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

http://www.tomboytools.com/

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:

http://sylviasdaughter.blogspot.com/

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...