Shop Small in a Big Way

Today is Small Business Saturday! 

I want my 'shopping small' to be a big deal this year; I am challenging myself to buy all my gifts for friends and family this holiday season from small businesses. 

The hardest gifts to find outside of the big box stores will be those for kids, but I have only a handful of kiddos on my list and am hoping I can find something for them at a local bookstore or toystore. 

I love coupons and getting great deals, but I also love finding something unique or handmade while supporting local artisans. This year I have become more cynical than ever about our big box culture due to the large number of chain retailers not just being open on Thanksgiving day, but also requiring employees to work on the holiday (which happened to be Hanukkah as well).

The best way to avoid the long lines, pushy crowds, parking lot vultures, and coupon craziness? Go to a local holiday bazaar (like Vintage in Verdi next Saturday in Pleasanton!), antique mall, small boutique, or even shop online for handmade wares at sites like Etsy, Zibbet, Artfire, Luulla, Dawanda, and others. For a great list of online sites, visit this post at iCraftopia.   

My gift shopping starts today; I hope you too can support Small Business Saturday today and continue to think small when it comes to buying big for the holidays and all year long.

Have a chic week,

~Sarah 

Junk Gypsy World Headquarters

The level of my jealousy for Amie, Jolie, and the entire Junk Gypsy family/crew hit an all-time high when I visited their *unbelievable* JG World Headquarters store in between Warrenton and Round Top last month...well almost two months ago since I went the same day of Marburger's opening this fall.  

How have I not shared these great pictures with you yet?! Touring this store was so much fun, and I am glad that taking pictures kept my hands occupied because otherwise I might have broken the bank buying a truck load of t-shirts and funky decor. 

You'll know you're there when you see "Large Marge the Party Barge" parked out front.

Cool vintage dishes serve as a border for the flower beds. 

Reclaimed materials and architectural salvage helped make this new building feel old.  

I was so excited to finally see the inside of this store because I have been driving by the property with the 'coming soon' sign for what felt like ages. 

It was so worth the wait. 

Next to this old wagon is a miniature vintage shopping cart in the 'kids section' - 

love that they cater to the little ones. Get 'em hooked on junk early! 

What little kid wouldn't love a room designed by the gypsies?! 

Or what big kid wouldn't love a JG room? 

I hope they bring back their show on HGTV - not only do I love to watch the episodes (over and over and over again), but I want to apply for a room makeover! 

Do you think this blog post will help my chances? 

Look at the light pattern from the olive bucket lamp on the wall.

 I bet that turkey sign is adorning someone's wall for this year's Thanksgiving feast.  

 There is so much good stuff to see it was hard to know where to look first. 

I was there for over an hour just taking it all in. 

I love that they have home decor, clothing, and accessories. 

A store that combines all my shopping passions under one tin roof!

Look at the check out structure.

This crushed velvet orange couch is classic, and I love that I caught Mr. Sikes is standing in front of it - Junk Gypsy is truly a family affair and I saw Janie, Phillip, Amie, and Jolie working at the store. Amie and Jolie were walking around the store helping customers and posing for pictures with shoppers. I guess I looked like a photographer (I was obsessively taking pictures so it was an understandable assumption) and several shoppers asked me to take a picture of them with Amie and Jolie. 

I loved how gracious the girls were about the endless requests for photos.      

Vintage boots!

I need to find a way to incorporate straw into my home decor. 

My souvenir was this shirt. The first time I wore it, a lady walked past me in the grocery store on a hot fall day and said, "I wish I was there! I love Vail!" 

I didn't have the heart to tell her that the shirt actually says y'all.  

One of the Gypsies' favorite phrases is "Not all who wander are lost." This couldn't be more true when I think about my trip to the Junk Gypsy store. After an hour of wandering around their creative warehouse, I left with a new shirt, lots of pictures, good memories, and renewed inspiration for turning junk into dreams.

Have a chic week,

~Sarah 

More Barn Sale Artisans and Designers

The amount of talent in the Gonzales show barn at the Rusted Gingham Barn Sale was beyond impressive. Looking back on the merchandise, the majority of the vendors are actually artisans who creatively repurpose vintage items. It is a miracle they let me in the show because all I do is shop and set up. Take a look at the all the creativity in the barn:

These tin signs from Texas Trash were hot sellers- a lady entered my booth carrying five of them.

Julie from Vintage Soul TX paints pallets and furniture with such skill. She is such a talented designer too, so her space is always inspiring. I first met her at the Junk Salvation show last May and she has really found her niche with painting. Julie, I found a dresser today that I want you to reinvent!

Next up is a glimpse of another great designer, Tiffani from The French Farmhouse.
I first met her at the Barn Sale three years ago when I first went as a shopper.
She convinced me to try the sale as a vendor and I am so glad she did. 

Below is a poor quality photo of the dynamic duo, Mickie and Brandy from Accumulations. They had so many awesome smalls and have awesome spaces at Gatherings in Georgetown and the Austin Antique Mall. 

I had the pleasure to meet Diane of Shabby Couture Di at this show. I then bought several of her finds at the Marta and Friends show last weekend. She has great treasures! 

 

 

 Next up is my Craigslist friend, Jeanette from Simply J's. She and I met through Craigslist; she emailed me about a piece I had listed and we had good email conversations after realizing we both had antique booths. She planned to come purchase that piece, but in the mean time I listed another one and she inquired about that one too, not knowing that I was the owner of it too. She cleaned out a nice section of my garage and I am so glad I found a new friend and room for new junk because of Jeanette! She had beautiful jewelry and I bought a pair of earrings from her.   

Autumn of Take Flyte Farm just hosted her own Barn Sale this weekend and sells her handmade items year-round on Etsy.   

I first talked with Lisa from Garden Cat Vintage last year at the Barn Sale, and I was glad to see her awesome vintage goods for sale at this year's show. I can't wait to see pictures of her space from this weekend's Junk Hippy show in Waco. 

I wish I could sew. Working with burlap is a battle I lost long ago, but Vintage Trunk has it mastered. 

Paper and Lace add a more whimsical and delicate look to the barn. 

I love the goods and the business name of Resale Therapy. 

I am kicking myself for not getting some handmade goods from the sisters at Wool Blossoms and Intertwined. 

 

 

LaDonna of Jewelry by LaLa does incredible work with metal and leather. I love her jewelry displays with the Izze bottles! Looking forward to getting a few pieces from her at the Vintage in Verdi show next month. 

Betsy and Elaine of Sisters' Treasures had some classic Christmas Santas.  

Megan from Salvaged had such a fun look with incredible pieces.  

 It was fitting that her mid-century goods had the air-stream as a backdrop.

She and her mom were my first customers and bought that metal wash stand with the enamel bowl from me before the show. Megan used it to house her delicious smelling and skin softening lavender body scrub. I bought one and LOVE it.  

 And last but not least are my neighbors from last year's show. I am still in awe of how Lori's paper folding skills. She makes beautiful works of art out of pages from discarded books.

If you are looking for a unique gift, contact Monika from Sweetly Recycled. She cuts discarded wine and liquor bottles and turns them into decorative wind chimes. You can even send her bottles from your favorite winery or a special trip and she can turn them into wind chimes or a cool cut glass vase.  

(There were many other awesome vendors whose booths I didn't get pictures of, so my apologies to them.) 

What do metal, wood, wool, glass, tin, paper, paint, lace, lavender, and leather have in common? All are materials that innovative Barn Sale artists use to create one of kind handcrafted goods. 

There were a few good men helping out in the barn too, but each one of the aforementioned businesses is fueled by women's creativity. What a talented bunch! 

Have a chic week,

~Sarah