1. A Fair in September. Remember The Abbey coffeehouse on Mass Ave, with those high-back pink chairs? Then you probably also shopped at Jenny Elkins Studio, up the street. The whimsical gift store closed in 2004, but Elkins, one of the Ave’s pioneers, is still very much in the arts and vintage business. Once a year, she and a couple of similarly talented friends revive the shop’s spirit in her Irvington backyard. This weekend, Friday and Saturday, browse indoors and out for artfully upcycled furnishings, clever art and accessories, and lots of retro booty. If you love things that make you smile, you’ll beeline for pieces by visual artist Lori McDonough, who has a knack for cheerful hand-lettering. Her custom-made signposts with client-specific destinations, like favorite vacation spots, make a great gift. Get a sneak peek at the market’s goods in the photo gallery above, and ask yourself: Where else will you find journals with bingo-card covers and a table fashioned from cafeteria trays? 85 N. Irvington Ave., Sept. 13 noon–5 p.m. and Sept. 14 noon–6 p.m. Facebook page.
2. Indiana Design Center sample sale. If you haven’t yet visited the Indiana Design Center, this coming weekend is a prime time to check it out. This Friday and Saturday, the IDC hosts a sample sale with 12 of its showrooms offering furniture, fabrics, and home decor for up to 50 percent off. Participating companies include Drapery Street, Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery, Holder Mattress, J. Baker Interiors, Premier Electronics Lifestyle Showroom, Santarossa, Outré, The Trade Connection, The Trade Source, Barry Lantz Art, Rosalind Brinn Pope Interior Design, and Walter Knabe Studios. 200 S. Range Line Rd., Carmel, 317-569-5975, Sept. 13–14, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. indianadesigncenter.com.
