Did you hear?  You can do so much more with a sled than just sledding and this year everyone is hopping on board!  What says "Happy Holidays" like a vintage sled decorated with your favorite holiday foliage and ornaments.  Hang your wreath or holly, add a bow, and you've got a beautiful, authentic piece that adds character to your decor!  Simple, quick, nostalgic.

Repurposing is all the rage these days.  Everywhere you look, someone is pinning an upcycled idea or posting before and afters of their latest DIY cabinet makeover.  And if you look closely, you'll see that so much of this magical transformation results from applying modern color to vintage items.  But if everyone is participating in these color transformations, how can one set themselves apart?

We think one way to make sure your items stand out is by setting trends, not just following them.  In this case, we recommend  knowing what color trends are popular in modern fashion.  You may be wondering why modern fashion, but it is all made clear when you look at Pantone's yearly color reports.  

Every season pantone,  a company well-known across multiple industries for creating a system of "identifying, matching, and communicating colors" announces color trends for that year's fall fashion season.  And as you can see by comparing Pantone's 2013 Fall Fashion colors and their 2014 Home and Interiors colors (shown below), soon after color trends in fashion, it often begins trending in furniture. It isn't an exact science, but you can definitely see the inspiration and similarities between the two different sets of color.

So if you want to stay ahead of color trends, make sure to take a glance at that seasons fashion colors because soon everyone will be decorating their homes in fashion's most popular hues.

Like most things, antiques and vintage items only make decorating for the holidays that much more fun and unique.  We avid antique lovers know that you can find all kinds of holiday antique and vintage ornaments and decor perusing most antique stores.  However, there are many different ways to use non-holiday vintage pieces in your season decorating.  Here are some ideas to get your imagination working!  Feel free to share your awesome holiday ideas too!

An old crate, like the Pepsi one pictured above along with four re-used mason jar candles
and some seasonal foliage makes for an adorable centerpiece.

Posted on Pinterest by Isabel Serra

Holiday wreaths are everywhere this season and the competition is on!  Blow away your
friends and family with a beautiful statement wreath made from antique and vintage 
serving dishes.  

Posted on Pinterest by Lisa Yriarte

This old scale just shouts, "Merry Christmas!"  Holiday decor isn't just for the mantle 
anymore.  

http://thevintagewren.blogspot.com

Love old bird houses?  Decorate them for each season!  

http://www.shelterness.com/44-cozy-winter-mantle-decor-ideas/pictures/20080/

Don't have a mantle at home?  Put some hooks on an vintage ladder for an adorable, 
homey feel.  

http://www.curbly.com/users/diy-maven/posts/13121-roundup-10-other-places-to-hang-your-christmas-stockings

The holidays have a way to bring out the kid in all of us, so why not 
incorporate vintage toys into your holiday decor?

http://the-feathered-nest.blogspot.com

In no time at all, you could have a cool, primitive Christmas tree 
piece using vintage/antique funnels and cookie cutter.

Found on Pinterest

Hey there everyone!  We've missed you!  And we hope you've missed us too.  As you can see, we've been working hard to improve our website and our blog.  We love the new look and are excited to bring new and improved content!  We will be bringing you stories, craft ideas, industry news, and more.  Don't be afraid to let us know how we are doing or to offer a suggestion of what you'd like to see!  

Hey everyone!  We heard you were missing our blog and we are too!  We are working on re-vamping to bring you even better content!  Thanks for your patience.  

Southport Antique Mall (SAM) will be hosting its very first Women’s Night of Whimsy, a curated shopping experience for the ladies of the community to fellowship and shop!  Ticketholders will enjoy exclusive access to SAM's over 30,000 square feet of antiques, along with enjoying guest pop-up shops and food artisans, a silent auction, free wine tasting by Monarch Beverage Co, and the Grand Opening of Gypsy Vintage in the upstairs of SAM.  Guest vendors include Rodan+Fields, Premier Design Jewelry, Bass Farms, Retro 101, Spoonelicious, Bizzy’s Boutique, Scout’s Treats, Bark Truck, and Three Blind Mice.  

Although this event is designed for ladies to mingle, shop, and have fun, there is also a greater purpose for coming together and that is to support other women in our community who are struggling with issues of domestic violence in their lives.  Fifty percent of the ticket sales and 100 percent of the proceeds from the silent auction will be donated to the Julian Center.  The mission of the Julian Center is to “provide the services victims need to recover and build a life absent of abuse” with their programs and services “designed to contribute to a significant reduction in the incidence of domestic violence and sexual assault, to support survivors in healing, and to help break the intergenerational cycle of abuse” (Julian Center, 2014). 

So take a night away from the ordinary and make an extraordinary impact on the community around you by simply having a night out with Southport Antique Mall and your favorite girlfriends!

For more information about the event and for ticket costs visit www.southportantiquemall.net/a-womens-night-of-whimsy
For more information on the Julian Center visit www.juliancenter.org

Southport Antique Mall (SAM) is excited to announce the opening of Gypsy Vintage, a vintage clothing and accessories store. This new vintage style house will occupy the upstairs section of SAM’s building, allowing for it to have it’s own unique space and feel while still utilizing SAM’s amazing staff and convenient hours. Gypsy Vintage is the brainchild of vintage fashion expert Tammy Dyson, formerly of Harloh’s Vintage. Dyson plans to take full advantage of her new space; clothes and accessories will be separate by period, guests will have access to full sized dressing rooms and unique décor pieces will be intermingled through the space to enhance the shopping experience. Clothes and accessories will range in age from 1920’s-1980’s. Dyson also hopes to offer 1920s reproduction clothing as well. Southport Antique Mall is excited to expand into this new area and offer something new to the Indianapolis community.

By the very nature of its business, Southport Antique Mall (SAM) clearly supports and seeks to engage in responsible consumerism, encouraging people to reuse, repurpose, and rethink old items for new spaces and new creations.  As a part of their 20th year anniversary, SAM wants to strengthen its dedication to the local community by offering new and exciting opportunities for conscientious spending that supports our local entrepreneurs, farmers, and artisans.

SAM's first step towards this goal is the continuation of the Southport Farmers’ Market, which was held in the west parking lot last autumn.  SAM is excited to be hosting local farmers and vendors for an opportunity for our community members to enjoy fresh, local goods!  So come and enjoy the Southport Farmers’ Market every Tuesday from 9am-1pm and Friday 3pm-7pm starting in May and running through October.  If you or anyone you know may be interested in participating contact Nancy Miller at (317) 431-3267 or at [email protected] or on facebook https://www.facebook.com/SouthportFarmersMarket.

Another way Southport Antique Mall is reaching out to the local community and encouraging responsible consumerism is by hosting the Southside Vintage Marketplace.  Local vintage dealers and artisans will be setting up in our open air marketplace every second Saturday of the month beginning in April and extending through October. Check out their facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/TheSouthsideVintageMarketplace    

Through hosting these markets, SAM seeks to not only support local entrepreneurs, vendors, farmers, and artisans, but to encourage the community to do the same.  So come out and support your community members by purchasing local this year!

My Dearest Dealers,

I would like to begin with a big apology for all the corrections and edits to your last two months of settlements.  I am so sorry our latest updates did not go smoother.  I have appreciated all your patience and understanding with us and our software.  Rest assured we will not be making any more changes like this for quite some time.  If you have any more questions concerning your settlements for December and January, please let us know and we will address them.

ATTENTION LADIES! Mark your calendars for the evening of March 9.  We will be hosting our first ladies night out at S.A.M.  “A Women’s Night of Whimsy” will be full of wine tasting, fun, food and shopping (including guest vendors).  Bring your girlfriends, grandmothers, moms, sisters, nieces and aunts!  Tickets are available online through our webpage and at the door.  It is $5 preorder and $8 at the door for the entire evening and ½ of your ticket goes to benefit the Julian Center. I am looking forward to seeing all of you and sharing the night together!

A little housekeeping……

PLEASE BE SURE YOUR POWER STRIPS ARE EASY TO REACH.  We do our best to turn on each power strip every day and although our staff is quite flexible, they are not gymnasts.  (LOL) Be courteous and put your power strips is a spot that is visible and easy to access. If it is not, we cannot be responsible for turning your lights on and off each day. 

A few months ago, I asked that we all work hard to please keep our items inside booth lines.  If you question where your booth lines are, let us help you.  In order to be compliant and polite to our handicap guests and those with strollers, we MUST keep our booths tidy and INSIDE their allotted space. Those of us who do not comply with this request will be notified individually. By taking the following steps, not only will you be complying with our standards but your booth will be more open and inviting.  Your sales will indeed show the improvement!

·      Keep a clear path (at least 2 feet) through your space

·      Keep small items off the floor

·      Use appropriate, sturdy and clean shelving

·      Place like items together for great merchandising

·      Sweep and dust regularly

     We certainly appreciate your cooperation.  We must all work together in order to keep our hard earned title as “Best Antique Mall in Indianapolis.”

If any of you have a Lane cedar chest for sale or plan on offering them in the future, be aware that selling them could be an issue.  Apparently the outside locking mechanism has caused some safety issues with children getting locked inside. However, Lane will replace the lock with a new one that meets current safety requirements for free!  Just contact the company and they will help you.

Be sure to read the entire newsletter, folks.  We have so much exciting stuff coming this spring and summer with welcoming back the Farmers Market with more vendors and the newest adventure with the Southside Vintage Marketplace. I look forward to sharing all these new and exciting developments with you.  We are so glad you’re here! 

This month's Employee Spotlight features the ladies of the marketing team here at Southport Antique Mall.  Piper and Jessica are the voice of our social media and are responsible for all of the marketing and advertising.  They also write this newsletter!  You can find them in their office in the back of the mall Mon-Fri 10-1pm, if you have any marketing or social media questions, want to know more about the mall's marketing strategy or just want to say hi stop by and see them. 
Piper
Favorite Word: Synergy

Collects: Star Trek Collectibles (Original Series)

Favorite spot in the mall: Because I grew up in the mall, my favorite spot would have to be the "secret passage way" in section one.  When I was a little kid I thought it was awesome that I could cut through the middle of the section!

Years at Southport Antique Mall:  19 years.  The first seven I spent pestering the staff, the next seven I worked in the mall, and the last five I have been running the marketing.

Best antiquing tip: Turn things over.  Always look at the bottom of things because people often forget to look for cracks there.

Favorite things about working at SAM: They are my family.  Going there is like going home.

Jessica
Favorite Word: Epic.  

Collects:  I don't really have an antique collection yet, but I do have an obsession with the color magenta to the point where it could be considered a collection.  

Favorite spot in the mall:  I have two.  My first is section three.  When you are working, you get to see a lot of the people roaming around.  My second favorite is the back room because it's comfy.

Years at Southport Antique Mall: Well, Piper has been dragging me along since college, but technically about three years.  
Best antiquing tip:  You don't have to take antiques as they are.  You can put a fresh coat of paint on something and transform it!

Favorite things about working at SAM:  It's been said before, but it is definitely the people.  They are fun and whacky and really kind hearted.  Also, the opportunity to be a co-marketing director has been an invaluable experience.