I am humbled, grateful and beyond excited to share these photos with you tonight. On Friday I opened the doors to my brick & mortar shop in my hometown of Woodbridge, New Jersey.
I have always dreamed of having my own store....I started working in retail when I was 16 and was a sales clerk, window displays, sr. visual merchandiser, assistant manager and then manager. But I always had dreams of being the boss, the owner to share my passion of what I love with others through my eyes.
I found my soul mate years ago...my husband Brian and he has supported and given me the strength to travel this rough road and make it through. It was amazing to turn the key to the door and walk in and look at my space. I was so happy to have him next to me at Grand Opening and just see his smile and for him to say how proud he was of me.
I chose my opening to be on the 9th of March which for some is odd because its not the beginning of the month. But it's my dad's birthday and as you all know he passed away from cancer less than 3 months ago. He knew what I was planning and I feel that he has been looking over me this whole time. So this is my thank you to him for giving my mother Maria, and I a good life and accepting and loving me as his daughter. Also for adopting my niece and giving her an awesome life too. Love my pops and my family!!!
To have friends that are truly there for me and support my love and my dream....my great friend Liza who came and helped me set up after work till past midnight and her daughter Alicia too..who is my daughter's childhood bff....you really can't express sometimes how much that means to you.
My sister Jennifer who also came to help set up and also bring her talents to my shop. She is such a talented artist and my dream was to have a shop with her and in someone it has happened. She is a vendor in my shop and that works just the same for me. I want to share beautiful art with people and now I am.....
I also have to say that I have met some amazing women through FB, my blog and Etsy and I am so grateful that some of my closest FRIENDS (that is what I consider them) have decided to take this journey with me. I have the most amazing team of rockstars in my shop. I don't want to call them vendors, they are talented artists that I admired their work and wanted to share them with New Jersey and they graciously agreed. So to Barbara, Paulette, Angela, Elise, Leighann, Kellie, Carri, Erin, Virginia, Jenn, Paula, Kristi thank you all so much for having faith in me.
You all know I have 5 children and just suffered the loss of a baby through this process...I am secure knowing this was all in God's plan...and that he is guiding me. My children may not have understood sometimes why Mama has the dining room table filled with fabric and game pieces and just tons of junk. Or why when I send them to bed at 8:30 p.m. that I jump on the laptop at 9 p.m. and stay up sometimes till 2-3 a.m. Well I think they now realize what it is all about. Their Mama is now a business owner, we own a shop!!!
Thank you to my oldest daughter Gabriella who helped the whole process and even recruited her boyfriend Anthony to help too. To my 2nd oldest...my son Alexander who has had some trouble with this process. He is a mama's boy and misses me and is worried about me not being home when he arrives from school. My 3rd oldest is Adelina, she is my girly girl loves all my jewelry and couldn't wait till the shop opened. My sweet 5 yr old Samayah who tells everyone that she wants to be a decorator like Mama....she drew countless pictures for my shop. And to my baby Kemorah who turns 2 this week and doesn't know what I have accomplished but I hope she will be proud someday.
I know most people wouldn't think of their landlord, but I think that Carlo who owns the building that the shop is in was put in my path for a reason. All the searching for places....and he received my number from another businesswoman on Main Street and I am grateful to her as well. He is a great guy, a family man, who is a business man and understands how it is to start a business. He has been so supportive and helpful and that is not common. I am grateful to him, his family and for his awesome contractor Tom who helped me get things going too. This is what the shop looked like when we started this transition
So with all my thank you's said and all my grateful love I now want you to.......Come On In.....to
Lucky 7 Design
Eco Friendly Home Interiors & Gifts
located in Woodbridge, New Jersey
The window for Grand Opening...St Patrick's parade weekend in town
Vintage magazine table turned chalkboard sign in table
A look from the front door...I did an eco-friendly tablescape...grass, cardboard, flowers.
My redone furniture pieces displayed and sprinkled with treasures
A beautiful floral arrangement from my neighbor who is an amazing floral designer. That was my Welcome gift...thank you Olivia!~
My little coastal section w/ a shabby cowgirl apron on display
My bath area..w/ vintage dry sink and some handmade soaps and vintage bath & wash items
My Mama J Jewels line displayed on some of my furniture pieces
Some more shabby aprons and other fab accessories on top of my dirty denim bench
The hutch I refinished and some birds, nests and eggs added in for fun.
More of the Robins Egg Blue area..an antique playpen mounted to the wall to display pillows. My CeCe Caldwells Paints display in the shop to shop my guests/clients what paint I use to refinish the furniture. Green paint for my eco-friendly shop.
My vintage prop rental section, which has already changed some things added due to sales. Sometimes a rental turns to a purchase.
The geek area....I have taken away the typewriter and added a pc monitor.
Girly princess vanity area....beautiful artwork, pretty accessories and my refinished furniture pieces.
My sister Jenn and my niece J in front of her artwork, her handmade fabric custom dolls.
The bath, body and culinary section and yes somehow it all works together...
Refinished vintage painter's ladder...hand dyed scarves,market bags, and upcycled fabric wreath.
The barnyard area....some awesome salvaged rusty metal/barnwood art and a few of my refinished pieces like the wagon, ladder and the hutch
People in the shop
The beverage area....yes I did serve green bottled soda...lol
Some green adult beverages too
Water bottles and vegetable tray were donated by my local upscale grocer Wegman's.
My handmade snacks, vegetable tray...grapes,brie,walnut spread and crackers.
Another version of a brie tray
Yes I did announce that I did my own tablescape
People in the back of the shop
People in the front of the shop
Thank you to all my friends and family who came out to the Grand Opening to support me and my new business.
I think I covered every spot in the shop except the check out area and that is under some wall renovations but I will share it soon.
The store was very well received by my merchant neighbors, town officials and the community too. Everyone expressed there love for something different and refreshing and of course I was beaming with pride and hoping that this means I will be well received and continue to build more of a following in town.
I'll be sharing this weekend's parade event as well...
SHE TOOK A LEAP OF FAITH......AND BUILT HER WINGS ON THE WAY DOWN.
-MJ
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