The Great Lucketts Adventure

It was the perfect setting for adventure. 5 of us, headed for the biggest barn sale fair in the region. Blogosphere celebs and local chalk painters and all the big barn-salers were going to be there to rub shoulders with. We started planning it months ago. I gave up all my pampering and presents on Mother's Day (this was MY choice and recommendation, not my husband's, and a mistake I will not be repeating) so my husband didn't mind me ditching him with the kids for an entire, activity filled Saturday.

Then all my friends but one bailed on me.

Ironically, Dana, the friend who did come, had been changing her mind on a daily basis for the previous two weeks about whether she was coming or not. Well, I am glad that she did, because she was the perfect companion on this little adventure. Dana's nesting instincts have honed in on redoing her dining room in Vintage Country Style and this is the best place in the world to find authentic pieces on a budget.

This is the view as we walked up to the show. Mind you, we weren't even in the gates yet.

Dana fell in love with this pretty little chalk painted dresser in a stall just outside the gates, but we kept walking.

We were women on a mission.

My secret weapon to get Dana to come with me was the discovery that clay tags made by Jami of Freckled Laundry (see her wonderful blog here) were being given away by Miss Mustard Seed herself. Dana can't pass up a good deal, and a freebie by two of her favorite bloggers was more than she could refuse. We didn't know how many she had and didn't want to miss out, so we headed straight for Miss Mustard Seed's booth.

I should have taken pics of the whole booth. (Look here for Miss Mustard Seed's photos and comments about the experience) It was so beautifully put together. So many great ideas like paper flowers made out of old patterns:

Using a full sized doorknob as the knob on a milk painted armoire

And filling a pair of old screen doors with chicken wire, instead of screening.

And then we saw her, Miss Mustard Seed herself! She was warm and open and so very pleasant. And her real name is Marian, with an "a", just like me.

It was such a delight to be able to meet someone else just a bit farther into their career who's personality and personal life is so similar to mine. In spite of her fame and media exposure, you could tell by her prices and her accessibility that she wanted her customers to have a pleasant experience for both their eyes and their wallets.  As I looked around, I was completely shocked to see that her whole pricing structure was very similar to mine. I was filled with this deep seated sense that I am doing things the right way, both with my business choices and my priorities in my personal life. It was an incredibly validating experience for me and one I will always treasure. Isn't it funny how five minutes talking to someone you've never met before can completely change something inside you?

And we found the tags waiting for us at the register. I almost burst out crying when I saw what they said:

Dana found a beautiful ironstone bowl and I just bought a t-shirt. But something about attaining our goal, awoke the shoppers within. From that point on, it was game on!

We fell in love with a booth run by "the junk man" and "the Junkman's wife". Fun stuff for cheap! cheap! cheap!

I got an old apple picking ladder for $15 and a set of mini printer's blocks,  a "C," an "M," and an "S," for $3 each. Dana went crazy and bought a stool, a chair, and some other stuff that I can't remember. But we both have a warm place in our hearts for the Junkman and his wife.

We were in the fervor of looking for a dining room table and a "family rules" sign when Dana announced in true pregnant fashion that she needed a restroom. Gotta love Lucketts. Formal gowns between the stalls:

There was a pretty long line, so being the good friend that I am, I ditched Dana and went looking for more good deals while she decided which gown she would wear to the prom. Here are a few things I found on my ramblings:

A life sized horse. Yours to take home for $1500.

The Easter shop. Just kidding, this was just a booth packed to the gills with chalk painted furniture. Doesn't it look so springy?

A shop that sold these gorgeous, hand sewn dresses made out of antique linen and French lace. Amazingly well made and beautiful, but a little too pricey for me. Besides, where would I wear it? But so much fun to see and touch:

I wandered back just in time to catch up with Dana and we were off. We found fabulous things.

So. Much. Stuff.

This is just a fraction of what we saw. I just couldn't shoot and shop at the same time. Sorry, but shopping won out this time.

And the most exciting part of all was Dana finding "The" table. It had a  gorgeous, 2" think reclaimed barn wood top and was being sold at a huge and charming booth called "the Beekeeper's Cottage. (Check out their very enticing web page here.) She didn't buy it, but she now is sure what she wants, which is kinda the reason I wanted her to come.

Here it is, except she wants the base to be white, and "shabbied up" a bit (just like this one). Don't you love the wood nail-like holes at the end? So nice.

We shopped until everything started to look the same. Finally, we had one more brush with local fame. We stopped by the booth of Christen Bensten of Blue Egg Brown Nest, but she was busy helping other people so we didn't have a chance to say hi. But Dana looked pretty hard at a pair of aqua colored shutters. Here she is in front of the booth.

It takes a much different woman than I to make being pregnant look so good.  Dana, you are the cutest.

It was about here that we looked at each other and decided we were pooped. So home we went, with a car full of stuff and minds full of ideas and lovely memories. Such a nice day.

(Happy belated Mother's Day to me.)