Can You Do This At The Flea Market?

In reading other bloggers posts about the fun they have at flea markets, I sometimes wish we had one nearby. We don't, but what we do have are auction houses. Lots and lots of them.

My favourite one holds an auction at least three Tuesdays every month. I was there yesterday.

And I really should clarify what I mean by "auction house". It's a barn. A really big barn in the middle of a dusty parking lot. Most of the clients are farmers, who come in straight from work.

The items up for auction run the gamut from fine antiques, to greasy machinery, to whatever Grandma had in the house when it came time to sell.

Including this piece, which I bought because I'm too soft-hearted and start to feel sorry for the stuff that nobody wants and the poor auctioneer up at the front of the room chanting over and over, "Wubbita wubbita wubbita onnnnnnne....."


Old Mail Box - What Was I Thinking?!!?

Dressing up to go the the auction is never a good idea. I usually come home covered in dust and oil and who knows what else. You really have to dig through the boxes to see what's there. It's all part of the adventure.

Yesterday was a good day for me. I found this wonderful old heater.


Such a Pretty Shade of Blue

I've got a few ideas in mind for it: candle holder, or lamp, or maybe the base for a table. I'll give it a good scrub first and see what occurs.

This trunk is pretty cool. I'll give it a clean and put it in the shop right away.


This Would Make a Great Coffee Table - I Must Not Bring It Upstairs

And I love this old metal doll-sized stove. I need to fix the door so that it actually closes. It'll be great for some child's collection or, am I crazy or would it make a cool storage piece for jewelery? Not a huge collection, obviously, but maybe for the stuff you wear every day.


And these vases! They came in a box lot with the tea set. Cool beyond words or ugly beyond belief? It's all in the eye of the beholder.


There were other pieces that I'll write about later. But the big score (brace yourself, BeckyKay) was that pile of drawers. Got the whole thing for two bucks (what does it say about me that as soon as the auctioneer started the bidding, he looked right at me. Like, what, I'm the only one who buys this stuff? Apparently so).

Then, as I was carrying them across the dusty,dusty parking lot to my car, a man asked if I wanted the butter box at the top of the pile. It was a long way to the car, so... "Make me an offer," I said.

"Two bucks?"

Yes, indeedy, I got a trunkload of drawers for FREE! Try that at the flea market!