I got on the road before dawn this morning and drove to the Elephant's Trunk flea market which is open every Sunday from April till November........arrived around 7 a.m. .... the field was full of sellers and the parking lot was packed! Today was opening day and apparently everyone was anxious to get out after a long winter......unfortunately it was freezing cold ....brrr!
I made a pact with myself to keep any purchases smaller than a breadbox and my spending to a minimum.....I didn't buy much but I found some old doll clothes, some blue millinery flowers, two pink feathers and a pair of old velvet autograph albums...
A sweet little gingham dress and doll's straw purse...
I have a vintage teddy who will look handsome in this sweater...
A few child size clothespins...and some old spools to wind my lace on.....
Now... this collection came from a fellow who had cigar boxes filled with these goodies.......He said he was an assemblage artist.....I am sure my friend Cheryl Kuhn would turn these treasures into something wonderful!.......I have a few ideas but... well, we will have to wait and see!
It doesn't take much to make me happy.
This same man had boxes of old books that had been damaged by water.......I bought one titled "In the Springtime of Life" for 50 cents because it had charming illustrations....
This old linen sheet was a bargain but needs cleaning.......Anyone have a secret formula for removing stains from these old sheets?
The market also had herbs and spring flowers.....pansies and tulips, forsythia and pussy willows....breads, cheeses and sausages....I was on my way home again by 9:30 a.m. and the sun was shining brightly....it felt good to be outdoors and since it had warmed up considerably....Rob and I spent a few hours raking out the gardens......it turned out to be a perfect spring day!
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17 comments:
Sounds like perfection to me. I love old things. Bits and pieces of someone's history. My favorite place to shop is the antique mall. Where I walk about, wondering who that old photo is, or that one. Wondering how they found their way into that place at all. And not in someone's photo album.
Brenda
Wow you got a lot of great stuff. The little purses,vintage flowers,spools,clothes pins,doll parts,clock face,mini tin cup and linen sheets I just love. I'll ask about cleaning the sheets at my favorite antique store~ they should know.
Have a good week Laura....
Hugs,
Carole
Oh divine...Oxy wash will get those sheets clean,for the mould rubarb juice and or lemon juice will fade the rust...but don't worry about the marks, if they don't go your sheet will be just as lovely. I always look for darned items I love them, and patches and repairs. I adore the small clothes, what perfect items to paint and draw....gosh I wished I was with you, what a fabulous haul.
Hugs Lynn xx
Oh girl, I am so happy for you but i am so jealous!!!! What great finds, i too went flea marketing in the cold but i was no where near as lucky as you! The clothes were an amzing find as are the cigar box goodies. Enjoy them all!
You got a lot of nice things. I love old things.
We had yesterday beautiful weather 20 degrees.
You cant have everything hihi.
Have a nive week
Greeting Lia
Laura, the linen sheet is a real find. It looks to be in excellent condition except for the stain, oui? You might find a forumula here that works: http://tipnut.com/cleaning-vintage-linens-soak
Oh my gosh....I am soooo happy you came by, your blog is right up my alley!!! I love this post, but I have to tell you I LOVE YOUR HEADER, stunning!!!!!! All the best, Chrissy
I love the gingham dress!
For those kind of stains I use lemonjuice and dry it in the sun.
OMG,
You got some really fab items. I love those little albums.
I hope it warms up soon.
Thanks so much for your sweet comments on my blog.
I wish we could go to the flea markets together.
Chat soon,
Rosemary
Boy..You made some great finds! I can see that You are one of those "fleamarket proffesionals"!
Thanks for following me..I will be heading to Your sidebar now to follow You!
Liisa
Hi Laura
Fabulous purchases. I had fun working out what I'd make with them if I had bought them. You have an eye not just for the pretty things but for the interesting things too!
Take care
Isabelle x
Laura, I SO love your taste!!! I would have picked up the same exact things!! Hope you're having a wonderful week ~ xxoo, Dawn
Laura, I have been meaning to check out the Elephants trunk! I will certainly do so next April. Regarding stains in linen, I use a little bit of oxy clean in water (make sure it's well disolved,) dip the stained part in and let it soak for 10-15 minutes, then wash with a non-bleach whitener type laundry detergent. I let my things dry in the sun, lying on the grass (I've heard that the chlorophyll in the grass combined with the sun acts as a natural whitener.
Tout dans ce poste est magique ! Bravo !
Thank you for sharing your treasures with us - beautifully done.
For stain removal - terrific ideas listed - also try Fels Naptha soap. It's the brown soap that has been around for 100 years - and it removes any stain. Purchase at a grocer or hardware store.
I have a good recipe for removing stains from old linens (if not fragile). In very hot water add cascade automatic dish detergent, clorox all fabric powder bleach and borax. Submerge and leave overnight. Most stains will come out but you really have to be careful depending on fabric condition. Hope you have luck with this. Tereasa, West Virginia.
I've used Oxy on some textiles that I knew could handle it (check it on a corner first.) Don't laugh but I once put a giant piece of linen in the pool! It worked. I have also spritzed with lemon juice/water and put the linens in the sun on a grassy lawn. I've read that the combo of sun and grass will brighten linens-something about the chlorophyl...
jackie
blissfarmantiques
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