My Bucket List

     There comes a time in life when you know your getting old.   Oh, you don’t notice it all at once.   It’s an ache here, a pain there.   Suddenly you realize your not twenty anymore.   Oh let’s be honest, you realize your not sixty anymore!

     Okay, being old isn’t all that bad.  Your retired so you don’t have to get up and go to work each morning.   Your kids rush to help you do each and every little thing.     And, no one gives a second thought if you gain a pound or two.  Or fifty.

     But who wants to be old?   Who wants to think the good times are over and your one step from the Nursing Home?   Not me!   I like to think this is the time in life to go after all those things I’ve been putting off.  It’s the time to go places, meet new people, try new things.   In other words, it’s the time to really enjoy life!

     And what better way to do that than to start a “Bucket List”.

     Over the next few months I’m going to share some of the things on my list & how I’m working towards crossing them off.   I will add here that a lot of things I’ve always wanted to do I was lucky enough to do when I was younger…….Have a large family, adopt children, live in a little white house with a white picket fence, have a little cabin behind behind my house, have my own shop, have a greenhouse and a zillion and one other fun things.   BUT there’s a lot of other things I want to accomplish before my time here on earth is done.

     So, let’s start out with number one on my list.~~~To have a booth in a Flea Market.   This dream came true about three months ago.  Granit, it’s just a small booth but it’s MY booth and I love it!  I’m having so much fun making and thinking of new things to make for it.   And when something sells it thrills me to no end.   Now the best part of my booth is receiving ‘goodie boxes’ from my dear friend Sher in New York.  Sher is a very talented lady & I love having her things (Small quilts, prairie bonnets, candle mats, ect…) to add to add to mine.   It’s became a joint venture between two friends, even though they live miles apart.   The e-mails fly back & forth and there’s lots of laughter mixed in with ideas of what to do  and how to decorate the booth  next.

       If any of you have ever entertained the idea of having your own booth, let me be the first to encourage you.   I’m certainly no expert but here would be my tips to get you started.

(1) Check out all the different flea markets in your area.   Then choose the one that best suits the things your wanting to sell.   In my case, I choose a store that handles mostly vintage & primitive items.

(2) Next start getting your items together several weeks or even  months before you plan to open.   Even if your booth is small it will take a lot of things to make it look full.

(3)Before you set your booth up in the shop, be sure to do a trial run at home.     Poor Keith, although he did our background at home, when we got to the store it wouldn’t fit in.  (We didn’t realize there were some boards sticking out behind the other gals background.)   He had to do some finagling when we started setting up the actual booth but thankfully it all went together.   Be sure your background fits the items you’ll be selling.   For me, that meant using old doors and barn wood.   They made the perfect back drop for my hooked rugs and reproduction samplers.

(3) Once you get your booth set up, treat it like you would any job.   Devote time to it each day.   If your offering crafts, make sure you work on something each day for it.   At least once every two weeks re-work the whole booth.   Even if you don’t have new things to add, re-do everything else.  It’s amazing how many different looks you can get using the same items.   And changing things around will give customers a chance to see all you have to offer.

      I guess by now you know how happy I am that I have followed my heart and completed the first thing on my Bucket List.    Remember, the only way you’ll do everything you’ve always wanted is to work towards your goals.

In a few days I’ll share another thing I’ve crossed off my list.   Until later….Do what makes you happy.  Hugs, Sher