shop tour: Monarch Mercantile

As someone who is totally obsessed with peeking into other people's shops, not only to... well, shop... but to just be inspired by how awesome they are... I am always psyched when I come across shop tours on various websites like Decor8. I can spend HOURS looking at those blogs just daydreaming about having my own shop someday, or at the very least, being able to spend some time in the dreamy world of the shops that are featured.  So we thought we'd use our humble little Lucille's blog to do the same.  We'll be featuring some of our favorite stores that inspire us.  And we hope we can fuel your daydreams a little bit :)

A couple weeks ago, we took a jaunt to Monarch Mercantile in Bridgton, Maine.  It's run by a very adorable lady named Jess, who also sets up shop as a vendor at the Portland Flea for All from time to time.  

it is... AMAZING. 

it's a treasure trove of kitschy vintage & antique pieces along with loads of handmade and upcycled stuff as well.  it has such a fun vibe, and the store truly lives up to the "merchants of whimsy" standard proclaimed on the sign.

i loved these bracelets!

I really, really, REALLY want one of these elephant pillow/stuffed animal situations. I'm going through an elephant phase, and I'm also into nearly-mismatched patterns so it's only THE PERFECT THING FOR ME

Thanks for letting us loiter and take pictures like total creepers, Jess! We had fun!

If there's anywhere in the Maine/NH area that we NEED to check out, let us know... we're always down for an adventure!

Until next time,

Jess & Caiti

crazy about paisley (and plaid and prints)

 just did a bit of a shop update at Lucille's and realized while I was posting that we have a ton of paisley, as well as a bunch of other fun prints! Neutrals are necessary, but... they're not as much fun as this ;)

You can see any of these beauties in the shop right now!

xoxo,

Jess

just hanging with a griffin, nbd

we may not always go to the same auction twice... we may not always buy the things you'd think we would... but it is a goshdarn fact that we will ALWAYS stop and take our picture if you have a giant griffin in front of your antique store.

and we'll look pretty dorky while doing it.

it's just how we roll.

-Caiti & Jess

shop update

we've been doing lots of selling at the Flea For All, so for a long time our little Etsy shop sat neglected... compound that with the fact that I've had a nasty head cold for DAYS... not a whole lot has been goin' on in there.  But today I finally got around to giving it some love! it's still not quite where it should be, but we're getting there!  here are a few of the new listings for this week. I kind of wish that I could be like those magical Etsy sellers who do their updates in a theme or a color... but that just never seems to happen.  Let's pretend it does, okay? This week's theme is awesome clothing!

amazingly gorgeous 1930s art deco dress - sequins! THE SEQUINS! - Edited to Add: this beauty actually sold before this post even went live... Goodbye, sweet dress! 

rad mod scooter dress! (larger size!)

Not gonna lie, I'm kind of in love with this dress. We've had it on the racks at the Flea for a week or two, but I didn't realize how sassy and amazing it was until I got it on a mannequin. So fly! see it on Etsy here

Adorable 1950s day dress with buttons! and rickrack! and a giant pocket!

crazy beautiful Floral Skirt by Tel Art

everyone needs a nautical necklace, right? (i secretly want to keep this one but i won't! willpower!)

ridiculously amazing Margaret Smith bag with peacocks and flowers and lots of beautifullness (that's not a word, but if it was, I feel like it would accurately describe what this bag has)

hope you're all doing well this week, lovelies!

xoxo,

Jess

love it, hate it

One of the great things about having a partner in this crazy business is that we balance each other out really well. We each like different things, but when you combine everything together, it makes for a pretty cohesive vision. If one of us is feeling really pouty and like a major Negative Nancy, the other one is around to be a little more positive, or at least to sing songs about how everything is going to be okay (we sing songs about everything) until the other one's bad mood cracks.  It's very yin and yang.

In honor of that, we've come up with a weekly feature for this here blog called "love it, hate it".  Every week, one of us will take the time to tell you about whatever we love this week.  And the other one will spout off about things she hates.  Because people spend too much time trying to like everything sometimes.  Let's keep it real.  We hate stuff.  We know you do too.  Let's discuss.

Firstly, with the dose of sunshine for this week... 

Things Jess LOVES this week:

I'm really in love with 1950s peach lace dress that we have in the shop:

i mean, COME ON! it's old. it's lacy. it's lace looks like bicycle wheels or parasols.  IT HAS RHINESTONE BROOCHES! and a tulle neckline.  

like, seriously. it makes me super happy. I hope some fabulous lady snatches this beauty up and wears it to some fabulous party and makes everyone else in the room jealous. See it on Etsy

also:

-Giant Pretzel Pool Floats 

(this will be MINE)

-Finding new, adorable shops in my area.  I just went into Classy Elegance & Secondhand Treasures yesterday, and it rocked my world. Yay for new places to shop!

-And spaghetti.  Always spaghetti.

Things Caiti HATES this week:


-Chicken from Walmart. texturally, it's gross. It's sliminess is uncalled for. And sometimes I don't believe it's real chicken.
-Maryland for making that stupid law about pitbulls. DAMN YOU, MARYLAND! (don't get Jess started on this either, because she has a lot to say about the matter)

oh, the horror.

-Crocs. Why? Why do you need to wear Crocs? Are you going to the garden? That's okay. Do you wear them with socks? Because that's the worst. Mario Batali, I'm looking at you.

-Cosmopolitan Magazine. I don't need to know what to do if I don't have a tampon.  I'm a smart girl, I'll figure it out.  I also don't need to know the 99 Ways to Drive Him Wild.  I'm not going to paint myself in honey and wait by the door (Sorry, Steve). 

 What have you been loving and hating this week, everyone? Tune in next week, for Optimism from Caiti and Pessimism from Jess!

Awkward Hugs,

Jess & Caiti

Flea Fallin'

Last weekend, we had the incredible privilege of selling at the Portland Flea For All.  It's an amazing, brand new market in Portland and it's full of totally rad people selling lots of rad things.  There's vintage and antiques and TONS of handmade things.  Everyone there is great, and everyone who showed up to shop was great as well.  It seems like everyone is super excited to have a place like this to go to, because there really hasn't been anything like it in the area until now.  

We sold lots of great pieces to some totally stylish people, and got to socialize like crazy.  I've already told Erin (who runs this whole thing, along with her main man Nathaniel) that we plan on staying there until they physically remove us from the premises.  We're kind of in love.

Here's some shots of what our set up looked like for the weekend!

I think Caiti is laughing in this picture because two seconds before this she was making a downright strange face and giving a thumbs up.  I decided not to post that one.

doesn't that insane beaded bird shirt kind of blow your mind? maybe my favorite thing ever

a skirt, handmade by Caiti, in the world's most INSANE fabric that we adore

Next weekend, I plan on walking around and snapping photos of some other vendors and some of the stylish shoppers.  If you're around, you should stop by and visit us!  We'll be there every Saturday & Sunday from 10-5 from now until the apocalypse or until we get told to leave (whichever comes first).  See you there!

xoxo,

Jess

with your tangerine lalalalalala

According to Pantone, a self-described "world-renowned authority on color", the color of 2012 is Tangerine Tango.  And since Pantone has declared it so, thusly, the design world shall listen.  It's all over the runways (i kinda dug Nanette Lepore's take on it, personally... plus I just like saying Nanette Lepore), in magazines, and... I suspect roughly two million people will end up with a Tangerine Tango den that they'll regret in 5 years.

Personally, I love orange.  Whether it be tangerine, mandarin orange, navel orange, or any other variety of citrus fruit.  Heck, I've even been known to love some terra cotta here and there.  BUT, I shouldn't get sidetracked... we're all about the tangerine here, folks.

one more sidetrack: am I the only one who constantly has Tangerine Speedo stuck in my head while talking about this?  You know, that song. The weird one.

ANYWAYS.  Since Pantone was spoken, and I am several months late at reacting, I thought I'd check out Etsy to see what sort of Tangerine goodies I could find to enrich my year.

Love this orange phone, via AnnaLouVintage - reminds me of one we had when I was a kid. 

 Except this one is way cooler.

totally rad tangerine toy car via VintageAdorables

adorable brooch via RainwaterStudios

and, I gotta say... I'm basically dying over this swimsuit via FabGabs.  

The adorable lady and umbrella make it even cuter too, just sayin'.

this is a perfect mod dress in a perfect orange hue via vampofvintage

love the collar on this dress via LookAgainVintage

so! do we feel invigorated? like we're on trend? excellent! my job is done, then!

til next time :)