More Than Quilts Studio

Vendor Spotlight – Nancy Hollenbeck

How did you get started at Vintage Marketplace?

Being a creative is completely natural for me. I grew up in a family of artists, ceramicists, sewists, actors and musicians. Family gatherings always included craft projects. As a child I frequently went with my mother “junking.” She would paint, stain and transform ugly duckling furniture pieces into beautiful masterpieces. Throughout my life creating in some capacity has always been present with sewing and quilting dominating my focus. Little did I know how my direction would change when I visited Vintage Marketplace in April 2022 for the first time. A fire was ignited inside me thanks to a vendor, Debra Gale, who introduced me to chalk paint. It reignited a passion for repurposing furniture using a variety of materials and techniques. Shortly after that my life took a rewarding turn when I became a vendor at Vintage Marketplace.

Do you have an area of specialty?

My booth has a combination of repurposed furniture, home decor items, lovely artwork and handmade items such as quilts, table-runners and crafts. However, aprons have proven to be my specialty. They come in three sizes – toddler, child and adult woman. Soon I hope to add men’s aprons. Hundreds of aprons have been made and sold over the past few years and each one is different and unique. No two are exactly alike.

What is your favorite part of reselling?

Chatting with the shoppers is always fun, especially when they see an item that evokes a memory. Hearing them make the connection is heart-warming. Equally important is the thrill of the search for potential booth items. However, the best part of reselling at Vintage Marketplace has been the wonderful cadre of people that make the place so special. Both management and fellow vendors are positive, supportive, friendly and totally embody empowerment. There is a strong sense that if one succeeds, we all succeed.

What is Trending for you right now?

Currently artwork is what is trending for me. My booth is well stocked with vintage, watercolor, mixed media, oil and landscape pieces. However, the most frequently purchased pieces are any form of needlework; such as counted cross stitch, embroidery, crewel and needlepoint.