Don't Rain on My Parade: One FREE Way to Get Publicity

Running a small business can be hard, with a zillion things to do, no one to do it but you, and limited cash to do it. Word of mouth is great, especially in a small town like ours, but that will only get you so far. If I had a dollar for each time someone came in and said "I didn't even know you were here? How long have you been open?", I would have PLENTY of money to spend on advertising! So sometimes, you have to get creative to find ways to advertise and not go broke doing it. 



This month's big idea: a float in the Lewis County Fair Parade.

A small parade float makes a big statement

For those of you reading this blog that are not local area residents, the Lewis County Fair is a VERY big deal here! The parade is 2 1/2 hours long and features local bands, businesses, and community groups. Of course it also has a vast array of farming equipment, fire trucks, and more candy than trick-o-treating at Halloween! The fair has been a community staple for almost 200 years, and the best part, entering a float is FREE!

Lewis County Fair, since 1820

In the small business world, free is a very good thing! Over 2,000 people come to the parade and sit along the parade route or in the grand stands at the fairgrounds and see the floats as they pass by. That is a far better reach than our Facebook site has ever had. But, we have certainly learned a few things with this first time float, and it will make for an even better showing next year. I would like to share a few things with you about the parade float process this year, and how we intend to make it even better next year. If you are lucky enough to have a fair or other community event in your area, perhaps you can learn from our trial and error as well.



1. Think your business is too small? Find a partner! The absolute best thing I did this year was call on a friend to sponsor a parade float with our store. As soon as I found out the float was free (unless you wanted it judged to win money), I called my good friend Christy who owns The Old Meat Market Gallery right down the road from us. She features handmade items by local artists, and her style and  store type was a perfect mesh with ours. (Not to mention she has 6 kids, and I knew that brood would come in handy!) Finding a partner store for the float cut expenses, legwork, and construction time, as we had someone to rely on. Christy picked up the candy, got the giant roll of heavy paper for the signs, and enlisted her children and their friends to help on the evening of the parade. Not to mention, it was more fun sitting with a friend and laughing as we doled out candy.

2. Have enough candy! Kids love candy. Adults love the candy. Who doesn't like free candy?  The problem is that the parade route is about a mile long or so... that is a lot of people. if you think you have enough candy, buy more! We started buying a month or two before the parade from Sam's Club so we could buy in bulk and stockpiled it at the shop. But, we still ran out a little more than halfway through the parade. One reason was that the kids went a little crazy with the candy throwing (we will chat with them about that for next year). The other reason was we clearly underestimated the amount of people in attendance. Our saving grace was a bubble machine when the candy ran out!

3. Know the theme and stick to it! Every year they make a big deal out of choosing the theme for the fair. This year the theme was "Family Fun for Everyone". It was difficult to make it fit our float, but at least we tried. We picked things at the fair that also were things we have at the shops (like knitting, old farm tools, etc.) and placed them on the table in our float.  As we watched other floats go by (we saw a lot of the parade go by us) one of the main questions that popped in our heads was "What does THAT have to do with the theme?" Of course this matters more if you are going to be judges I suppose, but it also should look like you wanted to be a part of the parade and not just an advertisement for your business. We started very simple this year, and hope to make it bigger and better next year.

2 great places to shop local

 4. Have fun! It was a blast being a part of the parade and the Lewis County Fair. Waving at people, seeing faces we knew, and then seeing new folks read our signs and see our float. Who knows, maybe they will remember our float and make a point to stop in to see us. I cannot say enough about supporting your local community with events such as this one. It was very low cost to us, gained us a ton of exposure, and was fun to boot. Check out your local Chamber of Commerce for a list of events and how you can get involved.


The group of us cannot wait until next year, when we will have a bigger and better trailer, more kid "volunteers" to toss out candy and blow bubbles, and of course, more candy!

Old School... Revamp a school bench

I suffer from what could be called UPS, Unfinished Projects Syndrome. I have a million things started at all times, and then I get bored and move on to a different project, sometimes before the other one is finished. Ok, more often than not before the other one is finished. For instance, I promised that I would have the cigar box doll house done with new pictures... I have this...

Unfinished cigar box dollhouse

Yup, that is as far as I have gotten. But the new project that took over, was so much more exciting, I promise. And, I finished it! Well, mostly. It just needs a coat of clear coating to protect it from the elements and it will be all set! So, without further ado, let me tell you about the newest DIY project, upcycling an old school desk seat into a garden bench.



Back story: A consigner came in with an old school desk and bench. We had it over the customary 3 months, and when it came time to pick it up, he told us we could keep it. Not willing to send it to the dump, I decided to give it new life. The two pieces went together awkwardly, so splitting them up into two distinct pieces seemed like the way to go. I have another cool idea for the desk, and I promise to post it soon. (after the fair and that crazy debacle, but that is next week's blog!)
 

The beginning of a beautiful idea

The Steps: First, I washed the whole thing down and wiped it clean. I used sandpaper to rough off what was left of a finish and then wiped the whole thing down again. I then used painter's tape to protect the wood around the legs. After years of neglect, the legs needed new life, so I spray painted them with black spray paint. When using spray paint work in a well ventilated area and apply a light coating to avoid runs and drip marks. 

One leg almost completed

It took two layers of paint, waiting for each layer to completely dry. It was also difficult to get into all the little areas. I did end up getting some paint on the wood, but it didn't matter too much with the overall design of the project.



The second step was my favorite part. In the back room of the shop, I found a very worn an tattered copy of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. There were some pages missing and the cover was ripped off. I torn out pages in random shapes and sizes, and used mod-podge to put them on the seat part of the bench. I mostly centered the book title page on the bench and the rest was just a creative flow. 

Mod-podge bench top

I continued this on the bottom of the bench as well, even though it isn't seen that often. The tricky part of this was corners, as you have to plan the folds so that there are crisp clean folds and no bumps. It is easy to move the pieces when they are first wet, and don't be afraid to layer the pieces on top of one another as well to get the desired look. Don't stress over placement or if the type is all facing the same way, let it flow and try to relax, the design will come as it will. 

Mod-podge bench bottom in progress

It was a little sad at first, tearing up a book, but I then realized it was already in bad shape and this project would allow it to "live" again in a new way!


Finished bottom

A closer look at the writing on the bench

In the next step, I allowed the mod-podge to dry overnight, and then began work on the top of the bench. I chose an ombre-like design in blue. I used blue tempera paint, white tempera paint, and an old brush. To create the design, it is important to remember you don't want perfect straight lines. I began at the top with the blue in its pure, out of the bottle color. I applied the paint haphazardly on the top. This wood was very porous, so it did change the color of the paint. Before the paint was dry, I added a bit of white to the blue, and added another haphazard row. Doing this while the first line was still wet allowed for easier blending.

Blue Ombre Back of Bench

 I continued in this manner, making the blue lighter and lighter as I worked my way down. It isn't perfect, and it isn't meant to be! Using an old paintbrush allowed me to feel free to really smudge the lines and the product of it was almost a sea/ocean look, which does flow with the Robinson Crusoe motif. I did the back side of the top in the same manner.

The almost last step was to add the quote from the book. I did a little research and found one that I liked, and added it to the front of the bench back. I used small Sharpie marker to write in in blue and in black. I could have painted it as well, but I thought the Sharpie would be a much cleaner look. Two tips: make sure the paint is completely dry and use a brand new sharpie! The wood can be hard to write on, so I did practice on paper as well as writing it out in pencil first. You may not have the best handwriting and wish to use stencils or decals for this. 

Added quote from book

The final step is to add a clear coat of a sealant to protect it from the elements. That way the bench could be used outside in a garden. It could also find a place in a library. As is, it does require an anchor to keep it from falling over (it is the seat's design), so bolting it into place would be the best idea.


I  don't think it will take it long to find a home, and I cannot wait to start the desk part!

Please leave us any questions or comments, we would love to hear from you! Visit us in person at Entwined Treasures 7504 South State Street Lowville, NY. WE are here Wednesday through Friday from 12pm until 7pm and Saturdays from 10am until 3pm. Other questions? Contact us at entwinedtreasures.com or on our Facebook page as well.

Helpful Hints to Shop the Thrift without Regrets

This holiday week has not been conducive to getting any DIY projects completed. We have been putting out new items, attending auctions, and of course getting ready for a holiday B-B-Q. So the cigar boxes are on the back burner for now, (A little summer grilling humor). I have also find another project to occupy my mind at this moment, so stay tuned for a cool school desk redo!

We decided to give you some helpful hints in how to shop a thrift/consignment store like ours. Our place is pretty full and it is easy to feel overwhelmed sometimes when shopping. There are so many deals everywhere you don't know where to look first! So here are just a few hints to help you get the most from your shopping experience.

Pre-planning: Hints while you are still home:

1. Ask yourself, "What is my Style?" Are you a shabby chic? Modern? Minimalist? Rustic and/or primitive? Look around your house and decide what you are drawn to. Decorating magazines are helpful to thumb through for ideas for your home, and they can give you some great DIY tips. Knowing the look you like will help to curb any impulse buys. Nothing is worse than getting an object home only to have it sit in the box or bag because it doesn't "go" with your stuff!

A magazine is a great source of inspiration

2. Know your budget. I could go crazy in a thrift store. So many good buys, but the good deals can add up fast. Keeping an idea of what you are willing and able to spend will help you to keep the "eye on the thrifty prize" and decide what you want to buy and what you can walk away from.

3. Make a list, bring a list, and stick to it (kinda). I have to do this to keep myself from snatching up 16 tiki torches, just because they were a "good deal". My list has my "unicorn" items (those things I am always looking for, but elude me), as well as the items I need to get. But, being flexible is okay too. Sometimes you get lucky and come across an item you didn't even know you needed! (a list just tries to limit those "finds" and their impact on your wallet!)

Just a little list of what I am looking for right now

4. Peruse the Facebook or Store Website. Research is key! We here at Entwined Treasures do our best to update our pictures to entice our repeat customers to return for that item they just have to have! We post almost daily, and sometimes have surprise sales or deals exclusively for our Facebook fans. This is good news for you, and it gives us an idea of who is seeing and reading our posts. With a couple of clicks you can scan pictures for things you like and find out about any deals as well!

Entwined Treasures: the Facebook page

While you are at the shop:

5. Come the first day after the store has been closed. This goes along with #4 too. Once you have researched and found the items you like, speed is the key! We spend our "days off" rearranging the shop, shopping for the shop, or putting out new items for the shop. It is best to come into the store the day after we have been closed to see all the new items and get the first pickings!

Com by the shop the day after it has been closed! get those deals!

6. Take your time, really, we mean it! We have stuff everywhere! Hanging, on the floor, on shelves, pretty much anywhere you can possibly have stuff. Do more than one sweep around the store, and budget your time accordingly. Look high and low and then look again. Remember looking is half the fun!

How many items can you count for sale in just this small area?! Taking your time matters!

7. If you don't see it, just ask! There are a ton of things in the shop, but there just isn't room for everything. We have a ton of things in the back, like A LOT. So, if there is a specific item you are wishing for, ask! We may have just the thing you are looking for and we would be happy for any help to clean out the back room! (If Lorrie will part with it, that is!)

8. Think outside of the box. Pinterest is a great thing! There are so many ideas for redoing old things in unique ways. We have a lot of old things, that's for sure! As you look at a rusty old piece, ask yourself what you could do with it, and what else it could be used for. A little bit of paint, some innovation and the sky is the limit. If you need a little inspiration, check out our other blogs on this page for DIY ideas, and check back with us often here, as we plan many more in the future! 

This may look like junk, but there is something amazing to be made from these old suitcases and a grain cradle!

And lastly:

9. Come by often! Things are always changing here! We never know what a consigner may walk in with, what we may uncover in the back room, or what we may find at an auction. We try to change things around a lot to bring folks in often. We also move items quickly, so the more we move, the more we put out. Check back with us to see what is new. Facebook is the perfect way to keep up with the deals, the new items, and of course store hours (those pesky "real jobs" keep getting in the way of "normal" hours!).

Do you have any suggestions that make your thrift shop trips a success? Leave us a comment or suggestion!

Visit us in person at Entwined Treasures 7504 South State Street Lowville, NY. Here Wednesday through Friday from 12pm until 7pm and Saturdays from 10am until 3pm. Other questions? Contact us at entwinedtreasures.com or on our Facebook page as well.