A Day at the Flea Market

Twice during the summer there is a small flea market in a small town a few minutes from my home.

In fact, there was a time back then when my kids were small that I had a shop with my best friend in the same small square of the flea market.

I miss my shop and my friend.

Anyway, I still try to go.

BECAUSE

I always manage to find a treasure or two or three or more!

I love these vintage suitcases.  

The vendor sold them together for a great price.

It helps when you know most of the vendors by name.

They know you know how much something is usually worth and how much they can charge.

and more!

I could not have found a more perfect chippy, white, distressed piece.

It was the first treasure I bought.

I am hoping it will fit in the kids bathroom as a vanity.

Beautiful ironstone double handled container.

Perfect for a plant.

A phone for Mr. M.

It works.

He says that he can never find a phone when he needs them.

What can I say, there are both good and bad aspects of cordless phones.

A great vintage black suitcase, just the right black for Halloween.

I love the worn look.

Even though the weather was perfect, there were not too many vendors.

I was happy though.

I even called Mr. M. to join me with the kids, they can handle a small flea.

You see, the little guy, he is just NOT a shopper!

I asked Mr. M. where he may have gotten that trait from.

Mmmmm...I know a certain husband who just rolls his eyes when I ask him to come shop with me.

Oh well, I enjoy my own company.

I can walk as fast or slow as I want.

I don't stop and look at things that don't interest me.

So do you take your Mr. flea marketing with you?

Does he like to go?

How about the kids?

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful day.

New Finds and A New Friend

Sunday I went to one of my favorite flea markets at the Port of Entry Square.

It is not the largest by far, but I have been going to this flea market for at least 20 years.

And

It has sentimental value.

It is where my first shop was located and I have such good memories of my old shop.

I found some great treasures.

The best one of all is a fellow blogger who lives in the same town as I do.

Lynne from Wonderfully Made.

At first I was excited to see a new vendor at the flea market, and one who has great treasures.

Oh, I would have liked to take home more than what I did.

A LOT!

There were two great framed maps that would have looked wonderful in my boy's room

BUT I think they are going with the Star Wars theme.

Then I started talking to Lynne and found out she is a blogger and lives local to me.

Here is some of my treasures.

I found the cutest pair of vintage cowboy curtains.

I will make my boys some pillows for their bunk beds.

Cute little ironstone pitchers and a simple silver cup.

These are a few of the treasures I acquired from Lynne.

A simple blue striped cotton shower curtain that will be made into pillows.

A twin coverlet also from Lynne's booth.

They make the best slipcovers, so soft and such texture.

A new quilt to add to my collection.

My good friend Nancy always has beautiful quilts.

Like I said, this is the summer of accepting blue for me.

A darling little birdhouse for my feathered friends.

An amazing aqua bench that has already found a home in my downstairs bathroom.

The little shelf is great for holding extra towels and magazines.

a simple zinc sap bucket that I plan to embellish with some graphics.

I like the height, it will work perfect for my white hydrangeas. 

  

I also found the amazing black frame and a little white bench at Lynne's booth.

I wasn't kidding when I told her how excited I was that she was at the flea market.

She has a great eye.

I am really wishing I had bought one of the maps, maybe she will be at the next flea market in August.

Thanks for stopping by.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!

Flea Market Whites

My sister and I went to a local flea market and I scored!

In fact, we met up with our other sister at a garage sale on the way.

Chippy and Ironstone.

Two of the best whites there are.

You should have seen us carrying all of this to our car.

I am not including the cute little round metal table I found for the deck.

It is yellow and is not allowed to show its' face until it has been painted white.

I was told the pitcher was worth much more than I was being charged.

But, that's not what I am paying.

I took it home at my price.

It pays to haggle.

The bed, well, I am not too sure where it is going at this very moment.

But.

I knew I couldn't leave it.

Actually it was my little sister who sold me on it.

For that price, you can put it on the deck she said.

SOLD!

We were quite a spectacle.

Laughing with sisters is always the best way to spend a day.

I am sharing my new whites with Kathleen from Faded Charm and WHITE WEDNESDAY

and

Cindy from My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday.

Treasure Hunting

Today I went treasure hunting at a small flea market in Gettsville, not too far from my home.

I met up with my girlfriend visiting from CA, she and I spent most of our summers together as kids.

We got to the flea market early so we wouldn't miss out on too much.

I know I didn't!

LOOK AT THE LOOT!

It is hard to choose what my favorite is.

I found these vintage wooden type blocks. 

I was only going to buy my favorite #'s and letters, but I took a chance and asked how much for all?

SOLD!

(run away before she figures out how much I probably should have paid)

A small bag of assorted jewelery for making tags.

A silver ice bucket. 

BUTTONS, BUTTONS, LOTS OF BUTTONS

Two tins FULL of buttons.

I will be sorting tonight during movie night.

Not one

 but

TWO white iron urns!

OH YEAH HAPPY DANCE!!!!!!!!!!

Vintage English ironstone pitcher.

Great colors on a vintage quilt from one of my favorite vendors and a good friend of mine.

I also found a crocheted edge runner and a chippy header trim that will make a great shelf.

I think my girlfriend had fun too, even though she has to worry about breakage and shipping, she did manage to find a pretty English rose teacup and saucer to take home.

I am glad we went early because it left the rest of the day to lounge by the pool.

I hope you are having a great day too!

A Long Day

I made it to the end of ANOTHER flea market.

I must say that I applaud all the vendors who do this more than once in 5 years as I have done.  It is HARD work and I hope everyone who has ever shopped at a flea market understands all the work and the whole process that goes into preparing for a flea market.  Not only the buying or making of treasures to sell, tagging, packing, loading and trucking everything to the location, unloading and fluffing their booth.  OH and don't forget about the dismantling, repacking and reloading and taking all the unsold items back for storage, and for some of us, unloading again and storing for the next flea market. 

 I am DONE!

  I vow to only SHOP from now on!!!!!!!

Seriously though, I had FUN!  For me the best part is the FLUFFING of my booth.  Guess what?  I had so many shoppers and vendors ask me if I had a shop and if so where was it, and then the best words came from the owner and most of the other vendors and shoppers. 

 I was voted BEST BOOTH!

I had a little lot of everything. 

 China, pottery, linens, mirrors, silver, furniture, quilts.

  You name it, I had it there.

My space was a 20x20 and the tent 10x20 and I filled every inch I had available.

I was packed to the ceiling.

Thank goodness my sisters were there to help! 

My whole family pitched in from loading and hauling to babysitting and unloading.

 THANKS!

 I couldn't have done it without you for sure!

I had a good day.  I was lucky a dealer came through early and bought almost all my large furniture.  That means not having to haul it back home.  I sold some of my hand made signs, and tags.  I was surprised that more of the architectural stuff did not sell, but really I have no complaints. 

 I get to buy my new sewing machine and the RUFFLE foot. 

 I did a lot of HAPPY DANCING too!

However, this girl is retiring from flea market shows.........well maybe.........we will just have to see what kind of mood I am in next year.

Since my booth is just plastered in WHITE and I am still tired from the weekend.
 I will use this post for my favorite party of the week with Kathleen from Faded Charm for White Wednesday.

Not Your Ordinary Corn Stalks

I have been very busy!

Many of you know that I have been getting ready because;

ARBOR HOUSE LANE is going to the flea market.

 I have been fortunate that creativity has been flowing from me this past month and I am enjoying creating new projects to sell.  I also have started a new job this week, it is going great and I am very happy with my decision to go back to work. 

I am sad though, my blogging has had to take a back seat and I was not able to get a post prepared for my favorite day WHITE WEDNESDAY. 

Today I am making up for it! 

 About 4 years ago I was lucky enough to have a shop located in a cute little cottage not far from my home.  Even better, there was another shop near mine that was a WHITE haven and the owner and I became the best of friends. 

 I am proud to call her one of my dearest friends.  My friend Nancy is an amazing artist and for many years she owed a shop that many may recognize from this area and Canada.

Abigail Sutters Cottage

For all of you WHITE lovers, it was a white dream.  Nancy has such vision to take something and turn it into amazing beauty.  I was lucky to have her in my life at this time when I needed her most.  Not only could she make things of such beauty, she shared her talents.  If I asked her how she was able to create something, she would not only tell me, but she would also show me.

This is something Nancy taught me.

Take something so simple as a bundle of corn stalks and make it BEAUTIFUL.

I have make several of these in the past few years for decorating in my home.

Now I am taking some to the flea market.

A typical fall colors corn stalk.

For those who decorate with PINK all year long.

Remember you only you can put limits on yourself! 
Put on your creative glasses and just see what you can do.

  Thank you Nancy for being such an inspiration to me.

Happy Friday everyone!


I will be sharing this with Cindy from My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday. 

Whites Displayed for the Flea Market

I was so excited when a friend said I could use some doors for displaying in my booth at the flea market.  I spent the better part of the day washing them and I thought I would give a preview of how it will sort of look in my tent.

 Please join me for WHITE WEDNESDAY at Faded Charm with Kathleen and all the other bloggers who enjoy white too!

I would have to say, it turned out to be a pretty good display even if it is only in my driveway.

I just love all the WHITE with little touches of pink, purple and green.

Aren't you getting excited too Patrice?

There is a pair of doors that still have their original glass door knobs. 

Don't you just love it!

Don't you love the little porcelain handles on these shutters. 

 I am thinking maybe a pair will stay behind.  I made some of my favorite button and wire garland.

I can't wait to get on that field and display all of this and so much more!

 I have packed up so many boxes, it is going to be like Christmas day when I get to open them up again.

  Well, I am off to do some more projects. 

Only TWO more weeks to go. 

 Thanks for stopping by and have a happy White Wednesday!