Sugarwings first flea market

I want to thank all of you for your concern and caring about Sugarwing's school situation. It broke my heart to see our little fairy so down, she is usually such a sparkling soul. But, I think we are on track now in finding her the right place.  She only turned five 2 days before school started, so was the littlest kid there, and frankly, she is not always listening to what people are telling her anyway, so just wasn't ready to listen to a teacher.

It helped to hear all of your stories and advice. It sounds like 5 is often too young to start school, and waiting a year helped a lot of your little ones.

Since she has been out of school for a bit, we've had some good days together. I'd planned on going with Beth to the big Sparks and White Cloud flea that we love so much, but I ended up with this kiddo instead, so had to cancel.

But- I really really really needed a junk day.  And not just because it sounded fun, but because I had to scrounge up some more ceiling tins for our kitchen remodel. This was a mission with a purpose!

And I figured that this girl is going to be raised around junk, she needed to learn about how to go about finding and appreciating the stuff.   So, I packed her up, rented a movie to put in her Pink Princess Computer (a portable DVD player),filled a bag of snacks, loaded my flea mkt cart, and we hit the road. 

Sadly, the snacks and the DVD player didn't mix well.  If you spill a box of Chocolate milk into your Pink Princess Computer, its pretty much done for.  (this is the same week that our home DVD player bit the dust too. Along with our vacuum cleaner, toilet, modem, home phone, AND our boat has been checked out for the dozenth time by a mechanic, but still died on the lake and had to be towed, then was in a wreck with the towing boat, so I wasn't surprised to see her DVD player break)

When we pulled up to Sparks and got out to shop, she wanted to know where the Bug Store was. I did say, "flea market,"  right?

She soon found some non-bug and flea related items to enjoy. Like this shopping cart for $1.  She insisted that it should be pulled behind her like I pulled my basket.

Then, she found some bugs, and that made her happy too.  This time of year, cicadas are plentiful.  You don't even have to make a special trip to the market to get them.

This fairy certainly has bargaining skills.  She found a disco night light in rainbow colors that was marked $15, held up $3 and the lady smiled and said sure.  Another guy gave her 3 plastic ponies for $1, and everywhere else people were giving her stuff. Including free french fries from a food cart, beads to wear, and this great light up butterfly magic wand.

I could get some lessons from her!  Now, if only I could train her to find hats and bargain the prices down on them. 

We also ran into my friend, Gwen, who runs Bottom's Up, one of the best antique sales around.  She gave Sugarwings a pile of flyers to pass out and that kid was determined that anyone within 20 feet of her HAD to take one.  She added a quick spin, put her backside in the air and said "bottoms up!" each time, too. I had to convince her that it wasn't necessary to flip up her skirt while doing that after the first time.

This was a trip where I didn't expect to do much shopping. It would be a quick trip down the aisles with my eyes out for tin to redo my kitchen ceiling. 

But what to my wandering eyes did appear?? Treasures galore and things I hold dear! (uhm, she and I talk in rhyme sometimes)

I found a few hats, not many, but was glad to glom onto them. They were bonus hats. I didn't expect to have any luck in this department at all.

But the best surprise was that she was having so much fun sitting in the dirt next to me, playing with her bug buddies and new toys, that I had plenty of time to sift through old jewels.  There are wonderous treasures to be found there, if you have the patience to look through the ucky stuff too. Beth always gets tired of waiting for me, I could park myself in front of a jewel bucket for an hour, and she is ready to move on. Sugarwings was happy to let the bugs ride on her plastic ponies while I sifted jewels. Next time I go, I'll pack a bag of bugs for Beth. I'm sure that will make her happy.

And later, I ran into a friend who is an ex-kindergarten teacher and she took my little one for a walk while I shopped in her booth and made a ceiling tin deal with her husband.

  We didn't stay long, and we probably spent more time sitting down and playing than walking around and shopping, but I'd call her first flea market a big success.  She was wheeling and dealing with the best of them, we both found some beloved items, and we had lots and lots of time for rhyming all the way home since the DVD player broke.

ps-Please leave a comment on the previous post if you want a chance to win this Craft Day Giveaway pack from me, Beth, and Mary!

Some of the flowers in the pack are from this flea market day.

Please forgive me for not answering comments this week, our construction is beginning! I guess this phase is more de-construction, the kitchen gets ripped out before it gets put back.

PS again- a photo of my living room was featured on the HGTV site! how nice!

http://www.hgtv.com/living-rooms/charming-shabby-chic-living-room-designs/pictures/index.html?soc=share

Comments

[jeanie]

Looks like this first venture was a grand success! I'm surprised this is her first, but then I always think she is much older -- I'm not sure under 5 would be great at the "bug store." I'm not surprised, though, that she is a good bargainer and an ace flyer distributor -- who could resist?

By the way, my Bird Song post is finally up -- actually, I think it has slipped one or two below the top by now. It was such fun!

[Cindy]

Sounds like a success to me! She's a hoot and sounds like a great flea market buddy! Glad you gals had a great time and scored some good junk to boot! :)

c

[sadie]

I had to go back and find out what the school thing was all about. Oh, don't get me started. Do you know that her in GB kids are going to school - and I mean proper school - aged 4 and a half. School starts at 5, but depending on when a child is born in relation to school terms, then can be as young as 4 and a half, and I think that is so wrong. My little girl was almost 5 when she started, and I still think that was too early. She didn't go to nursery or anything like that beforehand, I kept her home with me and enjoyed every single moment of her. Now she's in Year 1 instead of reception (reception being the introductory time), and school started up again yesterday. She's a bit subdued, and her teacher told me this morning that she was 'quiet in class' (I resisted saying 'make the most of that, it won't last!), and it made me feel a little sad. I know she likes school because she's told me, but it takes her a while to settle in. After the 6 weeks summer holiday it must feel like she's starting all over again.

The only thing I can say is that Sugarwings will settle in. But by the sounds of things, it seems you have done the right thing and by the look on her face in the first photo, sugarwings agrees :O)

Lovely flea market photos.

xx

[Maija]

You are the BEST grandmother!! Lucky little Sugarwings!

[Jeanelle]

My middle child is a September birthday and is the youngest in his class. If I could do it over, I would not have put him in school. I would have waited a year.

[Clydia Kay]

Such a sweet day spent with your fairy! Love it! All my kiddos are much older and in school and I so miss these days with them. My first daughter, well I started her to early {5} and wound up letting her do kindergarten again because she was just too timid. I'm so glad I did... She is an honors student now. Love your blog...going to head over and look at your living room pics showcased on HGTV! :)

[wendy]

Do they make you fun wh ith the thoughts they have bug store.. I once had a child ask where were stanta's claws... know wonder she didn't want to sit on his knee... and I did the same I took my college aged son junking with me.. we had a blast... he looking at the old weapons and glass... and I held both my sons back and they are both honor students... sometimes they need so more time .. school is a lot to take in...

[Renee]

I am so glad you found treasures there. My husband and I went in the Spring and didn't find a whole lot. Sugarwings will do just fine as soon as she gets the right teacher. I have a late Aug. birthday and my parents sent me with never an issue that couldn't be explained by the educator. She is just a doll and seems quite happy with the simple things...smiles...Renee

[gail]

How fun! She is such a beauty and I am sure you have a blast with her! I know how much I adore my granddaughter. One of these days I am going to have to hit the White Cloud market, love those sparkley beauties you found.. I love old jewelry! And as I've said many times, you are a WONDERFUL grandma!

[Lisa Russell]

Do you rent her out?? ;) Would love to have her come along with me! ha! Oh, what a sweet time you both had. Love the unexpected good junk finding days!

[joanne (jojo)]

sounds like you had a sweet time with your little sugar. I think she will do well to stay out of kindergarten until next year...that five to six age is such a huge difference in maturity. Besides she's getting the best education hanging with her grammy at the flea!

[Kathy]

What a great junking day!! I haven't tried taking my little out yet but you may have inspired me. I am glad you and the parents are looking into options. Just turning 5 is pretty young to cope with all those rules. My grand started Kindergarten right after turning 6 but it was ALL DAY kindergarten, which I think is wacky. Her meltdowns were always in the afternoon when she had reached the end of her good.

[Rebecca]

Everything in our house breaks all at once also!! Why is that?? Are we attracting negative energy or something? I had to have an appliance repair out a few months ago, and he was shocked when he asked what needed to be fixed and I said the washer, the dryer, the dishwasher, AND the refrigerator!

I've been taking my daughters junking with me, since they were younger than Sugarwings, and now they don't like to pay retail for anything. Lol! They like to look for it used first. It makes me so proud!

[Vicki]

When it rains it pours!

[Laurel]

Sugarwings is such a sweetie! She looks sooo much like her gramma!

We used to spend summers at my grandparents' home in Kansas and I miss hearing the cicadas. I remember they would get so loud we had to cover our ears! We have them here in Minnesota, but they must be much smaller, because they don't get near as loud.

LOVE your blog, Kathy!!

Laurel :)

[Karla Nathan]

Ive never seen cicadas like around here. Some years they are really bad, I guess they emerge in cycles and sometimes the cycles of more tan one group overlaps

Sent from my iPad

[Erica]

Sounds like a great time was had by all. I love the "bottoms up" story - I laughed out loud because I can picture my niece doing the same thing.

[Laurie]

It sounds like so much fun to have gone junking with Sugarwings! (And Beth!) I loved the play by play -- makes me feel like I was there! I adore the hat flower thing you found! And Sugarwing's cicada! (Not really, but you can tell her I did!)

[Laurel]

Oops, sorry! I just realized I called you Kathy! Sorry, Karla! :)