The DC Big Flea

Yesterday, The Husband and I hit the road to go treasure hunting at the DC Big Flea ... billed as the East Coast's largest indoor antique market, with 400+ dealers.  This show draws huge crowds, and there is always a great variety of items to see and buy.  Here are some of the things that caught my eye:

This dealer always has a great mix of tempting things.

 

 

What a well thought out vignette, with the Deacon's Bench, Parchesi board, and primitive bench.

 

 

This is a lousy photo of a bed with great paint.

 

 

Real Post Office cubbies!

 

 

If I didn't already have too much stuff, I probably would have bought these drawers and found a use for them.

 

The paint on this Scandanavian trunk was beautiful!

 

I loved the colors and designs on these wool felt pillows.

 

The great graphics on the cheese sign caught my eye, then I noticed the zinc-topped cupboard below it.

 

 

I need some inspiration for a paint project that I have planned, and I found some antique thread cabinets that had really wonderful graphics.

 

 

 

 

I am always on the look out for interesting greyhound items. 

A 1925 print.

 

I see this bust from time to time in magazine ads.

 

This Royal Doulton figurine was a bit pricy.

 

 

 

What did I buy, you ask?

A vintage baby bottle (to use as a bud vase), a tiny greyhound figurine, a pair of vintage medical scissors, and a silver heart charm.

 

I have never seen a little greyhound like this ... it's only 2 inches tall.

 

The silver hearts will look great on a leather necklace.  They each say "Your heart is within my heart.

 

 

The final buy of the day was something that I have been hunting for for a couple months ... a handmade Persian rug to go underneath the antique oak chairs in our family room bay.  It's imperfect and I LOVE it!!

 

 

As I walked through the show yesterday, and sifted through the photos this morning, I saw a definite trend.  I find that I tend to be attracted to things that are what they are (if that makes sense).  Things that are restored or have a quick coat of paint slapped on them don't appeal to me at all.  Give me honest wear, and good design, and I'll be a happy girl!

 

 

A Little of Everything This Morning

There's a lot going on right now.  I have already spent some time this morning gathering my thoughts and trying to put things into their place ... getting a plan in place to deal with what I have to (or want to) do for the next few days.

Later this morning, I have an appointment at the periodontist for a dental implant.  Most folks would run screaming from the idea of this, but I welcome it ... I'm to that point with this loose crown of mine.  It's a front tooth, this is the third crown in this location, and the dentist is pretty certain that it's loose this time because the root is cracked.  I expect to come home later today with my head in a sling.

I know that Ruby will be here to comfort me when my anesthesia wears off.  She is such a love!  I never have to worry about where she is, because she's within a step or two of me at all times.  This makes it been really hard to try to get decent photos of her.  I'm working on it.

Right now, she's snoozing in her crate.  I have never had a dog with a crate before, and it's been a learning experience for me.  It's a great sense of security for me, knowing that she's confined and can't get into things and hurt herself when I'm not around.  Oh the other hand, I now have a new decorative element in my family room bay window.

The cats think that they have a new place to nap.  I have pulled both Alice and Maggie out of Ruby's crate multiple times during the last few days.  Ruby defers to the cats (good dog!) and we don't want the cats establishing territory in Ruby's safe place.

Right now, Maggie is napping in her primary spot ... in the south-facing window behind me, watching the birds outside.

The DC Big Flea is this weekend.  I love this show, but I am not planning to go this time.  There's nothing that I need, it's a bit of a drive, and I'm planning a very low-key weekend ... since I have no doubt that my head will be throbbing. 

I read on a blog yesterday that Eddie Ross is in town this weekend and that he will be leading shopping tours through the show ... at $50 bucks a head.  Am I the only one that thinks it's insane to pay someone to show you what kinds of bargains are available at a flea market?  I don't care who Eddie Ross is or what reputation preceeds him ... I can find my own bargains, thank you very much.  Besides, his first tour starts at 1:00 on Saturday.  The best bargains will be long gone by then.  (Do you think he preshops the place so he can 'find' things when he has his entourage in tow?)

Sorry ... that was catty.  It just bugs me to think that there are folks out there who think they have to follow someone else's lead to do something that they are quite capable of doing themselves.  If you need to shop with someone, grab a friend and make a day of it.  Admission to the show is $8, and you'll have $42 extra dollars to spend on treasures.  (Here's some free shopping advice ... Be sure to visit one of my favorite dealers in Aisle H, Booth #412 under the balloons.  She told me yesterday that everything in her booth is half price.)

A much closer to home place for me to shop for great stuff this weekend is Shumate's Auction in Warrenton (only a half an hour up the road from me.)  If my head will cooperate, I plan to be there on Saturday.  Kathy, the owner and auctioneer, puts together great auctions and there are definitely bargains to be had.  For example, I bought a pair of these beautiful English chairs for a ridiculously low bid at her last auction a few weeks ago.

Our friend Janet scored this dresser.  I wonder what it will look like once she works her Annie Sloan Chalk Paint magic on it?

On Monday, I will be shipping out the first rose orders of the season.  This early spring weather has awakened the nursery roses earlier than I expected, and I quietly put my 2012 rose inventory up on the web site last week.

'Glenn Dale'

Because most of last year's cuttings failed, I have far fewer roses available than I usually do.  This first batch was about 150 plants, and I have about 75 more in the greenhouse that aren't ready for their new homes quite yet.  I usually start the year with about 750 plants, so this year's 225 is pretty disappointing.  The plants I do have are large and healthy ... I'm trying to concentrate on 'glass half full' point of view.

"Caldwell Pink"

I should stop stalling, get up from this couch, and hit the shower to get ready to start my day.  My appointment is at 10:00.  My periodontist is awesome, but I could probably still use whatever good thoughts you can send my way.

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Edited at 1:30pm to add:  I've been home from my appointment for a little while now.  This procedure was almost a piece of cake ... didn't feel a thing after the first sting of the needle.  I have most of the feeling back in my face now.  Earlier, it felt like I was numb all the way to my earlobes, which is a good thing for dental work.  The periodontist couldn't place the actual implant today, so I have a bone graft, some stitches, and a tooth on a 'flipper', just like the little pageant girls wear.  This wasn't what we hoped for, but at least I'm not bothered by that awful loose crown anymore. 

DC Big Flea ... A Pack of Bloggers at the Antique Show

Saturday's DC Big Flea was fabulous!  It was even better because I shared it with two like-minded bloggers who live nearby ... Janet (The Empty Nest), Deborah (Confessions of a Craigslist Junkie), and Deb's friend Mary.  We met at 9am so we could be there when the doors opened, and we spent nearly all day shopping, talking, and having a wonderful time.

This small bench was so cute ... ideas, maybe?

I loved the finish on the wooden drawer cubbies.  I'm such a sucker for cubbies.

Janet had never been to the DC Big Flea before.  Deborah had, but it had been a long time.

The finish on this green cupboard was incredible!

The price on this oak jelly cupboard was great, and I would have bought it for a spot I have in mind in our dining room .. but it was a bit too wide.  Rats!!

Normally when I go to this show alone, I can get through the hundreds of booths pretty quickly.  I know what I like and what I shop for, and I tend to ignore anything that doesn't fit the pattern.

I loved this child's toy dresser.

I saw this Dutch Boy sign, and I began to wonder how large the 100-lb keg of white lead was.

Shopping with three other people slowed things down considerably ... but in a good way.

Another great example of a worn paint finish.

French mail bags, and pillows made from antique fabric.

Each of us spent time shopping through each other's eyes ... sifting through booths that we probably would have overlooked if we weren't there with someone else.

This restored trunk was fantastic ... you already know that I have a 'thing' for trunks.

I love everything in this photo!  The rope bed, the zinc planter, the turquoise bench, and the antique woven carpet ... yum!

For example, I used to shop for antique linens ... but I stopped doing that years ago, and I probably would have skipped those booths if I was by myself.  Janet makes wonderful aprons from antique textiles, and we dug through the items at all of the booths that had tablecloths, napkins, etc.

Someone took a beautiful early-to-mid 1800's rope bed and made a bench out of it.  There are plenty of wreck beds to use for this ... ruining this original one made me a little sick.

I could pretend that this is my sister and me smiling as we lean out the window of our rose-covered cottage ... it really could be us, because I'm a brown-eyed brunette and she's a blue-eyed blonde.

This trunk gave me an idea for something to do with a foot-locker that I have already.  Stay tuned.

One of the most amazing booths we saw was totally packed with hundreds of antique chocolate molds.  The owner talked to us about the history of chocolate molds, and showed us how to date them and care for them.  (I have one of a pig in a flower patch that sits on top of my stove.)

You KNOW I had to take a photo of the greyhound chocolate molds.  These are rare and in exceptional condition, and the prices reflected this.  $600+ for EACH of them.  Wow!!

Janet, Deborah, and I paint and resell furniture.  It's cool because all three of us have distinctly different styles.  I found myself studying and photographing painted items at the show so I could save them for later to study their finish.

Flaking black and grey paint on this cabinet.

Layers of cream and green on this Shenadoah Valley quilt shelf.

Turquoise paint peeling off of this grain-painted door.

I actually bought a few things this time.  The red rose tablecloth may end up in a project (not sure yet).  I already have plans for the tin crown molding and the feed sack.  The silver-plate spoons and forks ($1 apiece) are to pad my collection of silverware that I use for parties.  (I do not like to eat with plastic utensils!)  The metal greyhound thing?  It's another addition to my already-out-of-control collection of greyhound items.

We finished with the show at 2:00, and we were starving by that time, so we went next door to Three Amigos (a Mexican/Salvadorean restaurant) for lunch.  (I had chichen enchiladas that were SO good ... I practically licked the plate.)  We probably could have stayed there eating and chatting forever ... these are really, REALLY lovely women to spend time with.  (I like their blogs, so I was certain that I would like them in person, too.)

Thank you Janet, and Deborah, and Mary!!  Our day together was so much fun!  We will definitely plan to get together again ... soon. 

The Fredericksburg Big Flea is in February 4th & 5th... is anyone interested?

(The finalists in the Best of 2011 DIY contest were announced this morning, and my greenhouse wasn't one of them.  I'm bummed.)

DC Big Flea This Weekend ... Want To Come Along?

The DC Big Flea is at the Dulles Expo Center this weekend!  I'm meeting up with Deborah, from 'Confessions of a Craigslist Junkie', and we plan to be there right when the doors open on Saturday morning.  

Would you like to come along with us and hunt some junk?

(I mean 'junk' in the best, most complimentary way ... of course.)

To be honest, whenever I go to an antique show or flea market, I rarely buy anything anymore ... I always do a whole lot more looking and talking than anything else.  My house is fairly full, and I have to move something OUT the door in order to bring anything else IN.  With this rule in place, I have to make sure that I totally LOVE anything to consider buying it ... unless it's small and I can sneak it in (just kidding).

Deborah and I would love to have some other folks to share the morning with.  If you want to come with us, leave a comment here (with contact info, of course) or send me a message (my email is in my profile).  At that point, we can exchange phone numbers and make plans for an exact meeting time and location.

 

(I love the honest, worn finish on this chair!)

Consider this your invitation ... would you like to come with us?

Antique shopping is always so much more fun with friends.

(All of the photos in this post were taken at the show in July 2011.  I'm sure there will be just as much great stuff to see at this show.)