Off to the Big Apple

That's right, we are off and flying to the big apple tomorrow through Sunday. Talk about two giddy flea chicks! Our main purpose for going is the New York International Gift Show. But, we also plan to hit every Anthropology, a hot place we heard of called ABC Carpet (which we are told is not a carpet store), maybe a museum, maybe a show, maybe a night hot spot.....we are up for it all! We've been told that the Atlanta show is bigger and better, but we just have to see for ourselves. Our goal is to hook up with some new emerging artists with fabulous products just for you, our loyal shoppers! We hear that it's going to be about 40', not too cold, right? We are going to be dressed like we are hitting Mt. Everest so I am sure we'll be warm! See you when we get back!

New Jewelry for Your Winter Wardrobe

Gorgeous new line of jewelry just arrived here at the flea. This horn inspired jewelry line comes in 2 necklace styles and a bracelet. Priced just right at $36 and under!

We also received a shipment of beautiful shell inspired jewelry. The rings are FABULOUS, a must for every lady! The necklaces have a wonderful mix of gold, which is such a 2008 hot trend, and shell. Come on in and try one on today!

Salvage Chic

Valerie spotted these letters and numbers on the Junk Market style girl's website, contacted the artist, and voila! Now we are offering them in our store. You can spell your last name, initials or like Valerie did, put the numbers on your mailbox. We had a bunch of young boys in the store Saturday and they loved them too. They all wanted to either spell out their names or their baseball team. Cool ideas guys!

Furniture Sale

Valerie and I love to find key pieces to use as display units in our store. But did you know that they are also for sale? And it's time they went on sale! All of our large pieces of furniture are now reduced anywhere from 20%-60% off! What a savings! I am sure there are those of you who after taking down all your Christmas decorations felt a need to do some rearranging, purging and adding. Be sure to stop by and check out all we have on sale and see if it works with your new look! French inspired china cabinet was $250 now $200.
Handmade wall unit by a local crafter---FABULOUS piece! Was $2300 now $1600.
Hoosier cabinet was $350 now $175.
Beautiful color wall unit was $800 now $675.
Handmade by same local crafter as the large brown wall unit was $650 now $575.

Call if you need us to measure anything for you!

New Felt Purses Just Arrived!

Just in at the Flea....felted purses. We have a wide assortment in colors and styles. It's hard to say which is a favorite yet. The prices range from $20-$25. Aren't they fun! Also shipped with the purses were some way fun felt bead bracelets, earrings and necklaces.

Closed for MLK

We are closing Monday in observance of Martine Luther King. Be sure to come by on Tuesday and say hello! Also bring those great pictures of your family playing in the snow....we can make some fun marble coasters out of them!

Winter Wonderland

We'd had a small spell of snow Wednesday afternoon here in Coweta County, but Saturday was a spectacular snow day! We had a Saturday workshop from 10-12am with the buzz of snow falling getting the 20 children painting portraits all a glow with excitement. This snow we might be able to build snowman with they said! Boy were the right. It snowed and snowed for several hours and actually stuck to our dry land. Here's a few pictures of our chocolate awning blanketed in snow. See how much it was falling and how BIG the flakes were?
Here's a view out our front door with the courthouse in the background. Another view of the front with our ladies dressed up for Valentine's day.

Time For a Sale!

It's "TIME" for a sale. And this sale is on our wonderful collection of clocks. The wall clocks hanging form the ceiling are battery operated and tell time quite nicely. The vintage clock collection makes a nice statement in your bookcase, or frozen with the time your children are born, but they will never wake you up with their ticking! Prices now start at around $4.00 and go up to $35.

The Unexpected...

We love to find a good sofa and this one has meticulous charm...tufted, muted silver, rounded back and arms, mint condition. It is a rare find that has found a nice home in our store. Dressing up the sofa you see here a wonderful collection of toile pillows. Take a second look at those pillows however and you will see that they are not the usual pattern. After handcrafting the pillows, Valerie delicately added with her trusty needle and embroidery thread some "whimsy" to the very traditional pattern of the toile! This one has a hula skirted man playing a horn, bright blue fish in the basket and a little dancing dog in a pink tutu!

This toile is decked out with non other than crusty the Clown and horse sidekick in stripy tights! How clever is this? What a great addition to your traditional room. I am sure it will have your guests talking.
Come on by The Vintage-Flea where you come to expect the unexpected!

Handmade by a Flea Chick

Here at the Flea we try to introduce a variety of new products, including ones made by us! Here is a sneak peek at a few! This cone is made with our fabulous felted flowers, ribbon, tons of yarn and vintage buttons. It would be great on a doorknob, front door, or other special spot. We have several wreaths to choose from, including some Valentine's Day ones. These were all inspired by Katie Runnels, an artist we found in a great blog called The Constant Gatherer. These are made with a wreath form, yards and yards of yarn, felted flowers, vintage ribbons and buttons and more. Come to the store to see all the selection. Each one is unique and would be a great welcome to your friends on your front door! They are all priced at under $35.00
I'll have a hot dog, coke, candy bar and.......whoopsy...you can't eat these yummies, they are for your wrist! Made from those little trinkets we used to get from the bubble gum machines, these bracelets are a wonderful, fun addition to your jewelry box! Each bracelet is filled with a variety of adorable charms, no two are alike. Come quickly because quantites are limited!

Oh, and these great bracelets are packaged just right for your sweetie in a Whitman chocolate box. Valerie, Julie and I had a yummy time emptying the boxes for you! Priced at $38.00 each.

A Curious Affair

Those of you that know us, know that Curious Sofa in Kansas City has become a store we love, and we've never even been! What you say? About a year ago Valerie read the most fabulous article about business owning in Home Accent magazine (I think this was the name). The article was written by none other than the owner of Curious Sofa, Debbi. Over the past year we have read her blog like a diary, soaking in every word and images she posts. Since first reading this article and finding her on the web, she has been featured in Country Living for her home and business! She has the inspiration, motivation and the knowledge we long for. About a month ago she posted on her blog an invitation for dinner during the Atlanta Gift Show. We were soooooo there! Last night Valerie, me and about 20 other eager young business owners met at the Plesant Phesant on Peachtree where we dined, talked and talked and TALKED about owning a business, the in's and out's, the best spots to buy, the worst lines, the best lines, our disappointment with this and that and soooo much more! It was a bit like meeting a movie star for most of us, we all regard her with such....awe really. She was kind to share her time and her knowledge with us. We all left revived and recharged. We look forward to one day seeing her wonderful store, but for now we will continue to read her blogs and use them to inspire us throughout the seasons!

To Market!

It's that fun time of year again where we hit the Atlanta Gift Show. We plan to hit the 3 massive buildings running this Sunday and Monday. If you've read our past blogs, you know that last year we had quite the fun day buying then arrived at our parking lot to find my lovely mini-van stolen! Well, so we thought at the time anyways. We've worked up a plan, logging and mapping out where we want to go first. Of course there will be showrooms that woo us in, whether its a fabulous display or a pretty beverage, we are always on the look out for a new product line in the store. We are also suckers for the hot chocolate chip cookies and the margaritas!

We plan to set out our handmade Valentine goodies once we get back, so be sure to pop in later next week. We will be packing up what's left of the Christmas, so anyone looking for a great buy on a decoration for their next holiday season get on by this weekend where everything is 60% off!

THANKS for a great Year!

We just want to thank all of you for helping make this year a huge success for us! We really enjoyed transforming the store with each season and the stints in between. We are already scheming for the coming year and frantically buying for the now. We have three big buying sprees coming up....a road trip to Kentucky....the Gift Show in Atlanta...and the big one for us the New York Gift Show! In the meantime, bare with us as we do our nesting, preparing the store for the winter months to come. Don't be surprised if we ask you to look for the hammer when you come in!

The store will be open the remainder of the week with Ashley at the helm. Valerie's Mother is coming for a visit, and I am hibernating for a few days with the kids (surviving is the word actually). Knowing us, we will also be busy making things for you to buy in the comforts of our homes. From our families to yours, have a Happy New Year and we look forward to seeing you very soon!

A Sneak Peek at Jenni's House

Unfortunately I am having technical difficulties with my digital camera so I had to drag out the old 35mm. The bad in that is I had no idea what the pictures would turn out like, the "can I see Mommy" window comes in handy more than I thought! So here are just a few I was okay with sharing.

I am very drawn to a "natural Christmas" look to the outside of my home. Maybe it's the setting of our house, or the "Over the river and through the woods" image I nostalically love. Whatever the reason, I add just a little something different each year. What I wish I had pictures to show are my white vintage fence posts at the entrance to my sidewalk. They have nice natural sprigs on them with the trusty old red wagon beside full of a load of firewood ready to be wheeled in for those cooler nights upon us! I like the welcome it gives me when I walk up to the front door. This is a shot of some of my Byers' Carolers. Over the years my family and friends have given me these and they all have special meanings. I just LOVE these little guys. I have the entire Nutcracker series now, a mommy, an artist, a gas lighter (Billy used to work for Atlanta Gas Light), and of course a Mr. and Mrs. Claus in the collection now. Some say they are ugly, but I think they are so sweet!
In the kitchen I hung my Christmas decoration find of the year from the light fixture. In the original brown paper box I found 12 shiny bright tiffany blue balls. (notice the window awning....that's my new addition to the kitchen in my favorite Amy Butler Fabric). The other blue balls are resting on top of some amber bottles in the window over the sink.

Here's the mantel with the Mr and Mrs Carolers. The sled was Billy's Grandmother's, the phone came from my Daddy when he worked for Bell. The art on the mantel is by William a couple of years ago. I actually used it for our Christmas card becuase I loved it so much!

So that's it for now....more when the decorations come down!

The Last Trunk Show

Whew....what a whirlwind of a month and a half with new merchandise coming in every week! It has been so much fun to see our trunk show artists bring their wares into our store for one week to see how they would sell with our wonderful shoppers! We've had everything from jewelry, purses, art, and now Hall Manor. You all have to make a stop by to see their beautifully handcrafted wooden items like colonial houses, stools, rocking horses, bookcase, sofa table and more! They also brought the nicest stockings for those needing an extra or wanting to change out for this year's decorating. Also in their trunk were "Hooking" bags...not that kind....but for your RUG hooking projects. Pockets just the right size and place for all your tools. They also design rug hooking patterns and have those to sell. Last, but not least, we have a sofa full of their pillows...some Christmas, some for the special teeth our children loose. Come on by this week!

A Peek at Valerie's Christmas

We promised you all a peek at our personal homes and decided to start with a peek at Christmas. For two years now we've both wanted a flocked tree and this year Valerie did it! Isn't it to die for? Looks like real snow has fallen onto this perfectly shaped tree. She's placed it in her family room window which overlooks the lake ( Which has a most fabulous view), so their family isn't the only one to enjoy it's magical feel.

As you approach her home she has a fabulous walk up with faux columns, wooden stars, flocked wreath and real greenery. To me it looks like you are walking into a magical winter wonderland. Do any of you recognize the stars? They came from the store. The sled came from a weekend stop at Scott's. This is just such a nice entrance, wow girl! A true winter wonderland. I want to come in to see more! Valerie has a large collection of mercury glass from over the years. This year she decided to take it out of it's regular nesting spot to the mantel. The mantel is always a challenge for me for some reason. She has made it look effortless, doing a great job of mixing the real greenery with her collection, a few glittery items and two cool clocks, which don't work by the way. Instead, they have frozen in time the moment her two beautiful children were born. So sweet!

Here's a close-up of that dreamy tree and her glass ornaments. Santa looks as though he's saying hey ya'll readers!
Here's the mantel from afar (I really should have tried to get these pictures organized better, sorry folks!) I love the glittery urns, they are really silhouettes I think she glittered herself.
Stepping back a bit further in her family room you will find her collection of wooden angel dolls. See in the background the way cool doors on a track? The arch on the brick fireplace? Her home is full of neat details like that!
These are the side entrance decorations. Love the idea of putting a tree outside with sparkly pinecones, real greenery, salvage angel on the door and more! She perfectly mixes the old with the new for a look that is so unique. They say that back door friends are the best, entering her home this way you definately feel welcomed.

So this is just a little peek, she has sooooo much more to see. You'll just have to wait and see after the Christmas decorations come down. My house is next.....

Oh for a Winter Day to Wear this Hat!

This week's Trunk Show is Lollie Belle. Valerie tells you a bit of their history on the website, so I'll just tell you the nitty gritty. You've gotta come in and at least try one on. It's so much fun, like being a little girl playing dress-up! The colors, the trims, the fabric combinations....oo..la...la.... Actually you've got to come by and try them ALL on. I have already got my eye on a black velvet one. It's funny, I tried on several, and this one just said you are so Jenni! Even if you think you aren't a hat person, I am sure you will find one of these that suits your personality. Can't wait to see you in it!

Trunk Show Double Trouble

Morr-is-Better Embroidery has on display at the Flea this week the most clever shoes ever. The sole of the shoe is super comfy with these little snap on straps which you can have custom embroidered! Is that smart or what? The shoe bases come in black, brown and my favorite, cork. They automatically come with a black strap with a monogram. If you check out the Lexees website you will find they retail for about $60, but at the Flea, Amy lists them for only $42 with additional straps for $20. What a deal! Here is their website: http://www.morr-is-betterembroidery.com/. Check them out for all your monogramming needs!

We also have Annie and her most adorable stationery. If you haven't picked up your Christmas cards, then come on by because her designs are sure to put a smile on your recipients face. Annie also has single cards, everyday card sets and her whimsical originals all for sale this week. In just two days her stationery has proven a hit with our customers. So, come on down and check it out for yourself! She also has a website: http://www.hodgepodgestationery.com/.

What's Your Style?

Valerie and I are constantly looking for new inspirations for our homes and the store. We LOVE magazines and books. In fact, if you look in just about any crook or corner in either of our homes you'd find a pile of magazines with corners turned down for future reference or if we really like it, we tear it out and bring it in to share! I was recently looking back through a book entitled, Found Style by Mark and Amy Bulter. You might recognize that name, because at the Flea, we covet Amy's fabric designs and patterns. Anyways, I actually read my design book's text and was reading this one's when I got an idea. In this introduction it talks about finding your style. He says that true "style" should come from years of assembling your home with the things you love. The latest color trends, bedding and furniture can come and go, but if you truly want a home to feel warm and comfortable, you have to be patient and you have to be selective about your purchases. He says it is definitely easier to hire a decorator or to go into a new furniture showroom and buy an entire set, no doubt. But, where is the true fun in that? Valerie and I love to scavenger everywhere from the Goodwill to an Antique Mall. While we say we are looking for the store, we are also keeping hawk eyes out for our own homes. You just never know when that perfect chair, needlepoint or sofa (my weakness) is going to be there. So why am I carrying on at this point you ask? Because I was telling Valerie about this whole story the other night and we both agreed that the Flea was a nice combination of her style and mine. Which brought about an interesting idea. We are often asked by customers, "Is your house just filled with all this same stuff?" The answer to that questions is no. Some of it for sure, but usually it all sells out before we get it! We each have our own individual style that creates a great look for the Flea, and hopefully inspires you to make your home tell its' own story. I can describe my home as a mix of eclectic, modern country. Valerie I would describe as a bit more formal french country (just drool over her exterior and you know there is some french inspiration!), but she also has a flair for finding the most fabulous unique items. My favorite in her house is a metal sign hanging in her kitchen that says ____ number of days without injury from some sort of factory. How cool! Back to my point, we have decided to let you into our homes via a series of blogs. Don't plan on it coming out tomorrow, but soon. We hope you enjoy taking a peek into our little lives at home and what inspires us as we continually "assemble" our homes for our families.

Littlebutter Beans

Coleen Verner has brought into our store a venture we've never tried before, that of "girly" little things. From carefully hand-tied hair bows, to adorable felt pins that look yummy enough to eat, she has a little something for every little girl. Great for stocking stufffers, or just because, there's a wonderful selection for you to choose. We sold several bows to happy Mommies today infact! She also has some fun hand painted items, bowl fillers and package ties to complete your Christmas decorations.
The wall of bows she has is sure to make you smile! Boy, I sure wish Mailey would wear one, just one!
She also invented this handy dandy little gadget to go around doorknobs to protect those dainty little fingers we love to kiss!