What's Hot in Collecting 

Do you love Vintage Market Sales? Vintage Markets have taken over where the old craft fairs left off. If you Google Vintage Market I'm sure one in your area will pop up as they are being held across the country. 

I went to one recently and I could not believe the crowds. We stood in line for an hour and we had our tickets already. Inside the venue it got very crowded quickly. I'd post some photos but no photography was allowed, and I'm such a rule follower I did not snap a photo inside 

The goods were very nice although some were a bit pricey. All the things I love were there. Upcycled painted vintage furniture, tobacco baskets, bird houses, planters, things made from old springs, blue jars, galvanized buckets and much, much more. 

I considered it research and one item caught my eye. It was a ladder made out of tobacco sticks. Folks, I'm from North Carolina so I knew I could find some tobacco sticks somewhere close and I did. Tobacco sticks were used in the drying process of the tobacco leaves. The leaves were tied across the sticks and hung to dry.

My handy hubby quickly created some tobacco stick ladders for me. In one month I've already sold five at my booth.

 My talented spouse also made me a large star from the tobacco sticks, and I have plans for a little faux gate too. 

Researching is a valuable tool in the antiques and collectibles business. So head out to a local Vintage Market Day near you to collect some ideas for you home and booths. 

Hubs and I OUTSIDE the Vintage Market Day

Lots of Ideas for My Antique and Collectibles Booths

I've been to some great estate sales in the last several months. I've picked up some fabulous Christmas items including two aluminum Christmas trees and a rotating light as well as some great blow molds. That's my hubby with the goods.

These items are becoming hot Christmas collections along with vintage Shiny Brite ornaments. More on these I. A later blog on What's hot in collecting. 

I also picked up some great old mower wheels and gears. Really great rusty wall art especially for a masculine space. I also purchased and old metal storage locker with shelves inside. Thought I'd paint that one black with some stenciling. 

I also found a Fire King tulips grease jar with lid and a matching salt and pepper. Unfortunately the salt is missing its lid. So now begins the lid hunt! 

I'm updating both booths this week so watch my photo updates on Facebook at Goodson Vintage Treasures! The Fantastic Finds booth needs a big makeover. 

Collect what you love and maybe I'll see you at an estate sale nearby.

Tart Pans! 

Don't ask me why but I love tart pans! When I'm at an estate sale and I see a box or pile of old tart pans I just have to buy them. But what to do with them?

I've been searching Pinterest for the last six months seeking a neat way to upcycle them. I love the idea of making Christmas ornaments out of them, but I'm unsure of the success I will have selling them. Which, truth be know, I'm never really sure if something I created or recreate will sell in my antique and collectibles booths. 

But, this week I discovered the cutest little Christmas tree made out of tart tins. Here's the post from Thrity Rebel Vintage. Love it! Of course I will have to modify it because there's no way I would have enough sparkly jewelry to put on top of my tart trees for a star.   Tula from Thrifty Rebel Vintage used styrofoam balls between her tart tins. That just didn't work great for me. My first attempt was okay but not fabulous.

The foam balls melted with hot glue and wouldn't stay in place with the other glues. I couldn't get the tart pans to stay glued straight. I tried E6000, tacky glue and hot glue.  My second attempt was disastrous.Then I tried a combination of all three glues with no success. Styrofoam melts!

  

 

I switched to using a paper towel roll cut into small pieces instead of the foam balls and that worked a bit better on attempts three and four. But I still wasn't satisfied.

 I'm not one to give up easily so I thought about what I could use to go between the layers of tart pans. Then it hit me! Corks. So I sent out a call to my Facebook friend for some wine corks. Wow do my friends love wine. My sister-in-law came through first with a bag of beautiful intact corks.

So that's what I'm trying next. Check back and I'll update my progress. 

Besides my cork idea I also came up with an idea to add a drawer pull or knob (as we call them on the South) to the top. Of course a Christmas tree needs a star so I've ordered some 2 1/2 inch stars off of Facebook to add to the front of the knobs. I also added old wooden sewing spools (another find I can't resist) for a trunk. I'll post a pic of the finished tart pan trees in an update soon.

So folks the message here is again what I always say, "BUY WHAT YOU LOVE!" Keep researching and you will find a way to turn those finds into treasures.

Update: The corks work great. They are easy to cut as needed. I just sprayed them silver in case they show. The little arrived, and they are perfect. What a fun way to upcycle or repurpose tart pans.

FINISHED TREES....EXCUSE MY MESSY WORKSPACE

AREN'T THESE CUTE?

Earth Day Fairy Garden

I love flowers and gardening and I hope to pass that love on to my granddaughter as my mom passed it down to me. This week to celebrate Earth Day we created a fairy garden. For the base I used a flower pot I already had. After all Earth Day is all about recycling. We added some fresh dirt and mounded one side up higher like a little hill. Then we added a house I bought at the Habitat store. Again the recycling thing.

Next we added a rock path made from a dollar store bag of rocks. I had purchased two little plant I thought would look like trees and bushes. We ventured to edge of our yard and found some lovely moss to add to the hill. I added a tiny hen and chick I dug up from a flower pot and another succulent type plant that I have no idea what it is but it comes back every year.

   

Then the fun part. My granddaughter added cats, a watering can, a tiny bird bath, a tiny fence, tiny bird houses and a bench that I purchased form a local craft store (on sale and with a coupon). Then we added our little fairy. My granddaughter was very pleased with her work and could not wait to share it with family.

So grab that old flower pot or leaky tub and create your own fairy garden.

Junkin 101

If you love junkin as much as my hubby and I you probably already know most of these hints. But if you are new to treasure hunting at estate sales here are some Junkin 101 hints for you.

1. Research the estate sale before you go. There's an app for that! I use EstateSales.net. It's a great app that will pull up posted estate sales in a given range from your home. Study the photos on each sale carefully. Even though most items are pictured many times box lots can still hold hidden treasures but it's a good start. The app also will have a GPS link to the address which is not usually given until Thursday before the sale.
   
2. I like to take screen shots of things I'm interested in and try to determine where they are located on the property so I can get to them first.  At the sale the screen shots below are from I determined the blow mold candles (LOVE THEM) were in a metal out building while the aluminum  Christmas tree (OMG) was in a wooden shed. We got both of these items because we arrived early and while we waited for the sale we scoped out the property from our car. See step 4 . 

   

   Blow mold spotting!

   

   I spotted this Aluminum Christmas tree in the box! 

   
    
3. Prepare for the sale the night before. I always have a big IKEA bag folded up to put my stash in as I locate it at the sale. Wear flat shoes, comfortable, appropriate clothes for the weather, a hat and sunglasses. It helps to stick a small tape measure and a magnifying glass in your pocket too. I always wear jeans and never carry a purse because it just slows me down. And of course money or debit cards. Most dealers take debit and credit using a Square but few take checks. Be aware there is sometimes up to a 3% charge if you use plastic. Gotta pay for that convenience. 
4. Get to your chosen sale early. Most estate sale companies give out entry numbers at 7:30 or 8 if a show begins at 9. If you are interested in items you have seen get there before numbers are given out. We usually grab a breakfast biscuit and a cup coffee to enjoy while we wait for the sale to begin. (Confession here: we are never # 1. I think some of these guys camp out there or something!) 
5. Most estate dealers have a holding area with boxes for you to put your intended purchases in while you shop. Be aware that sometimes people will "shop" these boxes while the dealers are distracted helping others. I always put a bag on top of my sales box or something big to block the sight to the items inside. I never put my things on the end of the row of boxes. Too easy for someone to shop out of unseen.
6. My hubby and I often split up with one of us taking the outside buildings where we have spotted things or the basement. For some reason the things we love are often in the basement. 
7. Don't forget to look around as you head to your favorite items. I totally missed a huge box of Shiny Brite ornaments because I was headed to a rotating Christmas light. (I did get the light!) 

   

   Scored the light but sadly I missed the Shiny Brite ornaments.

8. After you have chosen your favorite items and you are sure your picks are secure in the holding area go through the property again. You never know what else you may find.
9. If some items are priced higher than you want to pay don't despair. Most dealers sell items under $200 for half price on day two and the  higher priced items for a discount. Many times at 1:00 on the last day of the sale everything is greatly discounted. Although we haven't gotten many things at that time we have scored a beautiful vanity with a mirror for $37.50. So think about what you want and come early the next day. 

   

   Bargin Vanity
10. Remember as you shop you want to get things you can fit in your vehicle. If you plan to buy furniture bring a truck, trailer with hand trucks or furniture carts to move the pieces you buy. I bought this small red farm table thinking we could get it into the Jeep. Alas, my brother-in-law had to come to the rescue and picked it up for me in his truck.

    

    Farm table that was too dang large for our car. 

11. Think out of the box while looking at the photos and while on site shopping. We bought a washboard at one site and a coke crate at another. My talented husband put them together and made this wonderful cabinet. He also made this wine glass rack from and old rake. 

    

    Wine Glass Rack

    

    Cabinet made from washboard and coke crate.

12. Buy what you love and have fun JUNKIN.