We're Headin' to the Junk Bonanza!

Several members of the FMS team are packin' their bags for Ki's annual Junk Bonanza just south of Minneapolis Minnesota this week.

Magazine Signing:

Ki and Heather will be on hand to sign magazines Thursday and Friday (times to be announced). Heather will also be a featured guest speaker on two panels at the Creative Connection event in Minneapolis .

Book Signing:

Get your fabric fix with creative crafting and sewing mavens Amy Barickman and Sandy Stone. They'll be on hand at 11 a.m. and again at 1 p.m. Saturday to sign copies of their how-to books being released in September

Vendors & Activities:

Along with 130 vintage, antique and junk vendors and artisans Marshall's Farm Market will be selling yummy, home grown fresh goodies.

Colonial Estate Buyers, LLC will be there to buy your unwanted gold and silver, so raid those jewelry boxes for extra flea market spending money.

Stop by the Arc's Value Village Booth to register to win the entire contents of a menswear-inspired tabletop created by stylist Jill Hinson entirely from items purchased at Arc thrift stores.
And don't forget to check out the Vintage Travel Trailers that will be for sale as well.
You can get all the details on the Junk Bonanza web site here.

Friends:

And you'll find FMS team member, Margo, hunting for bargains, visiting with junking buddies, and taking lots of pictures for the blog. Be sure you tap her on the shoulder and say "hello".

Party:

Please join Jill {and maybe a few special guests} for

a blogger/shopper/vendor party

Friday, September 17

from 6:00pm - 10:00 pm

at Dunn Bros./Eden Prairie

8107 Eden Prairie Road

Eden Prairie, Minnesota

It's all guaranteed to be a fantastic time, hope to see you there.

Good Things Come In Small Packages

Bigger isn’t always better, and that’s true even when it comes to flea markets. For our next issue of Flea Market Style magazine, we’re rounding up a list of the country’s best small flea markets — those with less than 100 vendors — and we want your recommendations. This is your chance to give your favorite small-town, way-off-the-beaten-path junking destination some love!

To submit your suggestions, send an email to:
fleamarketstylemag@hotmail.com with “SMALL FLEAS” in the subject line (do not respond to this post as comments has been disabled for just this one time). In your message, please include the name of the flea market and the city and state in which it’s located. (If you know its website address, write that down too.) Give us at least one reason you think it’s a must-shop flea market. Is there a particular vendor you adore? A special edible treat you can only find there? Unique early bird specials?

Don’t forget to provide your name and contact information so we can get in touch with follow-up questions, if needed.

If your suggestions are even half as interesting as the ones from the Name Calling post, this will be a treat. (For the record, I thought “Girls Gone Junking” and “Garage Sailors” were especially clever. But the comment that made me laugh out loud was from Gaia, who said: “My husband sweetly refers to me as ‘Queen of Crap.’ I prefer just ‘Junker.’ ”)

Blogged by Christine

Junkers Defined

In our experience there are 3 types of Junkers. So let's clear things up with some definitions.

Junker #1 "The Shopper" likes to peruse antique stores and sales for that unusual vintage treasure that speaks to their heart. Usually drawn to specific items they collect. They see it, buy it, take it home and love it. Attire is most often fashionable and clean.

For the gals, shoes are stylish and clothing is on trend and pressed. Hair and make up are in place at all times. Approach with caution when spotted shopping, as she is single minded, focused and easily startled.

Junker #2 "The Junker" roams the rows at a flea market, or follows a lead to someone's recent haul. Doesn't mind digging down in the dirty boxes, under the tables, behind over and under piles of this and that, looking for that treasure that makes their heart jump for joy, while they try to contain there excitement as they ask for the price. Never mind the years of dirt, it's perfect, and they know it.

They take it home & clean it. Then they either find the perfect spot in their home, or add it to their stash of stuff that they will haul from booth to booth & sale to sale, waiting for junker #1 to fall in love with it and take it home. Usually seen in comfortable yet non flattering clothing and sensible shoes. Stains, rips and paint droplets can be found on most of their clothing, and on the female junker, make-up is at a minimum. When shopping approach with caution. This junker will stake claim to their stash and hold firm until the deal is struck.

Junker #3 "The Picker" We adore pickers, they are the ones that scour the countryside, rummaging around in folks barns, out buildings and even digging in old trash heaps, looking for the perfect item, that junker #1 or #2 will just love. They don't clean it, many times they don't even price it.

They haul it from flea market to flea market until #1 or #2 finds it. "Pickers" are usually tanned from lots of time outside in the elements, hands are calloused, and smiles are friendly. No caution needed, as the picker is a friend to everyone, especially folks ready to buy.

Sometimes the lines between these three types of junkers is blurry, Many of us falling into all three categories at one time or another. What type of junker are you?

From The Flea Market Style Team