Birthday Wishes...

One of my earliest recollections of my birthday is definitely vintage. I am 41 now and I believe this memory involves my 5th birthday. My mother had purchased me a purple velvet suit... it was probably velour (which maybe wasn't invented until the late 70's), but I remember it as being velvet. My sister (eight years older than me) had the job of helping me get ready for my party and helped me into the suit. I remember feeling very special having something new and plush to wear to my first formal party in my honor. It was a glorious moment; and while I recall lots of teasing, I am still moved by the gift and the sentiment of being so honored.

Now, someone amongst our small group today is having a birthday; and while we don't have a purple velvet suite to send her way, I do want to send the same sentiments and hopefully make her feel important, special and appreciated on her day.

Stacey Willey is our graphic designer... HAPPY BIRTHDAY STACEY! As our visual leader, it is her job to create the look of the magazine: figure out the size of images, pick fonts and colors, place text and decide on scale. In essencs, she is our Commander Kirk, Obi Wan Knobi, Queen Victoria all rolled into one -  maintaining beauty and style, all while remaining diplomatic and helpful and bridging the visual gap between us (the editors) and them (the publishers). Stacey is a champ and a real champion. She works really hard, is thoughtful and detailed, talented, communicative - a real dynamo, all while being friendly and charming and a joy to work with. She sent my dog Oscar a beautiful box of organic dog treats while he was recovering from his disc surgery, and she had her very young children embellish the packing box with hand illustrated crayon drawings. She is sweet and kind and you can hear it in her voice when she talks about her children and her family and the special events and projects she creates with them.

Stacey, on this day we applaud you and your talent and thank you for your major contribution to creating a beautiful and enduring magazine. Happiest of birthdays friend, from all of us on the team and from all of our friendly flea marketeers.

FOR SHE'S A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW, WHICH NOBODY CAN DENY!

We couldn't find a purple velvet suit, but would this lovely velvet couch do?

(blogged by Matthew Mead)

Location, Location...the art of scouting.

Hello everyone! Thought I'd pop in here today and give you a little behind the scenes action. As an editor, photographer and stylist I am always, and I mean always, scouting locations. You never know when a great location will fit into a story and having a vast amount of visual inventory helps me do my job better just as having the right ingredients make for a great cake.

For me, having some "rules" as to what makes a location great helps in guiding my selections. Here's a few of my top criteria in what I look for:

1. Character
You just can't manufacture character in a few days. This is the layering of a home that takes years and often decades to produce. It's the peeling paint on the side of a barn, the worn footsteps on a front porch and the pencil markings on a door post marking the height measurements of little children. You can't buy character, it's acquired.

2. Is it Timeless?
Will the home look just as beautiful in ten years as it does today? Does it have qualities that never go out of style? Does the homeowner choose pieces that fit the home and the way their family lives? Does it remind you of a time long ago?

3. Light and Life
Does the location feel alive? Can you sense movement and the reality that people actually live there? Are there tattered books and logs near the fireplace? Do the windows showcase the beauty of natural light? Are the outdoor surroundings celebrated indoors?

4. The Wow Factor
We all know this when we see it...it's the incredible furniture choices and their unique placement that stops you in your tracks. Or it's that one piece you've never seen before. It's the choice of rich colors, textures and fabrics. It's usually indescribable but you know it has it...Wow!

5. Unique
Does the home reflect a unique sense of style? Nearly all homeowners are influenced by others design aesthetic but does their particular home still have something unique that is all their own? Maybe it's the way family photos are displayed or the mix of kitchen cabinets or even the way certain rooms are used in unexpected ways. A home truly needs to have unique qualities to give it that extra pizazz.

6. Welcoming
This is the quality that I love the most...does it make you want to sit down and have dinner with the family? Do you want to come over and wander through the garden and play with their children? It's the home that, in an instant, makes you feel as though you've dropped by a hundred times. And believe me...this shows through in the images. How many times have you looked at a magazine spread and felt completely comfortable. Like you could move in that very day? Welcome home!

These are just a few of the things that roll around in my head when I'm scouting. I'm sure there are other ideas and highlights but these come from my heart without question. I think if I love the location others will too. I suppose homes are and always will be a matter of the heart and that's the first thing I need to have tugged when I have the honor of peeking into some of those sacred places.

Wouldn't you agree?

(blogged by Heather Bullard)

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FYI, this great location belongs to Ki's friend, Jane Hall, owner of Mustard Moon.

A Flea Market Style Thanksgiving...

If you haven't already noticed, it has been quiet around here. The entire Flea Market Style team are working feverishly to meet our December 1st deadline for the magazine. Sarah and I are crossing the T's and dotting the I's on our copy and stories; Matthew spent yesterday doing last minute shoots while Jenny tweaked and edited everything; Ki has been jugging her magazine duties with her move to Florida, and Stacey has a list THIS BIG to finish on her end as the sole graphic designer. Oh, and did I mention Sarah is also packing up her house for her own impending move?!! Thankfully, Heather has taken time out of her busy schedule to write a blog post, which you will get to read on Friday, and I am truly grateful, as my own blog sits languishing untouched this week..

We do, however, want to take the time to wish our fellow Flea Marketeers a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving. May you be surrounded with friends and family and share a delicious meal and give true thanksgiving for the many blessings we all share.

And thank you for supporting us and sharing this journey.

The next big deadline will be the actual release of the magazine!

89 more days...but who's counting?!

I am proud... PROUD, PROUD, PROUD... so proud of the FMS team. Today, for the first time, I held the entire magazine in my hands. Sure, I've seen everything along the way - I photographed and styled so much of it and have given input both needed and not - and today, as I held it, I felt like a proud parent with a new baby. Indeed, it is clean, fresh and brand new; a culmination of the people I've met, the places I've been and all the things I've learned along the way. And it is so much more because it has been layered with so much quality information and layers and layers of personal style from each of us. You know how you felt when you fell in love for the first time? Well, that's the kind of magic I'm talking about; and I know you will all feel the same way, too.

Sarah and Stacey: I am so proud of how you made sense of it all. How you shared, honed, listened and steered us all through this wonderful, new and exciting adventure. This final product is rich and thoughtful and fine tuned to the creative sensibilities of not only Ki and me, but those devoted readers who hunger and will devour such a tasty smorgasbord of style and ideas.

Linda: PROUD OF how you single-handedly branded this style for us as a blog and have tended it so thoughtfully and judiciously over the last few months; and on top of all that, have contributed to so many of the magazine departments from your own column to writing several beautiful features that leave me craving more of your writing style and witty prose... YOU'VE GOT A GREAT VOICE AND WE ARE GRATEFUL.

SO PROUD OF MY WIFE, Jenny, who has photographed and processed so much of the work in such a fantastic and colorful way. She is a quiet talent that defines what we do together with an assured process. She keeps me grounded and her mark of excellence is all over FMS. Thank you for putting up with me as my balloon floats beyond the sense of reason... Please keep me tied to your wrist.

PROUD OF HEATHER'S West coast sensibility, artistic contribution and wonderful and detailed photography that illustrates and stories the pages with style and color. The locations, the leads and your willingness to be on the team SHINE within the pages.

And of course... proud of Ki: proud that we have collaborated on something special, beautiful and enduring... I will treasure this magazine always and am so honored to be part of such an esteemed team.

My pride gives me thoughts for the future - new ideas and projects to create - but most of all, it makes me yearn for a launch party where our team and our readers from all over North America can come together in February to raise our glasses and salute an endeavor well undertaken and so successfully completed. Now we just have to see if Madison Square Garden is available and if Oprah and Donald Trump will underwrite such a soiree. Why not? I'm already holding a dream come true.

So let the countdown begin: 92 days to FMS!

(blogged by Matthew Mead)

A Story Hint...and an offer!

When I asked my good friend Jane to find me funnels for a flea market style project...this wasn't exactly what I had in mind....

Ki

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(Another mock cover!)

The time is drawing nearer, and I have some info to pass along. If you are a shop owner (or just a really big fan!) and want to sell copies of the upcoming Flea Market Style magazine in your shop, we are reminding you to please order quickly as all orders must be taken before the magazine goes to print, which will be happening very soon. The publisher will not be printing over-runs or re-orders, and there will be no back stock. The minimum order is 25 copies and to do so, please contact Kellie Peterson at kpeterson@matrixdirectservices.com or by telephone: 757-482-9997 (extension #221)

Remember, pre-orders of twenty-five magazines or more can be purchased for a generous discount!

Contact Kellie for more info!

Christmas wreath tutorial...

Even the most tardy of holiday decorators know the first thing that goes out is the front door wreath. Many of us change ours each year; so if your looking for a new take on the traditional wreath with a big red bow, look no further. Ki shows us how to make this fun wreath using vintage light reflectors. For a full tutorial, follow this link and settle onto the sofa, Ki style, and get creating!

My advice, use a ready made wreath...because I'm too lazy to form my own!
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(blogged by Linda MacDonald)

Turning the tables...

It's time to turn the tables! I am always asked questions about my design ideas, entertaining solutions and the "how-to" of collecting at flea markets. I decided it would be fun to be the interviewer this time, and there would be no better interviewee than the queen of all blogs, and FMS cohort, Linda MacDonald from Restyled Home... Linda and I met a few years ago over a blog I had written for Country Home, and because of her response post (remember it was about me possibly being the most perfect husband) we became fast friends. Since meeting her in person (I have a post to write about that, too) and working together, I thought it would be great for everyone to learn more about her design ideas and theories and how wonderfully they interweave with her home and family. I am super excited for all of you to read her many contributions to the new magazine, which have earned her the title of my favorite Canadian magazine writer... and it's so exciting because I know we will be hearing a lot more from her...

Q. When did you first recognize your penchant for home design and what was the first room you re-did that made you feel truly accomplished?

A: I think my love of decorating and design blossomed with my very first apartment. I was in my second year of university and I moved into a mess of an apartment. I sweet-talked the landlord into replacing the scummy carpet, got his permission to paint walls and wall panelling, and added a pretty stencil to the drab kitchen cabinets (It was the late eighties, after all). I scrubbed, painted, threw a pretty blanket over our ugly sofa, and somehow made it fresher, cleaner and quite lovely. You can be certain everything I used was gleaned from a flea market, my mum's linen cupboard or a yard sale!


Q. You balance modern and vintage well... how do you vet a vintage purchase and what is your favorite find and why?

A. I am such a lazy, disinterested soul when it comes to pedigree and origin. I love old, imperfect pieces that have been used and loved, and I usually have no problem repurposing something or blasting it with spray paint. In fact, my favourite vintage piece is my retro Sunbeam mixer in a lovely shade of robin's egg blue, which I promptly cut the electrical cord off of. I have enough of my safety conscious father in me to not dare attempt using it and its original wiring. Stupid? Maybe. But safe, for sure!

Q. You have interviewed some real lifestyle luminaries... what about you and your approach resonates with the magazine elite?

A. While I am certainly very free with well-deserved compliments, I think/hope it doesn't come across as "sucking up." I believe in giving credit where credit is due, and I think my interviewees see that. I try to ask questions that readers really want answered. I try to unearth a bit of the real person and not just the designer. Chipping away at one's public persona usually unearths more interesting tidbits than you'd ever get from a media bio or portfolio.

Q. You are a wife and mother who balances tradition with your blog and design consulting... how do you do it all?

I stay busy doing a little bit of everything. Right now, I am having more fun and feeling more challenged with my writing and being a part of the Flea Market Style magazine team. I never would have thought it, but writing about decorating is more intriguing to me than actually doing consultations. I feel I can inject more of myself into my work that way. There are fewer limits on my creativity that way and I like the pace. That said, working from home and/or doing decorating consults fits perfectly into my life as a mother of three. I schedule everything into the time they are in school, and pick up the slack in the evening, after they are in bed. Family dinners are incredibly important to us as a family. I love (usually) cooking dinner for my family and feel like it's a collective sigh in our day - a moment to come together and hear about each other's day. Of course, I always fish for compliments about my meal, too...

Q. You write about lighting and light fixtures a great deal, which seems to be a real passion for you... what makes lighting such an interest?

A. I think lighting tells the final story. It's like when you encounter a well-dressed person and then your eyes wander down to their feet and you find shoddy, boring, even ugly shoes. Some homeowners just don't notice lighting or prioritize it when decorating their homes. They stick with the boring builder's choices and focus on every other detail. I think that's a big mistake. With so many stylish, affordable lighting choices out there, homeowners are missing out on making an impactful design statement if they don't update the lighting, too.
I could change my lighting every year. I won't, but I could!!!

Q. You dabble in craft projects... what makes you want to engage a project?

A. Honestly, it has to be easy and doable in one sitting. It's that simple. Also, if it involves glitter, I'm all over it. Glitter elevates everything! Still, I only really craft purposely several times a year: Easter, Halloween, and Christmas.

Q. Color seems so central to your design style... do you suggest your colors to your clients? Or can you learn to love any color for any space?

A. Assistance with choosing colour is one of the biggest requests I get from clients. It is also sometimes a source of frustration for me. It is rare that I encounter anyone who doesn't want shades of beige. I will definitely pass on my personal favourite colours to my clients, but most are looking for the earth tones. As much as I wish I would have a client go for bolder, wilder colour, I would have a difficult time selecting a shade of true purple. It is my least favourite shade; and with fashion being all about the jewel tones this winter I am at a loss. Purple is not my friend...soft purple, sure, but not the deeper shades.


Q. How does food and preparing meals factor into your modern lifestyle?

A. I am a stickler to regular meal times and live with four others who are just the same. Schedules ruled my world when my children were very young, so now they are fairly set in stone. Everyone seems to get cranky if mealtimes are late, and food is central to our lives. We are comfort food aficionados, but a baker I am not.

Q. What are the elements of your dream room?

A. Let's see. If we are talking kitchens, then I wish for these elements: skirted farmhouse sink, copper rangehood, huge exterior style lanterns as lighting, aqua Big Chill fridge, marble baking surface (for show ; ), Welsh dresser, distressed butcher block countertops, a large stacked stone fireplace with a rough hewn mantel, a hard-working distressed farmhouse table with modern chairs...maybe aluminum, though my family would hate them! Not sure what colour the cabinets would be, but they'd definitely be painted and have beautiful hardware. On second thought, I might have to see a photo of all this. It might be a mess!

Hmmmm...? What do you think?

Q. How do you fulfill your penchant for vintage in your locale?

A. It's no easy feat, let me tell you! There are a few sources but not nearly enough. That's why I was spellbound by the selection at the Junk Bonanza!

Q. Give us your top five steps in getting ready to re-do a room?

A.  1. Plan. Cut out (or print off) photos from your favourite magazines. Sketch out what you have and where you'd like to put it. Make shopping lists.

2. Choose colour that makes your heart sing. If you get the colour right, everything else will fall into place.

3. Consider slipcovers. You will get the fabric you like and the ability to throw it into the wash.

4. Don't be too matchy-matchy, especially with furniture. I call this the "Sears Catalogue look". If your room looks like a hotel room, you are in serious need of injecting more of yourself into the space!

5. Don't put off making changes until you can go "all the way." Lipstick makeovers buy you time and will make you enjoy your home more until you can make the more expensive, labour intensive changes. Throw a beautiful or neutral rug over dated flooring, buy new, affordable window treatments, spray paint unattractive lamps and add new shades. Again, slipcovers are your friend...

Q. What inspires you in design right now?

A. Textures, fabrics and the desire to add more modern furniture pieces (chairs, lamps, etc.). I love pairing modern with vintage and find myself craving the serenity of more pared down spaces right now. But I will never lose my love of accessories. I just have moved on from feeling the need to fill every empty space with an object.

(Tongue in cheek, of course...remember those cookies?)

Q. What do you dream of as a future in the magazine/design world?

A. I would love to style a space, and of course write the piece as well. I would love to have a permanent column in a magazine, and be able to showcase my style more in the pages of a magazine. But for now, I am thrilled with my role in the magazine, and I could never have imagined it to be as fun and exciting as it is. I still shake my head at all this. I am not sure if it will ever seem real...

Q. Your husband seems like a real support in the building and execution of your designs... do you ever disagree on your projects? If so, how do you bridge the gap?

A. All the time! I bring him the ideas and he either gives me a reality check or starts sketching. I love that we can share in the process of making our home a reflection of us. I also love that we can take full credit for what we have done to our home and I am proud of him and how talented he is. He has had no formal carpentry training, yet truly knows his way around tools and wood. It has been a lifesaver for us, from a monetary aspect, and our furniture is quality and I have him to thank for that.

Q. Your daughter has been somewhat of a design muse for you... are you fulfilling your childhood dreams through feathering her nest?

A. Of course! I love that she gets as excited about doing projects as I do, and she has excellent taste in choosing colour and fabric. It was actually her idea to do the "windowless window seat" in her room. It was a moment of brilliance and she was only eight years old!!

Q. If you couldn't blog anymore, how would you get your message out about lifestyle and design?

A. I don't know that I could. My blog has been such an important vehicle for sharing ideas and inspiration and, of course, it led me to you and Ki and made my dream of working for a magazine a reality. I have also made some very special friends through it. It has become a part of my life and I am grateful that it got me writing again and for all the opportunities it has brought my way.

Q. What does your next house look like? What is on the wish list?

A. My next house will (hopefully) be inspired by Gothic Revival homes, but on a smaller scale. I would love massive ceilings so that I can have one huge Christmas tree that will hold all of my ornaments! I will always have a front porch/veranda and I want a beautiful wood stove that I can cook on if need be. I would love a claw foot tub and I want some amazing lighting. Transoms throught the home is my top "must-have", and we will figure out a way to do that affordably. I know I will never achieve my dream list, but I have always felt that if I could afford everything I wanted, it wouldn't be as fun. I love the challenge of making something beautiful on a real budget, and as long as I have my "people" and a cozy fire to sit around, I am happy. To be honest, I find perfection boring.

Q. What do you want to be doing in 3 years?

A. I will be so sad if I'm not still working with you and Ki and a magazine in some way. I want to be earning a paycheck from writing and styling. On a personal level, I want my children to be doing well and happy as they grow closer to adulthood. I want to be sitting at my dinner table with them each night and watching Survivor together. Really, I don't want much to change.

Q. Countdown from 10 to 1 the favorite things about your kitchen?

A. Here goes:

10. The colour of my laminate countertop.

9. My corner sink and faucet.

8. My schoolhouse lighting.

7. The view out the window from my sink.

6. The delicate curtains on that window.

5. My Sunbeam mixer.

4. My dishwasher's faux tin panel.

3. My blue cabinets, made by my husband.

2. My dining area light fixture

1. The recessed panelling in my dining area.

Q. What question do your blog readers ask you most?

A. The most common question is what shades of blue I've used in my home.

Q. Who exemplifies your style direction:

A. I admire many designers and can't pick just one. Not sure why...Any suggestions? Anyone...?
I do love (Canadian) Sarah Richardson's impeccable style, though her choices are so high end one I sometimes get frustrated while watching her show (Design, Inc.). Also, the end result is always so perfect, it is just not realistic in my world...

Q. WORD ASSOCIATIONS:

BROWN TRANSFER...Matthew Mead

IRONSTONE...attainable

CHOCOLATE...over-rated

SEA GLASS...overdone

ICED TEA...yuck

Q. Since the holidays are approaching, what one thing will you do to get in the spirit?

A. Watch "A Christmas Story: and buy candy canes. That's two I know, but I'm not one for rules!

Q. What one food is necessary to savor during the season?

A. Turkey. I won't usually eat it between October (Canadian Thanksgiving) and Christmas. I want to be at the point of craving it!

Q. What event will make you feel like the season has arrived?

A. Our local Christmas parade - taxidermy reindeer and all!

Thank you, Linda. Can't wait to see your style ideas and interviews come to life on the pages of the magazine!

(interview by Matthew Mead)

Flea Market Round-up!

You can't have a flea market magazine without a flea market guide listing the best antique shows and fleas in the country! The Flea Market Style team has chosen their favorite events to highlight in the magazine, now it is your chance to let us know yours. We'd like to stick to fleas and shows that offer at least 50 vendors. Let us know the flea or show's name, city and state (or province, if in Canada), and why you love to shop it. Also, we would appreciate its website address or phone number - if you have one on hand - so we can check it out for consideration. Watch to see if your favorite makes it into the magazine!

Thanks for your help on this!

Ki

Hopping on the Christmas Bandwagon...Flea Market Style

Although the FMS team shares a common passion - flea market style and the upcoming magazine (our collective baby) - we do have our differences. When it comes to decorating, we are a spectrum of styles but approach the holidays with the notion that handmade gifts and holiday decor is the way to go.

Photographic evidence?

Here is an example of Ki's decorating style...

...and a Christmas project that she made using flea market finds:

And Matthew's?

Although Matthew experiments with different palettes each year, he enjoys this quiet vignette that plays with texture and scale.

This lace-wrapped candle votive is an easy and beautiful project that anyone can do..

Sarah's:

Says Sarah, "Red house shutters on the mantel...and please forgive the fake garland!!!"

 Sarah likes simple, elegant style. Here she fills a straight-sided florist's vase filled with vintage ornaments. The tablecloth is a matelassé bedspread.

Mine:

The glittered shadow boxes I love to make:

And the glittered house I made to save money:

Heather's:

She and Sarah share their love of placing beautiful ornaments in apothecary jars...

Says Heather, "I collect old mercury glass ornaments and love any craft with antique mica glitter."

Stacey's:

Stacey is mum to two very little children, so she wanted to share her photos that were taken with them...because aren't adorable children the best backdrop to a perfect Christmas?

Explains Stacey: "We use our felt stockings that my mom made for us every year. Although I need to come up with a different fabric option since we have so many pets here. Felt and fur do not mix. Well, actually they do. Too well." :-)

"We bake goodies for our neighbors every year. Now, I normally wear my Cinderella dress when we do this (Claire is wearing her Princess Giselle dress), but it was at the dry cleaners. Speaking of dessert, our family has a Christmas Day tradition of digging into what has become known as 'Aunt Rachel's dessert' before we eat any of our Christmas diner. And there is never any left. Claire has become accustomed to asking 'Where is Aunt Rach?' as soon as we walk in grandma's door just so she can be the first to sneak a bowl!"
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You didn't really think we would wait until December to start our Christmas posts, did you?

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(blogged by Linda MacDonald)

A Flea Market Style Update...

The Flea Market Style team is working feverishly behind the scenes to get the magazine ready for the presses! Matthew continues to shoot numerous features for the magazine and Ki is working with Sarah to complete her stories. Speaking of Sarah, she is probably seeing double, due to the amount of writing she is doing, and is working today on the Editor's letter. So exciting!! I have been privy to many of the features, and I cannot express how beautiful this magazine is going to be! I still pinch myself everyday that I am involved, and seeing how a magazine comes together from conception to launch is so thrilling! Poor Stacey hasn't been feeling the greatest, but will be right as rain soon...those nasty viruses (or has Matthew and Ki been working her to death?!). I have been working away on a house tour feature that is right up my alley...you will have to wait until the magazine is here to know what I mean!

We have also been fielding some questions, mainly with regards to when the magazine will be launched officially. As Ki told me yesterday, the magazine will hit shelves by February 23rd!! Woohoo! Earlier than originally thought. Of course, don't stone us if there is a delay...if the planets remain aligned, you will be flipping through the pages of the new Flea Market Style magazine then! Oh, and because so many of you continue to ask, the magazine is not available for subscriptions at this time. Fingers crossed, it will happen with future issues, but at this time, it will be a newsstand only magazine. For a list of answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions, go here.

The countdown is on!!