Top 5 Flea Market Shopping Tips For Florida and Beyond

I've taken my vintage hunt beyond the comfort of air conditioned thrift stores to the Hot-as-Hades heat of Florida flea markets and hole-in-the wall thrifts this summer. Many others are staying inside the avoid the heat stroke. That's fine, that means more goodies for us! 

If you're brave enough to risk the elements, you'll be rewarded with vintage treasures. Here are some tips for vintage hunting at the flea market!

1. Market Carts Come in Handy 

If you're lucky you'll find so many vintage goodies for cheap that you'll need a flea market cart. You won't be able to juggle all those finds in your arms, trust me.

Don't be a fool like me, line those carts. I lost a couple of items last week (2 Demeter perfumes, bargained and got 'em for free, but still!) because they fell out of a bag and the cart had no liner.

2. Cash and Change, You'll Need It

Break out the fanny packs, change purses, and wrislets, you want your cash accessible so you can pay quickly and easily, then move on to more vintage finds. Keep plenty of small bills quarters, nickels, and dimes on hand. Isn't it nice to buy things for nickels and dimes again? Good times...

3. Haggle, It's the Name of the Game

I rarely pay the asking price. Always ask for deals and discounts. Don't be shy, they'll just say "no," if it's no-deal and you just move on to the next score or swallow their price. Don't worry, they almost always say "yes!" They want the sale!

4. Pack Sturdy Boxes, Newspaper, Water, Hand Sanitizer, and Handkerchiefs...

Sturdy boxes and newspaper in your cars to keep your finds safe on the ride home. Water to keep yourself hydrated outside in the heat, hand sanitizer and handkerchiefs 'cause you're going to get sweaty and dirty. (You're not hunting right if you don't get dirty.) If you're hitting multiple fleas, you might want to pack snacks or a lunch, too.

5. Wear Something Comfortable for the Hunt

Dress appropriately for the weather since you're outdoors. Dress in layers in the cooler months, dress in thin clothes in the summer. Wear things you won't mind getting dirty and don't forget sunblock, sunglasses, and hats to protect yourself from the brutal sun.

Bring your camera, bring your friends, and have fun! The flea market is full of unique items (Hello Golden Vagina!) to amuse you, like a wunderkammer outdoor museum of awesome. Just make sure to only bring willing victims with you. Other vintage-nuts will hunt with the same rapture you do and make the trip funner!

What are your flea market hunting tips?

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Old Skool Junk Giveaway: Hunter S. Thompson Artwork

I'm back with another exciting giveaway! This time from my sponsor Old Skool Junk, I'm a big fan of everything they do. Their Etsy shop is full of unique thrift-inspired art and goodies, and I'm glad to offer two items from their line: A Hunter S. Thompson art print card and a Hunter S. Thompson necklace from their popular famous writers pendent collection.

Old Skool Junk Giveaway Entry Instructions:

This one will be short and sweet. Here's how you can enter to win a beautiful Hunter S. Thompson themed art print, a gorgeous necklace, and a fun random goodie from me(!):

1) Go to Old Skool Junk and pick out your favorite item from the shop, then come back here and comment with your favorite item.

2) Follow the Thrift Core blog for an extra entry

3) Follow the Thrift Core Twitter for an extra entry

4) Follow Thrift Core via Feed Burner for an extra entry

5) Follow Thrift Core on Facebook for an extra entry

6) Leave a suggestion or tip for the upcoming Thrift Core brick and mortar shop in the comments (announced here) for an extra entry!

Good Luck! You have until September 6, 2011 to enter for a chance to win!

*Old Skool Junk a Thrift Core Sponsor. Click Here to read more about becoming a Thrift Core Sponsor or contact me. 

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Thrift Haul: Hunt for the Golden Treasure + Special Announcement

While I was in Key West getting my sea-and-sun on last weekend, my thrifty pals Nicole and Ed were hunting in our go-to flea market when they discovered a golden mounted vagina! They passed on it, so I prowled for it this Sunday and didn't find it. Boo, I wanted display in my bathroom with pride.  

Oh well, I found plenty of vintage goodness to make up for it on the fruitless hunt for kitschy mounted genitalia that shine like golden koi scales! (Who could wish for a more kitschy find?)

Notice the new photo back drop? I'm so on-the-go lately I can't even stop at home to take photos! I went across the street during my favorite cafés Art Auction and snapped these photos in the hot-as-balls Florida heat! I'll have to try outdoor photos more, these didn't come out too bad!

Next cool find, hell yes, a portable drink mixing set! This is the kind of groovy practical thing I love to resell and it's in beautiful condition. Expect it in the antique store shortly!

Next, this sweet little needlepoint pair I found for a song, they'll need some cleaning but they're worth the trouble.

And books! I love the illustrations in children's books, the Disney one pictured had very accurate well-rendured illustrations, the Richard Scary illustrations are as charming as ever, and the vintage Wizard of Oz book is a Gem. One of the books is a huge collection of iron-on transfers in perfect condition.

My favorite book find is this collection of Garish Gardens and Outlandish lawns. I love how I could have used the pile of "junk" I found the book in to create an outlandish lawn of my own!

Next, I wheeled-and-dealed with a nice flea market vendor trying to get rid of some vintage. I got a beautiful horse and deer lamp, neat 30s-40s era pitcher, McCoy potter planters and two 40s era tumblers.

And look, transformers! My "Toy Guy" at the Bargain House of Fleas gave me a great deal on this beautiful vintage Soundwave Eraser. These babies are hard to find in perfect condition, imagine cruel kids actually using these sexy little robot toys, rubbing them to nothing? For shame!

And finally, I found more charming vintage cooking pamphlets and a vintage Florida souvenir at a thrift store. I think I'm going to start a collection of vintage Florida collectibles. After over a decade here I'm starting to call this trippy kitschy peninsula my "Home".

Special Thrift Core Announcement Time:

Five Points Coffee and Spice fundraiser and art auction was a success! 

I'm starting up that Dream Shop I've been musing about! It's going to be a combination Antique Store, Coffee Shop, and Art Gallery. We're setting it up in the Riverside Area, no definite start date yet. We've already got very talented local artists, bakers, and crafters involved.

I'll keep on being brutally honest on every step of the process. Through the goods and the bads, you'll have the real scoop. We're going to keep it gender neutral with treasures for the girls and the boys. Any clothing will be for all shapes and sizes.From teenie tiny to plus sizes, Thrift Core's got your back!

We're going to host fun raffles, and unique fundraisers soon with all sorts of vintage prizes and excellent local art. I would love for you to be part of this personal story. Your suggestions and participation is appreciated. We want this to be something that benefits the community in many ways (art/craft nights, garden nights, stuff for kids, sky's the limit!), and we're beyond excited to turn the dream into a reality.

Thank you so much already just for reading! We can't wait to show off the shop when it's done! All suggestions are encouraged, leave 'em in the comments. We need info! Let me know what you want me to write about and contact me if you'd like to contribute to the cause.

What did you find at the thrifts this weekend?


Linked to: [Thrift Share Monday] [The Penny Worthy Project] [Flea Market Finds].

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Thrifty Florida Road Trip Recap + Key West & Sarasota Travel Tips

Ah, last weekend's trip to the Florida Keys was just beautiful and everything an adventure should be; chaotic in the best ways. My travel mates Daniel, Jeylene, and Brian were hilarious and we had a blast making jokes, drawing silly crap, and singing on the epic pilgrimage to the literal southernmost point in the USA. Here's a recap of all the fun and some tips for when you make your way down here someday!

First, Sarasota is a statuesque city with plenty to explore. It's pretty like a post card photograph. The nationwide top-rated beaches are picturesque, a serene tableau of white sand and jewel-hued waters; perfect for swimmers.

We found a plethora of Sea Beasties at the beach in Sarasota.

There's a vibrant antique and secondhand market in the retiree-friendly city. I'll take more photos of these secondhand shops on my next visit. My best friends Ruthie and Huy go to college in Sarasota so I try to visit every chance I can.

Next stop was our virgin trip to the Florida Keys. Key West is tiny so it would be easy to cover every sight in a day if you desired. It was more touristy than we anticipated, but all of the locals are very friendly. Talk with them and visit State Parks to get a feel for the real laid back Florida Keys charm.

Goofing off atop the windy Bahia Honda State Park bridge

Anyone who knows the Florida Keys well knows one of the greatest local pastimes is fishing! So we followed suit and took a speed boat ride out deep into the sea to fish from the clean, clear waters. You could see a rainbow of colorful fish  all the way to the ocean floor!(You could see the ocean floor!)

The collective fishing haul,. Nope, I didn't catch a single one of these fish.

 

As a word of warning, deep sea fishing is not a good plan for people who get motion sick easily, we were dropping like flies! When standing I experienced vertigo, but when I laid down on a bench the rocking boat actually lulled me to sleep!

The entire trip was relatively thrifty. We split the inexpensive hotel and gas expenses four ways. The only thing we splurged on was food! Sarasota and the Keys had amazing eats and we chomped them down. Real Florida Key's Key Lime Pie, how I love thee!

Night life in Key West. It's beautiful. There's Drag Shows on Duval St. I wish I could have checked out!

This recap cannot be concluded without Daniel's BEAUTEOUS work, an exquisite drawing epitomizing our entire trip which he executed on the ride home. Let its exquisite beauty excite your eyes to tears, each graceful line will make you search for this same ethereal beauty in vain for years to come:

After Daniel showed us his masterpiece the conversation went something like this (all spoken between bursts of uncontrollable cackling):

Jelyene: What the HELL is wrong with my tits, why is one bigger than the other?
Me: Why do I have THREE eyes!?
Brian: Why is my head so SMALL?

Oh, good times! This drawing was the highlight of the trip back, I smile every time I think of it. You know you did your trip RIGHT when you're still laughing from it and smiling from ear to ear for days to come. Furthermore, I didn't know Jeylene and Brian before the trip, but we shared heart-to-heart conversations on this trip and bonded over laughter!

This trip was just what I needed to jump-start my slagging creative mojo. I've been writing and creating-up a storm ever since!

Are you squeezing in some late-summer thrifty adventures, too?

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Dream Shop Update: The Importance of Supporting Your Local Businesses

I've written about my Creativity Nights at Five Points Coffee and Spice many times. This café is everything I want my dream shop to be and it's a second-home to many creative souls in Jacksonville. The bad news; it's in trouble!

I couldn't find a word to describe the cozy vibe Five Points Coffee and Spice has (and what I want my dream combination thrift-store-coffee-shop to be) until I read Chris Colin's article on "Going Dutch" in the September/October 2011 issue of Afar. The word is Gezelligheid (Heh-ZELL-ick-hide) and this safe-haven for creatives has it in spades.

Chris described the Dutch Gezelligheid philosophy perfectly:

"Picture the warm yellow light of a small cabin on a winter's night, occupants laughing inside over fondue. Or a mellow afternoon in a little bookstore with your partner, rain drizzling down the windows. Or that funky little neighborhood bar where you and your friends always sink into the same booth and laugh over the same jokes."

Gezelligheid encompasses everything this coffee shop is and everything I'd love my future business to be. We've shared so many laughs in this cozy coffee shop, and we're all sad that the future of Five Points Coffee and Spice is hanging on the outcome of an art auction fundraiser being held this weekend.

If you're in Jacksonville, come out and support this local legend. I've donated framed art prints, it's the least I could do for Alva's shop. He and his crew have tolerated our art-messes, loud laughter, and eccentricities without complaint! (And hell, the art was made right there in the shop!)

So I better see your ass at Five Points Coffee and Spice this Sunday at 2PM. Come buy scrumptious BBQ, the funds will help keep the shop in business and you'll get a sublime meal, tasty as magical unicorn steaks. Win-win!

(If you can't make the event, you can donate to the cause online via this link. I hope to see many of you at the fundraiser, though. Imagine the difference we could make if hundreds of us donated just a small sum each!)

We chatted about this before, so many of us want to start our own business. We want to open antique stores, thrift stores, and ambitious combination coffee-shop-antique-spots. Cozy little Gezelligheid-filled corners of our own. We're just insanely ambitious like that in the comfort of our dreams.

We won't make our own little shop of dreams unless we support our fellow small businesses and learn from them. When we help them, we help ourselves, too.

Five Points Coffee and Spice is a shining example of what a friendly neighborhood business should be, and proof that the community will come together to help your business in its time of need if you're generous, sincere and run your business with heart. 

So tell me, what are your small business dreams? I know you have them...

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Antique Store Wisdom: A Late August Check-In

Hello again! I'm back from my trip to the Florida Keys and ready to get back to work on writing, the antique store booth, making art, and all of the other projects I've piled on the overflowing proverbial plate! I thought I'd start with a check-in on my antique store progress for motivation after the short break!

Sales Have Improved...With the addition of more small ticket merchandise and a bigger booth, sales have been doing much better. It's been motivational to check on sales every Wednesday and see the small sales add up! I can't wait to see if my picnic baskets sold and I'm inspired to make many more fun kits just like those.

I Can't Keep on Top if it all Yet... I'm making lots of merchandise and hunting for more every weekend so it's been difficult for me to find time to put it all in the shop! The shop is closed by the time I'm work, so I try to get off early to spend at least an hour or two a week in the shop.Luckily the ladies at Southern Crossing Antique Mall have tolerated me coming in close to closing time and recently offered to help me add some stock! Sad it's come to this, but  it's my only option for now!

Next I need to learn to beautifully stack merchandise into a small space like the Southern Crossing ladies manage to do beautifully. That will come in handy if I ever open my dream shop! (And it really is an art form!) I'll update again with another look at sales numbers for August and updated photos of the booth's new look.

Remember... if you're local, ask for booth number "4504" to visit me at Southern Crossing Antique Mall. If you want to set up shop here, I highly recommend it. Tell 'em "Vanessa" sent you! Also, many items pictured are also for sale in my online shop...which I haven't had time to update, either! I'll try to host a sale and add more fun items soon.

Past Antique Store Wisdom Posts:

[2/02/2011] Don't Underprice Your Items
[2/10/2011] Should You Rent a Booth at the Antique Store?
[2/16/2011] Stage Your Booth Like a Pro and Increase Sales 
[3/03/2011] The Answers to Your Antique Store Booth Questions
[5/03/2011] The Four Month Update (A Candid look at my Sales)
[5/11/2011] Finding the Best Antique Store
[6/02/2011] The Vintage Cabin's Expert Reselling Tips
[6/09/2011] 10 Action Steps to Improve Booth Sales, NOW!  
[6/07/2011] Antique Store Wisdom: The 6 Month Update
[7/14/2011] A Frank Look at the Sales Numbers
[7/21/2011] Sales Trends and Surprises

[8/10/2011] A Bigger Booth and Increasing Sales

How are your reselling efforts going? Got any tips to share?

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Giveaway Winner + Advertising Tips for Christmas. Yep, Christmas.

I used the random number generator to select a winner for the Betty Draper Giveaway! Congratulations Liz!  Now everyone else: get your ass to the Bit of Butter shop and blog, they have an amazing selection and they're still offering a 10% discount to Thrift Core readers. Use the discount code "THRIFTCORE" at check out!
 
Oh yes, and like this post suggests it's already time to prepare for Christmas advertising, shopping, and present-making...

NOW is the time to make your Holiday Advertising Plans

I still have ad space and Giveaway slots available, so please contact me if you're interested. Giveaways (Here's an example and another and another and one more!) and ad space on Thrift Core are an excellent way to get shoppers to your online or local shop during the Holiday season.

Let's get started on this Christmas mess NOW so we can relax instead of working until Christmas Eve this year! I don't know about you, but I'm going give the Christmas list a Mortal Kombat-style upper-cut in the face by finishing it early and then I shall hibernate in December to avoid that hideous traffic! Bliss!

* Bit of Butter is a Thrift Core Sponsor. Click Here to read more about becoming a Thrift Core Sponsor or contact me. 

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Come With Me on a Kitschy Florida Road Trip

My vintage suitcase filled with all the necesities at our hotel in Sarasota. Next, the Florida Keys!

Remember when I said I was going to hit up all the wacky tacky vintage fun Florida has to offer this summer? My car broke down after the first adventure, but in true unpredictable adventure spirit I've hitched a ride south to the Florida Keys to make up for my lack of Summer explorations!



Summer is my time. Road trips, tiny dresses, picnics, hot days, cold beers, sexy music, the way a hazy summer day looks like a sepia photo...there's something so vintage and magical about the entire delicious season. Summer's not only vintage, it's nostalgic. We remember road trips with the family, leisurely school-free days, and hours in the pool. Don't you miss those simpler times?

The view from our hotel room in Sarasota, the flowers outside, and sunset at the beach last night...

The days won't cool for months here in Florida, but I'm mentally preparing for my glorious summertime to end and for Autumn to take over. Luckily there was one epic road trip literally beginning where Florida starts and concluding where Florida ends help me send "summer" off right.

What thrift (summer) adventures are you getting into this weekend?

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Antique Store Wisdom: Crafting Fun Sets to Increase Sales

It's been a whirlwind week, with a full schedule I could only spend one hour in the antique store. Yet amid the chaos I'm managed to schedule time for constructing grab bags, fun sets, and small merchandise for my booth. These picnic sets are my latest creation.

Got an individual basket that won't sell? Set of plates hasn't moved for months? I theorize combining like-items into a whimsical gift set will help you make those sales and clear out some stock all while providing cute and practical merchandise.

Thank you Thrift Boutique for reminding me via the Facebook page that Betty and Don Draper used a basket like mine. I printed this scene and added it to the baskets.

Carla suggested via Facebook this set would make a great gift for newlyweds! Great idea! By the way, I appreciate the feedback and valuable data you all give me via Twitter and Facebook- thank you. You save lots of research and make my work day a lot funner! I'm glad to have you Twitter Pals around.  

I'll be crafting more interactive sets full of vintage surprises for the booth behind-the-scenes and these picnic baskets are premiering in Southern Crossing Antique Mall today. I think they're awesome, so they better sell quickly! What do you think of these sets, have they charmed the pants off of you yet?

By the way, as you read this I'm on the way to the Florida Keys! I'll update you all on this development tomorrow! Would you like me to write about thrift and antique stores I encounter down here?

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Thrifting for the Perfect Bike: Top Bicycle Thrifting Tips From CB

I'm prowling for a decent second-hand bike, but I don't know how to pick a winner from a dud. I reached out to avid biker CB of Citybird's Nest and she's kindly shared some tips:

Hi Thrift Core readers! I'm CB from the Citybird's Nest and I wanted to share with your some tips on what to look for when searching for a bike at the thrift store. As a frequent thrifter and an avid biker, there have been many times I have come across a few bikes that I have wanted to purchase but as it is we have sooo many bikes and limited storage in our little casa I had to pass.

Here are some helpful tips for you when searching for a second-hand bike that suits your bike riding fancy!


1. Beware of Department Store Bikes:

Here is a little list of some department store bikes to steer-clear of. They may be pretty but they are not made to last. The parts are hard to find and they are going to be super heavy:

Free spirit, Magna, Huffy, Next, any bike named after a car (Honda, VW, Lamborghini, Hummer...), Roadmaster, Pacific, Kent, Motiv, Murray, Mongoose, Breeze

These department store bikes are sometimes called BSO's or Bike Shaped Objects...they appear to be bikes from a distance but should never be used for actual riding! When something does go wrong most bike shops won't work on them because there is really no way to fix them. They are broken out of the box.

 If you do fall in love with one (the bikes from the 60's & 70's are not so bad) then go simple: single speed & no suspension, the less moving parts on these things the better.

2. Watch for Rust:

Be prepared because if there is any kind of rust on the bike you'll have to replace that part. Rust on a frame is particularly bad, but if you want a project bike then be my guest and have loads of fun! Putting together a bike is super fun and watching it take form into your perfect bike is the best feeling besides riding it! Most bikes can be tuned up at any bike store as long as parts for it are available.

3. Wheels of Steel:

Old bikes and cheap bikes have steel wheels. steel wheels are heavy and brake badly all the time as in they make a high pitched squeaking noise and don't brake at all in the rain. Bring a magnet, if it sticks, its steel.

4. Dents in The Frame: 

Don't buy it. It can be unsafe and not worth fixing.

All things considered you probably won't find a super great bike at the thrift store, but sometimes it is nice to have a bike for trips to the store or bar that you don't care about locking up outside or scratching up while in a bike rack. Bike riding is bike riding and the more people out there on two wheels the merrier! Have fun searching!

Van speaking again, got any bicycle thrifting questions? Let us know in the comments. And please share your bike knowledge with me. It's so pretty outside and I'd love a bike to go outside and enjoy it. Oh yeh, and get to those wonderful yard sales...

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Bit of Butter Betty Draper Giveaway + Tips To Organize Your Thrift Hauls

Giveaway Time! Bit of Butter wanted to offer another fun Mad Men Themed giveaway. Last week we offered Don Draper's drinking set, this week you could win mod goodies from Betty Draper's kitchen!

Again, I had to harvest information from my gracious host! This time the Bit of Butter team shares their secrets on keeping their Etsy stock tidy:

Bit of Butter's Top 5 Thrift Haul Organizing Tips

First of all, we are not organizational wizards.  No really.  As I type this, our weekend finds clutter the dining table and counter. Such is the life of a thrifter and an online-reseller, especially after a weekend of estate sales.  But here's how we try to keep the mess under control:

1. Don't Bring Everything Home:
Organization starts at the thrift stores.  We don't bring home anything in bad condition and we try not to attempt too many projects.  We only bring in things we *really* want or that we know that we can sell.

2. Once We Get Home:

Once we get home, we empty everything out of bags and begin to research each item.  Who is the designer?  When was it made?  What about pricing?  We open a document on the computer and start compiling information on the items, including condition and measurements. 

3. Then What?:
This is where things get tricky.  We're tired from estate sales and thrifting.  THIS IS THE DANGER ZONE!  So it's time to get organized.  (*Steps 4 and 5 are interchangeable*)

4. Photos:
Since we list our items online, we take photos of every item we brought in the door that weekend.

5. Box it Up:
Once we take photos, we pack everything away in boxes to store in the garage.  We use banker's boxes and list every item on a piece of paper that we tape to the outside of the box. 

And no, it doesn't always work as smoothly as we'd like.  (Currently I'm in the middle of steps #3-5 because we got a little disorganized this weekend.)  But this method helps with excess stock sitting around our home and it keeps us from feeling overwhelmed!

Betty Draper Giveaway, You Could Win: 1.) Owl New York Salt and Pepper Shakers 2.) Ohio Art Company Recipe Card Holder 3.) Two Pyrex Mini-Cruets 4.) Hallcraft Coaster Set 5.) Two Cookbooks: Japanese and Chinese Recipes (1961) and American Oriental Cookery (1962)

Bit of Butter Betty Draper Giveaway Entry Instructions: 
If you entered last week, you get a lot of free entries this time around. Yay!

1.) Shop Bit of Butter and select your favorite item. (Select a 2nd fav if you did this last week!)
2.) Leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite item is!
3.) Make sure to include your e-mail so I can contact you if you win.
4.) Follow the Bit of Butter blog and leave a comment on on this post for an extra entry.
5.) Follow Bit of Butter on Facebook and leave a comment on this post for an extra entry.
6.) Follow Thrift Core and leave a comment on this post for an extra entry. 
7.) Follow Bit of Butter on Twitter and leave a comment on this post for an extra entry.

Good Luck! You have until August 23, 2011 to enter for a chance to win!

By the Way, Bit of Butter is offering a 10% discount off your transaction. Just enter the code "THRIFTCORE" when you check out!

(The winner of last week's giveaway is Grace! I've e-mailed you to get your shipping information!)

* Bit of Butter is a Thrift Core Sponsor. Click Here to read more about becoming a Thrift Core Sponsor or contact me. 

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.