Spring Market at the Skagit Valley Fairgrounds

The Spring Market at the Skagit Valley Fairgrounds was exactly what I was hoping it would be: a kooky mix of vintage finds, garden art and upcycled items to buy and blend into your own décor. I had collected a handful of promotional fliers for upcoming antique shows at the Vintage Garden Market section within the Northwest Flower & Garden Show. Show exhibitors were promoting their upcoming events and I noticed that all of "the good ones" were going to be selling their wares at this Spring Market.

I invited a new friend of mine named Amy to come along on a day of gallivanting around the Skagit Valley. I told her that I'd pick her up at 10, we'd drive 1 1/2 hours up to the fairgrounds and spend as long as we wanted shopping the fair. It was a beautiful day and we had high hopes. This market was fun because almost every booth had flower arrangements for sale or moss covered baskets or little live plants in interesting pots. It made the rusty-dusty items seem bright and happy.

Our adventure paid off almost immediately! I collect Chelsea china and I am always on the hunt for dinner plates and unusual serving pieces - score! I bought these 3 open pedestal cups and one large dinner plate from the first booth I looked in! I tried to explain to Amy what a unique find this was and she was tickled that I found something right off the bat.

I noticed that many booths had botanical prints and some of the drawings had been glittered. They weren't necessarily old, but they were beautiful and interesting. I haven't glittered anything in a while and it made me want to get back into it.

Amy and I were both drawn to a booth full of vintage watch parts called Steam Punk Junq. I knew immediately that I'd like to buy a few sets of watch faces and make a necklace by combining them with vintage buttons. You can see how my first necklace (above) is taking shape.

We went to this show on April 1st and Easter was right around the corner. Many of the booths had vintage Easter cards and decorations. Amy found a set of Easter cookie cutters in their original box in this booth. So sweet!

We had a wonderful time and even managed to drive around and see the fields of yellow daffodils in bloom. It was a great day. Meet you there next year?

*NOTE: 2018 This event name and date seems to have changed. I'll confirm and post new info here.

#springmarket #girlfriend #shoppingday #skagitvalley

Vintage Cheese Labels

You know what I love about modern life right now?  Scanning.  And then Printing.  And then Crafting. 

I love that I can take vintage items, scan them and then print them a million different ways without hurting the original.  This process preserves the value and charm of the antique, but allows me to use the image over and over again.

At Christmastime, I was trying to think of a unique way to package some of my handmade necklaces as gifts.  I decided that if I decorated a small round black tin, it could serve as both the "gift wrap" and "jewelry box" for the necklace later. 

I scanned this antique French cheese label that I bought in Paris at the flea market and then printed the image onto clear sticker project sheets.  All I had to do was cut out the round cheese label "sticker" and adhere it to the top of the tin.  (I did add a touch of copper glitter to the dirt road to add some depth, but it was a piece of cake.)

I decorated three tins this way and they turned out beautifully - the tin was a gift in itself!  And I still have the original cheese label and the cheese label image stored on my computer.  It is a win-win scenario, over and over again.

Have you ever scanned something precious and then felt free to experiment with the printed copies?

The Year of the Crepe

In May, I ordered a crepe right from a street vendor at the Vanves Flea Market in Paris and watched her make a large butter & sugar crepe before my eyes.

In July, I found my Mom's electric crepe maker in a box in the basement (circa 1978 and never been used!) and spent an entire weekend trying to master it well enough to make dessert for four.

In August, I took a free cooking class at Williams-Sonoma titled "Crepes & Croques." And later that month, I gave in and ordered the spectacular jambon & fromage crepe (above) from a little French bistro in town. Yum!

I am not saying that I have thrown in the towel. But I definitely have miles to go before I sleep, as far as crepes are concerned. This, my friends, is the year of the crepe. Any tips would be appreciated.

Paris: Flea Market

The world knows that Paris is the place to seek out antiques & treasures.

Everyone I talked to said, "Oh yes, you must shop Vanves on Saturday morning."

What fun I had! I looked at paintings, glassware, old books, buttons and dishes. My mind was whirling.

What did I have to have?
Vintage butter & cheese papers. Stay tuned to see what I create...

(Puces de Vanves is open Saturday and Sunday 9 am -1 pm - the early bird gets the worm! Metro stop: Porte de Vanves)