I'm so excited to welcome my very first sponsor, Bird.In.Hand Vintage. Please give Laurie and her beautiful vintage store a very warm welcome!
I've admired all the pretty, farmhouse-esque vintage items in Laurie's Etsy store for nearly a year. I've even included one of her vintage items in my room inspiration boards {Overcast Occupation}.
I'm so happy to have this chance to interview Laurie so we can all get to know the lovely woman behind Bird.In.Hand Vintage a little bit better.
{me} Why did you open your shop on Etsy?
{laurie} I opened Bird.in.Hand Vintage on Etsy in the Spring of 2008 after being a customer under the name “birdie1” for over a year. Etsy was so creatively inspiring to me! I thought it would be fun not only to offer high-quality vintage items but also be able to show new and innovative ways to repurpose them in ways that would add charm and character to today’s home. I believe there’s nothing like having original, authentic vintage accents to add personality and warmth to a home. And Bird.in.Hand offers an ever-changing selection at reasonable prices so you don’t have to be afraid of taking a creative risk. It’s important to keep it fun.
{me} How do you find such high-quality & unique vintage pieces for your shop? {laurie} My best finds have actually been “accidental” or pure serendipity so I’ve learned to keep some heavy gloves, boots and protective tarps in the car. I enjoy going to estate sales and making a bee-line for the basement, garage or shed.
The items usually look quite different in their “found” state! But with a little love and a lot of elbow grease, they’re ready for the shop.
{me} What is your decorating style? {laurie} We’re in the process of remodeling our kitchen and living areas, opening them up to be more inviting and “airy”. With the modernizing it’s important to me to keep a feel of warmth and permanence – as in “it’s been here forever” kind of feel. Even though the cabinets and light fixtures are new, I still can’t help incorporating found vintage items to provide character and personality.
Right now I’m drawn to a kind of elegant farmhouse-style. It seems to fit with our Midwest, Chicago-area surroundings. I regularly rotate items in and out and they sometimes end up at
Bird.in.Hand when it’s someone else’s turn to enjoy them.
{me} What do you do when you're not treasure hunting {in heavy gloves and boots}? {laurie} I’m a member of the Elgin Men’s Garden Club (they’re letting women in now) and enjoy distance cycling, kayaking, bird watching – lately bald eagles on the river and wine. I'm into science-related geekery and action thriller movies. I would stay home to watch “Fringe” if the dvr broke and “24” if only it were still on. I’m very blessed because my science-teacher husband enjoys these activities too (if you swap out the garden club for sports).
{me} Why do you think vintage décor is so popular for the eco-minded consumer?
{laurie} I think one of the reasons that vintage and repurposed décor is so hot is the growing awareness of how mass production and our “throw-away” society affects the environment. I love being able to offer my customers unique, high-quality items for decorating their homes.
Laurie, thank you for sharing a little bit about yourself, your charming life, and your beautiful Etsy shop. Watching the bald eagles along the river over a glass of wine sounds amazing {and then watching Fringe}! You are a wise and dynamic woman. I'm so pleased to have you as my first sponsor - thank you so much!
If you find something you love at Laurie's store, you'll be happy to know that 80% of her packaging and shipping materials are re-used.
Laurie has quite a following on Twitter and Facebook! You can find her...
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via RSS Feed
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 
