earth day unfurling (every day!) and Sunday flea market

Unfurling - a word full of potential, possibilities, perhaps even promises. I like it. Unfurling. I like the way it rolls off the tongue...
I also like these, unfurling

I feel I have some ideas that are slowly unfurling in my studio and I love to watch the ferns unfurl. There is something so fascinating and mysterious about the process. And so archaic - ferns have been around for a very long time.

The sun was shining when I took the above photo. Today - well, not so much. It is April, after all. And the weather is determined to prove that. It looks like this today...

 Dark grey skies, heavy with rain clouds. But the pear tree is starting to open its blossoms.

I ventured out to the flea market, despite the weather - and yes, we do often have uncomfortable weather when there is a flea market - knowing full well it would be sparingly attended and despite the fact that it was 7° and threatening to rain. What can I say? I mean, besides: 'Hello, my name is Renate and I am addicted to flea marketing'... ? Well, I could tell you what I found, which is a much more interesting subject anyway.

A cast - not stamped - brass escutcheon and some delicate turned wood furniture finials. These are tiny!

A couple of interesting and unusual charms - a couple of religious souveniers, a very small animal horn that has been drilled through (don't know why that was done) and a tiny pocket knife - this is doll sized, less than an inch long, I think.

 

Silver plated sugar tongs - just look at those cool talons! Couldn't pass them up.

A very antique drawer from a sewing machine, which will need some TLC to retrieve its good looks. These are not easy to come by here. I think they are all in some elderly men's tool rooms, filled with tools and screws and nails and doodads that nobody can identify... and wouldn't I love to go poking around in those... ahem. 

Well, you know it is all about recycling, reusing, repurposing. Avoiding land fill. And finding treasures... Wishing everyone a wonderful Sunday and Earth Day!

Sunday flea market - it has been so long...

We decided to check out the big monthly flea market today - as it wasn't snowing or raining and the temps were above freezing. There wasn't a very big turn out of dealers, but that was to be expected. Pickings were slim and prices were high, but I managed to find something that had to come home with me...

I found a dozen of these vintage drawers that once were part of an apothecary's shop - they are not antique and smallish, smaller than a normal sheet of stationary - and the apothecary glued the packaging of the medication to the front of the drawer (where the printing has faded to nothing at all), so it is going to be a challenge to get the stuff off - but they will be helpful in getting things sorted in my studio... and I just can't resist an old wooden box/drawer/cupboard... ehmmm, you get the idea.

But this find made my heart skip a beat - I have been searching for something like this for a long, long time... this is an antique brass stamped filigree band - not just a small piece of filigree stamping, but several meters long... wonderfully detailed. It was rather pricey, but this is a very rare find and I couldn't afford to not get it. The possibilities for using this are endless. Who knows if I will ever come across something like this again?

This is exactly the reason why I am so addicted to flea marketing... it is a treasure hunt... and you don't have to bother with trying to find the X on the map... because there are so many treasures...

Wishing everyone a lovely Sunday!

last flea market of the year...

It's been a while since I was at a flea market. This morning I decided I had to make time to go to the last big flea market of the year, because there isn't much going on with the flea markets from January to March. Due to the stormy weather that we have had this weekend, I already knew the turnout of sellers would be low. It was. The lot was more than half empty. But that didn't stop me from finding some fun stuff.

More protective pocket watch cases...

An ethnic style necklace - to be repurposed...

Vintage glass cabouchons and flowers...

The find of the day - vintage sterling silver salt shakers... these are made of unbelievably thin silver, so they are very lightweight, but also delicate.

I even got some (real) mistletoe at the flea market - but forgot to take a picture...

Kitten update - the little cuties are crazy rambunctious. The eye problems continue to come and go, but otherwise they are stable healthwise. But, because they have been inside since October, they are not dealing well with the cold temperatures outside. I try to get them outside regularly, to get them accustomed and to give them the opportunity to really run and play, but it looks like they won't be moving out anytime soon.

They are about 16 weeks old now. While they have grown quite a bit, it seems they will remain small cats - particularly Lilith. In the above photo, you can see that her head is much smaller than that of her brothers. The little rascals...

Wishing everyone a peaceful Sunday!

Sunday flea market

It was cold this morning - really cold. Minus 4°C cold. So, we waited a bit before starting out to the flea market. To no avail - there was thick fog and it stayed cold until the sun finally found its way through just before noon, to make +5°C seem wonderfully mild. Did I just say mild 5°? See what going out in the cold can do to you?

I did make some interesting finds today...

Slightly rusted silver plated bracelet, possibly 1930's.

A small collection of large turned bone rings, although a couple of them look more like antler.

Various sizes of vintage pressed glass flower shapes and beads from a chandelier.

These are a rare find - glass eye cabouchons, some partially painted.

I want to thank everyone that commented (and with such kind words!) on my challenge piece - thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think. Your feedback is so appreciated.

I will leave you with a bit of cute - a photo of two of the sick kittens, which have now taken over my livingroom. Apparently it is a great playground and so many comfy places for a nap... and I can't leave sick kittens out in the cold, can I? These little ones are now approx. 8 weeks old. The eyes are looking just a bit better, but they are still sniffling and sneezing...

Hope you all have a wonderful sunny Sunday, where ever you are!

Sunday kittens and yes, of course, flea market

Skinny mama and the kittens are doing quite well today. What I didn't mention the other day - the kittens have been with their mama all along and she has been feeding them - but apparently she hasn't been producing enough milk to still their hunger and that is where I come into the picture - additional meals. For her and  for them.

Here they are taking some sun (and a bit of lunch) today. Skinny mama lying in the shade - the big tabby behind her is 'Mr. Babysitter' - he seems to have quite a thing for kittens. He was constantly watching over the first litter and is now taking a big interest in these three, when they come out of the nest.

I did go to the flea market, inbetween kitty breakfast and kitty lunch.And I even found some goodies...

This could be a mountain goat horn tip. Was probably part of a Bavarian charivari - an assortment of Bavarian charms a man would wear with his lederhosen.

Some gorgeous green opalite Czech glass beads.

A tiny vintage buckle and an assortment of antique buttons in glass and brass. 

A strand of etched agate beads - love the color and the matte surface.

And then I found these three vintage display boxes - a rare find. Usually the sellers at the flea market keep these for themselves. They are perfect for storing and displaying finished jewelry.

Hope you are all having a wonderful Sunday and thank you for visiting!

Sunday flea market and feeling a bit under siege

A dreary, rainy, cold morning - 13°C (= 55°F) - I am not at all sure it is July. In fact, it can't be. Whatever happened to summer????
Well, I went to the flea market anyway - in my winter jacket. It was dreary there too. Rain came down in a steady drizzle. I almost had my eyes poked out by umbrellas and I saw lots of plastic foil covered over tables. Wow. Exciting! not.
But those of you that have visited here often know that I will not be deterred from finding goodies at the flea market. And I wasn't.

Bone beads and faux coral. The lady I bought them from says they are coral - but I am pretty sure that they aren't - too shiny and too cold to the touch. They don't feel at all organic; more like glas.

 More doll parts unearthed in Thuringia - some arms and legs.

The seller said these are from Tibet. Maybe. Although I would have thought Afghanistan.

These are wild boar tusks. So cool! And so big!!

I have been feeling as if I am under siege lately. This is what it looks like:

None of these are my cats. And then there are these:

There are actually 4 of them. But impossible to get all of them in one photo.  I 'hate' that I am a sucker for kitten cuteness. But then, even my husband is a sucker for kitten cuteness. 

None of these cats is a pet - they don't want to be petted, just fed. And they are extremely hungry.

It all started with one young cat - not one of those kittens, most of them are probably not yet one year old - giving me that I-am-starving-look. I have a character flaw - I can't resist a hungry cat. So I gave the cat some food. You know - one more cat isn't going to be a problem... Next thing I knew, there were five cats. Then seven. Sometimes even 10. Plus the kittens. And this is not counting my own 5 cats.

Now what do I do?

Sunday flea market

Today was one of those days at the flea market, when the finds are too highly priced and the sellers are in a bad mood... not all of them, of course. It was meager pickings. Very meager. On the other hand, today I made the most unusual find ever.

A nice little vintage charm bracelet.

A vintage rosary crucifix that opens up in the back - I have never seen one of these before.

And this - this is soooo unusual. It is supposed to be the tip of an armadillo tail. I wouldn't know - there aren't any armadillos in my neighborhood. But it is definitely a very cool find!

Wishing everyone a wonderful Sunday - however you choose to spend it - enjoy it!

Sunday flea market

Today is going to be hot and muggy, so we headed for the flea market early. We haven't been to this particular flea market for a while and at first I thought, this is going to be one of those empty-handed days. Which goes to show - you never know what you will find at the flea market, until you have covered the whole flea market...
Actually, I was looking for some larger rusty metal pieces to use in something I am planning for the garden. Of course, I never find anything I am particularly looking for. Must be a 'natural law' of flea marketing. But I did find some great goodies for my jewelry making stash...

Pocket watch backing and a number tag - 13 is my favorite number...

Chandelier crystals - how could I resist?

Some wonderfully unusual little light bulbs.

Naturally shed antlers... so cool!

Some really soft leather scraps. 

 Wishing you all a wonderful early summer Sunday and thank you for visiting!

Sunday flea market

It is a warm sunny day - perfect for the flea market. And what a colourful flea market it was!

Max always enjoys a table full of hardware.

Carved ivory tusks - imagine how huge the elephant must have been...

One seller had only doll's houses and doll's furniture. This apothecary was just too gorgeous.

Sometimes we see really unusual stuff - like this baby carriage, probably from the late 50's or early 60's.

The absolute attraction of the flea market this Sunday were these two visitors - with their huge dog and the parrot perched on her hand. I would have loved a couple of those gorgeous blue feathers...

 Oh yes, I did bring home a bit of stuff...

A vintage necklace sample card - which I will dismantle - I wanted those unusual faceted cat's eye beads...

Some vintage religious medals - these will need some work...

 

A handful of beads - bone, horn, wood, shell...

These are my favorite finds of the day - from an old doll factory in Thuringia - with a patina you just can't imitate. They look like ancient relics, something you would see in a museum... absolutely fabulous!

Max brought home some new herbs the other evening - I am off to plant them in pots for the herb garden ...
wishing you a wonderful Sunday!!