LESS THAN A MONTH!

It won't be long until the 4th Annual Bluebird's Vintage Market! We have a great group of dealers...both ones who have exhibited before, and some new ones. Be sure to put the Market on your calender and come out to do your Mother's Day shopping! Don't forget, this year we're "Back in the Barn"

July at Relics

I finally took some photos today at Relics. There are new dealers coming in every day I'm there and it's a lot of fun to visit and see what they are bringing in. I have tried to show some of the variety you'll find and am so pleased that my first full month at Relics has been wildly successful. Thanks so much to Beverly and Matthew for opening the Springfield antique mall and for the staff that helps keep it humming right along. And last but not least my customers -- Thank You! Please come back often to see what's happening at Relics Antique Mall!

Here are some views of my two booths....the first two pictures are of my second booth (F-16)...be watching for a fabulous tramp art sewing stand that I'll be bringing in next week...

Here's a couple of views of my original booth, right next to the line of glass showcases in the middle of the Mall....

And here's what makes Relics enjoyable ... the team ... Beverly welcomes Monte who started moving into his booth on Row "M" after 4 pm today. He'll have his signature painted furniture, vintage garden decor and he'll stack it high so you'll want to linger and browse

And here's always smiling Teresa manning the front desk (BTW she spells her name correctly, same as me LOL).

Now just a couple of great booths and I'll post more later.....but the bottom line is you've gotta stop by! Remember it's Air Conditioned so it's cool and comfortable shopping :)

Relics is open!

Relics Antique Mall is now open! It's located just west of the Grizzly tool place at the corner of Kansas and Battlefield. They are arranging for a huge sign to go up but for now just look for the brick building and a red and white sign outside.

Don't have any fancy photos but want you all to know that I am so happy to be there and I think this is what Springfield has needed for quite some time! It's air conditioned, clean, well lighted, and the people are friendly and accommodating. You will see nicer antiques and collectibles and they are in all price ranges.

I have two booths...one right down the center aisle by the glass showcases and another one in space F-16 (like the jet!). Just ask them to direct you to Booth #31. Sales have been very brisk and I have met many friends -- both old and new -- there while working my booth. I'm spreading the word about the Bluebird Vintage Market for future reference.

So if you want a break from the summer heat and humidity, stop by Relics. They're open 10-6 every day but Sunday when they open at noon.

SECOND MARKET A ROUSING SUCCESS!

I knew when I walked over to open the market at 8 a.m. and saw five times as many people lined up as last year that it would be a great day! Many thanks to my dealers who made this a memorable and fun event.

The crowds never let up and I was still selling merchandise as we were tearing down. The weather cooperated for the most part, the tea room was a hit, and we got lots of positive feedback from our many customers. I've already got some ideas for next year and hope I can make it bigger and better!

Hope to see you all next year...mark your 2011 calendars for Saturday May 7th!

REMEMBER! RAIN or SHINE

Don't forget that Bluebird's Vintage Market will be held RAIN or SHINE! I was lucky to get notices in both the Springfield News-Leader May calendar pages and the Weekend Section so it's creating a lot of interest. The merchandise will be inside, out of the weather. We'd love to have a balmy 70 degree day with gentle breezes and sunshine but if not...we're prepared!

Here's the sign to look for ... when you see this you're nearly there...

A couple of dealers have brought some things on over and started setting up and I must say I'm really excited at the things I've seen. There's a wide variety of goods so you're sure to find several "must haves".

The mini tea room my daughter Natalie is setting up promises to be memorable. Here's a sampling of the menu items...my Granny Bridges chocolate cake ... Mom's Apple Pie ... Coconut Walnut Bread from the recipe used at Kirby House Tea Room in Abilene, KS ... and we're planning to offer the sweetest, reddest, most mouthwatering Ozark-grown strawberries. Are you hungry yet? That's just to whet your appetite. Everything is homemade except the doughnuts so if you forget breakfast you can have one of those with a steaming cup of coffee.

And more good news for shoppers:  local delivery is available for large purchases. The details will be worked out with buyer and the delivery person but it's nice to know you don't have to pass up a larger piece of furniture if you see it.

Thanks in advance to my dealers for supporting this sale every step of the way. They are the best! And also my daughter who is coming in from Kansas to arrange the Tea Room. Last but never least, my wonderful mother, Juanita Bridges, who has worked by my side tirelessly checking off one "to do" list then starting another one. Whether it's laundering vintage linens and ironing them with just the right amount of 'real' starch, baking up a slew of pies, or whisking away a cob web, she has been there all the way.

Hope to see you all Saturday! It's gonna be a lot of fun :)

T-Minus Two Weeks and Counting!

Getting excited about Bluebird's Vintage Market...just two weeks away. I have a lot of great items and I know the other dealers have been saving up their 'goodies' too. As soon as the barn fills up, we'll put things outdoors :)

Here are some happy shoppers from last year's event being eyed by that unusual bloke from down under...

Directions to the Market:

1 mile south of Republic MO at Rolling Acres Farm. From south Main Street & Route 60 drive 1 mile south (Main St. turns into State Hwy. P). At Farm Road 194 turn left (East) -- you'll see the Rolling Acres sign on the corner. Take the first right into the farm lot and just past the chicken house is the barn with the sale.

Watch for "Bluebird's Vintage Market" signs.

Signs of the Times ~ Bluebird Style

Had loads of fun making this sign today to help direct people to the Vintage Market on May 1st! You'll see it on the corner where you turn off of State Highway "P" and onto West County Line Road. When you see the sign, you're nearly there :)

Also, be sure to check out the link at the bottom of my blog for Relics, a new Antique Mall in Springfield I'll be in with my vintage and antique merchandise ~ it's going to be the largest antique mall in the Show-Me State! There will be a tea room opening later in 2010 so check it out at 2015 West Battlefield in Springfield.

I'm still buying like there's no tomorrow! I have a bunch of really good vintage pieces for the Market and my always-helpful Mom has been busy "doing up" vintage linens. They are clean, crisp, starched, ironed and ready to use.  One of the things I've never understood since I've been a dealer is finding these superb antique linens that people let languish in their linen closet. I say, use 'em!

The History of Aprons

I don't know if our kids know what a thin apron is…

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect

the dress underneath, because she only had a

few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses

And they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing

steaming hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on

occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying

eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched

eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent

over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.

After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the Fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was

surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the

porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was

time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something

that will replace that 'old-time apron that served so many purposes.

REMEMBER: Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the

window sill to cool. Her Granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron.

This nice piece about aprons was passed along to me by Theresa Mustard, who will be one of the dealers at Bluebird's Vintage Market on May 1st. Theresa and her husband Jack have owned antique shops in Crane for many years, but now are focused on shows and travel in their RV. She has fabulous costume jewelry, lots of Shawnee and other vintage pottery, and what I call girly things (hats, gloves, vanity items), Plus probably a whole lot more we'll see at the Market! She always has some surprises!
 
In addition to Theresa and Jack's great vintage finds, we'll have apron expert extraordinaire Debbie Sanders from Republic, and incidently she's a fellow classmate from Republic High. You may have seen a feature in the Springfield News-Leader recently on Debbie's aprons, which are sold at Minden Place Antiques in Republic.
 
And a final ramble on the apron subject! My daughter Natalie has inherited her Grandma Nita's 'good cook' gene will be on hand at the Market with a mini tea-room featuring some of our family's favorite home made treats: Granny Bridges' chocolate cake is one you might want to sample, plus a whole lot more so save some room....
 
And I won't be surprised to see my daughter wearing.....an APRON!