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Friday, August 28, 2009

Oronoco Flea Market - Vintage Redesign Pieces

Oronoco Flea Market treasures have me feeling like Cinderella. I got the prize!
A suitcase filled with wonderful vintage jewelry to recreate into my one-of-a-kind vintage redesigned jewelry. I just love it when I have a day like this. I was recently interviewed about my jewelry business and the journalist was amazed that all of this could be from one treasure hunt expedition. Pretty great finds at this venue.
My treasures run the gamut from vintage keys, pearls, house numbers, filigree, cracker box charms, tokens, board game pieces, pins, jewelry, medals, glass egg timer, you name it, I have it in this treasure box.

A few details of some of the fun design elements I look for while shopping. I have a special fondness for vintage brass elements while designing.

This is a wonderfully intricate piece that will make a wonderful vocal on one of my vintage redesigns.
Love the detailing of this clasp. The missing rhinestone pieces only add to its patina and character. Japanese glass pearls are a favorite of mine for redesigning with.

I love vintage rhinestone pieces whether they were once jewelry or just now a found object that is turned into new jewelry in one of my creations. Lovely pieces.

I seem to have a little cowboy theme going on with the tie bar horse racing clasp, cowboy boots, money bag and bucking bronco charm. With the upcoming Junk Bonanza being held at Canterbury Downs this year, how fitting will these items be on a Junk Redesign piece to remember this event by for many years to come. Stay tuned for a posting of the eventual piece I create from these goodies above.

More fun little treasures to add to my Junk Redesign cache' of pieces to work with.

I've already used the large piece on the right that is silver and rhinestones for a design for the Junk Bonanza event. Stop by and check it out!

Maybe your into "Pretty in Pink" and more girly girl looks.

Looks like blue and aqua were plentiful once I sorted out all of my treasures.

A mix of silver and rhinestone beauties.

Being I'm a detailed person, these above pieces just delight me.

Treasures

Lovely details on this brass piece. Ahhh, can't wait to use it.

This #8 has the coolest vintage patina on it. Lucky 8? She's being mixed with rhinestones and black wire to create a one-of-a-kind spectacular vintage redesign piece. Stay tuned for it.

Some more fun stuff to work with.


Seems to be another theme here. This one of flowers.
All in all it was a fabulous venue for a gal like me, and I'm so glad I was able to make the trip to Oronoco this year. It was my first time ever, and it was definitely worth the time and money involved in attending. I found a few other personal treasures as well, but honestly I was so jewelry tunnel visioned that a lot of stuff at the Flea Market wasn't even hardly seen by me. I let the rest of my Junk Market Gal Pals get those goodies. lol

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Button Style Necklace Designs

Just a quickie post this morning, as I am going out of town for the day to visit my 86 year old Dad and other family members. It's about 90 miles each way to visit, so need to leave early, so just have a short amount of time to post this. These are a few of the new button style necklaces that I created in August for the French Flea and the upcoming Junk Bonanza sale. Trying to be more creative, as a lot of people have decided to copy this style and do them with the ball chain and multi layering of buttons that I did last year and featured on my blog in January. Always, need to keep one step ahead of the rest of the gang, so here are some new pieces. Would love any and all feedback about them. Thanks for following my blog and being an active part of my life through your comments here. They help a designer know if they are onto to something, or if they should move on in their designs. Have a blessed day!
Star - SOLD at French Flea
(SOLD - JB)

#3 w/Key (SOLD-FF)



(SOLD - JB)


(SOLD - JB)

Monday, August 24, 2009

JM Gals - Part 3 -Shoping, Blogging Party & Book Signing


A few of my jewelry treasures I found in Oronoco for my vintage redesign jewelry


Morning Shopping at the Flea Market

Welcome to Day 3 of the Junk Market Gals contributor gathering in Minnesota. Last post I left you at 2 am to catch some Z's. It is now early Saturday morning at the Gold Rush Days Flea Market in Oronoco, Minnesota, where Sue has scheduled us to a hearty and yummy breakfast at the Oronoco Fire Hall. For $6 we had 2 huge pancakes, 2 large sausage links, a heaping pile of scrambled eggs and your choice of coffee, water or orange juice. It was very filling and we were once again replenished and able to begin our day of fun.
This gentlemen, Billy Joe of Missouri is an Oronoco favorite vendor to visit year after year.
Lanette and Sue brought us to his booth and he's creations were amazing.

This is one of my favorite things I saw at the Flea Market. It truly combines what the Junk Market group is all about and that is redefining others cast offs/junk into a usable new creation. Billy Joe outdid himself on this one when he salvaged a rusty pair of car ramps along with some weather patina ed metal from the Salvage yard and turned it into a one-of-a-kind sofa table. What a fabulous table this is.

This skeleton just tickled my funny bone. Reminded me of high school and college days in the biology classroom and I'd not seen one of these for years. This show has a little bit of everything.

What a conversation starter this would be in your home.


Sue wastes no time entering Billy Joe's booth. She knows from past years that he's got the goods.

More wonderful tins from Billy Joe and tables he's created with Junk finds.


Kathy and Candy catching their breathe and digging for their cameras outside of Billy Joe's booth.
Read more about Candy's junking adventures at: http://www.junksophisticate.blogspot.com/ .



Lanette with her head down and almost running into Billy Joe's cool booth.


Her pocketbook was a lot thinner after this booth.


She found some fabulous items she couldn't live without here.


Sue spots some very cool numbers again in Billy Joe's booth.



Sue again checking out the goods in a fun vendor booth.

These gals are the "hose sisters" I introduced you to earlier in Post 2. One of the gals spoke at the campfire the night before of a cabinet she had seen that day that she should of bought. Looks like she went back to get it. This is how you can haul your treasures once you've purchased things in Oronoco. They drive around on 4 wheelers with trailers and will haul your items for a small tip. What a great idea!




Junkologie Blogging Party & Junk Market Book Signing



We were all greeted with this sign to welcome us to the events planned.

Amy and Sue





Amy hosted the first annual Minnesota blogging party ever. These are very popular in Texas at some of the big shows down there and was a great idea that Amy brought to Minnesota. It was so much fun to get to know fellow bloggers and junkers alike. To learn more about Amy and her junking adventures, you can check out her two blog links below.
http://www.junkologie.com/

http://whisperwoodcottage.blogspot.com/

Ron and Amy outside of Amy's Junkologie booth at Oronoco. I do believe Ron is turning into a junker himself. You guys make an awesome team!


The Pfarkel sisters helped with the planning and execution of the blogging party and book signing, and they came up with these creative name tags for the event. Old monopoly game cards.


We each took one and wrote our name and either blog or code name we
use as a contributor or member on Junk Markets website for junkers.

This vintage wood ironing board turned table is where you could sign up

for winning a door prize, and fill out your name tag for the blogging party.


Junk Market gal contributors/campers for the event
Kathy (Ohio), Lanette (MN), Candy (Ohio) and Gretchen (MN)
The whole Junk Market gang at the blogging party and book signing. Sue Whitney owner of Junk Market Style and Kimberly Melamed did a book signing outside of Amy's vendor booth. Here we all are as contributors and supporters of Sue's Junking business.

Kimberly and Sue of Junk Market signing books for customers.




Sue is author of three awesome books about junking and re purposing.


Amy, Rockler Woodworking Gals, Kimberly, Sue and Ron


Tomboy Tools Angels


Cheryl Woodward of Tomboy Tools with angels Sue and Kathy




Sue at the book signing event talking to a customer and junk fan.


Kountry Junkers from Eau Claire, Wisconsin enjoying the blogging party pot luck food.


Bloggers and junkers enjoying one anothers company and actually getting to meet each other.


The Pfarkel sisters (in pink t-shirts) were a huge help in the entire week-end event. Learn more about them at one of their blogs at this link: http://www.junkredefined.blogspot.com/ .



Junkers unite!



Photo Opps at the Blogging Party!
Thanks to Sue purchasing this cool vintage gas pump cover with the broken out window, and this young junker couple from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, that sold it to her in their booth, there was a fabulous junker prop for the first annual junker blogging party. Follow along on Sue's site to see what she turns this photo prop into. She has junker guru plans for it. hhttp://www.junkmarketstyle.com/ttp://


Me (Gretchen)

Kathy of Sylvia's Vintage Daughter blog at:




Sue with Lanette (Lani) of Cottage Elements
http://cottageelements.blogspot.com/



Sue and I



Amy continued to sell while hosting the blogging party and book signing in her vendor booth area. At the close of the day she made this ladies day when she sold them this pair of candlestick holders. You blessed their day, Amy by your kindness.

Amy with the megaphone attempting to get the junkers to shhhhh,

so they can move onto the drawing of the wonderful prizes.


Fabulous prizes were part of the fun at the blogging party. Amy of Junkologie, Sue of Junk Market Style, Cheryl of TomBoy Tools and Gorilla Glue were some of the prize party sponsors. Great products!


The Kountry Junkers from Wisconsin, won the prize for the most creative pot luck food display at the blogging party. They salvaged a grill that had been junked into a nifty food server for the party and went home with a prize for their fun idea.

Time to:
Not sure who came up with this crazy display, but where you find junkers you'll find sense of humors and a whole lot of laughter. Junkers know how to have a good time together.

A lot of creative junk repurposing was used to display and serve the food items at the blog party. The contest got a lot of junker creativity going and there were some fabulous ideas.


Kathy's gets my vote for the most elegant display of junk. A vintage table lamp base attached to a vintage junk light fixture makes a wonderful fresh fruit server for anyone's food spread.

The food and wine was set up inside Amy's booth to keep it out of the sun, and quite a lot of food was brought together by junkers from far and near. I think the furthest away junkers were Kathy and Candy that drove 14 hours from Ohio to join us.


The party went from 3-6 p.m. and than I called it a week-end and headed home to be with my family once again. Thanks everyone for making this Junk gathering a truly memorable event in my life. Until next time...





Mimi-Toria's Design Jewelry Style