Junk Market 2010

{Jill, me and Suzanne}  I am the orange tinted chick in the middle.  Whenever I need a pick me up I get a spray tan.  However against the lovely ivory skin of my friends I look like one of the little people in the Wizard of OZ;) 

For the past several years I have attended the Junk Market Bonanza.  It's a fabulous mix of flea market type vendors that gather together over a three day period.  It appeals to me because you can find all kinds of old repurposed items and some really special finds that can give your house a unique one of a kind feel. 

Suzanne, my new blog friend and partner in shopping crime;), picked me up bright and early on Friday and we made our way to Canterbury Park.  I finally got a chance to meet Jill from Forever Cottage...a.k.a. gym stalker in person;)  She had a role in the whole Junk Market thing.  She wrote on their home page and put together a fun tablescape from items all found at the local ARC store.  She was great.

These pictures are horrible, but it kind of gives you a little idea of what the Junk Market is.  Basically it's old junk that has been geniusly displayed to give you ideas for other purposes.  These people are brilliant in finding ways to reuse and repurpose things. 

Layla from the Lettered Cottage was there.  She's the little blond being followed around with a camera crew.  How weird is that?  Amazing what opportunities and doors can open from having a blog!

I got to meet the super sweet and talented Beth Quinn.  It was fate.  I just happened to be walking by and we both kinda recognized each other.  I'd heard about her and had been to her blog a few times...come to find out she reads MINE:)  Yay!!!

When I read this my eyes filled up a little.  It seems like she made it just for me.  Of course it had to be mine along with...

this beautiful piece...and a few others.  Let's just say Beth Quinn broke the bank!

Oh and remember Melissa from Two Little Tots?? The girl whose house I just painted. I ran into her as we were leaving. The blond tots are hers. Her neighbor has identical twins too. They are all BFF's. Isn't that the cutest thing?:)

I couldn't wait to get home and play with some of the items I bought.  That jewelry display thing is actually an old crib railing.  It worked out perfectly to hang my necklaces on.  LOVE IT!

 

Later that night Jill had planned a little after party at a local coffee house.  I wasn't going to go because honestly that kind of stuff makes me really nervous.  But curiosity was killing me.  I wanted to meet some of the bloggers I had read forever...and well anyway I just did it.  And I'm so glad I did.  I had the opportunity to meet Tracey from French Larkspur.  I always thought she was really sweet when she commented.  It was nice to know she's just like that in person too.  I couldn't really remember what she looked like though until I met her because she never posts pics of herself.  But isn't she a cutie??


We had a nice little chat about color.  Her home is gorgeous...all whites!  She's going to be in a book for heaven's sake.  I feel like a dope now, but I actually said that I didn't know how she lived without color.  I have it EVERYWHERE.  Everything I buy is a color.  If I tried it I know I would mess it up somehow.  She said she would love to incorporate red but she doesn't know how.  I suggested that she do an all red Christmas tree:)  She looked at me like I'd lost my ever-lovin' mind:)  Now that I think of it maybe she thought I meant an actual red tree...oh no!  But isn't it funny how we stick to things we are comfortable with?  I guess that's why God makes us all different.  The world would be pretty boring if we were all carbon copies of each other.

{Mary, Traci, me, Jen, Suzanne}

There was Mary from Urban Farmgirl...KNOCKOUT!  She doesn't put pics of herself either.  I knew she was going to be there, so I went to her blog the night before and searched and searched to only find one tiny little picture of her from like 1999.  Why in the world??  You all know I'm the queen of putting myself out there.  I do it because when I read a blog I like to see who's talking to me.  It makes them real and more relatable.  So don't be afraid.  I want to see who you are! 

Then there was the amazing photographer Traci Thorsen.  Gorgeous!  She reminded me so much of Elizabeth from Bachelor Pad.  It was Elizabeth, but with fiery red hair and a sweet personality.  Then there was Jen Rizzo from Sanctuary Arts.  She was just too cute!  I felt tall next to her.  I always love that.  She was dressed in the cutest outfit.  Spunky to the core.  Don't you love when a person dresses like their personality!  And then Suzanne...tall elegant Suzanne.  Who I learned so much about just from the way she decorates her house.  Like her love for things NOT made in China...HA!  And all things British.  She was just so fun to spend the day with.

I have a few other treasures from the day, but those will have to wait for another time.  Junk Market 2010 was definitely a hit in my book.  Can't wait for next year:)  Maybe you'll be joining us too!

Have a blessed day.