Addicted to :: Gypsy Fish Studio
Beth’s vintage addiction runs deep. In fact, her Etsy shop Gypsy Fish Studio is just a small part of her addiction — she also runs a monthly vintage market, and even used to own a vintage B&M shop! She’s found her calling in life and ain’t stoppin’ any time soon. Read on…
Q: Tell our lovely readers a bit about yourself. Is buying and selling vintage your full-time gig or a hobby? How and when did you get started in this business?
A: I think what best describes me is a creative and artistic soul with a passion for vintage. I’ve always been a collector of cool things, mostly family pieces that no one wanted but I couldn’t bare to throw away. Then I began “junkin’.” Mostly out of necessity when I first moved out on my own. I started with pots, pans and all the staples one needs. Then evolved into the furnishing for my very own place. My first apartment was a small studio in a 100 yr old house. There’s just something about old “stuff,” even old houses. Originally I only picked for myself. I love to design my rooms around my vintage pieces using different styles and eras. Just mixing it all up and making it work. Fast forward several apartments, college, a husband, kids, house, 20 or so years and a few thousand junkin’ excursions later, I decided to start selling my wares and share my eclectic style. I opened a few booths in local co-ops then eventually graduated to my very own store. It had always been my dream, It was the most amazing and educational experience of my life. It was a huge pivotal part of bringing me to where I am today. It helped to wake up my soul and face it in the right direction. Due to time constraints, eventually I closed the brick and mortar shop and moved the goods home selling mostly online. It’s finally all in place and balance, now I can really concentrate on what I love, making art, displays, and picking. As well as my online store, I run a monthly Gypsy Barn Market with my close friend Jill and travel with my wares to shows incorporating all the things I adore. As for making this my full-time gig, I would love to say that yes, this is full-time for me, however, there is the necessary job (I am a teaching assistant for a local school) but on the off months…it’s all about the hunt for treasures!
Q: Do you have any favorite, never-let-you-down, treasure hunting spots? Would you like to share, or are they top-secret?
A: Where do I shop…well, in the beginning nothing could stop me and my “BFF” from waking at the crack of dawn and sneaking out before out kids and hubbies woke up to search down the perfect yard sale. Then we would hit all the local thrift shops on the way home. I have to say yard sales are the ultimate treasure hunt. Exploring new neighborhoods and meeting new people is very inspiring to me. But, nothing can beat a good hot, sticky, grungy day at the flea market. Now, that is heaven to me. Not only the finds but the cast of characters and the thrill of haggling down to a great price. I have a few that I haunt regularly but basically I’m up for attacking any field of treasures armed with my granny cart, measuring tape, sunglasses and bottled water.
Q: Is there a certain aesthetic you look for when you’re thrifting? How do you decide what to pick up, or just pass on? Do you wait for an item to speak to you?
A: Now, when it comes to decisions on what to buy….I’m not quite sure how it happens. Maybe it’s psychometry, maybe it’s just the feel of old worn patina that gets my imagination whirring and wondering, who used this, how long was this passed down until it was discarded, why didn’t anybody else want it? But, for some reason they do speak to me, screaming pick me pick me!
Q: Be honest, do you keep many of your finds, or is it strictly business? And do you have any personal collections that you have built over time through thrifting?
A: Well, honestly I used to keep just about everything, before I started selling but now I mostly sell it all……ha! Who am I kidding, I still have to keep at least one thing from just about every excursion. I am becoming a bit more selective though (although my husband will disagree). I’ve also found if there’s two or more of something, buy them both, then you can keep one for yourself and you won’t ever regret selling it. As for collections, hmmm just about everything I have is a collection of sorts. I do have a strange affinity for “things to put things in.” I love finding strange vessels to put odds and ends in….the funkier the better. I also have gathered a huge collection of jewelry findings, funky, rusty keys, and architectural salvage…which now feeds my new passion for making art jewelry pieces. Thanks to an awesome soldering class I took this past summer.
Q: Pick one and tell us about it: Weirdest, most valuable, or most satisfying find?
A: I don’t know if this is the strangest thing I ever purchased but I can tell you it’s the dumbest thing I ever purchased…and I didn’t even mean to do it. I was at a very fast paced outdoor auction. The caller was going a mile a minute, it was crowded, there were big burly guys holding up each piece when it went up for sale, and more big burly guys tossing it to the side after it sold. So , I had my eye on this amazing white iron bench. I spied it right through the crowd. I’m only 5ft tall on a good day, so I zipped right through to check it out. It was divine! A white, chippy, scrolly, vintage iron garden piece. A big guy was holding it. Oooooh that meant it was next! I kept my eyes focused on it, I had to have it. Then I heard the auctioneer start. No one was bidding except one other guy, so I jumped right in and bammmm $17.50! “Can you believe it I got it for only 17.50?” I said to my friend. She said, “no you idiot you got that broken office chair!” Ugh! Then I realized the other burly guys were holding that piece and now I knew why no one else was bidding…..DUNCE! Needless to say the bench went super high and I didn’t get it!
Things are ever evolving for me, I just run with it and know that I will always get where I’m going. I just have to buckle up for the ride.
Robin Eastwood is a treasure hunter and vintage fanatic. Visit The Fancy Lamb on Etsy to drool over some of her latest finds, and follow Robin on Twitter to hear about her latest thrifting adventures.
