Hittin' the Road "Nest" Style.....Part 4

I hope you've been following along....I'm telling 'ya, it was quite a trip.  If you need a refresher you can find Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 here.  The rest of the shopping trip home is not nearly as eventful.  However, I think you'll get a kick out of some of the items gal pal and I saw as well as our guilty pleasure.

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At this point in the trip.....

• We've had a truck fiasco
• Been called names by a man on the phone
• Learned how to wear,size and buy chaps
• Joined a drinking club in Texas
• Been blinded by diamonds and stories from drunkin' ladies

It's time to go home!!  Drive straight home, you ask??  Heck no!!  Two girls and a 26'truck????  We're heading to Nashville!

I have to say, although our time was short in Nashville, it was a blast to be there!  Gal pal and I learned a lot in our 36 hrs....thought I'd share.

Burger Republic in Nashville, TN

• Most antique/vintage shops aren't open on MONDAY!! Yikes! We were there late Sunday and all day Monday.  Wishing for a do-over on this one!
• Best burger I've ever had in my life.  I have celiac disease, so anytime I can get a gluten-free bun with a killer sam-mich....it's a great day!!!
• Truly some of the nicest people I've ever met!
• Some amazing artists live in Nashville.
• Some wackadoodle artists live in Nashville.

A picture's worth a thousand words so I'll show you what I'm talking about......

Bed Pan Banjo....everybody needs one!

Booby Art

Fantastic Shop.... Two Old Hippies

Hot Flash Fan

Mod Egg Chair

Christmas is never very far....

Truly Funky

Hand Crafted Terrariums

I hope you enjoyed tagging along with me during this bizarre, amazing, crazy vintage treasure hunt.

I'd love to here your stories!!!!

Have a good one,
Robin

Hittin' the Road "Nest"-style.....Part 2

If you read my last post, you know that my last shopping trip had a bit of a rocky start.  From the word "go" nothing went according to plan.  Hey I can be as flexible as the next gal, but in this vintage buying business keeping costs as low as possible is a high priority.  As much fun and the treasure hunt is.....I've got to make sure I sell the goodies at a profit, while making sure the prices are affordable.

Here's a quick recap of the trip so far.........

• Budget Truck didn't have our packing supplies
• Budget Truck had junky trucks and rude employees, (cough, cough, Rudy)
• Uhaul cost $200 more plus mileage
• Could no longer use in-laws as a base camp...had to keep mileage low.
• Had to find/pay for lodging while in Texas.

Undaunted by Rudy and his madness......3 hrs. and a 26' Uhaul Truck, gal pal and I hit the road.  Itching to "buy something pretty" I was ready to peel my eyes, get my hands dirty and discover the treasures hidden in the great state of Texas.  Had to figure out where to stay now that commuting to/from in-laws was no longer an option.  Put in a call to hubby, my travel witch (only with a b...his word not mine...hehehe), to find some safe, cheap digs for our time in Texas.  In true Nest fashion, the hotel he found was a bit squeezy, so plan B was enacted and a nice B&B was found in short order. Let the shopping commence.

A pictures says it all.....

 A sample of some of the finds....... 

My new boyfriend...Albie

A sample of the sights.......

Fast forward....two days into the shopping trip and having a blast.  What you ask is happening on the "Rudy-front"? Funny you should ask.  Ring, ring goes gal pal's cell phone. (Robin stands near wondering who is on the phone.)  Insert dialogue here.....

Gal Pal:  Hello

Speaker:  Is this Gal Pal?

Gal Pal:  Yes it is......

Speaker: (barely above a whisper) This is Rudy from Budget Truck Rental and I'm calling to say that I'm sorry that you had such a bad experience with the Budget, my bad experience was with you and the way I was treated.

Rudy/Speaker: (Now shouting) Listen lady....I'm not gonna let you two BITCHES get me fired! (yes he sooo went there.)

Gal Pal:(Loudly speaking...) I have never been talked to this way in my life.  You are rude, obnoxious (fill in the blank)!  Do not ever call my phone again.  I do not want to speak to anyone but your regional director.  If you call me again I will have you up on harassment charges.  Do you know what that is, RUDY?  Just lose my number from your phone. C-L-I-C-K!!!  **Note: gal pal  I might add is about 5' tall and not 100lbs. soakin' wet) You go girl!

Robin: OMG!!  (figuring out very quickly who was on the other end of the phone.)

Gal Pal quickly relays whole conversation to Robin.

Robin/Gal Pal: (in unison) these b*tches 'bout to GET you FIRED!

A quick call to the Regional Director updating them on good ole Rudy sets the ball in motion.  Let's just say........we did what we said we were gonna do! Guess who's in the unemployment line NOW!  I mean really, he could have faked an apology and all would have been forgotten.  All I got to say is....

No Home Training!!!  Come on, Rudy, did you ready think you weren't gonna get fired?

Remember now....it was a 6 day trip and this is only day 2!  I'll finish up the trip details in my next post.  I'm telling you....I'm a drama magnet! You can't make this stuff up.

Have a good one,

Robin

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

Traveling in January, Trip #1

Confession time:

Well, first I gotta be honest........The Pinterest experiment is a bust!  Really a pin for a year??? What was I thinking?  Did I really put that on my "to do" list?  I'm gonna shoot for doing one "pin project" a week.  Let's face it....52 projects, so do-able....365???!!!!


As I said in my last post, I've got a couple trips this month.  The first trip is to Atlanta, GA to the Home & Gift Show.  Imagine 3 massive 26 floor buildings with thousands of vendor all vying for your attention and $$$$.  Quite an adventure to pack into less than 48 hours.  But hey, I'm up to the task! (Small complications...) First, the broken toe.  Think 28,000 steps in 2 days. Second, sharing a bed with friend.
The rooms were so booked up that only one bed in all of Atlanta was available. Hey, I didn't make the reservations, just sayin'. Hoping it's not a double....

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Now the real question....Why does a vintage lifestyle store owner go to a wholesale market???? Good Question! Let me tell you why I go.

1.  What are the trends?  This is a great way to figure out what's going to be out there in the department stores.  And more importantly, what's NOT!!!  Even though I primarily sell vintage items, as a retail store I realize that I still need to stay up to date with design trends and colors to stay fresh and exciting for my customers.

2.  My way of shopping "wholesale".  Let's face it, I can't make, buy, clean, build, fix all the vintage products I need for my shop.  Enter my two favorite categories at market Made in America and Handmade Designs & Handmade Jewelry.

I do my best to support American companies and artist/designer made products.  Market is a great way to see a very large selection of products that fit this category.  My now crazy popular vintage book letters were found last year in Atlanta.

3. Inspiration!  It's nice to see all the showrooms decked out with brand new products.  The displays are so inventive.  I always come home brimming with ideas on ways to refresh my shop.  I really think it's important change up my space.  I don't want to shop in a store that looks the same every time I go in.....my customer don't either!

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4. It's a trip, duh!!!  Who doesn't wanna have a quick get away!  As much as I love hubby and the birdies, it's nice to focus solely on my business and not have to play the balancing act of wife/mother/business owner.  

I'll looking forward to posting pics of my adventures!  

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 1

Well as you all know I took a little trip last week.  Little is not the word I really mean. Headed down to Chattanooga, TN for the World's Longest Yard Sale, aka the 127 Corridor Sale. I drove 1360.2 miles in 4 days.  Needless to say, I was P-O-O-P-E-D when I got home. 

The drive was long, but entertaining due to hubby's audio book.  It really was/is (30 hours, folks! Still listening!) a great Steven King!  Being by myself I decided not to shop on the way down just to make sure I'd not get too tired and feel like I had to stop for the night. Chattanooga here I am!!  Hotel was fine, but I left my pillow.  I woke up super early so I could get the best goodies.

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It actually took me about 45min. to get on the Yard Sale route.  You can't actually plug in.....Rt. 127 Corridor Yard Sale Route into your GPS.  Believe me, I tried!  Finally I stopped at a gas station and asked the "Coke" distributor guy. (I figured he know for sure). Problem was, he had a thick southern accent.  I was in the valley, you see, I needed to go up onto the mountain!! What???  Can't plug that into Penelope (my GPS) either.  Go to Signal Mountain Rd. off Rt. 27,  finally I can plug in! (btw...a for "real" mountain, I'm just sayin')

 

 





Don't know if it's a regional thing, but yard sales up North start EARLY!  Not so in the South....where is everybody???

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It was going on 8:00am and people were just pulling off plastic from tables and setting up.  Heading straight up a winding mountain road I made my first stop...Guess what I saw?

 



A lawn jockey and a peeing boy fountain.  Really???  The sell did offer a few goodies, suit cases, mirrors, frame and the shelving from a vintage Frigidaire ...not sure what I'm gonna do with that.



Tally ho...off to the next sale.  I hit several then came upon a big sign for a barn sale a few miles off the route.  Longest 3 miles ever, but the signs every few 100 yds were so intriguing!  "Don't You Turn Around", "Best Barn Sale Ever"...you get the picture.  Weelllllll......not the best barn sale ever, crochet toilet paper cover....but certainly the most strange and beautiful.  I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

 

Fluffy chickens for sale...Really????

 

 

 

I know freaky...truth be told, kinda wanted to buy this. Text to friend....."You are a freak!" OK, no to this fine specimen of taxidermy.

 

 

I ended day 1 of the Worlds Longest Yard Sale with an eye full, but most of it did not end up in my car.  Head 35 miles to the east to hotel #2. Check in, get to room.  I take a long shower and get into my jammies.  Try to turn on bedside lamp, nothing! Try to turn on tv, nothing! Try to call front desk, nothing! No wireless so no Netflix.  I don't know about you, but I gotta have a little media to wind down before bed.  OK...throw on some clothes and head to front desk.  I got 2 guys climbing all over my bed/room to get everything running.  I just wanna go to sleep.........

 

Maybe tomorrow will bring better results!

 

 

Have a good one,

Robin



A POP of color to make you Happy!

If you are like me, you are DYING ready for Spring!  I just love all the color that seems to pop up over night.  Those tiny little crocus blooms, tulips bursting with life...you name it, if it's in the ground I love it!!!!

Well I can't hurry Mother Nature along, so I have been inspired to create a little Spring Fever in my retail space The Robin's Nest at Chartreuse & co. Color is so "IN" right now in home furnishings. If I had a million $$$$$$ I would redecorate my house every month, right???  Well I don't and I bet you don't either.  Here are some fun ways that I brought color into my space.

 

Pillows are a perfect way to change up a space. It's an inexpensive way to redefine a room, making it look refreshed and current.

 

 

Mix and match colors, fabrics, designs and textures.  Toss on a chair, sofa or bed and voila    A Brand New Look!

It's AMAZING what a little paint can do.....

Buy painted colorful chairs...or paint them yourself.  I found this amazing 1960's drapery panel months ago.  I new I had to find a chair to do it justice.... so love this look. This chair can go in any room and make heads turn.

 

Colorful dishes, glassware, and table linens are another great way to create a fresh new look.  You don't have to buy a whole new set of dishes...just  add a few fun serving piece like this awesome chartreuse green ice bucket.

It's all about having fun with your rooms.  Don't take interior design too seriously.  Long gone are the days of having the perfect dining/sitting/living room.  Families today live in every inch of their homes.  Enjoy yourself and buy what you love.  Chances are...your family will love it too.

 

Have a good one,

Robin

 

 

 

 

 

Chair Love...Refresh an oldie, but a goody! Part 4

Sorry for the delay, guys!! Here's the long overdue final post from my chair series.

Look how far we've come! I've talked you into sniffing, wiggling and sitting into every chair you see. Seriously though, it's important to check out the chair before you invest time and money into its transformation. You've considered whether or not to paint it and how much to spend on fabric. But.........Speaking of transformation, that's the final topic that I want to talk about in this series

Changing the style of a chair through paint and fabric choice.

Let's say you find a sturdy, comfortable, "un-stinky" chair. BUT....it's not really your style. Doesn't mean you have to keep on walking to find the next potential candidate. If there is even one special detail about a chair, then I focus on that and know that the right paint and fabric can totally change the "look". Best to show this by example. Time for the before and after pictures I promised.

Looking at this cane chair, it's got traditional written all over it. In fact, you could go safe and paint, distress and do the "frenchy" thing and it would turn out wonderfully. However, since I'm on a modern kick these days, I know gloss paint would transport this beauty into the 21th century. Add a geometric print from...let me say it... MOOD in NYC (yup!! went into a fabric coma there!) and voila...MODERN CHIC!

Traditional and Predictable

 

MODERN SOPHISTICATION

 

Outdated Style

 

HOLLYWOOD GLAMOUR

 

It's amazing what a little paint and fabric can do...huh???  Just stop and dream a little. Imagine your perfect chair, then go out an find an ugly duckling. The possibilities are endless.

 

Have a good one,

Robin