Estate Sale Eye Candy

One of the perks of my job is being able to justify stopping whenever I want to look for deals on vintage stuff, art stuff or really anything that catches my attention. I have been saying that I would beg off the vintage shopping for a while, but I do run a barn sale and I do have a show coming up in 2 months. At least, this is what I tell myself as I stand here, looking at all the stacks of crusty old stuff vintage treasures in back of my van, knowing that I am going to have to explain these purchases to DK when (and if) he sees them. It's a good thing there are lots of nooks and crannies in the studio.

I got lucky today and just happened upon an estate sale. There were a lot of drool worthy goodies in the main rooms: fantastic mid- century side tables in immaculate condition, a beautiful ironstone pitcher and vessel set, a gorgeous full set of silver in it's original box.  But alas, these treasures were just not in my budget. I have vowed to only buy my vintage with cash, and there wasn't much in my pocket. So I took a deep breath and walked into the basement.

 Don't you just love old hammered aluminum serving pieces?

My heart perked up instantly as I rounded the corner into the dingy room. Tables and table of filthy treaures!! At bargan basement prices. I had arrived. There must be a small part of heaven reserved for rooms of filthy things, just waiting to be found, cleaned and loved. There is such joy in that.

The first thing I grabbed was an old, flat piece of slate. I have been wanting one to use as a chalkboard to write prices or information at the show and almost started jumping up an down when I saw it there in the shadows. The other shoppers must have thought me a little odd when I snapped it up and looked at them defiantly, daring them to try to take MY slate.

Further perusing unearthed a good sized bag of vintage clothes pins. Now I knew the barn sale-ing gods really were smiling down on me. I really needed something small for the Lucketts show in May. What could possibly be better than a bucket full of old clothes pins at 3 for $1? Sold!

Flush with these two successes, I kept digging. And then I saw it. One of the most sought after bits of kitchenware in all vintage accessory-dom. A vintage kitchen scale, bright yellow, and still very functional. (So functional in fact, that I had to hide it from my kids once  I got it home and cleaned up.) You know I totally heard angel voices singing about that one.

Isn't it just so cheerful? I love it.

I also managed to uncover the enamelware basin the scale is sitting in. And THE most darling stool I have seen in a long time. 

"Use your stool to sit and climb and also when it's TV time." Love it!

The daughter of the homeowners was helping to run the sale and she said the stool was hers from when she was two. As she said she graduated high school in 1973, that makes this little piece of wood

circa 1955. Is that vintage enough for you?

I couldn't pass up the two hammered aluminum bowls either.

The details just kill me.

I might have to keep this one.

Overflowing with excitement and with my arms loaded up with almost more than I could carry alone, I walked to the counter and paid for all my loot with the cash in my pocket. I was shaking with the elation of it all. I do love me a good shopping day. It always makes me feel like I must be doing something right.

Here are a few more treasures I've happened upon unexpectedly this spring.

Don't you just love old board games? 

I can't put my finger on the appeal, but they just put me in my happy place.

And anything with a patina on it. 

I originally bought this pair of paintings for the frames, but they kinda grew on me, so I think I'll keep them together. The morning sun washed them out a bit. They are brighter in person.

And now, my dear friends, here is the good news. I bought every piece of it for you. Everything you've seen here, and a bunch more, will be for sale in my booth at the Old Luckett's Store Spring Market this May 18th and 19th. And don't just come to shop with me. Miss Mustard Seed will be there, and the ladies from Chartreuse and Company (here are picks from their latest show), and Christen Bensten from Blue Egg Brown Nest. In all, I think there are 200 vendors this year, with gorgeous things for you all. Anything vintage you can think of is there. Giant metal letters. Old chairs. Blue glass bell jars. Piles of things made from antique French linens. I'm telling you, you really do want to go to this show.

So, for the people in the back:

The Old Luckett's Store Spring Market

Lucketts, Virginia,  

just North on 15 from Leesburg.

May 18th and 19th 

from 10am to 5pm both days

I will be waiting for you in the "Field of Dreams".

(No really. That is where my booth is located. I'll post a map, if I get one. Then you can do strategic planning of where you want to go first.)

See you all there!

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.)