Direct From Big Sky Country

December 18, 2017 Navigate with Style

When Trovester Kate opened up The Trove West in her cherished Big Sky, Montana, we were thrilled - not only for her, but also for the treasures she'd find and inevitably share with us here in the Midwest. While she takes some of our Indiana gems out west, she also brings back indie designers and brands we wouldn't otherwise have access to. Scroll through Kate's latest finds to hit #thenoke from Big Sky Country...

Allison Kallaway Jewelry

Spotted at an area market, Kate instantly knew jewelry by local designer Allison Kallaway would be a hit at Trove West and at the mother ship. Known for her strong metalsmithing skills, the designer found inspiration while working for the Peace Corps as an Art Educator in Botswana. Her modern industrial style includes myriad African design elements influenced by her travels.

Blue Moose Metals

Found at a gift show in Billings, Montana, Kate fell in love with these laser cut, hand finished, metal bottle openers, inspired by nature. These functional tools are attractive and comfortable to hold, and the magnetized back means it'll always be within reach. Blue Moose Metals bottle openers make for great gifts for the beer lovers on your list.

Dandy Jewelry

Kate discovered Dandy Jewelry, by artist and designer Andrea Lithgow, at a gift show in Las Vegas. This New Orleans, LA line is the product of childhood crafting. With a love of texture, color and patterns, Lithgow eventually started working with clay, developing one-of-a-kind glazing effects that have become her signature look.

Montana Leather Designs

Montana Leather Designs is a popular and nationally recognized leather brand that Kate enjoys giving as gifts. The fun and colorful leather bracelets are paired with silver plated zinc or pewter beads and clasps and everything is crafted in designer Olive Parker's western Montana studio.

Swing into The Trove to shop all the greatest goods from Big Sky Country!

Trovester Travels: Texas

December 11, 2017 Navigate with Style

Trovester Jodi Golm traveled to Texas this Autumn for both a fabulous girl's getaway and an inspo-slash-buying trip for The Trove. The charming, down-home atmosphere of The Lone Star State fits right into the vibe of our lovely barn in Roanoke. We love the merch Jodi has added to our assortment and we just know you will too. Check out Jodi's Texas photo journal below for a peek at what she found in the beautiful southwest corner of our great country.

Rachel Ashwell's The Prairie (and more) in Round Top, TX

Magnolia Market in Waco, TX

No buying trip in Texas is complete without a trip to the beloved HQ of Chip and Joanna Gaines. Magnolia is everything fans of Fixer Upper could dream of...

Feeling inspired? Same.

Come shop all the new goods packed into the barn!

Have a Swell Summer

June 26, 2017 Navigate with Style

We Trovesters are dedicated S'well enthusiasts. We're in love with the function of these bottles (they keep liquids hot for 12 hours or cold for 24!) but we'd be lying if we said we weren't head over heels with the look of these beauties. Sleek and stylish, and perfectly sized, we consider our S'well bottles a worthy fashion accessory.

As if we couldn't love them enough already, we came across this article online about the 30 Unhealthiest Drinks on the Planet. While we're encouraged to stay hydrated throughout each day, those ubiquitous plastic bottles are not only terrible for our planet but also for our bodies, as it turns out.

“The water isn’t the problem here; it’s the BPA in the bottle. BPA is a hormone-mimicking chemical found in nearly all food packaging plastics, and it’s potentially bad news. According to some pools of research, the chemical may promote cancer and render people infertile. To stay hydrated on the go, buy a BPA-free refillable bottle. We’re big fans of S’well bottles, which come in a wide array of fashionable patterns and color pallets.”

— MSN Lifestyle

Read the Full Article Here

Swing by to shop our full selection of S'well or nab a limited-edition bottle on our online shop.

Shop S'well Online

FIND Melani Wilson...

April 26, 2017 Navigate with Style

Trovester and tireless #ladyboss, Melani Wilson is always on the go. Check out an excerpt from her latest blog post for our sister store, The FIND, below...

"I have strong Indiana roots and I will always have a special place in my heart, and life, for this beautiful state. It's where I was raised and where I raised my children. It is home to extended family and cherished friends, as well as my business interests. Northeast Indiana is becoming such a dynamic place to live, work and play, which certainly makes it harder to leave for my various adventures and much easier to return home."

Click Here to Read More!

Market Shenanigans

February 27, 2017 Navigate with Style

In our never-ending quest for the coolest merch in the land, we Trovesters trek all over the globe, often going for a divide and conquer method. This first quarter has seen Trovesters traveling to Atlanta, Las Vegas and Los Angeles for gift, home and makers markets. We're dedicated to stocking our store with unique and thoughtful goods, items not found in the big box stores or sitting on the shelves of other spots in town. While professional shopping sounds like one hell of a gig (it does have its charms), it can be stressful and sometimes grueling. We carefully create budgets, a physical plan of attack for the massive square footage of these markets and keep goals in mind for our specific departments. Then, we throw a good portion of that out the window on day one. Take a peek at some of our latest adventures in retailing:

Melani & Kate take Los Angeles

We came, we shopped, we drank. We cling hard and fast to our honed survival skills.

The scene can be overwhelming at times and eyes start to glaze over. This bright and fun collection of goodies grabbed our attention.

Of course, we take time for trips to farm markets and walks on the beach. We can't imagine visiting Cali without getting a little sand in our shoes.

As is tradition, we put our feet up at the end of the work day for much needed rest and relief. This is just one of the coping mechanisms we use in order to rally for dinner.

When you encounter Salt & Straw, you simply cannot help but treat yo self.

L.A. was kind to us, as always.

Giving Thanks

November 23, 2016 Navigate with Style

We Trovesters are so excited for the tastiest of days, Thanksgiving! While we have a whole slate of festive shenanigans planned for this season, we always love to kick off the holidays by sharing some of our fondest memories, most favorite traditions and those highly anticipated, carb-heavy side dishes we can't wait to devour.

“As a kid, we spent Thanksgiving at my Grandma and Grandpa Welker’s home. After the huge dinner that my grandma prepared all by herself, starting at 4 am, she would slip off for a nap. My dad and uncles would take the kids outside, no matter the weather, for some football. We would kick field goals over the most perfectly spaced limbs on a big tree in their front yard. I was the only girl in the bunch and I loved being part of that.”

— Melani

“Thanksgiving is my most favorite holiday! I love the 5 am turkey bastings, our traditional morning run with those willing to brave my brother in law’s routes, my Dad’s famous Bloody Mary’s (obscene amounts of horseradish!), group food prep, snacking from sun up to sun down, my mom’s fab carrot cake and the lively dinner conversations (avoiding politics this year). And I’m always so thankful to spend it with family members who trek from the East Coast. Bring on the food coma! ”

— Leslie

“Some of my traditions have changed through the years, but one of my most cherished memories was serving those less fortunate at Pine Street Inn, when I lived in Boston. When I moved to Fort Wayne, I gladly signed up to serve lunch for The Boys and Girls Club. Giving back to others is so important and I’m happy to do my part. In recent years, Thanksgiving finds me traveling abroad with my family. I’m so thankful to make new, enriching and meaningful memories with them while I can.”

— Kate

“My memories are of a classic Thanksgiving with my family, preparing and enjoying a very traditional menu. My mother’s stuffing is always perfect and my sister makes the most heavenly ginger cookies, topped with a pumpkin spread. I dream of their signature dishes year round. After we’ve eaten way too much, we set up my mother’s Christmas decorations, including her treasured nativity scene. It’s a lovely tradition we all adore, especially my mother.”

— Mark

We wish you and yours a lovely day filled with good food, lots of laughter and gratitude.

- Melani, Leslie, Kate and Mark

Go Camping!

July 31, 2015 Melani Wilson

We Trovesters just live to travel. We explore high and low, near and far and we won't rest until we see all corners of this amazing planet. While some of our adventures are far flung, there's nothing quite like a little camping in the good old USA. Whether your idea of camping involves chopping wood and sleeping under the stars or not-quite-roughing it in a charming, rustic cabin with proper cocktailing accessories, we have the coolest and most stylish provisions for your outdoor exploits. And if you just want to decorate as if you're outdoorsy, we can help you with that too.

Come shop our selection of Izola pine scented pillows, Swell travel bottles and cool Esperos canvas backpacks.

“A great many people, and more all the time, live their entire lives without ever once sleeping out under the stars.”

— Alan S. Kesselheim, Let Them Paddle: Coming of Age on the Water

Bangkok Street Food

May 21, 2013 Melani Wilson

I am of the firm belief that some of the best food in Bangkok can be found on the street being sold by vendors set up on seemingly every corner. I have sampled the most delicious coconut ice cream, served with coconut meat and chopped macadamia nuts and the tastiest “mini pineapple” which my daughter proclaimed was better than any candy. The following pictures prove my point that whether it was from a cart on the street or inside a market or from a boat that was part of a floating market, food in and around Bangkok may be the best when you are looking at the person who prepared it!

If I could eat one thing over and over again, it would be this Pad Thai. With a Singha to wash it down!

The epitome of chicken satay. What I’d give to find that on a street corner in my home town!

Deciding what you want to eat at the floating market is the hardest part!

Dessert! Sticky Rice with an amazing topping of caramelized coconut.

Market Flowers

April 14, 2013 Melani Wilson

Orchids are my favorite flower. So delicate, so easy to care for, so seemingly exotic, even though many of the species really aren’t. Visiting several vegetable, fruit and flower markets in Thailand was a visual treat. Orchids and lotus flowers abound. A large bouquet of orchids could be had for about $1 USD. Oh to have cut orchids in large bowls around my house! I will settle for two or three stems in a plant! I will let the flowers speak for themselves:

Pile of Orchids–$1 USD for a large bunch.

Take your pick! The choices are overwhelming and all beautiful.

More varieties of orchids. How to decide?

Fresh Lotus Flowers–I’d never seen these in such abundance.

The subtle flowers are inspiring. Remind me of watermelon tourmaline jewelry…

Sampaguita Flower leis. The Sampaguita flower is a type of jasmine and has a wonderful scent. — Sampaguita Flower leis. The Sampaguita flower is a type of jasmine and has a wonderful scent.

Making Sampaguita Leis in the market. Bangkok, Thailand.

Thai Coffee

April 12, 2013 Melani Wilson

I’ve been out and about lately–when I found myself in LAX every weekend for four in a row, I thought I had died and gone to heaven! Not what you might expect me to say, I know, but if I’m in an airport that means I am coming or going from an adventure and that makes me happy.

When I travel, I love to experience food. Really, food is my souvenir. A recipe I brought back from my trip is for Thai Coffee. This really helps a person make it across time zones, believe me!

Thai Kah-Fe

1 double espresso

2 T sweetened condensed milk

Spoon the condensed milk into a glass of double espresso and allow the milk to settle at the bottom of the glass. Serve hot with a coffee spoon and stir to combine the coffee and milk before drinking.

Also, completely delicious over ice!!!

This recipe is courtesy of “At the Table of Jim Thompson,” an amazing Thai cookbook.