4th of July Weekend 2016

4th of July Weekend 2016: Part One

Our holiday weekend started earlier in the week. Our family took a trip to Flathead Lake in Montana. It is so gorgeous!! It was a combination of business and pleasure. I had a one day vintage show there and we brought the family along to help and to have a little vacay. It was so much fun!! After that we headed straight to the lake for the 4th of July and stayed for a few days.

We left for Montana at around 3 am on Friday morning. The drive was stunning. We stopped in Libby, MT for breakfast. We love a place called The Last Straw. We ate there the last time we came through and loved it! They have the most fantastic huckleberry pancakes. Wow.

Just some of our stunning views on the way to Flathead Lake.

We got to Somers, MT at around 10 am. I was representing Sisters Creed at The Vintage Whites Market an outdoor vintage and antiques show. We have done several of their other shows...the Christmas Show and the Salt Lake show. But we have never participated in their outdoor summer show.

I hate outdoor shows. It is always too hot or too cold. Too buggy and too dirty. I hate putting so much care and attention into my merchandise and furniture and then having it get dirty and dusty. But... I had heard that this was a great show so I decided to give it a try.

Flathead Lake is so beautiful. I wanted to play on the water but it was a work weekend. :(

We were able to set up as soon as we got into town. Our hotel was right down the street about five minutes away from the venue which was nice for the kids. They were able to help unload and then go cool off and hang out at the hotel.

A few booth pics:

Set-up was super hot and muggy!! It was fun to see a bunch of our friends who were also vendors at this show and catch up with them. The vintage world is full of some of the very best people!! Many have become such dear friends. After I was done I headed back to the hotel to cool off and freshen up. Then we were off to explore. We found an incredible Mexican restaurant. Our dinner was fantastic!! We had a great night!!

The next morning I was up bright and early and headed to the venue. My booth was right next to my friend Rebecca's booth which was fun!! Our friends Brettnie, Todd, and Jane were down the lane as were Candice and her husband and my friend Tiffany was one aisle over. It was great hanging out with all of them!!

Me and Tiffany

Our family with Rebecca

The market is about to open!! It is always exciting to see the long line of people waiting to attend.

Since my mom and Stacey weren't able to do the show, I was glad to have my family as helpers. They really worked hard and put in a full day. They were great to lug furniture, help with customers, sales, and to be runners and go and get drinks and lunch for me and for our friends. Tyler, Kam, and Ailey all took turns helping out in Rebecca's booth too.

These girls were the best!! They loved "running the booth". They were expert helpers, wrappers, and baggers. Bryn made sure that a business card was included in every bag. Could you resist buying something from these cuties?

Kameron did a great job too!! I really appreciate the family support that they give to me. I couldn't do what I do without it. They earned some money, Peacewithin clothing, and ate their weight in shaved ice. It was super hot!!

The market was busy and crowded despite the heat. This is just one little tiny area of the market. There were 150 vendors and crowds were steady all day. That said, while I had a great time, I am still not a fan of outdoor shows. At the end of the day I was dirty and sunburned, my merchandise was covered with dust and I am ready to only do shows that are inside with air conditioning from now on.

We tore down, packed up the trailer, and had dinner in Kalispell before we drove the 4 hours to the lake. All in all, it was a great little getaway for our family. We had a great time, made money, and enjoyed Montana and all it's beauty.

I mean seriously!! How gorgeous is that?! No filter was used either. That is pure Montana sky.

We got to the lake at around 10 pm. My mom, Stacey and John and their kids, and Kelley and Elle were already there. We pulled in, put the kids to bed, and headed out to a roaring bonfire that my family had going. The lake, the fire, the stars were perfection. It was time to relax and enjoy the holiday weekend.

Next up... Part two.