when the rare is everywhere it stops being made of magic

Sooo, Kella and I drove up to Brimfield yesterday for the east coast's largest spring flea market.

We were planning to spend the night and go back today for more junk hunting, but ....

something felt different.

Maybe junking has just become too trendy for us - the prices too high, the vendors too testy, the weather too cold - maybe too many things are going on right now in both our lives for us to feel like 'shopping'.

(wth!)

Fleaing has always been more like a hunt than a shop, but at Brimfield - which is literally brimming with everything and with enough of the green stuff you can probably take home whatever you are looking for - maybe it is more of a shop than a hunt.

It was kind of sad.

We are going to try a couple new fleas this summer and see if it is the fleaing that has lost its magic for us or just this show -

as Kella said, "the problem with this show is that we like to find stuff and this stuff has already been found."

I thought I would be off treasure hunting today

(4.5 hours driving there yesterday morning and 4.5 hours driving back last night -ugh- hubs was a little disappointed; he says for me, but I think it had more to do with his evening plans for Iron Man III, which I may have to break down and go see I guess, not the 3D version though)

but instead I am off to the grocers and then to hub's shop to weld some lockets determined to wrest a little magic from this day somehow ... I hope there is a little magic in your day, too and a little of the 'rare' for us to appreciate. xo

5 comments

lillyella said...

I totally know what you mean, it's so true! I feel the same way. You can just about find anything now and when I see tables and tables of my obsessions, it's semi sad and also hard to resist at the same time. For me, the hunt has now becoming not paying over a certain price or only buying when I find things in more obscure random places. It's hard though – you don't often stumble upon a really cool rare piece of pyrex in the goodwill for 50¢, but it's pretty exciting when it happens!

DancingMooney said...

You know what Cat, my mom and I decided not to do the flea market this summer... and I feel perfectly okay with it. I haven't really mentioned it on my blog, after all that time of making a big deal about it, but you're right the thrill of the hunt is gone by the time you get to the show...

If you're ever in the mood for some good finds, take a drive out into the country and hit up some barn sales and yard sales by old folks who don't know any better, or care for that matter... so much more fun than the flea, if you ask me. ;)

Catherine Ivins said...

Nicole- I like the idea of making the hunt about the challenge - ie prices, places - good ideas. I was so looking forward to Brimfield, but can see that I have moved on (at least for now). I totally understand you not doing it Janell (I'm not doing shows this summer either - we need a summer!) and I am thinking exactly the same for the future - barn sales, yard sales - no, more big fleas. xo

KJ said...

I never did much care for flea markets, but I do enjoy rural antique shops. Although there was this great road side permanent flea market in upstate NY with an older woman who had collected crystal necklaces for a lifetime- too bad I could not buy everything I wanted!

I believe in magic- real magic, not show magic, nor even Harry Potter type magic. I hope there is some magic coming your way Cat.

Catherine Ivins said...

from one believer to another Kathy-I wish the same for you xo