Greenmead Fall Flea Market

I was able to go to one of my favorite events last week -- Greenmead Antiques Flea Market in Livonia, Michigan.  It only happens two Sundays a year and it's a don't-miss opportunity to find some great stuff.

A beautiful, sunny day!

I always get there early (by 9:30, at least, for the 10:00 start).  At $2 admission, it's a bargain!

I've usually filled my granny cart and also had some large items to go back to pick up.  This time, though, I filled my granny cart, made a trip to the car to empty it, went back and filled it again and then STILL had big items to pick up.  Three trips to the car -- WOW!

Here are some of the neat things that I found:

Two old bed-spring pieces.  I'm going to mount these to the wall and hang things off of them.

Felt Christmas tree skirt -- it needs a tiny bit of mending

The green breadbox is pretty shabby, but I liked the polka dots.  The chalkware kitty bank is shabby, too/  I couldn't believe I found a red Pyrex 401 bowl in great condition!   The black salt & pepper are pretty cool, too.  

Do you see the pink Pyrex fridgie?  SO excited about that one!  My son and his wife have already claimed the 1970s giant glasses -- I knew someone would love those...

I know I don't need any more Christmas tins, but Santa (who you can hardly see) is very friendly looking.  And I can NEVER resist souvenir pennants or cameras!  Can you see the mid-century Coronet thermos jug -- it's so cool!

Franciscan Desert Rose salt & pepper, Christmas aprons & more dish towels

Love these tablecloths (the songbirds are a dish towel).  I got the rooster & hen cloth for $1 because it's so stained.  I'll see if lots of soaking will work on it...

I wish I knew who manufactured the big soup mug with the lid.  It's ringed like Bauer, but I don't think it is Bauer.

I just had to have these funky corn dishes.  They're hard plastic (celluloid?) and very thin -- I think they're popcorn dishes

This is a Westinghouse roaster base or cabinet.  I think it would look cool set up as a bar

Lots of storage room for bottles & glasses inside

The suitcase is a project piece.  It's been completely stripped inside, so I get to line it!  

Here is one of my favorite things from Greenmead... I bought it to sell (and still might), but I love it so much that I'm tempted to keep it:

This is a pretty big picture -- maybe 18x24.  It's a 40s or 50s photo of a girl blowing bubbles and she just looks so joyful

 And the BIG STAR is this globe -- it's a Repogle game globe from the 1960s.  I was very excited to find it and when I asked the vendor if he could take any less for it, he dropped it by a lot.  I was doing the happy dance away as fast as I could, before he changed his mind.

 If you live near southeast Michigan, try to go to Greenmead sometime...you won't be disappointed!

A Thrift Store Adventure -- Stop, Thief!

We've been cleaning out closets and I had to take bags of clothes to our local Salvation Army.  Since I didn't have Mr. KV in the car with me to tell me I didn't have time to shop, I got to stop in and see what was new.

The first thing I saw was a dark green Harlequin creamer -- for less than $2!  I was so excited and snapped it up (doing a mental happy dance the whole time).  Then I saw a small maroon pitcher that looked old -- it was incised (not ink-stamped) Fiesta on the bottom.  I still have to figure out if this is old or contemporary (I think it might be Cinnabar).  I think it's the cream pitcher that goes with a sugar bowl on a special serving plate.  But I digress...

Do any of you know if this is Cinnabar?  Or if it's old?

I found a few more mid-century things (my lucky day, I guess) and went to the check out line.  As I mentally added my stuff, I saw that the harlequin creamer was gone!  I said (no, actually, I yelled) "Someone took something out of my cart!"  All the other shoppers in line were horrified, of course.  If it could happen to me, it could happen to them.  I went to each check-out clerk and told them (I think, a little loudly) that a green cream pitcher that came up was mine and that it had been taken out of my cart.

I spent the next 1/2 hour looking in everyone's carts and what they were carrying.  No creamer anywhere.  Finally, I admited defeat and got back in line.  There, on the jewelry counter right next to the front of the line was my pitcher!  The cart-thief had apparently dumped it when I raised the hew-and-cry.  Crime foiled again!

I'm still wound up about this -- and also about finding a Harlequin creamer.  Harlequin is my favorite Fiesta pattern and I don't have a creamer AND I never find deals like this.

Doing the happy dance once again!

That which was stolen has been found!

Have you ever had a cart-thief adventure?  Did it end happily or sadly?

Merry Christmas to Me...

I was working on my booth at the mall last week and after I was finished I decided to walk around and see what was new.  This is always a good way to a)see how others stage their booths,  b)see what their pricing is like for my similar items and c)SHOP.  One of the other dealers, Ben, loves mid century kitsch just as much as I do.   I've bought LOTS of things from him (he laughs that I'm one of his favorite customers)!  If you're reading this Ben, here's a thank you to you for making my home more kitschy-ful!  

At Christmas, this treasure was one of his finds (now on my kitchen windowsill):

A Lefton Santa & Sleigh

I always check out his booth to see what's new and this week there was this wonderful find!  Harlequin is my favorite Homer Laughlin pattern -- even more than regular Fiesta.  I was so excited to find the covered casserole & snapped it up right away to buy with my Christmas money from my Aunt Gene (that didn't last long, did it?) 

  Thanks, Aunt Gene (and Ben)!

Look What Came in the Mail Yesterday!

My husband says that I get a package a day -- that's an exaggeration, but it is fun to get things in the mail. This arrived yesterday -- a dark green Harlequin gravy boat! I realized a while ago that Harlequin is my favorite Homer Laughlin pattern -- I love its art deco angles & lines. I bought several pieces years ago (mostly egg cups), when it was much cheaper, but now it's gotten really expensive. Harlequin's big on my wish list for sales this summer!

Harlequin (Not the Romances)

I finally broke down and joined the Homer Laughlin China Collectors' Association (or HLCCA). They put out a little magazine called 'Dish' a few times a year and offer some HLCCA members-only Fiesta items that Homer Laughlin makes for them. Other than the magazine and deals, I'm not sure what the benefits are, but I don't really care. I just like looking at the pictures in the magazine. Should I even admit that?

My first copy of Dish came yesterday and after looking at it I've realized that I like Harlequin the best of all the HL patterns. I have some egg cups and a sugar bowl that I bought years ago, but now I wish I had gotten much more back when it was cheaper. Here's my wish list (pulled from google searches, because they're not in my kitchen:

TeapotCreamerGravy boatSalt & Pepper

Unfortunately, it's all really expensive and hard to find at sales. HL only made it for Woolworth's, so there isn't as much Harlequin out there as garden variety Fiesta. Oh, well -- that should just make the hunt even more fun.

Do you have a favorite Homer Laughlin pattern?