Look Away

A blog friend mentioned she hasn't seen my booth at the antique mall, so better look away now if you scare easily.  Here are some pics from yesterday before I started moving things around.  It is full and thus, looks a mess.  I am basically just moving things around.  Sell a few things - add some new things.  Aye yay yay.

 I had an old floral hooked rug on the floor, but it was getting trashed so I took it out.  The antique tulip quilt and the homespun twin bed sized fabric are the only textiles left in the booth.  I've gone in several times to find them balled up on the floor.  The quilt is from the 1800's and in good condition as is the homespun.

I thought they would have flown out the door, but they've been there from day one.  The cradle did finally sell, but sat there for months.

Some booth owners paint their booths.  I am not kidding.  Yes, I would have liked another color than brown, but not going to happen.  I love the spare and styled booths, but I figure, with the rent, the 10 - 15% commission and card fees, if it isn't in there, it's not going to sell.

I've got some nice old baskets, but haven't sold a one.  Same with pottery.  I have a Clarice Cliff plate and a Wade pottery pitcher and don't think I could give them away.  In fact, I brought the Wade piece home as it is in perfect condition and they will break it.  

The most expensive things in the booth are the fairy painting and the french trumeau mirror which you can't see very well.  Pretty much, I am trying to get what I paid back, or even at a loss.  But, some things, the rarest, I'm not going to budge on.

Aye yay yay.  I've had several 25% off sales, but I didn't sell more, so I haven't had one in a couple of months.

There you have it.  Almost everything in the booth is old.  This mall is in an old supermarket and is huge.  I realize that means the money is stretched out over 300 booths, but it also gets lots of traffic.  From what I can tell, it is mostly the garage sale stuff that sells.  Like I said earlier, it is a new day in the antique biz.  I need a larger booth, but am not going to pay the higher cost.  So, it is just going to have to look junky. And, I've had many items disappear and broken.  

The only thing worse would be to have to take all of this back to the farm where there is more  waiting.  

Another Day

Someone asked me how my antique booth at the mall looks, and I said, like a turd.  It is so small that to keep it looking like there is any order at all is nearly impossible.  I've covered the walls and every square inch.  I do love the booths with just a few pieces in them, but my theory is, I don't want this dragged out and have to keep paying rent.  If you remember, I sold most of my large pieces of furniture and displays before Christmas. What is left is mostly smalls and some mid-sized pieces.

Anyway, I found these two chairs in another booth.  I'm not sure if I've made money yet because try as I might, things keep jumping out at me, i.e. these chairs.  They were covered in a lime green ikat which doesn't go in the city house.  I found this birdie upholstery and voila.  I am a bird nut. Okay, an animal nut.

What do you think?  Swedish or French?  They are to go in my entryway with a hall table I am using for display in my booth.  The table, a recent purchase, was the first thing someone wanted to buy at my booth.  I said no, it was for display only.  Whatever.

Windbag

 I wonder if the marketers that made this ad thought about the word windbag?  I would look up the etymology of the word, but I don't care that much. I just loved the page and have kept it for years.  

 I've been rifling through all the detritus and junk that piles up around here, tidily I might add.  Anyway, after more than a year and a half wait, I got a booth at an Antique Mall in Tulsa.  Nate Berkus and some other couple with an HGTV show shopped there.  Movies shot in the state also shop there and that is why the wait is so long for a booth plus they get a lot of traffic.

I have had booths before and do not enjoy it, but I have to get rid of stuff that has accumulated over the years, as I have posted about here. 

Which brings me back to the post. This scrap of paper is why I have too much stuff (though it doesn't take up much room tacked to a bulletin board - oh excuse me.  That is old fashioned.  I meant an idea board or a mood board.  I am a magpie you see. But I just loved this sentiment.