Starting a new series of interviews for the CC BLOG… ‘People we LOVE & Things they LOVE’.  First installment is with two of my favorite girls, Kari & Michele from Studio 11 by Whatta Waist, a kick-butt little shop & website based in Emporia, Kansas. 
ENJOY this from Michele & stay tuned for MORE soooon…

what is your job/jobs?? and how did you get started??  After 13 years of working in Mental Health I took the opportunity to become fully self employed with Studio 11. The retail store has been open for 18 months now and I’ve never felt more fulfilled! Now I sell my handmade jewelry (The Prairie Jeweler) exclusively in Studio 11 and I also run an at home cupcakery called Renegade CupCake. I’ve never been one to have just one job.

what project are you working on right now?? I usually have at least a handful of projects in the air at all times. Studio 11 keeps us hoppin and we dont seem to sit still well. Today was a flurry of spray paint, glue and chaos… all coming together to make some beautiful recycled, refurbished and one of a kind items.

what is the favorite room in your house?? HAS to be my bedroom{below}!!! Its the one place where my true style shines! I have a great hubcap, license plate and (small) hood ornament collection. As well as an ever growing collection of prints from Never Die Art. I also collect all types of VW Hotwheels, Matchbox and diecast toys.

best decorating advice?? Ditch trends! Do what you truely love and always put your own spin on everyting! I rent my 3bdrm house but have found a way to show my style in everything. You dont have to have a grand home or an unlimited budget to turn any space into something that shows YOU!

what is your best business advice?? DO SOMETHING YOU LOVE! Period! I’ve never been happier than I have been in the last 18 months! Even through the 70+ hour weeks of working both my day job and Studio 11, I still LOVED it madly. Granted, the last 5 months have been the BEST!

what is your best parenting advice?? Be consistent! I struggle with this one, but i know when I stay consistent they respond the best. However, I managed to hit the Kid Lottery and am very lucky to have exceptional kids. They are the reason I’m able to do what I love.

what is your perfect day?? Aaahhh… a good cup of coffee, the open road and miles of junk for days! I’m a sucker for an unscripted road trip and just taking my time! Spring gives me the urge to wander!

what are your plans for the future?? I tend to be the type to just roll with it. The path hasn’t let me down yet so I will let it unfold.

Veteran City Rollers * Volksrods.com * Casa Ramos * S.O.S
Elektra Q-Tion * MAC * Seether * Volbeat

LOVE this new image from Ataggirl Creations… they offer cowgirl western jewelry, plus jewelry beading supplies for those of you who like to do it yourselves. Owner, Renee Mott, has a great eye and offers a selection that will make your creative juices flow. Check out their website HERE and the Ataggirl FB page HERE!!

** Click HERE for more WESTERN Jewelry!! **

For more information about the Antique Show this weekend in Weston MO go to WestonMOShows.com!!

In less than two weeks this entire tobacco warehouse in Weston MO will be filled with antiques, vintage, primitives, junk, collectibles & MORE for the 30th Annual Weston MO Antique Show.  The event will last two days, April 27 + 28 2012.

The night of the 27th, here at the Cactus Creek Shop, we will be having our annual Tamale Party – delicious tamales, beer & wine… EVERY ONE is invited!!

Also that weekend in Weston MO… Bluegrass Festival, Plant & Flower Sale, Antique Car Show & Grand Opening of the Farmers House Market.  Where the heck else areya’ gonna’ be??

Pictures from last year’s ANTIQUE SHOW right HERE.

Over the weekend I took the boys to their first auction which happened to be here in Weston MO on Main Street, just a block away from the shop & apartment.  The boys were so stinkin’ good.   We arrived at 9:30 and we stayed till 8pm.  If this wasn’t in their blood before, it is now.

I let them play in the dirt and run around the Tobacco Barn where the auction was held.  I let them bid on things & I bought them a DVD player for $7 {still not sure if it will work}.  I was so happy that they were happy, and it was certainly cheaper than a movie, and I {hope} they’ll never forget sitting there, feeling the energy of our community,  and hearing the sounds of the auctioneers, and tasting the sweet victory that comes when you are the highest bidder.

It wasn’t what we were after, but in the end we came home with a load of vintage TOYS {cause we need toys like we need chocolate or finger paint}; we are now the proud owners of a dozen board games, drum sticks & a metal baseball bat {and a $7 DVD player}.  AND some really cool stuff for the shop.

The best part of the auction was that most of the people there were from Weston ~ it was the social event of the spring.  Bidding was interrupted with personal commentary, local history was explored, and in the end we each gave up something we wanted just because our neighbor wanted it more.

Another reason to love small town life.

Check out more NEW STUFF HERE.

Other cool KID STUFF on PINTEREST right HERE.

We had a great time, as always, on last week’s trip to Round Top Antique Week.  It was a super fast… 14 hours to get there, 40 hours of Texas fun, then 16 hours to get home.  My primary reason for going was to for a radio gig with Junk Mafia.  I have been doing the radio show for a couple of years now and we are always honored that Marburger Farm asks us to come for a live broadcast.  More on that later…

While there we hung out for an afternoon in the little town of Round Top, Texas and I fell IN LOVE with Lizzie Lou.  I’ve been there before and even found some old pics from a few years ago, but this time I was completely entranced by owner Mary Lou’s merchandising.

It seems like I am always wondering into other people’s shops and thinking I want the Cactus Creek Shop to exactly like this!!  Of course we all have our own style and our own selection of merchandise but I was grateful that Mary Lou let me take a few pictures for inspiration.

Because it was such a short trip I bought next to nothing but I did buy a little Mexican Batea from Lizzie Lou to add to my collection.  There was so much to love… If I could have bought out the whole shop I would have done it in a heart beat!!

Thanks, Mary Lou, for visiting… can’t wait to see you again in the fall!!  xofancy

LOVE these beautiful new goods from Artist Tamara Ruiz… perfect for summer sundresses and tank tops!!  Tamara sent a little note about these new pretties ~ read below for more info…

These bags are my take on Southwestern shaman, medicine and spirit bags. I made each bag from remnants of deerskin, laced them by hand with deerskin, leather cord and several types of fibers. Many, many beads were then added by hand to the bottom fringed area of each bag and also to the tassel at the top-tied area of the shoulder strap. The bags are rather free-form and rustic in style. The sizes and shapes were dictated by the pieces of deerskin used for each bag. The body of each bag is roughly 5″ x 6″ . . . large enough for a cell phone, keys, credit cards, etc., and the straps on each bag are long enough to wear cross-body style.

A strand of turquoise nuggets, chips, cubes, ovals and round beads add color to this simple two-strand necklace. The antiqued, pierced, rustic cross that comprises the focal element of this necklace hangs from a chocolate brown leather cord. A curvy, stylized, hammered “S-clasp” adds interest as the clasp to the necklace.

The red coral necklace makes a bold statement with chunks, nuggets and chips of red coral. The beads are individually wire wrapped with antiqued bronze wire. The focal piece of the necklace is the antiqued rustic cross. While not vintage, it still adds a vintage look to the necklace with it’s rustic style and patina. I like to link my necklaces with wire because it makes a much sturdier necklace than those strung on beading wire. Once in a while I string beads on wire, but it’s usually smaller, lighter weight seed beads.

** Click HERE for more **
Fashion & Jewelry we LOVE

** Click HERE for Cactus Creek’s selection of JEWELRY, etc. **

A consolidated source for thousands of brilliant photos that tell our country’s history from the glint of an eye, the sparkle of a new car in 1960, the smile on faces of “Girls Gone Wild: 1924″ {above}, and other images that you have been craving… thank you Shorpy for sharing these relics from our past.

What could you do with this ANTLER CHANDELIER??
Here are a 8 IDEAS… which one is your FAVORITE??

{image via Country Living}

{image via Material Girls Chicago}

{image via Pinterest}
{image via Decor Pad}

{image via Design Sponge}

{image via HGTV Blog}

{image via HGTV Blog}

{image via Pinterest}

** FOLLOW More ANTLER CHANDELIER ideas on Pinterest **

** Click HERE for more Antlers & Horns from Cactus Creek **

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Last month, when I went to First Fridays in KC’s West Bottoms for the monthly Vintage & Antique SALE, I decided that it was time for Cactus Creek to jump on board. We were very lucky that our first choice of venues, Restoration Emporium, was happy to make a space for us. So one week from today, March 2/3/4, 2012, we’ll be down in th bottoms showing all of our R*W*V GOODS. Hope you’ll come see us!!!!

On a side note, we are supposed to have everything completely moved in by the end of the day Monday, I won’t even be able to start moving in till Monday morning… I hope that they don’t all hate me when they realize that I fly by the seat of my pants… wait for the britches to catch on fire, then work like hell to pull it off. It’s worked for the last 11 years so fingers crossed we can do it again!!

** Click HERE for Photos from our trip **
to West Bottoms last month.