Rustic Gypsies Unlocks Creativity

RACHEL DICKERSON/MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS Breezy Newburn is pictured outside her shop, Rustic Gypsies, in Anderson. She specializes in custom wood projects.
RACHEL DICKERSON/MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS Breezy Newburn is pictured outside her shop, Rustic Gypsies, in Anderson. She specializes in custom wood projects.

Breezy Newburn is the owner of The Rustic Gypsies in Anderson, featuring a unique concept in which people can create their own custom wood products.

Newburn has been open as The Rustic Gypsies for just over a year. She partnered in a similar concept for three years. She gets business from Arkansas, Oklahoma and as far north as Springfield.

Customers can either attend an open class or book a private event. They choose a project from Newburn's project list, including a wood choice and a custom stencil option.

"We hand cut all of our projects. We hand design all of our stencils. We have that ready for you when you arrive. When you get here, we supply everything you need to make that piece, from staining, painting, sanding and making it look rustic and old. We like that old, rustic farmhouse feel," she said.

A class usually takes three to three and a half hours, she said, depending on how many people are present. There are drying stations to speed things up.

"We put the finishing touches at the end so you can walk out with something that looks like you bought it at your local craft store or you found it on Pinterest. We supply everything under one roof," she said.

"We're definitely a family business," she said.

Her husband and little brother cut the wood projects at her home. Her two teen daughters help coach the classes, and her mother helps with custom orders and helps stock the shop with examples and things for sale.

"We have picture frames and signs and all kinds of stuff. I'm always trying to find new things and reinvent it," Newburn said.

The cost is per project, and customers can choose any project.

"To go out and buy the stuff to make one sign is like $100, and then you have all this leftover stuff," she said. Plus, customers who come to The Rustic Gypsies do not have to make their husbands get out their power tools.

Newburn said her customers can come unlimited numbers of times because her project list is ever-expanding, and she takes custom orders. Some of her very popular projects weren't even her ideas, she said.

"I always encourage people to send me picture ideas. Just because you don't see it on my project list doesn't mean it's not something we can do for you," she said.

She added, "They keep coming back. It's more than creating. It's girlfriends, families, coming together and sharing an experience that they've made together. It's memories hanging on their wall that they can say they made together."

She said The Rustic Gypsies has hosted birthday parties, bachelorette parties, baby showers and team-building exercises.

Newburn left the McDonald County School District last March to pursue this full time.

"I enjoy the experience. I enjoy seeing the creativity that comes out of people, even people who may not think they have it in them, the excitement at the end when they see what they've made and how proud they are," she said.

For the future, Newburn has big things planned. Lots of things outside of wood projects, she said.

"I'm kind of a wanderer. I have all these ideas. I kind of want to do it all when it comes to creativity and offer something for everyone. I think when you have that creative spirit, you're always looking for new ideas. I think that's why I stayed away from a name that would pinpoint me down to just doing one thing," she said.

She said she is always looking for other creative people to come in and teach. "Having other creators come in and share their unique style -- that's the future," she said.

She noted she has a lot of regulars, but "you only have so many walls you can hang things on and so many gifts you can make for people, so I'm always looking for ideas to bring people in."

The Rustic Gypsies' open class schedule can be found on Facebook and Instagram, and the business is also open by appointment or private party. It is located at 918 North Highway 71 in Anderson.

General News on 01/18/2018