Tips for Shopping Antique Shows and Fairs

The Farm Chicks Show (in the earlier days) - via Country Living

Temperatures are warming up and antique shows/fairs are found almost every weekend around the country right now...it's my favorite time of year!  Spring is normally a crazy, busy time for me and for the first time in 7 years, I'm not working night-and-day on a gazillion projects for back-to-back antique shows that I'm normally a vendor at in April/May/June.  I have to admit that it feels strange not to be stressed out with piles of inventory in the garage and around the house and weirdly enough, I miss it!  I sort of crave the pressure, but with the house being for sale and not knowing what the future held, I didn't sign up for the Luckett's Spring Market this year.  I had been down that road before...back in the summer of 2010...house was for sale, 6 big shows, packing, moving, a baby that never slept...not fun, never again!  I had learned my lesson...

Luckett's 2012 - Part One

So instead of being a vendor, I'm a shopper at the shows this year and long before I started selling my own wares, I was a die-hard shopper at some of the biggest shows like The Farm Chicks Show, etc. for years.  By being both a vendor and a shopper, I've definitely learned a few things along the way, so I thought I'd share a few tips for navigating these shows/fairs that have worked for me over the years...

Wahoo! I'm in...Luckett's Spring Market!



Farm Chicks booth 2011

I'm just a tad excited... you see I have antique show fever.  It's something that I've had since my first show (The Farm Chicks Show back in 2008).  Having left my career at a CPA firm (yes, I'm an accountant in my former life) to stay home with my then two-year old, I felt I needed a little something on the side that I loved to do and to help keep me busy at home. After shopping the amazing Farm Chicks Show for the previous 3-4 years, I took a giant leap, applied and got in! 

Vintage Show Love

When my husband and I were deciding to take the plunge and move across the country for his new job, a big factor for me was that I would be missing so many incredible vintage and antique shows that are a part of the Pacific Northwest.  Since The Farm Chicks Show began several years ago, the Pacific Northwest has become a mecca for these incredible shows.  I knew that I would miss them.... a lot!   Sure enough, now that I'm mostly settled in the new house, I'm pining to be a part of the shows again and I certainly miss all my wonderful and talented friends that pour their hearts into these shows, like Jennifer and Kathy Walker of Unexpected Necessities.  This mother and daughter team have their annual show this weekend in Nine Mile Falls, WA.  Even though I won't be able to be there, I'm living a little vicariously through my oh-so-talented mom and step-dad of Angel's Attic right now.  As they've been getting ready for the first show in which we haven't shared a booth, they've shared some of their projects and I'm in love...

Life's An Adventure, Right?...

Wow, what a whirlwind it's been the last few months!  My family had just moved to Sandpoint, ID for my husband's new job and I had even went back to work full-time when our lives were once again turned upside down when husband received an incredible opportunity to be part of a brand new tax division in Raleigh, NC for the CPA firm that we had both worked for in Spokane.  Before I knew it, I was scurrying like crazy trying to find housing in Raleigh, wrapping up the last projects at work, packing our house, and get all my projects done for my favorite show ever, The Farm Chicks Show.  
As soon as the show was over, everything went into boxes and was loaded into the biggest U-haul truck we could get and an additional trailer and off we went...almost 3,000 miles away from everything we've ever known. 
It's been quite an adventure to say the least...  There are stories of our "travels" that I'm sure our kids will tell their kids like attempting to drive across South Dakota during tornado weather, a 5 year-old with the stomach flu, and me driving a large trailer for the first time and trying to keep it on the road in the wind.  Needless to say, we got stuck in a rundown hotel in the middle of nowhere for two days.  It rained so hard that the walls in the room were leaking!  Slowly, but surely, we finally made it to North Carolina and we all cheered when we finally made it across that stateline.  My undramatic husband even wanted to kiss the ground when we got here and declared that we were never doing that again!   

Now that we're here, I'm so excited to explore the South! There is such history and a unique beauty here!  True to form, I've already buying been buying up some fabulous antiques that I can't wait to share with you. I hope you'll join me on my new "Southern Junkin' Journey"!

 

Thank you!

An huge "Thank you!" is overdue to all the wonderful (and patient) Farm Chicks shoppers who braved the crowds and came out this last weekend.  This wonderful show would not be possible without you and it what makes all of this special.  I only wish I would have had more time to chat with everyone.  I hope you all found a treasure or two to take home and enjoy!

 

Fellow Farm Chicks Vendors

One of my favorite things about The Farm Chicks Show is seeing the awesome amount of creativity that exists.  It is inspiring and makes me feel so wonderful to be a part of!  Although, I seriously could have taken a million pictures, I had about 15 minutes to walk around the show before the floodgates opened.  I snapped a few, as I was carrying around some purchases, so some are a bit blurry, but I wanted to share them anyway.

The adorable Farm Chicks Carnation milk truck

Heather Bullard - so beautiful

Funky Junk Hollie and Ballyhoo Christy (just love them!)

Lisa Souers - always a huge inspiration for me!

Unexpected Necessities - some of the sweetest women I know

Wild Whimsy - talented local gals

Tarte- what can I say?  She's awesome!

Happy Endings- more local talent

Forget Me Not Dreams - the wonderful neighbors across the way

The Big Farm Chicks Load-up

Tonight was the big load-up night for The Farm Chicks Show this weekend.  As tomorrow is the unpacking and display day, the long process of cramming as much furniture as we possibly can into TWO trailers is done the night before so we can be out to the Fairgrounds bright and early!  I tried to snap some pictures of the huge amount of furniture that's going to the show, but it was hard with the kids and the furniture always moving!  Here are a few little sneak peeks:

We squeezed it all in!  I couldn't help but notice that the U-haul trailer that was randomly picked out for us has a picture of a man driving a tractor on the side.  How perfect for The Farm Chicks Show!

Up next...Some preview pictures of the booth and some of the amazing talented vendors. 

Come Say Hello at The Farm Chicks Show!

I can't believe the big show is already days away!  Come see me in Bay 2 - Spaces 36 &37.  I still have to pinch myself for me to believe that I'm part of this incredible show!

SO EXCITED!!!

Have you been over at Serena's (aka The Farm Chicks) blog?  She just put up her adorable new flyers for this year's Farm Chicks Show in June and they are adorable!  I'm so excited for the show this year for several reasons and the main one is that I won't be 8 months pregnant trying to lug furniture around! 

Hope to see all of you there!