Plodding Along Through the Heat

Yesterday was one of those blasted hot days when it zips up into the mid-90s. Thankfully, even without air conditioning, we manage to keep reasonably cool inside our house by shutting the windows and shades in the morning. Plus we have trees that provide a bit of shade. And fans. It works out okay. (One of our neighbors, who cut down ALL the trees in their yard over the decades, has now resorted to using a large grouping of mis-matched umbrellas to try and shade some of their windows from the intense sun and heat. Oh gosh…I find this a bit heart breaking.)

So yesterday was a good day to get some indoor stuff done, including adding seven items to my Etsy store. That’s a lot for me in one day. June has been slow sales-wise as expected, but I’m still plodding along. You do what you can do. Obviously the more you list the more you can sell!

Saturday is turning out to be warm too, but I knew I wanted to head to our local flea market. It was definitely a smaller turn out of vendors as well as buyers. I started feeling uncomfortably hot almost immediately and joked with one vendor that I hadn’t come prepared with water. She dipped into a cooler hidden under her table and offered me one of hers. I told her she was my guardian angel.

I did find lots of fabulous things despite fewer vendors but I just wasn’t in the mood to spend “big money.” Do you ever get like that? And I didn’t want to buy any big or heavy items. No, no, no.

I ended up with a teeny, tiny haul of just four things, but I’m supper happy with all of them.

My first buy was a classic MCM brass cigarette box from State Express Cigarettes. It’s plain and manly. (Paid $3) The older couple selling it were still setting up and having one of those conversations that long-time couples have: “Just leave it where it is. It’ll be fine there. Let’s just finish unloading. Oh you are driving me nuts!” (I’ll likely list this for $35 to $40.)

From one of my favorite vendors I picked up this antique book titled “The Book For All Households: The art of preserving animal and vegetable substances for many years.” (Paid $1) It’s a 1920 version of an 1800s book. I figure with all the interest in homesteading, this might be a winner! The vendor is in her late 70s/early 80s and is as cute as can be with a froth of white hair. She told me she had brought frozen water bottles and put several inside her blouse next to her skin to keep cool…which explained the odd lumps! (I need to do more research on the book, but think it is a $30+ item.)

This vintage trim, possibly sari trim, has embroidery and tiny sequins. It was stunning and I got the whole wodge for $5! Have no idea how much I have or what I can sell it for but I was thrilled with this.

This crystal ashtray is the sleeper in the group. The “booth” of this 30-somethings couple was a mish mosh of newer items, used clothing and purses. I almost didn’t bother popping in and certainly didn’t expect to find anything. Then I picked up this hunk of crystal…

…and I saw this acid-etched maker’s mark: Swarovski. Holy smokes! I asked how much they wanted and the woman said $2. Wow. I couldn’t argue with that! Currently similar used ones are listed online between $75 and $289. I’ll have to experiment with my photos so I can show the beautiful flash to this crystal.

So I didn’t spend much, just $11. That’s got to be a new (low) record for me. I passed up a pair of small vintage sterling silver candlesticks for $60 and an original 1968 script for “The Beverly Hillbillies” for $40, but with no notation if it was actually used by one of the actors. Mistakes? Possibly, but what I’ve realized is that there is always more good stuff around the corner. I rarely have regrets anymore.

Hoping you are keeping cool wherever you are and finding lots of great vintage treasures,

Karen