our city...our story

It feels like forever since I have posted! Since my new brick-and-mortar shop opening at the end of November I have been one busy girl! The shop has had amazing success, and I cannot THANK everyone enough for all their love & support since I opened the doors! Each time I am open for one of my sale events, it is such a fun time! 3 days full of friends, music, laughter and shopping! 

Good times!

I have something new at the shop this week I thought deserved a little shout-out. I know these are specialized for my city of Rockford, IL...but I know I have some readers out there with ties to my city so thought I would share. 

Pablo Korona is the man behind the video series, Our City Our Story. The series showcases some of the really great things about our city through a series through web-videos he has produced. The are beautiful to watch, even if you have never visited Rockford!

My personal fav if about Mainframe. A local artist named Jeremy Klonicki makes the most amazing light fixturing and scuplture out of salvaged materials. His work is nothing short of AMAZING! Really, if you like things made from salvaged material like I do...you are going to LOVE it. Promise. Just in case you missed it...here is the link again. {wink...}

Anywhoo...Pablo needs to support making these beautiful videos...that is where these gorgeous necklaces come in.

Each necklace is made from a vintage trasit-token from Rockford and has been hand-crafted by my friend and local jewelry artisan, Mona Lindvall. {You can also find Mona's jewelry at Urban Farmgirl and on Etsy!}

She has backed each token with an authentic copper Wheat penny, chosen for its symbolism of prosperity. Something out city once had, and desperately needs again. Each has a sterling silver, hand-aged chain and solid-copper ring. 

100% of each sale of the necklaces goes to support Our City, Our Story so Pablo can afford to continue telling the stories of what makes our city great! 

So if anyone out there loves Rockford, or wants to support the love of out city...I would love to pop one in the mail to you! They are $45...shipping is on me. :o)

Isn't it great to see someone willing to use their talents to showcase the good in others? That is what makes Pablo's videos so moving...you can feel the passion for bringing the love of our town back to what it once was. I am so lucky to be able to support him...just another things that makes having my little shop all worth it. 

So happy to be back in blogland again...I have missed you all! See you again on Monday with another post! The shop is open this weekend, so if you are in the area pop in and say Hi! 

Merry Christmas!

IPad GIVEAWAY from FOLK MAGAZINE!

Check....check...is this thing on??

It has been a little while, hasn't it? 

Well today I am in and out of power, so I had to bring this blog post to you before it flickers off again! I have some fun news...in more ways than one! First off, I am excited to tell you I have been given the job of my dreams! {Besides vintage shop owner, that is!} I have been hired to be the official 'pinner' for Folk Magazine. Can you imagine? I am so proud to be matched with a publication that believes in so many of the same things I do! And to get to share my love of Pinterest and all things useful and beautiful - well thats just a BONUS! 

Urban Farmgirl & Folk share so many of the same beliefs and hopes for the American way of living. And the eye candy that can be found between the pages...nothing short of amazing!! That is why it is one of my very favorite magazines out there. It is packed with ideas, recipes and focus on keeping the small business dream alive! 

Now onto the really exciting part of this post....did you know 

Folk is giving away an iPad??? 

Thats right, if you pop over to Pinterest via this link, and repin the image for the giveaway, your name will be entered. Easy peasy, right!!? 

AND if you purchase a new subscription {for you or a gift} or extend your current one, your name will be entered a SECOND time into the drawing! You get a gorgeous magazine in your mailbox AND an extra entry to win the iPad! How awesome is that?! 

The subscription is for a FULL YEAR {6 issues} and is only $5.00! I just bought one for each of my sisters and sisters-in-law! Consider the Christmas shopping done in this house!

Ok, remember...go here to PIN...and go here if you want to SUBSCRIBE for a second entry!

Good luck to you, and I hope to see you following along as I pin for Folk! 

pics from around the shop...

AMAZING. 

That is the first word I can think of to describe how the grand opening of my little shop went last Thursday. As I have been reflecting back over the last few days I am still stunned at the crowd that came out all three days to support me and my adventure! I will never be able to express how grateful I am to each and every one of you that either sent my supportive words through email or came in to say 'hello' last weekend.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

I was so lucky to have Traci on hand to take photos for me...I didn't have a chance to get a single photo all weekend!

Here we are right before I opened the door...

....and then then just a few moments later...

It was like that pretty much all night! I was advertised to close at 9...but couldn't shut the doors until 11! 

And for all of you that have emailed and left comments - YES! Urban Farmgirl T-shirts will be for sale online, too! $25 includes shipping! Email me if you would like one! urbanfarmgirlandco@yahoo.com.

It was such a wonderful weekend! I opened the door with a shop full of vintage goodies...and shut the lights of Saturday night to a shop picked clean with the tables almost bare. I am gearing up for the next opening...the shop will be full of new goods! Hope you will be able to stop by!

Shop address:

2202 Rural St. 

Rockford, IL  61107

December Open Dates:

December 12th - 3-9 

(it's a Christmas open house, so come for treats and giveaways!)

December 13th - 10-6

December 14th - 10-4

December 15th - 10-4

Hope to see you there!