January 2014 Trip to Atlanta....Better Late than Never

Well, as usual this post is long over due.  I have had a jam packed schedule this year and am behind in all things, once again!  The last I blabbed/you read  I was headed to Atlanta for the Gift Show.  The Robin's Nest was in search of hand-crafted products to add to the shop. Another goal of heading down to "Market", as it's known in the biz is see what's trending in the decor world.  I think myself a trend spotter, you see. (hehehehe) Seriously though, even though I focus on vintage in my shop, I want to make sure that my displays and products align with current trends. (Bustin' out some of my marketing garble for you!) So I'll share some of what I saw down in Atlanta.
P.S. Gotta give a shout out to one of my besties, Kelly, from Madison & Mabel. Drop by her site and take a look at her custom furniture...amazing!

Color is still king.....

Lots of color to be seen all throughout the showrooms in Atlanta.  The bold hues that we saw last year are still going strong.  Of course, I am drawn to the aqua and robin's egg blues that I saw.  uh duh!

Taxidermy lives on........

One of my favorite trends!  Let's just say.....if it has a head it was mounted on a wall.  Whimsical, realistic, colorful everywhere I looked in Atlanta I saw a mounted head.  Long gown are the days of just deer and moose.  Hedgehogs, rams, raccoons, gerbils......check in the box.

Unconventional Materials and Style.....

Creative use of materials and style continues to dominate the market.  Either a "knock-off" found in a department store or the real vintage "deal" out of the box design is strong.  Since this arena is my first love, it was a lot of fun seeing what small companies were showing.  I'm not a huge fan of the knock-offs.

Ethnic Style and Texture....

Again....loving this trend.  Although you might not want to build a room around this trend. It's fun to pick a few elements to add to your existing style.  I believe style is simply surrounding yourself with things that make you happy.  Don't be afraid to color outside the lines.

A few pics that made me smile.....

I hope you enjoyed this little snippet from my time in Atlanta, GA during the Jan. 2014 Home and Gift Show.  Make sure to keep your eyes peeled this year as you shop to see if you spot the trends that I found.

Have a good one,

Robin

What's in Your Junk Pile?

Okay...2013 rolls in and it's time to get organized.  So everybody keeps telling me.  I mentally want
NEED to organize my house, business, life.  Somehow this desire gets lost in the translation.

I pick a day and a spot....again, in my mind.  Instead I always seem to cruise thru Target, Ikea and online looking for the perfect organization tools.  I know that if I just buy the right box, label or divider that I will miraculously turn into an organization diva.  Ughhhhhhhh....I so wanna do this, I say to myself. 

                                                            tater tots and jello

I have spent hours and hours purging, sorting and organizing any number of spaces in my house and office/cottage.  I work feverishly until I feel I have accomplished the task.  New bins/boxes...check, donate, keep, trash piles.....check, sorted and labels said bins/boxes....check.  Here's where the problem actually starts............How in the HECK do I keep everything looking organized????

I actually got this vintage sign from a friend of mine.  I L-O-V-E my family.  But....they are piggies.  It stays where it is dropped...FOREVER....unless Mom puts it away.  In the beginning of my marriage/family I ran a tidy ship.  I worked like crazy to keep up with everything. Babies came along and I struggled. I started my own business and it all fell apart.  I could no longer keep up!! 

                                                                         Source

I used to get frustrated and a little peeved....(I promise, no "whacking").  Then, someone gave me something to thing about...."dust bunnies don't bite."  My kids won't remember the disorganization when they grow up, (if they do then as I say... "put it on your therapy tab"). My hope is they will remember a loving, faith-filled, hard-workin' mama.  Sooooooooo... if you can't beat 'um,
join 'um.  (Insert OINK, OINK right here!)

I'd love to hear your thoughts.......

Have a good one,
Robin