"blooming junk"

spring chickens, garden love  and lakeside living share the spotlight at dancing goat for the may occasional event.  colors throughout are vibrant and saturated.

farmhouse fresh decor with gingham checks, quirky chickens and pyrex dishes remind us of  country kitchen "lunch" and simpler times.

a once gold ornate mirror takes on a whole new vibe when covered with  a coat of carribean blue paint.  furniture once meant for a formal dining room look at home on a chalkboard wall or in a lakeside boat house.

"crochet chic" love is evedent in every corner of the dancing goat, proving our obsession with  vintage afghans and pillows. while garden rakes, childrens rusty toy trackers and wool flower pins mimic the flowers just beginning to bloom in our spring gardens.

spring and summer are all about fun!  pull in some bright quirky decor to let your whimsy show. and find it all this month, at the dancing goat studio!!!!

stocking the patio

red junk, blue junk, old junk, new junk!!! just in time for mothers day and fishing opener in minnesta!! here is  a sneek peek at what's coming out on the patio at dancing goat studio for our may occasional event.

open thursday - saturday from 10am - 5pm (til 8 on thursday for ladies night out)  stop in and catch some fun!!!

more photo's tomorrow!!

prom dress pink

april at the dancing goat is a rainbow! colored in hues of tulip pink, lemon sherbert and mint green, we have great new lamps in passionate pastels and quirky vintage fabric pillows. everything inside and out hints at the colors of our gardens yet to bloom.

our riverside alley patio entrance is stacked high with bright colored primitive benches in red, mint, turqoise, white and black. also find retro metal plantstands, rusty buckets and quirky containers for your violets and petunias. all standing ready to decorate your spring porches and garden landscapes.

floral and geometric patterned fabrics take on a fresh new twist when mixed and matched on covered benches, chairs, step stools and lampshades. pair them with funky painted furniture in every color of the rainbow for pure decorating bliss.

also find spring entertaining extra's with sweet luncheon sets, bright colored glassware and mix and match dishes. we even have a milk glass punch bowl for that special shower or tea party on your spring schedule.

with prom fast approaching, dancing goat has oodles of "one of a kind" jewelry. necklaces, rings and bracelets are re-mixed using vintage jewelry parts and lot of creative whimsey. also find a fun assortment of fabric, wool felt and crochet flower pins created as a "stand in" for that same old/same old prom dress corsage.

minnesota spring is a time to open the windows and let in a fragrant breeze. a time to sweep out the porch and invite the sunshine in. and a time to re-mix the old decor in our homes with a rush of color...just in time for our spring garden blooms. as always dancing goat has flea market chic ideas to help you decorate on the cheap.

going green in march

love the play on words for this months occasional event. not only is dancing goat an earth friendly "green business" with an emphasis on re-purposing and up-cycling, but we are absolutely OBSESSED with the color green.

spring green, avacado green, mint green and all shades in between are hot for spring 2012 and beautifully paired with grey at dancing goat this month.

funky fabric lampshades take the spotlight in our going green display, with mid-century modern drum lampshades covered with geometric patteren atop chic painted lamp bases.

peeks of spring kitsch fill dancing goat in the form of mushroom motifs, birds, bees, bunnies, nests and bird cages. and as always dancing goat has fabulous jewelry and one of a kind book purses for the fashion diva in us all.

minnesota pre-spring

minnesota winters are a bit of an unusual event...we almost always have snow on the ground in march, when many states are welcoming spring tulips and gentle rain. as an occasional store owner, i am torn between creating minnesota appropriate displays or following seasonal trends. march is a challenge. so my compromise is felted wool sweater flowers. using scraps from sweater mittens created by my very talented friend and neighbor, kris, i have designed a garden of repurposed sweater and fabric flowers!!! come check out the full effect during the occasional event at dancing goat studio this coming march 8, 9, 10!!!

february occasional sale - red hot!!!!

i LOVE romance. i love poetry and love songs, hearts and flowers, candy and cupids, and i absolutely LOVE valentines day!! everything from the shape of hearts and the color red inspire me, and so without a doubt, february occasional at dancing goat is RED HOT!

a fire-engine red, vintage bike hangs from the ceiling at the dancing goat this month. setting the stage for valentines day and hinting at a season of warmer weather, knocking on our igloo doors.

re-purposed fabric is in the spotlight again this month with thrift store clothing that have been re-designed into fabulous re-versable pillows in a variety of colors and textures; such as boiled wool, cable-knit sweater and leather.

book-page heart garland offer a sweet and simple "green" decorating idea alternative and crochet heart ornaments are available for multi-use valentine kistch.

nothing says "be mine" like white chenille letter heart pillows and scrabble tile magnets, which literally spell out your sentiments on a favorite chair or a metal tray chalkboard.

artful heartful valentine giftables are ready for february 14th giving. red velvet cuff bracelets have antique lace detail and romance novel book text quotes to heat up the mood. fabulous jewelry re-mix is all glitz and glamour with rhinestones, hearts, keys and steampunk style aplenty.

and as always, altered book purses are ready made and available for special order, to accessorise your favorite little black dress or gift to someone special. so have a "red hot" february with cheeky style found at dancing goat studio.

quirky pillows with pizazz

a winter wonderland and some colder weather has finally settled in over minnesota. mornings have found me admiring the hoar-frost on my backyard trees and has triggered an instict to sew. any other time of the year, sewing seems a bit of a waste of time. projects are only completed as a means to an end. but for some reason, winter allows me the luxury of being able to sew, simply for the sake of sewing.

earlier this winter i had the great pleasure of discovering a new clothing-only thrift store in downtown new london. sponsored by an area church, the store has lovely volunteer staff and piles of colorful clothing ready to be up-cycled into something fabulous.

earlier thrift store projects included; sweater pillows, sweater votives and sweater covered lamp shades. i later discovered some gorgeous wool and leather jackets begging to be purchased and re-purposed. the red pillows pictured above are created using an old wool blazer and is embellished with mismatch fabric covered buttons. the pillows also feature jacket pockets still in tact. the other photo allows a sneak peek at projects in process and a view of my messy fabric stash. sooooo many possibilities.

this post is a reminder to myself and my readers, to slow down this winter. allow yourself the luxury of creativity. open your mind to the creative use of new/old materials.

and remember always, to re-use, re-purpose and re-cycle.