I met a new friend today!

After our big fall kick-off for student ministries at work/church today, Kevin and I went to the Greenmead Flea Market. I think it is more like a vintage/antiques/collectibles market and not so much flea. I just LOVE this flea market! It is pretty close to home and there is a lot of good quality stuff at mostly reasonable prices. Some of the vendors are crazy high in their prices-but aren't there vendors like that everywhere?

We got a late start, I didn't even leave the church until 12:20-so I hurried through the first section because I had a date to meet a blog buddy in person for the first time between 1 and 1:30 at the hot dog stand. I really enjoyed meeting Jeri and her beautiful daughter Abby today! I'm trying to talk her into doing a blog of her own! It sounds like she has a lot of fun collections-and projects! She and her daughter make beautiful button bracelets!! In fact, she brought me a couple of vintage buttons as a gift! How sweet is that?!?!

We spent a little while treasure hunting together-I wish it could have been longer-but Kevin was ready to go! He always zooms through and if he doesn't find anything-he is antsy to go! Plus it was soo stinking H O T!! I felt like I was a melty, drippy, sweaty mess!

I didn't get much today, but I am thrilled with what I did get! I am keeping 1 thing, maybe 2...can you guess what?

Ok, so maybe I'll keep three things...I saw a really fun utensil hanger in Flea Market Style magazine that used an old beater as the thing that all of the other vintage utensils hung from-I think I'm going to try to make one. The Harlequin novelty pitcher was a steal and the best thing I found all day! The purple vase is fun and different from any of the other things I have in purple, so that is the third and the "maybe".

The rest of it will find a spot in the booth. I have to start getting rid of some of what I've got stashed in the basement anyway! What used to be a nice finished family room in a walkout basement, has turned into staging and storing central and needs to be whittled down!

How about you? Did you get to any sales or festivals today?

This is what my sister-in-law picked up for me the other day! Don't you just LOVE the little red chair?!?

Guess where I'm going tomorrow???

Greenmead's Fall Flea Market!!! I'll be getting a late start since it is also "Launch" Sunday for the new year in Student Ministries at church (which is also my work). I assist 3 youth directors, and we are planning on having about 400 people at our launch! It's a really great time to gather parents and students together to worship together and pray for the new year. They also get to sign up for fall retreats at a discounted price, get a free t-shirt, and they can get their permission slips notarized for the entire year's worth of trips and activities all at one time!

So, by the time that is all done, I'll be leaving for Greenmead around 11:45 or 12. Kevin and/or Eric, may or may not go this time-remember last fall when Kevin bought all that enamelware? He still has it all. It's on an upper shelf is his woodworking shop in the barn all on display. I may even end up on my own...if something better comes up for them to do.

I also have another reason to be excited! I am meeting a blogging buddy (Jeri) and her daughter! We're meeting at the hot dog stand-how fun will that be to meet up at such a fun flea market!?!? Can't wait!!! Are you going to Greenmead tomorrow? You can join us-we're meeting between 1 and 1:30. I'll have my red granny cart and I'll be wearing a distressed red t-shirt that says CSM.

Had a nice day with family today. Saying farewell to our nephew who is leaving in 3 days for boot camp for the Coast Guard. Too tired to drag the camera out to show you what my sister-in-law picked for me-that will have to wait til tomorrow! She threw in a few extras that she picked up at another sale too! She actually had fun picking-even though antiques are not really her thing.

We stopped at Sonic on the way home tonight and Eric got a pumpkin pie shake....YUMMMM! Even though we still haven't gotten over them discontinuing the banana cream pie shake...this is pretty awesome! I tried a little sip...mmmmm!

I'm off to catch up on what you've been doing and finding! Hope you are all having a great weekend so far!!!

Greenmead!!!!

Oh Yeahhhhh!!! Even though it was hot and steamy again today I am thrilled that we went to the Greenmead Summer Flea Market. Greenmead is an historic farm site in Livonia, Michigan that was purchased by the city in 1976. It is 95 acres and was the homestead in the 1820's of Joshua Simmons. They have brought in other historic buildings and placed them around the property. It still has the original barn-the very first barn built in Livonia township. It was built in 1829 and nine of the original eleven outbuildings are still intact!

It is a lovely piece of property! Next time I go, I plan to take more time to look at the buildings and take some pictures to share. The next flea market is in September and with it being so close to home, and the admission only $2 I will for sure go back! The entry fee goes to the maintenance and preservation of the buildings and property. They also have one building filled with donated items that the proceeds go to the farm property as well.

I spent a lot more today than yesterday, and I told Auntie on our way home that I was going to sell it all...then I started unwrapping...and remembered what I bought! I am keeping some of it...see if you can figure out what I will be keeping and what I'll take to the booth. If you've been following my blog for a while, I'm sure it won't come as a surprise when I tell you at the end of this post what stays and what goes!

 A burlap ice bucket! It was $3 and she wouldn't go any less. I found out why when I pulled the top price sticker off and saw that the bottom price sticker said $13! This will be fantastic with the 4 burlap tumblers I got from my grandma.

 A very old, very worn Doctor's bag from around 1900-1910. The latches still work, but some of the stitching has come out on one side. Guess how much? It was marked $3 and I got it for $2!

 3 Milk glass mixing bowls in wonderful shape-complete with the previous owner's wadded up trash inside of them and under them! They were $1 each.

 What do you think of this vinyl quilted toy box? It is in wonderful shape-not one single tear or rip in the vinyl-just a little dirty and I'm hoping softscrub will take care of that.

 Finally one in a down to earth price range! A Fire King Tulip splash proof bowl-it's the big one. the paint is faded and scratched and the inside is stained (I'm hoping some comet with bleach on the inside will take care of the stain), but it was only $7-that is a crazy low price!

 An orange fired on bowl with the original lid $12. There is a funny story that goes with this bowl...I saw this bowl last September when we went to Greenmead for the first time, but I thought $15 was too high and I walked away without even making an offer. I was kicking myself all the way home for not making an offer. Well, guess what?!? The bowl was still there when we went back today, in the same spot-wayyyy at the back under some lovely shade trees (same exact spot it was in last fall!) and it was still $15. I got it for $12.

 A turquoise mini fridgie with a lid $6 and a Pyrex 401 pink stripe bowl.

 A metal tissue box cover $2.

 A Pyrex "Bake-a-Round". It is exactly what you see in the picture on the box. A clear glass tube, open at both ends with a wire rack for baking loaves of bread. I'm curious how you get the bread out without breaking the glass! I've seen these for a few years for around $20, but was never interested in paying that much. My cheap side won out and I got it today for $2!

Can you picture these two painted chippy white, or pink or green with either an enamel pot or galvanized bucket filled with a spike, some vinca vine and some wave petunias? They were $2.50 each! I could even picture them with new barkcloth seats! Hmmm...what to do, what to do!

If I was to rate this sale on our Frogs & Princes rating scale...I'd have to say that this adventure was definitely a very handsome prince of a sale!


P.S. I am keeping the striped Pyrex bowl and the awesome turquoise fridgie, the tulip bowl, the Pyrex bread tube, and the fired on bowl-selling the rest-but you already knew that-right?!?

FUN, FUN, FUN!!!

Today was the much anticipated Greenmead Fall Flea Market in Livonia on the site of the historic Greenmead Farm. Since Kevin and Eric both decided to go, and Auntie's niece Crit was in town and going as well, we decided to meet up and drive separately.

Mapquest said it would take about 32 minutes to get there...we got there in less than 30 so we were waiting in a long, long line for about 15-20 minutes. I totally forgot to bring bags, or a cart today-BIG mistake!! I know Auntie said there would be around 175 vendors, but with our not so good flea market experience last weekend-I wasn't going to hold my breath that this would be a good one. It ended up being BETTER than good--it was AWESOME!!!

The weather was perfect! The length of time it took to get there was perfect! Only $2 admission and free parking! Lots, and lots of vendors set in amongst the historic buildings and lots of variety among the vendors. Great prices for the most part. All the way around it was FUN!!

Gorgeous blue skies-won't be seeing that much longer! Have to soak it in while we can!

The only thing I would suggest, to the organizers for future years...have more food vendors! The only options for food was a big trailer with caramel corn, and snacks, an ice cream truck, and a booth selling hot dogs, soda and water. Where was the kettle corn?? Aren't all flea markets supposed to have kettle corn? LOL!

As soon as we got through the gates, Kevin took off leaving us in the dust. I expected him to be through the whole place and back in the car within about 20-30 minutes. I like for him to go, I just wish he would slow down, smell the roses, enjoy the day for what it is. It tends to make me anxious and feel like I have to hustle through so he isn't sitting in the car so long waiting for me. I felt bad for scooting out on Auntie and Christy after we stopped and caught up over a hot dog.

While we were sitting there, I was really shocked to see Kevin walking past with a big ole box full of stuff! He NEVER buys much (if anything) when we go out treasure seeking together. For him to still be walking around, let alone having a huge box of purchases at that point really surprised me!

 There he is on the left with his box of treasures!

These are his treasures...

 A case of wine bottles to use in the clay oven that he is making for baking bread.

An irrigator...he says this would have been used in the hospitals...and since he's a nurse-he was intrigued by it.

 Another "nurse" item, a basin. 

 Something he got the seller to "throw in"!

He thought this was funny...

Another bed pan, this one with a lid.

Some stainless steel wire for making chain mail.

A box of old tools-a quarter each.

He did really well. He only spent $15 on all of the enamel ware! $20 total on all of his purchases.

These are my treasures...

A pink dish towel.

A Vera scarf, a purple hankie, and a lid for a quarter.

A Pyrex individual casserole dish.

 An amethyst Moroccan dish.

A milk bottle carrier-not an old one, but in my price range!

A set of refrigerator dishes!

This was such a FUN flea market! I am soo glad we went!! It makes me even more excited for the Midland Antiques Festival in 2 weeks!!!  I'll have to remember the ibuprofen before we go to Midland-my ankle and hip are really killing me from all the uneven walking today-just when I told Auntie on Friday that  my ankle is doing really well...sigh! We'll see how it does this week-3 of the 4 volleyball leagues I play in start up again!

Hope you have a great week this week!!! :)