Bodhisartva ..... Art/Spirit/Life

The Return of the Flea Market

Oh, Flea Market, I have missed thee!  For all kinds of reasons, I have not been at my usual haunts on Sunday mornings much at all since January.  But today, ah, today!  Long Beach Flea Market (really the best) with my DH - who gave me lots of room to roam and even brought me a cold drink halfway through. What a prince!

It does seem rather monochromatic, but you take what you can get.  I love the large thread holders and that box holds - count them - 144 spools of creamy white thread!  As usual, there is a coin purse, some rulers and old rubber stamps. You may notice that one rubber stamp and the metal number are both "3" - my magic number. 

I'm so excited that I found two things I can use for my jewelry displays at art shows. This is pretty cool - rusty and pretty large - with a hole at the top where I can mount a sign or flag of some kind.  In the first picture, you can also see something leaning against it that will work for hanging necklaces.

I do love my little red vintage metal box - perfect for carrying tools for bookbinding or jewelry making.  

The "Field Book" is an old leather bound journal with surveying notes.  All in all a lovely haul...but OH, the things I left behind!

How about you?  Did you do any flea markets, junk sales or yard sales this weekend?

Mother, Mother, Mother

Yes, Mother's Day is over but I didn't do it justice with my last post.

A few days before Mother's Day, I found this flowery package on my front porch - a gift from the talented, funny and utterly charming Mrs. Blossom. So excited!

I couldn't imagine what was inside, as it wasn't my birthday or any other event and why would she send me a Mother's Day gift?  I mean, I am a mother, but not HER mother.  But perhaps before I open this box, I should give you a bit more information.

Not only am I a mother, but it is my most cherished, treasured and joyful role in life.  It helps to have three spectacular daughters of whom I think the world.  Somewhere along the way, I began picking up framed vintage art about mothers. They carry flowery and sweet sentiments that could certainly never be said about me, but I love them anyway.  And, true to form, I acquired quite a collection. Some might say I acquired too many of them but what do I care?

Here is my wall of Mother plaques.  

 And see?  See that empty spot? That hole just begging to be filled?  Well, what do you know - someone dear just sent me something that will take care of that vacuum.

Thank you, Ginny dear.  You are a lovely friend to think of me. I will treasure it always.  

And now, my wall is complete.

Of course, tomorrow is the Long Beach Flea Market, so.......

 

Long Beach is the New Paris

Oh, OK, I'm exaggerating - the Long Beach Flea Market is not a Paris Brocante.  But, it certainly is a joy.  It's my new favorite.  Pasadena City College is so close, I'll still keep going there on the first Sunday of the month.  But Long Beach is so HUGE and everything is great.  I don't do vintage clothing but if you do, definitely get to LB for rows of great clothes, purses and shoes.

Yeah, that's another "Mother" plaque there.  I needed it, OK?  I love the cutesy little wooden trays and you can never have enough tins, right?  Canvas bank bags - and a fun tool apron - and you do know I love Pepsi...LOL.  That large sphere is a holder for a ball of string.  Or something else, you never know.

I've been collecting these little pencils to use as the focal point of some necklaces for an upcoming show.

I love the colors on this sweet box.  Along with its little buddies here.  I'll use the little silver salt shaker in a necklace as well.  Where that clunky, rusty, ballbearing wheel will go is anyone's guess.

This will have to hold me for a few weeks, as I never do the Rose Bowl.  But soon....PCC here I come!

 

I'm in Love!

After looking for years,  I finally found it.  Pasadena City College Flea Market. About 100 years old.  Clean.  Works great. Feels good in the hand. A bit pricey, but hey, these things obviously don't come along that often.

I first encountered one in Keith LoBue's class. Ah, the things I have learned from Keith. The Master of Tools.  He was singing the praises of this little gem. And opined that they were easy to find - sounded as though they were practically lying around every little sale and flea market.  Right.  Maybe in Australia, Keith!

So, what is the name of this new love of my life? It's a hand vise.  For all those times when the bench vise is too big and the pliers is too small.

Oh, ok, I know I am weird. But really. 

This is the new love of my life. 

Sorry, bub.

 

Mini-Flea Market?

I never go to the Rose Bowl Flea Market anymore, so the second weekend of the month could cause flea market withdrawal.  

Except that there is a "Sidewalk Sale" the second Saturday of the month, outside the studio of Clare Graham-one of my favorite local artists.  There are not a lot of tables.  But, as Spencer Tracy famously said, "What there is - is 'cherce' (choice)".  It's always fun, but this time, it absolutely gave me my market "fix" and I am content.

This seemed to be the day for old wooden spools and wire.  Some of this is from a really intriguing artist, Jeffrey Kibbe - wish I could have bought more of his very cool stuff.

Another table had a whole box of baby/children's shoes and I was charmed by this pair - mostly by the attached tag.  So sweet.

I have no idea what these were from originally, but I see its various bits in a few necklaces, yes?

Pasadena City College Flea Market February

After last month's disappointing foray (hardly any vendors there because the Rose Bowl Flea was the same day), today was spectacular!  Warm but not too warm, cool but not too cool, breezy but not too...well, you get the idea.

A bunch of metal.....

And a bunch of other stuff....

 

I totally lucked out.  The knives with the bakelite handles?  One buck each.  The yellow tin? Two bucks. The coin purse?  One dolla.

My favorite is the pebbly long wallet.  It's about 100 years old and has multiple pockets and is still in great condition. Inside is this -

Amazing what you can glean from receipts, business letters and deeds.  I can make up an entire story about this couple from Arizona, their two daughters who married and moved away, the passing of an era.

And I wonder what that shiny long black thing is behind it all.... 

First Flea of 2011

No, I don't have fleas - but I did go to the PCC Flea Market on Sunday - first of the new year, but not the last!

I had a marvelous time, even though there were very few vendors or customers. PCC was switched to this Sunday which meant it fell on the same day as the big Rose Bowl Flea Market. Most of the vendors (and I assume, customers) went there and left the PCC to us die hards.  Fine with me. 

For a change, I got the Mother and Dad plaque to add to my wall of Mother plaques - I figure my husband needs a shout out from time to time.  The little books are falling apart but the pages will be great in my artwork and journals.

There was lots of red and white for Valentine's Day, so I got this great square vintage table cloth and some nifty heartsy hankies.  I hadn't bought a little pitcher in awhile, but this one spoke to me, as did the little celluloid knobs and acorn finial.

I found the larger box on the bottom at the flea market and had to have it because I already HAD the littler one on top.  They are wood, but have a bakelite bar to lift the lid.  Not only THAT - I just won another on eBay with the same design, but a totally different construction.  I can't seem to stop collecting multiples. 

I wonder if it is genetic?  After all, my mother had nine children - I'd call that multiples!

 

If you don't buy it, I will....

It's a mixed blessing to be shopping with a dear one. Especially someone who has similar tastes.  Sometimes, it's delightful dance.  Sara and I were digging around one of those antique "malls" and I had already reached the end of one shelved space when she brought out this beauty.

It had been right there on the shelf and I completely missed it!  Darn.  But she found it.  She thought it was cool.  (I thought it was better than cool and my heart was going pit-a-pat.)  We traded some comments and I was waiting for a hint from her without luck.  So, I just said what you always say when a friend finds something you love before you do.  "Well (casually), if you don't buy it, I will (sounding oh, so,"it doesn't matter.").

"Oh, no", says she.  "I just picked it up because I thought you would like it."  Yyyyeesssss (fist pumping).  My treasure.  Found a few other things and went to check out. 

As I'm standing there, Sara approaches, picks up the thingy and says, "I changed my mind, I would like this afterall..."  (Stomach dropped out but I think I maintained my cool)   "...so I can buy it for YOU!"  

This is like having kids - you love them except when you want to kill them.  Please don't DO that to me!  And, thanks, Sara.  I love it. 

So, it is sitting on my desk.  And what, you may ask, is it FOR?

Why, for counting my blessings, of course :-)

Acquisitions From the Flea Market

Ok.  Sorry for that teasing blog yesterday.  I did not buy that tape.  In fact, I found nothing to buy at Michael's despite the huge coupons. 

No worries. Because, I went to the PCC Flea Market on Sunday and found lots and lots of the best stuff! 

Do you not love those big metal half circles?  I can't wait to make something with them.  Some lovely old books, including a small prayer book with it's own sleeve.

A lovely celadon green Bauer saucer.  Those tiny tins are full of watch parts.  I do collect those little brushes - they're just too cute to pass up.  And who knows why I keep picking up these folding rulers, but they are very cool.

Huge old jar that I got for a song.  Well, I didn't actually sing for it but it was cheap.

A little stack of old games (one of which I got for free :-)  Anagram letters; what fun I will have with those!  I've actually already used them.

Another game....

Well, this will convince you that I have lost my marbles.  I have two of these actually.  One from a long time ago.  It is more blue. This is more green.  Why? 

AND finally, this handsome lad.  Do you think my husband will be jealous?

So there you have it.  It was a wonderful day, not too hot and bargains galore.

PCC July Flea Market

I stole away for a very few hours Sunday morning and it made a world of difference to me.  The weather was great, crowds not too bad, saw a few friends - I came home refreshed.  And - found some GREAT stuff!  Vintage linens, old paper, tin, frogs, stencils, wood, bone, glass..ahhh..Pasadena City College Flea Market, I love you.

These were the find of the day, though it's hard to say when you find such nice things.  I'll use these on a shrine or special box for special things.

Isn't this a sweet face?  I rarely find tintypes that appeal to me, but she is so lovely.  How did they get little ones to sit so still for so long????

I have been looking for one of these for years....do you know what it is?  I'll tell you at the end of this post, if you're curious.

I acquired a PILE of these bone sticks; I think they are from a mahjong game?  I plan to use them in books, as clasps or perhaps as a spine for something odd.  Aren't the forks neat?  Bone and wood handles, with some metal.  Three prongs, so they are fairly old.

A few glass flower frogs....

And an old ration book in a neat leather case....

And a holder for important documents, with envelopes and a great case.  I only noticed when I got home that there were papers in the envelope and they do tell a story.  I'll share then later.

I also found.....

And a kimono stencil - he had a lot of them and I want more and more!

OK, so what was that basket thingy?  It's a stairway basket!  It sits at the bottom of your stairs, one edge on one stair; one on the stair above.  You drop into it anything that needs to go upstairs and when you're on your way up, you carry it with you.  My mom always taught us to never go up or down stairs or into a different room without carrying with us something that needed to be put in it's proper place.  Now, I have an elegant and practical way to do it.  Thanks, Mom!