What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Monday, August 25, 2014

The Junk Ranch - Opinions, Please

I recently just had a mini panic attack when I realized how close we are to the next Junk Ranch.  I have been working on my displays and thinking about what to sell and I just realized I haven't even sent in my application yet.  WHOOPSIE.  Thankfully, I am fairly certain that I can still get in - (AMY?)  I will be sending in my application this week.

I didn't want to take the same old, same old.  I mean, I always sell kind of the same sort of stuff, but I don't want to take the EXACT same stuff that I had at the last sale.  I have seen someone that sold at the last sale at two events since and it was the exact same stuff.  The exact same stuff.  Where's the fun in THAT?

Last night I was thinking of things to sell and a sort of theme - like Fall and Winter-y stuff when I had an epiphany. Vintage Christmas.  Like a LOT of vintage Christmas.  Aluminum trees, color wheel, fake fireplace, vintage Christmas tablecloths, vintage ornaments, blowmolds, stockings - THE WHOLE SHE-BANG.

What do you think?  I think I might have the "in" on vintage Christmas at this event.  There might be a sprinkling here and there.  But, I would have a LOT, like a LOT, LOT, LOT.  This is the first weekend in October.  Do you think it is too early?  Or just right?  I think if you like vintage in general you MUST love vintage Christmas.  Right?  RIGHT?  So if you are out at a VINTAGE MARKET and you see VINTAGE CHRISTMAS you are going to be all "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

RIGHT?


This is from the HORRIBLE Holiday Bazaar that Lara and I did last Christmas.  Bad venue, no advertising and the wrong type of event in the first place. But, looking at these photos I see that I can do vintage Christmas, vintage Christmas crafting AND vintage all at once and have it look cohesive.  I think.  *Ignore that high school art project poster on the wall and THEN it all looks cohesive.

So, do you think I should mostly sell Vintage Christmas or is it too soon?  I will take other Vintage items like chenille spreads, wool throws, baskets, housewares and kitchen wares, plus all my ephemera stuff AND the feedsack pendants and book cover clipboards in addition to the Christmas.  

I'm excited!  Should I be?  :)

22 comments:

  1. Hi! I found you through Kathy at Kluless. I'm in Oklahoma, and I can tell you that reading about the Junk Ranch is making me want to head east! I don't think October is too early for vintage Christmas. I'm hoping I can make it over to shop!

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  2. I ABSOLUTELY don't think October is too early for Christmas. October is just the time of year when folks start thinking about it. Cooler weather does that. You are on the right track!

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  3. I think your idea is great! October is just right to have vintage Christmas. People can buy their things and be ready to decorate right after Thanksgiving. I wish I was close as I probably wouldn't even look at any other booths. I love me some vintage Christmas!

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  4. I think it would Rock - but be sure to add 'your fingerprint' to it! It's your flare for 'stuff' that really sells it.!

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  5. I think perfect just the right time of year and if anyone can do the vintage Christmas you can!
    Cathy

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  6. I can do vintage Christmas ANYTIME of the year! You'll do well. I'm sure of it!

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  7. Go for it Shara. You'll be the hit of the show.
    Sheryl

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  8. I would freak out if I saw vintage Christmas at an event in January! I never get tired of it and a true vintage lover will feel the same. Get ready. You are going to become a millionaire!

    ~Erica

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  9. Timing is everything and you would be right on the money with the vintage Christmas! I'd put out some Halloween too, if you have it. And be sure to market your clipboards and pendants as gift ideas!

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  10. I buy vintage Christmas whenever I see it, even if it's 90 degrees out! I say go for it! I'm off to exactly how far it is to Junk Ranch from here, LOL!

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  11. It's never too early for Christmas! Yes I think it's a great idea!

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  12. Anonymous10:16 AM

    I have grappled with this idea for years. I know I buy vintage Christmas year round, and you buy vintage Christmas year round, and so do a bunch of other people (as attested to by the sales in my Etsy Vintage Christmas shop) but… is it enough to justify a whole booth full of vintage Christmas at a one-time venue?

    I don't know, and so far have not been brave enough to try. I'm not sure if it's the timing (October vs say, May) as much as the audience. Will your customers "get it"? And, more importantly, will they buy it?

    Sorry I can't offer any helpful advice, but I am definitely interested in reading these comments and in your final decision, and will be rooting hard for lots of sales if you do!

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  13. Anonymous10:37 AM

    When in doubt, turn to Elvis - "Why can't every day be like Christmas?" Sandy in PA (no relation to Sandra Dee)

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  14. I start selling Christmas in my antique mall in late September so I know it sells that soon. Vintage shows have proven trickier for me for selling vintage Christmas. If there are other sellers with it, it comes down to who has the better prices and if it doesn’t sell, there are a lot of tiny, breakable pieces to pack up and take home. Having said that, I do think this could work but perhaps at an event with *very* heavy traffic (I agree with what Gina said about the audience). Looking forward to hearing what you decide to do!

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  15. As a total non-professional here, I think the timing is perfect for early October. The only thing I can think of is you would be putting all your knee huggers/eggs in one basket. Maybe one side set up as total in-your-face vintage Christmas and the other side as non-Santa stuff. That way people who don't love vintage Christmas (have no idea who those people would be!), wouldn't just bypass your tent. And now I'm off to book a plane ticket for Arkansas for October!

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  16. Helene'sBooth423:54 PM

    I add Christmas to my booth in the mall by October 1st. Some booths already have some Christmas in them. And around here, all of the holiday-themed shows and fairs are in October and early November. People buy their things to decorate with early, and then do their gift-shopping closer to the holiday. October's the perfect time to sell vintage Christmas (and I always throw in other green and red and silver and gold things into the display that aren't Christmas-specific, but still fit the color scheme!).

    Helene'sBooth42 (on Facebook--don't have a blog)

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  17. I wondered about this very thing back when I did that market in October a couple years ago. In the end I decided to do all Halloween and vintage stuff in coordinating colors. I think it really depends on your audience too. That is a toughie!

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  18. Definitely! I would love it if someone did that here in October, I kind of am glad when we get past Halloween and can start thinking about Christmas.

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  19. Definitely sell your vintage Christmas, & I agree with Pam, have it all together on 1 side for those of us who love it so. I buy it year-round. I love October when many vendors have Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas & snowmen for sale in their booths.

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  20. You had me, at Vintage Christmas!! Any time is a great time for Vintage Christmas!! If I lived closer, I'd be first in line!!

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  21. I buy vintage Christmas all year because you just never know when you'll see that special something again. I would swoon and stop if I saw a curated vintage Christmas booth!

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  22. Of course you need to sell vintage xmas. You buy all of it at the yardsales and thrifts, so there is nothing left except to come buy it from Y.O.U. No one will hold a xmas candle to your vintage xmas goodness.

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