Pink Hugs Sweet Shoppe

SALE, SALE, SALE,Pink Hugs Sweet Shoppe is happy to announce that we are having a Spring Fever sale staring April 1,2009. All sweet items will be 30% off, that's the entire site. Make a cup of coffee or tea make yourself comfy and start shopping , your deserve it. Us women always do so much for others and I feel that times like this we need to treat ourselves to the little somethings we have had our eyes on. When mommy's happy everyone's happy.

One of our shop owners needs your thoughts!

Lisa gave birth very early to Ryan James & needs your thoughts. He weighed 1 lb 13 oz. He and Lisa and the family are in our hearts and prayers!

Lisa is shop owner of Vintage to Vogue on Market Square, & a dear friend of Shabby Lane Shops.

Please visit Ryan on his blog as we watch his progress.

Shabby Cottage Designs

Hello from Shabby Cottage Designs.com We have many unique pieces and a few new kitchen cuties too. While you are there be sure to sign up for our monthly newsletter so you can receive the latest additions to the site and special savings and discount coupons . Check in often as we have lots of great giveaways too! SEE YA THERE SOON!!!

Relay for Life - American Cancer Society

Join Shabby Lane Shops in supporting the American Cancer Society. Click the banner above to make a donation.

Lamp Creations

Please enjoy one of our weekly articles from one of our Shop Owners -Jacque of Lamp Creations - Thank you Jacque! BUY GREEN AND KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE WHEN YOU BUY YESTERDAY'S AND TODAY'S TREASURES In these tough times we want to get the most for our money, help save the planet, reuse, restore, recycle, and keep our family safe. Often when we buy yesteryears' products, there's a nagging question about use and safety. Love that wonderful crackling paint on shutters, doors, window frames, and furniture? We may know it is old, but how old is the paint? Lead was used in paints for many years. The paint industry started to regulate the lead in paint during the 1950's. When we have vintage or antique items, it's possible to contain lead. How do we know if it has been painted with an unleaded paint? How do we know if the coat underneath this coat is not lead? The answer is we don't. To be on the safe side we have several options. If you love the finish, then put a couple of coats of latex flat clear coat over the paint. You still have the crackle effect, but the chances of the paint chipping will be contained. We can paint over the item and still see the crack and crinkles. To add durability we can again put a clear coat over the paint. Another option is to refinish and put a new coat of paint, stain, or other finish on the item. Please, please, use a mask when sanding or using a paint remover. Use rubber gloves and work in a well ventilated room or outside. Keep your children away from the area and clean up after your self getting all the chips, dust, and mess picked up by using a plastic liner so it can be thrown away. When buying something new, that looks old, check where it was made. Some of today's items are made in China. Many dishes, plastic, teapots, cups, saucers, bowls will have a sticker on them to not use, for display only. This is often an indicator that they may have lead or other dangerous substances that can leach into food placed in the container. Mark these so that someone else will not use them by mistake. Don't let children play with them. They may put them in their mouth, drink from them, or otherwise ingest the chemicals. Begin to look at items you love and open your mind. These treasures may be used another way. Love grandma's dishes, but they are stuck in the cupboard where no one can see them? Hang them on the wall in a collage of dishes. Baskets can be placed on walls and used as shelves. Learn to recycle and reuse in extraordinary ways. Empty frames look great on the wall and can "frame" other treasures. All sorts of vintage and antique items can be recycled into lamps. Make a small scene using old jewelry, gloves, perfume bottles, compacts, and other trinkets. Half the fun is coming up with the idea to reuse your favorite things. Just keep safety in mind. It's your family's health you are considering as well as you own enjoyment. Please vist Jacque at Lamp Creations

Mimi's Rose Chenille Boutique - Support our Troops

Please visit Mimi's Rose Chenille Boutique's Blog & join us in supporting our Troops!

Artistic Glass Decor & More

If you have not stopped by Artistic Glass Decor and More lately, you are missing all the lovely new items they have added! Be sure and stop by for Beautiful decor! All Prices Drastically reduced to make more room for Spring/Summer inventory!

Valentine's Ideas from Katie Newman

Please enjoy one of our weekly articles from one of our Shop Owners -Katie of Katie Newman Gifts and Home. Thanks Katie!

"Let those love now who never loved before; Let those who always loved, now love the more." Thomas Parnell Valentine's Day is coming up on February 14th; always a favorite holiday for all of us who love the romantic lifestyle. I am going to offer a couple great date ideas, a few great gift ideas and a great Valentine's Day recipe. Some Great Valentine's Day Gift Ideas: *Flowers (especially the timeless roses) are always appreciated! *Chocolates (truffles are an especially good choice) are another classic! *Jewelry (diamonds are of course the best choice) - what gal doesn't love her bling? *A handwritten poem or letter *A special book *Bath and Body Pamper Products (scented soaps wrapped with ribbon are an inexpensive but tasteful choice) *A special photo in a beautiful frame Some great date ideas: *A picnic complete with wonderful cheeses, fine wine and chocolate covered strawberries (if you live in a warm climate find a beautiful outdoor setting or if you live in a cold climate set up a beautiful picnic complete with candlelight in your favorite room of your home or in your fabulously romantic bed.) *A night out in your best little black dress complete with a fancy dinner and dancing. *A night cuddled up at home with a romantic movie and Chinese takeout. A great Valentine Recipe: *Drinking Chocolate (makes 5 cups) 6 one ounce squares 99% unsweetened dark chocolate 4 cups heavy cream 4 tablespoons sweet ground chocolate and cocoa, such as Ghiradelli 1 ¼ cups confectioners sugar ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon grated orange zest Melt dark chocolate in a large saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the cream, sweet ground chocolate and cocoa, confectioners sugar, cayenne pepper, vanilla extract, and orange zest; continue whisking until smooth. Simmer over medium heat until mixture begins to bubble, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately. I wish all of you a very happy and romantic valentines year in 2009 and Shabby Lane Shops is the best place to find that perfect Valentine's Day gift! "Love is the blossom where there blows everything that lives or grows." Giles Fletcher

Tips for business owners from Mrs. Charlotte's Boutique

Please enjoy one of our weekly artcles from one of our Shop Owners -Mrs. Charlotte of Mrs Charlotte's Boutique & Mrs. Charlotte's Jewels and More. Thank You Mrs. Charlotte!

Increasing Your Bottom Line I would like to share with you some things that I have learned over the years as a show and mall dealer and an owner of an antique mall for ten years. When I first rented a small booth in an antique mall I really did not know much about what I was doing. I painted my booth, decorated it so it was just beautiful and set up my merchandise. Then I went home and thought I was going to sell everything quickly because it was so pretty how could they (The Customers) not buy my things. Well I returned three weeks later to collect my monies and see what I sold. Needless to say, I only sold $7.50. Boy was I surprised. I just could not figure out what I did wrong. Then I started coming to the mall more often and looking at the other booths and trying to figure out who was selling and why. Well, I noticed one particular dealer who always had great sells and a lot of activity in her booth. After studying her situation I noticed she constantly moved merchandise around. When an item was sold, she would re-arrange the entire table or shelf. She completely rotated her booth at least once a week. This dealer proved to me that by constantly moving things around and changing her display her sales soared. Ever walked the aisles of a show, a mall or a small shop and noticed something the second time through that you missed the first time around? It was interesting to me to talk with dealers and hear a dealer say they can't understand why their sales were slow when other dealers had great sales. I was always trying to answer the question, why was one doing so well and the other one not so well? Some of the things that I determined apply not only to show dealers, but also to mall dealers and shop owners as well. In talking to many dealers and shop owners, several things are repeated over and over. The dealers who were constantly rearranging their merchandise and working on their displays, and adding new merchandise had better sales. The dealers, who told me they do not use books to determine their prices, always did better. They buy merchandise and mark it up to make a reasonable profit and sell it. Chances are that someone else has merchandise similar to yours. Why is someone going to buy from you and not from someone else? Make your pricing appealing to the shopper who is looking for a bargain. Ninety-five percent of shoppers are looking for something they can feel good about buying. Either it needs to be very special or at a very good price. Once a dealer told me she could take the same merchandise to ten shows and no one knew the difference. If you have merchandise that has been to five shows and hasn't sold, why take it to five more? Something is wrong with that picture! You need to evaluate why your merchandise is not selling. Make a change! If there is a key to continued success in this business, whether you are a show dealer, mall dealer, or own your own shop, it is new fresh merchandise and constantly moving the old merchandise around to look new and different. And getting rid of the dead weight in your inventory. Have a sale and put your money in something that "Will" sell. Rearrange your booth at a show everyday and in a mall or a shop rearrange once a week. Make a change! Be creative! Try something new! If your sales don't increase, I'll be very surprised. So now, how do I apply these great ideas to my new on line store? I am going to be adding new merchandise often. Change my front page at least once a month if not more often. I have also added, removed and changed some of my main categories. I feel like this is the same as re-arranging a booth or shop. If merchandise has been in my store for more that two months I am going to move it out and put new merchandise in it's place. Most customers will check your online store out often and if they see the same merchandise every time they visit, they will quit coming . Mrs. Charlotte Mrs. Charlotte's Boutique Mrs. Charlotte's Jewels and More

Shabby Cottage Designs - Design Tips

Decorating on a budget? Tips to get more bang for your buck!

How do you get plenty of bang for your buck?
If you are like me you enjoy changing the look of your home from time to time so here are a few tips for decorating on a budget. Using these tips and others allow you to recycle items from your home or purchase items that cost you little money. Here are some decorating tips to give you added bang for your buck and a fresh new look in your home.


1. Paint! Paint is an inexpensive way to change the look of a room by simply giving it new color.
Maybe you are going for a soft romantic feel with soft sage colors or pretty pinks. Maybe your look is bright and bold. Whatever your style paint will give your room and instant face lift without breaking the bank. .

2. Furniture! You can change the look of a room by simply changing the arrangment of your furniture. Try moving the couch to the center of the room instead of placing everything up against the walls. Do groupings of furniture for cozy little nooks for reading and relaxing. This is a winner and costs you nothing. Don't forget to look in the attic or outside for items you forgot you even had. The money you save will allow you to buy that special piece of wall art you have been eyeing.

3. Pillows! Simply changing the throw pillow on your sofa can give a room a totally different look. Many of us who love the shabby cottage look of today have a white sofa or nuetral color sofa. Either way you can go from soft and sweet with pale romantic colors like soft pinks and beachy blues to bright and bold with vibrant reds or sunny yellow. Do you have old fabric tucked away in the closet? Wrap you sofa pillows with fabric! Simply wrap the pillow in the fabric like you were wrapping a present , you can pin the fabric in place on the backside an no one will be the wiser....

4. Plates! Another great way to add interest to your drab walls is decorating with plates. I have done this myself for years and I love the look. Most of us have old plates in our cabinets or pieces we have collected over the years stuffed in our china cabinets where no one really can see them.. Get um out girls and let them be seen and enjoyed! dress up those walls!

5. Last but not least, don't be afraid to try something new. Sometimes we get so used to seeing things in our house the same old way and just don't take the time to make it a little more inviting. Most of these ideas cost little or no money but can give you a new look on a budget. With all the money you save by just using some of these tips you might be able to splurge on something special you would enjoy for your home.

6. Shabby Lane Shops is the perfect place to shop for all your decorating needs. From pillows, beautiful china, rugs, or a special one of a kind piece of art; you can find it all right here, so stop by anytime and visit the wonderful shops of Shabby Lane Shops for all your decorating needs.

HAPPY DECORATING!!!!
Suzanne Davenport
www.shabbycottagedesigns.com