Country Living Fair & Shopping in Atlanta

Whew!  I'm finally back home after a long weekend away in Atlanta attending the Country Living Fair and doing some shopping around the area.  I'm glad that I finally made the trip down to check it out!  I started out this little business selling at fairs and shows like this so I always enjoy attending them.

Although I didn't buy much at the Fair, it's fun to shop with friends and see all the great finds and creativity!  If you follow Savvy Southern Style, you'll know that my friend, Shirley, and I stayed at Kim's house.  I can report back that it is even more gorgeous in person!  She is incredibly talented and was such a gracious hostess.

I find that I definitely enjoy the shows where vendors spend some time creating thoughtful vignettes instead of scattering their goods everywhere.  I've always thought of these events as "traveling boutiques" in a way...

There were ageless antiques, Fall and Christmas decor, quality handmade soaps and goods, artisan breads, one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces, and various carefully curated vendor goods...

I felt bad for the vendors this year because it was cold for Atlanta for this time of year and much of the fair is in the shade.  It definitely felt chilly, but we all had a great time...

It is hard to describe what exactly that I shop for at these fairs, but I always have a mental list of things that I look for and the price I'm willing to pay for it...

I've been on the hunt for a really pretty botanical/tree antique school chart for my dining room wall and was excited to find a vendor with giant stacks of them from Germany.  I spent a ton of time going through them, trying to find just the right one, but I walked away empty-handed.  The search continues...

I love old advertising signs, typewriters, vintage alarm clocks, blue bottles, vintage suitcases, architectural salvage, letters, and probably too many things to list...

What do you like to shop for?

I was surprised at the amount of shoppers both days we were there, but it never felt unbearably crowded, and of course, the best deals go early!

Country Living also had great presentations going throughout the fair along with some pretty Autumn tablescapes for inspiration...

Besides the Country Living Fair, Kim, Shirley, and my mom and I went north of Atlanta to shop at the Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware Outlets.  We stayed out late every night trying to cram as much shopping in as possible!  We also traveled through Gaffney, SC on the way back to NC on Sunday and stopped at another Pottery Barn Outlet!  We did some damage to our pocketbooks...

I have never shopped the Pottery Barn Outlets before and I was pleasantly surprised at the prices.  Confession:  As much as I adore the Pottery Barn style,  I've only purchased one small item from them...ever!  I'm very frugal, and most of the time, all my furniture is DIY and I dig to the source for vintage goods that they sell for much more.  I would say that for the most part, the outlet prices are equivalent to HomeGoods for much of it!  I stocked up on some down pillow forms for pillow projects as well as some Christmas things that I won't be able to find elsewhere.

My mom hit the jackpot on rugs in at the SC outlet.  The already discounted prices were cut by 20% and she picked up a rug for her dining room and the striped rug (above) for her living room.  We've both been shopping for the perfect rugs (at a great price) for her house for months, so she didn't hesitate to buy them!  We all had a great time in Atlanta and can't wait to make the trip again next year.

Kristen

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