Consignment Finds; Brimfield, Massachusetts

Brimfield, Massachusetts is a rather nondescript New England town often attracting those that visit neighboring Sturbridge.  "Brimfield" is used loosely now to describe the antique mecca that appears several times throughout the year.  The stars shop Brimfield; as do top celebrity designers.  Movie producers scour the fields for props and are almost guaranteed to find what they need.  It's a collection of old and new that can't properly be described in words.  People travel from afar to visit Brimfield.  We spoke to a vendor from Oregon and one from Georgia.  There were license plates galore!  First timers are easy to spot as they wander aimlessly with their mouths agape at all of the "stuff".  The expert pickers have carts or wagons with them but there are porters you can hire to get your large items to the car.  Be sure to bring sunscreen and water.  My best piece of advice....bring your pick-up truck!

 Some collections like this one are eclectic.

 There are millions of random items such as this towel.

 Tools aplenty.

 I think Joanna Gaines would love these!

 Our first purchase.  Ten dollars and it will look lovely filled with apple blossoms.

 A Southern dollhouse?

 Lots of cast iron pans.  I posted some recipes here.

 I think we all need a carousel horse.

 There were many old wooden crates to pick from.

 A new paint job and this could come in handy in the sewing room.

 All sorts of lighting parts.

 Reminds me of high school.

 Having a wedding soon?  These make beautiful centerpieces or candle holders.

 Live on the water?  Hang one of these for decoration.

I bought one of these last time we were at Brimfield.  It's in the garden and I love how it looks in the rain.

 Live in the mountains?  Perfect wall decoration.

 Chairs, chairs and more chairs.

 Was this on Mork and Mindy?  $1,500 and it's yours.

 I was pleasantly surprised to see this old sign post.  Do you know where it's from?

 What will you press?

 Perhaps these patriotic beauties are from an old Tommy Hilfiger display.

 These make decorative planters.

 Could someone give me a hand?

 More pieces for a wedding!

 Ask for a hand and this is what you get!

 I adore blue bottles!  Read about my $5 box here.

 Where are the doors?

 More wedding ideas.

 These doors would look spectacular in your kitchen!

 Someone loved him once.

 There were many pretty hand hooked rugs.  They look great in a frame too.

 These are from j. tedder Design.  Functional and interesting.

 We saw lots of this going on.

 Surely you need a small dinosaur.

 Talk about wedding centerpieces!  There are hundreds at one dollar a piece.

 I wish I had purchased this.

 We saw several coat racks made from these.

 There's a thrift shop aspect to the show as well.

 Some vendors put more time into creating displays.

 A chair fit for a King.

 One stained glass window in your home brings so much character.

 A well loved doll.

 The enamel looked great.  All it needs is a paint job!

 School's out!

 Pillows?

 For the artist studio.

 We found the doors!

 My grandparents had a similar painting in their living room.

 Need flatware?

 Watering can nozzles; truly unique.

 This did not come off of a small boat.

 Could you use two of these in your garden?

 Use these indoors or out.

 This is a dye machine for testing dyes on paper or cloth.  Not something you find everyday.

 My husband said, "No, we don't need the purple door."

Answers the question, "Where do old tools go?"

 Brimfield is just over an hour from Boston.  Cam Neely, this one's for you!

 This could be an interesting chair.

 There are a multiple of uses for these.

 Fisherman unite!

 Easy to hang in your family room.  Use them for table legs.

 Re-purposed beach bags?

 I have never seen a hot air balloon basket up close.

 Don't throw out that old chair; it can be re-woven.

 A cute way to re-purpose flour sacks.

 Beautifully restored boat engines.

 Now we know what happens to all of that flatware!

If you don't like to "do it yourself", you'll find things already done.

 We also found a tiny Griswold #3 cast iron pan.  You'll see it all cleaned up in a future post.

Our final purchase was a set of four old table legs.  I'm not exactly sure what I'll do with them.  We only spent $35 this year.  Not bad!

Brimfield runs through May 17th, 2015.

Violets, Chintz and a Cup of Tea

Many years ago, a friend and I would get together several times during the week for tea.  It was always late afternoon and we sat together while our children played outdoors.  Light conversation lifted our spirits as we talked about how fast our children grew.  They were rather melancholy afternoons; yet so enjoyable.  When it was time to have tea at her house, I admired the small creamer she would put out with the tea cups.  A petite pitcher filled with table cream in a pattern of wonderful pinks, greens and blues.  Years later I found out that this was a chintz pattern called apple blossom; the miniature creamer shown on the right.  I found one in an unassuming antique shop and purchased it despite a small chip.

I haven't seen this friend for over twenty years.  The memories of those conversations over tea remain strong.  My creamer brings back those memories as if it were yesterday.  Contact an old friend today and be sure to cherish every memory you make over a cup of tea.

 

A Time to Talk

  by Robert Frost

When a friend calls to me from the road

And slows his horse to a meaning walk,
I don't stand still and look around
On all the hills I haven't hoed,
And shout from where I am, 'What is it?'
No, not as there is a time to talk.
I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,
Blade-end up and five feet tall,
And plod: I go up to the stone wall
For a friendly visit.

Happy Mother's Day

To My Mother 

by Robert Louis Stevenson

You too, my mother, read my rhymes
For love of unforgotten times,
And you may chance to hear once more
The little feet along the floor. 

 Happy Mother's Day from The Old Granite Step; we miss you mom!

Open for the season; The Granite Hall Store in Round Pond, Maine

Several words come to mind when speaking of the Granite Hall Store.....charming, quintessential, old-fashioned, fun and quaint.  It's all of those and more! 

Garden in a jar; an easy terrarium.

I have always loved terrariums.  I received my first terrarium in the 70's.  It was reminiscent of a spaceship; two plastic pieces that fit together and created a sphere.  It hung in a fabulous macrame hanger....remember macrame?  I had that well-loved terrarium until several years ago.  The plastic had yellowed and the hanger was long gone.  It was time to move on!

Terrariums are a simple way to bring some greenery into your home.  If you live in an apartment or in the city and you don't have a garden; it allows you to enjoy gardening on a very small scale.  Just follow these simple steps!

This is a favorite that I made last year.  I found the jar at a tag sale; love the "pear" shape!

This one is several years old.  I wanted you to see the unique glass bird on top of the cover.  It was made at a class that I took with Tova Martin; a garden and terrarium expert!

Begin by finding a jar.  It can be any shape or size and ideally should have a lid.  You can use plastic wrap over the top if you need to.  You can purchase a jar or container at a store that sells home goods or you can search for a unique one in an antique store.  Wash the jar thoroughly before using.  You will also need a bag of potting soil.

Purchase several plants that you know will fit into the jar.  You can find plants at your local florist or garden center.  Take the jar with you so you have a better idea of what plants to buy.

I recommend that you purchase charcoal.  If your garden center doesn't carry it, you can find it at any store carrying aquarium supplies.  The filtering quality of the charcoal will help keep the terrarium "clean".

You'll need to mix a small amount of charcoal with your potting soil depending on the size of the jar.  I used three tablespoons of charcoal for this jar.  Once you've mixed the charcoal in, add more potting soil.  Tap the bottom of the pot your plant is in and carefully tip it upside down in order to get the plant out.  If the plant is root bound (roots coming out of bottom of pot and plant stuck to pot), break up the roots a bit before planting in the terrarium.

Add additional plants one at a time being careful not to pack them too closely together.

Add extra dirt if needed.

Water your new terrarium without soaking it!  Put the lid on and you've created a small garden in a jar.  You shouldn't need to water too often as the terrarium will sustain itself.  Place in a sunny spot but avoid direct sunlight. 

The plants should thrive in this environment with very little care.

Terrariums make great gifts!

Visit a lavender farm.

Several years ago, we took a weekend drive to Long Island.  We hadn't been there in many years and knew there had to be more to the island than the heavy traffic on the Long Island Expressway shown on the news day after day!  Much to our surprise and delight, we stumbled upon this wonderful purple oasis....a lavender farm.   Lavender by the Bay is a beautiful and peaceful place worthy of a visit.  As soon as we stepped out of the car, we were glad we stopped.  A stroll through the field of lavender was soothing and tranquil.  The doors to the barn were thrown open and there was a myriad of gifts available.  The scent of lavender is supposed to evoke sleep; off we went with our lavender sachets. 

We were there in early June; a bit early for full blooming lavender but still worthy of a visit.

There are lavender plants for sale.  Put one in your own garden!

Although the scent can't be properly conveyed via the internet, the visual beauty of this fresh cut lavender can be.

According to their facebook page, new bees just arrived on the farm several weeks ago.

A soft sea breeze rustled through the lavender.

Captivating.

Lavender by the Bay opens May 1st, 2015.  
Check your area listings to see if there's a 
lavender farm near you!