Flea Market Treasures...

Good morning, Friends! Last week was reeeeally crazy at work, and when I say crazy I mean EPIC crazy! One example of this craziness is that a student attending the school where I work decided it would be funny to pull the fire alarm...while it was pouring rain outside. So all 1,350 students and staff members spent 20 minutes standing outside in the downpour until the fire department arrived and gave the "all clear" for us to enter the buildings. I was one of the lucky ones that grabbed my raincoat on the way out the door, but many of the teachers, staff and students weren't so fortunate, so they were soaked to the bone. On the following day a different student decided to be brilliant and pull the same stunt. (Yes, you are detecting sarcasm here!)Thankfully it wasn't raining outside that day and we were able to come back in the building after a few minutes. Oh the joys of working in a high school filled with 9th and 10th grade students - UGH! Actually, we have many awesome and remarkable students that I adore, but there are some that I have to wonder what on earth they are thinking?!?!?!

Anyhoo...after the madness at work, Mike decided that I needed to do something fun on Saturday so we went to the Tulsa Flea Market in search of treasures!! (Have I mentioned lately how WONDERFUL my hubby is?? Such a sweetie!!) Here are some of the fabulous finds that we brought home:

First off are a couple of old wagon wheels that I nabbed for our backyard. I just love them! Mike will probably end up making a cute coffee table for our patio from the smaller one, but the large one will be tucked into one of our flowerbeds. (Probably with a pretty flowering clematis vine growing up it!) Don't you love how our little Tony is modeling the wheels...look close...he is smiling!! (Mike said Tony was 'photobombing' this shot - bahaha!!)

Here is a photo of the "smalls" that I purchased:

From left to right - a couple of small stoneware pitchers; a 3-drawer chest with tin drawers; a McGuffey's Primer and a McGuffey's First Eclectic Reader; a large antique spool; a planter made from old barn wood; and a large jar with the metal bale still attached. (I plan on wrapping the jar with some burlap, adding a muslin flower or two, and then use it as a vase for my garden flowers this spring and summer. Stay tuned for upcoming pics!)

The photo above washed out the pitchers so here is a better shot, taken inside, to show their true colors. These will look so cute in my craft room to store pens, pencils, scissors, etc.

Lastly, here is a close-up shot of the McGuffey's Readers. The Primer has a copyright date of 1909 and the Eclectic Reader has a copyright date of 1920. These were stuffed behind some other books stacked on an old trunk in one of the last booths at the flea market. I spied them and didn't hesitate for a moment on purchasing them - SCORE!!

After all of that treasure hunting sweetie and I were famished, so we stopped off for lunch at our favorite burger place in Tulsa; Harden's Hamburgers. It is just a little old mom-and-pop place, located at 4th and Sheridan, but I swear they make the BEST cheeseburgers and onion rings in Tulsa!!!

One of the other things that I love about eating at Harden's is their decor...they have all sorts of cool old signage, toys, etc. lining shelves above the booths. I am particularly fond of this fun old sign, and would love to have one like it to put in my laundry room:

To round off our day we also popped into Steve's Books, which is another mom-and-pop store that we like to do business with. It is a great little book shop that has lots of magazines that are hard to find in other stores. While there I picked up a couple of magazines...

The issue of Flea Market Gardens is chocked full of terrific ideas that I will put to good use in my flowerbeds come spring and summer! Also, Mary Jane's Farm has become one of my new favorite magazines...if you have never seen or read an issue, you should! Mary Jane has lots and lots of wonderful articles about all things a country girl loves!! (Lisa Fowler - if you are reading this post, every time I get a new issue of Mary Jane's Farm I think of you...I know you would LOVE this magazine as much as I do!!)

Well, folks, that's about it for today! Thanks for stopping by and reading my ramblings! Have a SUPER week, be safe, and have fun!!

Blessings,