Raspberry Festival Roundup

On Saturday the 19th, Lori the Loon officially debuted at the 80th annual Hopkins Raspberry Festival! Thanks to the support of many family and friends, she entered the mobile fashion world with a veritable bang. In super-mega-life-changing moments such as these, I've typically found it easier to describe things without words. The following are photos from the debut and, though they show only snippets of that wonderful day, they represent the energy and enthusiasm that made this first event a true success.

Here's an in-progress shot for some comparison.

Can you tell I'm a little bit proud of her?

All parked and ready to go!

My best friend and I showing that, yes there is enough room to go inside the bus!

Would not have been able to do this without the handsome shade-wearing man.

See, even the back of my bus is smiling!

Most enthusiastic and completely insufficient thank you's to everyone that came out to support this new business and its very exhausted but very satisfied owner.

Let the renovating begin!

For the past six months, I've done a lot of things for The Uncommon Loon. Shopping local thrift stores, garage and estate sales is literally my favorite activity, so that was hardly work. The rest of the tasks, however complicated or paperworky, could be accomplished while sitting or laying down. So, when the time inevitably arrived when all of the sitting tasks were done, it was time to get my hands dirty. That started yesterday and finished today with the construction of the two clothing racks for inside the bus! (They're overlapped to save space in the garage. Also, that folded pile of colorful goodness is my area rug, on top of more storage, just waiting to be installed.)

Speaking of getting hands (and arms and face and legs and feet) dirty...with the help of some seriously enthusiastic and hardworking friends, we got the entire inside of the bus painted! The Rustoleum Gloss Almond paint went on SO easily and smoothly that the entire process (with drying time in between coats) only took us about three hours. Now that I look at the photo more carefully..it's almost exactly the color of my dad's motorcycle! I'm holding off on posting too many in-transition photos, but tomorrow is installation day and I know I won't be able to stop myself..

With only nine days until the Hopkins Raspberry Festival, I've got a lot more work to do. Good thing opening The Uncommon Loon feels a lot more like lifelong dream fulfillment than work.

Fabric Covered Suitcase - Photo Tutorial

Earlier this spring, I had the absolute joy of going to the bi-annual Junk Bonanza at Shakopee Downs with two of my best ladies. This place is a junker/thrifter/vintage lover/hoarder/DIYer's dream come true. Floors and floors of rooms and rooms of secondhand (or thirdhand or fourthhand) trinkets lined nearly every inch of this place. Also, since I had just started planning the interior of The Loon, I was in interior-design heaven under a Pinterest-induced delirium. Luckily, I exercised moderate restraint and only came home with a polyester maxi dress, a velveteen handbag, a whitewashed wooden ladder and the suitcase showcased below! 

At first, I planned on mounting this sucker to some metal legs and putting it inside the bus to display jewelry. After some more careful measuring and sketching, I realized that wasn't quite going to work. I put the case aside, filled with dresses, and moved on to other things. I also planned on using the floral fabric to cover a bench for a dressing room that ALSO was not meant to be, so I had a bunch of pretty remnants with nothing (or so I thought) to do with them. 

After some brainstorming with my much craftier and creative friend Mel, we decided on tacking the fabric down for a stronger fit and a decorative touch. The project was, more or less, exactly what it sounds like. Cut fabric, put on suitcase, nail down, end. 

For those of you, however, that are curious about the specifics, read more for photos, step by step instructions and tips!

Mix and Mismatch

For years, I've read and seen other fashion-conscious bloggers mixing and mismatching patterns. These outfits always look effortless, but, even if I had the same patterns in my closet, I was too afraid to give them a try. I always assumed that my look would scream "I got dressed in the dark" instead of "I got dressed in a hurry, but look at me I'm still cosmopolitan and chic." It wasn't until recently that I started looking at my closet differently, and the pattern matching began. And I really do mean looking differently.

Because I have more clothes than I know what to do with (and I love looking at them), I have a large rolling rack set up in my bedroom. One day, lost in small business owner daydreams, I found myself zoning out while looking at the rack. My eyes lost focus and, instead of seeing shirts and dresses, I saw textures and patterns and colors. I started seeing outfits where I'd previously only seen disjointed items, too bright or too busy to play well with others. While I don't advise picking out all of your outfits this way, I was surprised and delighted by what I saw through fresh, unfocused eyes.  

The photo above is my first real foray into bold mismatching. To keep things from getting too crazy, I paired this Forever 21 bag and thrifted skirt with a white tank top and black perforated flats.

ESPECIALLY with thrifted finds, it's important to experiment with mixing and mismatching items that you already have in your closet. Try mixing a bold print with a more subtle pattern or solid to start, then work your way up to florals and stripes or polka dots. More traditional prints like dots, stripes and plaids, can even read more like solids depending on how high-contrast and busy the print is.

Sometimes I forget, so this post will serve as a reminder to all of us, that fashion is supposed to be FUN, so don't be afraid to explore your closet with a new perspective and see what comes out.

See? Floral goes just as well with stripes too!

Rainy Day Garage Sale

A few weeks ago, my friend's family's neighborhood had their annual garage sale. At the last minute, since her parents didn't have anything to sell, they asked if we'd like to take up some space in their garage for a few hourss. Ellen (the proud and talented owner of Chubby Cheeks Creations) had plenty of adorable crocheted diaper covers, bowties, suspender sets and headbands to sell after a long winter of crocheting. Though the bus is still undergoing renovations, I decided to throw a rack of clothes together and give myself (and The Loon) some sealegs.

We may have set up halfway through the day (girl's gotta work, you know), it may have rained most of the time, and we may have only had a few browsing passersby, but it felt good to see the clothes I've stared at in boxes and on hangers for months actually getting the fresh air and attention they so deserve.

These completely staged photos may not have been an accurate representation of my sales that day, but they definitely show how supportive, hilarious and good-spirited my friends are. Plus, they may make for some good promotional material someday...or at least some laughs.

Hi, We're The Uncommon Loon!

I'm Abby Rosen, and I am the owner of The Uncommon Loon, a Minneapolis-based thrift store on wheels. My wheels, as luck and Craigslist would have it, are attached to an old GMC mini school bus! That way, The Loon can bring the fashions right to you.

The Loon started out as a pipe dream of mine in late 2013. With a little dumb luck, some savings and a lot of moral support from family and friends, The Uncommon Loon is quickly becoming a reality. The Loon will be fully stocked with secondhand clothing selected specifically for its style and quality. While The Loon is under 80 square feet, we try our hardest to fill the racks with a little something for everyone. We stock clothing from the 50's to today in sizes S-XL, in a variety of styles. Hopefully, everyone will be able to find something perfect for their own unique wardrobe and personal style.

The Loon is available for private parties! Instead of the same old hangout, try renting The Loon for less than the cost of pizza and beer. The Loon is $20 to rent for two hours, and everything inside is 10% off while you shop! Email me at theuncommonloonmn@gmail.com to set up specifics! We do ask that parties be at least six or larger, but we will try to work with any size group. Please give at least two weeks notice.

We will also be attending various festivals and flea markets around the Minneapolis-St. Paul area this summer! So far, we are scheduled at the Hopkins Raspberry Festival  during Family Day on July 19th. Click the link for more info, but the gist of it is this: FREE admission, supporting local businesses, getting a fresh new outfit or two, and visiting the illustrious hometown of yours truly.

Follow for more information, behind-the-scenes photos, blogger-only discounts and info on my soon-to-come Etsy shop!

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