Just in time for the first Spring yard sales and Flea Markets! What’s on your mental shopping list?
Your Flea market shopping list
When Jeanne Sammons asked the question, “What is ONE THING on your ‘junk search list’ for this year’s junking season?” you answered! Many of us have a mental list of desired old things we want for our gardens and for creative projects. When we go out ‘junkin’ it helps to know what style we like, rustic or cute, flowery and feminine or cleaned lined and modern. The word that pops up again and again is “Old”
From the humble, like these:
- an old funnel
- blue and aqua glass
to something BIG, like these two:
- A vintage camper…..any woman’s playhouse
- A small log cabin to relocate to my farm to start a new country garden around
You all came up with a list suitable for any Flea Market gardener.
Here’s what you’ve said you want:
Old washtubs and buckets to plant flowers in
Willow chairs
An old ladder
Galvanized anything
A rusty green wheelbarrow
Old fence pieces
Old ash bucket
Salvaged architectural pieces…gingerbread, trim
Child’s wheelbarrow
An old garden gate
A set of Vintage wood frame French doors
Old gates and doors
Something different to plant flowers in
Aqua insulators
A really old wheelbarrow with the old cool iron wheel
I want to find a saddle I can make a swing with
An old bird cage to put my sweet potato vine in!
An old gate so I can plant morning glories and let them twine around it
A bottle tree
One “real” porch post, the 4 in x 4 in turned kind, to make a tall plant stand out of
An old table or dresser to use as a potting bench
An old rocking chair that I can paint and turn into a planter
French writing desk
Bowling ball
A double washtub
An old pump to waterfall into my fishpond
Any antique bell to hang on the wall by my front door
A Wagon Wheel
Legs from tables and posts from porch columns
Old shovels and old watering cans
An old lantern
Concrete chickens
An old dresser to plant in
A rusty old metal something to hang on my wall
An old rustic weather vane
Old Radio Flyer wagon to use as a Fairy Garden
Bed frames, to make garden benches
An old 2 drawer file cabinet I think I will use as a container
When I lived in the suburbs relatively close to the ocean, I decorated my home in watercolory tropical fish colors and had a fish figurine collection. Our house was a small cottage, and now I refer to it as our ‘Beach House’ although we were a 1/2 hour drive to the beach.
When thinking of my new homes decoration, it also helped to have a mental list. Some things were for inside and some out.
My List
Since I had shifted my focus to mountain living, I slowly developed a mental list of items and materials, I’d look for at the annual flea market in our county and at junk shops and yard sales. Here’s the list:
Weathered wood
Denim
Leather
Suede
‘Plaid shirt’ plaid
Summer camp
’40s kitchen
Rusted metal
Barbed wire
Oil cloth
Yosemite slate (Black, brown and gold)
Wildflowers
Graniteware
California-colored pottery
Terracotta clay
Wrought iron
Granite rock
Pine trees and cones
Copper
Wool Indian blankets
Rope
Galvanized metal
Bronze
Night sky
These were the materials and things I’d search out so I didn’t get distracted by the possibilities of everything! I can be a bit of a crow, gathering shiny objects in its nest.
I’d find things, each with a feeling of exhilaration, sometimes with a look over my shoulder to check if someone else was reaching for what I had snatched up! They must be! I couldn’t be the only one to value the things on my list so highly, right? I carefully put all these things away in boxes and bags and into storage until we were ready to move. When it was finally time to unpack, opening my treasure boxes and bags was like Christmas for me. You all understand… ~~ Sue
Now, tell what is on YOUR list….
15 Comments
I want an old bike I have yet to find one That does not cost arm and leg. Always on the lookout for architectural salvage, Unusual items and anything that will hold a plant!
I haven’t found a bike yet, either, but it’s really high on my “List.” Where I used to live in Orange County, CA there was a wonderful place called Tony’s Architectural Salvage,….fantastic place!
I have a nice rusty bike I would be glad to sell for $20. It will be at my booth at the spring show at Country Lane Treasures in beautiful Southern Illinois. Come on down for a junkin’ road trip!
This makes me so grateful for the stuff I’ve collected over the years. I honestly can’t think of one new thing I’d like but regardless, I’m on the prowl because you never know what you might find.
You have a point! Once I decorated my home, I suddenly lost the desire to buy anything else for it,..I did’t want it to be cluttered and loved the spare ‘Summer Camp’ feel of it. That doesn’t apply to the garden, plenty of room to create Flea Market style garden vignettes, so I still seek out yard sales for outdoor things.
Bird cages. I take the bottoms off and use them as deer exclusion cages. My latest find? A 3 ft x 4 ft parrot cage that fits over a rhodo planted last year. The deer chewed off all the buds and the new growth. Sort of like closing the barn door after the horse is out, but it’ll be good for next winter.
That’s a great idea, Carol. I hope you post a photo of this to our FB Wall. I’d like to see it.
I would like, or love, a old bathroom sink to mosaic, plum and put in my garden as a fountain. Also some tires to make planters from, brightly painted and stacked. I saw them on pinterest and they look so fun.
I’ve been looking for an old farm sink. They are becoming harder to find these days. 🙂
A bowling ball? What do you do with a bowling ball?
Hi Cathy, if you do a search for Bowling ball on this page, you’ll see what we need them for. VERY fun and unusual for the garden.
I’ve been shopping for all kinds of plates/glass to make flowers or totems.., silverware to make wind chimes… and or plant markers… old springs old keys.., helped teach a class this last weekend on Art in the Garden… fleamarket style… from the flea across Florida… and yard sales and thrift stores are all the jewels in the ruff… that became real diamonds…!!!
I would post pictures but can’t seem to figure out how…!!!
I would love to find another Motel chair. When i moved some stole mine before i could get it from my former house. I know i will find another one.
A base for my double wide galvanized tub. Funny the bottom is rusted inside but not outside. Could I put layers of something under the dirt to lighten the weight, & does it still have to have holes in the bottom? Pinned a lovely planting picture for this size tub. May have to use concrete blocks until I find a base.