The City Farmhouse Pop-up Fair is almost here and we can't wait to introduce y'all to our friend Cari Cucksey, host of HGTV's Cash and Cari! When it comes to repurposing this chick has a knack for reinventing, so we caught up with her to help y'all get to know her a little better before the weekend...

1. How would you describe your personal design aesthetic?

Very eclectic but tasteful (of course). I love a variety of periods -- my own home is a mix from the 1700s all the way to the 1950s! Obviously it doesn’t look like some crazy flea market but it’s all about melding together color and texture.

2. Where does your love of antiques & vintage stem from?

Well, I grew up in a 1908 Sears Roebuck and was surrounded by both sides of the family. My mother was a teacher and had a huge love for antiques, so when she was off in the summers she’d drag me around to go shopping with her, always wanting to teach me everything she knew about antiques. On the other side of the family was my grandfather -- the first American picker (way before Mike and Frank!). He taught me all about repurposing… after going through The Great Depression, he had so much gratitude and was just astonished at what people were willing to throw away. He would go shopping every day alongside the road and pick up what other people considered trash, then turn those items into things that were useful and beautiful. He really instilled in me a love for repurposing.

3. How do you know when you've found the perfect piece to refurbish?

I guess it’s just a gut feeling… sometimes I find pieces and I have no idea what I’m going to do with them. It’s all about your gut in this business though, and taking a chance and being willing to put in the sweat and equity to make something come to life!

4. What's the coolest piece you've reinvented?

It’s so hard to pick just one since I’ve repurposed so many fun things out there… I guess my favorite project though was for our wedding. We created 20 vintage vignettes and one of them was a cast iron tub that I cut the front off of and turned into a little vintage couch!

5. If you could only choose three tools to use for the rest of your life, what would they be?

A paint brush, my staple gun and mascara -- definitely can’t live without that one!

6. What's your favorite part about what you do?

I absolutely love the fact that I’m able to inspire people across the globe. Cash and Cari on HGTV airs in 40 countries and it’s so neat to me that so many different people are looking at objects in a different light. We’re bringing back the stories of these pieces and their owners -- if we don’t keep telling that history and educating people about what those items were and can be recreated into, they’ll get lost.

Catch Cari at the demonstration tent this weekend where she'll be teaching fair-goers the art of repurposing with Matthew Mead and Wagner spray tools! For more on Cari and show details, go here.

We're Doubling the Fun this Summer and Fall ...

Because y'all love our City Farmhouse Pop-up Shows so much ..... we decided to double the fun this year!!! Can you believe it!? We're crazy excited!!! 

Mark your calendars for the weekends of June 19-20 AND October 16-17. We're heading back out to the beautiful Buddy Killen Estate in the charming Leiper's Fork area of Franklin, Tennessee. We're working on some really cool events, great music, and of course a fabulous line-up of the best vendors in the business. LEARN MORE HERE.

And, speaking of vendors, if you're interested in obtaining a booth space, jump on it--we are more than halfway sold-out of vendor spaces for both shows! For those of you who haven't yet requested your contract - please click on this link for info on what you need to do here.

Special Events ... We asked some of our devoted shoppers what they loved most about the Pop-up Shows. Over and over again we heard how much they enjoyed the amazing vendors and all the unique things that they brought to the shows. So this year, we thought it would be fun to create an event that will focus on design and how to use the unique pieces that you see at the show in your own home. I'm  thinking a large tent filled with loads of design inspiration, along with guest speakers who would share their ideas with you. What do y'all think about that? Or, if you have any ideas that you would like to see at the show, please let us know. We'll post all the details on the website very soon.

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As always, thanks for dropping by and being a part of our crazy, fun life!

Dear StyleBluePrint editor, 

I'm not 8 years old anymore. But still, I have to ask... some of my friends say there is no Santa Claus! My love told me if you read it on StyleBlueprint, it's so. Please tell me the truth: is there a Santa? 

xx

Virginias Everywhere

Well, wouldn't you know it--StyleBlueprint responded lickety split, and this is what they had to say:

YES, it's true! Well, maybe not the real Claus, but who needs Santa after this, because.... City Farmhouse has partnered with StyleBlueprint of Williamson County to give away a $500 shopping spree to our shop in Franklin, TN!!! I know, I know, we're excited for y'all too! All you have to do is click here to enter your name + email address before January 1, 2014, and you're in it to win it.

Merry Christmas, y'all!

We’ve got a star-studded guest-list at this year’s City Farmhouse Pop-up Show, and we’re rollin’ out the burlap carpet (yep, burlap) on Friday morning for our early buyers!

Think of it as a red carpet pre-show event for the Oscars—you’ll get the latest news about the 2014 Pop-up Show, hot shopping tips, predictions, winners and of course burlap carpet fashion. And what’s an awards ceremony without champagne? We’ll be serving complimentary mimosas from 8-10 a.m.

Be sure to come early on Oct. 17 to have your picture taken in front of our “wall of fame.” AND there’s more! Early shoppers will have the chance to actually “walk the burlap carpet,” so make sure you wear your best blue jeans! Sophisticated Living Magazine Society Editor and celebrity emcee Ted Clayton will be there to host the pre-show event, as well as judge our Rocky Top singing contest.

What’s the Rocky Top contest? We’re so glad you asked. Hold on to your britches, because we love a little friendly competition around here! One lucky shopper will win the chance to participate in early buying, meaning they’ll get to skip the line and enter the show 15 minutes before anyone else—this fortunate individual will have access to the most sought after items, minus the crowd!

How do I enter? You must sing Tennessee’s favorite tune “Rocky Top” as loud as you can in front of the entire audience. The participant with the most enthusiasm and gumption will win this coveted pass.

Better start getting those voices warmed up, y’all. There’s nothing we love more than a fearless personality who’s willing to lay it all on the line and embarrass themselves for the sake of priority pickin’! Am I right?

For those over achievers, we’ve posted the lyrics to Rocky Top below so you can start brushing up. We’ll also have copies of the lyrics at the show, for those that need it.

Wish that I was on ole rocky top, Down in the tennessee hills. Ain't no smoggy smoke on rocky top, Ain't no telephone bills. Once there was a girl on rocky top, Half bear the other half cat. Wild as a mink, sweet as soda pop, I still dream about that. Rocky top, you'll always be Home sweet home to me. Good ole rocky top, Rocky top tennessee, rocky top tennessee. Once two strangers climbed on rocky top, Lookin' for a moonshine still. Strangers ain't come back from rocky top, Guess they never will. Corn won't grow at all on rocky top, Dirt's too rocky by far. That's why all the folks on rocky top Get their corn from a jar. Rocky top, you'll always be Home sweet home to me. Good ole rocky top, Rocky top tennessee, rocky top tennessee.

The City Farmhouse Pop-Up Show is almost here (insert silent scream!). I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off, but that doesn’t mean you should be stressed on Oct. 17 & 18.  Come prepared and ready to take on the world…I mean show…

I took a few minutes to jot down some advice I’d want to know before heading to a pop-up show. Whether you’re a pickin’ pro or a first-timer, I think my list of tips + tricks will serve you well.

And whaddya know? The Williamson Herald not only shared details about this year’s show location, why we chose it and what to expect, but they also picked up our list of tips + tricks too! Read the full article here, then grab a pen and make note of my list below: 

Kim’s Tips + Tricks for Pop-up Show Shopping

1.     Whether you’re shopping at our Pop-up Show or visiting City Farmhouse on Bridge Street in Franklin, David and I suggest photographing spots you’re looking to fill.

2.     Bring a camera to photograph displays that are appealing or inspiring—they can be recreated easier from a photo.

3.     Be fair to yourself and the vendor when bargaining.

4.     Ask questions if you’re unsure of the age and condition of a piece. There’s nothing worse than discovering something is wrong with your purchase or that it’s not as old as you thought!

5.     Look for items that will make a big impact like vintage maps, old metal signs and/or large objects like gears that can be used as art. In decorating, I’ve found these types of items usually produce more bang for your buck!

6.     If you’re looking for a piece to fit in a particular spot, come prepared with dimensions and a tape measure. That way you don’t have to run home and do it in the middle of the show—pieces could be gone by the time you return. In my experience, the good stuff tends to sell pretty fast!

Learn more about our upcoming show including vendors and celebrity guests on our website: www.cityfarmhousefranklin.com/pop-up-barn-show.html

Here are a few pictures that Williamson Herald's Carole Robinson took of our store: