Jayson Home and Garden

Before the holidays I went to brunch with a couple of girlfriends. We decided to hit up Jayson Home and Garden afterwards.

This store is always amazing, the displays and furniture constantly changing. I love this place in the spring when they have the outdoor garden plants out already. This time around the theme was christmas, obviously, but a country christmas. I snapped a couple of pics with my phone so sorry the quality is crappy but you get the idea.

They have my favorite chair in a raw linen with nailhead trim, not like I can shell out 1,900 for a chair but hey, they have it. When you sit in and speak it sounds as though your speaking through a cardboard megaphone. The sound vibrates in your ears, it's really surreal.

What a cool concept with the brass pom pom flowers. To make an impact you have to put up a bunch of these on a wall. I wonder if there is an easy way to make these yourself? I think I feel a project coming on. 

If anyone has any good suggestions on how to make these, please feel free to comment. I always love reading your comments, they make my day.

Sandwich Flea Market

Several weekends ago, I made plans with my girlfriend to go to an outdoor flea market downstate. It was the last one of the year and we had never been to Sandwich, so we said why not. We also goaded my mom and her sister to come along with us. The weekend was supposed to be all rain but we figured hell if anything we'll wear ponchos.  The drive was beautiful and picturesque so that alone was worth the trip. I wish I was able to take photos, but as I was the driver.

Unfortunately, the fair itself was a bust. Maybe it was the threat of rain that kept a lot of the venders away, there were supposed to be 500 but there was maybe 150? Also it was the last one of the year so I'm thinking that was why the pickings were pretty slim. We did find a handful of venders that had some cool stuff, but I swear their prices were so overblown that it was ridiculous.

The antlers were $20 a piece, downtown Chicago, my friend was able to get them for $5 a piece, kind of a ripoff huh? I thought that going downstate, the prices would be more reasonable?

So the vender that was selling the wooden bowls and troughs wanted $400 for the first bowl. Are you friggin kidding, for an old wooden bowl? I understand the value of antiques that took skill, but a wooden bowl that was probably used to bake bread in?!?!

Needless to say I did not buy anything, my friends sister did get a couple of things, but most of the stuff was either not my taste or more than I wanted to spend on said particular item. Maybe next summer when there is more of an opportunity for more buyers we'll try it again, maybe. 

Although the flea was a bust the time spent with my mom and girlfriend was worth the trip. Oh and on the way home we hit up a Marshalls and ended up getting a few things there instead. Go figure.

Antique Market in the heart of Chicago

Sorry I was away but summer had us pretty busy so I hope I can play catch up now with some of the things that we were up to.  A couple of weekends ago we went to the Randolph Street Antique Market, which happens once a month on Randolph in the heart of Chicago.  There is an assortment of junk and treasure depending on who you ask, but one thing that my friend and I both thought was true was that the prices were pretty fair for an antique market in Chicago.  Usually things are soo overpriced that I feel like I'd rather go out and buy the thing brand new and save myself some money instead. Granted there were a few things that were WAY overpriced. Like an edged tin 7' mirror that the guy wanted $1400.00 for, and he wouldn't budge. Not even one bit. No sale on that one.

But then there was a vender that was selling letters from signs that were for a pretty good price. I bought a few stainless steel ones for $2. a pop, and she had brass ones that were about 8" for $12. She also had a couple of moroccan tables I wish they were a foot smaller or if I had the room for a side table that big, sigh... need a bigger space.

Then there was this great cart although it was pricey but I can see someone putting  stuffed animals into it or if you had a large enough bathroom a bunch of colorful towels. What might be other ideas, I'd love to know what you would put into or do with it. 

Also there was a vender that had an old work table, I can see that as someones new workspace with a sleek laptop and high modern stool or maybe if you had a large enough foyer that can serve as the entrance table or even a buffet in a dining room. There are endless possibilities. She also had old railway lights that she was selling with the blue glass and she had a few that were in other color glass as well, although I don't remember which color those were. No matter, they were way to pricey for me. 

Check out these Chanel doors, I don't know where they came from but they were heavy. That might work nicely mounted behind a bed as a headboard on a dark painted wall possibly? Any other suggestions?

We ended the day with an impromptu jam session, Ari had spied some drums a xylophone and a little stool and once she started she roped my friend into playing along with her while she sang. She started to get a crowd of people checkin' her out, I mean wouldn't you watch if there was a kid singing and playing with no abandon. I should have put out a hat for some change, cuz I ended coming home with the xylophone in the end. 

At the end of Sept is the last Randolph Street Market for this year, they start again next year and if your here you should check it out; treasures/junk, food, and music all with a backdrop of Chicago city skyline.

Botanic Garden Antique Show

This saturday my girlfriends and I, along with our kiddies, went to the Botanic Gardens in Glencoe. It's a beautiful garden by itself but this weekend was the antique show and sale. Lets just say, I probably won't be coming back for the antiques anytime soon, or ever, but I want to come back to the gardens again when everything is in full bloom.

The antiques were for the most part, pretty mehh. And pricy$$$$$. There were a couple things that I took photos of that were a bit unique but even the more modern things were way too overpriced. I think I'll stick to the thrift stores and Broadway Antique Mall instead.

These were a few that caught my eye.

A great idea for any type of sports paraphernalia, maybe old football helmets, the ones that used to be leather, or golf shoes granted the shadow box would be thicker but I think it could work. 

I don't know for sure if that perforated looking egg is a garden stool, it looks a little fragile to sit on. The orchids, well they are just plain lovely, but the shell box that they were in was priced at $750.00 sorry, I think I'll pass. 

This installation has to be my favorite, for the kites. I believe that those are a permanent fixture in the gallery space and the table might have been temporary.  This would work if you had a large skylight in your home or maybe a sunroom, how pretty would that look with the filtered light coming through? 

Overall, it was a wonderful saturday, time spent with friends was worth it even though nothing was of particular interest or affordability.