Nashville Flea Market–my favorite finds from last weekend

Last weekend was the Nashville Flea Market, held monthly at the fairgrounds. When we lived in Clarksville for nine years, I often made the drive down with my friends, Carolyn and Andrea, and now that we’re all in the area again, we’ve reinstated our tradition.

We went last Saturday, which is different for us (normally we go on Sunday morning–the bargains tend to be better on Sunday). But my hubby was playing in a golf tournament and I didn’t want the kids to miss church since we’re just getting situated in our new Sunday school classes. So, Saturday morning it was.

My first find was this darling lampshade. The woman who made it took long strips of bright and cheerful patterned fabrics and wove them on a wire lampshade frame, then just tied them on the frame. I’ve seen tons of old wire frames throughout the years and know that they’re cute on a lamp all by themselves, or they can be re-covered…but I never thought of this technique! Yes, I could have done it myself, but since I don’t have a bunch

of cute fabric scraps sitting around and I needed to find the right size frame, I figured the $20 she wanted was going to be well worth it. We’ve just re-done my daughter’s room–it’s aqua, pale green, and white now (all pink has been banished–sigh!), so this was a perfect inspiration piece for her desk. Love it!

(By the way, I’ve seen these done with ribbons before–also cute–and embellished with flowers, ribbon rosettes, and beads.)

My second fabulous find was also for Annabelle’s room. She was really the big winner here, wasn’t she? I bought a black nightstand for her room for $20 and of course forgot to take before pictures to post. I am getting better at taking pics of “before” but I am usually in such a rush to get to “after” that I still sometimes forget! I sanded that baby down, removed the yucky drawer pull, and spray primed and painted it aqua blue. I finished with a crystal drawer pull, which I already had, and a little light sanding to distress it. Now it’s her new nightstand. She’s been asking me for a nightstand with a “junk drawer” which cracks me up–how many eight-year-olds need a junk drawer?! Come to think of it, probably most of them. Can you say plastic Happy Meal toys?