My
BirThDaY request was to attend an Arts/Crafts fair in Kansas this past weekend. Not to show my wares...just shop! Honestly, the main attraction was a little vintage show I had somehow stumbled across when I was checking out a fab local shed sale...and I just.had.to.GO!
I made it to the
Vintage Soiree, and hubby (did I mention that he drove and encouraged me to BUY, BUY, BUY!?) watched me coo over crib side rails and swoon over a chippy newell post! I was lamenting that I hadn't made it to the opening day of the sale, but still found some of the items on my WISH list, and then some :)
...and the prices were wonderful!
If you click
HERE you will go to some photos of that sale, provided by blogger Kimberlee who writes "The Driveway of Life."
We then headed, all of 2 blocks to the Arts and Crafts sale...a lovely event, full of LOTS of crafting and GREAT food.
We made our way through...
...a cheeseburger prepared by the Fire and Rescue guys.
...caramel apple slices served up for a school fundraiser.
...roasted nuts.
...AND a
cherry-lemonade that was shaken before our very eyes by one of the members of the local high school band (that was for you, Lucy, my clarinet-player!)...delish!
I'm making my selection from the mega-lemon!
showing off the oh-so-sweet concoction (we shared it, or I might have been too sugared to shop!)
I'll admit it...I was a bit disappointed to not find more vintage items, but trying to just enjoy the day with hubby...and then we took Kimberlee's suggestion and headed to Marion, Kansas...destination The Barn/The Mill...
SUCCESS! Not only did we locate our intended antique shop (it's really 3 VERY large buildings), but the little (?) town was FULL of them! I'm just guessing that it was a small town. Honestly? I was too busy pointing out places for Todd to park so I could shop!
The store-front shop we'd made the trip for was unlike anything we've seen in the antique world. Most antique shops of this size are a jumbled amassment of ecclectic items, separated into individual dealer booths. A lot of the search is just that...searching!
This very LARGE store, however, was section after section of neatly arranged..
.whatever you're looking for.
I think the woman in front of me in line bought nearly every jar of buttons (all found on one shelf, with all of the sewing/millinery items).
Then we made our way about 10 blocks (if you go across the railroad tracks, you've gone too far!) to the Barn/Mill.
Todd didn't take photos of the interiors of these 2 buildings, also NEATLY arranged architectural elements and hardware and larger pieces. But also the 4 HUGE rows of the rusty and cool outdoor items...a whole section of wagon wheels, galvanized metal and more.
Not as many, or as quality photos as I would have liked. We ended up having to use Todd's camera because we'd mistakenly inserted a 16MB card (do those even exist anymore!?).
So, WOW. Good trip-not so good photos.
I'll be rested in time for my fall shows, which begin THIS SATURDAY...
Millard West, September 24, 9-4 (I'm in Wildcat II Gym)
then...STUDIO OPEN HOUSE
Friday Sept 30 (10-3, 5-8), Sat Oct 1 (10-4)
(if you've never been to the studio, or have just forgotten where I am, e-mail me for the address!)
I'm sending out postcards this week, of all of my fall dates, including the dates of the 2-part Christmas Open House (shop/order and shop/pick-up). Further updates, reminder for the Christmas show will come via e-mail or can be found on my blog (no Christmas postcard).
I won't be having Thursday Open Studio Hours this Fall, and I am trying to coordinate most of my in-studio Private Trunk Shows with Open House dates...
so, I have hours available Wed Sept 28 and Thurs Sept 29, as well as Monday Oct 3 for you and groups of 5 or more friends. You must contact me to get these on the calendar :)
I think that's all...next week, I am planning to post photos daily of some of the SurPrisEs I've been working on all summer and keeping for the fall shows...very fun!