May Brimfield and Other Fleas.

In the days leading up to the May 2011 Brimfield Antiques Market I was super excited, but I was also a little worried. We had decided that since we didn't need anything terribly bad that we would go on Sunday, which is the last day of the event. In the past we'd had good luck that day because typically the dealers just want to clear out what is left. So, not a great selection, but great prices. Back to why I was worried. The week before then the weather forecast was showing a steady prediction of 60-70% chance of rain. Boooo rain. But we figured that it'd still be fine with umbrellas and maybe the rain would be light. By the day before the prediction was up to 100%, but scattered showers. Scattered, fine. We were committed. I love Brimfield.

The prediction came true, but scattered showers actually turned into scattered thunderstorms. In general we were not really bothered by them. When the rain got heavy we would just seek refuge under a tent. Hanging out with a young couple from Brooklyn and checking out their cool wooden folding chairs, hearing stories about quilts made in Virginia or dodging a surly grandpa and his cane.

Most of the morning went on like that. We had heard from tent to tent that there was a bigger storm coming...and it seemed to be causing a mass exit from many of the vendors. But we just kept on shopping. And then it came.

We popped under this tent when our umbrellas weren't cutting it anymore. After a while we realized how hungry we were and popped into a random pizzeria (see sign on the left) that was in a building that more resembled an insurance office. Like I said, we were hungry.

This guy was carrying it out by the armfuls.

After a sort of kind of tasty pizza lunch we wandered a little more, but in the end nothing came home with us. It was still a surprisingly good time picking through what was left while small rivers of water began to run through the tents and wandering through the rain. Maybe next time we will get lucky...cause you know I'll be going!

There are actually many many flea markets around the Boston area...another one of my favorites is Todd Farm. We've been a handful of times and scored some pretty sweet stuff (which I thought I'd blogged about before, but can't seem to find it?). Anyway, here's what we got there recently...

These super sweet educational flashcards from the '60s. They are pretty big, about 24"x12" each? And double sided! So the picture below shows all four, one side, then the other. I luff them, not sure what they were meant to teach, but they are hilarious. We just need to get some frames and we will have four pieces of interchangeable art. This find totally goes to P, I think we paid like 2 or 3 bucks for them.


These were my find of the day. I thought these old wooden hangers were so cool. I think one was stamped with a hotel name (the one you can see) and the other was stamped with some local company in Boston. I think they will be great on a hook on the wall next to the closet, kind of like a valet hook.

After Todd Farm we drove around and made our way out to Plum Island and decided to check it out. It was super cute, no pics, just drove through, but I'd love to go stay there some time. On the way there we passed by a Garage Sale and decided to stop. It was pretty lame, but for some reason I got drawn into this huge box of old old old children's books. It seriously looked like this lady had robbed a library. We picked out three random books that had cool illustrations. My favorite is the Nothing Ever Happens on My Block in the middle below. Hilarious. And yes, I do realize it's a little strange for a couple that has no children to be buying children's books...maybe if they'd add cool illustrations to grown up books I'd buy those instead. :)