A Keeper of a Flea!

Flea markets, we all know of them, most of us have a favorite two or three that we frequent for those fabulous must have treasures.  I love flea markets, will stop at any I see, and have many that I fancy for their amazingly talented vendors whose staging just draws you in.

My fleas are at Picker's Flea Market in downtown Branson, a fairly new flea market, less than a year open and located in the town's old grocery store.  It's well done with wide aisles, a variety of sizes of spaces, and so remarkable vendors with HUGE talents.

For those of you who enjoy shopping flea markets, thank you!  For those of you who are vendors at a flea, wow, you know how much work it really is ..... to take mostly cast off items and turn them into treasures that just have to go home with some lucky shopper.

We have to constantly keep our spaces looking fresh .... and Spring is upon us, the perfect time for a redo!

This is one of three of my spaces, and has attracted a lot of attention because we staged it complete with a full size bed in the center.  Its has been there for a couple of months now, so tomorrow, we are giving it a complete redo!  Out with the bed and in with the .............................., well you will just have to wait and see!

Tune in tomorrow!

A Pickin' Diva....

I just spent three days traveling through Arkansas on Highway 64 with my dear friend Sherri, in a borrowed pick up truck - so fancy it shouldn't be called a truck, and pulling a little enclosed trailer - lots of change in my purse, snacks and cooler, packing material for breakables, and high hopes for treasures.  Touted to be a huge sales event, Bargains Galore on 64, with over 160 miles of sales, was our three day adventure weekend.

I must say I was a bit disappointed in the number of sales along the route.  In fairness, this part of the country had been experiencing record breaking heat for nearly two months, and bizarre thunderstorms broke out both Thursday afternoon and Friday night leaving giant mud pits almost everywhere you tried to stop along the way on Saturday.  So this may have dampened the selling spirit.  But not this picker, we stopped and shopped all along the way.

Hug kudos to Sherri who can back up a trailer with the best of them!  I was amazed....I'm a pull through picker.  If I'm toting a trailer, I only park where I can pull through, this farmgirl can't back up!

Although sales were sporadic along the highway, it’s important to note that you really have to watch for signs that take you down the side roads.  There are sales in the area neighborhoods too, and this narrow highway is very winding, so you can come upon a sale and pass it by before you know it.

We stayed Wednesday night in Ft. Smith, and headed out early Thursday morning looking for those "early worm" bargins....not much participation in Ft. Smith, in fact our first sales were in Aurora.  Let the shopping begin.....

Rain about 2:00 ended our day, so we headed to our next motel for the night.  Just because a motel is listed on Priceline doesn't mean you want to stay there.  Let me just say I slept on top of the covers with my clothes on!

Friday we back tracked a few miles to check out sales we might have missed. Not much, so we had a great home cooked breakfast at the Big M Diner and headed out to shop!  First stopped at the local Police Departments trailer where they had a rummage sale to help families for this coming Christmas.  I bought all of their hand-crocheted items.  I'm just sure some grandma made them with love!

A bit of Galore wisdom for those of you contemplating this sale for next year.

Things I learned along the way:

• Fried pickles from the gas station are pretty darned good;
• Just because there is stuff in the yard, doesn’t mean they’re having a yard sale;
• Men selling hunting gear don’t like when you say you could turn their tree stand into a cute chair;
• Little local dairy-marts have great food;
• You might not want to follow spray painted arrows into the woods;
• Don’t pass up the church rummage sales and always buy something from them;
• Skip fast food stops and eat at the local eatery, they are a treat;
• And always buy from the local Police or Firefighter’s sales, whatever they are selling it's always for a great cause.

We started in Ft. Smith and headed towards Conway and unlike the World's Longest Yardsale, you can cover great distances in a day. 

 I really do need to address the people we met along the way, both other shoppers and sellers alike.  We met some of the nicest people.  Wouldn’t trade that part of the trip for anything!

My traveling companion, and my best friend Sherri has now named me a Pickin’ Diva, altered from her first go round of Pickin’ Snob.  Hahahahaha.  Seems she feels I was a little too picky at my pickin’.

One thing for sure, shows like American Pickers and Pickin’ Sisters and the like, have ruined it for us local common pickers.  Seems most of the sellers we came across felt like everything thing they had strewn across their front lawn and stacked in the garage was the next great collectible or treasured antique.  Prices were a bit high, and the art of negotiating was lost on most sellers. 

However, with effort and perseverance, I managed to come home with a small trailer full of treasures.  I wonder if when I’m looking the items over and loading them into the trailer full of eclectic if not unique pieces of furniture, the sellers are wondering what the heck I buy that stuff for.

Here’s a peek at some the treasures that made their way home with me…….

One thing I thought was comical was how many of the sellers were intrigued by my Michigan accent.  An accent I don't hear or realize I still have.  One very nice young woman kept me talking for about 15 minutes just so she could here my accent. HA, and I was enjoying her's.  I think her tip off was my saying "we've been out and about since early this morning." HA

Here’s Jim surveying my bounty and wondering “what the heck is she going to do with this junk?”

Just remember these are the before photos, and a coffee table can become a wonderful foot of the bed bench complete with custom cushion, end tables take on a new life repainted in funky colors, sewing machine cabinets are a treasure, and chairs….well chairs in my hands become works of art - just sayin'.

Watch for before and the fabulous after pics on our newest facebook page – farmhouse chic.

And be sure to join us at our next Farmgirl Sisters Cottage and Barn Sale, Sept 29 - Oct 1, where we will all have wonderful treasures for you to do your own pickin'

'til we meet again!

Stormy

Junque In Your Trunk

This weekend was our Annual Summer Farmgirl Sisters Cottage Sale took place and the addition of our new barn added to the atmosphere and fun of the event.  

Our cottage had new look, a little more vintage, lots more room to rummage through the fun, the antiques and collectibles.  So many new pieces of furniture including a to die for butcher block that sold right away, and dozens of new shabby chic items, made it a very fun sale.  We had a lot of repeat visitors who have become farmgirl friends, and many, many new shoppers, including our new friends, The Prairie Chicks who drove down from Lebanon, MO, and arrived at 7:30AM, which means they had to have left home around 5:30AM!  Wow, talk about dedication to the art of Barn Sale shopping!

our Farmgirl Sister Jan brought in such cute things, and worked everyday even with her back out, I love my "sister" Jan, a friend for 15 years now....

and the added space of the new barn, allowed for more furniture and treasures

The best part of the weekend was Saturday when we hosted our first Junque in Your Trunk Sale and our friends who came to sell brought such fabulous treasures.  They were shopping among themselves as they set up!

Renee and her Mom brought such cute things, and her Mom’s treasures were Country and Primitives and she told me she was downsizing and soon to switch to a Shabby Chic décor, she was so sweet and we just love Renee and all the support she gives the Farmgirl Sisters.

Our newest Farmgirl Sister Lynn was unable to participate this time around, she had a previous commitment and was missed, but oh the treasures she brought to the cottage were scrumptious.  We look forward to having her touch in our October sale.

Our friends from the Memory Barn in Kimberling City loaded up their fabulous vintage farm truck with such treasures, WOW!  They made a great cornerstone to the set up.

It was hot, hot, hot and we’re sure that put a little damper on shoppers, and we were all pretty wilted by 2:00PM, but what fun we had.  It was great camaraderie and everyone shared such fabulous ideas for our October sale!  It will surely be bigger, better, and more fun.

Here are some pictures of the fun

We are revamping our calendar for October, and our sale dates will be September 29 and 30 for the Cottage and Barn Sale, and our Junque in Your Trunk Antique Faire will be Saturday, October 1, so mark your calendars now. 

Our Memory Barn friends are hosting their annual 4th of July weekend sale in Kimberling City, head out Hwy 13 to DD Hwy and follow the signs about 1.5 miles and you'll find their quaint setting on the right!

Our Prairie Chick friends are hosting their Barn Sale on Saturday, June 18, 7AM -2PM, off Hwy 32 in Lebanon, MO, follow the signs about 1.5 - 2 miles out.  We'll see you there!

Those that want to participate in our Junque in Your Trunk Antique Faire on Saturday, October 1, contact us soon, space is limited, and filling fast!

'til next time,

Stormy

PS and not to be forgotten, a very special thank you to Farmgirl Mister, Jim who really stepped up and helped make this sale a success, went above and beyond the call of Farmgirl duty.

I can hardly believe it is December 1st! Oh my and what a day, it was first day of our Christmas Cottage Sale and an incredibly hectic day all around.  First I want to thank all of the Farmgirl Sisters for their support and help to make this sale possible, the Cottage looks amazing............and what a great turn out.  All of our Facebook postings, our blogging, Craigslist, newspaper ads, and post cards paid off - we had shoppers lined up, and all through the evening, actually sold out of some things, but no worries, we're restocking tomorrow.

A very special thank you to Tina and Kailie, who stepped up and just pitched in helping with that initial rush, when I was late to the party! ha!

Miss Olivia took some amazing pictures, and as fab as they are, they don't do justice to how spectacular everything looks.

The sale continues Thursday evening, 5PM -9PM and Fri/Sat 9AM- 3PM, so be sure to stop by, and tell your friends.  We are at 606 Kingsway, downtown Branson, follow 6th Street past the old schools to Kingsway, and the cottage is the second house off the corner on the right!

Remember, only 23 more days until Christmas, so come shop with us!  Decorations, gift items, and well, just about everything you can imagine!

There is a map on our website, http://www.farmgirlsisters.com/, on the contact page.

Thank you Miss Olivia for the wonderful pictures below.......................they are maaaavelous!

OUR WONDERFUL LITTLE COTTAGE

A porch full of rustic and lodge decor!

Kitchen treats and sweets for the tree!

A little Country, A little Primative, this and that

A bedroom of pinks and pretties

Ornaments and gift items

Shabby Chic and Victorian delights

....a few more Shabbies

My Thanksgiving

I think Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and I think it’s for many reasons. I love the Fall, the colors, the cool crisp days, wool plaids and bulky sweaters, and there is something about cooking in the Fall, that first big pot of chili, baked apples, and of course Thanksgiving dinner. The more people around my table the better, family and friends, maybe a new acquaintance that doesn’t have someone to share the day with…..it is my day to be thankful so many things, and to share my table and cook like crazy. This year we will have nearly 20 around our table(s) – four to be exact, and included in our gathering is my son, an Army medic (need I say how thankful I am that he is once again home safe from deployment!); my mother, who just celebrated her 87th birthday; my very dear friend Sherri; adopted and extended family with our youngest guests age four, Hailey and Skylar to Mom, 87.


It could only be more perfect if my sister Bonnie and her family in California could be with us too.
My pantry list of menu items includes two 23 pound turkeys, two hams, 30 pounds of potatoes, 3 quarts of mixed berry compote, yams, 2 pounds of buttered carrots, apple sausage dressing, corn soufflé, Italian pasta salad, dinner rolls, and a dessert table that rivals any bakery window.

Amidst all of this cooking preparation, my Farmgirl Sisters and I are still busy readying for our Cottage Christmas Sale beginning December 1 and running through Dec 4 and what a amazingly fabulous sale this will be. Thousands of ornaments from over 30 theme Christmas trees, holiday décor items, collectibles, gift items, antiques, home décor, furniture and so much more.

For more information on our sale and a map to 606 Kingsway at 6th, downtown Branson, visit our website at http://www.farmgirlsisters.com/.

So, I will post a few more pictures to tantalize you with what awaits at our sale, and then I’m going to return to the kitchen to finish up the oatmeal raisin cookies for our dessert table – my son’s favorite!

I encourage you to take a moment of quiet time and make a mental list of all of your blessings; you will be amazed at how long this list is…..its easy to forget in our day to day living.

I wish each of my Farmgirl Sisters a wonderful and thankful filled Thanksgiving and I thank all of my family and friends for filling my life with love and laughter.

‘til next time, Stormy