the Alameda Flea Market

I didn't have any plans on Sunday when I received an invitation on Saturday from my friend Cathe Holden to go to the Alameda Flea Market with her (officially known as Alameda Point Antiques Faire). She was leaving at 5:30 am and was planning to return home at noon. Was I game? Absolutely I said to her. I went to the Flea Market a few years ago when I was heavily into Shabby Chic. I found so many fabulous deals and began my Franciscan Desert Rose collection by going to this Flea Market. I haven't gone since I moved because I never felt that I had the funds to make the trip.

We left at 5:30, stopped for coffee in Petaluma and arrived at the Faire around 7am.

How sweet are they dressed?

Every row of the Faire had at least one booth full of vintage clothing.

I want that bicycle behind the blue chair and little table. Badly.

My favorite booth of the entire Faire. Although my overall opinion of the Faire is "overpriced." I spent very little money and compared the Faire with going to a museum looking at things I couldn't buy.

It's bright, it's loud but I still wanted it. I've loved lions since my childhood best friend gave me a little stuffed lion as a child. Cerys still has this lion. I also loved the British flag in the lions mouth. But not for the $45 dollar price tag that came with it.

I had such a hard time leaving this booth.  I saw so many Mid Century Modern style booths. And they were very pricey.

I spent very little money because I just can't get the price that I pay for items at garage sales and estate sales out of my head. I didn't see much that I had to have which made it easier. Cathe asked the price on a little set of metal drawers. The seller said $25. I have the same item at home that I paid $1 for. Is the price for the location? The cost of the booth or just the work of getting there? It would seem that cheaper prices would bring more sales?

I spent $3 on some vintage sequins.

Cathe and I spent the most time at a booth where the seller had bought a bunch of old watches and watch supplies at an estate sale. We both stood there looking through little boxes of full of vintage clock faces, watch parts, movements and little metal boxes. Cathe purchased a small collection and once I realized the price was very inexpensive I put together a box of items. He charged me $10 for this box.

I once sold a watch movement for hundreds of dollars so I'm always picking up watches just in case. The one on the far left is actually a Rolex. You could barely see the name through the grime. Is it worth anything? I'm not sure in this condition. It was fun to find it in the box though. Keiran spent about a half hour with me looking at each little watch and movement.

I was a different thrifter than when I last went to the Faire. I didn't do a lot of impulse buying and I knew what a high price was and what a realistic price was. I was quite pleased that I could walk away without a car full of items knowing that I could find many of those items that I longed for at local sales in Sonoma County during the next year or so. My patience for thrifting is growing every day which means I can overall make better thrift choices.

Thanks for all you sweet and wonderful comments about the Cotton Candy Machine. I wish that I could invite all of you over for the biggest cotton candy party in Sonoma County.

Comments

[ana @ imadeitso.com]

oh the colours! i could spend hours and hours there...

[laura]

I wish "sales" were really that sales! We should plan something for BlogHer Food I have to buy my ticket this week and then I'll know what days I have free :) maybe someone somewhere has a Sunday flea market around SF?

[amy zimmer]

Love the watch pieces--collages are dancing before my eyes!

[angelika]

You hit the nail on the head with the word "patience" - i always say that thrift shopping is so different from retail shopping - you don't go to get what you need, you go to see what you'll find and the trick is to be patient and wait. it's "slow food shopping" :-)

[HeidiAnn]

O. M. G.!!! That colorful booth with all of the FABULOUS stuff- many of which items are, I'm sure from Counterpoint. I have been searching for some of those salt and pepper shakers - wonder how much they were charging for those? I am LOVING that type of stuff from the 60's and 70's SO much lately - when I find something at a thrift shop I am over the moon.
And I know EXACTLY what you mean about the prices. I go into antiques shops now, and I'm just like .."can't do it"..- even if I want something really badly.
So, back to the thrift stores I go....

[Dana]

I haven't been to a Flea Market in forever! This sure looks like fun! Might just have to check one out this fall. :)

[Alyssa]

I'm a thrifty girl, and I have to agree with your assessment of thrifting. I do love flea markets and antique stores, but often find a good deal of the vendors are beyond my budget. It's fun to look though! Love the watch parts you scored.

[Nan Thomson]

You're so right about thrifting teaching you patience. I used to spend a lot of money at antique fairs and flea markets. Like you, now I go mainly to look and take great photos and know I can (almost always) find it cheaper if I really love it. All of us addicted to thrifting agree that the fun is in the search.

[Teresa Raines]

Before I went back to school I sold collectibles at the Alameda show. I understand that it has become expensive and difficult to locate items because of it's size. It's too bad really because it was such fun to do.

[Jody Smith]

I had a friend that went there this weekend from Redding! I want to go but I agree with you....I just can't pay what they are asking but I still want to go. I think it would be fun to see what is popular and then look for it myself!

Oh yes...my daughter would love that cotton candy machine....LOL

Jody

[Tracy @ The Wardrobe Wanderer]

I'd love to go through the vintage clothing racks, but I know the prices would keep from purchasing! Still looks like a lovely place to "window shop" though :)

[sraikh]

I went to one that was in Feb or March and felt the same way. Everything I saw, I felt like I could buy it for 1/10 of the price. I went with a group of friends and they dropped some $$..

[Melissa]

Looks like there was lots of cool stuff there. Bummer that it was overpriced. I hate that. You might be able to sell those clock pieces to someone who makes steampunk jewelry. Maybe Etsy would be a good place.

[jilly]

Wow, what a vintage lovers dream. I had a bike like that when I was 12. I had a purple glitter banana seat, oh I thought I was all that and a bag of chips hehehe.

blessings,
jilly

[Shelly B.]

All that fabric in the clothes - ahhhhh! I bet you can paint your own lion from the photo you took, and make it any size you want! :)

[Kimberly Stanford]

Wow, what a big flea market. Flea markets have tons of treasures in them. I heard some people snagging expensive items like priceless antiques in this market. But you'll need a lot of patience and a sharp eye to find treasures in this literal mountain of stuffs.