It’s my favorite holiday too! I love the spring antique show! Bluebonnets will be in bloom. The weather is unpredictable, BUT IT’S NOT HOT. Excitement blows with the wind as trailers packed with treasures begin to ascend upon our beautiful countryside. I’m convinced that even the birds are singing about it. What I look forward to THE MOST is visiting with friends who make their bi-annual pilgrimage to Texas to shop for their stores, find out what’s new in design trends and to be inspired by a creative community.
Flown The Coop will kick off our show March 16th and run through April 1st. We’ll be open 9am – 6pm daily. This spring we’ll host a St. Patty’s Day Karaoke Party in the back yard on March 17th 7:30pm. The Kountry Karoake Chick will bring her show to our back yard stage. Bad Girl BBQ will be here serving AWEsome BBQ!
GRAB YOUR BOOTS, or some comfy shoes, a coat (or shorts… who knows), a good hat, sunscreen, AND a good friend! Hope to see you!!!!
Flown The Coop will close for ONE weekend, March 2nd – 5th.
Sorry for the inconvenience, but this shop girl is taking ONE weekend off to visit family.
~And the birds fluttered around her writing “YES” in the sky!
It’s hard to believe that we are celebrating our first anniversary of life in Burton, Texas! Jeff and I moved into our Burton home a few days prior to Thanksgiving 2014. It has been a very full year of making memories, realizing our dreams and becoming apart of an amazing community.
Christmas At The Coop
December 6th 11am – 5pm
I have thoroughly enjoyed planning our very first gen.u.ine Christmas At The Coop! Here’s what you can expect on Dec 6th…
From the beginning, I envisioned featuring homestead goods at The Coop. It has been a joy procuring local products, such as honey and honey jams from Lazy Bee Honey and lavender from Lacey Farms. I am confident you will find unique gifts from our mixture of vintage and industrial home goods, along with our hand crafted items and fun tee designs.
I dream of filling The Coop with live music. It was a goose bump kind of moment when my friend Abbey Road helped me book T-Roy Miller for an acoustic jam from 11am – 2pm. Not sure how we got so lucky! T-Roy’s guitar picking is mesmerizing and will definitely put us in the holiday spirit! Check out his web site http://www.t-roymiller.com/ and this video: https://youtu.be/7KGIu4-iQuE! If you weren’t in the holiday spirit yet, you will be now!
Where the backroads end, Burton is a homestead for creative and talented people! I am thrilled to be hosting two very talented individuals whom I have had the privilege to become friends.
Pamela Fagan Hutchins, author and co-owner of Skipjack Publishingwill be joining us for a book signing. I recently completed her Kate Annalise trilogy and couldn’t put the books down. Her books will make great gifts, especially signed by the author!
Local artist, John Lowery has chosen The Coop to exclusively display his Engelbrecht Longhorn. The original painting is quite large at 50″x50″ and depicts a typical scene if you drive down Engelbrecht drive between 390 and Post Oak Road. You will be able to meet John and purchase one of his prints for the art lovers on your gift list.
Be sure to get there early!
11am – 1pm Boomtown Coffee, voted reader’s choice 3 years in a row, will be in the house! My son, Hayden Eckhardt will be using his mad barista skills to serve java and espresso drinks. Bags of freshly roasted coffee will be available to purchase as well. The perfect hostess gift for your upcoming gatherings.
Make it a day!
Burton’s Heritage Society has planned a Tannenbaum Tour and Christmas at the Depot. Tour our local businesses and vote for your favorite Christmas tree, have your photo taken with Santa and enjoy the holiday spirit in our magical little town!
Make it a tradition
December 4th – 6th small towns throughout the Roundtropolis area will be celebrating the holiday season. So, book a B&B and make a weekend of it! We hope that slowing down for a country Christmas will become your annual tradition.
It’s true! Time flies, much like a gen.u.ine FREE spirit. Since opening The Coop on March 25th, we’ve had so much fun nestling into our Burton home. We honestly LOVE the community and all our new friends. Thank you ALLfor making our first few months in business a tremendous success!
Hard to believe we are weeks away from another Texas Antiques Week!
Getting Ready for the BIG SHOW
Jeff and I will hit the road again for a buying trip. I already have a large load waiting to be picked up! I am super excited to visit my favorite dealers to see what they’ve uncovered in their latest hunting adventures. This promises to be epic!
Flown The Coop will be closed August 30 – September 22. The Coop will undergo a complete redo to prepare for Texas Antiques Week. During this time we will bring back our new treasures and create all new vignettes. Sorry, no sneak peaking…
The Burton Antiques Market
September 23rd – Kicking off the Burton Antique Market
Flown The Coop will throw open the doors September 23rd at 9:00 am. Be the first to grab the newest treasures from our buying trip and one of our BRAND NEW gen.u.ine FREE spirit tees. Don’t forget to snap a pic in front of our gen.u.ine FREE spirit mural. Tag us #2flownthecoop so we can highlight your pic on our FB and Instagram accounts.
Later that night we have a BIG treat for you… Flown The Coop will open our backyard stage from 7:30 pm – midnight for Kountry Chic Karoake & DJ. Bring your lawn chairs and BYOBeverages! It will be a fun evening under the stars with Denise and our favorite local karaoke stars.
September 26th – White Linen Night
Several months ago the idea for White Linen Night came to me while dreaming up events for Texas Antiques Week. I saw a throwback picture on Facebook from one of Theresa Cano’s Blogger Parties. All the ladies showed up dressed in white. The idea popped into my head: Burton needs a White Linen Night, much like the New Orleans and Houston Heights tradition celebrating the arts and surviving another sultry summer. So ladies and gentlemen, get out your favorite white outfit and join us on September 26th from 6pm – 9pm for Burton’s FIRST EVER White Linen Night!
Flown The Coop is teaming up with Market Realty/ Rita’s Antiques to sponsor White Linen Night. Artists, creatives and makers will line Live Oak St. in front of Flown The Coop. Live music will be on the porch of Market Realty. Food by the Burton Volunteer Fire Department will be located in front of Market Realty.
There is still room for artists, creatives and makers to join White Linen Night! Email me at eckhardt.tiffany@gmail.com for registration!
Putting Burton on the Antiques Show Map! Burton will roll out the welcome mat for pilgrims of Texas Antiques Week September 23 – October 3rd. Our charming little secret town has even more new Antique Stores and will host a few events you will want to be aware of during this bi-annual event.
September 26th Burton Trade Days, because it’s nearly impossible to have a garage sale in the country. Located at The Railroad Details from 9am – 5pm.
September 23 – 25th Volunteer Fire Department will serve BBQ at the Fire Department under the water tower. 11am – 7pm
Flown The Coop will be open daily September 23 – October 3rd 9am- 7pm
The BIG FUN will be here before you know it… I can’t wait to see all my friends I’ve made over the past several years! #TexasAntiquesWeek #BurtonAntiqueMarket #BringmetoBurton
I’m here to tell you that wild and crazy dreams come true. The day Jeff and I put an offer on our new home, I woke up with a vision for March 25th. We were going to have a party!I envisioned live music, food trucks and fun. Months later, I can’t stop smiling over all the tiny details that I envisioned fall into place.
For example, several months ago I began searching for an artist to paint a free flying mural on the outside wall of The Coop. The vision for it was vague. As time ran out on hiring a talented artist, I realized that this would have to be a DIY project. Could I really do this?
And the birds fluttered around her writing “YES” in the sky.
I sat down to my computer and played with different ideas until the mural emerged.
YES! It is exactly what I hoped for. With help from Jeff, a borrowed projector and the talented Stephanie Jarvis {who gave the mural wings}…. my vision took flight. A gen.u.ine free spirit!
Let’s kick off this party with a photo contest! It’s easy as 1.2.3!
1. Take a photo of yourself flying free in front of the gen.u.ine Free Spirit mural.
2. Post your photo to Facebook or Instagram with 3 tags: #2flownthecoop @2flownthecoop and #BringmetoBurton
3. The photo with the most likes wins a $50 gift card to Flown The Coop!
Contest rules: Contest runs March 25 – April 1. Winner will be announced on April 2. Winner will receive a $50 gift card for Flown The Coop merchandise in The Coop with no cash back. No purchase necessary to win. All sales are final. I will monitor Facebook and Instagram for photos using #2flownthecoop @2flownthecoop #BringmetoBurton only.
Can’t wait to see ALL YOU gen.u.ine free spirits! NOW LET’S HAVE A PARTY!
Burton, Texas is often overlooked in guides written to navigate Texas Antiques Week. In fact, Burton has managed to be the best kept secret among the dealers who enjoy getting away from the crowd without the crazy lines.
In 2011 I was invited to join a group of dealers to eat at the Burton Cafe during the fall show. Ludmil and Linda Marcov of Willow Nest lived in Burton at the time. After dinner our group walked a block to their homestead for a chance to tour their shop and home. It was love at first site. In my wildest dreams I could never imagine that in four years I would call this magical property my home.
I pinch myself everyday! The best way to get to know a new hometown is to become a tourist in your own town. Here is what I’ve discovered about this secret town….
This community is alive! It didn’t take long to get to know people and feel apart of this wonderful community. A quick look at the Burton Chamber of Commerce calendar for March gives a glimpse of the numerous events and opportunities to interact with our neighbors. The energy put into events is admirable. The chamber of commerce and area businesses have been extremely supportive of the Burton Preview Party and the Burton Blogger Party events planned for Texas Antiques Week.
There are three restaurants within walking distance and literally within view of our little white house. The Brazos Belle Restaurant, with an authentic french fare, was recently featured in Texas Highways magazine. Burton Cafe is a wonderful german restaurant where we discovered german pancakes and the red rueben. The Burton Short Stop is a local favorite. They make the best hamburgers and finger licking fried food.
This sleepy little town rocks during the weekend! Every Thursday night the locals come out for Karaoke with Denise the Country Chick Karaoke & DJ at The White Horse Tavern. On Friday and Saturday nights it is fun to watch two stepping couples let their hair down to live music at The White Horse. I wish I had known about the White Horse when I was a dealer in the field. It would have been a great way to unwind. In addition to nightlife, it is not uncommon for motorcyclists and classic car enthusiast flock to Burton for day trips.
The rolling hills of Washington County is known for the numerous wineries. I was thrilled to learn Saddlehorn Winery was only four miles away! Another relaxing destination I wished I had known about during Texas Antiques Week. The winery and tasting room are located in a renovated horse barn with scenic views of their vineyard. Jeff and I joined their wine club and have enjoyed pick up parties in their fantastic event room. Saddlehorn just announced construction on their outdoor patios. I will toast to that!
It’s only natural to mention the parks. Lake Somerville is a short picturesque drive from downtown Burton. There are a few campgrounds to launch a boat, camp or have a picnic with the pet like deer. Behind the Cotton Gin Museum you can explore the Indian Creek Nature Area. This little nature preserve is a labor of love by local members of the Texas Master Naturalist.
Photo Credit: Heidi Jaster
I love that Burton’s charm has been preserved over the years. The town is filled with historic homes, the official Texas Cotton Gin Musuem, The Burton Heritage Society located in the historic Burton Railroad Depot and established downtown businesses. The Nesting Co Flourist is a lovely business. Heidi Jaster is not only an accomplished florist, but a talented photographer. The Burton Bridge Ministry Thrift Shoppe, located in a historic corner gas station, is a mission of Burton area churches and another best kept secret.
Photo Credit: Heidi Jaster
In recent years visionary businesses have fallen in love with our secret town. Old Glory Antiques established their Old Glory Texas pop up shop in the 3000 square foot dance hall in the spring of 2014. Their bunkhouse adjacent to their shop was featured in the October issue of Country Living. This spring Texas Antiques Week will usher in two new businesses. In addition to Flown The Coop, Joel and Shelby Geshay will open Bayberry’s on East Texas St. on March 25th.
The biggest joy of our new hometown is in our backyard! Jeff and I have really enjoyed country living and so excited to open Flown The Coop in this wonderful community! We’ll be kicking off our new venture on March 25th during the Burton Preview Party. This will be a city wide celebration with food trucks and live music. The party will continue on Friday, March 27th when Burton rolls out the red carpet for the first ever Burton Blogger Party. Click through the Burton Preview Party and the Burton Blogger Party links to see details on the events.
In 16 days the secret will be out! We know that as people become more aware of Burton, it will be a favorite Texas Antiques Week destination and a day trip destination all throughout the year.
Hope you stop by and see me! When you come be sure to tag any posts to Facebook or Instagram with #BringmetoBurton so we can see Burton through your eyes. I also use #2flownthecoop, #secrettown, #BurtonTX. Search these hashtags if you want to see what has been posted recently.
~Tiffany
And the birds fluttered around her writing “YES” in the sky!
I’m beyond excited to announce the launching of my newest project! Social Marketing On The Fly is a beginners guide to understanding social marketing and how to effectively engage your customers without spending your day in front of a computer. Specifically written for creatives who travel great distances to display their finds at shows and flea markets, but the techniques can be applied to any small business owner with limited time for social media marketing.
My love affair with social media began in 2008 when I met my best friends through a Tweet Up in Columbus, Ohio. My addiction to social media has open many amazing doors since that time. I’ve helped small businesses develop plans to utilize social media, traveled as a travel blogger with Weekend ReTweat, built Flown The Coop’s social media presence and have taught colleagues at Chippendale Eastlake Antiques how to jump start their presence on social media. It was Heather Basden at Chippendale Eastlake Antiques who encouraged me to teach my friends in the field how to use social media to promote their businesses.
I am always open to helping small businesses wrap their minds around social media. It occurred to me that I would be able to help more small businesses by writing an easy to read Ebook. I hope to convey how effortless social marketing can be once you understand how to properly use and connect the various platforms available. As a follow up, I will be offering assistance in setting up and launching a social marketing for readers who need a little push out of the nest.
I am dedicating this book to raising money for a single mom who came into my life while I was writing Social Marketing On The Fly. I fell in love with her and her precious little ones. She opened my eyes to the struggles she must overcome, while figuring out life and raising her little ones on her own. Truth is we are all struggling to discover our value and purpose. I hope to give her some relief and encourage her “take a leap and build her wings on the way down.”
Starting in April, I will be offering a limited number of packages for businesses who need help structuring a social marketing plan for their business. Contact me to reserve a consultation.
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for our grand opening! March 25th will be here before you know it. Life is heating up just in time for spring!
~Tiffany
~And the birds fluttered around her writing “YES” in the sky!
This coming weekend is Urban Market Houston weekend! The fun starts on Saturday, Feb. 8th at 3pm and continues through Sunday at 4pm. We are excited about another Urban adventure in our own backyard.
We’ve been working on projects at the Flown The Coop headquarters in preparation for this weekend.
Here’s a sneak peak…
These corbels from Ohio have been updated with a metallic finish. The table below has the same finish.
Guess I’ve had a little too much fun with my new paints and techniques I learned in Vegas!
After several different techniques, I think I can call this workbench finished.
In addition to the projects, we have several pieces from the last Ohio buying trip and new pieces from recent auctions.
Hope to see you this weekend… Spread the word & bring a friend!
~Tiffany
And the birds fluttered around her writing “YES” in the sky!
In my experience, the hardest part about being an entrepreneur is the insecurity of not knowing where the next big idea will come from or even being able to predict with certainty where the money will flow from.
I’ll never forget when I came across Elizabeth Gilbert’s TED talk “Your elusive creative genius.” I finally realized that I wasn’t alone in the fear of never fully achieving the success of my dreams. I love the idea she presents that we are not geniuses, but vessels for genius to flow and at times must be worked out.
I’ve lived with insecurity for many years, learning to press through the inevitable failures along the way. Even when the journey has been wonderful, I spend days after each show and adventure worrying about which direction I should go.
I need to alleviate worry. Birds in flight don’t worry, they go with the flow.
Celebrating what is right with the world
Mr. Flown The Coop came home from a leadership course today and shared a video that has challenged me to think about life and business is a new light. It was exactly what I needed to hear and the best twenty minutes I’ve spent all week. In the video Dewitt Jones shares what he learned working twenty years as a photographer at National Geographic. I encourage you to take the time to watch it!
Dewitt reminded me that I should live with uncertainty, yet act with confidence. I need to focus on opportunity, rather than scarcity. I was inspired to believe in abundance, keep looking for the next possible answer and move from a good frame to a great frame.
As Dewitt says, “Look for ways to work cooperatively with others.” If you take the time to view the video, let me know what you got out of it. I’d love to be encouraged by your journey! I don’t think we can have too many cheerleaders on our court.
~Tiffany
And the birds fluttered around her writing “YES” in the sky.
“Formula for success: rise early, work hard, strike oil.” J. Paul Getty
I did NOT strike oil. I struck a sweet spot in the field, loving my new spot at Bar W during Texas Antiques Week. This was the best show I’ve had yet. I contribute the success of the show to location, improving my selection of merchandise and hard work!
I arrived with a twenty foot UHaul, Miss Dixie (my truck) and the trailer packed and departed with a small trailer load. It was so fun to see so many of the pieces I hand picked go to excited new owners.
Living the dream
Hard work does pay off. My lifestyle of flying free is hard work and not at all glamorous. The field is not for high maintenance girls. I’ve gotten stronger lifting furniture and moving displays around. I’ve been covered with dust, mud and sweat. I’ve loaded and unloaded trailers, sometimes by myself. I’ve driven long hours between Houston and Ohio hunting good junque. All the loading, unloading, cleaning, repairing, loading up for shows, unloading, merchandising, marketing, book keeping, etc can take a tole. Thank God for Mr. Flown The Coop, who is extremely supportive! I believe in hard work, and am excited to reap the sweet rewards!
We have fun in the field too. If you follow me on Facebook, you saw the daily Miss Ivy pics. Did you see her precious Drink Stand? Setting up with Brian, Meloney and Ivy of The Seed Box Designs, is always a treat.
The Kansas City girls (Brenda, Abby and Joe) were delightful neighbors! Brenda was Miss Ivy’s first customer.
I love the friends I make from all over the country! It is always fun to hang out with Don and Peggy Abrbenz, owners Down Home Antiques in Orange, California. I’m only sad that our go cart racing got rained out. I met Megan Thomas, owner of Salvaged in Austin, who had some really creative repurposed pieces. Wendy and Lia from Thelma & Louize were a hoot! These two chics bring the fun to the field! I’m only a little jealous of Wendy’s Vespa!
Visitors are always welcomed! My cousin Tanya and her friend Sandy stopped by to catch up and for our traditional lunch at Belly Laughter. This was Sandy’s first trip to Warrenton. I enjoyed hosting my friends Katrina and Martine, who bunked a night in my shack and experienced Texas Antiques Week for the first time. I had forgotten how overwhelming the twenty-six miles of fields between Round Top and Warrenton can be. It was fun to see the craziness through their eyes.
Thanks to all of you who stopped by! I met some fun customers. I was in heaven when three Italian guys pulled up in a whirl wind and cleaned me out in about a half hour. I can hardly believe that some of my picks are headed for New York, California and now Italy!
Check out these gals, who videoed a parade in front of Flown The Coop booth. You can hear me giggling in the background….
New dreams
This show has allowed me to entertain new dreams. I NEED a vintage camper (not sure the style yet) and a Vespa for my gypsy lifestyle. I’m in the market for a vintage camper that needs to be gutted and restored. A remodeling project will bring back the days when Jeff and I restored historic homes. The Vespa would make roaming the fields fun and useful for zipping around the Heights. I didn’t buy the Vespa I found in the field. The dealer didn’t have the title and couldn’t let me test drive it.
The best part about my new dreams? I don’t need to strike oil.
What was your favorite part of Texas Antiques Week? Leave a comment to share with us your favorite finds and stories!!!!
What is next?
Buying trip – October 11- 20th Follow my flight pattern on Facebook. 🙂
Urban Market Houston – October 26 & 27. I’ll have a new load to share at Urban Market, located at 9401 Knight Rd in Houston. Hope to see you there!
Shop Local Parking Lot Sale Event at the Corridor Shops and more on 19th – November 2. Stayed tuned on Facebook for details about this local event.
Onto the next adventure… Life is a journey, come travel with me!
~Tiffany
And the birds fluttered around her writing “YES” in the sky!
