Here are some of the recent finds that are coming with me to the Lucketts Antique Market…     …horse show ribbons from 1957 & 1960…         …this petite paper cutter (it’s about 6″ square)…         ..this apparently came out of an old church…         …a hanging scale…     …and a bunch of film holders.  I’m excited about the idea I have for these.  (I hope it works!) In addition to pricing things for the antique market, I did some major cleaning in my house, bought a couple of dressers, and cleaned out some of the basement.  I’ve been wanting to tackle that basement for a while and I’m finally almost back to my full energy, so I got a good start on it.  There were piles of boxes and spilled Styrofoam peanuts everywhere, furniture that needed to go to the thrift

I’ve been working on some rewrites for my book for the past week, but I’ve also turned my attention to getting ready for the Lucketts Antique Market.  That means lots of shopping.  I’m always afraid I won’t find enough.  Given that I sold almost everything on the first day last year, I am even more stressed about it this year.  I want to have a lot of great stuff and I want to keep the prices reasonable. This is what I managed to come home with today…   I’m really excited about some of the stuff I found.  I have a crazy idea for some antique 5 x 7 film frames I found. Some other things in the haul are four alarm clocks, two type writers, two fans, two wooden totes, some ironstone, a display from an old church, a wooden vent from a 100 year old barn, a cool brass lamp,

I go through different phases when it comes to shopping antiques.  There are periods when I am digging through every linen rack and pile in sight and other times when I’m scouring shelves for silver.  In one of those phases, just about any antique baby item caught my eye.  That phase was in my pre-baby years and that probably had something to do with it…  I was drawn to little leather booties, delicate bonnets, highchairs, and white dresses.  I even bought an antique iron crib and used it as a day bed for many years.  I’ve since sold almost all of the baby gear I bought in that phase, but I kept a few special pieces.  Today, I was cleaning up the guest room and saw two Christening gowns I had kept, but put away in the closet.  It was time to find a place for them again. I walked around the house, holding the two antique hangers from my fingers.  I finally found the perfect place. 

When I was shopping at the flea market in Raleigh, NC last Thanksgiving, I purchased this very old alligator doctor’s bag for $20.   It was an unusual purchase for me.  It’s not very practical, it doesn’t serve a purpose.  It’s not something I’ll use in a bunch of photo shoots.  But I knew it was something I wanted for me.  Something I would keep and enjoy (at least for a little while.)     I love the clasp, the handle, the crinkled leather (Is alligator skin leather?), and the fact it once served a special purpose.  This piece has amazing patina.  I tried to imagine the doctor who carried this bag.  Was it used for many years?  Given as a gift for graduating medical school?  Or perhaps given by a grateful town to a doctor who served them faithfully over a career?     Who knows what the history