OK.... it has been over a year since I last wrote in my blog so I decided to commit myself to writing at least once a week unless I am on vacation, ill, comatose or dead. There I have now stated and will resolve to put pen to paper or in this case cursor to screen and write at least once per week.
I have been busy.... yeah, yeah everyone is busy these days. My actual time-sucking activities included antiques shows, our booth at a local mall, jewelry making, flea markets, creating new pieces for my stores and catalogs that feature my work and general everyday life events. My husband and I are antique dealers in addition to our other occupations which I will go into at a later date.
Recently, we were vendors at the fabulous Grayslake Antique Market in Grayslake, Illinois last weekend. The show was a bit slow heck, the weather outside was fabulous and we all imagined the customers were doing their last hurrah of fishing, boating, picnicking, raking leaves before much cooler weather set in.
Anyway, I met some really great vendors at Grayslake and of course they enticed me to buy some fun things at their booths. I met a very knowledgeable gentleman named Jon J. Vrabel who specializes in vintage watches and other dazzling delights.....diamonds, gold, silver and fountain pens. He brought to my booth a number of plastic and cigar boxes and allowed me to comb through this inventory of watches and watch parts. I was able to obtain quite a few vintage ladies watches both cases and faces plus tiny jack knives, a rhinestone portrait pin that I will use on my charm bracelets. A very nice man who really knows alot about watches.
I also met Carol Kamin who was funny and we traded "war" stories. She and her husband Dean specialize in stereoviews, postcards, ephemera and tintypes. I poured over her albums of tintypes and managed to find several gem and small sizes that I will use on my bracelets as well. The couple are based out of Elgin, Ill.
While setting up our 32 foot booth I met the vendor next to us.....Sumaya Seccurro from Carmel, Indiana. I could see over my tables that her booth was one that had items "calling to me"....I held off as long as possible and the second day of the show I just had to buy these treasures.... vintage bingo tabs, brass tags with a fabulous patina and large red dice that I have been searching for. How she knew that I needed these items is a mystery to me but she was my market neighbor and I was delighted to meet her as well as her husband, Brian. Had the show been less slow I would have probably cleaned her out of more trinkets I saw in her booth.
The last vendor I met was Sylvia Cornell who was just a few booths down from us. She showed scads of jewelry and vintage buttons on her tables. I mentioned that I was looking for vintage rhinestone buttons for my bracelets and the dear lady brought a nice assortment to my booth for me to look over. I also met her booth partner named Connie and took a photo of these ladies as noted below. Note the cool button purse that Sylvia is showing off.
Even though sales were slow for most vendors, it was a great picking for the vendors and customers who did attend ...of course I am tickled with all my treasures. The Grayslake Market is once a month and the promoter Zurko Promotions is based out of Shawano, Wisconsin.
I exhibit at this market once a year and may choose next fall again....although don't be surprised to see me there as a buyer scouting out more bits and pieces for my charm bracelets !
Yours in a whimsey.....Karen
