Farm Chicks 2011

Okay, so it is that time of year again – last weekend was our annual chick trip to Spokane, WA for the Farm Chicks Show! And I think this year my goal is to fit it all into one post… with the exception of our favorite food spot which deserves its own post… and some tidbits that are a cinch to do at home which I will blog when I have nothing else to blog about… but for the majority of the show – all in one post!

Let’s do this.

This is what we saw when we arrived shortly before the show opened, around 9:35, I think…

I am pretty confident that is the longest line I have ever seen in my entire life. At the very left edge of the pic the tiny ‘ants’ are the people at the start… and then it goes out of the picture on the right and under those trees and the little white rooftop, the line comes back into the picture and you can see the tiny heads of more ‘ants’ – and keeps going and going, just like the energizer bunny. Don’t let this line prevent you from going to the show – they have you buy tickets before you get in this line, then when the show opens, everyone in line is in the show within about 5 minutes. Funny that some of these ladies line up at 6 and 7, and they only beat us in by five minutes!

Yep. =)

Above left is day 1, first pile of junk walking in the door – random old junk = LOVE. Above right, that is a floor lamp made from plumbing and a galvanized bucket! I kinda want one for some weird reason!

For my dream entry. Sold already - one of those ladies five minutes ahead of us snatched it up.

I purchased something out of that bucket – I will share the project soon!

Above left: I love cows! Someone else pointed this out and I would have had to have it if it were baby cows which are even better than grown up cows. No price. And I was afraid to ask. Above right: Ah-mazing! Pottery Barn style and prices at this booth – it was $163. So cool though. There were three.

A favorite vendor from last year was there this year, too; Retreat Style. Very pretty booth. I recently learned this booth is run by a husband and wife team - so cool! Talented team.

This photo was hard to get without women's arms flying through it. The huge booth was one of the things I had been waiting for all year! Vintage table linens - at our local antique shops, vintage table cloths are usually around $40 or $50 and even $60. I could have sworn last year at FC this same booth had them for like $4/ea but this year they were more like $10. Still a ton cheaper than antique shops. That guy on the right in plaid shorts is the boss of the booth and the only one of 3 workers who knows the prices. No prices are marked, you just dig through, find something you want and hold it up and he will inspect it and give you a price in 3 seconds flat. He (supposedly) remembers how much he paid for each one. He travels all across the country ‘picking’ the stuff for his booth. This photo represents about 1/16 of his booth. He specializes in mass quantities, which always draws me into a booth.

There were also old quilts, all tattered and loved, which make my heart swoon…

Tons of boots, which were also under most tables around the whole perimeter of his booth…

And tons of other things including old purses, belts, buttons, post cards, …you name it.

The knock off Pottery Barn booth…

They brought out that blue Polish china for day two, really cute.

I love their grain sack and burlap pillows. I didn’t even check their prices... someone in our group said they were way overpriced. That’s okay, I can make my own burlap pillows. =)

They totally followed PB’s lead, copying their Found Grain Sack Pillows and those jars are just like PB’s Found Antique Pickling Jars. I looked online and the grain sacks do usually start around $45 and most are toward the $80 range. They are European and German Grain sacks. The material is like a rough Mexican blanket, but a very tight weave.

Another booth also specialized in European grain sacks and making pillows from them…

Also overpriced. And the people dressed in smocks made from the sacks, too… hmm?

Not sure what is up with the Red Cross theme but cute vignettes and I love that sofa.

I am pretty sure this huge basket is PB; it looks identical to a line they recently discontinued…

But it was $130 and PB’s were only like $65. Darn. Good chunky baskets are hard to find.

Two beds I wanted to buy even though the kids are sharing a bunk bed right now…

That metal one was only $65 and if it didn’t have broken rails and I wouldn’t have had to nag husb to find some way to make it function, it would have come home with me. The one on the right was sold, but those beds are a dime a dozen on Craigslist and always so cute with a distressed coat of paint!

The only feature by big time blogger Heather Bullard was this display, selling the plans to her web-famous chicken coop.

The second day had been pretty brief; checking to see if our favorite booths had restocked and seeing if anything we wanted had been marked down. When I (always the last one) announced that I was finished, and we turned to make our way to the exit, I saw what I had been looking for!!!

Flour sacks! I am making pillows to sell at the Dickens Fair (have not been able to find website for that yet) and I wanted to do some flour sack pillows. I snagged the last few without holes in them. Two I might have to keep for myself are actually sugar bags, and one says “U & I Sugar”, which I might have to make a little bed pillow out of, and one is old C&H and says “Sugar, the essential food.” AGREED!

On the way out I noticed that first junk pile we saw had completely morphed and been restocked into a new and beautiful junk pile…

As far as our loot (after the first day)…

BTW, you should also see Esther’s post about the show!

Actually, it is not all mine - those two galvanized locker baskets are for my MIL and the jar lids are for a friend. Mary didn’t seem to think her loot needed to be photographed! Mary! You stinker. I know she scored a couple table cloths – we were battling it out with the hoards of other women at the same time and we both kept going back to that booth throughout the show.

This is what I added to my loot the second day…

(Oops that tray was same one from the first day). I think I will do a little post to tell you what each of my items are. I know, it was a pipe dream to think I could get it all shown and said in one post. Farm Chicks is just too much!

This little baby might just be my favorite of all my items…

The little rosettes by Allora Handmade have always been my favorite and when I saw a booth full of flowers mimicking Allora’s I knew I had to have one. This sweet little ring was only $6 and I wore it from then on. I did get OCD and trim those strings when I got home. =)

So that’s all for now. I have so many good posts in my brain, and hope they can all get out on the blog this week and next! Peace!