The Lampshade Lady Blog

Another pretty embroidery shade

And one more!!!

Finally got to use these fabrics

A pretty shade I finally got to make with some new fabrics.

Lake's Lampshades / To Match or Not

I am usually happy not to match. Sweater sets, jewerly sets, suits, and especially lampshades. There are a few occasions for pairs of lampshades; to use pairs on end tables, pairs on bed side tables, or over the bed, pairs in bathrooms, other than that I find it much better to not match. The shade shown here is a great embroidery shade; it is a very strong beautiful design. If you had a pair of these shades it would be and overkill. I think it would water down it's design strength.

I love to pair simular,but not matcheing shades together. I look for fabrics that work well together, that have common threads. Colors that look pretty together or fabrics that contrast. I find it so much more interesting than having everything to match. But, most of my customers DO like things to match and that's okay. If I have learned anything over the past 20 plus years is that everyone has their own sense of design, some of us more eclectic than others..........or maybe braver.

Yummy Vintage White on White Embroideries

It's a rainy Saturday at the shop. I've been working on busy jobs, you know, Gotten bills out, ordered computer for my husband's business, caught up on emails, did a few orders. and recieved a great box of 3 large pieces of vintage French fabric that I ordered this week. What a fun box to open. 2 of them were great and the other one okay, it'll probably grow on me.

I have been filling lots of orders, but I am looking forward to using these pretty white embroideries. I will start with these on Monday. Our official tourist season starts Memorial Day Weekend, but as we have learned over the many years, it is really July 4th when summer people arrive. It's a long winter up here in the boonies till the customers arrive. I can't complain, I've had a really busy winter. I've had lots of orders, I try to get shops to order in the winter, when it's slow up here.

This winter, I was fortunate to have a wonderful visit from Frances Bailey of Country Living Magazine. They were here for the biggest snow storm of the winter. Such sports they were!!! We did a photo shoot on Valentine's Day. It was pretty exciting, but all the snow really added to the adventure. We kept peeking out side to watch the snow pile up. Foot after foot. No kidding. We had lunch at Pascal's Bistro, next door to my shop and came back around 3 and stumbled onto my walk way. The snow piled up from the snow plow. What a hoot. It was up over my knees.

We put together some great shoots, or should I say they did. My shop is full of color and fabrics. I would think it would be a candy shop for a photographer. I was so impressed by Ryan, the photographer. He and Frances worked together to create really pretty shots. A little better than me trying to get a few nice shots with my point and shoot. The article comes out in the Oct. issue. It'll be great for my business as well as my neighbors. Who knows, it's just fun to have the next challenge. As I say, just go with the flow...........

Hunter and Gathering at the Sturbridge Textile Show and Brimfiled Flea Market

Just back from Vintage Textile Show in Sturbridge, Ma. I antiqued my way to Sturbridge on Sunday. Who can go by antique shops without stopping. In Sturbride, I stopped at the Vintage Textile Store. I usually hit it when I am in town. Found some fanstatic embroideries and trims. I got a red work quilt top with some great images. Such Fun!!! Got in line at 9 for the Textile Show. The line of shoppers wrapped right around the building, must be the biggest crowd ever. It seemed like folks were in a buying mood.

The Textile Show is pretty amazing. There are dealers from all over the country as well as Europe. There are 2 huge rooms full of textiles and vintage fashions. The prices are pretty much outrageous, but deals are too be found for the yankee shopper like me!!!! I found lots more embroideries, a few pieces of french fabric, a nice piece of grandma moses, and some raw vintage linen which seems to be the rage this year.

Then off to Boston at noon for 2 days celebrating my son's 21st birthday, how could it be!!! Lots of great food and visits. Got a chance to see the Hopper show at the MFA that just opened

And Back to Brimfield for more hunter and gathering. Got to The Heart of the Mart a little after 9. Hot and dusty. A slow pace prevailed. Lots of sunscreen and water were necessary. Glad to visit for one day, but happy to head back to lush Vermont after my lobster roll. Found lots of great lamps and not much fabric. This is the time of year for shopping as my lampshade shop gets too busy to get away in the summer. Always nice to get home.

I need to finish up, I have a class today at the shop. Last class till next winter. Perfect day for it, nice and cool after the hot muggy weather we had.

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I have had my lampshade shop in our rural village of Pawlet for the past 11 years. I just purchased my shop 1 1/2 years ago. Bit by bit I have been working on this sweet old building. It was built around 1790, not much insulation.... but each year I have made a few improvements. My village is in the boonies!!!! We have a general store, 2 galleries, a new French Bistro, Pascal's, a new garden shop, 2 real estate offices. We still have a farm industry here, a few dairy farms, a great goats cheese farm- Consider Bardwell Farm.

This is a very special time of year here in Vermont. At last I can have my shop door open, work a bit, putter in my garden here at my shop. With the door open, everyone stops in to say hi. It's like everything starts to wake up. I am headed off to the Flea Market tomorrow afternoon to look for lamps and vintage fabrics. Hope to find some great stuff. You never know, just never go looking for anything in particular!!!! Monday is the Vintage Textile Show in Sturbridge,Mass. I'll let you know what I find, I didn't make it there last year; it's always fun. It's very expensive and can be exasperating. The prices can really beat you down, but it you look hard enough, you can find what you need at okay prices. or you can find fabrics that you can't find anywhere else. We'll see. Wish me luck.

I am still finding my way through this blog land and lingo, These posting ought to look better sooner or later. I got the idea to do this after reading an article in the paper that said, most everyone that wanted to do a blog had already done one and the growth of blogs had leveled off. wooooooow!!!! I just found out about blogs, so figured I better jump on board.Not easy being middle aged!!!!! I won't tell you how long it took me to figure out how to put photos up. All for now, got to get some work done if I'm headed to the Flea!!!

New Postcard of Lampshade Shop by artist Matt Solon

Here's a peek into The LampShade Lady's Shop

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