News Archives - Page 6 of 8 - Southern Vintage Table

News – SVT is Featured in the September 2020 issue of Southern Lady Magazine

Last summer we were contacted by Elizabeth Czapski, an editor with Southern Lady magazine, to share our experience with vintage linens. They were working on an article that embraced their history, beauty, and repurposed uses for today. We corresponded several times about Southern Vintage Table and specifically about linens we offer to our clients. We shared photos that illustrated how they can be displayed and used, pointing out how we love to mix and match vintage patterns, whether it’s tableware or napkins. Were we thrilled to be interviewed? Heck, yeah!

Turns out the adage, “good things come to those who wait,” would apply here when we found out that article’s publication date had been moved to the fall of 2020. No worries, we thought. Next year will be great. Little did we know that this year couldn’t have been more perfect – the delay translated into a huge morale booster for us!

So, this week we received a copy of the September 2020 issue of the Southern Lady magazine. As we flipped through the gorgeously photographed pages and corresponding features, we found our article on page 99- “New Life for Old Linens.”

Two of us were interviewed – Lois Lamb of Vintage Linens by Lois and moi, Shelly Heath of Southern Vintage Table. Wow. Reading the article and seeing our name in print with advice about vintage linens was surreal – and quite wonderful! Here’s one excerpt:

“These time-honored, regional customs created a market that allowed Shelly Heath, a retired middle school teacher, to start Southern Vintage Table. Based in Hillsborough, North Carolina, her company rents out antique tableware – including napkins, doilies, and tablecloths – for weddings and other events.” “We specialize in mixing and matching patterns, colors, and styles for out clients,” Shelly says, a practice she recommends applying to your own home entertaining.
“As far as not having enough matching napkins, no worries,” she says. “Don’t be afraid to mix them up for your guests. Use several different patterns.” Lois echoes this sentiment…
Both women agree that you should cherish heirloom linens for their aged appeared and storied imperfections, not in spite of them. “Embrace the history of the vintage linen,” Shelly says. “Little tears and holes need not be fixed – they represent a loved item.”
Czapski, Elizabeth. “New Life for Old Linens,” Southern Lady Magazine, September 2020, 99-102. Print.

Shelly reading about Shelly is quite an experience! We are sincerely grateful that Elizabeth found SVT online and included us in her article. Vintage linens are delightful to share, through words and with the real thing.

News – Organizing, Arranging, and Energizing

This week we found our mojo for giving our studio an organizational redo with the help of some used heavy duty shelving we found on Marketplace. Yay! With the new shelves in place (which first had to be cut down a few inches with a reciprocating saw because it was too tall), we now have room to get our vintage dessert and saucers out of boxes and stacked on the shelves.

For two days, we handled every dessert and saucer while we played a china pattern matching game. And, yes, it was actually fun! Now stacked on the shelves and sorted by pattern and color, our plates are beautifully organized.

Another major redo was to create a better display for our growing inventory of blue and white decor pieces. Doesn’t this look impressive!

These classic and timeless pieces can be used in so may ways. Here’s just a few ideas to help you imagine what you can create.

In the next room, we pulled out our collection of sweet little dishes that can be used in so many ways – white jugs/creamers, egg cups, and gravy boats. All of these have so much design potential and now they can be easily seen as clients come through our studio..

We are working on our work room and then we’ll tackle the last space – the scary linen and decor room. The good and bad news is that we have some open time in the months ahead. 🙂 Have a good week!

News – Our Decoupaged Items are now at New Hope Market

As the title announces, our handcrafted decoupaged items can now be found at New Hope Market on Hwy 86, across the railroad track from the now-closed Allen & Son BBQ place. This small restaurant and market has a large following due to the delicious made-to-order food, the scrumptious offerings at the dessert counter, and the friendly folks that work there. When we were there setting up, Randy sincerely welcomed his customers, often calling them by their first name. Folks coming and going all had smiles on their faces as they left.

Owner Randy also stocks local food items such as produce, Maple View ice cream and milk, and NC beers. And, he supports local artists and artisans, which led us to him. We are so pleased to be here, in the heart of the Blackwood area of Orange County.

Randy asked us to make a sign explaining the process of decoupaging along with our company name. It certainly added a fine touch to our shelf display!

Come by New Hope Market, dine in or carry out, try a yummy dessert, and check out the cool handmade treasures at the market. We thank you in advance!

PS – We also will be selling our wares at Fernrock Farm‘s stand on the 2nd and 4th weekends of the month. We so much appreciate the folks who came by and purchased pots, rocks, and bottles. It was such a confidence-builder! We’ve got some new patterns we think you’ll love!

News – SVT Joins the Green Wedding Guild

Southern Vintage Table ie now a proud member of the Green Wedding Guild! This group of wedding vendors has pledged to become better stewards of our planet while providing excellent services and products. Here’s the Green Wedding Guild pledge:

“We believe that we can all do more to reduce the waste generated by weddings, and that sustainable choices are within reach of all vendors and couples. We strive to make these choices accessible to our clients, and to become better environmental stewards through education and community. We may just be beginning our journey, we may not have achieved zero-waste, or we may already be green leaders in our field, but we are committed to learning, and to sharing what we learn with other vendors and clients along the way. By educating ourselves and our clients, we pledge to move toward creating a more environmentally sustainable wedding industry. We do this not only for ourselves, but for our clients and our planet. We pledge to be respectful, professional, and non-judgmental toward other vendors and clients. We will lead by example and support others on their own quest toward more sustainable weddings. We are not here to judge, but to inspire!”

Our company offers rescued vintage tableware and linens as well as vintage decor. These offerings are sustainable, recovered, and a reminder of our shared past. We are excited and pleased to formally become a member of the Green Wedding Guild. Check out our listing on the website as well as the other guild member vendors.

News – Announcing Our New Venture – Decoupaged Wares For Sale!

We are ready to offer our customized upcycled treasures to you! Beautiful decoupaged bottles, jars, pots, and rocks (we love-love-love our pretty rocks!) will be available next weekend at Fernrock Farm‘s stand on Orange Grove Road in Hillsborough, NC.

All in one shopping – pick up both a beautiful bottle/vase and a gorgeous bouquet or a transformed pot and plant and you are ready to enjoy a one-of-a-kind arrangement. For details about Fernrock Farm’s offerings, check their Facebook page for the latest info. In advance, thank you for supporting Southern Vintage Table and Fernrock Farm!

Pricing:
Decoupaged Bottles and Jars – $15 each
Decoupaged Pots – 4 in -$15, 6 in -$20, 8 in -$30
Rocks – $5 each or 3 for $12

Fernrock Farm
4500 Orange Grove Road, Hillsborough
Open 9-6 Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Cash or check payment through honor system

Supplies will be limited since each item is carefully and individually crafted. Please keep in mind that although decoupaged items are durable, the exterior is not waterproof. Do not submerge in water; if the outside should get wet, simply wipe it dry. Pots can be outdoors if protected from rain and freezing weather.

News – Happy Mother’s Day, Christine!

Happy Mother’s Day! My mother, Christine, was the most extraordinary person I have ever known. She endured incredible hardships and celebrated many triumphs, and her children greatly benefited from her love and wisdom. As a tribute to her, I’d like to share three of the many lessons I learned from her and give an example of how they have been helped me as a small business owner.

1. Only the boring get bored.

Ouch! Yep, this is classic Christine. We lived in the country on a dirt road, had one kinda-working car that mom drove to work, and 3 channels on tv. But, since there were 8 of us, we usually found something to do (or not to do, like housework!) We read, watched tv, listened to records, played outside, and, my favorite, searched for those good luck four-leaf clovers in the front lawn under the dogwood tree. If we got bored, it was our fault, or as mom would say, it was because we were boring, then she’d find something for us to do, like wash the dishes or help fix supper. So we learned not to be bored, or at least not tell mom. As an adult, yes, I sometimes get bored, but I mostly know how to keep busy, which has come in handy these past months during our quarantine.

Never be bored, and you will never be boring. –Eleanor Roosevelt

2. Go for it!

Recently my daughter said I was fearless because I had cut down some small trees using a chain saw. Even though it was not big deal since it was a small battery-operated saw, I loved hearing those words! After giving some thought to her comment, I realized that this can-do attitude was a gift from my mom. For those who knew her, her courageous spirit was contagious..

Southern Vintage Table began with this mantra. When my sister suggested that I start a vintage china rental business, I just knew this was a perfect fit for me. I had recently retired from teaching middle school and was ready for a new challenge. Did I have experience running a business or did I know anything about china? Nope and nope, but I didn’t want to regret not trying. Now, seven years later, I know my mom would be proud of me for “going for it.”

“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” = Nora Ephron

3. There is always a silver lining.

As I think of the countless conversations I had with mom about situations, predicaments, or hardships, she would always see that silver lining. She would magically dissect a negative and transform it into a lesson, opportunity, or gift to be revered.

While my business has come to a halt this spring, I have not faltered in my belief that things will work out, whatever that might mean. I’ve taken this time to work on projects at home, spend time crafting, and catching up on movies that I always meant to watch. I’ve gotten closer to my children, family, and friends via texts, phone calls and FaceTime, and have relaxed on the back deck with my morning coffee. I’m eager to get SVT up and running again, but I have also savored this quiet time at home.

There are always flowers for those who want to see them. —Henri Matisse

Three of the many lessons taught by my spunky, sassy, smart, and strong mother, Christine.
Happy Mother’s Day.

News – Adding Decoupaged Decor to Our Inventory

Hello from Hillsborough! As many of you, we are still on pause, waiting for the stay-at-home period to transition. A positive outcome for us has been having time to rekindle our crafting spirit, something we have missed during our busy days at Southern Vintage Table.

During the daytime hours we’ve worked outside to create several pretty garden spots and cleaned up the woods near our home. In the evening, we decoupage. First it was plastic eggs, then plastic pumpkins and kombucha jars. Now we are covering garden pots, assorted sizes of jars, and even river rocks!

We love how florals look in decoupaged jars and bottles as well as the how playful decoupaged rocks look as table decor. All of these lovelies will be available in our inventory and more will be added as our time at home continues. In the meantime, stay well and we look forward to helping with many events in the near future!

On a side note, the wooden kitty was a birthday gift from my then beau, now husband, on my 18th birthday. Truly vintage! 🙂

News – 3 Reasons We Are Grateful This Week

Reason 1 – Spring is here! So happy to see new growth on the trees, bright flowers, and longer days. Yay!

Reason 2 – We had a surprise delivery from Fernrock Farm! What a wonderful treat to find this assortment of blooms on our porch Monday morning. This floral package is a sample “make your own bouquet kit” that will be offered soon. Be sure to follow Fernrock Farm for the lastest in classes and offerings.

Reason 3 – We are planning to be busy soon because most of our spring and early summer clients have been able to reschedule their weddings. Thank goodness! Although we’ve had cancellations – all with good reason and sincere regret – we will be okay and even more ready to help you create a memorable, eco-friendly, vintage event!

We know you have reasons to be grateful, too. Take care and stay well.

News – Finding Our Zen

If there was ever time to find your zen it is now. Some folks find theirs by meditating, reading, being mindful, listening to music, or taking walks. For us, finding one’s zen means to feel relaxed, be free from worry, engaged in mindfulness, and immersed in an activity that is simple and personally rewarding. Since we love to create, decorate, and craft, we have discovered that our zen can be nurtured through decoupaging.

The only supplies needed are a surface for decoupaging, glue/sealer such as Mod Podge, decorative napkins, paper, or cloth, and scissors. For our projects, we used paper napkins, plastic eggs and pumpkins, bottles, and silver ornaments – all things we already had in our craft cabinet. Our only quest has been to mindfully create something beautiful just for ourselves. We wanted to share these with you today, perhaps as an inspiration that may help you find that calm place.

We encourage you to find what works to help you find your zen. Best wishes for good health and optimism for better days ahead.

News – Missing Ya’ll

Our view is pretty, sitting at the kitchen table with azaleas and bunnies. We are well, have food in the pantry, and keeping busy with long overdue chores. But, we are missing ya’ll – our clients, vendor friends, dear friends, and family. Like one of our favorite songs by Joni Mitchell, we “really don’t know what you got till it’s gone.” So true…

Our solace is that things will normalize eventually but our lives will be different. What that means our crystal ball can’t reveal, but hope that we come through it with more wisdom, compassion, love, and gratitude.

Wishing you all good health and a full heart.

Treat yourself – watch Joni sing this timeless song.