The Find, December 19-22

Yesterday, Joe and I delivered our inventory to THE FIND, Chicagoland's newest pop-up market. We are super excited to finally get the chance to participate, as the market actually started in October. And then last month, it was named the number one holiday market event by Chicago Magazine! The concept is unique to our area: dealers bring their items no later than two weeks before the event and everything is logged into a computerized inventory system. All items are tagged by dealer, but are displayed together in eye-candy-ish vignettes, put together by THE FIND's staff. Merchandise runs the gamut from primitive to refined, industrial to modern. Smalls, furniture, handmades, you name it. It really is a shopper's one-stop vintage paradise. Plus there's a cafe, so you can refuel before hauling your goodies out to the waiting car. Market hours are Thursday, December 19, 10 to 8; Friday, December 20, 10 to 6; Saturday, December 21, 10 to 5; and Sunday, December 22, 11 to 4. Located in Plainfield, check www.thefindmarketevent.com for additional details and directions. And LIKE them on Facebook -- the staff will even be teaching classes, starting this month! Happy hunting! xo

Last Show of the Year!

Can't believe it, but this weekend's Grayslake Antique Market will be our last show of the season! Join us for a brand new load of furniture, plus lots of great smalls, seasonal handmades and much more. Watch for our sneak peek on Facebook later this week and remember to print this page for HALF-OFF general admission. See you there! xo -- Sandy and Joe

Join us for the Washington Street Holiday Market in Naperville!

We are so excited!! Make sure your holiday weekend plans include this fabulous shopping event. See you there. Visit us on Facebook for a sneak peek at what's in store. Happy Thanksgiving -- xo -- Sandy and Joe

Join us THIS WEEKEND for the Iowa Junk Jubliee and Mishawaka Antiques Holiday Open House

Join us this weekend for two special events -- Junk Jubilee Jingles in Des Moines, Iowa, and Mishwaka Antiques annual Holiday Open House here in Indiana. Visit both links for photos and details! We are SO EXCITED. Can you say ROAD TRIP! Check us out later this week for updates on Facebook. xo

Tried and True, Plus Something New

Tried and True: Join us this weekend for the Grayslake (IL) Antique Market! We'll have everything you need to deck the halls, party with vintage style and be the bestest gift-giver ever. Plus we'll have a brand new load of furniture, smalls and graphics. Remember to visit us later this week on Facebook for a sneak peek at what we are bringing. Print this page for half-off general admission to boot!

SOMETHING NEW: Joe and I are super excited to be part of  Junk Jubilee Jingles, a holiday market that we are told is to-die-for! Three full days of holiday fare. Come join us next weekend in Iowa -- the weather is supposed to be glorious. Well, at least for November in the Midwest -- sunny and mid-50s. Be sure you check out their website -- eye-candy all around! xo

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like...

CHRISTMAS! And we'll be ready for it, starting with this weekend's Kane County (IL) Flea Market. We'll have lots of wonderful handmades, excellent gift ideas and everything you'll need to deck your halls -- from silver to an extra chair for the dining room table. Come see us in the Main Building, Saturday, November 2, 12 to 5, and Sunday, November 3, 7 to 4. And while you're at it, visit us later this week on Facebook for a peek at what's "in store" for the weekend! See you there. xo -- Sandy and Joe

Picture Perfect Day

We couldn't have had better weather for last weekend's Burlington (KY) Antique Show. A nip of frost in the air gave way to sunny sweater weather by mid-morning. The sunshine brought out a lot of shoppers and a lot of dealers. There was some top-notch product to be had for sure, and shoppers were bargaining hard. We had a decent show, selling mostly smalls, and had a great time catching up with friends, dealers and customers we only get to see when we are in that neck of the woods. Still working on next year's calendar, but will let know when we'll be back again! This week, we're off to restock at Midland in Indy, then on to see SoBo Style in Columbus, OH. xo

Burlington: Our Last Outdoor Show for the Season

TIME for BURLINGTON! We can't believe it -- the outdoor season is almost over. Come join us this Sunday for the Burlington (KY) Antique Show, one of our all-time favorite venues. Burlington is a hands-down awesome place to shop -- we are excited! And we'll have plenty to SELL as well! Lots of new furniture, industrial, containers, smalls, handmades and more. Show hours are 8 to 3, with Early Buy starting at 6 a.m. Can you say "road trip'?! See you there. xo -- Sandy and Joe. P.S. We are also restocking at both Midland and Mishawaka this week. Come see what's IN STORE as well. (:

GRAYSLAKE REPORT: Saturday was busy for us, starting with Early Buy. Lots of furniture found new homes, and we got to catch up with several customers we haven't seen for a bit. Sunday was quieter for Team Rhubarb, but I noticed that several of our neighbors were hoppin'! Felt like it was a good show. Many thanks to all who came out for it. Next month, look out! It's Holiday! xo

Grayslake: FALLing for Vintage

This weekend's Grayslake (IL) Antique Market features the popular show-within-a-show VINTAGE CLOTHING. And we have a little something special in store! Curious? See our sneak peek on Facebook later this week. We'll also have a van and trailer load packed with furniture, smalls and seasonal handmades. Come join us -- Saturday, October 12, 10 to 4, and Sunday, October 13, 8 to 3, Main Building, Lake County Fairgrounds. Be sure to print this page for HALF OFF general admission. See you there! xo

Technical Difficulties

For some reason, I am not able to update our calendar sidebar, so I have removed it for now. The link for this week's show is www.kanecountyfleamarket.com. Show dates are October 5-6, 12 to 5, 7 to 4. Our space is in the Main/Helen Robinson/Kitchen Building. The show is held at the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles, Illinois.

Kane County: Full On Fall!

We're full-on for fall, looking forward to this weekend's Kane County (IL) Flea Market. We've got some lovely new furniture -- ever notice how certain original finishes just shout "Autumn!"? -- lots of great pumpkin stands and seasonal containers, fall-themed graphics and much more. Come join us. Just click the link in our show sidebar to visit the promoter's site for additional show information. And check our Facebook page later this week for a peek at what we're bringing. See you this weekend! xo -- Sandy and Joe

Season Finale: Allegan; Midland Report

Allegan: As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. And so here we are, the last Allegan (MI) Antique Market of the season. We've had a WONDERFUL year. Make sure your weekend plans include joining us for an equally wonderful season finale. The September show is always special -- full of great deals, pumpkins and sweater weather. We'll have some fab new furniture, lots of great smalls, handmades and more. Click the link in our show sidebar to visit the promoter's site for additional information. And join us later this week on Facebook for a sneak peek at what we are bringing. See you there! Midland: Last weekend, we did a show that was new in our line up, the Michigan Antique and Collectible Festival, located in Midland. We had an awesome time and would like to thank promoters Lori, Susan and George for a job well done and for making us feel so welcome. To our fellow dealers, we had some good sales during early buy, a very strong Saturday and a respectable Sunday. We'd definitely recommend trying the show when the season reopens next May. For our shoppin' pals, we didn't get much time to walk around, but noticed that there were definitely some deals to be had. Road trip for sure!To sum up, between Allegan and Midland, we think Michigan is doing the vintage world proud! xo

 

 

Something New! Midland, Michigan

A schedule change left us with an open weekend in September. We'd been wanting to try a friend's show in Michigan for a couple of seasons now, and as luck would have it, the weekend's actually coincided! So it's off to Midland (MI) this weekend for the Michigan Antique and Collectible Festival. Join us Saturday, September 21, 8 am to 6 pm, and Sunday, September 22, 8 am to 4 pm. We'll be part of the Shabby and Industrial Market, inside a big-top tent. One of Michigan's oldest antique shows, Midland boasts 1000 dealers on 80 acres. The weather is supposed to be awesome, and the shoppin' has been FABULOUS! Now all we need for a great show is you -- come and see us. Click the link in our show sidebar to visit the promoter's site for additional details. See you there! xo

Visit SoBo Style during the Country Living Fair!

Visiting the Country Living Fair this weekend in Columbus, Ohio? Then make sure your trip includes a stop at SoBo Style, just a few miles away. Katie will have the shop chock-a-block full of goodies for fall -- wonderful furniture, seasonal graphics, lots of handmades, containers, pumpkins and more! And while at the fair, visit our friends, Dan and CJ Zondervan, of True North Antiques and Design. The weatherman says you're in for a treat -- clear skies and just a nip of frost in the air. Yeah, fall! Enjoy. xo

Get Ready for Grayslake!

Beautiful blue skies, cool days and just a few falling leaves have us super excited as we get ready for this weekend's Grayslake. We are stocked for FALL! What is it about the change of seasons that turns the energy up a notch? Join us this Saturday and Sunday and find out. Be sure to bring this page for HALF-OFF general admission and check out our Sneak Peek on Facebook later this week. More details are just a click away on our show sidebar. Added bonus: this month's show features an accent on vintage advertising, toys and comics. Can't wait! See you there. xo -- Sandy and Joe

"You're My Blue Sky...

...you're my sunny day..." to finish the Allman Brothers lyric ... and that's exactly what our Allegan customers were enjoying over the weekend! What a golden season we've had this year, with few exceptions. Only one more to go. Allegan always goes by way too fast.

During the August show, early buy was something of a pleasant surprise, being super busy, unusual for this late in the season.

The show itself  was well attended and sales were steady, although we thought the great weather would draw a humongous crowd. Industrial was the top seller, with original paint close behind. Many dealers, like our neighbor Bottle Dan, whose booth is pictured, had begun to think about fall. Even though the summer has been mild, we're looking forward to the harvest season -- sweater weather, pumpkins, crows, owls and more. Look for some at our next show, this weekend's  Kane County. Check us out on Facebook later this week for a peek at what we are bringing. And click the link in our show sidebar more more information. See you there. xo

This Weekend's Allegan (MI) Antique Market: Everything old is new again!

Allegan Antique Market: If you follow us on Facebook (and we hope you do! if not, click the link in our sidebar to join the party right now!), you've already met this charming fella -- Vintage Joe, Circa 1973. He made his debut on our page a couple of weeks ago to help us promote the selling of his record collection during Grayslake's Vintage Vinyl show. And it turned out that he was a great salesman. So much so, that we've decided to add records to our permanent inventory. Make sure you check out their debut this weekend at the Allegan (MI) Antique Market. We will also have TONS of other wonderful finds, including furniture, smalls, handmades, graphics and more. Will be posting photos on Facebook later for a sneak peek. Additional show details can be found by clicking the link in our show sidebar. Do plan to join us -- the weather is supposed to be AWESOME ! See you there. Rock on. xo

ROCK ON!

ROCK ON! Vintage Vinyl and All Things Musical Special Feature for August Grayslake: Don't miss this weekend's Grayslake Antique Market. In addition to all the usual great stuff, this month's show features the popular show-within-a-show, VINTAGE VINYL. In honor of the occasion, Joe has gone through his own stash of classic rock and has two cases full of records to share. I tried to talk him in to posting his equally rockin' 1973 graduation photo, but so far, he has demurred. But don't let that stop you from joining us. There will also be vintage musical instruments, phonographs, radios, concert memorabilia and more. Plus LIVE MUSIC. Last year, the music show was extremely well attended and was loads of fun -- just like a party all weekend long! Don't miss it. Details are just a click away in our show sidebar. Vinyl not your thing? Not too worry! We have a terrific load of furniture, smalls, handmades, artwork and more in the works. Check our Facebook page later this week to take a peek! xo 

DON'T FORGET: Print the red HALF-OFF coupon below and bring it for 50 percent off general admission!

 

Summer Intern; Kane Preview

AWESOMELY ABBY: This year, we were excited to welcome our second summer intern, Ms. Abby Giurfa. Hardly a stranger to the show circuit, Abby is the daughter of one of our favorite Chicagoland dealers, Patty Suttle, aka Paper Patty. But we were blown away all week by the range and depth of Abby's skills -- not only was she great with our Allegan customers and fellow dealers, but she was no slouch around tools and a paint brush back at the studio. Plus she was a real trouper when the Allegan weather turned out to be a full 40 degrees colder than the temps just the week before! It barely topped 60, plus was windy and wet. And when hunting for new merchandise turned into a 10-hour work day, Abby hung in with a show-stopping smile. She actually said she'd like to come back next year. Could we get that lucky?! Thanks, Abby, for all your hard work. And the vegan eating tips. xo   

 UP NEXT: KANE COUNTY -- Come take a look at the the goodies we found while Abby was here! We will be in our usual spot in the main building this weekend. Click the link in our show sidebar for more details and visit us on Facebook later this week for a sneak peek at what we are bringing. Tell 'em Abby sent you! 

 



Day off! Blueberry picking, with Jack Garrison.

A visit to the Amish wholesale market, E and S.

On the hunt for new treasures.

Come see us at Allegan this weekend! BookEnd

ALLEGAN (MI) ANTIQUE MARKET: Hard to believe the season is already half-over! We have had an awesome year so far -- lovely weather and great crowds. This weekend also looks like it is shaping up to be a good one. We found some terrific stuff on our way home from Ohio last weekend, plus we will be shopping all week long. Will have tons of new treasures to share. Check us out on Facebook later this week to take a peek at what we'll be bringing. And the weatherman looks like he is going to help us out as well -- partly sunny, high of 78. Perfect weather for antiquing. If you've never been before, Allegan is one of those rare shows that has just about everything going for it -- lovely, old-fashioned grounds with dealers both inside and out. The show is just the right size -- big enough to hold a variety of merchandise, dealers and price-ranges, but not so big that you can't see it all. Plus, bonus -- it's about half-an-hour from the beach, farm markets and fruit stands. Perfect day out for a Midwest weekend! What are you waiting for? Plan to join us. Details are just a click away under our show sidebar.

BOOKEND: "The Paper Garden," Molly Peacock. I was stopped right in my tracks by this one. To quote from the jacket, "In 1772, upon the death of her second husband, Mary Delany arouse from her grief, picked up a pair of scissors, and, at the age of 72, created a new art form: mixed-media collage. Over the next decade, Mrs. Delany produced an astonishing 985 botanically correct, breath-taking cut-paper flowers, now housed in the British Museum..."! And it goes on from there. Curse you, beautiful summer weather! I need a snow day so that I can get caught up with all my wonderful new book-friends. (OK, maybe just kidding about the snow day. Want to keep the nice weather. But come on!! I need to get caught up here.Maybe a rainy Monday will do it.) xo

Taking a Cyber Break! See you next week with news on Allegan. xo

Print this coupon!

It's time! Ready, set, PRINT. Be sure to bring this page with you to this weekend's Grayslake (IL)Antique Market. It's good for HALF-OFF general admission! And you can put those extra dollars to great use -- buying more paper. This show will feature the popular show-within-a-show, Vintage Postcards, Paper and Ephemera. What could be better? Trade your new paper for some rad old paper! I'm already excited. Plus there will be all the other wonderful stuff -- furniture, artsy smalls, graphics, handmades and more. Click the link in our show sidebar if you need additional information on the particulars (hours and the like). And visit us later this week on Facebook for a look at the specifics (beauty shots of some of our favorite new finds). Can't wait! Is it Saturday yet? See you there. xo

BOOKEND: What Could Be More Exciting?!

WHAT COULD BE MORE EXCITING?! Than two lovely new design books! And don't they have a terrific yin-yang quality about them, one light cover, one dark. On the left, "Brilliant Reuse," from the editors of Jeanne D'Arc Living. On the right, "Heirloom Modern," by Hollister and Porter Hovey (whose names are just too exciting for real life!) Now, just need a rainy Monday with no agenda so that I can curl up and enjoy. What's new on your bookshelf?

ALLEGAN REPORT: Once again, picture perfect weather for an outdoor antiquing adventure -- many thanks to whomever is responsible! And more thanks to all the treasure-hunters who came out to enjoy it. Sales were strong in all categories, except maybe framed graphics. But that's OK -- we need those at the mall. We also did some good buying from a couple of our favorite vendors. Thursday will be just a regular work day for us -- on to Kane County this weekend. But enjoy the 4th and then get your shoppin' shoes on. Check us out on Facebook later this week for a look at what we are bringing. See you there. xo

ALLEGAN!

DON'T FORGET -- ALLEGAN ANTIQUE MARKET THIS SUNDAY -- Phone a friend and get ready! The vintage gods have smiled on us -- we have a BOUNTY, a veritable BEVY, of wonderfully awesome vintage goodies to share with you at the Allegan (MI) Antique Market this Sunday, June 30. Click the link in our calendar sidebar, but by all means, plan to be there! Check us out on Facebook later this week for a peek at what we are bringing. And BONUS! The weather report is freakin' awesome -- 69 degrees and sunny. Once again, perfect flea weather. You guys must have really good karma. Keep it up!

SOMETHING NEW TO LOVE: For all our Anthro fans, have you ever checked out ODD MOLLY? Just found it and love it. Bet you will too!

LAST THING: Speaking of good karma, you've heard us mention on-line marketing guru Abby Kerr. Loved her recent Facebook post: "Gentle reminder to B2B content creators: no one else's method or perspective has to be wrong in order for yours to be valid and effective. There's room for so many approaches, and there are many ways of looking at a problem." She told us this when we were working with her a couple years back, and I found it really comforting then and was happy to be reminded. HAVE A GREAT WEEK and come see us at Allegan. xo

 

Vintage Picnic

 Need a great excuse to put your fabulous vintage finds to good use? Host a party. When I told my BFF's Lynda and Tina that the theme for my son's graduation party was going to be "Vintage Picnic," they were on board to help immediately. Lynda arrived early Friday with her car packed full of vintage party props -- picnic tins to hold treats and add height, washtub and stand for drinks, large frame to make a photo booth, metal strawberry totes for the cookies, mason jars for pasta salad, pop bottles for sunflowers -- you name it! Once Tina and her daughter, Teddi, arrived, we went to work. We hunted up some additional 1940s table cloths and old tole trays from my stash to round things out.

Party on board!



Vintage metal trays hold cookies.

Popcorn bar stocked with vintage props.

Old Tonka truck holds salt and pepper shakers and vintage store display offers chips.

The vintage pieces made everything feel special -- even my son's friends' commented! And that's high praise, if you can get some teenage boys to notice. The nice thing was that we didn't have to buy a ton of new decorations that would just end up being tossed. So for your next gathering, THINK VINTAGE. Draft your collections into service. Added bonus -- it gives you a great reason to look for more! Shop On -- xo

Go with the ... ; Grayslake Report

GO WITH THE ... : When my BFF Kathleen said she had a magazine she thought I'd like, I knew I was in for a treat. And FLOW does not disappoint. Full of great articles (her favorite is about the "good old days" when English heiresses ran off to Mexico with their Surrealist boyfriends), great artwork and fun projects, FLOW is a feast for all your artsy sensibilities. The only teensy bummer is the price tag -- at $22, it can only be a sometimes indulgence. Maybe we should get a co-op together to buy and share!  GRAYSLAKE REPORT: Well, it was another nailbiter. We had a flurry of activity for early buy, then it was kind of slow on Saturday. When we tallied things up at the end of the day, the dollars weren't too far off, just not a huge number of transactions. And virtually no furniture. Sunday, however, was a pleasant change. Steadily busy during the day, with a another flurry right at the end. Whew! So we ended up actually exceeding our goal for the weekend by a pip. Still not seeing many of our retail customers and smalls definitely carried the day. Many thanks to all who came out for the show! This week, we are on break -- it's my son's graduation party -- so no show. We will be restocking at Midland and Mishawaka. Heard the later had a great turnout for their second anniversary sale, so will be excited to hear more about that. Have a great week! xo

 

 

Remember Your Coupon for this Weekend's Grayslake! Kane County Report

GRAYSLAKE JUNE 8-9: Wow! I can't believe how this year is just FLYING by. So before the weekend sneaks up on you, go ahead and print your HALF-OFF general admission coupon for this weekend's show. We will have a whole new load of furniture, smalls, handmades, graphics and more. Visit us later in the week on Facebook (see the link on your sidebar) for a peek at what we are bringing and make sure your weekend plans include us! Need more show info? Just click the link in our Calendar sidebar to visit the promoter's website. See you at Grayslake! Can't wait.

 

KANE COUNTY: We just returned from the show in St. Charles and were pleased with how the weekend turned out, given the iffy weather forecast. We didn't sell much big furniture, but went through tons of smalls. Traffic was steady both days. Many thanks to all who turned out! Take a look at our Facebook page for some photos from the show.  xo

Sure Sign of Summer; Allegan; Kane

SURE SIGN OF SUMMER: One sure sign of summer around our office is the arrival of a new straw tote -- nothing better for hauling stuff around once the weather gets warm. Along with the classic macrame fishnet bag, these babies were the original reusable bag! The one in front is our newest arrival -- bought it at Midland when we were in Indy a couple of weeks ago. Noticed on the Terrain website today, that they are selling theirs for close to $200! I have been stock piling them for our awesome client, Used, in Evanston, Ill. Don't want to spend $200 to get yours? -- head up there to see Kellie instead. Tell 'em rhubarb reign sent you!

ALLEGAN REPORT: Many thanks to all who came out to see us at the Allegan (MI) Antique Market on Sunday -- the weather couldn't have been more perfect for an outdoor show. Sales were good across the board, although smalls out-sold big furniture hands down. We also did some great buying. Be sure a visit to Allegan is on your summer calendar. Click the link in our calendar sidebar to visit the promoter's site for more information.

KANE UP NEXT! Check us out on Facebook later this week for more details on next weekend's Kane County Flea Market in St. Charles, Ill. See you there! xo

Getting in the Swim of Things: Allegan (MI) Antique Market

Joe and I are always super excited when the Allegan (MI) Antique Market falls on Memorial Day weekend -- an awesome show and a party, all in one! And the weather report is fantastic. Make plans now to join us Sunday, May 26, from 8 am to 4 pm. Need more info? Just click the link in our calendar sidebar to visit the promoter's site. Check us out on Facebook later this week for a peek at what we are bringing. Can't wait! xo

Berrien Springs (MI) Antique Market This Sunday

Just a reminder that Berrien Springs (MI) Antique Show is this Sunday, from 8 to 3:30. Zurko's Half-Off General Admission coupons are good for this show, too! Check it out -- it's an easy drive from Chicago, South Bend, Grand Rapids. For additional show information, click the Grayslake link in our calendar sidebar to visit Zurko's site. Unfortunately, we can't be there this time due to another commitment, but if we were in town, that's where we'd be! Happy hunting. xo

Grayslake GARDEN Extravaganza!

Join us this weekend for the Grayslake Antique Market, featuring a GARDEN Extravaganza! Garden-themed items for inside and out will be featured throughout the show. Plus we will have a great new selection of furniture, smalls and graphics. Remember to print this page, including the red coupon, for HALF-OFF general admission. Need more show details? Just click the link in our calendar sidebar to visit the promoter's site. And remember to check us out on Facebook later this week for a peek at what we are bringing. Can't wait! See you there. xo

TIME for Allegan; BookEnd

TIME FOR ALLEGAN: Sunday marked not only the start of our outdoor season, but also the season opener for the Allegan (MI) Antique Market. We had a terrific time. All the right ingredients were there: the weatherman cooperated, at least for the most part; customers turned out in droves for both early buy on Saturday and for the show Sunday; we got to reconnect with customers and friends we hadn't seen since the end of last season. What could make a show better? Sales were good in all categories. Plus we got to hang out with our Chicagoland BFF Lynda Boyd, her son, James and his new wife, Sara, and had dinner with Grand Rapids pals Dan and CJ Zondervan to boot. By the way, if you are in the area, the Mexican food at the Beltline Bar is not to be missed! Thanks to everyone who turned out to support the show. Next up, Kane County. More on that on Facebook later this week! Come join us. xo

 

BOOKEND: Remember me telling you about our favorite on-line marketing savant, Abby Kerr? Well, when you have a sec, be sure to check out her Best of the Web column (you may have to sign up to receive her email newsletter to access it, which is well worth it.) This week's three articles were all terrific, and be sure to check out these two older posts by Meg Worden and Justine Musk when you have a chance. Excellent reads, both of them. xo

Allegan (MI) Antique Market Season Opener This Sunday; Weekend Report

ALLEGAN: Woe is me! I just spent 30 minutes looking  through my photo files for a picture of the giant chicken at the Allegan Antique Market front gate. To no avail! But that doesn't change the great news that this weekend will herald the market's season opener, and the start of our outdoor season! We can't wait. If you need show details, just click the link in our calendar sidebar. See you there! Check out our Facebook page later this week for a peek at what we are bringing. xo

WEEKEND REPORT: Sunday we were road warriors. First stop, SoBo Style in Columbus, Ohio. The store looks great -- all decked out for spring! Katie's mom, Mary Kay, even made a wonderful breakfast for everyone while we unloaded. Katie's gearing up for several big events in May. Check out her blog and Facebook pages for details. Then we were on to Indy's Midland Arts and Antiques to restock. Check out our Facebook page for a peek at some of the great new finds we added.

Reason Number 547 I Heart the Fleas; Grayslake Report; BookEnd

REASON:  I think everyone gets frustrated with their* work from time to time. I know I do! I envy dealers who can unequivocally throw their heads back, fling their arms out, and say "I LOVE my job!" All the time. Hmmm. Maybe I am just too fickle. I have to settle for my beloved love-hate relationship with my work. But fortunately, there's ALWAYS more in the Love column. Those other guys are just on Prozac. Speaking of the Love column, here's one definite plus. Where on earth can you find treasure so consistently for so little? Case in point, my little bluebird of happiness pin. Vintage enamel, 1 1/2 inches tall, perfect shape, $1. Does it get any better than that!? What about you? Flea anything fab lately? Leave a note and share! * I know it is supposed to be "his/her," but that always seems awkward!

GRAYSLAKE REPORT: Great crowd on Saturday and quite busy Sunday, too, when all was said and done. The special feature was vintage clothing, which always draws tons of happy shoppers (and lots of great people-watching.) We've noticed a bit of a shift the last several months. We are seeing LOTS of new shoppers, which is great, but fewer sales to our long-time dealer customers. This pattern has cropped up before, but it is always unsettling. Where did they go? Our guess is that is often the time of year -- coming off first quarter to a cold spring doesn't necessarily translate to dollars for a lot of our dealer customers. Boo. But we ended up with a good show just the same; just have to wait for it, instead of getting a strong push during early buy. Next up is ALLEGAN! More on that next week. We are off to Ohio and Indy this weekend.

BOOKEND: "The Solace of Leaving Early" by Haven Kimmel

First, I have to apologize to my pal, Shannon. She loaned me this book more than a year ago, and there it sat, neglected. Even more embarrassing was the reason -- I just couldn't get excited about it. Even though I love the author, I didn't like the cover. Or the title. Is that shallow or what!? But like they say, never judge a book...I picked it up the other day because I was between titles. And I was IMMEDIATELY hooked. It is amazing. If you have ever lived in a small town (or a small community anywhere -- office, college dorm, city block), you will recognize it here. Or if you've wondered about paths not taken or choices made, you will love it. The fact that it takes place in Indiana, partly at IU Bloomington, is just a plus. OK, only maybe for me. But if you've flirted with academia you will also love it. Go get it right now! And, sorry, Shannon. Now Joe wants to read it! xo

Picasso, Kane and Grayslake

Picasso and Chicago: Last week was spring break and since there was no show on the calendar, my family headed for a little r&r in the big city, Chicago. I wanted to see the Kara Walker exhibit I had read about in the Wall Street Journal, and the Picasso exhibit was a bonus. For some reason, we tend to forget that when this notion strikes us, it also strikes every third person in the Midwest -- we all descend on Chicago at once! Man, was it crowded. I also tend to forget that after about 15 minutes in the museum, I want to leave. Each of the amazing things on exhibit demands undivided attention -- how can you concentrate on so many? Plus I am hot and getting bumped and jostled. But I've paid $23 per adult and $17 per student, so I'm gonna look at it all. At least 'til I can't stand it anymore. Or they turn the lights out, whatever comes first. We actually stayed 'til closing. The Kara Walker exhibit was very interesting, but I wished for more narrative. Would have been great to live close enough to attend a lecture.Walker is a mixed media artist; this installation included cut-paper silhouettes, watercolors and large-scale graphite drawings. The precision of the silhouettes is awe-inspiring, set off by the chalkboard-colored gallery walls. The Picasso stuff was over the top. While I understand his importance, I have to confess that Picasso is not my favorite. I think his paintings are often ugly, but I forget how sublimely beautiful his drawings are. Plus there was a lot of background about him personally, which I knew little of. Two cool Picasso Facts -- he never came to the States in his entire life and the Art Institute was the first American museum to exhibit his work. There were a number of companion exhibits going on as well, including a re-gathering of many of the pieces exhibited 100 years ago for the Armory Show, a pivotal exhibit which established New York as the center of the art world, replacing Paris. The whole experience really made me think, though, which is one of art's greatest functions. It resonated especially because of a piece I'd been reading, "How to Be a Creative Bad-ass," but more on that next time! Bonus Idea -- someone needs to do a whole blog about what people wear to go look at art -- that's almost as interesting as the art itself!

 

KANE COUNTY:We weren't quite sure what the weather was going to do, as we had some sprinkles during set up and the milder temperatures seem to be eluding us.The only constant was the wind. But by the time the show opened, the sun was peeking out and it had warmed up quite a bit. It was quiet for us for about the first hour, but then it was super busy for the rest of Saturday. Not much furniture sold until Sunday, but smalls sold well both days.  Many thanks to all who came out to see us at the show -- including a special thanks to everyone who came by to wish me happy birthday. Thanks for making me feel so special.

 

GRAYSLAKE: Remember that Grayslake is coming up next. Print the red coupon to receive HALF-OFF general admission. Check us out on Facebook later this week for a peek at what we are bringing! See you there. xo

 

Join Us for Kane County This Weekend!

Join us this weekend for the Kane County (IL) Flea Market! We're gonna be thinking garden -- and it looks like the weatherman just might cooperate. Need show details? Just click the link in our calendar sidebar to visit the promoter's website. And check us out on Facebook later this week -- we'll post photos giving a peek at what we are bringing! See you there! xo

HAPPY EASTER

If you've visited in the last few weeks, you may have heard that we just got a new computer. Which is great. Except that it means I have to learn new software. Thought I had it down, but can't figure out the edit function to crop my photo! So let's just pretend for today that this is a better picture. Thanks for playing along there. And as long as we're playing true confessions, another thing I many have mentioned before is that I love it when the post office gets new stamps. Yes, I am that dorky. I mean, stamps are like fun stickers that you have to buy anyway -- so why not make paying bills more fun?! But I was a little sad when I bought the stamps for my Easter cards. There just wasn't a springy choice that jumped out at me. It wasn't 'til I got home, however, that I realized these Emancipation Proclamation ones were actually perfect. I mean, what is Easter, if not the ultimate freedom act?! Serendipity, to be sure. Have a wonderful holiday and THINK SPRING!

 

P.S. For our Chicago customers, don't forget that Zurkos are hosting a one-day show Saturday at the Expo Center. We can't be there due to a schedule conflict, but the red HALF-OFF coupons we always post for their shows are still good. Just look up our last Grayslake post to print yours! xo

Two Weeks "Off"

Joe and I actually have the next two weeks "off," meaning no shows, but lots of other things on the calendar -- spring cleaning the storage areas, restocking at Midland and Mishawaka, finishing the taxes with our accountant, taking a load to our pal Katie, at SoBo Style in Columbus, selling in the auction and getting used to our new office computer! Will keep you posted. xo