flee market

This would go nicely in the boys'room behind their beds.

Inspired to recover my Goodwill sofa in this charcoal velvet

Texted my father this photo asking him to make me one, please.

I sent this idea to my sweet friend Wallis who is moving in a few weeks-an idea for her girlies

Made these for my father-Redneck wine glasses

The book the boy found

This weekend I plan to flee to the market, but not just any old market-certainly not the supermarket. Where's the fun in that? This market is where I go when my inspiration is waning. I flee to this market for comfort and creativity. Most times I go just to walk through. But let's face it the entirety of my home has been outfitted from places like these. I always meet the most interesting people. There are antique tools used in gardens and workshops of old. This kind of market is a hands on museum where my boys and I can venture through time and TOUCH the artifacts.


Let me explain. Most children are taken to baseball games and museums as their parents wish to broaden their cultural horizons. My parents chose a more nontraditional approach-flea markets. The first memory I have of going to the Memphis flea market, I wondered aloud, "Why is it called a 'Flea Market'?" And to this day no one has been able to give me an answer that quenches my curiosity. It was at a flea market that I first learned about current events, specifically who was President. My father bought my mother a peanut pendant for her necklace-the peanut represented our 39th President, Mr. Jimmy Carter-that infamous peanut farmer.I guess the reason why flea markets are my haven is because they represent all of the things I most value: resourcefulness, creativity, hard work, ingenuity, history, friendliness and some good old fashioned quirkiness.


My boys share my passion for these cobwebbed places where you can find a one-of-a-kind treasure from yesteryear. Once when we were on a "school outing" because these places are chocked full of history after all, I was pointing out a piece of art to my little brood of boys when a woman approached me. "It is refreshing to see boys interested in beautiful things. We mostly see mothers with their little girls, but boys can appreciate this too." Indeed they can (when they are not beating the crap out of one another). 


The last time my favorite flea market was in town, the family went with me. The oldest found a book on mathematics. He loves its straightforward explanation for things like algebra and geometry before textbooks became too apologetic in their approach to teaching and hence made subjects more confusing by trying to simplify them.The other boys found a harmonica still in its original box and a WWII flashlight.Imagine my glee when the 12 year old asked, "Mom, when is the next time we can go to that market where I found all the cool stuff?" To which I replied,"Well, this weekend, my darling. This weekend."