Barn Chic at the Barn Sale

This time last week, I was frantically wrapping breakables in newspaper, writing price tags, and digging out vintage Christmas decor to take to the 2013 Rusted Gingham Barn Sale. It is hard to believe it is all over, and I'm a bit sad that the show has come and gone! It was as thrilling this year as it was last year, but with a lot less anxiety.  

Except at this moment.

I was actually more prepared last year for my very first show because I staged most everything in my garage the week before. I attempted to do that this year, but nearly half of my show inventory was en route from Illinois. My wonderful parents once again made the road trip down to Gonzales from Illinois with all the goods I bought just two weeks earlier on a quick trip home. So after we unloaded the U-Haul, my vehicle, and their mini-van, I stood there staring at a heap of junk. 

A few hours later [well, 6.5], the items were placed and most were priced (or at least I thought they were, but of course the shoppers quickly find the ones that aren't!). 

It was really warm on Friday again this year, and the 5:00pm sun was shining brightly into the barn at the opening of the sale. 

The typing cart, metal drawers, baskets, and silver trees all sold. 

This is one of the few pictures of this vignette I got before most of it sold - within thirty minutes I sold four pieces of furniture, which was a pleasant surprise because I didn't sell one large item last year! At last year's Barn Sale, I did well just selling small items, but this year's sales were dominated by bigger items.
That is definitely preferable and it means I get to go shopping for more soon!

 It still feels weird to feature snowflakes and ice skates when it is 85 degrees. 

I don't know much about photography, but I do know that the pictures looked a whole lot better once the sun went down. 

 

 

This bed frame came home with me and I might have to find a place for it in my home...

 

 

 

 

Andrew is pretty good at taking pictures so I asked him to take a few. This is what he takes.
I was paparazzi for my own booth.

I took over a hundred pictures, and this is one of my favorites.
These sweet young girls were shopping after hours, enjoying pieces of the past.
   

This is my other favorite picture. Words can't express my gratitude for this beautiful lady. She did so much behind the scenes for this show, from collecting feathers and branches and bending barb wire into wreaths to neatly packing my Midwestern purchases and driving them 1,000 miles to the show with my dad.  Thank you for inspiring and supporting my love for junk, Mom (and Dad)!

And thank you to Suzanne and her crew for making this year's Barn Sale so successful; thank you to the new and repeat lovers of junk who came out to the barn, and thank you to the all the other vendors for making this show fun and worth the drive for the shoppers. I had a great time and left with new friends, fond memories, less inventory, and a few 'new' pieces of junk. Is it possible for a vendor to sell at a show and not also be a shopper? Not at the Barn Sale!

Have a chic rest of the week,

~Sarah 

Barn Sale Teaser

There is so much to be said about the 2013 Rusted Gingham Barn Sale, but I will sum it up with one word: gratitude. I am grateful for the help and support from my family, the hospitality of Suzanne and her team, the kindness and fellowship from other vendors, and the conversations and connections with the Barn Sale shoppers. I had a terrific show, even better than last year, and I enjoyed meeting so many customers and hearing about all the creative plans they had in store for Barn Chic goods! Thank you to all of you came out to shop the Barn Sale.

 

Looking forward to posting more about the show soon! 

Have a chic week,

~Sarah

Barn Sale

This weekend is the Rusted Gingham Barn Sale in Gonzales!  

I am so excited to once again be a vendor for this great show. Two years ago I discovered this sale and ventured to Gonzales as a shopper, and the next year I decided to sign up as a vendor. This is the only 'real' show I've done, and it was so much fun. And a ton of work...but the fun outweighed the stress, so I am back at it again! The other vendors at the Barn Sale are beyond talented and super nice, and hostess Suzanne is driven, creative, organized, and accommodating to my yearly last minute requests! She goes above and beyond for Barn Sale preparations and even got some TV time on a San Antonio morning show last week to promote the Barn Sale. It is no surprise that the Barn Sale made the "Readers' Favorite" list in Flea Market Style Decorating magazine thanks to Suzanne's hard work.

It is currently raining cats and dogs right now, so I can't load any of my goods; instead, I'm looking through pictures of last year's space (great idea from fellow vendors Sisters' Treasures!) for any last minute items I need to remember.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year's sunset at the show:

The forecast looks great for the sale this weekend, so I hope that you can make it to the Barn Sale in Gonzales to "Come and Take It" all!

Have a chic week,

~Sarah

Marburger 2013: To each their own

¹an·tique

 adjective \(ˌ)an-ˈtēk, in verse oftenˈan-tik\

: belonging to an earlier period, style, or fashion : old and often valuable

When I tell people I am into antiques, there is an almost automatic assumption that I either like or know about very fine furnishings, as in the ones that are worth a lot of money. For my style of antiques [Barn Chic Antiques] this couldn't be further from the truth! The definition above implies that value is just one (possible) aspect of an antique. There is one thing that is undeniably true about all antiques, no matter what the style: they are old. From Gothic and Elizabethan to retro and mid-century, anything from an earlier era can be considered an antique. There are so many genres of antiques, and I can see why those who value the weathered style I adore may abandon the noun 'antiques' in favor of the term junk.   

Marburger: Innovative Primdustrial

Two of the most inspiring places to shop at Marburger are in Tent H. I planned my parking around this tent as I wanted to be able to see these vendors' spaces first (before merchandise started disappearing). I'm not the only fan as I saw lots of 'sold' tags, but at least the goods were still displayed so I could capture some pictures to share.

Time Worn Interiors' space was incredible. I love the mix of steel and wood, and the green accents make the neutrals pop. Theresa's blog has much better pictures, and she mentioned that her look changed this show from lighter colors to darker hues because that is what customers want now.
I agree; I will choose dark over white any day!

Round Top's Marburger Farm Antique Show, Part 1: Wild and Whimsical

Fall is one of my favorite seasons (my other favorites are spring and summer). Here in Texas, it typically doesn't feel like fall until after the turkey dinners are served. Once this past week, however, I got a sense of fall while out on a walk; there was a light breeze, a few scattered leaves on the ground, pumpkins on porches, and a cloud passing overhead. I had to concentrate really hard to feel it, but it was magical. And then the clouds parted to reveal the strong rays of the sun, I wiped the sweat off my brow, and the moment was gone. 

Though the weather doesn't yet reflect the shift in seasons, I know that fall is here. All teachers do. Unlike the concentration I needed to feel fall outside, it slaps teachers upside the head at school.

Zapp Hall and more Bar W

Dare I say it feels like fall in Austin?! It was almost chilly when I walked outside this morning. And it was even dreary - that is not a word that Austinites use to describe the weather from approximately April to the end of November. This is such a welcome yet unexpected change, and quite a difference from yesterday since it is a glorious 25 degrees cooler. 

I hadn't planned to go to Warrenton yesterday, but after realizing that the Rusted Gingham Barn Sale is less than 5 weeks away (make plans to get to Gonzales on November 1-2!), I figured I ought to head east and hit the fields again. As I sat in a long line of traffic in a town with a population of 90,  my car gauge read 99 degrees. It was hot and humid, and the lack of breeze was stifling. This was typical fall show weather and it certainly didn't deter the crowds from coming out. 

     

Under the Big Top in Warrenton/Round Top

The circus has arrived in the fields of Warrenton. Hundreds of tents dot the rural landscape, many awaiting the unloading and staging of prized possessions, while others are already filled to the brim with treasures. Though the shows haven't officially started yet, yesterday I ventured to the fields with as much excitement as a kid going to see the lions, tigers, and bears.  

 

There was a sense of the calm before the storm: no traffic, no crowds, and no lines.

I wish my attic looked like this

I *finally* made it down to Aunt Maudie's Attic in Seguin a few weekends ago. I had been planning to go all summer, so I can't believe it was almost the three month anniversary of this treasure-packed place when I finally got there. But the wait was so worth it when I walked in to actually see the Joe and Glenn of Curious Boys! I had to do a bit of eavesdropping and lingering to make sure it was them, as they are admittedly mysterious without any pictures of them on their blog. That's the curiosity of their brand!

Final France Post: Sights and Tastes of Annecy

This fourth and final post on our trip to France has been a work in progress for nearly two weeks now. I am sure you won't mind that I am going to take a break from lengthy details and just give you the visual tour of the beautiful French Alps town of Annecy.