My day off happened to be THIS beautiful fall day! So I got up nice and early, drank some coffee in my PJ's, got dressed and caught up a few things around the house, then hit the trail all by my lonesome. The Little Bear Antique Fair started today, and I don't need much persuading to get my tail over there to check out all the wonderful treasures. It's a great place to start your Christmas shopping if you have friends and family that like antiques and oddities. That's why it's good to go by yourself.

This is the earliest I've ever gotten to one, and there were quite a lot of folks right at the starting gate. I'm sure they were all hoping for first dibs on the best stuff! I've gotten lots of things over the years at this twice annual sale in Bozeman, and always anxiously look forward to it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I found a just right “something” for my good Mom, but it's a secret til Christmas! Saw lots of good stuff, but contained myself and kept a latch on my pocketbook. Quite a few things I spotted I already have at home, but mine were mostly rummage sale finds which I was lucky enough to find over the years, and for a whole lot less “moola” than they were asking at this sale!

I have been searching endlessly for an antique panorama of Cowboys. They seem to be pretty darn rare. I found a pretty beat up one at an antique store a couple months ago, and nearly fainted when I saw the $500 price tag! Today I saw 3 awesome panoramas that I was salivating over…….$1,500, $2,400, and lastly $4,000!!!!!!!! Gosh, who'da thunk it! I believe I'll hang tight. I live by the mottos “All good things come to those that wait”, “Haste makes waste”, and “Patience is a virtue”. I've found there isn't a much worse feeling than having buyer's remorse; and being the penny pincher that I am, would never dream of spending that kind of money on what is essentially a do-dad. But, boy, am I ever a sucker for a good do-dad…..at the right price.

Here's a pic I borrowed from Pinterest to show you all what I mean by a cowboy panorama. This is taken of one of Ralph Lauren's homes, and I'm pretty sure he can swing the price tag these panoramas are commanding 😉

Anything “Ralph Lauren” just turns my crank! I could give a hoot about clothes/fashion, but his home lines are to die for in my opinion.

I really didn't feel too bad about not getting anything this trip thru the antique fair. With all my Mom's sorting and purging, she's given me some awesome stuff over the last few months.

This “Library of Health” book was my Great Grandmother's. I put it out with some of my Halloween stuff because it's got a bit of a “Frankenstein” vibe to it!

 

 

 

There are all kinds of charts of body parts inside that flip thru one flap at a time to show all the layers of said body parts. Cool.

This is my Great-Great Grandmother's platter, and must be around 140 years old, give or take, as close as we can figure. That's a long time for something this fragile to still be in one piece, and with no chips or cracks. I will be it's steward for as long as I can, and hope the younger generation in our family shapes up and starts to appreciate these family heirlooms.

I also took a lot of the leftovers from her garage sale. She didn't have a great turnout because the weather was so cruddy that weekend. She was pretty much forced to donate all that was left because there is so little room in her new house. I just couldn't stand seeing my Great-Grandmother's cuckoo clock from Germany go, some antique pictures, and other smaller things that were gifts to my Mom, or things that meant a lot to her but she still had to part with them. So if I could squeeze them in my house, I took 'em. Maybe when all their remodeling is done, she'll have the room to take some of it back.

Hope you all have a “Spooktacular” Halloween!

TTFN,

Teresa