Antique Market Gift Ideas ... and other such things.

A small post while I struggle with a tiny, farmhouse table with plank top and turned legs.  Why struggle? Because a previous owner painted oil over latex paint ... and the undercoat was a BRIGHT and PERVASIVE blue.  No fun, blue fingers.

It is slowly getting better, but if anyone out there knows a good technique to lift paint that simply turns to goo when stripper is applied and has seemed to have stained the wood underneath, let me know!

In the meantime I went to the St. Lawrence Market today.  On Sundays there are about eighty antique dealers that come to sell their bounty from estate sales and auctions.  Let me tell you ... there are a lot of characters there.  One sweet old guy told me to buy acreage and start canning again, basically insinuating that the apocalypse is coming ... a part of me did not disagree.  Work out that double negative please.  Even if you aren't an antiqu-er, they can be incredible places for unique Christmas gifts. Some ideas just in case ...

1. Jewellery (costume or cute, they have tons of old necklaces and earrings from estate sales, all of them unique, and reasonably priced)

2. Vintage trinkets tailored to your giftee.  We're talking old brand paraphernalia (Coke/Pepsi), old sports equipment, records, ornaments, radios, old tools, old toys... for any enthusiast there is a vintage trinket to be found 

3.  China, platters, and any serving dish and porcelain you can imagine. Giving a lovely old tea cup in a coveted pattern, a beautiful old mixing bowl, or a unique baking tin can be lovely gifts. 

Confession: I used to HATE antique stores and fairs with a fiery passion. It's entirely possible you still feel this way, I get it.  In other news, I got five beautiful, vintage, crown topped mason jars tinted teal.  And I love them. 

I will now scour the internet for projects to make from them, or I might just keep them old and cute. 

Merry November all.