Trending in 2013

Hope everyone is enjoying this great holiday!  This past season has been amazing thanks to you all... so amazing that I have taken this past week "off" to enjoy spending time with the kiddos.  retro101: Indy's 1st Boutique on Wheels (featuring new, trendy fashions & accessories plus other fun goodies) is planning some great things in the upcoming year, and I would LOVE for you to be a part of it!

Please be sure to like retro101 on the Facebook & follow on the Twitter for all the latest & greatest.  I will be posting some great pics of the places retro101 has been & the people that we have met along the way.

2013 is going to be the best year yet!!

Have a Schedule Change Today...

Will be staying a little closer to home due to the predicted winter storm/first snow fall.  So, come on out to Bella Chic & shop... Shop... and SHOP!!!

The bus will be outside, but all of the fun finds will be nice & cozy inside!  Deals on EVERYTHING!!  And... get this...

Bella Chic is offering $100 off any item priced $299 & over!  We are not playin' with these kind of prices!!

Bella Chic
254 1st Ave SW
Carmel, IN

Are you on the Twitter?  Promise it isn't scary... so join up and follow retro101 at @shopretro101.  I will be tweeting out more pics of special deals... and posting them on the Instagram too! (retro101)

Countdown to Christmas!

It's on... only 7 more shopping days until Christmas!  Can you believe it?!?!? Here's retro101's schedule for the week.  Hope you can make it out in the sun, rain and snow this week!  TONS of great DEALS (especially on Saturday!!!)

Wednesday: rollin' with MacGenie during lunch at 10th & Illinois
Thursday:  AAA Hoosier Motor Club - 3750 Guion Road during lunch
Saturday:  Bella Chic Interiors (Carmel) 11am - 2pm

Ho!Ho!Ho!

So excited that this upcoming week is packed with some many great holiday events!  The bus is full of great, new fashions that you are going to just LOVE!  Pictures are coming (promise) which means you don't have to be at the bus to shop!  If you want something, all you do is have to let me know and we will make arrangements to get it to you.  But, until then, check retro101: Indy's 1st Boutique on Wheels/Fashion Truck at the following locations:

Tuesday, December 11th:  Private Event in Broad Ripple

Wednesday, December 12th:  Private Event during day

Thursday, December 13th: Yelp's Totally Bazaar at the City Market (Indianapolis) from 6pm-10pm

Friday, December 14th:  FAB event in Anderson

Saturday, December 15th:  Alternative Gift Fair at the Irving (Irvington) from 10am-4pm

Upcoming Events - 'Tis the Season

Just updated the Facebook Calendar, so you can see where retro101:  Indy's 1st Boutique on Wheels will be rollin' to these next couple of weeks!  Such cool places... this is going to be one, FUN Holiday!!

retro101 FACEBOOK EVENTS

T-Giving Week

Will be taking the next few days off to celebrate Thanksgiving with family & friends... and to make some great crafts that I found on the Pinterest.  Thank you to everyone for their support & encouragement with retro101 - Indy's 1st Boutique on Wheels.  It has been such a fun couple of months and can't wait to see what the future holds.  So excited you are along for the ride!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Schedule week of November 12th

It has been such a fun few weeks rollin' out to well...just about everywhere it seems!  My cheeks literally hurt b/c I've been smiling so much sharing stories with retro101 shoppers.  Thank you all for really embracing this new concept that is hitting the streets of Indianapolis & the HC (Hamilton County).  I hope to see you in these next few weeks -- going to some really cool & fun places.  This is what retro101: Indy's 1st Boutique on Wheels is rollin' to this week:

Monday, November 12th - going back to hook my girls up at the Gateway building downtown (10th & Illinois) from 11am - 1pm

Tuesday, November 13th - segment on Fox59 (8:50am)  oh boy!  excited about this one!!

Wednesday, November 14th - rollin' with Scratch Truck downtown for lunch

Thursday, November 15th - Ladies Evening Out at the Ritz Charles (5:30pm - 8:30pm)

Saturday, November 17th - Pink Saturday SALE at Bella Chic in Carmel (open to 5pm!!)

Schedule: Week of November 6th

Wanted to be sure to tell all the peeps where Ellie the bus will be rollin' to this week... have bus, will travel :)

Wed (11/7) - Downtown w/ MacGenie & Scouts Treats (will post & tweet location that morning)

Thursday (11/8) - TBD (will post & tweet location that morning)

Friday (11/9) - Pillow Talk (Carmel - Arts & Design District) from 11am-6pm

Saturday (11/10) - Hollydaze  Boutique(Hamilton County Fairgrounds) from 10-4

Sunday (11/11) - Soho Cafe (Carmel) from 1-5ish

Rollin' Out: Week of October 29th, 2012

Here's what's happen' this week (so far)...

Wednesday:  Trick or Tweet
tweeting retro101's locations as I deliver fun treats to local peeps...

Thursday, 11/1:  Bella Chic 
10am - 2pm
254 1st Ave SW, Carmel

Friday, 11/2:  TBD (scheduled to be downtown for the First Friday Food Truck Fest, but it was cancelled)

Friday/Saturday, 11/2-11/3: will be rollin' out to downtown Noblesville either Friday or Saturday afternoon (maybe even both days).  Check out the FB page and follow on Twitter for the latest updates to the schedule (@shopretro101)

UPCOMING EVENTS
Pillow Talk - November 9th from 11-6
Holidaze - November 10th at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds
Westfield Trunk Show - November 11th (private residence)
Ladies Evening Out - November 15th

Indy's 1st Boutique on Wheels

Yep... I think it is official.  retro101 is Indy's 1st Boutique on Wheels.  I got to tell ya... when Ellie the Bus was getting converted into a mobile pop-up shop, I often wondered -- are people going to get it?  I hesitated to book a lot of events at first b/c I didn't know how the response was going to be.  Well... I am so excited to say that people do get it and have embracing the concept for the past few weeks. 

I've rolled out to the Indie Arts & Vintage Marketplace...

It was a fun day that I got to share with my two lil' guys

 After that, I rolled out with 3 food trucks!!  It was great meeting up with Scratch, MacGenie & Scout's for the day.  And look... I even had some visitors (the fab duo, Jamie & Martine).

After conquering downtown, what was the next stop?  If you guessed Castleton United Methodist Church you are the winner!  The crafters were out and about last Saturday -- holla!!

 Now, this pic is just fun!  Who would have thought rollin' up to Bella Chic there would be an impromptu photo shoot?  I guess these random acts of fun happen on the daily up in the HC (Hamilton County) according to my peeps, Julie & Amy, which is just fine by me!  retro101 will be rollin' there quite often... aw yeah!!!

And the last roll out... this past weekend at... yep - you guessed it! Chica Boutiqua up in the BC (Boone County)!!  Zionsville has great shoppers (and local celebs too).  Can't wait to roll out to Z-ville again!!

Clearly, I love Ellie the bus and it shows!  I have a ton of pictures of the outside but haven't captured a lot of photos inside the boutique on wheels (or the featured local artists that sell their wares on the bus).  No worries... I will get those pics and feature those artists soon... until then... keep rollin' old school!!!

Guten Tag!

Highlight of every Fall Season (besides the pumpkin pies at McDonalds… sad, but true) is a good ol’ Oktoberfest! Thanks to Tiffany @ HistoricIndianapolis, she completely hooked me up to roll up to my first real downtown event – the Herron Morton Oktoberfest.  

Good beer... good food (brat burger from the Scratch Truck..mmm...)

and GREAT shoppers!!!  Thanks for all of the love... it was a great day!!

Oh... the best story of the day hands down... Chad (rent-a-hubby... see below)

had one of his dreams come true -- took two girls home in the swagger wagon!  holla!! (well... actually drove them down the street and helped them move the 2 cool barrel chairs they bought... still funny though!)

Spirit Run

Bright and early Saturday morning, Ellie the Bus' mission was to roll out to the University High School for the Spirit Run (benefiting School on Wheels of course)

Girls Night Out

Up in the HC (Hamilton County that is), the ladies love a good girls night (especially when sponsored by the Dr. Turkle & Associates).  This was such a fun night... 

Thanks to everyone who stopped by, shopped and enjoyed retro101!! (and a big shout out to Lashanda & Dee for hangin' w/ me too)

Pie Wars

I have a special place in my heart for an amazing organization - School on Wheels.  I became involved in SOW over 10 years ago when my friend, Sally, began the organization which enriches the lives of so many families in Indianapolis by tutoring the homeless children in the community.  So, when they were planning on the 2nd annual Pie Wars at City Market, I was all over rolling up the bus to draw some attention to this fun event and organization!

Don't they look fabulous?!?!? Workin' it to sell some tix for Doin' the Decade!!

Ashley modelin' her new retro101 scarf

look who came and visited us?  My favs, Stevi!!

love me some City Market!!!

Great night - great organization... see you at the Spirit Run!

Blue Eyes & Bare Feet Photo Shoot

How fantastic that the first weekend retro101 rolled out, we were asked to be a part of a super cute photo shoot for Blue Eyes & Bare Feet new line! The talented Faith of Faith Blackwell Photography got so many great shots.  Here's the ones that I happened to capture...

I mean... really... how flippin' cute are these girls?  (and the bus too...don't want Ellie the bus to get too jealous)

Rollin' on out!

retro101 mobile pop-up shop is officially rollin' old school!  We rolled out to Carmel a little over a week ago.  Check out the inside (and one happy shopper!)

so excited for the fun to begin!!

ALMOST READY

Isn't she purty?  Sherwin Williams Exterior Latex... yep... nothin' but the best for this beauty!  We were up all night... sleep all day (minus the sleep all day) getting everything prep'd 

Are we done yet???  Uh... no... gots to do the inside now!!

INSIDE OUT

As with many rooms in my own house, finding the perfect color is an extremely daunting task.  So that's why I always consult with the uber talented interior designer, Kathy Barajas.  Yep... Kathy Barajas Design is the shiznit.  She's help us sell a house.. .turn a house into our home... and now a bus into a mobile pop-up shop!

So many colors... oh what to do!!

We ended up choosing some fab colors from Sherwin Williams - Hazel & Outgoing Orange.  Wanna see??????

one stripe down... many more to go!

RETRO RENOVATION

A lot of work to do is kind of an understatement, but we did it!  retro101 rolled out to its first event this past weekend, and I can't help but smile when I think back to that first visit to Schmidt Automotive...

Here's John from Schmidt Automotive taking a look at Ellie

We had the best time working with all the guys (and gals) at Schmidt.  So friendly and so on board with this project (and patient too).  Ellie runs like a gem... but she still needed some interior renovation.

Everything out - and yes, that's dirt on the floor.

Ellie's first bath.

We got the boys workin' too!

So fresh and so clean!!

It's clean on the inside and out... now we're ready to conquer the outside!!

  

COME ON IN...

Ok... so you have the idea of what the outside looked like, but what about the inside?  Oh my... hope you are sitting down!

Welcome and don't forget to watch your step!!

Here's the inside -- can you see the start of something good?  

Talk about retro... gotta love the booth material!

Check out the "new" refrigerator.  Never been used (circa 1985)

Oh, Ellie... we've got a lot of work to do!!

BACK HOME AGAIN...

After our long journey thru the fields of Ohio & Indiana, we finally arrived home and were greeted with open arms by all of our neighbors (insert a wink, wink here).  Let's just say that I was thrilled that all of the houses in our 'hood were sold... I mean I LOVE that there's a 1978 bus outside of my window, but not too sure what all my neighbors think (or potential buyers).

We do have a neighbor friend who continues to be the biggest fan of the bus and the concept - mobile pop up shop.  We continue to compensate his tips on old engines and his pure enthusiasm over this project with beer... 

Here's our buddy showin' off the engine above -- and then "hot wiring" it with a clothespin so that we could take it to its next destination... Schmidt Automotive to get a lil' work done.

So big THANK YOU neighbors for all of the smiles & encouragement -- we are certainly the talk of the street and hope that we will be the talk of the city pretty soon!!

   

rollin' on...

So, wasn't kiddin' when I said that we took off for only 3 minutes.  See, we went back to the Terre Haute Mall to ask where the nearest place we could put some air in the tires.  Sweet Jenny (that's her w/ me below) said that we should just go up the street to her Grandpa's cow farm, and he will fix us up (still not joking).

So we drove off to Grandpa's house, which was a cow farm.  He about lost himself b/c he said there would be no way this bus would make it home in the condition it was in.  Whaaaat???  This vessel is ours... and we're...mmmm... 3 hours away from home.  What are we going to do?  Grandpa was calm, cool and collected... and so was his Grandson.  They got right to work and started changing out our tires (b/c yeah... all of them were dry rotted. Must be that whole being in a barn for 20 years that did it).  

So, after a little detour to the Terre Haute Cow Farm and little help from...

(I know that BFAM Construction specializes in roofing, pole barns & siding, but I KNOW that they can do it all!!)

we were off...for a 6 hour trek back to good ol' Indiana.  Yes... you got it right... it took us 6 hours to get back (when originally it only took us 3).  Let's just say that we hit the sweet spot of 35mph...and smiled & laughed all the way home (I mean... we were driving a 1978 Chevy bus thru the cornfields of the Midwest -- gotta love it!!)

... and the journey continues