Interview with Lauren Pura of The Rusted Rooster Vintage
"I really used to limit myself when it came to collecting, especially since no one else in my family is really a collector, so I always felt kinda crazy having lots of stuff…..but I have found a lot of other “crazy” people through social media who’s collections far surpass mine, so I don’t feel as crazy anymore. Now I just do what makes me happy and I don’t really care about what anyone else thinks."
Tell us a little about yourself. i.e. location, inspiration, mediums, tools, etc.
Hi, I’m Lauren Pura, but some might know me as The Rusted Rooster. I live in Wilcox, PA and I love collecting vintage, antiques & Fiestaware. I also enjoy upcycling and I often find beauty in what most people would consider junk. I enjoy decorating for all of the seasons & holidays and I spend a lot of time switching out my decor. When time permits, I also sell on eBay and I recently had my very first vendor pop-up shop at The Village on Market in Johnsonburg over the holidays.
I find inspiration in a lot of the usual places people look to get inspired; Instagram, Pinterest, HGTV, magazines, etc., but I also find inspiration from family members, memories of my childhood, vacations & just my everyday surroundings.
I really enjoy working with paint (chalk paint when I’m crafting); it’s amazing how a fresh coat of paint can transform almost anything! I’m still honing in on a lot of my DIY skills because my husband and dad aren’t always around to help me (and I hate waiting for help!).
How old were you when you picked up that first collectable, something clicked inside that you needed it and then a collection was started? Or did it all happen at once? What was that memorable piece? I don’t really remember collecting any one particular thing until I was in my 30’s. About 10 years ago I decided that I needed a (singular) vintage ceramic Christmas tree, like the one my mom and other family members had when I was growing up in the 80’s. My mom no longer had hers, but my aunt had the original one that she made plus a few others that she picked up thrifting over the years. That first year, I somehow ended up with 5 trees. I loved the way that they looked all grouped together, and somehow my collection has grown to 35-40ish trees. The search for ceramic Christmas trees is also what ignited my love of thrifting.
Does the condition or resellability of the item matter to you when you make that purchase? I’m not one of those people who looks for an absolutely perfect/ flawless piece, especially when it comes to vintage and handmade items. Small imperfections can sometimes be touched up, or the item can be turned around when displaying. Imperfections can also add character! I also never take resellability into consideration when I’m buying something for my own collection; if I like it I’m going to buy it!
What don't you ever get tired of doing when it comes to your business or process?
I never get tired of hunting for new items; it’s definitely the thrill of the hunt for me!
What type of movies, shows, music or podcasts inspires or keeps you motivated? The TV show Friends has always been a huge inspiration to me, I love the eclectic look and cozy feel of Monica & Rachel’s apartment. I also grew up watching Martha Stewart Living & shows like This Old House…..and Trading Spaces! (does anyone remember that show?). Recently, TV shows like Home Town on HGTV, American Pickers & Get Organized with the Home Edit are favorites of mine.
Does your knowledge of design/vintage/antiquing help you in other areas of your life? It really hasn’t up until this point, ha ha! BUT, I believe it will definitely be helpful in my new role as a board member on the The Johnsonburg Community Trust.
How has your collecting changed over the years? I really used to limit myself when it came to collecting, especially since no one else in my family is really a collector, so I always felt kinda crazy having lots of stuff…..but I have found a lot of other “crazy” people through social media who’s collections far surpass mine, so I don’t feel as crazy anymore. Now I just do what makes me happy and I don’t really care about what anyone else thinks.
Can you give us a look into your daily life schedule? The first thing I usually do in the morning, is scroll through the camera roll on my phone and think about what I’m going to post for that day (sometimes I decide the night before), then it’s a mad rush to get ready for work and get the kids dropped off at school. Every once in a while I’ll use my lunch break to hit up an estate sale or yard sale if it’s close to work, otherwise I’m usually perusing Pinterest during my lunch break.
I also try and stop at Goodwill at least once a week after work, IF my schedule permits, but that can be hard with my kid’s practice and game schedules. Once I’m home for the evening, it’s dinner (I usually have something in the crock pot) and then I’m usually busy cleaning, organizing, decorating, gardening, etc. If I’m not physically busy doing something, I’m probably researching or planning my next big project or idea!
What are you looking forward to currently? Perhaps you are looking forward to an online or in person class, looking for that elusive piece of Fiesta, a show, completing a collection, travel, vacation or remodel? I’m really hoping to get back to the Fiesta factory sometime in the next year, the last time I was there it was during COVID and they weren’t doing the factory tours. I really love to go on the tour.
I’d also love to do a mini remodel on my laundry room, but I’ll have to get my husband on board with that.
Who has inspired you? This could be a person/artist/author, etc. dead or alive? I used to watch Martha Stewart a lot when I was a kid, so I’ve always considered her one of my biggest inspirations; her TV show was also what introduced me to Fiestaware. Also, my Aunt Marsha has rubbed off on me a lot; she was the one who inspired my ceramic Christmas tree collection and my love of other vintage ceramics. Her house has always been decorated with a mix of handmade and vintage items that she has collected over the years and it has always had that cozy, lived in feel.
How do you promote your business? i.e. newsletters, business cards, shows, video, classes, memberships, online groups, etc. I haven’t really done much to promote my business, other than word of mouth & sharing some of my projects & collections to social media.
Favorite social media or new experiments in social media? I prefer Instagram because it has more of artistic vibe, but I also enjoy Facebook because there is more personal interaction. EVERYTHING I do is an experiment, especially making Reels on IG and FB…It’s scary for me to put myself out there like that!
Tell us the story behind one of your collections or piece? One of my favorite collections is my Fiestaware; I have loved Fiestaware ever since I first knew what it was. It’s vintage Art Deco design and fun colors drew me in immediately. I would always oooh and ahhh over it every time I went into a department store. When it finally came time to register for my wedding years later, I froze, I didn’t know what color to pick, so I picked ALL WHITE.
I actually loved the white at first, but after 10 years, the white lost its luster and I craved color. I made it my mission to switch over to rainbow Fiestaware. Shortly after I decided to do this, I found a local listing on Facebook Marketplace and then a few more pieces at Goodwill not long after that. I was hooked. I slowly began collecting at least one place setting of each post 1986 color that was produced (there were almost 40 at the time). The colors that were currently in production were received as birthday and Christmas gifts from family. I was able to find the rest of the retired colors on Facebook Marketplace and eBay. I still need 3 more colors of place settings to complete my collection, but I’m not in a hurry to do that anytime soon since the colors that I “need” are similar to other colors that I already have.
What advice would you give to yourself at age 15? 😊 BE YOURSELF!
What do you have coming up i.e. shows, publications, travel, rebranding? I’m kinda just taking a breather now that the holidays are over; I’m using this downtime to regroup and rest and figure out what my next move is. I would really love to get into the estate sale side of business, but life is busy with a 6th & 7th grader AND a full time job…so we shall see.
How many times a month do you change out your vignettes or displays in your home? I usually switch out my decor for each season, and then kinda do mini switches for the holidays.
So for spring, I’ll kinda revamp everything with lighter pastel colors and then I’ll incorporate in Easter decorations for a month or so.
Summer I like to use a lot of red, white and blue and then towards the end I’ll take down the patriotic touches (flags, etc.) and mix in some sunflowers with greens and yellows. |
Usually right after Labor Day, I’ll get my fall decorations out and then in October I’ll add Halloween decorations and in November I’ll switch out the Halloween for Thanksgiving.
I get my Christmas decorations out immediately after Thanksgiving and usually take them down by New Year’s Day.
After Christmas I like to keep the cozy winter vibes going so I’ll leave out some greenery and white lights and then I’ll incorporate Valentine’s Day & St. Patrick’s Day in with the winter items (this helps winter pass by a little faster).
I usually switch out the color schemes of my Fiestaware with each of these seasonal & holiday changes too. 🙂
Rusted Rooster Vintage's first all out showing at The Village during the holiday season, Commercial Historic District, Johnsonburg, Pa.Thank-you Lauren for taking the time to answer all of the questions in this interview! I loved scrolling through your photos and getting a sense of who you are and what inspires you <3
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