Barn Chic at Junk Hippy

What a great weekend in Rosenberg, TX! This was my first show with the JUNK Hippy Roadshow and it was so much fun. I met lots of great vendors, talked with so many shoppers, and sold lots of clothes and junk! If there is one thing that Kristen and her Junk Hippy team do well, it is bring out the shoppers! The place was PACKED with shoppers for hours and I barely had a chance to check out other vendors' spaces (but I did and more on that in the next post!).

Here is a shot of my space. I sold this gorgeous rusty chippy metal bed. The couple who bought it wants it to be the perimeter on their herb garden. Great idea - hope they send me a picture!

Here was the rack full of clothing before the show. I bought the bicycle rack with the bags at market, but can you believe that I made the rolling clothing rack?! I thought it would be all cheap and crafty of me - how expensive or hard can it be to put together some plumbing pipe on a piece of lumber? 

Well, I'm definitely cheap, but I'm not very crafty, though I made a good attempt. I started on this in December and I finally finished it last weekend. It involved about 5 trips to Home Depot and the purchase of a new drill - a 6 volt plug-in drill just wasn't cutting it, so I got the ever-powerful 18 volt drill with multiple battery packs. I finished attaching the wheels to the board, stood it up, and then it nearly fell over. My dad pretty much rebuilt it and then we propped it up on 2 x 4's at the show so it was sturdy. 

It withstood lots of shoppers, so job well done, Dad! 

This is the first time my ladies have worn clothes in my antique space, and  they were looking good in their new dresses!

I was pleasantly surprised to sell more clothing than junk at this show - Barn Chic Boutique is off to a great start! I am looking forward to restocking with new inventory and am marking down lots of items on barnchicboutique.com to make room!

Thanks again to all the JUNK Hippy shoppers for being so welcoming to a first-time vendor. I had a great time and am already thinking about which JUNK Hippy show to do next! Check back soon for pics of lots of other talented vendors at the show.

Have a chic week,

~Sarah

It's show time!

Junk Hippy starts at 9am on Saturday morning in Rosenberg, TX! There are hundreds of vendors here and I can't wait to see more of the show's goods. The building I'm in (D) is packed with decor and awesome clothing!  We arrived this afternoon and are ready for tomorrow. 

The best new addition to my show set is this amazing handcrafted dressing room designed by my talented mom and built by both my resourceful parents. Talk about pin-worthy! I can't thank them enough for being here and supporting me at another show. 

Come try on some Barn Chic Boutique clothes in this great space! And visit Jeanette of Simply J's and Theresa of Garden Antqs Vintage too. Hope to see you here! 

Have a chic week(end),

~Sarah

Off-line Inspiration

Of all the online sites which consume my time, one site I don't frequent much is Pinterest. I definitely see the appeal of an online bulletin board and think I should utilize the site more often, but there is a part of me that feels deflated by what I see each time I browse pins: the phenomenal photography, the detailed staging, the ideal lighting, and even the perfectly posed pet on the sofa. Is the scene livable, realistic, available, or affordable? Many of the vignettes seem so out of my reach that I sometimes leave the site actually feeling uninspired. 

I prefer to find my inspiration in person. Shopping is not only a personal hobby and a retail business necessity, but also serves as my source of inspiration. I like being able to see the price, ask questions, talk with designers and artists, and see people's passions and talents intersect.

Two weeks ago, I spent hours at garage sales that weren't even in garages. The Palmer Event Center happened to host both the Austin City-Wide Garage Sale and Le Garage Sale the same weekend - that meant junk and boutique clothing at steep discounts under the same roof! Talk about inspiring!

I met the artist of some gifts I gave for Christmas. The South Austin Gallery produces some of the coolest coasters and cutting boards I've ever seen, with great scenery of this weird town.   

I also had the opportunity to meet talented jewelry designer Naomi Celestin of New Orleans. Her business, Restrung, features handmade jewelry using old guitar strings. What a creative concept! I loved her accessorizing with vintage suitcases, and the fact that she is so talented that she was crafting beautiful jewelry while talking with me. 

Megan of Salvaged had a great space amid the clothing and jewelry. I found some beautiful vintage china plates for a friend; Megan used them at her wedding, channeling mismatched dishes long before Pinterest features the trend.  

Love her crafty designs and mid-century finds. 

Yesterday I took a trip to the Hill Country and love the typewriters and ticking fabric pillows stacked at Whimsey's.

One of my favorite stops yesterday was at Finds! Of All Kinds in Burnet - but not for the goods as much as the great company! This store has evolved significantly since it first opened a few years ago; it now features lots of gift decor alongside antique treasures, and its Pinterest-worthy vignettes are designed by my talented friend Karen.

Taking a road trip is certainly more time-consuming (and gas-guzzling) than online browsing, but I enjoyed visiting with talented designers and came home with a few new treasures and lots of great ideas. 

I even got to check out a few bald eagles in their nest on the drive home. 

I should add this perfectly imperfect picture to my Pinterest board. 

Have a chic week,

~Sarah