Aberfoyle - Spring 2011

A few more indicators of spring:  (1) the trees are starting to take on a greenish hue, as the buds appear and start to unfurl; (2) garden centres are suddenly appearing in the parking lot of your favourite grocery stores; and (3) the day of the first outdoor antique show of the season finally arrives!

My regular antique show buddy, Barb, couldn't make it today so I headed off to Aberfoyle this morning on my own.  I didn't get there until 10 a.m., which is late in the antique show scheme of things, considering they open at 8 a.m. (or 7 a.m. if you're really keen and willing to pay twice the $5 admission fee), so I was not overly surprised to find the on-site parking lot already full.  I had to park two blocks down the street instead.  And it was crowded, people, kids, dogs and strollers walking up and down everywhere.

None of these factors slowed me down.  I had a good time walking around, checking things out.  I was wishing I had a place to put this very cool old sink with the built-in metal cabinet underneath.  Even as I look at the photo, I'm thinking it would even look great on my balcony, with or without running water.

There was lots of furniture on offer, some of it funky:

and pretty much something for all tastes:

I enjoyed these vintage pin-up pictures.  Imagine being immortalized for all time wearing those bunny ears, how embarrassing!

I deeply coveted this wooden tool box but at $300, it was out of my price range:

I purposely didn't take a whole lot of money with me, which forced me to be selective with my purchases.  I mostly ended up with a number of small, inexpensive things.  I visited my favourite couple, he sells cool old tools, she sells vintage linens, buttons and kitchen utensils.  I got myself a ball peen hammer, a flat screen-like cheese grater, a well used copy of The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew and a small molding tray from them. 

I picked up a few cigar boxes, a little metal tin, some vintage jewelry chains, a couple of tin type photos (more about those in a later post), a little address book and some small antique keys.  I did buy something extra special, which I will tell you about in a later post.  I got a great deal and I couldn't resist it!  But that one $50 purchase ate up most of my remaining cash so I didn't stay much longer.

I definitely couldn't afford this Wild Bill Hickok lunch box (with thermos), tagged for $275:

nor this vintage wire plant stand, with a whopping $1,000 price tag!! (not including the wooden U-boat model sitting on top):

I thought my friend Kate would have liked these funky ceramic lamps, which apparently light up on the inside as well:

I certainly thought of her when I saw the black panther, for it was Kate who first told me there is usually one at every flea market and antique show.  We certainly proved that to be true at the vide greniers in France last fall!

The next outdoor show is three weeks away and Barb and I are hoping to attend.  In the meantime, hopefully there will be a few garage sales in my immediate future - lots more treasures to be found and the prices are usually much more reasonable!