The winner of the flea market shopping cart give-away is.........................................................

.........................................Jocelyn of Just a Little Southern Hospitality. Be sure to send us your mailing address ASAP and we'll get the cart in the mail!!

Ki and Heather Take L.A. !!!!

What happens when a Mid-West girl heads to L.A. to meet up with a California girl?

Well, to hear the Cole's Notes version, it involved a little sight-seeing, scouting, eating, driving, and working.

Sounds relatively dull, doesn't it?

You just know it wasn't as tame as all that, don't you?!

To start, the sight-seeing involved naked men, if you recall.

The driving (Heather's) was "erratic" and knuckle-biting (hmmm...Heather, does this mean Ki drives like Matthew?). Can we call her, "Cautious Ki"?

The eating was more So-(much) Cal, than Lo-Cal. Case in point:

Heather's meal:

Ki's meal:

I know what you're thinking... I thought it, too:

"How on earth does Ki stay so slim eating a trucker's meal like that?!"

As good as Heather's meal looks, I bet she had a serious case of order envy once Ki's meal arrived!

Safe back at the office (I actually don't know where this is!), Ki gives a big thumb's up that she survived Heather's driving and they set to work. With pages and pages of inspiration laid out before them, Ki and Heather plan a feature or two and discuss Heather's upcoming shoot (now completed, Heather happily reports!).

Here, Ki doodles and pretends to be working, as Heather snaps away. As you can tell by the nuclear coffee cup in front of her, Ki loves her coffee! It must be what gives her that boundless energy. That, and the gargantuan meals she eats!!

Here is Ki and her gorgeous daughter Taylor. She is an actress living in L.A. Now, I bet they are heading off to have dinner with Brad and Angelina, or perhaps talk shop with Oprah.

Wait!

Oprah's in Chicago!

Don't mind me, I'm Canadian...!

Okay. Is anyone thinking what I'm thinking:

Where are all of the photos of Heather?!!

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If you haven't entered our give-away, you have until late Sunday night! To enter, click here.

***blogged by Linda MacDonald

Carted off in style: A Give-away!!

In the spirit of blogging and to thank everyone for all of the unbelievable support and warm welcome we've received, the Flea Market Style team has decided it is only fitting to reward our readers with a fantastic, flea-market inspired give-away!!

Now, as every seasoned Flea Marketeer knows, finding a way to tote the mixed bag of treasures one buys at a flea market can be challenging. Inevitably, grocery bag handles stretch and break - leaving their painful imprint on our palms - and it takes a certain degree of co-ordination and skill to juggle a teapot, handful of skeleton keys and a vintage sign (among other treasures) in one's arms. And everyone knows that frequent trips to the car to unload our wares might mean missing out on that perfect something, snatched out from under us as we trek to our vehicles...

So, what's a Flea Marketeer to do?

Well, we know what to do!

Leave a comment here to enter our draw for the answer to your Flea Market woes.

What will you win?

Why, you'll win this:

This rustically beautiful, perfect solution to lugging around your flea-market finds: a vintage wire shopping cart with a handmade liner (made from a recycled coffee sack trimmed with vintage fabric, four grommets with cotton cord to tie to the cart) to fill with glorious bounty.

All you have to do is leave a comment below, and we will draw the winner on Sunday night (by midnight, Atlantic time) and announce the winner on Monday's post.

Now, if you want to be entered twice, simply write a short post about the contest (and make mention of our new blog, with a link), and consider it done!! Be sure to send us the link to your post, and we will toss your name into the hat twice!

It's that easy....

Cinderella Goes to the Bonanza...

(photo credit: Annie Leibovitz, The Year of a Million Dreams promotion campaign)

Once upon a time, there was a blogging princess (to say queen would be more fantasy than fairy tale) who was rescued from her quiet, little life by a charming prince and a Fairy Godmother .

(never mind that this Godmother is too young for the role...)

Now one day, as the Fairy Godmother was planning a glorious ball, The Junk Bonanza - which was to be attended by flea market royalty and junk queens alike - she decided that she wanted to pair up with Prince Charming and bestow the princess' one true desire: to attend the grand affair.

This thoroughly modern pair emailed the blogging princess and surprised her with the news that her presence was commanded, and that she was to take to the skies and grace them with her humble presence. She was instructed to not embarrass them by dressing in rags and to be prepared to endure long days spent meeting the rest of their noble team, shopping at the Bonanza, and turning in before (when else?) midnight so she wouldn't turn into a dreary pumpkin.

The blogging princess dutifully and humbly accepted this proclamation, and set off to find something fitting to wear, including some sensible shoes in which to fulfill her royal duties...

The end.

Or so the story goes...!!

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***Lost in translation? Matthew and Ki are bringing me to the Bonanza to shop, meet and experience the whole wonderful event first hand, and I will share the experience with you via here, on Twitter, and Facebook. Fairy tales do come true...

Want to read more? Check out part one of a Cinderella Story here!

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(blogged by Linda MacDonald)

Matthew: What keeps me up at night...

Did you know there is some FEAR in magazine making?

What do I fear? I fear that I will produce too many stories to actually print, and that I won't be able to include all the hard work and keep the promises that I've made to generous homeowners and contributors. It's enough to keep me up at night (as I write this it's nearly 4 am). It would be easier for me if I knew that the magazine would definitely become a quarterly production. Then I would not FEAR that some of my labor has been performed in vain.

And so I ponder.

I reviewed the list and outline that Ki and I made weeks ago and I think: should we drop the porch story? Do readers need more ideas on decorating their porches? Maybe we don't need the color story (although color is my thing and the props are so "killer" that the color story will actually make the magazine). Admittedly, it's not a bad problem to have. In fact, in the early planning stages, Ki worried that we would not be able to fill all of the pages. I told her that was the least of our problems. Moreover, it would be more about where do we stop? But, here I sit "plunk in the middle" of what-to-do? I will say, that the porch story includes moving some heavy pieces of furniture; and that weighs slightly on my mind, lending a good argument to dropping it. But there is also guilt in that... I've planned it and don't want to let my readers down. And, I found some amazing flowers that would look so pretty for an opening shot.

~Sigh~ I need to put my FEARS, and myself, to bed!

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**blogged by Matthew Mead

Ki meets Heather...and their drive-by "shooting"

Heather Bullard and I had only ever communicated via phone and email prior to our meeting in LA. During my trip there, we were to discuss her story for the magazine and update her on all that Matthew, Linda and myself had pulled together for the mag. As we greeted each other for the first time in person, we gave big junkers hugs and felt like we had been sisters forever. When we got Matthew on a conference call, it was obvious to me she was nervous...his celebrity tends to do that to people. After chatting for a few minutes, she soon realized there was no reason to be tense, and our meeting got underway. We were all on the same page!

Heather offered to drive me to scout a house in a nearby beach town and to check out some local junk spots. Thanks to her GPS navigation system, we made our way through the streets of LA. I have to admit her driving made me extremely nervous - most LA driving makes me nervous - and we had a few close calls that I'm sure she would chalk up as normal for LA. Indeed, she kept reminding me she was completely in control, as she calmly chatted away and checked out the scenery. Fortunately, one can't drive and talk on one's cell phone in LA...it's illegal.

We enjoyed visiting some very wonderful, but very expensive antique/junk stores and enjoyed a great lunch just down the street from the Goodwill thrift store in Santa Monica. Heather took pictures of our lunch, which I am sure amused the folks sitting nearby!

Later in the day, Heather stopped the car to jump out and take photos of a house with numerable, mostly naked statues along the driveway as a practical joke to play on Matthew. (She forwarded said photos to him with a note that said, "We scouted the house for one of your feature stories").

Being a bit of a dry wit himself, Matthew did catch the humor...

Meanwhile, my daughter sat anxiously in the car as the homeowners, who seemed rather annoyed by our curiosity and her camera, pulled into their driveway. Undaunted, Heather smiled and greeted them with a "Good morning!" We put the car into gear and high tailed it out of there.

Happily, we both fell in love with the house we scouted and I know you will too! I will be heading back to LA in a couple weeks for the shoot. Heather has been working with the homeowner to make sure it is ready for the big day. We are excited to have renowned photographer Mark Lohman shooting the feature!

I just love that I can combine work with play. Both of my kids live and work in Hollywood. Lucky for me, I don't mind sleeping on a sofa!

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Stay tuned for more of Ki's visit to L.A. !

**(blogged by Ki Nassauer)

About Flea Market Style

Welcome to Flea Market Style's fun, new blog! This is not your ordinary blog attached to a magazine - rather, it is a behind the scenes peek into the making of the magazine, the talented folks involved, and the inspiration that has led to this latest venture - inspiration that has come from many sources, including you and your fellow bloggers!

Brought to you by style makers Ki Nassauer and Matthew Mead, Flea Market Style is a new a 144 page newsstand magazine, chock full of vintage-style decorating, projects, collecting tips, special features and more - to be released in early spring, 2010. The magazine cover (see above) is a mock-up, and the actual cover will be revealed when the magazine is released.
My name is Linda MacDonald, author of the home decorating and lifestyle blog, Restyled Home, and I will be in charge of bringing the point of view of the blogging community to the magazine, and shining the spotlight on some incredibly talented bloggers, on-line shop owners, and Etsy artists. I will also be interviewing and featuring some of your favourite design celebrities to get their take on vintage/flea-market style and more.

We hope you will enjoy this backstage pass, and we look forward to bringing you great style and inspiration within the pages of the magazine and here, on the blog!

Team Flea Market Style

The Flea Market Team is comprised of a talented team of individuals who bring a wide range of talent to the table. They are stylists, entertaining and junk experts, bloggers, antique appraisers, photographers, graphic designers and writers.

When asked to describe their team, Ki sums it up like this:

"We are so lucky to be working with such fun, talented and real people!"

and from Matthew:

"The Flea Market style team has many things in common, but also diverse talents that bring a wealth of experience to the new publication. With backgrounds in magazine and blogs, many of us are alums or fans of the highly respected Country Home Magazine."

Meet the rest of the team:

Heather Bullard, Contributing editor:Heather Bullard is a well-known blogger (Heather Bullard.typepad) and antiques dealer whose work as an editorial contributor, stylist and photographer has been featured in national publications, books and brand image campaigns. Her love of vintage style has translated into a successful online boutique where her "signature style of casual elegance" has helped cast beauty into the homes of her clients. Heather will be sharing her styling and photography skills with the readers of the magazine.

Tim Luke, Contributing editor:

Tim Luke is an accredited antiques appraiser with perhaps a very familiar face. Star of the former HGTV show (where you can catch previously aired episodes), Cash in the Attic, Tim Luke ventured into hopeful homeowners attics, garages and basements to root out valuable antique treasures that they could then turn around and sell to fund desired home renovation projects. Tim was a regular on the Antiques Roadshow circuit, and brings with him a wealth of knowledge on the topic of flea marketing, auctions and other great venues for finding vintage treasures. He is also co-owner of the appraisal firm, Treasure Quest with his partner, Greg Strahm.

Sarah Egge: Executive Editor/writer

Matthew's favorite writer, Sarah Egge - who recently helped him write his latest Halloween magazine (in stores mid-August) and has written so many of his Holiday special issues - has her hands full with writing and editing much of the written content for Flea Market Style magazine.

From the Midwest, Sarah is a busy freelance writer with a decade-long history of writing and editing interior design articles for many noted shelter magazines. These days, she balances her writing career with raising, along with her husband, their two young daughters. Sarah is no stranger to flea market style and authors the blog, Adventures of the Cheapskate Decorator where she chronicles her experiences in decorating her 1920's bungalow in a thrifty manner - employing tips and techniques gleaned from years of working alongside the masters of design, as she puts it, on photo shoots for top decorating magazines.

Stacey Willey, Art Director:

Stacey Willey is a freelance art director, graphic designer, web designer, and photo stylist who has worked with the Meredith Corporation on Better Homes and Gardens, Decorating, Real Life Decorating, Quick & Easy Decorating, Bargain Style, EAT, and Country Home magazines. Prior to Meredith, she was a graphic designer and web designer for several Minneapolis-based advertising agencies, helping to re-brand and position clients such as Caribou Coffee, Damico & Sons, Campiello, and LeeAnn Chin. She also served as the lead advertising art director for Arizona Foothills magazine in Phoenix, Arizona. Stacey brings her keen eye and intuitive vision to the magazine and Ki, Matthew and the rest of the team are thrilled to have her on board!

Want to know more about the team?

Read:

How Matthew and Ki cemented their friendship and made a magazine

How they decided to join forces with Linda

How It All Began...

How Ki met Matthew...

"I was sitting at the table at the annual Country Home planning meeting in Des Moines, Iowa -the mag lingo at the meeting going mostly over my head - and I felt a little overwhelmed and out of place. Now, put me at a flea market and ask me to load the bed of my truck with the appropriate loading configuration - using straps and bungies to ensure nothing flies out along the highway - and I consider myself a pro! At this point, I was not so sure about the magazine world...

At the meeting, I spied Matthew Mead but we had yet to meet. I was new to the magazine business, but had admired his work and unparalleled style for years. I was a junker from Minnesota that somehow got the attention of Country Home editor and chief Carol Sheehan. Matthew was well entrenched within the magazine industry and well respected by his colleagues for his talent and that experience.

Later that day, we were all invited to partake in baseball, beer and hot dogs. Matthew introduced himself and I knew immediately I need not be intimidated. He talked vintage and junk, a language I understood. Last September, Matthew and his wife Jenny graciously offered to sign books and meet with folks at the Junk Bonanza. Breaking for lunch, we sat across from one another, during a sudden, city-wide black out, and all we could order was chips and salsa (I was buying)! As we ate, we shared our aspirations and vowed we would do something together someday. Neither of us imagined at the time Country Home would be OTB and we would have the opportunity to create our own magazine!

Next on the agenda: while I learn more about the magazine business, I intend to teach Matthew how to tie down a mean load of junk in the back of a truck! "

Margo's got the Cargo, and Ki loads the Rig!!

Ki has made some great friends through her junking pursuits. One who has become a very good friend (and is a knowledgeable junker in her own right) is Margo Arrick, aka Robo Lady, from Margo's Junkin' Journal. In fact, Margo was Ki's junking buddy for a recent flea market adventure/shoot which was also the first feature shot for the magazine! It just so happens Margo also happens to have a very talented son, Allen, who is a professional photographer, so he amiably followed Ki and his mom around, photographing the feature on the fly. If he didn't already know, (and he should, with Margo as his mom!) junkers in the pursuit of great junk don't move at a slow pace!!

Although Ki found it difficult to shop while being photographed, she did manage to pull it off, as a true professional always does! Woohoo!!

Where was this flea market, you ask?

Well, you'll just have to wait and buy the magazine to find out - but, it is a goody!!

Take two...or Ninety!!

Just to show you that I have very little pride, I have included the out-takes from the photo shoot Matthew and Jenny did for my magazine feature. Literally, we took so many photos, sparks were coming from the camera and still...there were only about five that made the cut! Now, either I'm vain or just incredibly unphotogenic, but how hard is it to get a good photo of oneself when you have a professional magazine photographer behind the shutter??

For your information, none of these beauties made the cut for the magazine. I know, it's shocking! Instead, we shot my photo at an alternate location - in oppressive heat - and after another long shoot. So, it's fair to say that out of thirty photos, only a couple made the cut that time. Let me tell you, we laughed till we cried about how bad some of the photos were! Or maybe it was the endless stream of sarcastic comments I threw at Matthew as we reviewed them.

At one point, he begged me to stop as I was making him sick! Sick!

Wiping the sweat from my lip, I decided to take that as a sign that I was funny, and not that my photos were making him feel ill!!!

Do not correct me if I'm wrong.

I told him maybe it was him, and not me. Maybe he should sign up for a few more photography lessons, aimed at photographing women nearing forty with freckles as big as age spots and unruly, curly hair.

Just sayin'.

If the Shoe Fits...a Cinderella Story

You might be asking yourself, "How does a blogger from a small town in Eastern Canada get the opportunity of a lifetime, without any prior magazine experience?" Trust me, I have asked myself the same question over the last couple of months, but although I might be a bit new to the scene, I know enough not to question things too much. If you are wondering how I was plucked from obscurity and met the likes of Ki and Matthew, well..here are their takes on our new found camaraderie.

Matthew:

***disclaimer: Matthew is only kidding about the stalker thingy. In fact, if he doesn't drop that lingo, this Number One Fan might just have to bust his ankles and then put him out of his Misery...

"My recollection of meeting Linda focuses on a "stalker" blog she wrote about me "likely" being the "dreamiest" husband ever (she bet I knew how to macerate strawberries). While I couldn't get my wife up off the floor for days (as this was one of the most amusing things she ever read) I was super pleased that someone out there had bought into the years of "style-guru propaganda" I had been emitting from my magazine articles and web site.

I allowed myself to languish in the accolades for days until my wife (hoarse from laughter) insisted that I "right" some of the misconceptions Linda had so thoughtfully advertised about me. So while I do pack a mean homemade picnic and can style a bed or living room wall shelf like no other husband in my neighborhood, I am also capable of leaving dishes around, wet towels on the floor and perhaps some dirty laundry rolled up into a ball (only socks)... I posted on Linda's blog, set the record somewhat straight and we have been fast friends ever since. Not to mention that I got to finally meet her and her amazing family at their home and we have become comrades in print publishing.

Oh, and have we shared some great laughs."

and Ki, as my fairy Godmother:

How I met Linda...

Well, we actually haven't met! In person, that is. You know how when you meet someone over the phone or online and you just know there is more to your meeting than chance, and there is a purpose in the scheme of life? That is how I felt when Linda interviewed me for her blog. I didn't really understand what a blog was at the time and barely knew how to use the computer. I was flattered that she felt folks in blogland would be interested in my travels and might want to know a little more about me. Crazy stuff. I am in awe of Linda's way with the keyboard and the words that seem to come natural to her. I sometimes wish my brain spewed words rather than photos (I wouldn't want to give one up for the other mind you).

When Matthew and I started talking about the possibility of a new magazine, we both had Linda on our minds and were thrilled when we figured out we both felt strongly that she be part of the team!

Now, I always knew Linda lived in Canada but never really thought of it as another country... until I got my phone bill last month! I had been asking Linda to call me when it was convenient out of respect for her schedule. I had no idea that it costs a million dollars to call there and visa versa! When I recieved my phone bill for just one conference call, I realized I must have looked like a cheap skate. Ooops! Sorry Linda!

Guess I really didn't think that one through.

Wrapping Things Up...

Day three of Matthew and Jenny Mead's visit to my home was a busy one, indeed. By now we were all very comfortable with one another. I felt free to order a large coffee as they swung by Tim Horton's (on their way to my place) and they felt comfortable enough to forgo the doorbell and swing on in. Our final day was an ambitious one, with plans to finish up shooting the playhouse, shoot some fun scenes to go along with it (that's a surprise!), and head out of town to shoot a place I scouted in advance of their arrival (another surprise!). By now, I had figured out the iced tea making routine and Matthew actually got a glass before he slipped into a tea tantrum (I'm kidding, of course...he's too good-natured for tantrums!).

It was another brutally hot day, but being the professionals we are, we rolled with it. Even Sophie, my daughter, kept her cool and played the perfect little model for the shoot we had to improvise because of the intense sunlight. As I mentioned, a sunny day is not always a photographer's dream when shooting outside. We enlisted the height and flexibility of my eldest son to help us set up the scene for the shoot:

After we finished shooting all that we could, we drove through a local drive-thru for a healthy dose of grease, and sped (well, not really sped...Matthew was at the wheel!) off on our next adventure/shoot. We left the kids with a friend/lifeguard to do this: while we suffered for the sake of ART. If we thought the heat was bad at my house, we couldn't have fried any more than we did at our next destination! Luckily, Matthew and Jenny are consummate professionals, while I spent the time eyeing the exit - wondering how ungracious it would be if I ran out and headed for the nearest body of water to dive into! Or maybe I could pour my bottle of water over my head - only I was wearing white, and didn't want to go there...

I managed to remain calm, if not somewhat giddy during my part of the shoot. I don't know if that's a symptom of heat stroke or not, but we laughed like fools during it.

Is it okay to call Matthew Mead a fool?

Because I didn't, did I?

Now, just to prove I'm not making all of this up, here is photographic evidence that he was actually at my house:

This was taken right before he and Jenny said their final goodbyes to us. They headed out the next morning for their long drive back to New Hampshire...over highways lined with endless greenery, through construction detours, and with pit-stops for beverages with not enough ice. Still, it was a successful trip. They came, we met, we laughed, we took a lot of pictures.

And Matthew discovered his motto of Entertaining Simple can sometimes be taken altogether too literally.

The End.

(Or maybe it's just the beginning?)

Point, shoot, click...and all the perks!

See the pretty blue vase? That was a parting gift from Matthew and Jenny. In my signature col-uh, no less!!

Day two of Matthew and Jenny Mead's visit began early. Rustled out of bed by bright sunshine pouring in, the day promised hot, muggy temperatures - which is not every photographer's dream - especially when shooting in a 6x8 playhouse! Knowing Matthew's penchant for ice and iced tea (made to very distinct specifications), I began a disorganized pattern of boiling the kettle, forgetting about it, boiling it again, making the tea, then forgetting about it cooling/freezing in the freezer. In other words, Matthew didn't end up with his tea until late in the day. I was failing miserably in my hostess duties. I did redeem myself with one of my famous smoothies, though. I think I saw his eyes glaze over as he drank it and could almost hear him think: "Iced tea? Who need iced tea?"

A bit of restyling (to incorporate more vintage pieces), and the playhouse was ready to go. Jenny is excellent at anticipating what Matthew needs with regards to adjusting lighting, and she is an expert at knowing what to do to keep the styling and shooting flowing. From prepping the flowers (she does a mean floral arrangement), ironing the linens (I skipped out on that chore...busy making iced tea, you know?) and doing a whole lot of this (light filtering/blocking):

Sophie felt the need to blow a few bubbles. It's an old stylist trick of hers...

She took a real shine to Jenny and seemed to gravitate to her side for much of the morning.

The shoot went well, and in between shooting through the sweltering heat, Matthew, Jenny and I would peruse the shots and I'd punctuate the air with lots of oohs and aahs, as the beautiful photos appeared before us on the screen. That was the one of the best parts, I'd have to say!

Jenny also busied herself shooting some images for the blog (using my pathetic camera) and here we are:

I have a way of messing up every shot with my lack of photogenic appeal!
Trust me, we had many laughs about that very topic as they tried to get a decent shot of me for the magazine!! We managed to, but just barely!

Sophie, unbeknownst to us, took a few photos herself:

She thought this made a particularly attractive shot, styling some lemons/props and the leftover Good 'n' Plenty candies from the shoot. Matthew gave her the task of separating all of the black and white ones from the colored ones...not every job is glamorous!

Now you have to know there are perks (besides the obvious) to having someone shoot at your home. For us, the perks came in the form of oodles of left-over candy, fruit, and flowers.

all flowers from Zelda's Flower Studio, New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.

We ended our day with a delicious meal at my favourite restaurant, The Bistro, here in my town. Good laughs, good food and a great ending to a busy, productive day!!

Matthew and Jenny Mead head North...

First Impressions...

Cruising down the highway - driving a little faster than usual - and my stomach was lurching: would I be late for the Matthew and Jenny Mead? I mean, how dumb is that? Arriving late for they who are coming to meet you for the first time and do a shoot at your home. Brilliant, no? I mean, exciting things like that happen all the time for a girl in a small town in Nova Scotia, Canada! Big deal, right? Cursing myself for answering the phone on the way out and taking the route that had not one, but two areas of construction ongoing, it wasn’t the best timing…

Things looked up as I pulled into our meeting spot and saw that my guests were not yet there. The acid in my throat settled a bit and I did a quick search of the market in case I had missed their New Hampshire plates. True to form, my nervous bladder was niggling, but who wants to risk being in the ladies room and emerging unknowingly with toilet paper stuck to one’s shoe? Not me. I wanted to seem cool, collected, and like I could roll with excitement. My irritable bladder would have to wait.

Rolling Out The Red Carpet...

Just as I was getting back into my car, out of the corner of my eye I saw them. My insides did a quick flip-flop, just to keep me grounded, and I instantly started one of my routine conversations with myself: shake hands? Casual hug? Hands at my side? Definitely no air kisses (not that I have ever done one - do real people actually do that?)!! Self-doubt washed over me. Somehow, I shook it off and headed in their direction with a broad smile (which was genuine) and the fear that Jenny, Matthew’s wife, would think I was a complete and utter dork who had written about her husband way too many times and thus considered me a potential stalker! Slightly awkward greeting aside (brief, casual hug for Matthew, warm hand shake for Jenny), and we headed inside the market to meet and greet in person…

I’m always a light eater, can’t you tell?

As we sat down to eat a quick lunch, apprehension gave way to relief and conversation became easier and easier between us. Turns out, our easy banter and common interests were going to stand us in good staid. Jenny, I soon realized, was probably the most down to earth person I had ever met – chatting easily with me - and the type of woman I could become fast friends with if we lived closer. Or, at least, I could come over uninvited for coffee and she’d be too polite to send me packing! Matthew and Jenny are a highly talented couple whose different strengths compliment one another, and their lack of pretension was comforting and engaging. Chatting amiably away, I soon realized my veggie sandwich, unusually heavy on the mayo, proved altogether too difficult to eat whilst asking and answering the many questions we had for each other. I have my doubts that they took me for a dainty eater, still I could not manage to choke down much of my meal - a meal they had treated me to!! New inner conversation: did I look ungrateful, wasteful, was there any lettuce in my teeth? We talked about Ki, Sarah Egge (Contributing Editor/writer extraordinaire), the impending shoot, and the fact that Maritimers do not offer enough ice in our restaurant beverages for Matthew’s liking. Apparently, Americans like their ice…

Talking to Americans...

After checking out the spot I had scouted as a possible shoot (and happily approving it!), Matthew, Jenny and I discussed their observations about their brief introduction to Atlantic Canada. Matthew was amazed (and a bit dulled) by the sheer magnitude of green, open space as they traversed our highways. They quizzed me on Kraft peanut butter, which is considered a real delicacy by those of you beyond our borders, apparently.

I made this license plate myself, online!!

I loved their New Hampshire license plate statement: Live Free or Die, which is evidenced by that state’s easy rider stance: seatbelts are not mandatory (though Matthew and Jenny do wear them). Otherwise, our differences are slight, and our chocolate is better (my assertion!). Oh, and I think I stressed Matthew out as I led him back to my town. Driving behind me on the highway might have been a bit of a catching up exercise for him. And honestly, I did not speed!

Not that I'm saying that he's a slow driver or anything...

Entertaining (real) Simple...

All week, prior to their arrival, I had the following message written on my chalkboard: It reminded me not to fret too much, not to pester the Handyman too much to “fix things up” and to try to enjoy the process and not be a raving lunatic to my family as I prepared. Indeed, I took that easy going attitude to a whole other level with my approach to mealtime. As I explained to Matthew and Jenny, I had debated the merits of doing things as I always do versus putting on an impressive show of stylish hospitality. Now, I was hospitable and welcoming, but settled on serving up seafood chowder and Mulligatawny soup from the pots, eschewed cloth napkins for (pretty) paper ones, and we sat where we landed, casual and familiar. It occurred to me as I slurped my soup (kidding!), that perhaps I had taken an all too casual approach. I thought of all the bloggers and their fancy tablescapes and their delicious, involved recipes and entertaining panache, and how I was perhaps poorly representing them with my easy approach to entertaining. Graciously, Matthew and Jenny assured me they are fans of casual dining and preferred my down-home style. Still, I wonder if they were surprised by my lack of fanfare…

A gift worth Giving:

Matthew and Jenny were thrilled by my welcome gift of this painting:

Painted by the talented Lara Harris, it is of their beloved pup, Oscar, and they were very excited to receive it. Isn't it a great piece?

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Check out Day Two of Matthew and Jenny’s visit:

The photo shoot!!

Whatcha gonna do with all that junk? Ki...?

As ki tells it, it's like Christmas around her place! She put out the call for junk she needed for the magazine, and her junker friends came to her rescue! Boxes of junk have been showing up daily for the cause.

Now I have only three questions:

1. What in tarnation is she going to do with all that?

2. If friends send you their junk, does it mean you've been naughty or nice?

3. Where do I get friends like that?

On second thought, I don't think I'd want the junk my friends would send me!!

In the Studio with Matthew and Ki...

When Ki travelled to New Hampshire in June, she came armed with ideas and a to-do list, ready to plan the stories and layout with Matthew and Jenny Mead. In the midst of an involved shoot for an unrelated ad campaign, Matthew was torn between finishing up one project and wanting to get started on another: Flea Market Style magazine. As co-editors, each had their own list of responsibilities and directives yet wanted to bounce ideas off one another and see their vision lift off from beyond the planning stages. Ever organized, Ki is a list maker who is capable of pulling off huge sales like Junk Bonanza and has co-written books and her own special feature magazine. Matthew, meanwhile, is a visionary - he sees it finished and makes it happen - and has also written several books and produced countless magazine spreads and ad campaigns. Together, they make a formidable team. Indeed, undaunted by Matthew's hectic shooting schedule, Ki set out to organize their thoughts, ideas and projects.

Enter the Wall:

As Ki explains, each white page is equal to two pages of the magazine. On each post-it note lies a list of things to be featured. 144 pages, each with a whole lot to do to make them pretty.

How would you like to have that To-Do list?!

Apparently, once Matthew finally finished up with his other commitments, he and Ki knocked a whole lot off that list and got the production line moving. It was fun to have a conference call with them both where they filled me in on my responsibilities for the magazine. At that point, it still hadn't sunk in that I, a girl from smalltown, Nova Scotia, was actually involved in something so big...

Flea Marketing tips and tricks...

The following tips were written and submitted by the lovely Heather Bullard, contributing editor with the magazine. Heather graciously shares all that she has learned along the way as an astute collector, antiques dealer, and fellow Flea Marketeer!!

With flea market season in full bloom in most parts of the country, I thought I'd give you some of my tips on how to shop like a pro. These are just a few things I've learned along the way. No one's claiming to be an expert here, just a very well seasoned veteran. I hope it might encourage some of you newbies to give flea marketing a try. So, here's a few of my basic tips:

1. Cash is king. It's accepted by all dealers. Don't worry, they'll take it and there's no need for that pesky credit approval. Some may take a check but I would never count on it. And bring some small bills, they usually don't like breaking hundreds at 6am.

2. Dress in layers. Mornings may be cool but the sun gets up early and it's easy to lose track of time while you're on the hunt. Also remember your sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat.

3. Pack water and snacks -because shopping makes you thirsty and hungry and you never reallyknow what's in the food they sell! Although... I have been known to buy a pretzel and I'm still kickin'.

4. Bring your tools. Things like a tape measure and magnet can come in handy especially if you really want to bring home something like this:

...and you're not quite sure it/they will fit in your dining room, let alone your front door. Magnets are great if you're collecting silver because if it's sterling silver the magnet won't stick. Good to know when bargaining.

5. Keep a small notebook. Just a nice purse sized notebook will do. Use it to make a list of pieces you're looking for, what you paid for an item, a dealers name or perhaps another place they might sell, such as a storefront or antique show.

6. Buy what you love. Figure out where you'll put it when you get it home. If you really love an item, pick it up because the chances are it won't be there if you come back for it. I've learned this one the hard way. Trust me, die hard flea marketers always talk about the ones that got away.

7. Be polite, because nice matters. When negotiating a price for an item, a friend of mine usually asks the dealer, "Is this your friendliest price"? I've seen her in action and believe me, the dealers always smile! Don't be afraid to ask questions, I've learned so much over the years just by striking up a conversation.

8. Educate yourself. If you're wanting to start collecting specific items such as Limoges demitasse cups, antique French linens or English ironstone, learning about them can save you lots of money. Ebay is a great place to check prices or you can do an internet search to find more information about a specific piece.

9. Prepare your vehicle. Toss in a blanket or two, some newspapers and a box or crate to help wrap and secure small items. And make sure you have a full tank of gas and a map or navigation. Another one of those lessons learned!

And last but certainly not least,

10. Bring a cart! This has saved me countless times, and even if you don't shop often, lugging a giant mirror or shelf to your car isn't any fun. If you only plan to shop for small items, a nice tote with a long strap helps because it keeps your hands free.

Most of all, enjoy yourself, and remember it's supposed to be fun! Remember that there's plenty for everyone and you're helping the environment by going vintage. Remember that it's not the end of the world if you don't get that piece you really wanted. Indeed, there will be more incredible bargains just around the corner!

**all images courtesy, Heather Bullard

A Fly on the Wall...

One of our reasons for creating a blog to accompany the magazine is to give its future readers a glimpse into the process (and progress!) of the making of the issue(s). While most of us know that the glossy images in the pages of a decorating magazine are planned, produced, prepped, styled, shot and then reworked again under the careful direction of the art director...

...sometimes, all is not as it seems!

And that is what we want to show you. How a box of junk sitting in Ki`s garage will become an exciting junk transformation that will send us all heading fro the nearest salvage yard. How a pile of dishes languishing near a sink in Matthew`s studio will become a beautiful feature that will give us new inspiration on how to look at our old dishes with fresh eyes. How a scouting trip with Heather Bullard revealed an unexpected reward, in the way of a great space to shoot - unplanned, but inevitable.

Basically, we want to bring you backstage.

But, we won`t be sharing all of our secrets - some things are just better left a mystery. And for those who wonder if the magazine will be a rehashing of what you`ve seen elsewhere, you are in for a pleasant surprise...!

Check out these posts for an inside peek into some shoots, scouting trips, planning meetings, and more!!

Ki and Margo head to the Market

Matthew and Jenny Mead head North

Matthew meets Linda, take two

The Meads and Linda take it on the road!

Behind the scenes of a photo shoot

What inspires a Shoot?

In the Studio with Matthew and Ki

Ki meets Heather

Sleepless in New Hampshire

Ki and Heather take L.A
Shoestrings and Heartstrings

What a Bonanza
On Location

More than Just a Building
Jenny and Heather's Shoot

Dustpan Alley

Never one to sweep junk under the rug, Ki resurrects these humble dustpans and dresses them up as refined vessels to hold delicate pansies (indeed, any short-rooted flower will live happily in them) and holiday cards. Sold for "a dime a dozen" at thrift shops and flea markets, especially if dented or cracked, dustpans can be your new storage solution for mail, school notices, children's found treasures and bits and bobs that beg to be stored, in style.

Always on the receiving end, a good dustpan's work is never complete...lucky us!!

Follow Ki's lead and rescue these hard-working vessels and give them new life:

Materials:

Old dustpan
painters tape
Chalk board paint
Metal paint
Soil, flowers.
Chalk

Clean, prime and paint dust pan. Let dry.
Tape off an area and apply chalkboard paint.
Punch holes in bottom of pan for drainage.
Plant and hang.

**Can also be used for holiday cards, organizing and storage!