Our Shop is coming along.....

I'm tired...............but possessed. I was up this morning at 5:30 and my mind went right to the shop.  To say I'm pleased with it is a huge understatement.  It is far surpassing even what I wanted it to be.  In fact yesterday when I was hanging my counter top backdrop wall I had a teary moment.  It is all coming together!!  It has been a long road to my shop.  Really it all started in 1998 when my husband put the idea out there.  We were right in the middle of his Army career so I knew it wouldn't happen until we were settled, but the thought was always there in the back of my mind.  Last year when we finally decided to convert the garage to my shop the idea began to grow.  I had my favorite items that I was saving for the shop and kind of knew the look I was going for (think old general store) but over these past few weeks it has really taken shape.  Here are a few pictures of it coming together....

The beautiful wood floors and walls happened by accident really.  The Amish family up the road has started up a sawmill and we found out that they would plane and shiplap their rough wood.  We were able to do the entire floor and walls for under $700.

I wanted the tops of my windows to have character so when hubby was framing them in I told him to just cut me a board.  I cut the half circle shape then with my dremel put a little detailing in.  I knew that I was going to glaze them so the glaze would settle in the grooves showing off the detail.

There was an unsightly beam above the two porch posts that we closed in.  I wasn't sure what I was going to do but soon the lightbulb came on.  Flags of course!! 

Flags and vines.....I hand drew the design before I painted it.  

Lighting was going to be important since we are selling wool.  Our customers need good lighting so we decided to be practical and go with 5 not so pretty florescent lights but over the countertop and project table we were able to get pretty with some decorative lighting...
I apologize for these next few photos, I took them with my phone and really need to change the size on my phone....

The beam that I painted with Flags and Vines before I antiqued it.....

Here's a very cool shelf we got.  I don't know why but the previous owner had wrapped it with masking tape, around each wrought iron piece.  We stripped it then I spray painted it with some hammered copper paint..

  

The beam with glaze on it, makes it blend with the room.  Those three chairs in the background were a steal, $55 for all three. They have beautiful leather seats and backs on them.....

It's coming together, I knew I wanted the class table in the middle of the posts......

With over 100 designs I knew we were going to have to be seasonal.  So, every couple of months we will be changing everything around.  Autumn is first up....

Next up, bringing everything from the cramped front room in the house to the new shop area....

Mom started with all the wool and has really filled the shelves nicely.....

Oh Max.......

How nice it will be to spread out and have a section for punch needle, wool applique and rug hooking.  I knew I wanted to use my fence sections and an idea was born....

.....perfect for punch needle patterns with the baskets soon to be filled with kits.....

    During one of my husbands and my.....ahem......discussions about my counter area he threw his hands up and said "find a countertop".  Well, the next day Mom and I were on one of our jaunts to Angus Hill flea market and the skies opened up and shined a light on a very old, very beat up glass countertop by the side of the road.  Needless to say I slammed on the breaks, did a quick turn around and went back and got it.  It was FREE, the best price out there.  I knew we could make something of it.....

 ....and sure enough we did. Actually Hubby did, he has done very good, indeed!

I should have worn my fitbit over these last few days as many steps were taken from the front room of the house all the way to the back part, the new shop.  With each step armloads of goodies were taken out of the makeshift "shop"/dining room.  On one of my last trips I saw this beautiful but empty room and had a moment of sadness.  This room was where The Old Tattered Flag was started.  Four years ago we threw a few patterns and a little bit of wool in here and invited people over for a lesson or two.  I am very grateful for this little room.  What started off as a little hobby has turned into a legitimate business and it started in this little room.  

What is amazing is to see all the product that we had in that little room!!  How nice to be able to spread out in the new space and make it visible to all...

So, this last pictures shows where we are at right now.  Everything is in the space, just needs tweaking and neatening up!  

I hope you've enjoyed seeing how the shop has come to be!  I want to thank all of you for helping us build it.  Without you it would not be.  I wish each and every one of you could be here for our grand opening (Sept. 20).  Lots more good things are in store for The Old Tattered Flag from this point on.  The sky is the limit!!!

Thanks for joining us in our adventure.  Keep watching for the final pictures of it all together.

Have a great day everyone...

Until next time.....