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Thursday, October 21, 2010

The Demise of the Fleamarket (as I knew it)!

I am sure fleamarkets have all sorts of reputations by the people who frequent them. This is just mine... I have visit them from time to time in my life. As a child my father would make and sell Soulful Christmas music at our local market. There would be someone selling perfume/incents, another selling cast offs from an estate sale or home clean out. Almost always somebody had a large barrel grill cooking the best ribs you have ever tasted.

I now visit fleamarkets more often than before. You see, I redesign jewelry and small furniture items and accessories. So the fleamarket, thrift store, garage and yard sales are where I can find some of my best buys. Of course curside shopping is the absolute best bargain because it is free!

Anywho, now all I see at the markets are dollar store items! Everything is cheap. Whatever happend to the vintage clothing, tchotchkes, mixed tapes, they old guy selling used hardware and tools? Where's my local farmer selling vegetables and fruit.... Now all I see is junk....and DEFINITELY not the good kind!

During one of my recent trips to a once reliable fleamarket it was SO crowded, I couldn't even find a park. This was in the middle of the day... don't these people work?! LOL

Right off the back I was hit with designer knock-offs of every kind!
 All sorts of stuff... Even things bought in bulk and sold individually... HA! What a rip!
 More socks than you can shake a stick at....(whatever that means..I think I'm getting old)
 Turning-skin-green jewelry.
 But the people were there in full force. Good for the vendors I suppose...bad for me.
 These are cute...but I'd rather buy them from a handmade jewery artist... and the handmade ones are not that expensive... $10-$20.... definitely comparable.
 Loads and loads of stuff... some would say too much stuff..... but nothing for me :(
 Cheap fashions anyone?
 Ah... such a disappointing trip. However, there was one small glimpse of joy on my way out... partially buried deep in the dirt, I found this little gem. Most folks would walk right over it.... but not me. This is what I love to do.... Find old grungy, discarded items and make them neat and interesting!
 So I cleaned that baby up. Sprayed with a clear coat as not to damage anyone's clothing...added a few jeweled letters and a suede cord & silver finding...and...
 Voila! A piece of Found Item Art.
No I understand that this isn't everyone's thing... but it's mine. It's the way I help beautify this earth... one recycled item at a time.

That Girl, Ang

13 comments:

Sandra Evertson said...

Love, love the necklace you created!

Sandra Evertson

Le-Chat said...

Hi Ang, I so understand your feelings about the market. This already happened years ago to the famous Waterlooplein flea market in Amsterdam. Lucky there's still a smaller good one near my home, but I don't like the prices... So it's curb shopping that rules for me!

VS said...

I just found your lovely blog & look forward to following you through lifes amazing adventures!
Happy Halloween,
Susie

jeanne@juNxtaposition said...

love the rusty circle...i would have picked it up too !! and most fleas now suck with all the new dollar store stuff..and i hate hate hate the rows of boxes...but they are everywhere now...mostly aisian people who bring container truckloads over here and sell dirt cheap...sigh....i like rows and rows of JUNK !! where has it all gone??? (still have to talk about the bonanza...)

Kitchen cabinet said...

Hello
A day in the life of a Tomboy!
Many thanks, fairly refreshing, I enjoyed reading your article, You are wonderful!
Thank you!

in jersey shore said...

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A day in the life of a Tomboy!
Many Thanks, I'm very glad to peer your post
An interesting dialogue is worth comment
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Young adults said...

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A day in the life of a Tomboy!
nice and useful! i would like to say thank you about this cool post & your Decent a site….
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bedroom wallpaper said...

Hello
A day in the life of a Tomboy!
Informative writing, Essays like this are so important to broadening people's horizons, Everyone loves what you guys are up too
Thank you!

sofa said...

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A day in the life of a Tomboy!
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Mitzi said...

Hi Ang! That rusty circle was the best thing at that flea market, no doubt! I'm glad I discovered your blog (thanks for stopping by mine).
Mitzi

TiffanyJane said...

Cool Found Art Necklace!!! I am looking around for the metal discarded items too! Most Flea Markets are way over rated, I am always on the hunt for super good finds, it's exciting when you come across them tho!
hugs~
Tiff

That Girl Ang said...

OMGosh...so many wonderful comments! Thank you, thank you all! Stay tune... I'm returning to the blog world this season!!!

Ang

Brenna said...

Great post.thank you so much.