A Flea Market Kind of Mother's Day

The flea markets are just starting up around here so I wanted to get to one as soon as I could.


We planned our outing for Mother's Day. What better way to spend Mother's Day than indulging my pickin' passion?


"We" included my husband, son and I. They are such troopers when it comes to things I want to do that they may not necessarily choose. They got to pick the restaurant for dinner though....more on that later.

We had to drive an hour and a half to the flea market I chose, since it was in Clarence, NY, which is near Buffalo. I was attracted to that one because there were supposed to be tons of vendors outside and lots of indoor flea markets too. As you can see the skies were a little ominous, so the turnout was not great.

We ended up dodging raindrops in between the sun and downpours, on and off most of the day. Only in NY.


I had my cart in the truck and I was all ready to go, rain or shine. My husband made it a little game for me. My mission, should I choose to accept it, was to spend as much of this wad of money as I could while we were there. He wouldn't tell me how much was in it and I was not allowed to count it. And, I had to give back whatever I didn't spend. Oh boy! Easy peasy!

Or so I thought. I found a lot of stuff but couldn't help being thrifty minded even though I wasn't spending my own money! I passed by a lot of good stuff that was too pricey for me to buy and resell, even though it would cost me nothing. Believe me, by the end of the day, that changed and I spent with abandon!


Here are some of my finds. I realized once I went through them all that I had a variety of different styles of vintage, which I love. I didn't purposely look for different styles, I just picked what I love.

Some industrial finds included two oil cans, a red fan blade, a GE fan that works and a rustic turquoise box.

I never pass by Christmas items, any time of year, if they are a good price. These were.

My Farmhouse finds....

I think I have to keep the paper mache rooster basket/planter for awhile and I am definitely keeping the tablecloth.


After I found the turquoise wicker shelf I found the green one. Why not? I love them both.

I always grab feed or potato sacks when I see them. They sell well in my Etsy shop.

Here are my girly girl finds. The wicker vanity and hand mirror are so unique and the turquoise zippered bag has gold handles.

One of the first things I found was this vintage gold daisy bracelet. My favorite flower is any variety from the daisy family so it was a "gotta have it" purchase. It is a keeper.



When it started raining too much to keep walking around, we went into some of the Antique stores. I found some unique and very pricey items that were fun to look at but not to buy!



Yup, it says $14,500

It was time to head toward the restaurant for our reservations. Guess what kind of restaurant my husband and son chose? Steak and seafood of course! I don't eat red meat so I was hoping to find something I would like on the menu. I did.

It is called Lobster Mania.

I don't think an explanation is needed.....

The restaurant is a rustic cobblestone fine dining place where they make your soup and salad table side and cut your meat to order table side. My son couldn't resist sitting in the chair in the front.

Speaking of my son, he gave me the sweetest card and gift. A few weeks ago we both had our hair cut by my daughter at her salon (girly) and after I wanted to go to a kind of girly shop nearby to see what they had. Michael was a trooper and came in with me. I found the most delicious smelling candle called Dancing in the Rain. The owner was hinting to him what a good Mother's Day gift it would make. Fast forward to this past Friday night when he asked my husband to take him to go get it for me.

That picture of us was taken about 10 years ago!



So how do you think I did spending the money?

I did not spend it all but put a good dent in it. I reluctantly handed the remainder back.

When I counted up what I spent compared to what was in that wad of money, I'd say I did pretty good. I felt a little guilty for how much I spent.

For about a minute.

I know, I'm spoiled.

I prefer to think of it as being blessed :-)

Now to inventory all my treasures and decide if they are going on Etsy or to my booth.

Woe is me, how will I get through it all ;-)



To those that celebrate, I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day yesterday.


One last thing to share. Have you heard of the bitmoji app for your smart phone? You make an avatar of yourself and then it is attached to all kinds of emoji's that you can text to anyone.


Does it look like me?

AnnMarie xoxo


I am linking up with these fun blog parties:
Amaze Me Monday
Let's Talk Vintage
Share Your Cup
No Rules Weekend Blog Party
Vintage Charm Party
Friendship Friday Blog Party
Friday Feature Linky Party
"Anything Goes" Pink Saturday

Unbridled Passion

 I just can't help myself.

I have over 300 vintage items in my Etsy shop, (not to mention the collection I have in my drafts, expired and inactive files) plus the hundreds of items around my home that I decorate with and am not parting with!

But when Friday and Saturday come around this time of year, I just have to see what is out there. I have to decide whether to go to the garage sales, or thrift stores, or both? Yard sales or flea markets?

Today I went to the most unlikely place you'd ever find myself and especially my husband, ever on a Saturday afternoon.......

The Pioneer Gas Engine 48th Annual Show in Marion, NY.

You see, I recently joined the Rusty Dusty Treasury Team on Etsy which is all about vintage and rusty, recycled and upcycled and just plain fabulous items. It has helped increase my passion for all of that and more!

So when my daughter called me saying "Mom, you gotta get here, there is a lot of rusty, old stuff", I had to go. I was going to hit just a few garage sales anyways.....wink, wink.

As soon as we got there my husband felt out of his element. He joined me because I didn't want to go alone not knowing what I was walking into, and then we ran into an old friend, Dean.

That's my husband Frank on the left near Dean's booth with all the mammoth chain saws. Frank is from Spanish Harlem in New York City. There were tractors and engines and rusty farm tools, long beards, John Deere shirts and a few missing teeth! Yeah, out of his element!

I had a great time! There was a lot of old, rusty, greasy, oily stuff around to buy. Most too high priced for me but I did get some things.

The large bucket is a cardboard and metal candy bucket from the Bunte Brothers of Chicago. It was once filled with 15 pounds of Extra Fine Early American Chocolate Drops. It is a great vintage advertising piece for display, from the early 1950's.

I have a thing for oil cans. Especially the small, cute ones with the long spout. I actually sold one once suggesting to use it as a ring holder. Very cute idea!

These would fall into the rusty, oily category of vintage!

 

 

I am not totally sure of what this next item is, but it is so unique and rusty that I had to have it. It must be some kind of percussion instrument. It has a cow bell sound, each side having a different tone.

 

 

There was so much more I wanted to buy, but the last item I got was this coal shovel, probably from the 1930's. Very unique decoration for near a wood stove or fireplace.

 

 

So I did really good, right? I must mention that my husband didn't get anything! He likes to go thrifting for props for the community theatre we run. No luck here!

I really wanted to hit at least one of the garage sales on my list so we went. It was a memorable time because of the cute elderly couple that was holding the sale.

 

The husband was sitting outside the garage with a friend and the wife was inside the garage with her grandson. I asked him about the age of the cow jar and he said "You have to ask my wife, that's her department".

 

 

Then I was looking at the old tool box and he cut the price in half without me even asking!

 

I asked her for the price on the framed picture and she said "You have to ask my husband, it's his". He told me the price and then mentioned that it was a relative of his. I asked him if he was sure he wanted to sell it to me and he said, no problem, he had others! Relatives or pictures?!

 

I almost walked away from the prize item of the day. I was halfway down the driveway when I just had to go back for the big, red, chippy, rusty gas can. The husband ran over to make sure he told me that it didn't leak and showed me the bottom. I asked him how old it was and he said he bought it in 1968. The wife was giggling that I came back and her grandson looked at me like I was crazy for wanting all this stuff!

 

Days like these make thrifting all the more fun. Sometimes it is just in and out of the car, from garage sale to garage sale with no luck and no fun included.

Now I get to photograph and list all these great items in my NaNa's Things shop. Which is part of the fun too!

What did you do on this beautiful Saturday afternoon?

AnnMarie  :)

P.S. I have this same unbridled passion for that guy on the left in the picture too!!

 I'm linking up to these great blog parties!
Freedom Fridays Blog Hop
Weekend Wonders
Strut Your Stuff Saturday Link Party
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Raising Imperfection Sunday Link Party
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