Here I am on Saturday afternoon in braids wearing some of my covered button ponytail holders at the ends. I sold all day on
Friday with no sleep! It can be really tough to sleep at shows. I usually sleep in my cargo trailer on a big comfy futon or in my big white van.
I have said it before but there's just no place else on earth like Brimfield! If only photos could convey the energy buzzing around the field, the excitement of the shoppers & anticipation of the dealers who have worked nearly all night to be ready for the show to open at 6am. I am happy with my set up even though a whole 40 pound bin of fabrics never made it out of the trailer! Whoops! More to put out at the next show.
This is the back wall of my booth above and below. We had nice really weather the whole show... just a passing shower while we slept. I have gone from bringing & putting up my own 20 by 20 tent to renting a heavy duty 20 by 20 tent. It has mad my shows so much easier and I am able to put more time in to my displays when the tent is already there waiting for me to fill up! There is no going back now.... I am hooked on the convenience factor and it's a small price to pay in retrospect! The heat was not too bad on Friday or Saturday. Much better than last July when we were sweating it out in 95 degree humid weather. One of my EBAY button buyers came up to shop the show for a few days and spent the whole afternoon with me on Friday. We spent shopping and talking buttons and gossiping about eBay. She also got to see me in action selling....Thanks again Lianne! It was fun meeting you in person.
On my back wall in the middle are some chenille & vintage fabric baby blankets. I have not done a batch of simple blankets that are not made from hand cut chenille quilt squares in a while. My neighbor Annmarie bought one for her pampered kitty and a few others went to lucky babies. If it ever stops raining here on Cape Cod I will photograph a few and get them listed in my etsy shop.
My honey Dave on the left with our friend John sitting in the bored husband chairs. I have so many frilly girlie things for ladies in my booth. Not many manly antiques in this load. I actually found myself saying to a few men "don't let all the fluff & frills scare you we have antiques too!!" I love small antiques of all kinds I used to have cases and cases of them. Although they are getting harder and harder to find I still hunt.
I on that note I did find some lovely things at my favorite mid week flea market yesterday morning held at sandwich high school. Yesterday, I not only started my day there but also ended it there by seeing the AMAZING and lovely Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. Holy crap, that girl and her band freakin rock. She plays a Hammond B3 for that super 60's blues sound, another vintage keyboard, acoustic guitar and a flying V!!! The ultimate 1980's electric guitar!! Overall they have a toothy bluesy rock n roll sound. From what I had heard on the radio, which was only one song, I thought it would be more mellow. Her lyrics are wise and soulful ans she's so young. I am impressed and that is not easy when it comes to music. I have always had a lot of friends who are super talented musicians and music moves me like nothing else on earth. How surreal to see them in a little high school auditorium with only about 150 other people. I went with my aunt Joann and it was a blast. We are both homebodies and don't go out much at night. Most people who meet us together think she is either my mom or my date. Funny huh? The show was supposed to be outdoors on the grounds of a lovely and historic museum in Sandwich but it was moved to the school due to rain. Grace Potter and the Nocturnals will be big, that's my prediction. Keep your eye out for them on Good Morning America soon.
Ok... Back to the Brimfield post....
Above is my little front yard set up.
Here is Dave again below, He is a really good helper and did such a great job selling while I was off visiting and shopping. Dave has been to lots of shows with me over the past 8 years and knows all about the cakes and buttons too. You should see him selling a Crazy Cake! Compared to his day job at a tree worker & plant health care specialist doing a Brimfield show is like a vacation for him!
Below is our Friday night dinner club. I think Igot everyone with a mouthful in this one. We had a meat medley for dinner! I brought pork loins John and Steph brought marinated chicken and Steve brought some lovely Venison. Yes, I ate Bambi and it was so yummy that I asked my Dave if he would shoot me one. I am not sure he's too hip on the idea though. We also had a bunch of fruit, 2 pasta salads and whoopie pies I bought at the bakery before we left The Cape. I have never understood why everyone makes a mad rush in to Sturbridge to eat. We eat so well at shows. It's so fun getting together to tell all our stories from the day, laugh, have a cocktail...or 3!
All was swell by the well....
These fellow Cape Cod dealers specialize in antique glass bottles, old crocks and interesting small antiques
I think these bottle pics are some of my favorites I have ever taken at a show.
...and across the street I got to spend some time with Audrey and Charlie from the Boston area. If you go through the big tent with Ben & Jerry's in front of the Mahogany Ridge field and keep going across the aisle you will end up in their booth. Their set up was so shabby-licious. Audrey gave me a good deal on some pretty 40's fabric.
In the same booth You will find Louise of MES IDEES from Vermont. I looked at lots of pretty bags, Jackets, hats and other handmade accessories. Louise uses my Czech glass buttons on some of her coats. She will be opening an Etsy shop soon so you Etsy fans keep your eye on the Time Machine2 for her creations. I will warn you that Etsy's Time Machine is a totally addictive feature! Very cool though.
Louise! & her handmade goodies
Pretty pouches in the sun.
Back over in J&J my friend Susan had all these pretty Danish Modern pieces.
This is Steve and his son Nick from New Hampshire. They are in our Friday night dinner club and set up near me in May & September which are both bigger shows than the July show.
Aunt Joann sets up down the lane from me in July and right next to me in may and September. You can find her pretty handmade vintage fabric bags in her etsy shop. She's adding new designs all the time.
Now, anyone who has been to my booth lately knows I love thread chests. That little one is a little more rare, it's a needle chest. So lovely...and expensive! I didn't buy it and I don't regret that passed on it.
Annmarie's booth was really pretty too. She was in the next row over from me and my first sale of the day. Her booth was ultra-shabby chic and one of the pretties booths I saw in J&J.
The littlest shopper...
It was a lot of work crammed in to two selling days. I don't know how other Brimfield dealers do the 5 day shows. I did one long ago but the 2 day rush of J&J is much more fun for me.
Emily
Posts
