Lucy Lockets by Lucysinspired

I have been a busy bee! I took a little trip to Seaside a few weeks ago and stopped in to the warehouse at Southern Fashion House. I talked with Amy and Laura a month ago and wanted to get some of my Lucy Lockets in DeJaVu in Seaside. They had a few right before the holidays and did well with them. I set up an appointment and took around 100 pieces with me.

I threw everything on the table and they started picking out personal pieces immediately! Now, that felt good! I love when someone wants to wear a piece themselves! That has to be the best affirmation. Once they had their own stash tucked away, they picked pieces for the store. It was such a joy meeting everyone that works there and getting their feedback on different styles. Of course, the prism necklaces are the most popular. I think they picked up 17 prisms on leather and took every prism on a chunky chain that I had. There's some talk about a housewife from Beverly Hills that wears one? It's not mine, but apparently, it's very similar!!

The workshop has been busy and thankfully, I have had several locket elves helping me out in the last few weeks! I thought I would share a few pieces of the collection I've sent to Tuscumbia and Fairhope this week!

Leather cuffs have been so much fun to make. I added them into the line last summer. So many options and all are one of a kind!

This escutcheon is a gorgeous brass. I added a key, as always and loved adding these two links from a vintage lighting chain. 

I really can't believe I let this one go. I LOVE it so much!! That piece that looks like a fleur de lis is a great color and makes this one look full of treasures!

 This spring heart will be great for St. Patrick's Day!

Another group of leather cuffs. That giant disc in the middle? #swoon

Hays House Salvaged

When a house is being salvaged it's because it can't be repaired or someone has decided that the property can be used in a better way. We don't like to think anything can be better than a beautiful old home sitting on it's original land. Most of the time, there is a lot of time and effort into figuring out how to save the house. No one wants to lose history.

The Hays House in Cullman, Alabama has been looking for a new owner for over a year. The city owns the property that the house is sitting on and needs it for another use. They wanted to give the house away. The only criteria is you had to move it. It's a two story home and wouldn't go under the overpasses on the interstate and it would cost a lot to move it. There was some damage to the house when the tornados came through in April of 2011. It was going to be hard to move this gorgeous home.

Several weeks ago, Southern Accents Architectural Antiques acquired the home for salvage. It's controversial, but there are some amazing pieces in this house that need to be saved. If we didn't go in and break it down piece by piece, it would have been hit by a wrecking ball and those gorgeous windows would have been shattered. I love so many things about this house. Emma and I went in a little over a year ago and looked through all the rooms. There was an adorable spanish brass chandelier hanging in the living room, 5 panel, solid doors throughout and columns and hardwoods that could be saved. She stood next to a door upstairs that was a closet and was so amazed at how short the door was! She was probably around 5'2" at the time....now she's 5'7" and looking me straight in the eye. ugh

The house was built in 1901 by Dr. Hays. He and his wife lived there and he even saw patients in the home. It was acquired by the Cullman Historic Society in 2010, who had to move out after the tornado came through. You can read more on the history of this house here. 

The deconstruction started last week. I was in Cullman and went by to snap a few pictures of the guys working. They are very organized. This is such a meticulous job. You can't just walk in with a sledgehammer, you have to remove nails individually and pull carefully to get the piece out without damaging the architectural details. A lot of care goes into saving these pieces. Some things are sold before they are pulled out of the house. Others will be sold through the store. I have my eye on a couple of things for MoonGlow. We'll see if I can work that out! I will let you guess what you think I want!

Antique Red Door Hays House

Antique Windows Hays House

Antique Trim Hays House

Antique 5 Panel Doors

 

Hard at work saving these artifacts

It will have to be de-nailed, too. 

Fireplace, floor grate and flooring all to be saved.

Antique Newel post Hays House

2nd Avenue Shopping

Birmingham, Alabama has been getting a lot of press lately. Namely in the New York Times as a place that is on the comeback. You may remember me saying that at the Southern C Summit someone said it was the next Portland. We all got a kick out of that and blew it off. Well, "they" just may know what they're talking about!

I met with a new friend, Becky, that is like the mirror image of me. We have very similar taste and drive to be creative. She has a much better background in creativity than I do, but we believe that if we joined forces in some way....the world wouldn't be able to handle it! So, we had lunch on 2nd Avenue North and she was running a little late. I took this opportunity to do a little shopping. I started out on 3rd Avenue South and popped by a little shop called Retriever Antiques. < Hello, what a cute name!
I was very disappointed to find her closed for the day.

Next door is Frontera. If you've never been there before, this is a place full of iron work. Lots of iron decor, tables, stools, you name it. It has a very outdoor feel to it. They also do custom work! I noticed a couple of light fixtures that didn't necessarily fit into the theme. I asked and they were a designers that had them there on consignment. One fit a client's need and the other fit my need. Need, you say? Well, ok, not a need but a love of lighting that I can't quite get over. One was old and the other a reproduction. I will let you guess which one I wanted! {wink} There were also a couple of tables in there that would fit right into my.......um, nowhere. I do not have room for a table! Is it terrible that I want to move just so I will have a place to put more tables and light fixtures? It IS terrible, I know.

I left there and headed to 2nd Ave. North where I was meeting Becky at the Urban Standard. I forgot to get a red velvet cupcake. UGH! How do you forget cupcakes? I tell you how you forget. You start talking to Becky and she is saying everything that runs through your head constantly and you realize you are talking to the person that gets everything you want to do. We have a few plans in place and if our dreams come true, you will be able to partake in said plans. Until then, get down to 2nd Avenue North tomorrow for the Second Saturday Sidewalk Sale on 2nd.  Downtown Birmingham, people. It's where it's at!

 You can see these fantastic chairs at What's on Second. A place where you will find everything from chandeliers to NKOTB board games. #seriously. It's a destination.

For the record, I bought a brand new lens for my camera, ordered it from Amazon on Monday, it came on Tuesday and I should start using it! Iphone pictures are just so much easier!

Molly's Salad on a Stick

BCS Championship game night was at Molly's house! She is one of our favorite cooks. Ok, she is the best cook! We all love to go over to Molly's house to eat. It's a new year. Most people started their New Year's Resolutions to eat right on the first. Those of us in Alabama started ours on January 8th. There was a game that called for tailgate food. Luckily, Molly thought of an easy way for us to eat a salad! Alabama vs. Notre Dame was the game of the year!

We had salad on a stick. Stop it. This was my favorite! It was amazing! 

 She had it arranged in a bowl with the lettuce, bacon and tomato all on one stick! Drizzle a little dressing on top and it's ready to serve! 

  Just pop a salad in your mouth. Oh, you could totally dip in dressing. 

GREAT idea for a salad at a tailgate!

 Meet Chef Molly and her sous chef, Emma. I think Emma wants to learn to cook. I guess we will go to Molly's very often this year! 

 I LOVE this photo! I have no idea what the score was at the time. If this was the first touchdown or the last. These two boys love Alabama football. Can you tell? I think they were getting ready for their

 end-zone celebration dance!

Workers Gonna Work~

The house has been full of busy bees for a week! There is still so much to do!! I'm a little crazy right now. I was on the phone earlier and couldn't complete a sentence. Too many things wanting to come out at the same time!

Counter tops - picked out. Not my first or second choice...but, 3rd times the charm, right?

Wood on the ceiling in the kitchen! It's yellow. I love it!

Wood on the ceiling in the laundry/powder room. It's white. It's chippy. I love it!

Walls are being painted all over the place! It was all oil based. It's all primed and room by room, it will be done!

I have a closet....kinda. I have shelves and rods. I have a door. I have walls. Problem is you can see through the walls and there is only glass in one door! Deep breath...it will be fine.

My bathroom? We just won't talk about it, ok?

I do have a shoe closet! It has a sign! I love it! giggle

Noticed these cute bricks today. Marvel. I seem to do that every day. I love this house!

Stitching

I love to sew. I don't do it very often, but I love to make something! I went to Florence a couple of weeks ago and got to meet Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin. I have been inspired by her for so many years! I can remember reading about her and then about 6 months later finding a tshirt at Barney's in NYC on the sale rack! I didn't buy it....it was still out of my price range!! I was very impressed. One of my favorite facts about Alabama Chanin is that she lives and works out of Florence, Alabama! That is one of my favorite places. I follow her on Facebook and read her Journal religiously. I am dying to take a weekend workshop, but can't justify it right now. I am, however, going to a mini-workshop next weekend! It's on Saturday and I'm making a scarf!

Natalie had a workshop with Faythe Levine a few weeks ago and I was very excited to be there. I took Ashlee with me and we soaked in the Factory and the fabric.  I was a bit starstruck! To top it off, Butch Anthony was there! Seriously, in his overalls and straw hat. I thought I would DIE! I was surrounded by incredible artists that were from Alabama. It was very surreal. We met lots of very kind people and felt welcome the minute we walked in the door. There was yummy food and beverages and just a home feeling.

We went to the workshop the next day. It was how to grow your brand for the artist community. So many artists do not market themselves. It was a lesson on blogging and all that social media entails. So funny that I can do that for other people but not myself. Ashlee and I left on cloud nine....that is after we spent an hour touching every article of clothing there! It's all absolutely beautiful and very inspiring. I left with a kit to make a corset top.....almost finished! I'm putting it together as we speak. I LOVE it!!! Going back on Saturday for a 2 hour workshop. They are having an open house...If you are in the area or just want to do something fun this weekend....you need to go!

Socially Acceptable

Jumping on the bandwagon. It's fun at first. I'm always a bandwagon NFL fan. I love the winning team. That one and which ever one Tom Brady is on. He's so cute, right? Mark Sanchez is easy on the eyes, too. That's not what this post is about..how did I get there? I'm about to be 40...Is it the cougar coming out of me? please laugh here....

So, jumping on the bandwagon. 3 years ago, I was trying not to get on the Facebook bandwagon. Seriously, I was on Twitter before that and I didn't even know what it was!! I thought Facebook was that silly place that my little sister would go to check up on her ex-boyfriend. (sorry N, if you are reading this! xo) Really, it was just something the college kids were doing. I had a few friends jumping on and they were having a little fun with it. Talking to high school friends...really? did I want to go there? Don't get me wrong, I love my high school and the friends from there, but all the drama that was from high school. I guess I expected it to be on Facebook!! Well, I was right about that part.....and not the high school friends!!

It is my life now. I am on Facebook for hours a day. I don't play games, I don't stalk people (wink) and I don't update my status every 5 seconds. If I have to pee, you don't have to know it. It's my network. It's how I find out who won the game, that a tornado touched down, that LSU 's busses can't leave the hotel because someone painted a 50 yard line in front of it! That's hilarious, you have to admit! I also make new friends and find old ones. I find people that live within 10 miles of me that I have SO much in common with. We pull together and do things to help each other. It's how I keep up with EVERYONE! If someone has a baby, I check Facebook to find out when. It's life events, the world around us and right next door. Someone will say, "I don't have time for it.". Ok, neither do I. I make time for it. I want to know how my friends are and seriously, there is a contest, I can win a new pair of jeans!! I did! On FACEBOOK! I got them and yes, they fit PERFECTLY! It's like the yellow pages with a friends recommendation. You need something? Ask for it on Facebook. You will find it!

I do a lot more with this social network, too. I help businesses find more customers. over 800 million people are on Facebook all over the world. It's the best marketing tool you can have. You have to utilize it in a way that benefits your business. There are no HARD-CORE numbers that prove the ROI, but when someone walks in your store almost every day and says, "you have a great Facebook page", it makes sense. You may even be lucky to have someone make a purchase and say, "The only reason I even came here was from your Facebook page." They probably won't, but you can't NOT be on there!

There are other social platforms out there. They may not all work for you. I love Pinterest and blogging. They fit with most of my clients. I am still learning everyday. I did get a likeable book today. It's all about social media and how it works. Not sure why I need that, but I'm sure I will get something out of it. If I do, I will share it with you. It is the reason I decided to write this post! 

BTW, I am still trying to take a photo a day. I've missed a few. I decided not to post here because after the 2nd day someone unsubscribed. It hurt my feelings and I stopped doing something for them. I guess that was the wrong decision. Maybe I will bring it back...or you can just keep up on my Facebook page!

One more thing.....Roll Tide! Congrats on the National Championship!

Pre-game with John Connor

 Post game with Emma!