If you live near the Raleigh area and love to go junking you have to go to the Raleigh Flea Market. Have to. It is a total treat. There is beautiful junk of every kind there.
Suitcases are, it seems, all the rage. I saw this one and was intrigued by it - some poor little soul whose initials spell MAD. I don't know why; I just imagined it belonged to some grumpy little boy with a cowlick. Or a girl with freckles and striped socks (wha?).
And the chair - well, it's an unfortunate shade of yellow (I love yellow but not this yellow). I'm picturing it apple green or a 50's turquoise. That's easy enough to fix. And it was five bucks. My magic number for furniture. I'm hoping to use both these finds as photo props.
These...
ah, the locker bins. I was so excited to find them. But I wonder if I had my flea market goggles on - you know, where you've seen so much junk that the quirky starts to look cuter than it is. I am fascinated with old wire-y things, containers, and stuff with metal labels on them. But these - they weren't as cute once I got them home and tried them on a shelf or two. But we'll see. I can make it work.
These are just plain ugly. But I have been looking for frames exactly this size and depth to go in a nook in our bathroom.
I'll rip out the ugly tile scene and paint the frame black, maybe mount something on them, a la Nester. Old keys or drawer pulls or something.
I found a few more things, to be turned into other things. But I'm too lazy to go get them off my camera. So just picture an ugly plastic gold ornate mirror frame (to be painted white and used as molding), a beautiful aged wooden crate (also a photo prop), and an poppy and yellow. tea towel (to become a summer tote).
Til next time!
You found some awesome stuff! I've been reading back through your old postings and you have me bawling like a baby. I'm off to go put in a happy movie and fold laundry so I don't sit here and cry all night :)
Posted by: The American Homemaker | 05/03/2009 at 04:16 PM
those frames are fabulous! Maybe you could paint the locker bins and then distress them?
Posted by: Penny | 05/02/2009 at 09:23 AM
Agreed, great finds. I'm coming down there and you can take me flea-marketing!
Oh, I love that idea.
Posted by: Melissa from Pittsburgh | 04/28/2009 at 01:24 PM
I am salivating over your locker bins! Somehow you'll figure out how to fit those in.
Posted by: ELK | 04/25/2009 at 06:09 AM
The last comment by Lacey was really me...she must have used my computer and her info was saved.
Posted by: Sarah Byrum | 04/24/2009 at 01:18 AM
I love the new finds. Even if it doesn't come to you now...just store them until it does.
Posted by: Lacey | 04/24/2009 at 01:16 AM
Wow! Those finds are fabulous!!! I am *sure* you can find a home for those locker baskets. I love them. Keep looking! I can't wait to sea the poppy tea towel a la purse! Thanks for sharing your finds! (Though they do make me a little jealous for a fab flea market.)
Posted by: Amber | 04/23/2009 at 12:09 AM
I see you've inherited my chutzpah :) (no harm trying though, eh?)
Posted by: Mom | 04/22/2009 at 06:03 PM
Okay, the frames: I have promised dear Bianca that I will try not painting them first. You guys are right - they're actually kind of cool. But the creamy part of the frame is kinda blah (my bathroom is beige)...
Now the tile in the center - its just UGLY. We all agree on that, right? ;)
Posted by: Crystal | 04/22/2009 at 11:58 AM
I love the locker bins, I see stuff all the time in magazines, I think they could be super cute.
And there must be something wrong with me... I don't think the frames are all that ugly!
I guess I'll have to go to this flea market the next time I go visit my sister in Durham!
Posted by: Margot | 04/22/2009 at 11:51 AM
Nope. Not a new lens. Just really great filtered light that day (it was mildly overcast) and lots of room between my subject and the background (makes for great bokeh). I really think the perfect natural light really helped. Photographers are always trying to re-create that kind of light. The day was like a giant softbox.
Speaking of new lenses, I know it's YOUR birthday soon, Mom. But do you feel like investing tons of cash into a 50 1.2 or 24-70 2.8? They're only 12-14 HUNDRED dollars each. But they would sure make everything prettier...
Posted by: Crystal | 04/22/2009 at 11:51 AM
Did you get a new lens? Because these photo's are beautiful!
Posted by: Nicole from Long Island | 04/22/2009 at 11:43 AM
These photos are fantastic!
Posted by: bellaguinness | 04/22/2009 at 08:27 AM
I'm coming out of lurk-dom to say.....don't paint the frames!! Just take out the ugly pic inside and try them unpainted first.....please!?
Posted by: Bianca | 04/22/2009 at 07:12 AM
Sounds like so much fun, I haven't gone in years, I usually would go with my mother and would be in awe how she would see something so ugly and turn it into something wonderful for our home.
Posted by: vanessa | 04/22/2009 at 06:57 AM
I love that... the flea market goggles. I've had that happen a time or two :)
Great finds! Knowing you, those metal lockers will become something fascinating!
-Andrea
Posted by: Andrea | 04/22/2009 at 06:53 AM
love to go junking......and I too, imagine previous owners of particularly captiving items I find :)
Posted by: Bahama SHores Mama | 04/22/2009 at 06:52 AM
Oooh! Love the chair and the suitcase. I'm imagining how they'll look in some of my photos. :)
Posted by: Rachel @ American Mum | 04/22/2009 at 05:33 AM
They are all fantastic. Could you possible paint those locker bins with some kind of metal spray paint?
Posted by: Amber | 04/21/2009 at 10:26 PM
Nice score. Can't wait to see what you do with them.
Posted by: Ransacked Goods | 04/21/2009 at 09:49 PM
Oh! These are beautiful! Great finds!
Posted by: Calise | 04/21/2009 at 09:41 PM