A Cheery Cherry Tablescape

There's just something about cherries that make you want to smile. 

Those bright red little orbs add such life and vibrancy to even the simplest of vignettes.

Wonder how they would look in my antique English ironstone tureen?

Hmmm...that looks nice.  But I think I'll add a few more things.

I love the shape of my old English ironstone pitcher.

 

I think I'll add it as well.

 Perhaps while I'm at it, I'll change out the vintage lace-trimmed napkin for a vintage white-on-white embroidered tablecloth.

These green glass candlesticks aren't very old, but they'll work to give me another pop of color. 

And I think I'll add a couple of drippy candles to the mix, as well.

Perfect!

The vintage pie server–barely visible in the foreground–is the Yankee's reminder that I'm suppose to be making a pie with those cheery cherries, not decorating with them.

Oh, well.  I'll enjoy them now as decoration...

and later as dessert.

Sharing all these vintage beauties at Suzanne's for Vintage Thingie Thursday,

Susan's for Tablescape Thursday, Marty's for Table Top Tuesday, The Style Sisters for Centerpiece Wednesdays, and Sue's for Rednesday.

Come Flea With Me

If the thought of spending the day sorting through mounds of treasure–both old and new–sets your heart aflutter, have I got the perfect place for you!

The Raleigh Flea Market at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds is just such a place.  Being part community yard sale, part flea market, and part antiques and collectibles show ensures that there is something for everyone.

When visiting this particular flea market, I head straight for the yard sale section–at the very back of the complex.

 Seldom am I disappointed with the goods offered there, and I seem to always find a treasure or two–usually at give-away prices.

Not only do you find the typical yard sale fare–books, videos, clothing, and household goods–but often you'll find fabulous vintage and antique items stashed among them.

Once I have thoroughly scoured that section, I make my way to the flea market area.

Once again, think typical flea market–fresh fruit and vegetables, flowers, etc.  Then throw in beautiful jewelry, linens, and scads of vintage items to complete the picture.

When I am convinced that I have left no stone unturned in these two areas, I then venture over to the area always overflowing with wonderful antiques and collectibles.

The treasures here abound!  So why save this section to visit last?  While bargains can be had here, they are not as readily available–as is true in the other two areas.

If you are a scanner–as is my Yankee–you are apt to miss some of the most delightful goodies.

For example, a quick glance at this booth–while walking by–would not have uncovered the true treasures hidden within.

While the old storage chests were cool enough, they were not for sale.

Going in for a closer look revealed that the real goods were tucked inside.

Being the button junkie that I am, I could have spent an entire day just rummaging through these wonderful chests of glistening vintage and antique buttons.

Though it is one of my traits that drives the Yankee crazy, I think it pays to be a "detail" person.

After all, beauty is in the detail, right?!

Let's see if the Coloradolady's guests will enjoy these vintage thingies as much as you and I.

And we'll also visit Tales from Bloggeritaville while we're at it for

Liberty Revisited

The Yankee and I have returned home from Cameron, NC, where we just finished another show.  I thought I would share a few more of the fabulous finds featured at the Liberty Antiques Festival–from last weekend–before I launch into the more recent event.

One of the most prevalent colors I spotted on items at Liberty was aqua–in many variations.

If you remember, that was the color I saw most frequently at the Metrolina Big Classic.

Take a look at my last post, and you'll also see it in a number of different applications at this show.

I thought it looked simply fabulous on the plant stands above, on the adorable apron on the left...

and this cute vintage hat.

The last two pics above are from one of my very favorite booths at the Liberty show.

 

Deborah and Jeanne created such a wonderful space–absolutely brimming with girly items.  Hmmm. I'll bet that was one of the reasons it was one of my favorites!

 

Not only did they sell wonderful vintage pieces–like the aprons and hats–but their wares were displayed in such cute vignettes.

Don't you think the mannequins are just terrific?!

Their space was a total delight for the senses.

There was more incredible eye candy to see than I had time to take in. The music playing in the background was gloriously soothing.  There were sensational Yankee Candles perfuming the air, and a multitude of vintage tactile surfaces to embrace–jewelry, hats, linens, aprons, scarves, and beautiful decorative items for the home.

After days spent in the sweltering heat–in the middle of a pasture–these ladies knew exactly what this lady needed to make her smile.

 

I know where I'll be taking my breaks during the fall show!

I think I'll share some of my favorites from the Liberty show at Mary's for Mosaic Monday.

And, there is plenty of blue to share at Smiling Sally for

 and splashes of red to share at Work of the Poet for Ruby Tuesday.

 

Give Me Liberty

As you know, the Yankee and I have been busily participating in antiques and collectibles shows around North Carolina. 

It has been rather interesting to note how each show has had its own distinct personality–created by the type of goods being sold and the particular venue of the show.

The first thing you'll notice about the show we attended last weekend, in Liberty, NC–beyond the wonderful pastoral setting–is the sea of tents dotting the landscape.

With over  375 dealers from 20 different states packing this 100 acre farm, there was no shortage of wonderful antiques and collectibles to choose from.

Walter had a booth full of fun conversation pieces.  Isn't this old seesaw the cutest thing?!

George–set up directly across from me–tempted me throughout the show with some of the most incredible antiques...like this wonderful little aqua chest.

It called to me for days.  I had to put my fingers in my ears just to silence its cries!  ; )

Carolyn made an offer to me on this old pie safe–from the NC Biltmore House–that I couldn't refuse.  Well, almost couldn't refuse.  Sorry, Carolyn.

When I saw this booth, I instantly thought of Cline's Antiques.  I didn't get a chance to talk to this vendor to find out where she buys for shows, but I suspect Cline's might be on her list.  What do you think?

If refined antiques is more your style, there were plenty of those as well.

This aqua canoe–in the front of this booth–was such a touch of whimsy, considering how polished everything else was.

Country farmhouse antiques and collectibles were the biggest sellers at this show.

The piece pictured below was from my booth.

I could have sold this piece at least thirty times the first day of the show.  Of course, I only had one of them to sell!

Well, the Yankee is pacing the floor waiting for me, because we need to leave for the next show.  So, stay tuned; I'll show you more terrific treasures when I return.

A Thrifty Fifty

I've been somewhat AWOL from blogging these past two months...but with good cause.

Ten years ago, the Yankee and I laid down the mantle of an antiques and collectibles business to devote our time and attention completely to our children. 

Well, we've decided to pick that mantle back up and take our show on the road.

For the weeks that you've not heard much from me, I've been traveling around NC, with my Yankee sweetheart, reestablishing the business. 

And when he and I are not actually in the midst of a show, we're busily buying, repairing, refinishing, creating, and preparing for those shows–often from sunup to sundown. 

Those of you in this business, or one of a similar nature, understand how time consuming such an endeavor is.

I've been taking lots of pictures to share our travels–and our projects–with you, like the ones I took at the Charlotte Metrolina for the Big Classic Show. 

But taking pictures is one thing, while preparing them, and the text, for a post is quite another.

Rather than go back two months, I thought I would start with our most recent activities and sprinkle the others in, here and there, over the next week or so.

Revisiting our old haunts–like Cline's Antiques and Collectibles–in search of treasures to sell (or keep, when they're just to terrific to give up), has been loads of fun. 

Want to see another of our favorite hunting grounds? 

Well, actually, you've already been looking at pics from part of it. 

The gorgeous shrubs and plants shown above are just some of the fabulous finds at the Lexington Flea Market.

I thought I would show you the pretty part of this market first, 'cause the rest ain't so pretty!

Only dumpster-diving, thrift-store-plundering, yard-sale-seeking individuals need attend. 

I think the online blurb describes this place the best:

"Davidson Farmers Livestock & Flea Market. Old Highway 64. Market open all day Tuesday and half day Wednesday. Ample parking. Used merchandise, garage sale items, treasures & trash, farm items, lots of tack, new merchandise, pre-packaged food, clothing, house wares, produce, livestock, pets. Food available, restrooms. Lots of walking."

The highlighted items are what we seek out, but, more often than not, we have to dig through tons of the other items listed, in order to find them. 

But hey...what's a little digging around in the dirt to unearth treasure?  Am I right?!  ; )

There are no fancy-schmancy store fronts here. 

People sell from the shanty-like buildings you see in the images above, and from under tents, beneath the trees and from cars, trucks, vans...and even horse trailers.

Sometimes the best goods are still waiting to be unloaded. 

I'm not the least bit bashful.  So, often, I'll ask if I can poke around in the back of the truck.  Most folks are good-natured about it and let me look. 

After all, they're there to sell.

As I was walking down this particular aisle, something caught my eye, and I knew I would have to go in for a closer look. 

Nope, not the white shelf–although it was cute enough.

And, it was definitely not all this brown, brown, brown furniture!

Look further beyond...to that glorious ocean of blue. 

I'm not a milk glass collector, per se, though I do have a few pieces around the cottage.  But that blue was just the most fabulous shade!  And, yep...I found a treasure there! 

Yet another way that the Yankee and I differ is in our methods of "picking" in an environment like this. 

So, we usually just kiss goodbye at the gate and go our separate ways–only to meet up later with our finds.

If we were pieces of equipment, I'd have to say he's a scanner and I'm a microscope. 

While he's out doing a quick sweep for the bigger pieces, I'm down on the ground scrounging through boxes, buckets, crates, etc. looking for those smaller treasures.

For instance, I spied these soda crates and plastic containers–spilling over with the most wonderful vintage, chippy, rusty, crusty hardware–down on the ground behind loads of larger pieces.

A quick scan would not have unearthed these beauties!

Sometimes the treasure at this market is in plain view–as was the case with all this beautiful jewelry.

Though some of it was displayed in such a way as to accommodate a brief look...

much of it required a bit more plundering than I had time for on this visit.

So, what did my little treasure hunt produce, you're asking?

Three old farm implements–$8.00,

and an awesome assortment of vintage glass, plus two wonderful old pieces of millinery–to be used in future projects that I'll show you later–$8.50.

By the way, remember that ocean of blue I was so crazy over?  I scored this little guy for three bucks–because he had flown the coop...leaving his nest the vendor knew not where. 

I have such special plans for this beautiul blue birdie.  ; )

I also uncovered this quaint cache of country charm–shown in the two photos above–from various spots around the market–$10.00.

This lovely little vintage lamp and shade doesn't offer much to coo about– in her present state...

but I have an idea that will bring out her inner beauty–$3.00.

Without a doubt, these next two finds were the ones I was most delighted to discover.

This incredible vintage cart with its wonderful old time-worn wooden handle and wheels–$10.00.

Even with its imperfections, I think it's just the greatest.

And check this out!

The vendor told me that this is most likely a rack for hanging small game on.

Note the sharp pointy hooks.

OK, so that feature will have to be corrected before it can be used as a coat / hat rack, but it was the unbelieveable patina of this piece that sold me, anyway.

And the price for this awesomely aged aquisition–$10.00.

Grand total for my fabulous flea market finds...$49.50. 

Yes, I know that's not exactly $50.00.  But, what can you buy for fifty cents?

The truth is, at the Lexington Flea Market, fifty cents can buy a treasure–or two–if you've got the time to dig them out.

Now, I'm going to show off all my wonderful vintage thingies at