Big Trouble At The Flea Market!!!

I got in a fight at the flea market! Over these little bluebirds. As I was walking up to a table, I saw a lady pick these up, and then put them down. I've wanted a pair of these for a long time. So I just stood there, bided my time, and watched her pick them up again. I willed her to set them down and walk away. When she set them down, she said "No, they're too chipped." So I picked them up right away, and asked how much they were. All of a sudden, the lady starts yelling that she was going to get them! I said that I had seen her put them down and say they were too chipped. She yells real loud, "Ok, take them! Don't have a heart attack!" I yelled back, "I WILL take them!". So I did. So why do I feel so quilty?!? The worst part is that if I had gotten to that table 5 minutes sooner, I could have gotten the pitcher she bought that matches them, for $4. You can't touch them on Ebay for less that $30!!

I also got the old kitty planter and Lefton St. Patty's girl at the flea too. Then I got out of there quick before I ran into that crazy lady again! I was afraid she might have brought her big sons with her, and they would dangle me upside down by my feet, until the bluebirds fell out of my shopping bag!

Our town had citywide garage sales going on Friday and Saturday, so I must have gone to about 50 sales. The first day was definitely the better of the two. I got that lovely old chippy plant stand for $2.

And this plant stand for $3. I've been drooling over these at several antique stores, and I'm so glad I didn't pay their $30-$50 prices.

All of these clocks set me back $3! The blue one and black one are perfect matches to a collection I have.

I'm pretty giddy over the Pyrex, which was 10 cents each! The big Corelle bowl was 50 cents, and that groovy plastic bowl was free, because it was half off on the second day, and they didn't want to charge me half of a quarter!

This little birdcage was $1, and I spray painted it pink as soon as I got home.

Love the little heart on the door. I want to plant some flowers in there and hang it on a shepard hook in the garden. Very cottagey!

This big etched mirror was only $5. I love these, and this one has a paper label that says it was made in 1946.

This huge one came from the same garage sale, also $5. I couldn't believe my luck at finding two etched mirrors. This one belonged to the owner's Grandmother.

It will hang where this small one is hanging right now. As I was leaving the sale, I told the gal that her Grandmirror's mother would have a happy home with all of my other etched mirrors! I was so excited by these mirrors that I got a little tongue-tied!

And last but not least, a little pink planter and pink Home Sweet Home plate. All in all, a good week of junking. But I don't know if I'll go back to the flea next Sunday. Unless I go in disguise! But let it be known that I WILL fight for my finds!

My First Flea Market Finds - VTT

You never know what you'll see from one week to the next for VTT! Head over to Coloradolady, where Suzanne hosts this party every week!

Today I want to share with you some of the first things I ever bought at a flea market, back in the late 70s and early 80s! Everything you see in this picture was bought when I was in my late teens or early 20s. It's rather surprising to think that the things that I liked back then I still like today!

Like this lady head vase. I used to have a large collection, but I sold most of them on Ebay, keeping only the unsellable ones.

I remember buying this perfume bottle, and filling it with Jean Nate!

I remember buying this little jewelry box, Made In Japan. It still holds some of my necklaces from my teens!

I clearly remember buying this atomizer, and filling it with Avon's Hawaiian White Ginger.

Someone made a candle out of that tiny lady head vase, pouring wax into her head. Can you imagine? I remember buying that etched tray too. It's one of my favorite things, but a real bear to clean. How is it that I remember buying all of this stuff, but can't remember what happened last week?!

And I especially remember buying this tri-fold beveled mirror. It was $5, which was alot for me to spend at the time. I was with a friend who also wanted it. But I saw it first. So I got it. That's the rules when you go to the flea market. That, and no crying when someone else grabs a treasure before you do!

REDnesday-Home Sweet Home!

Yes, it's that time again! Time to drag all of your RED stuff out of your cabinets and drawers and share them with the world! Sue is our hostess over at It's A Very Cherry World, where you'll find a list of lots of other RED lovers!

This plant stake is one of my favorite little things. I got it at a dollar store in Wisconsin. It looks very Mary Engelbreit-ish, doesn't it? But it doesn't say ME anywhere on it, and I can't imagine anything of hers ending up in a dollar store, can you? This little thing really speaks to me, because I love my home!

I received two lovely red mandevillas for Mother's Day. I need to put some bamboo sticks in there so that they can start climbing.

I used to get hibiscuses every year, but I decided I wanted something a little different. It sure is a beautiful plant, and I hope it's a good climber.

Next we have some red china plates, all made in England, and a very old red beaded purse. I don't know why red plates are so hard to come by around here, and if I do see any, they're really expensive. I had hopes of doing a nice big collage of them on the wall there, but this is as far as I got!

I don't think there's anything red in this picture, but I just wanted to say that I'm so excited that our daughter is home from college for the summer! And if you think that's alot of stuff, thankfully the other half has been unpacked and put away. I couldn't even see out the living room windows for a few days! Welcome home Lizzy!

Prettifying The Porch

I got up real early Sunday morning, all ready to go to the flea market, but it was only 34 degrees, so I didn't go. That's three weeks in a row now that my flea plans have been foiled by the weather! Oh well, I still had lots of fun on Mother's Day. I played outside all day! I figured it was time to start prettifying the porches. First I started by dragging this birdcage out of the shed.

I planted a vinca vine and some pink impatiens in there, and all of the little fairies are standing guard to keep the squirrels out!

I put a tablecloth on the patio table, along with the umbrella. I also planted up a bunch of those baskets that you see in the background.

And planted lobelia in a tortilla warmer! A friend of a friend made this planter using one of those plastic tortilla warmers you can buy at the dollar store. She just cut a hole in the part that sticks up, and the umbrella pole slides right through it!

I also slapped together some little pillows for the bench. I'm hoping the squirrels won't rip these apart like they did the ones I made last year.

Another basket that I made, using one of my favorite flowers, Torenia.

The watering cans are back out on the bench that Mr. Old Glory made.

Lotsa pansies in the little windowbox, and a ladybug watering can on the shelf by the back door. Ok, so all of that was on the back porch. I'm not done yet, but soon I need to set my sights on the front porch too.

One last thing. I had to show all of the pansies on my $5 plantstand! I love this thing, even though certain members of my family call it "the bleachers"!

Happy Mother's Day!

From our little cottage to yours, Happy Mother's Day!

I just had to share my favorite picture of my Mom. She was so young and pretty in that shot! She's 85 and is an avid gardener and still enjoys the hunt for treasures at thrift and antique stores. Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Vintage MOTHER Prints and Cards For VTT

Please make sure to visit Coloradolady, where Suzanne hosts VTT every week!

Whether you call her Mom, Mama, Maman, Mutter, or Ima, I think we can all agree that Mothers have the most important job in the world! This collection of Mother prints and cards started out by accident. I certainly didn't set out to collect these, but like alot of my collections, they just sorta happened. I had to have the one above because of the little red cottage! It's dated 1936.

This card was just too pretty to pass up, with the cute cottage and the birdhouse.

The sentiments on these are just so sweet. Click to enlarge any of the pictures, so that you can read them.

Another beautiful card, this one is dated 1933.

I love the poem on this one, and the picture of the mother and daughter is just gorgeous. All of these have been collected for under $5, and I suppose if I stumble across any more, I really should buy them, right? Because I don't think I can safely say that any of my collections are complete. Are yours?!?

Weekend Finds

I was so disappointed that the flea market got rained out. But I've got my fingers crossed for next Sunday. I think it would make a lovely Mother's Day outing! All of my finds for this past week are from garage sales, Ebay, and antique stores. I think I made a very unflattering sound when I saw that pink tray! Not a squeal. More like an "oooaahhgg" type of sound! And an equally loud noise for that pink pottery piece!

This vintage sheet music was won on Ebay. I thought it would look nice with all of my patriotic decorations.

And I certainly couldn't pass up this old postcard. If it says "Old Glory" on it, don't I have to have it?

Four melamine plates, just perfect for summer dining on the porch!

A little white pottery poochie planter.

It goes rather nicely with my other white dog and cat planters.

And last is a McCoy pot from what was probably the stinkiest estate sale I've ever been to. As I walked up the driveway, I saw this right away and grabbed it. As I continued up the driveway, I was hit with wave after wave of cat urine. Needless to say, I did not continue into the house! Well, I hope you found some treasures this weekend, and you didn't have to hold your breath to get them!