Second Chance Art & Accessories

Happy Thanksgiving!

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:51:00 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Hope you all have a great holiday filled with family, friends, and turkey. Isn't our country great? We have so much to be thankful for. It's easy to get bogged down thinking about the economy right now - but really, we are so very lucky to live in a country where we can do something to control our own destiny..

Okay - enough of the deep thinking, right? I'm thankful that Second Chance Art & Accessories will have the opportunity to exhibit at the One of a Kind Show & Sale at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago - Dec. 3-6. Our booth will be #8-2050.... stop by if you're going to the show!

Here's a sneak peak at some new items -

Ahhh... yes, the concierge coatrack. This is a popular combo - dark stain, and sparkly vintage glass knobs! What's not to like?

Here's a new coat rack that is part of our Edition Speciales collection. The original paint on this one just screamed out "French Country" to me... and the label holders - I've never seen any like this before. There's a plate that slides off allowing you to change out the label. Here I've left the original labels with old hand-written numbers. These also have a thin sheet of clear mica to protect the label...

Here's a cool take on a bathroom coat rack. The painted finish was a result of sanding a bit of the original paint on the door (green started to peek out). The faucet is really old... a great dark patina. Use the label holders to label your towels! The "hooks" are actually latches from a casement window.

Here's another piece from our Edition Speciales collection. This photo shows the piece about 95% finished. We've added some cool hardware to the bottom, and installed a backlight that can be plugged into a standard outlet. The design was inspired by a decommissioned underground station in London that was used during WWII for meetings by Winston Churchill.

Come see these pieces & more at the One of a Kind Show & Sale in Chicago! As always, thanks for stopping by the blog - and have a Happy Thanksgiving! -Amy

Fall happenings, plus some personal projects...

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:48:00 +0000

Hi Everyone - So... what's new at Second Chance Art & Accessories? Here's the latest......

Starting with a photo of our booth at the St. James Court Art Show in Louisville, KY. This was the weekend of Oct 2-4. We had great weather for the show, and a booth spot near the kettle corn booth, which gave us great smells the whole weekend. :) Thanks to those who visited the booth - we met many new customers!

The next 2 photos don't look that exciting, but show a few "ingredients" for our next great Edition Special project. There are a few more components in addition to the great door header & 3 pane safety glass door section...... we'll throw a few PO boxes into the mix also. Stay tuned for the finished project. We're hoping to unveil this one for the One of a Kind Show & Sale - Dec. 3-6.

Yes, I admit to being a dog lover. Here's a few more pictures from the Louisville art show... I must say that those Louisville folk do like their pets. These dogs are in a stroller - the owner told me their names are "Prince" and "Princess". Cute!

Okay, another doggie in a stroller, this time wearing some sort of feathery purple number.

Okay, now I'm changing the tune a bit. I've mentioned that my hubby & I have moved recently, to a 1906 house we've been working on for quite some time. Slowly but surely we're making progress. I finally have the foyer & upstairs hall completed (with the exception of art on the walls & some rugs - I think these stairs need a runner!).

Here's some before & after pics:

The woodwork started as a honey oak color. The walls were a minty-green. While the woodwork had a nice warm feel to it, I was hoping for something a little richer & more dramatic..

I think I've achieved it here, by using a dark glaze over much of the woodwork, and painting the risers & balusters a clean white. The stair treads & floors have been sanded & refinished a dark walnut color. I've also painted the walls a nice gray-taupe color (Sherwin Williams - "Mink").

After much sweat, sanding, painting on a ladder, etc.... at least we have something to show for it! Next project: the Dining Room! Hopefully I can get the bulk of this one done before the holidays... We've also got a bathroom 90% done (will share once it's finished), and thanks to my Dad, a terrific new linen closet - with an old door used for the face...

As always, thanks for all your support. Second Chance Art & Accessories next show will be the One of a Kind Show & Sale in December (3-6) at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. Hope to see you there! Email me with your address if you'd like me to send you a postcard with $3 off the admission price.... amy@secondchanceart.net

Happy Fall!

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:28:00 +0000

Hi Everyone - Hope fall has been treating you well so far. I have to say, I'm not a fan of super hot & humid, so I'm loving this cooler weather.....

So, what is Second Chance Art & Accessories up to lately? We're getting ready to travel to Louisville, KY for the St. James Court Art Show Oct 2-4. This is a new show for us, so hopefully it will be a fun adventure!

Part of my prep for each show involves getting my tent weights ready. I have tent weights made from plastic urn planters, mostly full of concrete - 80 lbs each! We left a recess in the concrete for me to fill with seasonal plantings. Here's the latest "planting" that we'll be using this weekend:

This was not that difficult to create.. and you don't need a concrete filled planter to replicate something similar. You could just pull your tired annuals out of any planters you have, & use the dirt as an anchor. Here's where I started a day ago: my poor tired plantings from summer shows have been a little neglected, wouldn't you agree? They looked better a few weeks ago.

First, I discarded the old plantings, but left the dirt in the inner pot to use for an anchor. I then touched up my urn with more "granite" spray paint. (Secrets revealed! This is actually an $8 plastic pot from Kmart).

I then cut some tree branches from my yard, & inserted them into the dirt...

I spray painted the branches with black spray paint... I did use some cardboard as a shield around the base of the urns, so I could paint the bottom of the twigs without getting overspray on my urns. Notice the observant border collie peeking out of the doors behind... she always wants to be a part of the action!
I picked up some bags of mixed ornamental gourds at the grocery store, and sorted them into 3 piles on my "spray painting" tarp...

I spray painted each pile a different metallic color. Here I've used antique brass, copper, and dark metallic bronze. After one side was dry, I flipped them to paint both sides.

To finish, I piled the painted gourds around the edge of the urn, and added some baby boo pumpkins, and pine cones. I made sure to put a few of them between the base of the branches, so it looks like the branches are coming out of the pile of gourds...

The orange pumpkins really pop in this arrangement, which I plan to use to decorate (& weigh down) my booth this weekend. I'll probably add a few larger pumpkins on the ground to tie in with the small baby boo ones...

Now to switch gears......

Here's a peek at some of the latest art from Second Chance Art & Accessories!

Below: "Valet" key holder and "Concierge" coat rack... with cool original paint in ivory, beige, white, and apple green -

Below is a close up of another key rack & coat rack combo... with 3 vintage glass knobs & ornate doorknob escutcheon plates..

Below is a cool vintage mirror that I've painted - this one gives off a 40's club feel... inspired by cool old train stations. Mount it above a large doorway for a unique accent!

This window (below) has the original paint on the frame.. a cool combo of blue, lavender, and sage green -

Thanks for stopping by! We'll be in Louisville, KY from Oct 1-5. Please be patient, as it may take us until Tuesday Oct. 6 to respond to any email inquiries.

After that, we'll be at the One of a Kind Show & Sale in December at the Merchandise mart in Chicago - hope to see you then! take care - Amy

Frankfort Fall Fest weekend - Second Chance Art goes batty!

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:42:00 +0000

Hi Everyone! thanks for stopping by the booth this past weekend at the Frankfort Fall Festival - it was a fun weekend with perfect weather, and lots of food on sticks!

Above is a shot of our booth, in front of Jenny's restaurant on Kansas St. We were entertained by patrons who brought their pets, many wearing dresses, hats, and assorted doggie fashions.

Above is a shot from inside the booth .... this section shows coat racks waiting for your hangables!

Above is a close up of our "Post Office" highboy dresser.... here we've taken vintage post office box doors, and retrofitted them into a dresser drawer to create mailboxes. We've added dividers to the drawer, and slots above each mailbox - for all your family's mail. This is an entertaining piece, as each door has it's own combination. You'll have to visit a show in person to see if you can get the doors open! (the combos are listed on this piece's price tag, and each works just fine if you know how to enter the combo)

Okay, so now it's time to explain why we've "gone batty". On a personal note, my husband & I moved a few months ago to an old house we've been rehabbing. Well... it's still not done yet, and will probably take us a couple of years to really get it buttoned up. Our next big project is adding a fireplace, so we've prepared for this by removing a section of wall, and busting into an existing brick chimney.

Both Saturday night & Sunday night we discovered a bat flying around our house! Being the manager type that I am, I immediately delegated the task of "bat removal" to my husband.

Little did he know when we got married that he'd have to remove assorted live animals from our house (in the past, he's been in charge of "opossum removal", "bird removal", and "dismembered squirrel removal" - compliments of our doggie door, and our bored border collie)

The picture above shows the bat, clinging to a section of chimney in our living room (which, by the way, is currently under construction). He ended up catching it in a coffee can, and released it outside. This was saturday night when we came home from the fest. The following evening, we were "delighted" by another bat, flying in circles around our bedroom! Ahhhh! Of course, I covered myself with a blanket until it flew out of the room. Since he was now well practiced in bat removal, my husband was again able to catch the bat with a coffee can & release it outside. We've since tried to identify & plug up all holes in our attic, chimney, etc. Hopefully this will be it for the battiness!

thanks for stopping by... our next show is in Louisville, Kentucky - Oct. 2-4. Stay tuned for more Second Chance Art & Accessories adventures, and show info - take care - Amy

Thanks Gold Coast & Art at the Glen!

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:25:00 +0000

Hi Everyone -

Second Chance Art & Accessories wants to thank all those who stopped by the booth at the Gold Coast Art Fest (july 31-aug 2) and the Art at the Glen show this past weekend (August 8-9). Here's a few pictures from the shows:

Above - our booth at Art at the Glen... I didn't get to take as many pictures at this show. Too bad, I did see lots of great doggie photo op's. Dogs in strollers wearing dresses... that's all I can say. Too bad my border collie won't put up with this sort of treatment. She's got too much to do to be sitting in a stroller.

Above is our booth at the Gold Coast Art fest. We had great weather for this one!

Here's a couple of new pieces up on the wall in the booth at Gold Coast. I'm on the hunt for more old golf clubs, since this one was a hit! (it's difficult to see from the photo, but the lower piece in the photo reads "nineteenth hole coat check" and has old golf clubs mounted for "hooks" to hang coats.

Here's a couple more coat racks & a chalkboard. In the next few weeks, I'll be making more of these coatracks.... look out doors, here I come! (the coat racks are made from sections of paneled doors, sliced up with a table saw).

Here's my husband & I at the Gold Coast art fest. This is one of those "take a picture of yourself by holding the camera out at arm's length" shots. Not bad, huh?

thanks again for stopping by the blog... our next show will be the Frankfort Fall Fest over labor day weekend. Meanwhile, I'll be shopping at the Sandwich antiques market in a week or so for more fantastic salvage items! Can't wait for this one, since I've been unable to visit the Kane County Flea Market all summer due to my show schedule. As always - take care! :) Amy

Chalkboards, knobs, & epoxy....

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:25:00 +0000

Hi Everyone! Here's a look at what we've been up to lately at Second Chance Art & Accessories...

I've made chalkboards in the past using vintage frames or window sash frames, but up until this point the chalkboard itself was made using chalkboard paint. I've been looking for a more durable chalkboard material that can stand up to heavy use - for businesses, restaurants, and for those who just want something more durable.

So, I've ordered some factory made porcelain coated steel chalkboards. They come in these huge sheets.... 4' x 8', on a semi truck...(makes receiving them a little more interesting, not your every day package!)

Here's the sheet before cutting:

Here's a picture of my Dad, running the material through his table saw. This was after our session of "try to figure out how to most efficiently cut the chalkboard to get the most pieces out of it"... or something like that.

To be honest, I was hoping to get some sparks flying in the picture... but no such luck. The material has a layer of metal in it, so this was not the most comfortable thing to do. We were pelted with small metal bits as we cut each piece..

Above... we've cut pieces to fit an assortment of frames. I've also got black chalkboards. Below is a closeup of the finished chalkboards, all in a stack. The material comes with protective plastic on the surface, which I plan to leave on for my customers to remove.

Okay, now on to other things...yesterday we worked on more coat racks. I've done quite a few now with doorknob "hooks"... but it has taken a little bit of figuring. After all, how does one attach something securely that was not intended for this purpose?

Let's just say we have our methods... and they involve a lot of epoxy! Which is really sticky stuff.... but you can clean your hands afterward with denatured alcohol - comes right off.

The photo above shows a new piece with it's original paint... I've added lots of antique hardware for hanging keys.

This piece (above) required a departure from our usual method... I guess these old porcelain faucet handles are not quite like doorknobs.

Here's a long one....8 knobs! This piece was made from a hard-to-find full door length door panel. The other half of this door is becoming a golf-themed coat rack. At the time I took these photos, it was still in the "drying" position, so I didn't want to disturb it.

Come out to the Gold Coast Art Fair (July 31, August 1-2), and visit our booth - #258-258.5 to check out the new pieces in person! We'd love to have you stop by... the booth is near the corner of Wells street & Erie, downtown Chicago. Hours: Friday noon-5pm, sat & sun 10am-5pm.

We'll also be in Glenview, IL the following weekend (August 8-9). Check out Art at the Glen Town Center.. hours are 10am-5pm sat & sun.

take care - Amy :)

Oak Brook Fine Craft Invitational 2009

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:55:00 +0000

Hi Everyone! Thank you for stopping by the booth at the Oak Brook Fine Craft show last weekend - it was a hot, sticky weekend, but at least it was sunny & above 70 degrees! (our last show was 50-60 degrees, and in June!)

Here's a picture of the booth:

Here's some of my typical "feet photos" - don't ask why I keep taking these, but now it seems to be a show tradition. Maybe it's an easy way to post pictures of my Mom & I without having our faces shown....

So - what's new with Second Chance Art & Accessories? Mainly... my husband & I are now moved into our "new" old house in Minooka, IL. We've spent the last month or so packing up the old house, and finishing up the details of selling the old house. We are grateful to now be living in one location, and have all the fantastic salvage stored neatly in our "new" carraige house.

I've got some new items in the works... so I'll plan a post in the next week or two with some preview photos. Hopefully these items will make their debut at the Gold Coast Art Fest in a couple of weeks -

thanks for stopping by the blog - I appreciate all the support of my customers! take care - Amy

Eastside Millenium Art Fest 2009

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:16:00 +0000

Hi Everyone! Thanks for stopping by the booth at the Eastside Millenium Art Fest this past weekend - June 5-7. Here's some pictures of the Second Chance Art & Accessories tent before the fest opened:

Each show brings it's challenges - this weekend the weather was only 50-60 degrees, and saturday brought a consistent drizzle the entire day. We found new use for all of our blanket "padding" that gets set aside while art is on display!

Above is a picture of my foot, along with my Mom's feet. My Mom, a real trooper, was with me in the cold the entire weekend. Despite the cold, we got to meet some new faces and sell some great artwork.

On the personal front, my husband & I are moving about 15 minutes west - to a house we've been working on for about a year now. The move is happening in the next couple of weeks. I hope to share some photos from our new home in progress.... I think it will probably be in progress for quite some time!

thanks for all your support & stopping by the booth, blog, etc. Our next show is at Oak Brook Center, July 11-12th. Looking forward to it! take care - Amy :)

2009 Show Schedule

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Thu, 07 May 2009 18:23:00 +0000

Hi Everyone! Second Chance Art & Accessories' 2009 show schedule is coming together...

So far, we'll be at:

June 5-7: Eastside Millenium Art Festival, Chicago

July 11-12: Oak Brook Center Invitational Fine Craft Exhibition - Oak Brook, IL

July 31-August 2: Gold Coast Art Fair, Chicago

August 8-9: Art at the Glen, Glenview, IL

Sept. 5-7: Frankfort Fall Festival, Frankfort, IL

Dec. 3-6: One of a Kind Show & Sale, Chicago

I'm still waiting to hear back from a couple of shows... I'll be sure to keep the website up to date - check out the Events page for updated info.

Sadly, we won't be exhibiting at the Wells Street Art Festival this year, because we did not get in! This brings up a whole new can of worms... how to get our art to the public, without having to go through a "gatekeeper" (aka - show juries!). Without getting into too much detail, I am seriously considering starting to sell art directly from the new website. After the dust settles from our move (in case you haven't heard, my husband & I are moving a short distance... which includes both of our home based businesses) & we see how this show season pans out, we'll likely be considering a few new avenues to get our products to the public.

Here's a sneak peek at a few new items:

Hotel Laundry vintage painted mirror -

Flower Shoppe themed painted door panel sign - with original green paint -

Jardin de Provence painted door panel sign, with original paint finish -

Now this is a fun project currently underway for our Editions Speciales line....

here is the before picture - an antique highboy dresser...

Here it is in the works - it has been outfitted with 6 vintage P.O. box doors, with working combinations. The top drawer has been removed & subsequent opening "slotted" so mail can be deposited into each of 6 boxes. In this photo, it is just back from "carpentry land" - aka - Dad's workshop (thanks Dad!). A new finish & hardware has yet to be applied. Check this one out in person at one of our retail shows... once it's finished, you'll find it on the website under Editions Speciales.

Thanks for stopping by! We're looking forward to an exciting season of retail shows with new products, along with a new workshop location for us. I'll be sure to share more pictures of our home renovation as we make more progress... take care - Amy

New website, new items, new house...

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:02:00 +0000

Hi everyone... Yes, I seem to have fallen back to my "post once a month" schedule that sometimes occurs when other life events take over. Ya know what I mean?

Anyway... the new website is coming now VERY soon, I mean it this time! I'm hoping to get it up live early next week. Over the past month I spent time uploading all of my current inventory, and working with a designer to get the web template ready. Another great thing about my new site is the potential for ecommerce in the future... I'm thinking within the next year I'd like to go for it!

I've also been applying to shows for the summer... and having professional pictures taken (finally!) of some of my art for show applications... here's a few samples:

Cool new towel rack with an old faucet to hang your towels from.... the photog actually put the brick background in after the fact. Pretty sneaky!

This piece hangs 4 sets of keys from old window sash lock catches... labeled with the vintage label holders. I've also put 2 doorknobs & a level at the bottom for coats....

Here's an interesting coat rack - I was going for a 1900-1920's feel.. like a fancy old hotel or maybe a theater.... this one has a combo of vintage hooks & some window sash lock pieces to hold your coats. Label the 5 sections for your family members. The label holders are vintage - from the American Type Founder's Co.... (as imprinted onto each).

I hope to resume my more frequent posting habits shortly! My husband & I have our house up for sale, and hope to move to our new place soon (another vintage find). With this will come all the fun of moving a home business.... a few hundred windows, etc.

thanks for stopping by! :) Amy

New website coming soon!

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:06:00 +0000

Hi Everyone -

I guess the cold weather has caused my blogging ability to slow down a bit... (what other excuse can I come up with to explain my lack of posts?)

Not to say there's nothing going on though... in fact, the Second Chance Art & Accessories website is being redesigned right now! I'm actually posting on the blog as a way to procrastinate working on the website....(can anyone relate?)

I found a great designer to build a new template for the website. I've been taking pictures of assorted "goodies" that are commonly used in second chance art - for potential use on the website. Here's some of the items I snapped:

Above: Terrific old label holders.. soon to become part of some great coat racks, and a fantastic large map of Europe - awaiting a new life behind a window..

Above: great old hose nozzles... likely to become hooks for a coat or hanging jar vase, and look at all the knobs! If you don't recognize these, you've never been in a house with old wiring. I harvested these from my basement (1918 house) when we updated our electric. I've found they make interesting hooks for coats...

Here's a few more pictures (above) that you may see on the new website - a variety of old but beautiful doorknob backplates, my tobacco can "vase" full of light fixture arm "flowers", old porcelain cross handles for faucets, and of course - another map. I think I have a map addiction!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope to have the new website up soon! As a result, I have not been updating my current site like usual. My current site will remain active until the new site is ready - & then you'll see some new pieces from Second Chance Art & Accessories!
take care - Amy :)

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:59:00 +0000

Hi Everyone!

It's been a few weeks since my last post, so I figured I'd share what I've been up to with Second Chance Art & Accessories, and a few personal things.

I have finished up 5 art projects for Osteria Ottimo, a great new Italian restaurant in Orland Park. I've included a few pictures of 3 of the pieces.... at the time I took these, I was delivering 2 more - so they were not yet up on the wall.

Want to check out the art? Get yourself some great Italian food, and go see for yourself! I've been there for dinner twice so far - the food is excellent!

Osteria Ottimo: 16111 S. lagrange Rd., Orland Park, IL (708) 403-3366; check out the article below for more info.
http://www.frankfortstation.com/Articles-c-2009-01-30-190929.112113_Not_your_everyday_Italian_Ostertia_Ottimo.html

This mirror is to the left of the bar, close to the area where the antipasto trays are prepared. Antipasto is definitely a specialty here. Check out the vintage look slicer that is used when you order an antipasto tray!

You'll have to dine in & ask what this really means.... Something about God & water, man & wine.... (painted on a rustic old door section)

This is an old 2 pane storm window, that I've refinished with dark stain to help guide patrons to the restrooms. By the way, the restrooms are worth checking out - fantastic trough sink & tile work!

Aside from the projects for Osteria Ottimo, I've been searching for great art "ingredients" on ebay. I also took a trip to the Kane County Flea Market.. but to my dismay, it was not happening the weekend I thought. Hmmmmm... much disappointment, but somehow I got my wires crossed.

So - I drowned my sorrows at Island Girl Salvage (below). I picked up some great old paneled doors for future artwork. If you haven't visited this place, it's worth checking out.

http://www.islandgirlsalvage.com/

Here's the latest on our own personal adventure - our "new" old house. We had victory over cottage cheese on this bedroom ceiling. When installing ductwork, big chunks of it fell down all over, so we hired some drywall folks to fix it for us. Here's the before shot:

Yay! Cottage cheese no more! Ready for paint:

I couldn't resist adding this picture, of my little border collie, Olive. She's an overachiever, & decided to clean out the last 2 pieces of dog food from the bottom of the bag.

Next up for Second Chance Art & Accessories: continuing my research process for options on having my website redone, applying to shows for 2009, and making inventory! Much is in the works...stay tuned! Confirmed shows for this year so far: Oak Brook Center Fine Craft Invitational (July 11-12), One of a Kind Show & Sale (Dec. 3-6).

thanks for stopping by - :) Amy

New Year, New Beginnings, "New" house.....

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 04:54:00 +0000

Hi Everyone! Happy 2009! Hope you all had a great holiday season, and best wishes for this year to come.

I've got some personal pictures to show & tell here - I haven't talked much about our "new" house yet....... but in the future you'll probably see more of it. At this point, we've mostly been doing things that aren't very fun or visable. (ie - new wiring, some new HVAC, a new attic floor). But I do have some before & after pics of my new basement. This basement was classic-old house creepy, with a low ceiling, & wires running every which way. We've cleaned up much of the old clutter & painted it white.

EEEEWwww! Scarrrryyy!

A little better.....

Creeptacular......... or yuckarific? .....

Not so creepy....

It's still not the taj mahal, but certainly much less creepy! We have yet to install some cabinets for storage (from one of my favorite places: the Ikea as-is section!), and some curtains I'm making from more Ikea fabric. Who knows..... this may be a mini Second Chance Art & Accessories workshop for a while - until I can build a bonafide workshop / garage in the backyard.

On the business side of my life - here's a few great finds I picked up this weekend - from freecycle. If you haven't heard of freecycle - check it out! http://www.freecycle.org/ This organization runs local groups that allow postings of free items offered to the group members. A great way to recycle things you no longer need, but think someone else can use... and you don't even have to take anything to goodwill.

I got really lucky with these dressers. I'm thinking at least one may end up as a one of a kind sink vanity for sale in my booth at some point......

Good bye for now - thanks for checking in! take care - Amy :)

Merry Christmas!

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:01:00 +0000

Hi Everyone! Hope you are having a wonderful Christmas season - doesn't it seem to be flying by this year - or is it me?

Anyway, here's what's new in the land of Second Chance Art & Accessories -

I've been working on a few projects for a new restaurant - Osteria Ottimo - in Orland Park. They should be open sometime in January. Here's a picture I took this morning when I dropped off a few pieces:

The place looks fantastic inside so far, and if their atmosphere is any indication of how the food will be - I'm already a big fan! Check it out once it's open for some great Italian food. It's located off La Grange Road, behind Champs & Houlihan's in Orland Park.

Here's a sneak peak at the projects I've worked on for them:

From what they tell me, this saying involves God, Man, water, & wine. You'll have to go to dinner there to get the story straight!

In the next few months, I'm going to investigate having my website redone. The current site has served me well so far, but I have to admit I'm not cutout to be a "webmaster". I'm planning to get someone more technically inclined to reorganize & rebuild the site. We'll see how it goes. I've also got a fair number of orders to complete, and 2009 art/craft show applications fill out.

On a personal note - my husband & I are planning on moving to Minooka, IL. We've been fixing up a great old house to get it ready for the move. My husband's new name is "Captain Electric" - because he's managed to rewire the entire house to eliminate all fear of knob & tube wiring. For me, this means I get all the old porcelain insulators to incorporate into a great new piece of art!

take care - have a Merry Christmas - :) Amy

One of a Kind Show & Sale

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Hi Everyone! Thanks so much to everyone who stopped by the Second Chance Art & Accessories ® booth this past weekend at the One of a Kind Show & Sale in Chicago. Here's a few pictures from our booth set up -

This one (below) is from December 2nd. Since I teach a class on wednesday mornings, we did the bulk of our setup on tuesday. Here I am, amidst the pile of art, amazed at how quickly the art got from the loading dock to my booth.

This photo shows the booth after our setup - almost done, except for the pile of empty bins that needed to go to storage....

Finally ready! Bring on the shoppers! This shot was taken by a "real" photographer.... yes, that is definitely not me. Try as I may, many of my pictures end up with glare - or better yet - a vague outline of my own reflection in them. I figured I better get some pro shots...

Please bear with me as I get my website up to date this week.... since I'm still my own webmaster, it usually takes me a few days to get out of paperwork mode & into "website rearrangement" mode after I finish a show. I've also got some special orders in the works.

thanks for visiting the blog! :) take care - Amy

Happy Thanksgiving!

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:47:00 +0000

HI everyone!

Hard to believe Thanksgiving is only 2 days away, isn't it? Things have been busy for me & the art business. In the last month & a half, I've been turning out special orders - so that all promised before the second week of December are complete. I've also been working on some new projects - for the One of a Kind Show & Sale Dec. 4-7. Here's a sneak peak at some new items:

Proof that this blog is "behind the scenes" - you can see the blue tape used to tape my background to my garage door (the background is burlap). My hubby's hand is also in the photo, balancing the art! Hopefully I'll get this cropped a little before it appears on my website.

This is the top of an old privacy door, which I've painted an original design on & refinished the frame.

Again - you can see the tape & my hubby's hand. Heh heh. This is an old 9 pane door insert, that I've painted with a design inspired by the 1933 Chicago World's fair. The frame has been sanded down & refinished also.

This window was inspired by the movie "A Christmas Story". Higbee's is the department store where many scenes were shot. To respect the property of others, I did not use the term "red-rider-bb gun", as they actually still exist!

Here's a popular design inspired by "A Christmas Carol". This time, done on a 6 pane window with original hardware cleaned & reattached.

Here's one of my latest coatracks - an interesting combo of white, cream, and even a small amount of sky blue paint was revealed when I sanded this one down.

Here's another coatrack - this time the coloring is a combo of ivory, peach, and mauve-y taupe. I used vintage hose nozzles on this one for the hooks.

If you plan on going to the One of a Kind Show & Sale - at the Merchandise Mart, Chicago - from Dec. 4-7th, stop by the booth - #8-2050. It should be an interesting experience, as it's my first time for the show. I start loading in my art on Tuesday the 2nd of December.

thanks for checking in -

Have a great Thanksgiving!

:) Amy

How do you know when you've done too much flea market shopping?

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 03:00:00 +0000

Maybe when your car is full to the brim like this one..... Yikes! (sorry if this is your car!)

I spotted this car at the Kane County Flea market this past weekend. Makes me think a little about my own flea market addiction / "problem".... but I can always argue that my collection of crusty old things is for my business, therefore - justifying my habit! I can honestly say that my car does not look like this.

However, I will admit that when we got back into the vehicle this weekend, I had it so packed with stuff that I had to drive with my knees jammed into the dashboard (see the picture below - ouch!).

Here's a peek into the rear of the vehicle - the reason for my angst was a pair of 70" long french doors that I picked up, hoping that my hubby will be able to magically fit them into our "new" old house. He's always saying how he prefers prehung doors.... I'll just have to tell him how great he is when he rises to the challenge of fitting these in. (heh heh)

Since it's election day, I found this picture of old buttons sort of fitting. A dealer was selling them at the flea market. Okay - to shift gears a bit - here's a sneak preview of some projects I have in the works. These pictures are the "before" pics ...... hopefully the finished products will soon appear on my website! www.secondchanceart.net

Here's a picture of a mirror that formerly was part of a console table. I found the mirror no longer attached to the table, & sent it to my Dad for some "doctoring". Here it is (sans mirror - just the frame) in the middle of surgery, so we can transform it into a very unique coatrack.

This frame must have been for a swivel-type mirror above a dresser. I found it in pieces; we've since glued it back together...... it is destined to become a very unique chalkboard!Thanks for checking in! Second Chance Art & Accessories will be exhibiting at the One of a Kind Show & Sale at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago, Dec.4-7. Hopefully I'll post another update soon with some sneak peeks on the latest artwork! thanks - Amy :)

Halloween project ideas - as seen at Fall Diddley

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 03:40:00 +0000

Hi Everyone! This past weekend Second Chance Art & Accessories exhibited at Fall Diddley, in Belvidere, IL. Prior to the show, I collected some different gourds to use as part of my display. A few years back I had created a way to add a little sparkle to my pumpkins at home, & I've been doing this each year since. I brought some of my sparkle-y stemmed pumpkins with to the show, and had a few requests on how to recreate this - so here's a few tips-

Pumpkins with sparkle:
1. use basic acrylic paint to carefully paint the stem of your pumpkin or gourd. I've used dark brown & black here, but really any fall color could be used. In the past I've used maroon, purple, gold, etc.
2. while the paint is still wet, sprinkle on your favorite glitter! here I've used a very small grain irridescent glitter - purchased from a craft store. I used several varieties of glitter - in white, gold, and silvery tints.
3. Try the same technique to paint a design on the pumpkin's flesh - I've got a "2" here to represent Second Chance Art & Accessories - but this is a great way to put your address, or whatever you'd like on the pumpkin.

These two pictures (below) where taken with a soft flash on my camera, outside after dark. A very fun effect in the evening if you've got some soft lights in the vicinity!
Here's a look at my booth display at Fall Diddley:
Here's my Mom & I taking one of those "take it yourself" photos - pretty good, huh?
Here's what bored Dads do when they get suckered into helping out for the weekend - find a tree & read!
I see now the husband (at right) has followed suit from my Father. Bless their hearts! At least they had something to read. They both thought there was a 20:1 ratio of women to men at this fair. Ha!
Thanks for stopping by - Next up for Second Chance Art - knocking out special orders with finish dates in the next month, having a "sanding party", and getting some really unique & special items in the works for my next show. Stay tuned! :) Amy

We're registered!

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:55:00 +0000

Hi everyone! I've been a bad blogger lately, due to "hectic life schedule" issues. Hey, I just invented a new term! I'm sure this might describe the life of many of you, doesn't it?

Anyway, here's what's up with Second Chance Art & Accessories lately. I had applied for a trademark registration a long time ago... and after a few glitches (ie - trying to fill out the application myself without professional legal help), and about 1.5 years (& real legal help) - we're now officially registered! I decided to pursue the registration status to protect & promote the Second Chance Art & Accessories "brand" - I haven't figure out what the future will hold, but I've got a few different directions in mind. We'll see where the road leads as we continue to travel down it. Here's a peek at my registration certificate!

I've been to a few flea markets in the last month - here's some goodies my Mom & I found at the Sandwich Antiques market on Sept. 28:
Here's a picture of my mom, sister, & I as we load up the finds from a local flea market this past weekend.
Here's a few "interesting" items we saw at the same local flea market - but they didn't make the cut for Second Chance Art & Accessories. I'm not sure I understand what this was or is - half of a man with a construction hat on. Anyone know what this was for? Maybe he is actually captain hook, since he has no hands. Hmmm...
All I can say here is: Ewwwww! I'm definitely the squeemish type when it comes to bugs of any kind.
On a different note - I've been trying to ramp up my inventory for my next show, which is Fall Diddley - this weekend in Belvedere, IL. (Boone County Fairgrounds - oct 11-12). My parents (who are invaluable to me as volunteer "slave" labor) helped me assemble a large number of "his/hers" windows the other day - one of Second Chance Art & Accessories' most popular items. Hopefully if you come looking for these in the future - I'll have something in stock that fits your color scheme. Yes, they really do seem to go on forever. (not really - but I do have quite a few right now).
Anyway - if you're in the vicinity - come visit the booth at Fall Diddley - Second Chance Art & Accessories is in building #3, booth #25-26. Hopefully it will be a fun weekend! The next scheduled show will be the One of a Kind Show & Sale at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago - Dec. 4-7.

take care -
:) Amy

Want windows? I have some!

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:40:00 +0000

Hi Everyone - check out my window stash in the garage! It's a little overwhelming sometimes. I recently stocked up a little on some multipane windows from the Kane County flea market, and acquired some additional windows from a kind soul who came into my booth at the Frankfort Fall Fest, asking if I needed some.

Anyway, I think I have around 150-200 at any one time. You can see here my "inventory" system, which shows blue tape labels with an ID number & size. I have these all recorded on a spreadsheet, so I know what I've got for custom orders. I'll bet you're glad this isn't your garage!

Here's a few finds from my latest flea market outing - a couple of great old frames, an old mirror, & a suitcase I couldn't pass up, since it looks like a hershey bar.

More great doorknob escutcheon plates - some will no doubt end up in hardware soup! (my not so high tech paint removal process)

Here's a mini army of cool old hooks, I just love these! Don't they remind you of grade school?

thanks for stopping by - My next show is up in Belvedere, IL at the Boone County Fairgrounds - Fall Diddley - Oct. 11-12. If you're in the area, be sure to stop in! :) Amy

Frankfort Fall Festival

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:37:00 +0000

Hi Everyone! thanks to all who stopped by the Second Chance Art & Accessories booth this past weekend at the Frankfort Fall Festival. We had beautiful weather & a great time! Here are some pictures from the weekend:

My business sign, next to my flowerpot urn "tent weights". Yes, the urns are filled mostly with concrete, with a little room for dirt. Very heavy - all the better to attach to my tent poles & prevent tipping. More than meets the eye, huh?

Here's a shot of the entire booth - I must say it's much easier to display everything in 2 booths. I'm leaning toward having 2 booths at most shows in the future.

Here's another flower pot - but this one's not filled with concrete, just dirt. It dries out quickly though - lots of trips back & forth to the water fountain!
More shots of the booth display:

Here's a cute little cockapoo, riding in her owner's purse. How adorable! I'm quite intrigued by the "ornamental dog" thing. My dog would jump right out, & I'd need a duffle bag to fit her in. ha!

Here's my sister, who will probably be mad I posted this picture of her eating some sort of fried carnival food. Mmmmmm.. potato chips.
Here's my Dad - always a trooper. I'm so lucky to have parents who are a HUGE help to me. I think here he's trying to stay awake.. we were worried he'd tip off the chair when the afternoon got warm & eyelids got heavy.
Here's some of that carnival food I refered to earlier. I'm amazed they can get this much on the plate. I also witnessed my family members eating some sort of sausage wrapped in pizza.... yikes! The dietitian in me is still alive & well. I guess I need to start bringing big bags of fruit to my shows.

Anyway..... Up next for me in the next few days: updating all my customer email & address lists, and updating my website. Usually it takes me a week or so to get the website straightened out after a show. I plan to take a few weeks to get some of my custom orders finished. Then I'll keep working on orders & prepare for my next show in Belvedere, IL (Fall Diddley).

thanks for stopping by! :) take care - Amy

Seasonal Artwork and other things on deck...

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:18:00 +0000

Hi Everyone -

here's what I've been up to lately -

Getting ready for the Frankfort Fall Festival, over Labor Day weekend! I invaded my parents' house today, to mooch some slave labor help from my Dad, who helps me get a lot of my artwork buttoned up. Here's a few pictures of things we finished today:

This is an old casement window (above) with vintage privacy glass in a "starburst" sort of pattern. I've refinished the frame, which is quite chunky & cool. A great conversation piece for your mantle at Christmas! Windows with this type of glass are difficult to find.. I do have few more on deck though, hopefully I can get them done shortly. This design was inspired by the glass - I thought it looked a little like frost on a cold morning. (BTW, 1843 is when A Christmas Carol was written by Dickens)

Here is one of three windows that I've painted to resemble a street sign, for your Halloween decor! (Fans of classic horror movies rejoice - hopefully all these places are familiar to you!) This window was inspired by the original finish on the frame - upon sanding, I discovered black, green, and a violet-blue color. In my opinion, a great combo for Halloween!

Okay, here's another picture of a Second Chance Art & Accessories classic design - again, demonstrating my technical prowess.... ha! Actually, I do know how to rotate pictures, but I did not catch this one before I uploaded it. And... my DSL uploading speed is much slower than my downloading speed - so I know it would take me another 15 minutes to get it straightened out. Anyway, consider it a little extra exercise for your neck...

Okay, this picture is of some of the loot I picked up at the Sandwich Antiques market this past weekend. By the way, if you like antique & flea markets, this one is worth checking out. Who wouldn't want to visit a town named Sandwich? Lucky for me, it's only about an hour drive northwest. In the pile are some great doors with potential coatrack-sized panels, and some 6 pane windows with old wavy glass.

Here's the pile of loot on my lawn. After returning from a flea market, I always spread it out to take inventory of what I found (for accounting purposes, etc). My neighbors must think I'm nuts! (we share a driveway, so this pile is very close to them also).

Anyway... On a personal note, I start teaching classes at JJC next wednesday (yes, I am actually a registered dietitian! This semester I just have one class, making more time for artwork). My husband & I also bought a house recently to fix up for ourselves. We will be moving once we get a little more work done in the house... not too far from where we live now though. Minooka, IL - heard of it?

thanks for stopping in - hope to see you at the booth at the Frankfort Fall Festival (august 30-31, sept 1 - booth #520-521!) take care - Amy :)

Gold Coast Art Fest

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:14:00 +0000

Hi Everyone! Hope all is well.... Second Chance Art & Accessories was at the Gold Coast Art Fest this past weekend - the weather & the crowds were great! Here's a few pictures from the weekend...

My sign, painted on a portion of an old door (shocking, I know!)... I just love the leathery texture of the old varnish!

Here's a booth shot before the show started.

Another booth shot....
Here's our "office" behind the tent...

Husband pretending to sleep... probably so he doesn't have to talk to me... does anyone else have this problem?

This sideways picture is the husband actually sleeping. I'm a little worried he might tip off the chair, but that would be pretty funny, wouldn't it? Of course, I tried to rotate this one - but decided to leave it to demonstrate my awesome technical skills. Ha!

Here's our feet - My Mom & I... for some reason, I haven't posted many feet photos this year. Last year, I had many of these. I'll have to resume the tradition.

Beautiful flowers in a planter outside the "Flair House" - which was behind my booth...

Okay... because I'm fascinated by small dogs that are truly just companions, I asked permission to photograph a few. I loooove dogs, but mine are sort of "utility dogs." In my mind, this means they have a purpose other than companionship (ie. running partner, newspaper fetcher, etc.)

This cutie above has his own doggie sunglasses!

Talk about relaxing... this dog remained in this position the entire time I talked with the owner.

I cannot imagine either of my dogs riding in a backpack. This priviledge must be reserved for those less than 10 lbs....

This little guy is just plain cute.

Alright, here's my own cuties sunbathing on our back steps. Polly (aka "the bacon") looks relaxed as usual. Olive, the scruffy one, is about to get all of her hair clipped off due to her owner (that's me) neglecting to brush out her matted fur. Shame on me! Spending too much time making art again....

Here they are again, sitting on the landing as I make them "Staaaaaay." They love to rush down into the basement, trampling all in their path. Polly looks like some sort of ghost, as usual. I have a very difficult time capturing her yellowish-brown eyes. She always comes out evil-looking. Olive really does look a little evil due to her mottled eye color (both are combos of blue & brown - she looks, and is, a little crazy!)

Anyway... enough rambling for now. Thanks so much for stopping by the booth this past weekend! The next show for Second Chance Art & Accessories is the Frankfort Fall Festival over Labor Day weekend, so I'll be getting ready with some new seasonal artwork. Take care - Amy :)

Is it psychic in here, or is it just my mom?

noreply@blogger.com (Moviegirl) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:39:00 +0000

Recently, while helping Amy prepare some frames for future use as Second Chance Art, her mom, Carol, made an interesting discovery. Not only did she find something valuable tucked inside a flea market find, but she kind of knew it was there before she found it.

Here she describes the experience in an e-mail:

"Yesterday I spent the day at Aimer's helping scrape windows and clean mirrors. I worked on her dining room table. She worked in the garage. While we were eating lunch I said I daydreamed about taking one of her mirrors apart and finding money taped to the back side of the mirror.

"An hour later, I slid the back off one of those perfume trays she makes into 'Powder Room' signs. There was an envelope. I held my breath for a second. I turned it over and could see through the small see-through window that there was money in it.

"I put everything back and went to the back door and called to (Amy) in the garage if she could come in for a minute. Then I hurried down to the basement and asked Derek (Mr. Second Chance Art) if he could come up for a minute. In the kitchen I told her that my daydream had come true. Then I showed them the tray, took off the back, turned over the envelope and took out the money.

"There were four ten-dollar bills and a five. They were from the 1950's and 60's. The envelope said JL Hudson Co, Detroit. I used to babysit for the JL Hudson family when I was in high school. They were the owners of Hudson's, but came from Detroit on weekends to their "get-away" house a short ways from my Oxford house.

"It was so fun to find the money. We decided that Amy should use it to buy a new dress for the Gold Coast Show."

The money

The envelope

Carol, with Amy in Amy's new house.

Thanks North Shore!

amy@secondchanceart.net (Second Chance Art & Accessories) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:28:00 +0000

Hi Everyone! Here's some pictures from the North Shore Art Fest this past weekend, in Skokie, IL. It was definitely a hot weekend - but thanks to the kind staff of Amdur Productions who delivered periodic ice cold bottled water to the artists, we did not melt.

Here's some booth shots:

This photo was taken pretty early, right before the show opened.....

In the next 2 weeks, I'll be producing as much new stuff as possible for the Gold Coast Art Fest, August 8-10th. Hope you can stop by & visit the booth! thanks - Amy