New Beginnings

Happy New Year!!

To a new year and to new beginnings. I am toying with the idea of adding something new to our little store. Our little downtown area is seriously lacking one major thing... an antique mall. Other successful small towns have at least 2 of them, making their area more appealing to visit. I constantly am giving directions to our one and only antique mall in Newnan which is about 2 miles away from the Historic District. So my bright idea.....
is to turn our upstairs storage area, about 2000 sq. feet, into a French Brocante (or flea market). My plan is to reinstall the original grand staircase that was taken down a few tennants back....leading our customers up into the cupola and into about 15+ booths. So there is my New Year's Resolution... stay tuned to see how this story unfolds.

Flea Chick PIck of The Week

Well the week is almost over and I still have to make my Flea Pick for this week. I have to say that I am really digging the new soy candles from Swan Creek Candle Company. I am especially liking the Frosted Spruce scent! It smells just like a fresh cut christmas tree and that is nice to have in my house since my tree is artificial and champagne in color. No real trees this year! The candles are clean burning and have no black soot residue. What could be better. Priced at $14, $12, and $9.

Serenbe Christmas Bazaar

Come join The Vintage-Flea this coming Sunday from 12noon-5pm at the Serenbe Village. I will be featuring new encaustic paintings, silver jewerly, and folk art faces. Hope to see you then.

You like me, you really like me......

Thank you, Thank you, and Thank you to everyone who voted for The Vintage-Flea in the "BEST OF" competition. Lifestyles Magazine represents the Southern Arc, 6 counties, and does a voters choice competition every year. I have to mention that we were tied for #1 with The Phancy Pheasant located in Stockbridge, Georgia. So as Sally Field said on her acceptance speech... you like me, you really like me!

Flea Chick Pick of the Week

Our beautiful Julie here is showing her favorite Christmas pick this season at The Vintage-Flea, the silver deer head. "I like it because it is an artistic twist on something very traditional" We agree.. wouldn't this be beautiful hanging on your front door this Christmas? Only 2 deer heads remain, $65 each.

Flea Chick Pick of the Week

This weeks "Flea Chick Pick" comes from Aimee. She went straight to the circus room and picked up these colossal glitter balls ornaments. "These ornaments remind me of the Pink Pig. I use to ride it every year at Christmas time. The decorations were always whimsical, colorful, and fun." Ornaments are $5 and come in 6 different colors.

The Flea Chick Pick of the Week

Hello to all the Flea followers... here is a new segment that I am calling The Flea Chick Pick of the Week. From now until Christmas, one of my talented Flea Chicks will be giving you their favorite Christmas merchandise "must have" for the season. So lets start!!

This is Sally.. aka. the amazing lady who made the newspaper skirts for our mannequins. OMG I get so many comments about those skirts!! She's the one. Here is her pick:

"My Christmas pick would be the Gingerbread Cookie Ornaments. They remind me of my Grandmother's Kitchen around the holidays. She would make the most wonderful smelling gingerbread cookies and my brother and I were allowed to sample them after Thanksgiving Day dinner." Gingerbread cookies ornaments are available at the Flea.. $6-$12

Cover me baby!

Look who made the cover of Lifestyles Magazine this month... We did!! Well actually our beautiful silver pheasant birds did. We are now sold out of them. Oh the power of advertising!!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!!

Our Pumpkins
Our day started with lots of costumed children lined up around the corner. We estimated that we went through 500 pieces of candy in 1 hour. Here is our sweet Mary charming our little Flea customers.

The Vintage-Flea wishes you a Happy Halloween!

I heart enameling

As an investment to The Vintage-Flea, I purchased an enameling kiln from Thompson Enameling about 1 month ago. Problem was, I still couldn't figure it out. So Jenni and I decided to take an enameling class at the Atlanta ArtWorx studio. Our 3 week class ended yesterday night and we had a blast. It was an introduction course where we learned about making enamels with torch firing and kiln firing. I am hoping to intermingle some fine silver pieces with gorgeous pops of color very soon.

All I want for Christmas

A brand new Roland Cutter! I've been wanting to make t-shirts for a long time now for The Vintage-Flea but haven't found the right equipment. Until now!

Jenni and I went to the SGIA, specialty graphics and printing show last week and found some great new technology out there in the custom printing field. Some machines looked like carnival rides.....
Some printed large mural sized posters....and some can cut images out of aluminum, pvc, plexi, and wood.
But since I can't afford the $1600 Roland Cutter, I will enjoy my free guitar.
Rock on Sister!! T-shirts are still in the foreseeable future!! Just stay tuned.

Mercury Rising

New Votives at the Flea.. $4/$6 This beautiful vase has antique metal mixed in. $18
I've been asked by a few of you if I was going to carry Mercury Glass this Christmas and originally I had said no. Been there done that! But then I looked at my Mercury Glass collection that I have at home and changed my mind. I just love the way they sparkle and like a kid in a silver leafed candy store, I drool when the new shipments come in. Created in the late 17th century mercury glass was blown-double walled, then silvered between layers with a solution containing silver nitrate in a liquid formula and then sealed. Although it may be called mercury glass there was not a single ounce of mercury included into the mix. It was considered to be the "poor man's" silver as sterling silver prices were outrageous. Original Mercury Glass is extremely rare to find as it was very fragile but the knockoffs are just as beautiful. It can be found in a wide variety of shapes and can be made into many different colors like silver, gold, blue and pink. Happy hunting!! my mercury glass in a curio cabinet

Ladies Night Out.. Halloween Bracelet

I wanted to post my finished sample for our Ladies Night Out- Halloween Bracelet. The LNO will be on October 14th from 7-9pm. The fabric cuff portion of the bracelet was made from a recycled fabric scraps scarf which the ladies at The Recon Zone had made. I met them this weekend at Market Day and their booth was filled with fabulous recycled gifts. (My daughter picked up the cutest bookmark for her reading assignments.) I think they about died when I bought 5 of their scarves and said that I was going to cut them up. But see how cute the bracelet is???

I then took Halloween images and transferred them to vintage tea towels. Then I cut them out and sewed them along with several beads onto the fabric cuff. I added a magnetic closure at the ends.
My inspiration for the project came from an etsy artist I discovered a few weeks ago named Jean. According to her profile, she makes "curiously unique wearable art" and this is so true. Check out her etsy shop called Charmed I'm Sure and enjoy her beauties. Here is a sample of her fabric cuff bracelet.

This was definitely a fun project to do. Come on by or email us at flea@numail.org if you want to join us on Tuesday. The cost of the class is $20 for all materials. See you then.

Ever Changing Week

On Monday our front store vignette was dressed for our "Cinderella" theme. Invitation from Prince Charming on the dresser, pumpkin waiting to be turned into a carriage, dress pressed and ready to go, even a shoe box that says Glass Slippers.

On Tuesday we got our deer heads dressed in their Halloween Masks.

On Wednesday the Cinderella chest of drawers sold so we had to do it all over again. On Thursday we set our front vignette for another kind of feast. Maybe a vampire dinner party. Skull heads and crosses are carefully placed on this 8 foot table.

Rats are crawling all around.

Who sits at the head of this table.....

Happy Friday! This weekend downtown Newnan has Market Day so I hope you all get a chance to come out and enjoy the beautiful weather, talented artists, and great food.

The Gathering Place

This is what we have been lately.. The Gathering Place. It is nice to see the store so lively with customers coming and going. I hope you are all enjoying the new products... seems there is something new almost every day now. For example our "The Gathering Place" framed samplers both in large and small. We have also received our final Halloween shipment today which definitely has a more vintage look. So gather up your friends and spend a day downtown. See you soon.

The Gifted Flea

I had the idea of doing a Holiday Show for awhile now. Last year we did a Trunk Show series at our store that was a huge success but a nightmare to keep track off. So this time I want to put everyone under the same roof at the same time. I chose the dates of November 8&9 for several reasons. Market Day will be on Saturday and the Holiday Open House will be on Sunday. Also that weekend the Newnan Arts Association will be hosting their annual Holiday Show at the Train Depot. So keep your calendars clear for this weekend.. we will be having some wonderful local artists set up in our art studio, refreshments, give aways, and as always.. a great time! If you are an artist and are interested in participating at the Flea this weekend, please email me at flea@numail.org.

New Friends at The Flea

Can you resist these cute little faces! Treat buckets only $7.50 each.

Some new Ugly's waiting to be adopted..Suntan Target, Babo's Bird, and Poe.


Available only at The Vintage-Flea

Kudos

Another successful Art Walk is once again behind us. Kudos to all those that came by The Vintage-Flea, especially since both the local high schools had home games. Kudos especially to my wonderful staff. Since Jenni has left, I have had a lot more on my mind and more lists to complete. These girls make me laugh everyday and The Flea would be nothing without all of them. Speaking of the Flea, I got a lot of comments on our store decor. The Halloween section was especially a big hit. Well believe it or not I start getting ideas several months to a year in advance. (I am now finding vintage items for the 4th of July holiday in 2009!) So I was especially excited to pick up a new magazine called Halloween Tricks and Treats by Matthew Mead. The magazine is mostly filled with spooky edible treats for parties and since my son has an October birthday, I thought it would be fun to try some of the recipes.

I was tickled when I found some great decorating ideas as well. Look at how cute this pumpkin is painted with chalkboard paint.
Speaking of pumpkins, this is a felted pumpkin with a sculpted face. I am thinking a Ladies Night Out project for next October.
This coat rack is amazing and will certainly be at the flea next year. I especially love the "Save the Date" calender page and black and white socks.
What a treat basket this would make at our Fall Art Walk next year!! Filled with yummy bags of flea treats.
Our next merchant mainstreet event will be our Holiday Open House on November 9th from 12-5pm. Get an early start on your Christmas shopping downtown Historic Newnan.

Halloween Peek a Boo!

"By the prickling of my thumbs; Something wicked this way comes." -MacBeth

What a busy week and it is not over yet! I wanted to get my Halloween stuff out before Art Walk this Friday evening. The family and I were here all day on Sunday moving things, ripping up things, decorating things.... what a way to spend an afternoon. Here are some pictures of our little spooky house and surroundings. More Halloween merchandise should be arriving in a few weeks to add to our displays. Check back for more photos....

owls displayed in old wire cone in a plaster bust

Lori Mitchell's highly collectable Halloween figures are finally back at the Flea.

Caged up high above our table... Skulls with LED lights

Our Gothic Princess all decked out

My favorite pumpkins this year

This display is fun. Old doll head with an animal skull. Do you see Medusa?

These guys are creepy and so real looking.

Playing Tag

I have been tagged by Jenni so here it goes... hope I don't disappoint! It was difficult to pick out 5 bloggers to introduce to you all. Most of them are like movie stars to me and I admire them from a far. However, we all have one thing in common...we are shop owners. So sit back and enjoy these amazing boutiques.

Here are the rules:
1. Link back to the person who tagged you
2. Mention the rules on your blog
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours
4. Tag 5 bloggers by linking to them
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged bloggers blogs letting them know they've been tagged.

Here's my list:
Poppin
The Cottage Gals
Prairie Home
Urban Farmhouse
The Pink Funny Farm

Now for my 6 uninteresting quirks:

• I love eating sugary cereals, especially with the little marshmallows. (I'm eating chocolate lucky charms as I am writing this)
• I have a huge shark phobia. I can not go into the ocean unless someone is in front of me. My theory is that if a shark comes, it will eat them first and I can swim to shore.
• I have to sleep with the ceiling fan on.
• My mother wanted to name me Valerie Doreen but my father refused saying he didn't want me named after an STD. Ha Ha.. now I am Valerie Dumas!
• I am addicted to all the reality shows on Bravo. My favorites are Project Runway, Shear Genius, Salon Takeover, Top Chef and Top Design.
• My brother, father and I saw a haunted house in the woods once. The next day- it was gone. Spoooooooky but true!

Have a great weekend.

1 week to Art Walk

Count down... 7 days left until the Fall Art Walk. There will be some fabulous artists showing at The Vintage-Flea this year... collage, folk art, acrylic, encaustic, charcoal, mixed media jewelry, beaded jewelry, and much much more. Circle the date, September 12th from 5pm-8pm.