This weekend was a really busy, really fun, really laid-back one for me. That's rare. The past several weekends, I've been working like mad to finish the rough draft of our upcoming musical, Grimm. I turned it in and I still have a HUGE to-do list, but I needed a mental break...
Lucky for me, I found one, courtesy of The Urban Farmgirl.
I first discovered Mary's blog before we even moved to Colorado. In fact, I was really bummed because I found it just as we were leaving...and found myself thinking, "Such a cool person was right here all along and I didn't even know..." Funny the things you think when you're moving away.
Anyway, I also noticed that we also share a lot of the same blog-friends, so when I saw that Urban Farmgirl was about to be a real, live store, I got a little giddy.
I showed the blog to my friend Beth, whose cottage inspired my Sweethaven novels. She's got a killer sense of design style so really I was just hoping some of it would rub off on me. (I'm still waiting for that to happen.)
Anyway, for two weeks or so, we've had this weekend on our calendar, and Saturday we finally made our way down to the store to see it for ourselves.
It was perfectly swoony. I absolutely would've dipped into the education account had this piece not already been sold:
(I would've put it in my dining room, which is NOT the room we're in the middle of redoing, but I would've because I'm excited at the idea that I have a dining room now...) But alas, it was spoken for.
There was SO much to drool over.
Like this...which, if I had a spot for, would've probably come home with me (though I'm pretty sure Adam would've given me the stink-eye if I spent our flooring money on anything other than flooring.)
I'm not the kind of person who has great vision when it comes to my house. I usually have to see something before I really "get it" but this store has me excited to keep working on our house, making it homey because good grief I'm not moving again.
She also had jewelry and little trinkets around the store that were just so unique. I'm already clearing shelf space for when I go back on December 12th.
Personally, I'm kicking myself for not buying this Coke crate:
And I'm considering buying a few of these, making a little collection on a shelf in the living room:
And I just want to point out the salvaged floors and the WALLS in the space... how awesome are they?!
More eye candy:
My friend Beth took this beauty home (it's going to go in her cottage! Yay!) I've decided to call it "The Sweethaven Chest" but I think she's calling it "that dresser type thingy."
Either works.
The MOST fun part was meeting Mary in person. She told my I looked familiar and I said "I have that kind of face." Then I told her we have some of the same bloggy friends and found out that she happened to be in Barnes and Noble when I was doing a book signing and posing for a photo with our mutual friend Shannan.
It was one of those "small world" moments...but then I mentioned another friend, the fabulous Becky at Farmgirl Paints and discovered that Becky is now represented right here in Rockford!
Incidentally, I've decided to change my name to "Poser Farmgirl" just so I can fit in with these three legit "farmgirls!" :)
How's that for awesomeness? {PS. Becky has such gorgeous cuffs in her shop. Check it out!}
It was SUCH a fun trip and it won't be my last...I'm already gathering people to join me for the next trip (December 12th or right around there)...I know a lot of people have a lot to say about Rockford, but I love it here, and I consider The Urban Farmgirl to be one of the best little gems in town!
Come visit if you're in the area...it's WELL worth the trip!
Urban Farmgirl is located at 2202 Rural St. in Rockford, IL
DECEMBER 'OPEN' DATES:
Dec 12th - 3-9
Dec 13th - 10-6
Dec 14th - 10-4
Dec 15th - 10-4
