The Uncommon Flea Market

What I scored and how I styled it - GASP I actually put (almost) everything away!

The Uncommon Flea

This weekend was the last Uncommon Flea of the season. This fun monthly event is an offshoot of Austin’s very best antique store Uncommon Objects. Sadly it is too hot to hang out in a parking lot during the summer in Texas so the flea is gone until the fall.

I thought I would send the flea off with a round up of everything I got this time - most importantly I already put (almost) everything away! AKA it’s not in a pile on my dining room table like the bags from recent thrift store trips.

Color Coordinated Kitsch

I was so inspired by my scores that I came home and restyled one of my cabinets in rainbow order to showcase a few of the pieces. I spy a red fun fur, crayons and a sad sailor.

You might have noticed in my notes section of Substack I have posted the occasional “doom pile”. One of my goals is to start finding a home for things I bring home from the flea market or thrift store the minute I bring it in the door. Otherwise it ends up living on my dining room table or a box in my garage forever and I forget about it. Remember these fabric appliques? Yup still in the box they came in sitting on my garage floor.

Please follow along this summer as I sort doom piles, clean my garage and organize craft supplies. I feel an entire series coming.

Anywhoo on to the loot…

Circus Circus Matches

As someone who doesn’t smoke or even light candles it might seem like I didn’t need a bag of Circus Circus matches but I love all things in bulk and just look at those stripes and clowns. I’m thinking I might make mini junk journals, accordion albums or tiny notebooks out of these.

Crayola Gold Medal Binney & Smith Crayons

I’m a sucker for vintage art and craft supplies so how could I leave this box of crayons behind. This new pack is currently residing in a shelf but I also have a pack that was my mom’s in 5th grade on a bulletin board. I mentioned a couple of fun Crayola related things in the March newsletter. Oh and did you see the interview I did with Jo Gick? We have a quick chat about our vintage craft supply collections and even a show and tell moment.

Tallulah: My Biography

My daughter is named Tallulah so this book was a no brainer. She is actually named after the band Talulah Gosh and not Tallulah Bankhead but still for $5 I felt like I needed this book on my shelf.

Turtle Dream Pet

Yes I still have a Christmas tree up, but it has a summer vibe. Also, I love putting my Dream Pet collection into a Christmas tree.

Crying Sailor Boy on Black Velvet

Eventually I’ll find a frame for this guy, but in the meantime I love him as is. He reminds me if Margret Keane painted a Pierre et Gilles photograph. If you are interested in trying to make your own black velvet painting try this tutorial.

Tins, Tins and More Tins

I love vintage tins for a myriad of reasons - mainly for their intended purpose of holding stuff. When I teach Broken Jewelry Kitschmas Tree Classes I have everything in vintage tins. They are not only pretty but the lids stay put since many of them were originally used to hold baked goods and prevent them from going stale. Side Note: tins are also really cool cut up onto jewelry and wall hangings. I know first had after taking classes with Adaptive Reuse.

Seeing Red

Fun fur is a really underrated thing. I love it on wreaths, as a tree skirt and on the roof of a haunted house. When my eyes locked with this red lion situation I knew he would feel right at home with the red furry head devil figurine I already had.

Hallmark Bridge Ensemble - Starflowers

Have you heard the rumors that I kinda have a thing for paper crafts? No? Check out my Dolly Parton junk journal, the ephemera packs in my Etsy shop and all the collage on my Instagram feed. Ya these playing cards and tally cards went to a good home.

Carrie’s Room

Who the hell is Carrie? Actually, wait I don’t care I’m just glad I got her shadow box which I plan to totally remake into something extra fabulous.

Dog Ashtray

If you could have walked away from this crude $5 dog ashtray with mix-matched eyes you are a stronger person than I am. I love weird faces and I can not lie. I also apparently collect odd wood folk art crafts since I am realizing I have several pieces similar to this one.

Antique Ledger

This makes me want to write all the things in cursive. This large ledger was the most expensive thing I grabbed at the flea market but it was worth every penny. There are blank pages, tear out checks, gorgeous handwriting and more. An ephemera hoarders dream. If you come to one of my bookbinding classes in Dallas or Austin maybe I’ll bring the ledger to share.

A Place For Everything and Everything In It’s Place

Doesn’t everything look pretty? It felt kinda good to come home and find a home for everything. I often try to deny my love of kitschy knick-knacks but I just can’t quit them. For the record a few items from this haul video also finally found a home in this new rainbow shelf situation (look in the orange section for Pluto bubble bath and striped blue haired knee hugger).

Want to see more doom bin clean outs and how things got styled and organized? Videos, photos and posts oh my! Leave me a comment and let me know.

Thanks Uncommon Flea - I’ll miss you this summer but then again this gives me time to put away all the things I’ve bought in previous months.