Well, 2021 is off to a start….not sure if I would call it great!

Our power was out for almost 2 days & I had to rush Cha Cha to the pet hospital….ughhhhh

However, I am very grateful when I look back at my photos from 3 years ago today. I had just taken on a huge PROJECT! An empty store! Can you believe what our space looked like back then? This is HOW it started!

 

That is my mom talking to Indiana and Indiana’s friend, Carmen.

Welcome to Lynn’s Latest #02…

January 22nd
Watch for it every Friday or every other Friday!
Volume II  Issue 02

 

Let’s take a look at what that same view looks like today! Here is how it’s going! Fun, and it is now a lot of our gift lines. And just a heads up we are going to be carrying Christmas year-round. We will edit for more beachy, year-round themes to be stocked all year, and then bring back the real Christmassy ones next holiday season. It will be here before we know it…scary, right?

OK, time for an eBay score before we get into those scary winds, power outages, and what in the world did Cha Cha do to wind up in the hospital? Check out this chess/checkerboard that I bought out in Palm Desert for $2.00 and it sold at auction for over $70! eBay never ceases to amaze me! Click here to see the auction.

It was so nice to have my kids home for so long over the holidays.  Houston and his girlfriend Emma left on a road trip back to OKC on January 11th.  Sooooo sad!  But he will be back in California for good once he graduates from Notre Dame in the spring.  Fingers crossed it is in person.  Before they left, we all decided to do something fun with the puppy.

I had always wanted to go to the Malibu Cafe at Calamigos Ranch.  It is such an inspiring property.  I have followed them on Instagram forever!  Since it is a large property, you can take your dog and your family (staying in our pod), order to-go food, and socially distance.  We decided to spend Saturday afternoon there to have lunch, celebrate Christmas with Emma and chill with the Cha Cha.

Here we are all packed up and ready to hit the road!

Fun Fact, check out Houston’s Trucker hat in that last photo.  On the road trip to Calamingos, Indy had Houston do a Tic Tok.  You can check it out here, but it has been her best one to date!  Over 14,000 likes, almost 4,000 comments and someone reposted it and got close to 20,000 likes.

For those of you who don’t know what Tic Tok is, don’t even worry about it.  In the scheme of things, I think it went My Space, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tic Tok, etc.  It’s just the social media craze that I am personally OVER!   Check out this timeline.  OMG!  Crazy.  Shared from platformmagazine.org.

OK, but back to why we even care about social media…..Houston on Tic Tok asking what is your favorite freeway?! How fun is this. Click here to check it out.

Our time at the Malibu Cafe at Calamingos Ranch was super fun.  We felt safe and socially distanced and still got to enjoy a beautiful sunny Southern California Saturday outside with food and drink that we did not have to make ourselves.  WIN-WIN!  Cha Cha had a blast, learned that she is most likely a bird dog (chased a lot of ducks from the edge of the Lake), and was just a chill companion.

Emma even got Indy a “Cha Cha” script necklace as her Christmas gift.  How cute is that?

One thing to know about me.  I have always tried to live my life to the fullest.  Always up for an adventure.  Always ready for that road trip.  Don’t care how much it is going to cost, I am ALL in.

One of my best friends from college, Juliette, remembers me saying in our 20’s, “Use your credit cards because when you are older what does it matter that you paid a bit of interest to LIVE your LIFE”.  And so we did!  (Not sure if that is what I really said, so I text Jules to find out…check out her response….LOL)

OK, so I just have to share a photo of what Juliette and I looked like back in the day! LOL! We used to have soooo much fun & get in so much trouble…….. She lives in Orange County with her 3rd husband and her kids. I haven’t seen her since I opened the store. She will be visiting soon. Can’t wait to see her!

I think Covid has really brought my “how to live life” philosophy back home.  I am going to make the BEST of any situation.  Even if it means taking a road trip to Palm Desert (not seeing anyone) because of Covid, but doing it anyway!

Staying in a hotel with my little pod, check out thrift stores, and got take-out dinners.  All the money in the bank won’t buy you any more time, but those MEMORIES I try and create everyday for my kids (my friends and my family) are PRICELESS!

Here is a photo of Houston and Emma when they were leaving for OKC the Monday after our fun Saturday at Calamingos.  Of course, Indy and the pets had to be in the shot!

One thing I want to reiterate to you all….I don’t care how old you are (or how young)….YOU are alive and life is precious!  Thank God every day you wake up and honor him by living your life to the fullest!

None of us know how many more days on this earth we have so……Buy the car, Take the vacation, Buy the shoes, Tell them you LOVE them, Get the puppy, Binge watching Netflix (especially Shield), Open that business, Take that Leap of Faith!   Do anything that makes you and those around you HAPPY….but promise me that you will GO FOR IT even if it is a tiny first step!

I think it is time for an eBay score.  I LOVE this one.  And since Cha Cha has decided she is a “bird dog” this just seems fitting. Bought this out in Palm Desert at the end of November for $20 at Revivals.  Such a score.  Sold for close to $300!  Click here to see why!

Thinking about how fast the past three years have flown by has been crazy.  Val (my first Ventura employee :)) text me this the other night.  She has a book that has you write a small synopsis of your day every day for 5 years so you can look back at some point.  The book is called  “One Line A Day: A Five-Year Memory Book”.  Here was her entry for January 18th, 2018.

Her name is Lynn…..Hahahaha!  I love this!  Here is a picture of Val with a contractor and my mom in the empty store from that “meeting her tomorrow” comment.

Couldn’t have done it without Val and my mom.  We were pretty much a three-man team or rather a three-ring circus working so hard to get that empty space ready to open on March 1st!

Indy has been working at the store more which makes me super happy!  Check out this Tic Tok she did.  Time-release of her redoing a vignette.  Wow!  You can check out the actual Tic Tok here, but I think you need an account or the app to view.  I will find out from the kiddo and let you know!  Nope, apparently, anyone can click the Tic Tok links and view.

Before I forget, that Tiffany Ink Blotter from the last ezine (if you missed the newsletter check it out here) sold for my asking bid price of $299!  Super score!   If you just want to see the eBay listing click here!

Cha Cha has been going to Puppy Play at Send Rover on Over since she was 3 months old. It has been a lifesaver for us as it wears her out and she is learning to socialize with other dogs. She LOVES it! Well, at almost 6 months she is too old for it now. Sooooo sad! But for her final visit, she was featured on their Instagram account. I saw the post and thought “that dog looks a lot like the Cha Cha” Hahahaha…it was her!

I think it is time to talk about the store!  And another blast from the past.  For those of you who don’t know, I went to USC.  I was there at the same time as Chappy Morris (Wm L Morris Chevrolet) Rest in Peace and we were in the Entrepreneur program together.

I was also there at the same time as Marc Kettles (who owns Fit Buddha with his wife Eva).  You might say that Marc and I dated…because we did.  Oh those Fraternity and Sorority parties.  It has been fun to run into Marc around town and last week he brought me some awesome consignments.

Here are a few of those consignments from their larger Santa Barbara studio (totally high-end stuff people) and then I will share some “How it started” and “How it’s going” photos of the two of us.  LOL.  Couldn’t resist!

OK, here is the “How it started” Photo of Marc and me at a sorority party in 1982.

And here is the “How’s it going” photo of the two of us.  LOL.  I own a business and he is a consignor!  So fun to reconnect as I have known Marc since I was 18.

In more store news, Check out the new paint kits from Annie Sloan that we have in stock!  Purchase now for her “Big Paint” that will be taking place in February….Can’t Wait!

Click here to order yours now!

Here is more info about The Big Paint & It will be virtually taught by me at the store (an independent stockist that’s me :))…..

“The Big Paint is an international online painting workshop that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home. Hosted by Annie Sloan and her network of independent Stockists, The Big Paint workshops will be taking place online in countries all over the world during the same week (1st – 7th February 2021). Reconnect with friends, family, and the wider Chalk Paint® community whilst nourishing your soul with some soothing creative therapy.

Your workshop kit will be sent directly to you by your local Annie Sloan Stockist and will contain everything you need to transform an authentic Indian tea tray. Included are 120ml tins of Chalk Paint® in Aubusson Blue, Scandinavian Pink, and Chicago Grey, an exclusive stencil design, a small tin of Clear Chalk Paint® Wax, a Flat Brush and the tray.

On the day itself, you’ll log on to your online hosted workshop, and follow along with other upcycling ticket holders as your Stockist demonstrates the ease of applying Chalk Paint® to create high-end finishes at home.”

Check out what comes in the kit and all of the creative different ways you can finish your tray!  This is going to be FUN!!!

In more exciting Annie Sloan news, she announced a new color yesterday, Capri Pink!  And yes, we do have it in stock!

OK, so what should I lead with?  The power outage or Cha Cha going to the Vet Hospital?  I am going to start with the Cha Cha.  My girl (our girl or rather really Indy’s girl) loves to play.  She is a puppy you know….right?

Well, she and I were roughhousing as puppies like to do out in the yard and as we were heading back into the house, a light bulb from our strand of deck lights popped and shattered.

Here is what our super cute deck looks like with the “said” string of lights.  Indy was cleaning it up and rearranging it a few days prior to the “incident”.

When the glass exploded, it fell right next to Cha Cha and before I could grab her she had a piece in her mouth and ran into the yard.  She was chomping on it the entire time and even swallowing.  Try and catch a “big fluffy floppy puppy” who has not finished playing yet.  I couldn’t grab her.  Here is what she looks like after an “Aloha Grooming” and just how fully and floppy is she?  Thanks Tina!

Here are what the shards of glass looked like that I was able to pick up to show the vet.  Ughhhh.  As soon as I got her in the house, I called our vet and was told to get her to a puppy hospital.

I got her there in record time (OMG this sooooo reminds me of being a mom) and they checked her out immediately. So grateful to Horizon Vets for getting her in so quickly. I got a phone call (No contact people) and the Vet and I both agreed that nothing was phasing her.

She was just as happy, jumpy, and playful as ever. No cuts or any damage. I was advised to feed her some bread (which she loved) to help move the glass through her system. Awwwww the perils of being a pet parent!
Time for another eBay score? I think so. This one just goes to show you that patience is a virtue…especially on eBay. I listed this back in 2014. Seriously? Yes, I did. Houston had not even graduated from High School yet and Indy was a sophomore at the same high school as her brother, Xavier College Prep in Palm Desert.

Here is a link to see that listing and yes, this vase did sell for the full asking price of over $300.

Just a reminder of Our CURRENT HOURS:

Tuesday through Saturday 11am to 5pm
Sundays 11 am to 3pm

I know that I have been talking about Indy a lot in the ezine and for that, I apologize, but she is going back to her condo in Agoura Hills soon to start the Spring semester with Pepperdine REMOTELY…..pisses me off, people! EVERY kid should be back in school…unless they are in a high-risk group which most are not! OK, I am off of my soapbox for now.

Anyway, here are a few of the fun vignettes she has been doing for the store. She really is talented and has a great “younger” hip eye, so please come in and browse.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE how she took some of the Kazi garlands and strung them in the background.  As many of you know, Kazi is near and dear to my heart.  I love this company that pays a living wage to people in Africa.  Here is a cool screenshot I took of one of Kazi’s recent Instagram posts.  We always have a ton of their cool baskets in stock, so please come in and check them out!

Regarding Covid, I just want to reassure you that we are taking this very seriously and following protocol.  We sanitize, wear masks, request that you wear a mask (unless you have a health issue that exempts you), and have a very large store.

With over 5,000 square feet our max capacity is 88 people.  WOW, I wish I could have 88 customers at once when covid is over!  Wouldn’t that be amazing?  Just kidding, but kind of serious.

Bottom line is this, even at 20% of capacity (which the Governor is suggesting), there can still be 17 of you in the store.  We never get that busy, so please feel safe and please ask us if you have any special requests.  We are more than happy to make your shopping experience a great one!

Some more of our new arrivals.  We have gotten in some fabulous pieces recently, so please stop in.  There is no way for me to get them all up in our web store…not enough time in the day!

I have to apologize here to both y’all and to Carlos.  This entire newsletter (AGAIN) has been hijacked by Cha Cha.

Here is a cute photo of Carlos taking over his “little” sister’s bed.  HaHaha…whatever Carlos wants, Carlos gets!

And here are a couple of pictures of my little “bubba” from a year ago today.  He was soooo tiny and we do love Carlos so much!

So, in keeping with the 2020 meme, “How it started and How it’s going”, let me share with you a few photos from a local guy who happened to walk past the store back in January of 2018 and took some awesome shots!  Photos courtesy of Bill Horstick (67BILLH).

And here is my crew in front of the store with a temporary sign.  From left to right, Noel, Houston (quite the poser), Indy, Carmen and my mom.

And here is “How it’s going” with the front window in Navy Blue.

And I can’t end without telling you of our “power outage” adventure….LOL.  Many of us in Ventura woke up on Tuesday to NO POWER.  The winds were horrendous the night before and not many of us (I imagine) even slept. SCARY…Tuesday is my work-at-home day (write the newsletter and list on eBay) and I was soooo not down with a day and night with no power.

Indy and I started brainstorming and came up with a few options…we could go to her condo in Agoura, we could find a hotel in Ventura, or we could find a hotel in Carp.  The condo turned out to be our last choice since she has roommates.  I started calling Ventura hotels and not ONE of them had power.  Moved it up to Carp and we found the Holiday Inn had a room for us and they would take the Cha Cha.

Time for a new adventure and more memories!  My favs!  We headed up there immediately and got take-out Linner (Lunch and Dinner) at Teddys ( We LOVE Teddys).  Here is Indy in the back of the SUV waiting for our meals.

After we got our food to take back to the hotel, we parked on Linden and checked out the local shops.  I bought a vintage oil painting at the antique mall for my gallery wall in my bedroom…so excited to work on that next week.  I will take before and after photos.

I also bought letters from the Coffee Leaf store that had gone out of business.  I was just going to get the LA since those are my initials (well not all just the beginning Lynn Adelle), but then realized that I MUST get the ef to make LEAF.  You do all know that my grandmother was Cheryl Leaf and her antique store was Cheryl Leaf Antiques….so excited to find a spot for those 3d gems!

Anyway, we loved shopping local and sooo appreciate all of you who do the same.  Don’t forget for those who are far away from us, we will ship any smaller items for FREE…Thanks!

OK, after that fun we walked down Linden to the beach for the most amazing sunset ever.  I swear the entire trip was meant to be.  EPIC day with my two favorite girls.

So, for How’s it going?  I want to THANK YOU for your continued support of me and my small business!  THANK YOU  THANK YOU!!!

BUT, please don’t forget us….it has been super slow lately and your business is greatly appreciated.

Finally, a great photo from back on March 1st, 2020 before all of this madness began and we could all be together.

My team, from left to right.  Indy, Val, me, my mom, Sandy, Steve, Peggy, Joanne, and Kathy Rutan.  Those were the days my friends!  Soon to come again I believe…Keep the faith and keep smiling (as my dad would say)!

Thanks for reading my ezines!  I appreciate it….as always!

eBay with Heart & Design with Heart……Lynn

 

P.S.  All of the professional photos I use on Instagram, Facebook, and in these newsletters were taken by my friend Denise’s daughter, Jaclyn Sabo.  She is amazing!   To learn more about Jaclyn….https://www.jaclynszabo.com/

P.P.S.  If you have a friend who wants to sign up for this newsletter.