The Great Big Flea Market Washout

When I heard the rattle of the old lady's car up the back of our house I knew that the flea markets had been called off.

BOO HOO

My old neighbour has quite the flea market fetish and each weekend scours every flea market in sight and also sells her own wares there as well.

So at the ungodly hour of 6 o'clock on A very wet Sunday morning, hearing her car pull back into her driveway meant that my flea marketing excitement had just washed away..........

BUT JUST IN CASE THERE WERE STILL SOME DIE HARD SELLERS STILL WANTING TO BRAVE THE ELEMENTS I crossed my fingers, took my little prodegy (my son) and we set off 'JUST IN CASE'

As we drove up to the big grassy field where the fleamarkets are held we both frowned :-(

No markets......not even a car in sight !

IT HAS BEEN 2 MONTHS SINCE MY LAST MARKET

I confess that I am now officially having withdrawals,

This particular market is only held once a month so alas I will have to now wait another whole month for my fix.

But considering that the better part of the top East coast of our wonderful country is flooding due to tornado's and storms, I really have nothing to complain about.  My thoughts are with my bloggy friends who are suffering through these hard times. My prayers are with you all.

My son and I decided that we were already wet so we may as well go out and explore.

It cost me a bag of minties to keep him occupied for the morning trawling through antique stores but it was well worth it.

After a 'nourishing breakfast' consisting of this (below) 

and this !

we came across a brand new antique store that had just recently opened. HOORAY !

It was very much a 'boy antique store', full of boy things.

However an unopened bag of white lace and doilies caught my eye on the front counter and the owner of the store allowed me to go through it and explore it's contents.

None of it had been priced so it allowed me the opportunity of price negotiation.

I bought a few items from him but found his estimate a little hefty to what I thought that they were actually worth.  I have shopped around to know a fair price for items that interest me. 

I have to say, I am extremely fair when buying from dealers. I have always been honest with money offered for items and very seldomnly do I ever haggle with a price as my contacts always price fairly......most of the time anyway.

The only time when I will ever dispute a price is when I know that it has been greatly overpriced.  I have also at times given the dealer more money then what they wanted if I know that it is worth more. Honesty is what it's all about.

I am always HONEST.

It takes years of knowing dealers for them to develop a trust in you. It take a lot of time 'popping your face in the door' of their stores for them to get to know the kind of person that you are. There are some scrupulous dealers who I just don't even waste my time on who put ridiculous prices on their items.  I will never shop at their stores because it is just unrealistic.  If I do go back to see if their prices have been reconsidered, 9 times out of 10 their expensive stock is still sitting there on the shelves getting dusty.

Time after time, I go back religiously to the same antique dealers who look after me, buy certain items purely with me in mind and give me service with a smile.  The best buys are often the dealers who offer me goods before they even make it into their stores.

These people are worth their weight in gold.

I am always so thankful to them for thinking of me and I have made some lovely friends in the process.

We share the same passion for beautiful, quality pieces from long time ago.  We have amazing conversations about where they find their items and I am always so interested and captivated by their stories.

Often these dealers just adore what they are selling and want their things to go to a good home.

So in this new little store I DID find a few treasures

I found this very sweet milk jug cover which is actually very generous in size and could even be used to pop over a jelly or desert that needs cooling before the refrigerator.

It is quite unusual.....well I haven't ever seen one before anyway.

The top section of the cover is made from a celluloid plastic and has been crocheted around with pretty pink thread.

A tiny bead acts as a handle to lift up the cover.

It is adorable. A few beads are missing but I love it anyway.

and I also found a couple of really pretty doilies and table runners.  

At out next stop it was buttons that we found 

(see tomorrow's story for those)

She's pretty isn't she ?

and a little bit of PEACHY PINK to warm your heart !

and my last find of the day were these hair pins.

All gorgeous and vintage and in their original packaging.

My son and I had a great time together. I am trying ever so hard to introduce him to the love of all things antique and vintage.  He has a good eye for finding things so he certainly shows great potential.
At very least we have so much fun together and laugh a lot !

See you all again tomorrow with all of those pretty buttons that I found.  Enjoy your evening/day !