Spring 2011 Best Kept Secrets' Tour

Had enough of winter? Thinking spring? Good news: The spring tour bags are here!! Time to start planning your spring shopping (& saving) adventure throughout Lancaster County. You will love the varied mix of businesses in this season’s event (23 are new places, & we're pleased to announce that Vintage Chic is among the list again!)

Tips:
*Tour bags make great Valentine’s gifts for friends & family (with the underlying promise of fun times together after the snow finally melts!!)
*Pick up your bag(s) early, as they sold out in the fall.
*Customers may reserve bags at our shop this spring. We'll hold them for up to 3 days. Call (717.354.6228) or email (orders@vintagechicboutique.net) ahead & let us know when you'll be stopping by.


Dates: April 8-23

Details:
The 6th Lancaster County’s Best Kept Secrets Tour will feature shopping, food, & fun. While the tour list is part of the secret, the following types of businesses will be included: home furnishings, gift and craft stores, farm markets, cafes, galleries/studios, businesses in historic buildings, factory stores, a benefit/charity sale, nurseries & specialty businesses selling books, baked goods, even jewelry. The tour covers the whole county-from Knauers to Strasburg, Maytown to Honeybrook (each stop being no more than a 15 min. drive to the next.) Games, prizes, events, demonstrations, refreshments, special discounts & door prizes are available to tour-goers.

Cost:
$6 per bag/tour participant. A portion of each bag sale this time will go directly to Welsh Mountain Medical & Dental Center, an organization providing free or reduced cost care to county children. Please note: only those with a “VIP” bracelet (included in the tour bag) will be able to earn tickets & prizes, attend special events, & receive discounts. If you’re traveling in a group, each guest will need his/her own bag in order to fully participate.

Perks:
Within each tour bag are coupons & promotional items from participating businesses, a map, VIP bracelet, & tour guide with descriptions of each business. Also, you’ll receive a raffle ticket for visiting each tour business & an additional ticket for each place you make a purchase. These tickets enter you into the Shop & Win Game which will culminate in 5 drawings on May 11 for spectacular gift collections valued at over $1,100.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We hope to see you in the shop this month, where we are not only beginning to think spring, but are stocked with lots of sweet Valentine gifts & decor priced from $2. Treat that cabin fever with a little visit to Vintage Chic, & treat yourself to something irresistable for you & your Valentines!

Remember, even when the weather is too cold or snowy to venture out, you can visit our website: http://vintagechicboutique.net

New Valentine Goodies

New Valentine goodies now on display at the shop!!

Heart bookmarks are made of zinc with elegant silver ribbon to mark the spot in class. Perfect for avid reader friends, family, coworkers, teachers, or yourself! Comes in gift box with message tag (6 different sayings to choose.)


heart-shaped photo purse hooks are the perfect way to securely & stylishly keep your purse close at dinners out or days at your desk. Black velvet drawstring carrier included to safely stash in purse. Size & cut photo to personalize or change it up throughout the year

These adorable Li'l Luv Hampsters are the perfect pick up treat for someone special. They are soooo cute & come in tan or pink & hold red "I love you" hearts!

Along with heart tile charm necklaces, hugs & kisses mini bear figurines, and heart soaps on the way.

Grand Re-opening Event July 20-24!!

It's been way too long since I've updated here, but I wanted to let anyone (not on our email guestbook list) that we have moved our retail location as of June. We are just next door to our former home within the Packing House Shops. Our new address is 4298 Division Hwy. Blue Ball, PA. This is in Lancaster County, on Rt. 322 just east of the intersection with Rt. 23, and across the street from the Blue Ball Fire Co. The new shop has a front porch and 3 rooms to shop inside.

We are planning our grand re-opening event for this week, July 20-24, during normal business hours (Tues., Wed., Fri. 10-3 & Sat. 11-4). During this time, we will be offering free refreshments each day to guests. Enter our gift drawings to win one of three tour bags for the upcoming Fall Best Kept Secrets' Tour in Lancaster County. (Yes, we have beeen selected to particate once again for this exciting shopping experience Oct. 8-23!!) Also, during our grand re-opening event, you may draw your discount at the register for 5-50% off purchases! Hope to see you this week! Escape the heat wave with some shopping enoyment!!

Project Stand Redo

Before & after pics of a recent project stand. Before: chipping, missing, & mismatched paint, broken drawer & rough top surface.

Now, sanded, repainted a warm beige & repaired, it has lots of charm & possibility. The little glass knobs are so sweet. They gave us the clue that this piece had potential all-along. We are currently using it to showcase our cookbooks in the kitchen area. It would also make a nice night stand, plant stand or end table ready to fit into any decor & small space.

New Mini Denim Skirt Purses

I made some new mini denim skirt purses last week-just in time for Easter basket filling. These purses are so popular with little girls (& their moms & grandmas, & aunts...) in our shop. I adorn each a little differently with unique trims, buttons, beads, sequins, decals, lace pieces, & such in colors to please every girl's taste. They each have a zipper closure, adjustable strap, built-in "belt", 2 front & 1 back pocket. They sell for $9.99 in the shop & $10.99 online (for shipping via Priority Mail in 2-3 bus. days).

Spring Website & Shop Addtions

After a wash-out weekend, I just updated the website with new merchandise, especially the spring category/pages. More spring items will arrive in the coming couple of weeks as well in the shop. Shopping trip planned for Monday (tomorrow), and final stock-ups for the upcoming spring Best Kept Secrets' Tour are furiously underway!!!


Here are a couple of the newest additions in the shop, but not yet on the website (posted after our Mon. shopping extravaganza!) Blue/lavender floral (daisy & lavender) wreath with birdnest and eggs.


...and a collection of sweet and super-soft chenille gardening bunnies awaiting Easter baskets and springtime cheer-ups in your home.

Taking a Siesta

Don't hate us or be too jealous, but this is a pic of Siesta Key Beach in Florida, where we spent a few hours visiting last week on our mini escape trip. We went to Antique/vintage shops for ideas, inspiration, and hit a few flea market events. With the chillier-than-usual temperatures even in the south this winter, there wasn't as much going on as we'd hoped for. But, we had two gorgeous days that reached into the mid-70's right before we left. We brought a few of our finds home to the shop this week, including some glass bead earrings (new, not vintage), linens, and a sweet wall picture. If we weren't flying home, there were several larger pieces we would have loved to bring along. A better plan for storage/delivery is needed for next time!


Here is one of the items we found in Fl. & were able to bring back to the shop- an adorable framed print of a vintage/victorian girl holding a bouquet of roses. The matting is dark green and the frame is gold etched. This one is getting lots of looks already...probably won't last long.