Hittin' the Road "Nest"-style.....Part 1

As I said at the beginning of the year, I'm ready to blow this popcicle stand.  Well....actually, I been getting the itch to hit the road and do what I do best.  Get into trouble, I mean, buy some vintage treasures!  The tale I'm about to tell is a wild one, but it's true none the less.

Two girls, a truck, and a guy named Rudy!  My gal pal and I flew into Dallas and had my mother-in-law pick us up at the airport.  Our plan was to stay with the in laws and shop about Texas looking high and low for "booty".  What's the saying....best laid plans......  Well bright and early the next morning we headed over to pick up the Budget 24'truck. (Yup, 24'!! We meant bizness!)  Ready for the fun and adventure of vintage shopping, we were in no way shape or form ready for a guy named R-U-D-Y, manager at the Budget Truck satellite location in Tyler, TX.  The only way to truly tell the story is to give you the dialogue....so here goes.

Robin: Hi, I'm here to pick up my truck, here's my reservation.

Miss Sales Lady: We'll get you taken care of. Hey Rudy, can you bring a 24' truck around? Oh, btw, we have NONE of the blankets or packing supplies that you reserved. (cause that's just how we roll, ok, I improvised here).....Here it is.... Make sure to check the truck out first to see if it is alright.

Robin: Great. Hey Gal Pal, (aka Yvette from Foundry by Freeman) check out the truck while I finish the paper work.

Gal Pal: (after checking out truck) This truck won't due.  The transmission is about the go and it's completely filthy.  It's not safe for two women to drive cross country.

Rudy:  (throwing 2 sets of keys on the counter), go in the back and see which truck you want. **Side bar...do you really think Budget Truck knows that we now have three sets of their truck keys and that we are headed back, unattended I might add, to the sanctum sanctorum to pick our truck out???? Me thinks NOT.

We.....walk back, look over trucks, pick one and head to front of store.

Gal Pal: Hey Rudy, we'll be on our way just as soon as you remove the dirty nasty used mattress from the back of the truck.

Robin: Why does the truck have a mattress in it?

Rudy: We don't clean the trucks. I can't have my men move the dirty nasty used mattress (ok, he didn't really use all these descriptive words)....it's a sanitation issue.

Robin: It's a sanitation issue with us!!

Gal Pal:  So let me get this straight....you want me to pay you $1000 and remove the mattress myself?

Rudy: Yup!  You can't leave it here though....I have your info. and I'll have the city fine you.  (YES he DID!!!)

Gal Pal:  I want your name and the name of your supervisor......Dial, dial, dial......Hello Ms. Supervisor let me tell you what just happened.  blah, blah, blah.....

Ms. Supervisor: Of course you don't have to remove the mattress yourself, I will make Rudy do it.  I'll call him right now.

ring, ring, ring.....20 min later.

Gal Pal: We are still waiting to get our truck WITHOUT the mattress.

Ms. Supervisor: I have tried to call Rudy 11 Times  and he hasn't picked up his phone.  (meanwhile, I must point out that Rudy is not in the loo, he has been in the store for the last 20 min.)

Gal Pal:  I want to file a formal complaint.

Meanwhile......
Robin: I want to void this transaction.  Just pretend I never walked into this crazy place.

Miss Sales Lady: We can't void it, the charge has already gone thru.

Robin: WHAT????!!? You need to call somebody and figure it out.  I'm NOT leaving here until I get my money $$$$ back!

2 phone calls and twenty more minutes.....the contract was finally voided.

My poor sweet mother-in-law.  She witnessed the whole thing!  After 2.5 hours we still had NO TRUCK!!

After some quick scrambling and hurried phone calls, we found a UHaul dealer.  (Side note....got lost and drove another 35min, yikes!) The truck cost $200 more and didn't have unlimited miles, but what were we to do????  Chalk it up to another episode of "How hard can it be?" and hit the road!!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this crazy shopping trip!  You won't wanna miss it!

Have a good one,
Robin

We'll Never Be Royals....Pantone Color of the Year

Hey....I'm hip.  Did you get the lyrics from "Royals by Lorde"?  Well it's not exactly a royal purple, it's Radiant Orchid to be exact. The PANTONE of the the year. And I have to say.....it's about time.  Even as a wee little "birdie" in my momma's nest, I have been in love with purple!  I know it's hard to believe since all I ever talk about is.....aqua, AQUA, aQuA!  I still do my best to sneak it in whenever I can.

Wanted to share this amazing news with you. Especially now when we are all freezing, snowed/iced in.  There's nothing like a bright cheerful color to liven up your day.  So take a minute...look/then close your eyes, hehehehe, an dream of lovely blooms and warmer days.

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You may not want to jump into the pool head first, but there are a number of ways that you can bring this fabulous color into your home.  Think accessories!!!! Pillows, ottomans, throws, votives/candles, art....just to think of a few ideas.  Don't be afraid! Dip your toes into the color pool and enjoy!

I'd love to know what you think!!  

Have a good one,

Robin

A look back at 2013 and serious plans for 2014, part 2

Well, if you read my post yesterday, you gotta a recap of all the madness that happened in 2013 at The Robin's Nest.  It's been one heck of a ride, that's for sure.  My famous last words....."How hard can it be?"....always seem to get me in a pickle.  I could say that I'll be more cautious and thoughtful in 2014, but the fact is, I never plan the crazy antics.  They just always seem to happen to me.  To tell the truth, please don't tell hubby, it doesn't really bother me.  It's just another story to tell.

So with a sincere wish to be "reasonable" and focused on business, I thought I'd share some of my goals, call it dreams, for 2014.

1.  Be a consistent blogger.  How in the h@$#ll am I gonna do this???  Well heard of Pinterest for 30 days?? Me being a TYPE A, over-achiever.....why not give it a whirl for a whole year?!  Remember, "How hard can it be?"  I figure between the madness that is my life and Pinterest, I'll have plenty to blog about.  Wanna do it with me????????? Whatcha think?

First pin to tackle........

Twice Baked Butternut Squash

www.marthastewart.com

2. Create more custom furniture and accessory pieces.  It seems that I kinda lost my mojo in 2013.  But I feel the juices flowing and I'm ready to build, wire, paint, and weld (who knows...I could learn)!

Some past custom projects.....

3. Go bigger, better, farther than any "wo-man" has gone before.  Gotta go big or go home!! I'm planning to shop the country this year!  I wanna get outta my own back yard! In the works for January?  A trip to Atlanta, GA and Canton, TX!  I'll keep you posted as my calendar fills up! Shop til 'ya drop, BABY or the $$$ runs out!

4. Ok, just a wish....but I'm serious this year.  Buy a vintage trailer!!!  I was out with birdie #2 on a date a couple of weeks ago and spied not 1, but 2 vintage .....swoon.....robin's egg blue travel trailers in the driveway of an old farm house.  I'm gonna drop by, unannounced of course, and beg, plead and cajole them.  Will they sell, who knows, but I'll give it my best shoot.  Insert picture of dream truck and trailer here.....

www.trailerwheels.net

5.  Go glamping....'nough said!

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6. Keep posting a funny of the day on Facebook.  It always starts me off with a giggle!

7. Continue to add new sales venues.  I'm looking at doing the Vintage Market in High Point, NC in April.  Hey anyone have some great vintage sales....let me know!!! I'm spreading my wings baby!

8. The big dream.......I have this idea. I'd love to create a vintage retail destination.  A place where customers can shop 3-4 times a year for the most amazing vintage home goods and accessories.  Combine that with gourmet food trucks, food and drink artisans and voila, a site sooo cool that you'd be crazy to miss an event.  Speaking of events...it would be available for rent...Think parties, rehearsals, photo shoots!!! Finally, have you seen all the buzz about weekend workshops filled with clever diys???? Most I've seen are on the west coast!!!  What about us???  I would love to bring these types of innovative retreats to the east coast.  Who knows what this building will look like? Old gas station, bank, church.......I've got my eyes peeled.  Any ideas??? Let me know.

Well, that about sums up my plans.  I'm super excited to see how things turn out.  Off to roast my squash for dinner!!!

Have a good one,

Robin

A look back at 2013 and serious plans for 2014, part 1

As usual, I've been slacking in the blogging department!  It's been a crazy year for sure, but let's face it, that's NO excuse.  Spending New Year's Eve thinking about the past year and the one to come has me feeling like I'm ready to put my big girl panties on and jump!  Jump where????? Jump into blogging regularly, and growing my business by implementing some of my hair brained ideas...as usual.

I thought I'd give you a glimpse of what went down this year just to refresh you memory.....

Awesome Buying/Road Trip to New York (twice)

Solo road trip to TN for The World's Longest Yard Sale....1400 miles

Stopping all traffic in New York...hehehe 

Police Escort from the Holland Tunnel.....I only had 3 axles!!!!!

Discovering Succulents......gardening LOVE!

Running out of gas on an incline on a major Interstate.

First professional photo shoot!

Selling at Chartreuse & Co, The Tacoma Park Street Market, and The District Flea

Adding some new shopping partners!!!

Wading thru mountains of bird poop to score the most amazing vintage barn wood for projects.

I've stomped through mud, awakened before the roosters, gotten sun-burned in the flea market fields, negotiated one too many port-a-potties, been forced to drink home-made wine to get the "deal".......truly the list goes on and on. Some things I've forgotten, and some are just to painful to remember.....hehehehe. (Just broke my toe on a chair leg.)

Why do I do it.....easy.....I LOVE what I do! If I could redesign my own home every 3 months I'd be happy.  Well I can't do that, mainly because my family would disown me.  So.......I search high and low for the most amazing vintage elements to put into the homes of my customers and design clients.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the high jinx I have planned for 2014!!

Hope I brought  smile to your face....

Have a good one,

Robin

Worlds Longest Yard Sale, and the verdict is.........Part 2

Ok, fresh eyed and ready to start day 2 of the World's Longest Yard Sale. Now I just have to figure out what time it is.......I left off at Crossville, TN in the central time zone.  I stayed in Harriman, TN in the Eastern time zone.  It took me about an hour on day 1 to figure out what was wrong with Penelope (my GPS). I wanted to get to Crossville around 8:30am so after a few mental calculations I figured out what time to leave my hotel.  I grabbed my stuff and headed out the door.  I was instantly greeted by an old dude in the parking lot loading his trunk.  No big deal right?  Well, he had no shirt on and a big suntanned silver haired belly was staring at me when he shouted, "howdy". All I could do was say...."hi".  I tried my best not to giggle until I got to the truck.

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Not the guy but you get the idea......

 

 

Shopping day 2 proved to be much more productive than day 1.  Instead of giving you a long narrative I thought I would just post a few pics to let you see what I saw/bought.

 

Need a 15ft. giraffe anyone???

 

A little pricey...but I can see it now. 

 Food warmers into amazing sconces.

 

I will only make 1 trip to the car!!!

 

This vintage beauty will be so hard to part with.  Patina to die for!

 

CRAP....won't fit in the trailer!

 

Some of these beauties headed to the shop!

 

 

Ahhhhhh....perfect way to end a long, hot, sweaty, dirty shopping day.

 

 

I woke up the next morning still longing for sleep, but gathered my stuff /loaded up and headed home.  I still had money to spend so I was ready to shop my way home.  I hit several small little flea markets with no success then set my sites on Black Dog Salvage in Roanoke, VA.  HGTV show...thought it was worth a stop.

 

 

 

I hate to be a "hater", but I was really disappointed at Black Dog.  Maybe I had built up it's greatness so much in my mind...not sure, but not impressed.  One whole side of the huge building was filled with vintage/not vintage/interior designer dealers.  I expected an amazing mess of salvage treasure, not wholesale products and new rugs....ok, I'm off tangent, sorry.

 

I did hit a couple of amazing Virginia flea markets that finished off my trip with a bang.

 

Now $64,000,000 question???  Would I go to the World's Longest Yard Sale again? Yes and No. 

Yes... I would absolutely go if someone else went with me.  No...I would not go by myself again.  It's such a long drive so you're tired to begin with.  Top it off with sensory overload seeing so much stuff for sell.  I'm sure I passed on some great pieces because I had lost my marbles in the heat and crowds. 

 

All in all, I had a great time.  I'm so glad I did it.  If I hadn't, I'd have always wondered what the hub bub was all about.  Who knows....might have some takers for next year's sale.

 

Have a good one,

Robin

 









Where the bleep is Robin?

Wellll......once again, I'm MIA!  I feel like I'm a jack of all trades.  Hey, I'm a mom, wife, interior designer, vintage furniture dealer, painter, fixer, cleaner, shopper, problem solver,  accountant.......yada yada yada!

 Like most of you it's so hard to balance my time between all these duties.  What can I say....I do the best that I can.

 

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Ok...now that I've gotten that off my chest and don't feel so guilty about bailing on my blog, let me tell you about my latest crazy scheme!

 

 

Ever heard of the one and only...World's Longest Yard Sale? It's a crazy long yard sale spanning 690 miles, from Michigan to Alabama!  Can you believe that??  I have a friend that has actually shopped this for the past 2 years.  She invited me so of course I said YES! Not so crazy right?  Well, maybe a little bit. Split the hotel, gas and driving, hey I can do this. It's 4 days of vintage amazingness...so worth it.

 

 

 

 

Now for the twist....friend can no longer go.  Trip is off.  How can I do it by myself?  Nine hour drive each way, paying all the expenses myself.  No fun, giggles, and blabber along the trip.  Ugh!

 

Then course, my crazy brain starts to kick in.  Why can't I go by myself?  Robin's famous last words..."How hard can it be?"  I sit down with hubby, plan my route, cash in some points to pay for 2 nights at mediocre hotels (word used loosely here), and set my sights on Chattanooga, TN! Hubby swears his 30 hour audio book will keep me company...please know that I've threaten his life if it doesn't!

 

 

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 So at O dark thirty I'm hitting the road tomorrow morning!  I'll be loaded with food, packing blankets and hopeful dreams of the ultimate vintage mega score.  Be sure to stay tuned.......

 

Have a good one,

Robin

Say "Cheeeese"! We had a little photo shoot in the NEST

Even though I changed up the look of my blog last year, in true "Robin" fashion, I already feel it needs freshening.  I contacted an amazing local photographer, Courtney Reese and arranged to have a photo shoot at The Robin's Nest at the Chartreuse barn in Frederick, MD.

 

 

The morning of the shoot it suddenly dawned on me that I was going to be "shot" (he he) and I hadn't picked out anything to wear.  Ugh..."what to wear????"  Color, sequins, and comfort...my traditional uniform.  Nothing gussies up your look like a sequined t-shirt from J Crew.

 

 

Courtney set up her gear and snapped, snapped, snapped throughout The Robin's Nest.  It was so much fun to watch her and see what caught her eye.  I must say, I felt very "fancy" as birdy #3 often says.  Instead of going on and on in detail about the shoot, why don't I just show you some of my favorite pics.  After all, a picture's worth a thousand words....so....blah blah blah blah

 

 

 

 

 

I look forward to using these images in my business!!!  Thanks Courtney for such a fun day!!!

 

Have a good one,

Robin