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Rose. Rabbit. Lie.


Do you remember, back in November or so, me saying that I might be working on a project that would keep me super busy through the end of the year and that I had a meeting with some VIP's?

Well, the project has come and gone and it did keep me busy and my house looking like a shipping and receiving center.   It was a little mysterious and a little hush hush but the cat's now out of the bag.

Do you think you know what a contortionist acrobat,
© Erik Kabik
and five thousand dollar Caviar,
© Erik Kabik
have anything to do with brothers tap dancing on a bar?
© Erik Kabik
You'll  have to step behind the doors that lie behind the doors of this venue,


To see what is offered on this wax sealed menu.


You might find delicacies like Beef Wellington in a pastry puffed atrium

and edible plants and edible dirt which are dessert; aka a terrarium.


You might take in champagne poured by celebrities,
© Erik Kabik
or perhaps Ben Franklin's Armonica will appease?

                                                                                                                  © Erik Kabik
From room to room you can wander and be entertained with flare,


All the while wining and dining on vintage, English transferware!




© Erik Kabik












About 1700 pieces of transferware were provided by yours truly to The Cosmopolitan's newest adventure, Rose. Rabbit. Lie. that "blurs the lines between a club, restaurant, nightclub and show."


Recently, within about a 6-8 hour window I received several messages via phone, email and my Facebook page from Brook and Andrew Bradbury.   Andrew is one of the world's best known Master Sommeliers who ran the wine program at Aureole at Mandalay Bay and created the world's first electronic wine list  which he launched with Bill Gates and Microsoft.   Together he and his wife Brook have opened some of the nicest wine bars around the world including 55 Degrees, Clo Wine & Design and Amo Eno in Hong Kong.  For the life of me, I could not even fathom what they wanted to speak to me about.  Nervously, I returned their phone call and Brook and Andrew explained to me that they were involved in a $40 million project going into one of the nicest luxury destinations in the world, a new venue at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.  Only a couple of months before the grand opening a decision was made to use vintage English transferware in this new concept.   Their partners at Coastal Luxury Management and they both had concerns about finding anyone that could handle a project this big and in such a short amount of time.  After some googling they said they found me, did some research on my blog and my transferware collection and wallah… these two were on a plane and the next thing you know were inside my garage! 



                                             (Brook perusing the purple transferware section)

Hence the picture below that I shared a few weeks back of the two of them with Shawn and me.  Together we selected not only the 550 salad plates shown on the kitchen table, but another 650 plates, platters, tureens, pitchers, salt dips and etc. that were scattered in piles ALL OVER my house! 






I then got busy sourcing another six hundred or so pieces for the project and THEN my house became a shipping and receiving station.  This is what it looked like for a few weeks.  


(Rolls of packing materials stacked behind the sofa)

                                  (Shawn packed every single dish in the equivalent of about 3 days time)










At one point we had a little maze of boxes through the upstairs and mind you, this was how our house looked at Christmas time.  
There weren't any sleigh bells ringing around here, and no glistening snow…only a bunch of plates I was ready to see go!   While working on this project which was truly a blessing, I was also experiencing something really devastating to me personally (haven't written about that here) and I was in the midst of moving to my own website (which I have written about here).  I was a little stressed at times, well more than a little stressed actually.  I told Shawn that I would have had a nervous breakdown…if only I could afford one!  lol  Our family loves nicknames and I earned a new one from my husband which our kids quickly endorsed.  I am now referred to as  'mecha corta'.  Spanish translation: short fuse.  We're not Spanish, Shawn just likes the pronunciation.

I have to say that this felt really good to know that I can handle a project of this size, with the help of one person, my hubby.  It was by far the biggest thing I have been a part of business wise and there is some talk and possibilities of some other exciting things happening as a result of this.  We'll see =)

p/s Please visit Delores at Vignette Design.  She is hosting a giveaway to my shop so be sure to enter.  I will be posting more about this tomorrow along with sharing some pics of her beautiful transferware collection and home.



Joining:
Romantic Home

Comments

  1. Wow! What an amazing project! Who would have ever thought? Hope things are settling down for you. I bet Xmas was miserable with all those boxes about. So cool! Now I have to go look up that restaurant and see what it's all about.

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  2. Wow! That is so amazingly cool! So happy for you that they found you in their searching!

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  3. Nancy, I am so happy for you that I am sitting here crying. You have worked so hard. Good things happen to good people - you.

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  4. Nancy -
    I have been following your blog for so many years - through the good times and the bad -
    This good fortune couldn't have happened to a nicer and more deserving person and family!
    Enjoy your success!!
    Marie

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  5. Nancy, this incredibly exciting. Congratulations! They certainly went to the perfect source. I can just imagine how nervous and excited you were during all of this. What a huge undertaking. I'm so happy that you are seeing fantastic success with your business. Yea! ~ Sarah

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  6. Congratulations Mecha Corta! You pulled that off with great aplomb and did NOT have a nervous breakdown. You did good---very, very good!!!! xo Diana

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  7. I'm going to be in Las Vegas in April. I will try to get reservations for dinner! I am so happy for you and your family that you had this opportunity. I'm positive it will lead to great opportunities in the future. Congrats!!!!!!

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  8. Congratulations Nancy! What an honor! I am your newest follower.

    Judy

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  9. Wow....and good for you!!! You did very well Nancy.....congrats!!! Enjoy your success.......hugs and kisses.....Cleo

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  10. Wowza, Nancy!! You truly deserve this blessing for your passion for transferware!! Blessings on all your business ventures.

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  11. OMG this is huge!! You are famous Nancy....how incredibly exciting and what a testament to your amazing collection...couldn't have happened to a nicer person. CONGRATS!!! Fun to see it all in action.

    PS On a sidenote the place looks crazy amazing!

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  12. amazing!!!! Congrats! Now you have to restock :)

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  13. What a wonderful experience, Nancy! Everything looks so beautiful. I'm so happy for you to have had this chance to show off your collection, your expertise, and your enthusiasm for this beautiful tableware. You have worked so hard and had so many challenges, it's so lovely that these opportunities are becoming available to you!

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  14. How thrilling and how much hard work it was. Shawn and you are a terrific team. I have read your story and it is one of true American success. As one who loves transferware I am glad the two that bought all those pieces obviously like it as well. Olive

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  15. The word "congratulations" seems meaningless and trite given the enormity of this fantastic accomplishment! But it is the only word available to my feeble tongue right now, so I say with all the heart I have to infuse, "CONGRATULATIONS!!!" This is something bigger than big, Nancy, and I'm super proud of you for pulling it off. Your husband deserves a medal of honor!!!

    This is only the beginning, dear girl. Hang on tight...it's going to be a fast & furious ride!!!

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  16. Wow! What an endeavor on your part, and it looks like it will be well worth it. Nice to see that there is an appreciation for transferware in such a venue.

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  17. I am amazed that you would have anything left. This really was a stunning opportunity. I am so happy for you, and so amazed that you could pull it off with so little help! Cheers to you! Joni

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  18. Nancy, This is amazing and I couldn't be happier for you...Congrats!
    xx,
    Sherry

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  19. I'm wondering, did they exhaust your supply so that you can build it up again? Was it hard to part with?

    Julie

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